I Won't Let You Go
by dawsonscasey
Summary: "I, uh, I think it would be better if this was the last time we spoke [...] I just think we both need to be rid of this, all of it. You and me. We need to move on, without each other." Dawsey. Post S6 Finale.
1. Chapter One

**Hello all! I've had this idea floating around my head for a few weeks, so I decided to flesh it out and see how it goes. This is based on season 7, somewhat. I don't watch the show anymore, the way they've chosen to handle Dawsey and Matt have been disappointing, to say the least. But I do see the main gist of things on twitter so a few bits and pieces of that will be included in this story. But this definitely doesn't follow the current storyline on the show.**

**Just a little note about me: I've been writing Dawsey fanfic for years, but I've never published anything or even shared any of my work with anyone else, so this is a bit nerve wracking.**

**The title of this story comes from the song I Won't Let You Go by Switchfoot. The song itself has nothing to do with the actual story, but it's pretty much the only thing I listened to while writing this first chapter, so it just felt right.**

**I hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter One**_

* * *

"You want a beer or something?" The words slipped from Casey's lips as he walked through the back door leading into his apartment, the other blonde walking in after him. Shutting the door behind her, she shook her head.

"No, I'm good. Had enough at dinner." A smirk played on her lips as she answered, Matt nodding with a smile of his own. He went ahead towards the fridge, grabbing a beer for himself and deciding to grab a water for her, his body turning back to face her. He nodded towards his living room, watching as she pushed herself away from the countertop and followed his path towards the couch. Sitting down their drinks, he wiped his palms on his jeans as she turned on the tv. Before he could get comfortable, his phone started buzzing in his pocket, Matt pulling it out to see who was calling him.

"Make yourself comfortable, I'll be right back." He prompted, Matt leaving her side and heading towards his bedroom, no longer visible to the woman once his door shut behind him.

Naomi leaned back against the couch, her body relaxing into it as she looked around at her surroundings. She'd only been here once before, but seeing as how the entirety of her time spent here had been behind the closed door of his bedroom, she hadn't had the chance to see much more of his home. Her roaming eyes stopped their path around the apartment as she saw a photo perched up on the shelf above his desk. She could only presume that it was of him and _her_. She sat there for a moment, her bottom lip between her teeth as she looked back and forth between the photo and the shut bedroom door. Not being able to squash her curiosity any longer, Naomi pushed herself up off the couch and let her feet lead her towards the photo. Glancing back towards his bedroom door, she slowly grabbed the photo and brought it closer to her view.

Naomi didn't know much about her, about his ex-wife. She didn't even know the woman's name, Matt had never mentioned it. All she knew was how much he hurt from their ending relationship, and that wasn't even so much from his own words, but his actions. Anytime she was brought up, he tensed, and quickly changed the subject. He didn't like talking about _her_, so she hadn't pushed the topic.

Looking down at the photo, she didn't know what to make of it. She saw nothing more than two people madly in love with each other. They were wrapped in each other's arms, the woman's head nuzzled into his chest and Matt looking down at her with so much love in his gaze, his lips pressed to her head. She could see a smile on the woman's face, even though she was partially hidden. Naomi wasn't sure the couple even knew the photo was being taken, their attention on nothing else except the other.

Naomi knew nothing of what caused them to break up. Matt barely wanted to think about _her_, let alone explain what went wrong in his former marriage. The only thing Naomi was sure of when it came to the two of them was that they had been completely in love with each other, or at least Matt had been completely in love with her. And based on Matt's instantaneous reaction anytime she came up, Naomi was certain he was not the one who suggested their split. It wasn't often that _she _came up in their conversations, but whenever she did, Naomi knew Matt wasn't over her. He was still in love with her, at least part of him was. Maybe he always would be.

And a part of Naomi couldn't help but think that the woman didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve Matt's love or his heart. He cared about people so deeply, Naomi had learned that from the moment she met him. She could only imagine how intensely he cared for his wife, yet the woman abandoned him.

The more time she spent with Matt Casey, the more she was falling for him. But she knew he wasn't in a place for a relationship, not right now. Knowing that this man wasn't completely over his wife, he was in no position to start anything serious with her. She knew she couldn't force anything in this situation, she had to be the patient one. Hell, when they first met he wasn't even divorced yet. He didn't even know if he was getting a divorce at all. And now, they'd only been on two dates, everything with his past relationship was so fresh she didn't want to come on too strong, too soon. She didn't want to scare him off. She just hoped, in time, he'd completely move on from _her_ and they'd become more than the casual thing they currently were.

Naomi was pulled out her thoughts of Matt as the home phone rang throughout the living room. Slightly startled, she looked down and saw it resting in its home on the desk, peering over to see there was no caller ID with the number. She waited a few rings, turning back to see if Matt was coming, yet there was no sign of his reappearance. Hoping she was wasn't overstepping, Naomi reached for the phone, answering it as she placed it against her ear.

"Hello?" She asked, her eyes landing on the picture in her hand once more.

There was nothing but silence on the other end, a confused expression falling over her face as she heard breathing but no one was saying anything.

"Hello?" She tried again, putting the framed photo down on the desk.

"_H-hi. I'm sorry, I think I must have the wrong number._" The voice said, Naomi hearing a surprised tone in their words.

"Oh, it's fine. Who were you trying to reach?"

"_Matt Casey, but I must have dialed the wrong number._" The woman on the other end of the line spoke again, her voice so soft that Naomi barely heard it.

"Oh, no you had the right number, this is his house. He's in the bedroom, do you want me to get him? Or I can take a message?"

There was no response to her question, Naomi only hearing a short intake of breath through the line before hearing nothing at all.

"Hello?" Naomi asked again, turning around as she heard the bedroom door open and she saw Matt walk out, heading in her direction.

"Sorry that took forever, Severide called me and-" He stopped talking when he saw her on the phone, looking at her quizzically just as Naomi heard the line go dead. She shrugged it off, putting the phone back in its place before turning to face him, walking back to meet him by the couch. The confused look played on his face as he stayed upright by the chair, looking over towards the phone.

"Who was that?" Naomi looked back towards the desk as soon as he asked the question, tensing as she realized she didn't put the photo back in its rightful place. She didn't want him to think she was spying on him,hoping he didn't notice it sitting on a stack of paperwork.

"I don't know, someone called asking for you. She thought she had the wrong number, but then when I said this was your house she never said anything else, and then she hung up." Naomi explained, his brows furrowed in confusion.

"She?" Matt asked, wracking his brain to try and figure out who'd be looking for him. And then hang up when they found out they had the right number. It was odd, to say the least.

"Yeah, I'm not sure who it was." She replied, watching as Matt sat down on the chair next to the couch. "I'm sorry I answered the phone, I probably scared off whoever it was." Naomi joked, Matt giving her a small smile as he waved her off.

"It's fine." He grabbed his beer from the table, leaning his weight back into the seat, trying to focus his attention on the Blackhawks game on in front of him. But he couldn't shake the weird feeling he got from the phone call. He wanted to know who was looking for him, and why she didn't wait to speak with him.

* * *

Casey sat at his place at the head of the table in the common room, tuning out the chatter around him. The newspaper was displayed in front of him, a full cup of coffee sitting to the left of it, waiting to be picked up. But both items were left untouched. Despite sitting right next to Herrmann and Kidd, he had no idea the topic of their seemingly heated discussion. He was in a room full of people, but he felt as if he was in his own world.

He wasn't able to shake the weird feeling he got from the unidentified caller last night. He'd abruptly ended his evening with Naomi, excusing it as him needing to get to bed for shift, and him having to wake up early. So she, reluctantly, left his place, giving Matt the time alone he wanted. It wasn't until she was gone that he had realized a private number had called his cell phone as well. He'd figured it must've happened when he was on the phone with Kelly, and after checking the number from his house phone, he discovered the numbers were the same. And that only left him more confused. Not only had this woman had both of his numbers, she hadn't left him a message or waited to speak with him. The entire situation was odd, and he couldn't stop from thinking about it.

"Captain!" Boden's strong voice broke him from his train of thought, Matt snapping his head up to see the Chief standing in the side entrance to the common room, nodding at him to come over. Obliging immediately, Casey scooted his chair back and stood up, walking the short distance across the room.

"Yes Chief?" Boden started walking, Casey following him as he saw Boden holding an empty box in his grip. The two of them stopped outside of the locker room, Casey already aware of what the Chief was about to ask him to do.

"I think it's time to clean out her locker." Boden said, Casey looking away from the older man's gaze. "It's been five months, and as much as I hate it, we need to locker empty."

"I figured you'd want to be the one to do it, take her stuff home." Boden treaded carefully, not wanting to upset his Captain. When he'd yet to see any reaction from Casey, he spoke up again. "I can have Kidd or Brett do it, if you'd rather not. I just figured you'd want to be able to sort through everything."

"No, I'll do it Chief. It's time to clear it out. Past time, actually." Matt said, remaining neutral in his words. He grabbed the box from Boden, the Chief patting his shoulder before leaving to give him some privacy.

Taking a deep breath, Casey walked into the locker room, heading straight for her locker. He put the box down on the bench, staring at her name scribbled across the ratty old tape. The tape that had been put there her first day at 51, the tape he'd walked passed every shift since she left. His right hand came up, resting gently against against the locker for a few moments, partially covering the messy writing of her last name.

He removed his hand, carefully pulling at the edges of the tape as he ripped it from the door. Placing it on the outside of the box, he turned back around, putting in the combination he had memorized years ago.

It took him a few moments to muster up the courage to open the door, even though he knew what was hiding behind it. Maybe it was just because it was yet another ending, another reminder that she had left him and wasn't coming back. Each time he thought about it, her abandoning him and their life together, it hurt just as much as when she first left. He'd hoped, eventually, the pain would dull, but that had yet to happen.

Blowing out a frustrated sigh, he pulled the door open, tossing the lock into the empty box. Turning his attention to the contents of her locker, it was just as he expected. Everything left as it had been during her last shift. The shift where her and Matt had barely been speaking. The shift where she informed everyone during roll call that she was leaving to help with relief efforts, and that they'd be having someone fill in for her while she was gone. The shift where she stood up in front of everyone and promised them she'd be back in a few weeks.

His eyes glanced around the small space, not lingering on the many photos that littered the inside of the door, or the ones she had taped behind the top shelf. He first pulled out her extra shirt, knowing how much she loved this one. He could practically hear her voice in his head, talking about how soft it had become from years of use, how she only kept it as a backup because of how faded the CFD crest had become. But how she couldn't bring herself to replace it.

Tossing it into the box, he moved onto her large, puffy jacket. He wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. He knew she had just gotten it, she'd only had it for maybe two months, and with the weather warming up she'd worn it only a handful of times. He figured he could return it, give it back to the CFD and they'd easily find it a new home. But he couldn't bring himself to do that. He couldn't get rid of it, not when it belonged to her. So he folded it up, tossing it in the box as well, knowing this box would soon join the others he'd packed up into the guest room closet.

He made quick work of the top shelf, seeing as it was mostly half used bath products that could be discarded, and all that was left was the photos. The memories that were covering the inside of her locker, memories she had clearly wanted to keep close to her. Memories of them.

He first took down the note Jones had left for Dawson all those years ago. She hadn't taken it down, not since the first time she put it up. He wasn't sure what to do with it now. He knew it meant something to her and she wanted to keep it close to her, those words of encouragement not far whenever she needed them. But did she even want them now? Did she need them anymore? Knowing he didn't have the answers to those questions, he slid it carefully down the side of the box, not wanting it to get messed up among the box of her belongings.

Matt started pulling down the photos hanging on the door, trying not to think too much about them. The photos of her and Shay, one of her with Brett and Kidd, a group photo of all of 51, and the many, many photos of the two of them. He'd quickly created a pile of them in his grip, pulling the last few down from the top of her locker. Before he knew it, the once full locker was now empty. Like it was never hers.

He glanced back and forth between the box and the photos in his hands, not exactly sure what to do with her things. Should he send it to her? This stuff wasn't like her belongings she'd left at the apartment. She was there, able to choose what she wanted to take and what she wanted to keep there. But these things, she left thinking she'd be coming back to shift. It felt wrong for him to just keep them, hide them away without knowing if she wanted them or not.

As he felt the photos in his hands, he couldn't help but wonder if she'd even want the pictures of them. Did she already have some with her? Or did she not bother to bring memories of them into her new place. He remembered a few days after she left, where he looked around the apartment, trying to figure out what all was missing, wondering what she had taken with her. And to his knowledge, none of their framed photos were missing, a realization that, at the time, had sent him spiraling. She most likely didn't want any pictures of the two of them when she left, so why would she want them now? But a part of him couldn't help but hope she had at least one photo of the two of them with her. He wasn't sure why it even mattered to him. She left him, signed the divorce papers just as he did, he couldn't understand why it was so important to him that she hold onto some part of them.

Slowly closing the locker door, he fell down onto the bench, looking down at the photos piled together in his hands. He knew he'd be better off just putting them in the box and forgetting about them, but it wasn't that easy. Matt couldn't help himself as he started flipping through them. Their smiling faces calmed him for a single moment, remembering how happy they'd been together. How he used to make her so happy. But the moment was fleeting, knowing that version of them was long gone.

His movements stopped as he landed on a single picture of them, from their wedding day. The smiles on both of their faces while they kissed brought tears to his eyes, Matt's memory bringing him back to that day. In all their time together prior to that day, he had never seen her happier than when he said 'I do', and they were finally married.

And that's part of why he doesn't understand this, why he'll probably never understand why she did what she did. How she so easily gave them up, like they were nothing.

"What happened to us, Gabby?" He quietly whispered as he stared at the photo in his hands.

He couldn't help but think back over the last few years of their relationship, trying to pinpoint exactly when they fell apart. He knew it wasn't when she decided not to come back, that wasn't what started it. If anything, it ended it.

He knew the year that passed since the factory fire had been hard on them. It had been a rough year, that threw a lot at them, and at some point during that time, she started pulling away from him. She started distancing herself, hiding things from him, and at the time Matt never understood why. It kept causing problems between them but she kept doing it. They would talk about it, Matt telling her how much it hurt him and how she didn't need to hide things from him, that she could trust him. And she'd tell him she understood, that she knew she could come to him with anything. Yet it never stuck, and he didn't know why. But looking at things now, it seems like she was doing that as a way to get space from him, like she was just waiting for the moment to run.

Matt wished he knew when he stopped being enough for her, when he stopped making her happy. He hadn't even realized he wasn't able to make her happy anymore until their last facetime call, before she had come back just to tell him she was leaving. He doesn't remember much from the conversation, but the look of happiness that shone on her face was something he'd never forget. She looked so happy, he couldn't remember the last time she was that happy with him. And that was a hard pill for him to swallow, knowing she was at her happiest without him.

"Casey?"

Matt's head snapped up from the photo as he heard his name being called, seeing Severide walking around the corner.

"Hey, man I was- oh shit, sorry." Kelly quickly apologized as he saw the box sitting beside Casey and the photos in his hands.

"No, it's fine. What's up?" Casey asked, tossing the photos softly into the box, placing the lid on top to hide its contents.

"Just letting you know lunch is ready."

"Okay, let me put this in my office then I'll be out." Matt stood up, grabbing the box of Gabby's things and exiting the locker room. Kelly blew out a heavy breath as he watched his friend go.

Kelly's eyes moved to the now vacant locker, seeing the marking from where Matt had removed the tape that had clearly been there for years. A part of him hoped the locker would be filled soon, knowing the emptiness would just be another reminder of their family member who left.

The abrupt ringing of his cellphone brought him out of his daze as he pulled it from his pocket, not being able to hide the look of shock when he saw the name of the person calling him, a sinking feeling filling his gut. He hadn't heard anything from them in months, understandably so, but he couldn't figure out why they were calling him _now_.

The constant ringing pulled him out of his shock, hesitantly putting the phone up to his ear as he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"_Severide? I need to talk to you… About Gabby."_

* * *

**So… there's the first chapter. I'm not sure if anyone will be interested in this story, but if you are, I hope you wouldn't mind reviewing so I know. I have the main ideas jotted down, but as far as writing goes, I've only written out this chapter. I'm currently mapping out the next few chapters, and I'm really excited about this story, I hope some of you are as well!**

**Thanks for reading! xx**


	2. Chapter Two

**Thank you so much for the feedback on the first chapter! I'm glad you all are interested in this story and I hope you all continue to enjoy it.**

**Before getting into the chapter, there's one thing I want to address. I got a review concerned that this was going to be an anti-Gabby story and I just wanted to clarify that this story is in no way that. Gabby is and will forever be my favorite character, I love her more than anything. Matt's point of view is the only thing we've seen and he's upset and angry over her leaving, which is why some things may seem harsh towards Gabby's character, but believe me this is a Dawsey story and I could never write anything that's anti-Gabby.**

**Hope you enjoy chapter two!**

* * *

_**Chapter Two**_

* * *

"_Severide? I need to talk to you… About Gabby."_

A lump formed in Kelly's throat as the words sunk in, his mouth seemingly going dry the second he heard the voice on the other end of the line. He glanced around the locker room, trying to make sure no one else was around. He had no idea why they'd called _him_ about Gabby, but he was sure he didn't want anyone else hearing this conversation.

"_Severide?... Kelly, are you there?_" Clearing his throat, Kelly hurriedly walked out of the locker room, intent on getting to his office.

"Uh, yeah. Hold on." Kelly found his voice as he walked through the halls of Firehouse 51.

"_Are you on shift? If this is a bad time-_"

"No, no it's okay." Kelly told him, turning the corner into the bunk room. He silently cursed as he saw Casey leaving his office, the blonde noticing his friend immediately.

"Aren't you getting lunch?" Matt asked him, starting his walk across the large room.

"Yeah, in a second. Just gotta take this real quick." Severide spoke, pointing to the phone up to his ear. Matt gave him an understanding nod, leaving the bunk room as Kelly slipped into his office, shutting the door behind him.

"_Was that Casey?_"

"Um, yeah." There was a beat of silence between the two men. "Is there a reason you called me and not him, Antonio?"

"_Me trying to have a conversation with him would get nowhere. If my last conversation with him was any indication, the only person he might hate more than me is Gabby._" Antonio spoke bitterly, Kelly blowing out a breath.

"You know he doesn't hate her. If he hated her, this wouldn't be affecting him so much." Kelly tried to defend his friend, but he also knew talking about Casey was not why Antonio called him.

"So...you wanted to talk about Dawson?"

"_Yeah… I know you were probably surprised I called you, and I wouldn't have if it wasn't important._" Kelly's interest piqued as he listened to Antonio's words. "_I don't want to keep you long, but I just need to know if you've heard from Gabby recently._"

Kelly's eyebrows furrowed as he processed Antonio's words. Gabby hadn't kept in touch with any of them, surely Antonio knew that, so him asking now was strange.

"_Or do you know if Casey's heard from her?_" Antonio asked when Kelly remained silent.

"Uh, I haven't heard from her, not since before she left. And I don't know if Casey's heard from her, I'd assume he hasn't though."

"_Do you know if anyone else has heard from her? Brett? Or Kidd, maybe?_"

"I don't know, Antonio. But I wouldn't count on it. She pretty much cut ties with all of us. Casey was the only one she talked to once she first left, and I don't know the last time they spoke." Kelly didn't know why this was so important to Antonio, surely if anyone would have the easiest time reaching her, it would be him.

"_Could you please ask Matt when he spoke to her last?_"

"Antonio-"

"_It's important Severide._" The sudden urgency in Antonio's words caught him off guard. Kelly remained silent for a few moments, waiting to see if Antonio would give him any insight as to why this was so important, but the other man remained just as quiet.

"What's going on, Antonio? Why do you want to know if anyone has heard from Gabby?"

Antonio blew out a sigh from the other end of the line, Severide sensing the hesitation coming from him.

"_Nothing's going on, I just would appreciate if you could ask Casey if he's heard from her._" Antonio spoke lamely.

"Something's obviously going on, Antonio-"

"_Thanks Kelly._"

"Antonio-" He was cut off by beeping, Kelly huffing out a frustrated sigh as he pulled his phone away from his ear, tossing it onto his bed.

He ran his hands over his face, a million thoughts racing through his mind. Something had to be wrong, right? Why else would Antonio come to him, insistent on him finding out if Casey had heard from her? Kelly had heard from Matt months ago, shortly after Gabby left for good, that the only other person in Chicago that Gabby kept in touch with, aside from Casey, was Antonio. And if the bitterness in his friend's voice was any indication, the conversations between the brother and sister happened much more frequently than those between the former couple. So surely there had to be a reason behind Antonio seeking him out for information about Gabby, he just wished he knew what that reason was.

* * *

Kelly stepped out of the bathroom, rubbing his tired eyes as he headed towards his office. The entire house had just gotten back from a long call, one that had them fighting a warehouse fire for nearly five hours. The building was a powderkeg, one that claimed many lives as 51 and other houses did all they could. It was one of those calls that Kelly wished he could just forget the moment they left it, although he was sure what he saw today would stick with him for awhile.

Now that they were back and he had spent the past ten minutes scrubbing the soot from his face, all he wanted was a well deserved nap. And he was intent on getting one.

Kelly swung the door open to the bunkroom, slowing down his steps towards his own office when he looked up and saw Casey in his. The conversation hours ago with Antonio was suddenly at the forefront of his mind. Mere moments after Antonio hung up on him was when the house got called out, so he hadn't gotten the chance to speak with Matt yet. And truthfully, he had no idea what to say.

He had seen what Gabby leaving had done to Casey, how broken his friend had been since she left. The topic was a sensitive one, and for that reason Kelly never brought her up, he always let Matt be the one to offer up information about how things were going between them. So he wasn't exactly sure how to bring this up, and what he was going to tell Matt about why he wanted to know. Bringing up Antonio was sure to make things worse, and telling Matt the half-information he was given seemed like a bad idea as well, knowing his friend would automatically jump to the worst-case scenario.

Deciding he would just play it by ear, Kelly changed his course and headed for the office beside his own, stopping in front of the closed door.

* * *

Matt sat at his desk in his office, his mind running through every decision he made the past few hours. He knew there was nothing he could do now, and that he did all he could while at the fire, but he couldn't help but feel like maybe if he'd done something different, less lives would've been lost.

He knew that was a dangerous game to play. Once you finished at a call, it was important to leave it there. He couldn't let this hang over his head, but it was proving difficult to follow his own advice.

His eyes flickered to the photo sitting to his right, perched in a prominent space on his desk. The photo that had been in the same spot for years, another memory of her he couldn't get rid of. He took a minute to admire the photo. To admire _her_. Her smiling face and bright eyes looking back at him calmed him, Matt knowing if Gabby was here, she'd be in this office right now. The two of them cuddled on the bed together, Gabby doing her best to help him move on from what they all witnessed, move on from the lives they lost. How she'd run her hands through his hair, assuring him that he did all he could. That this wasn't his fault.

Matt was brought crashing back into reality as his eyes came into focus, remembering he was here alone and Gabby was thousands of miles away, unaware of anything he was going through. He looked back to the photo of her, blowing out a breath as he wished he could hear her voice, or hold her, just for a second. She had a way of calming him like no one else ever could, and in this moment he needed that.

In a split second decision, he pulled his phone from his pocket, opening up his contacts and finding her name. He stared at the photo of them, her name in big bold letters in front of him. He knew he shouldn't call her, not the way their last conversation ended, but the selfish part of him knew that if he just heard her voice, he'd feel better.

His phone buzzing pulled him from the internal debate he was having, his thoughts shifting as he saw the same unidentified number calling him again. Barely waiting until the second ring, he answered the call.

"Hello?"

He was met with silence, but he heard soft breathing on the other end.

"Hello?" He tried again, wanting to know what this person wanted from him.

When they gave him no response, he continued, hoping to get this person to speak to him.

"I know you were looking for me, is there something I can help you with?" He was met with more silence.

In most situations, he'd assume this to be a prank, or something vaguely threatening, but for some reason he wasn't feeling apprehensive about this caller. He couldn't explain it, but he wasn't weary of this person who was on the other line, he just wanted to know what they wanted.

"You have my home phone and cell phone, and if this is the same woman, you were asking to speak to me last night." Casey prompted, hoping to get them to talk. He opened his mouth to say more, but was cut off with loud knocking on his door. Looking up, Casey waved Kelly in.

"You got a minute?" Severide asked, Casey hearing the line on the other end of the phone go dead. Releasing a soft sigh, he nodded, putting his phone back into his pocket.

"Yeah, what's up?" Kelly came and sat down on the edge of his bed, Matt turning his chair around to face him.

"I just wanted to check in with you, it's been a long day, with the call and with…" Kelly trailed off, nodding towards the box of Gabby's belongings that sat on the ground near the door, the box Kelly nearly tripped over as he'd entered the office.

Matt followed his gesture, his eyes landing on the closed brown box.

"Yeah I'm fine. Can't wait for this day to be over though."

Clasping his hands together, Kelly tried to think of a way to bring Gabby more prominently into the conversation so he could ask if he'd heard from her, but he was coming up blank. Any attempt of him trying to be subtle, Casey would surely see through. So without any other options, Kelly decided the best course of action was to just be blunt.

"Have you heard from her at all?" Kelly asked, Matt's head snapping up at the question. Neither of them said anything for a few seconds, Kelly waiting to see how Matt would respond to the question.

"No, not since we signed the papers." The words tasted bitter as they came from his mouth, the ever present reality of his and Gabby's situation settling in the air around him. "Why?"

Kelly shrugged in response, not missing the slight bite to Matt's tone. Severide knew he was treading into dangerous waters.

"Just wondering. I know it's been a rough day, for a lot of reasons, and thought you might have wanted to call her." Now it was Matt's turn to shrug in response. Although Kelly was right, and he had just nearly called Gabby, he wasn't about to admit that out loud.

"I haven't heard from her, I'm not expecting to hear from her."

"It couldn't hurt to reach out…" Kelly trailed off as he was met by a hard look from his friend. "Sorry, I know you don't like talking about it. But it's been, what, two months since you've talked? Maybe it'd be good for both of you to have a conversation."

Matt stayed quiet, and Kelly took that as a good sign.

"I know she hurt you, but the both of you loved each other for so long. You were apart of each other's lives for so long, it might be good to catch up. See what she's been doing, how she's been doing. I know you still care about her, and who knows, maybe it'll help you to talk to her. Now that all the dust has cleared."

Matt continued to remain silent, Kelly not sure what all was going on in his friends head. But the next words out of his mouth were not what Kelly was expecting.

"I doubt she wants to hear from me." Matt met his friend's confused expression, knowing he needed to explain more.

"Our last conversation didn't exactly end well. In fact it ended pretty ugly." Matt admitted.

"What happened?"

"I called her, about the divorce papers, and… long story short, she thought we were rushing into signing them. I said some things to her, things I probably shouldn't have. She asked for more time to think about things and I kind of lost it."

"Wait- so she didn't want to sign the papers?"

"She wanted more time. I told her no. Admittedly, I handled it in the worst way possible." Matt blew out a sigh, his hand coming up to rub over his temple. Every time he thought back to their last conversation, he felt ashamed. He was embarrassed by the way he acted, and he wished he could take back the harsh words he said to her. "After she signed, I told her we shouldn't talk anymore, and that was basically it." Matt told him, seeing the look of pure shock covering Kelly's face.

Matt looked away from his friend as Kelly digested the information. He hated reliving that day and the things he said. It had been two months since it happen, but there wasn't a day that went by where he didn't regret his actions and his words, the guilt and hurt having yet to fade away.

Severide watched his friend closely, trying to process what all he had just learned about their split. How it was less amicable than Casey made it seem. Up until now, Severide was led to believe that things between Matt and Gabby had ended on good terms. On as good of terms as you can be with an ex-spouse. But clearly, that wasn't the case.

"Do you, uh- do you know why she was wanting more time?" Kelly hesitantly asked, almost afraid of the answer. If Gabby had been asking for more time, did that mean she had been rethinking everything? Had there been a possibility she was wanting to come back before Matt blew up at her? Based on the look covering Matt's face, the same thoughts had crossed Casey's mind at least once.

"I don't, she never explained it." _I never let her explain it. _Matt looked away from Kelly, his eyes finding the ground as different thoughts raced through his mind.

"I'm sorry Casey, I never knew all that had happened." Severide told him, Matt simply shrugging in response.

"It is what it is. Her and I are over, the only thing I can do now is move on." Matt told him, Kelly giving him a sympathetic smile. He knew it wasn't that simple, but he also knew now wasn't the time to voice that.

Kelly could see his friend was struggling, as he had been the past five months since Gabby first left. But this was something different. Since she left, Kelly had seen varying emotions from Casey, most of which was anger. Especially after she came back to tell him she was leaving for good, he'd been blinded by rage. And Kelly would never fault him for that, there was no right way to deal with what he was going through. But this, this was something new entirely. Kelly saw no anger anymore, all he saw was regret.

Taking a deep breath, Kelly stood up from the bed, deciding now was the time to give Casey some space. He patted him on the shoulder as he passed, knowing he didn't need to say anything else. Severide shut the door behind him as he left, watching as Matt spun back around to face the wall, his eyes automatically drawn to the picture of Gabby sitting there. No matter how much he tried to hide it, Severide saw right through the facade. Matt was still broken over Gabby leaving him, and a part of him probably always would be.

* * *

**And there's chapter two! I know there's a lot of things that need to be explained, and trust me those explanations are coming. But I'm really enjoying writing this so far, and I hope you all are enjoying reading it.**

**Thanks again for all the supportive and encouraging reviews! Until next time xx**


	3. Chapter Three

**Once again, I just want to thank everyone for the feedback on my second chapter. I'm thrilled you all are interested in this story so far!**

**Get ready, this one is kind of a long one. It's over twice as long as the last chapter, I thought about breaking it up into two parts, but decided against it. Hope you all enjoy :)**

* * *

_**Chapter Three**_

* * *

Kelly scuffed his boots against the pavement, glancing down at his watch once more to check the time. He blew out a breath, realizing only three minutes had passed since he last looked. The cool October air nipped at his skin as he watched officers barrel in and out of the 21st district, his impatient nature getting the better of him as he kicked his foot along the ground again.

After nearly half an hour of waiting, Severide came face to face with the person he'd been waiting for, seeing Antonio climb from the blacked out SUV with Voight.

"Severide?" Kelly could hear the confusion in Antonio's voice, clearly not expecting the Lieutenant to be there.

"Can we talk for a minute?" Kelly asked, eyeing Voight as the two cops came to a halt in front of him.

Understanding he wasn't needed for this conversation, Hank gave Severide a nod, patting Antonio's shoulder before heading for the door. "Don't take too long." His deep voice called out as he walked up the steps, neither man giving a response seeing as his back was turned to them.

Kelly turned back to face Antonio, noticing the detective staring at him expectantly, his arms crossed over his chest.

"You never answered my text." Kelly finally spoke up, mimicking Antonio's stance.

"Is that really why you came all the way here?" Antonio replied, less than impressed with his reasoning for showing up at the district.

"Well, it's been three days and I figured texting you again wouldn't get me anywhere."

Antonio glanced around, wanting to make sure no one else was in earshot. "What exactly are you looking for, Kelly?" He asked with a sigh, taking a slight step closer to the other man. Kelly scoffed in reply, knowing Antonio was well aware of why he was here right now.

"You called me up out of nowhere, wanting to know if we'd heard anything from Gabby, when we all know if anyone still in Chicago would be hearing from her, it'd be you. And then as soon as I let you know no one's heard from her, you don't respond. Something's wrong Antonio, you wouldn't have called me if it wasn't. What's going on?" Kelly kept a hard stare on him, hoping it would show the detective he wasn't planning on leaving without some answers.

"Nothing's going on, Severide." Antonio bit out harshly, Kelly rolling his eyes in response.

"Bullshit. You wouldn't have called me wanting to know if Matt had talked to her if something wasn't going on." Kelly stood his ground, watching as Antonio looked away from him, his hand coming up to rub over his mouth.

"I was hoping you'd heard from her." Antonio spoke softly after a few silent moments, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"What?"

"It wasn't that I was thinking you might have heard from her, I was hoping you had."

Kelly stood there quietly for a few moments, trying to understand what Antonio was saying. Antonio watched as Kelly was digesting his words, and he took that as an opening to get away before having to explain any further.

"I have to go, but please Kelly, if you or Matt, or anyone hear from her, call me." Antonio spoke, taking a few steps backwards.

"Wait- Antonio, what happened?" Kelly felt a nervousness wash over him as Antonio's words finally settled.

"Kelly, I have to go." Antonio deflected, speaking as he turned away from the firefighter.

"You need to talk to Matt." Kelly tried a different tactic, seeing Antonio's forward progress stop as he got up the first step. He turned back around, Kelly speaking up again before he could protest.

"You might not want to tell me what's going on," Kelly took steps towards Antonio as he spoke, "but you at least need to tell Matt. Something's going on with Gabby, and by the way you're acting I'm guessing it's something bad. You don't have to tell me, but Matt deserves to know."

"You really think he'd care?" The tone of Antonio's voice told Kelly the detective wholeheartedly believed the words coming out of his mouth.

"That's not fair, Antonio."

"No, what's not fair is how you and Casey, and probably everyone else at that damn firehouse, have been walking around for the past five months acting like Gabby is the only one at fault for this." Antonio spoke bitterly.

"She left us Antonio, what did you want us to do?" Kelly fired back, not appreciating how he was turning this around on 51.

"Do you even know why she left in the first place?" Antonio's voice had softened substantially as he spoke. Kelly furrowed his eyebrows, clueless as to why Antonio was asking him such an obvious question.

"Well yeah, Chief Hatcher approached her about doing some relief work in Puerto Rico, and she said yes." Kelly said, Antonio releasing a sigh as he took a step down the stairs to be directly in front of Kelly.

"No, that's not what I meant. Do you know _why_ she left." Kelly's silence was answer enough, Antonio continuing his explanation. "She told Hatcher no, when he first asked her." Antonio caught the look of surprise that covered Kelly's face.

"Do you know about the last conversation Brett had with Gabby? How Brett was yelling at her, essentially telling her she didn't want to be partners anymore." The look on Kelly's face told Antonio all he needed to know. "Or what about the last conversation between my sister and Matt? Hell, I still don't even know what all happened with that one, I just know after their conversation is when Gabby went to tell Hatcher she wanted to go. And then I got a call from her. She was crying, talking about how she wasn't sure Matt loved her anymore, and how she needed to get away from everything for a little while." Antonio drew in a breath, willing himself to calm down as he could feel himself getting worked up. He looked back at Kelly, and he could tell the man knew none of this before today.

"That day she called me, after their fight… I haven't heard her that upset in a long time. Probably since Shay died." Antonio said quietly, Kelly swallowing the lump in his throat that formed at the mention of his late best friend.

"So you can see why I don't appreciate everyone around here acting like they've done nothing wrong. Acting as if Gabby just left without a reason. Yeah, she's the one who chose to stay over there. But there was a reason she went over there in the first place." Antonio told him, turning around to head back to the steps.

Kelly stood there, momentarily stunned by the information he'd just been given. But watching Antonio walk up the steps snapped him from his daze, realizing he was losing his chance to say one last thing.

"Antonio!" Kelly called just as the man reached for the door handle. The older Dawson turned around to face him, Kelly running his tongue over his lips before speaking.

"I still think you need to talk to Casey. Whatever happened between them, whatever fights they've had, none of that matters. Because you and I both know that if there's something wrong with Dawson, he needs to know." Kelly waited for a second, waiting to see if Antonio was going to try and fight him on this. When that fight never came, he continued. "You haven't seen him Antonio. He's been trying to hide how much this is hurting him, but any time she's mentioned it's like he shuts down. I know you think he doesn't care about her, that this hasn't affected him, but I also know that deep down you know that's not true. You were one of the ones who saw firsthand just how much he loved her, that hasn't gone away."

Kelly took a slow, deep breath in as Antonio remained silent, clearly thinking over what he had said.

"Just think about it... You know he'd drop everything in a second if she needed him."

Kelly was now the one to turn and walk away, leaving Antonio at the entrance of the 21st district as the firefighter made his way to his car parked across the street. He only hoped that his words had sunk in, that Antonio at least listened to what he said.

As he sat in the driver's seat, his mind was running through everything he'd just learned over the past fifteen minutes, thinking over everything that's transpired the last five months. As much as he hates to admit it, he hadn't really focused on how Gabby was in all this since she left. He was worried about Casey, about how his friend was handling her leaving. He never stopped to think about what was going on with her.

He should've known there was more to it than Gabby just wanting to leave. He should've seen there was more going on. The Gabby he'd known over the years would never just up and leave her entire life. She wouldn't leave without a fight.

But based on what Antonio told him, that fight had happened. Casey never said a word to him about any fight before she left, granted he had no obligation to. But finding out now they'd had a blow up, to some degree, things were starting to make a little more sense. No matter how stubborn she may be, Gabby wouldn't just up and decide to not come back home, unless she thought there might not be anything to come back home to.

During her last shift, when she told the house she'd be leaving for a few weeks, he'd noticed how distant and upset Matt had been. At the time he just thought it was because she was leaving in the first place. He never thought there might be more to it, that there might be another cause for the animosity between the then-married couple. After she'd made the announcement, Kelly had followed a stomping Casey back to his quarters, asking him what this was all about. Casey blew him off, saying she wanted to go help and he'd support her with whatever she wanted to do. So Kelly left it at that.

But all these months later, it just now occurred to him he never went to Gabby to ask her. Even before she left, he only checked in on Matt. It was no secret Matt was his best friend, and probably the person he's closest to at 51, but Gabby was his friend too. Yet he never asked her why she was going. He wasn't even sure if _anyone_ from the firehouse ever asked her. The focus shifted to Casey pretty much from the moment she said she was going to Puerto Rico.

As Kelly looked over to the now deserted entrance to the police district, Antonio's words finally sunk in. And they hit him like a ton of bricks.

He was right. Everything he said, there was some truth to it. Maybe not to the degree Antonio believed, but the bare bones of his statements were true. Gabby left because of them, she needed to get away from everything here. It might not have been because of the entire house, but if the fight between her and Brett was as bad as Antonio made it seem, and her fight with Matt left her questioning his love for her, it might've been enough to help sway her decision to not come back home.

A feeling of sickness washed over him as his thoughts cleared. He should've paid more attention to Gabby. He should've seen it, that something was wrong with her. Her last shift, she was distant from everyone at the firehouse. He should've known there was more to it than her just wanting to go help.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, Kelly went to his contacts, searching for her name and clicking on it. If the desperation from Antonio was any clue, Kelly was sure she wouldn't answer when he called. But he still needed to, even if this call was coming five months late.

The endless call tone buzzed through his ears, until her voicemail message started playing. He wasn't sure why he was surprised when she didn't answer. Maybe it was him hoping that whatever had Antonio so worried wasn't serious, that she'd pick up the phone and everything was fine. He wasn't able to try and figure out any more reasons as he heard the beep that signaled him to leave his message.

"Hey Gabby, it's, uh, Kelly. I know it's been awhile, but if you could call me when you get this, I'd appreciate it. Hopefully I'll hear from you soon. Hope you're doing okay. Alright, well...bye- wait. If I know you at all, I know what you're probably thinking. Nothing happened to Matt, that's not why I called, he's fine. Well, not fine, but he's- you know what I mean. Alright, sorry. Bye." Kelly hung up the phone, tossing it into his passenger seat as he felt a sense of frustration wash over him. He was frustrated with Antonio, for not telling him what's going on. He was frustrated with Matt, for leaving out some pretty important information as to why Gabby left. But mostly he was just frustrated with himself.

* * *

Bringing his truck to a halt, Matt shifted into park and took his foot off the brake, blowing out a long sigh as he leaned his head back against the window. His hands were gripped tightly to the steering wheel, Casey finding himself taking long, slow breaths as he stayed in his car. He'd been at the Johnson's all morning and early afternoon, the older couple having a seemingly endless list of projects for him to do around their home. Although he didn't mind, he'd been doing work for them for years, and they were two of the nicest and accommodating people he'd ever met, but he was exhausted.

And it never helped that every time he'd go over there, they'd always ask him about Gabby.

He started working for them right before he and Gabby first got together, and they knew most of the history of their relationship. Except for the fact that she left him, and they got divorced. The first time he went over there after they'd gotten married, the couple was ecstatic, to say the least. Mr. Johnson had spent more time talking to Matt than letting him work, and when he was finally able to leave, Mrs. Johnson had shoved an entire bakery full of goodies into his hands, Matt declining initially but she wanted to give him and Gabby something, so he ultimately accepted the treats, even though they were given more than he or Gabby could ever finish.

So he couldn't bring himself to tell them she left. Not just because they were so clearly invested in his and Gabby's relationship, but because he thought having to go through the entire story might actually kill him. And the couple would want to know exactly what happened. He hadn't told anyone the entire thing. No one knew about them trying for a baby, and the news Gabby got from the doctor. Her willingness to put her life on the line just to give him a baby, even though he didn't want that. Him going behind her back to the adoption agency, and their inevitable blow up that caused her to leave in the first place. No one knew of any of that, and as far as he was concerned he'd be better off never having to go over every painful detail of how his and Gabby's life together fell apart.

Tapping on his driver side window caused his eyes to snap open, bringing him from his thoughts as he looked and saw Naomi standing outside his truck, a wide smile covering her face. He gave her a small smile in return, pulling the keys from the ignition. She must've been waiting for him, he just hadn't noticed when he pulled up.

"Hey, how are you?" Matt asked somewhat sheepishly as he stepped from the truck, knowing he hadn't been excellent in the communication department lately. He hadn't seen her since she was here a few nights ago, and he hadn't talked to her much either, his mind elsewhere.

"I'm good, how are you?" She asked, giving him a quick peck on the lips. Matt didn't respond to the gesture, nor did he really have time to as her lips were off his in a second.

"Fine, been busy. Between the firehouse and construction, it's been pretty time consuming." He told her, hoping to get his message across, as he locked up the truck and headed for the back door entrance to his place. Naomi followed his path, both of them stopping so he could unlock the door.

"You don't have to explain yourself, you know." She spoke, earning a confused glance from him. "You, explaining why you haven't called me back, or at least I think that's what you were doing." She said with a grin. "We're not a couple, you don't owe me an explanation." Matt released a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. At least they were on the same page. He just gave her a nod, not wanting to go near that statement.

"So, what are you doing here?" He asked as they got inside, Matt dropping his keys on the island in the kitchen. Naomi shrugged, leaning her elbows against the countertop.

"Well, I originally came to see if you wanted to grab something to eat. But right now, I need to go to the bathroom. I was waiting longer than I thought I'd be." She said, Matt nodding and holding his arm out down the hallway towards the guest bathroom. He didn't give a verbal response to that either as she walked away, part of him wanting to know just how long she'd been waiting around outside his apartment for him, but the other part of him not wanting to ask.

As he heard the door shut, his thoughts drifted to Naomi and the time they'd spent together. She was nice company, but he couldn't help but think, despite what she says, she's expecting something from him. That this means more to her than it is. He doesn't want to be that guy, that is stringing her along if she is thinking they're something more than they are, but up until the past few days, he thought they were on the same page. This was just supposed to be fun. Casual, somewhat meaningless, fun.

It wasn't just an excuse, him saying he'd been too busy to call. That was true. But he didn't exactly make time to call her either. Essentially, he'd been radio silent since she was over here a few nights ago, and he didn't love her showing up here unannounced. Like she said, they weren't together. The last thing he needed, or wanted, was a serious relationship. He wasn't sure when he'd be ready for that, but he definitely was not right now. Not after how everything ended with Gabby.

_And she's not Gabby._

He pressed forcefully against his temple as those words invaded his mind. They'd been creeping up on him, over and over, and he couldn't get them to stop. Anything she did, he found himself comparing her to Gabby. And that really wasn't fair. She wasn't Gabby, he couldn't expect her to be Gabby. She never would be.

Naomi was headstrong and determined in her work, but the similarities stopped there. He's not blind, he knows the initial reason he found himself attracted to her was because of how self assured she was. She reminded him of Gabby, so he found himself seeking her out. But the closer they got, the more he understood she was nothing like Gabby. That no one could ever be Gabby.

And that was another thing altogether. Gabby.

Since his conversation with Severide last shift, and clearing out her locker, he hadn't been able to get her out of his head. And while that hadn't been an uncommon occurrence over the past five months, it seemed to be happening more frequently. Everything reminded him of her. Every time he walked in his home, he'd be met with a memory of her here. Or anytime he was in his office the rest of last shift, memories of her seeking him out would invade his mind. No matter where he went in the firehouse, memories of her there took over his thoughts. She was creeping back into his head any free moment he had, and he didn't know what to make of it.

He knew he missed her, he always missed her. He missed her soft smiles, the lingering looks between the two of them at work, the lazy kisses he'd wake up to in the morning, the defiant look she always wore during their arguments, he missed it all. He just missed _her_.

But he also knew she was gone.

His blank gaze moved over towards the living room, flashes of their last moment together playing in his mind. Their last words echoing through his head, their last kiss forever implanted in his memory. Part of him regrets not going with her that day. He regrets not packing his bags, stopping by the CFD to turn in his resignation, and heading to the airport with her. She stood there and pleaded him to come with her, so they could continue their life together as they always intended. It was a chance for them to get away from Chicago, away from all the bad memories they'd accumulated over the years. It was their chance at a fresh start, but just like he did with her, he let it slip through his fingers.

He has no idea what would've actually happened to them, had he gone with her. But he knows he would've been happy. He'd be happy anywhere, as long as he had her. But he let stubborness get in the way, as it so often did between the two of them. He felt like she shouldn't be asking him to make that choice, that she should love him enough stay with him, to come back home to him. But even he knew that was a double edged sword, that it wasn't fair to her. If he was expecting her love for him to keep her in Chicago, shouldn't his love for her be enough to move him to Puerto Rico? How could he expect her to do something for him, if he hadn't been willing to do the same?

Except he had been willing. From the moments after she walked out that door, to weeks after the fact, he went over in his head time and time again how easy it would be to just leave. Follow her up on her offer, pack his bags and go be with his wife. He didn't know what would be there for him in Puerto Rico, but he knew she'd be there, ready and willing to continue their life together. To look into how to expand their family. To continue moving forward, together. It all sounded so perfect in his head, but every time he had talked himself into going, that's when the doubt crept in.

Matt had always prided himself on how well he was able to read her, how he always knew what was going on in her head. After knowing each other for nearly a decade, and loving each other for a huge chunk on that time, she was an open book to him, which she undoubtedly hated. Even when they were strictly friends, she was never able to hide her feelings from him. But at some point that had changed. The months leading up to her departure, she wasn't opening up to him anymore. One look at her and he'd have no clue as to what was running through her mind. She'd closed herself off to him, and he wasn't even sure she knew it. And that was what always stopped him. They were having problems before the news from the doctor that inevitably was the beginning of the end, and he couldn't stop himself from wondering if that would just happen to them again. Once the haze of them being together again faded, why would a different city change anything of what was hurting them? Her not being willing to communicate, pushing him away and him letting her, being in a different place wouldn't change that.

So he stayed, despite how much he longed to be with her. His love for her wasn't able to push aside the fear he held that him following her to Puerto Rico would just pull them farther apart in the long run, except then he'd be stuck in a foreign place with nothing and no one. And before he knew it, too much time had passed and the thoughts of him following her left his mind. And that's when the anger set in. He wanted her to come back, he wanted to be enough for her, but he wasn't. Not anymore. And that realization pissed him off just as much as it broke him. At some point he stopped being enough for her, he just wish he knew why. And he wished his anger from that hadn't boiled over into his few conversations with Gabby. When her trip over there still had an end date, they'd talk as much as they could. Even though there was still some anger and hurt left over from their fight, they couldn't not talk to one another. They'd smoothed things over enough before she left to be able to have civil conversations, knowing that when she got back they'd have a real conversation they both knew they needed. But that all changed when he found her in their apartment with her bags packed. Once she was gone for good, their conversations were infrequent, him ignoring most of her calls, and the calls he did answer ended up with them in a fight, admittedly most of which started by him. He wished he handled her phone calls better, that he hadn't snapped at her the way he would whenever she'd call. It didn't take a genius to understand why her phone calls became even more sporadic. Something that should have helped them, two people who still needed each other but were trying to figure out how to navigate life without the other, turned into something ugly, that ended in Matt spewing hurtful words at her. Words he could never take back.

_Matt tapped his fingers impatiently on the edge of the couch, waiting for the other person to pick up their phone. He was dreading this call, but he knew it had to be done. He was tired of waiting, tired of her messing around with this, with him. He wanted it done, so he could finally move on._

"_Hello?" Her soft voice filled his ears, in the moment easing all the tension out of his body. But that only lasted for a second, as the state of their relationship came back into view._

"_Hey, Gabby." He spoke, emotion lacking in his voice._

"_Hi Matt." Her voice was almost timid, "How are you?" She asked softly, knowing their last few conversations ended in anger, and she didn't want that to happen today._

"_I'm fine. Did you get the papers?" He heard her sigh at his words, before answering him._

"_Yeah, I, uh- I have them right here." She replied, Matt hearing her shuffling around._

"_Great, did you sign them yet?" He was met by silence, and he felt himself grow more frustrated the longer she stayed quiet._

"_Matt…" She started, taking a deep breath, no doubt trying to gather her words before continuing. "Do you think we might be rushing this? I mean, it's only been about three months since everything and… I don't know, I've been thinking a lot lately and I think we rushed into this." He could hear the hesitation in her voice, the nerves filling her every word, and he had to bite his tongue to keep himself from lashing out. "Would you mind if we... put a pause on the divorce? It's a big deal, Matt, and I don't want-"_

"_You think I don't know it's a big deal, Gabby?" He shot back, failing to keep his composure any longer. "You think I don't realize how big of a deal this is? You think I didn't realize that, as I went to our lawyer and told him we needed him to draft up divorce papers. To explain how my wife left me, how you chose something else over me, again? You think during all that I never once thought about how big of a deal this is?" The venom dripped off his words, his anger reaching the point of no return. _

"_Matt, I-"_

"_No, Gabby. Just, for once, listen. You chose this. You chose divorce the second you fled off to Puerto Rico. You left no options for us the minute you ran away from your problems, ran away from me, and never came back. So I don't want to hear it, okay? Just save it. You made this choice. Only you." _

_There was silence on the other end for a beat, Gabby clearly trying to gather herself after his outburst. _

"_Matt, please. Please, just give me some time to think about everything. I need more time to think about-"_

"_Are you gonna come back?" But the question wasn't hopeful, he was angry, and it showed in his voice. _

"_Matt…" She was practically pleading._

"_That's what I thought. I don't know what you're trying to gain from dragging this out, but stop. Just stop. This entire thing happened because of you, you did this only thinking of you." He stopped to take a breath, hoping to squash some of his anger. It didn't work. "You're selfish Gabby, and now all I ask is you quit dragging me along with you. That's the only thing I want from you anymore, and you can't even give me that? For once, try thinking of someone other than yourself."_

_He was met with more silence, his breathing heavy from the loud words he yelled through the phone. _

"_I'm tired, Gabby. I don't want to deal with this anymore. Can you please just let me be done with all of this? Please, just sign the papers." His voice was still firm, as he waited for any response to come from her. Any sign that she had actually listened to him._

_He heard what sounded like her sitting the phone down, and then the occasional flip of pieces of paper. After a few minutes of silence, her broken voice flooded his ears once more._

"_It's done."_

_Letting out a sigh, he dug his fingers into the arm of the couch._

"_Thank you." He responded, not getting anything out of her in return. Knowing he needed to do this now, he took another long breath before continuing to talk. "I, uh, I think it would be better if this is the last time we spoke." He waited for any reaction from her, expecting her to argue with him. Surprisingly, the argument never came. "I just think we both need to be rid of this, all of it. You and me. We need to move on, without each other." No response. "It's for the best, don't you think?" He was waiting for any confirmation from her. _

"_Okay." Her quiet voice barely reached his ears, but it was the acknowledgment he needed to hear._

"_Goodbye Gabby." For the first time in a while, there was no anger in his words directed towards her. _

_He waited for a goodbye in return, but it never came. Instead, the only thing he heard was Gabby choking back a sob before the line went dead. _

_He sat on the couch and waited. Waited for the relief to wash over him, that this was finally done, that he was finally free from all of this. But that relief never came. _

"Matt!" His eyes snapped into focus as he looked over and saw Naomi in her previous position, resting against the counter. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and the register of her tone told Matt she'd been trying to get his attention for awhile.

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked, clearing his throat. He had no idea how long she'd been standing there, or how long he'd been lost in thought.

"I've been trying to get your attention for like five minutes," she explained with a worried look, "you okay?"

He gave her a nod, mustering a small smile. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You seem like you're somewhere else. In the car, and then when I came out here… you just seem off."

He opened his mouth to respond, to once again tell her he was fine, but he got cut off by knock on the front door.

"Let me get that." He walked past her, through the living room, his eyes glancing down towards the box of Gabby's things from the firehouse that he'd placed next to desk, her once again invading his thoughts as he made his way to the door.

Swinging the door open, he came face to face with the last person he ever expected to see standing on the other side. Well, maybe not the _last _person, but they were pretty high up the list.

"Antonio, what are- what are you doing here?" Matt wasn't able to hide how flustered he was. He knew Antonio was angry with him, and Matt reciprocated those feelings just as much. Their last conversation was heated, to put it mildly, and Matt would've never expected him to show up here.

"I need to talk to you about something, I don't have a lot of time, Voight doesn't want me gone long, but this is important. Do you have a minute to talk…" Antonio's voice trailed off, Matt hearing movement behind him. He saw the look that crossed Antonio's face, the look of disgust and hatred aimed towards him. Matt silently cursed, as he glanced back and saw Naomi had made her way into the living room, now looking at the two men standing in the doorway.

"Antonio…" Matt started to explain, but the detective put his hands up, signaling he wasn't going to get into this now.

"You know what, nevermind. Don't let me keep you." Anger dripped from his words, Antonio turning on his heels, stomping off down the hallway. Matt followed after him, grabbing his shoulder as he got halfway down the hallway. He wasn't necessarily in the mood to have whatever conversation Antonio needed to have, but Matt knew he came here for a reason.

"Antonio, why are you here?" Matt asked as his former brother in-law turned back around to face him, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Forget it, Casey. It wouldn't matter to you anymore anyway."

"Antonio-"

"Just forget it, Casey!" He said with more force, the firefighter taking a step back. "Go have fun with your girlfriend, it doesn't matter." Antonio spat, walking away from the man who used to be family without another word.

* * *

Matt sat quietly in the chair in his living room, nursing his second beer of the night, thoughts of today running rampant in his mind as he sat in the quiet of his apartment. Shortly after Antonio left, Matt asked Naomi to go. The confrontation with Antonio left him more angry and confused than he was willing to admit, and he was sure Naomi could tell it wasn't a good time for her to stick around. Although she didn't know who Antonio was, surely she was able to understand her presence in the apartment is what caused the man to storm off. While it wasn't her fault, he didn't want her to be around tonight. He just wanted some peace and quiet.

Downing another sip of his beer, he couldn't keep himself from thinking about Antonio. It wasn't so much that Antonio saw Naomi here that had his mind reeling, it was Antonio being here in the first place, needing to talk to him about something. It had to be important, if he was willing to show up here. Much like with Gabby, the last words he said to Antonio weren't exactly nice either, so if the older man was putting all that aside, the reasoning behind it had to be significant.

He thought about calling the detective, to try and get him to tell him whatever he came here earlier for. But that seemed like a bad idea. With how angry Antonio was at him when he left, a phone call was sure to not get him very far, if Antonio even answered at all.

Matt assumed whatever had Antonio over here wasn't work related. They hadn't worked together in months, and even if it was, he would've just waited until shift tomorrow and gone by the firehouse.

He couldn't find any explanation as to why Antonio seemed so desperate to talk to him, and he probably won't know until Antonio's anger subsides enough for the detective to come back.

Finishing off his beer, Matt stood up from his seat, intent on getting another beer from the fridge. His phone buzzed in his pocket, stopping his path at the kitchen table as he pulled it out. Seeing the number staring back at him, he blew out a frustrated breath.

It was the same number, still no Caller ID attached to it. They'd called him once more since last shift, but Matt had missed the call as he was in the shower.

After the day he'd had, he wasn't in the mood to deal with this unidentified woman. Whoever she was, clearly she had no actual interest in talking to him. It was the same thing every time, and he didn't want to deal with this.

Debating whether to answer or not, he went against his better judgement, answering the call on what had to be the last ring, putting the phone up to his ear.

"Hello?" Even Matt could hear the annoyance in his voice when he answered, and hopefully it signaled to this woman that he wasn't in the mood to put up with her games anymore.

Unsurprisingly, the caller said nothing. Biting his tongue in frustration, Matt waited a few more seconds to see if they'd finally say something.

"Hello?" He asked again, hearing the soft breathing of the person on the other end.

"Listen, I don't know why you keep calling me, I don't know what you want, but if you're not gonna say anything, quit calling me." He bit out, more harshly than he intended. He heard a sharp intake of breath, almost like this person was caught off guard by his outburst. But still, they said nothing.

"Okay, I'm gonna hang up now." Matt was beyond annoyed, as he started to pull the phone from his ear.

"_Matt…_"

Her voice stopped him, almost as if he was frozen. The shock from hearing her say his name took over his body, leaving him motionless in the kitchen. The voice he hadn't heard in two months, was soft and quiet, but it was her.

"Gabby…"

He wasn't sure if she could even hear him, her name fell from his lips so softly.

"_I just needed to hear your voice."_

* * *

**And there's another one. I'm eager to see what you all think about this chapter. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter Four

**Before we get into this chapter, I just want to say a quick thank you. The response to this story has been incredible, and greater than I ever imagined. It makes me so happy to see how many of you are enjoying it, and not only that, to the people who have complimented my writing style, that truly makes me so happy and inspires me to write more, so thank you so much for that. I never expected so many people to be interested in this story, I'm still a little overwhelmed honestly. To everyone who's taken the time to read my work, and especially to those of you who leave me reviews, thank you so much. It means so much to me.**

**Anyway, now onto the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Four**_

* * *

"_I just needed to hear your voice._"

He sat there momentarily stunned as he processed her voice. He never thought he'd hear from her again, not after how they left things. How _he_ left things.

There had been multiple times over the past two months where he wanted to call her, but he never did. Part of him felt comforted that she had felt the same impulse to talk to him. That she needed to hear him. Sitting there, he found himself feeling lighter, happy that she hadn't fought the impulse like he had. Or maybe she did, she'd just lost that fight.

"_Matt?... Are you there?_"

She brought him focusing back into reality, the softness of her voice making his eyes shut briefly, finding himself at peace hearing the sweet sound as it filled his ears. While her voice was low, the honey-like tone he'd grown accustomed to over the years calmed him in ways he'd never fully understand.

"I'm here Gabby." He finally spoke back, hearing a soft sigh of relief come from her. He wasn't sure if the relief came from the fact he hadn't hung up, or the fact he didn't lash out at her for calling; he figured it might be a little of both.

"_How, uh- how are you?_" He heard how tentative she sounded, and he hated it. In all the years they'd known each other, in the thousands of conversations they'd had, she never sounded like that. Like she was afraid to ask him the simplest of questions. He hated that she felt so apprehensive around him, because he knew he caused it.

"I'm-" He cut himself off quickly, trying to decide the best course of action. Does he lie? Does he make it sound like he's fine without her, like nothing in his life has changed? Or does he tell the truth. Make it known how much he's been hurting. Neither option seemed appealing. "I'm hanging in there." He finally settled on, knowing while it was vague, it was the truth.

There was a beat of silence, neither one of them knowing where to go next. While the initial shock had worn off of her reaching out to him, it was still strange and he wasn't sure what she was wanting out of this conversation.

"How are you doing?"

"_I'm sorry I called you._"

The words left their mouths at the same time, both of them remaining quiet for a second as the other's words sunk in.

"Sorry." He said with a gentle chuckle, closing his eyes as he took a moment to envision her, picturing her sitting in her apartment holding the phone up to her ear, a small, adorable smile covering her face.

"_It's fine._" He could practically hear the smile on her face, feeling a warmth spread throughout his body.

"_I am sorry, that I called you._" She apologized again, Matt sighing softly, listening as she continued talking. "_I know you said we shouldn't talk anymore, but I just…_"

"It's fine Gabby." He said when she got stuck on her words. "If I'm being honest, I thought about calling you a lot the past few months. It's good to hear from you." He spoke truthfully.

"_Really?_" He felt a pang in his chest as he heard her voice, Gabby not able to hide the pure shock she felt hearing his admission. It broke his heart, knowing she was surprised to hear him say those words. It never got any easier realizing how far they'd fallen from one another.

"Really." He spoke back, realizing he'd gone too long without responding to her.

"How is it over there, still everything you wanted?" He tried to hide the sorrow in his voice, but he couldn't. He didn't want this conversation to turn into a fight. He meant what he said, it was good to hear from her, to hear her voice. It comforted him, and he could only hope it was doing the same for her.

She stayed quiet on the other end, Matt holding his tongue between his teeth as he waited for an answer. He didn't want to ruin the first civil conversation they've had in months, but part of him thinks he already did. The words had slipped out before he could stop them, and Gabby had yet to answer.

"_I never meant for this to ruin us, Matt._" It wasn't an answer, and Matt couldn't help but think that was to spare his feelings. She was living the life she wanted, having the best time, without him. She didn't need him like he needed her, she just didn't want to say it.

He felt the resentment and anger rising up within him, doing his best to squash it down. Blowing up at her again wouldn't do anything for him. Even if he thought she needed to hear it, last time it only made him feel worse. He couldn't handle that again.

"I know." He whispered back in response, keeping the hurt from his voice as much as possible.

The silence that settled around them was unnerving, Matt picking at the fabric on the arm of the chair as he listened to her breathing.

"Why'd you call me?" He finally asked the question he'd been wanting the answer to the minute he heard her voice.

"..._I wanted to hear your voice._" She mimicked what she'd said when he first answered, the hesitant tone laced in her words. He didn't know what to do with that, or what response she'd be looking for from him.

"_I should let you go, I've taken up enough of your time._" The formality in her words pierced through him like a knife, suddenly hearing a lack of emotion in her voice. She was speaking to him like he was her boss, like he was some acquaintance instead of the love of her life.

"Wait, Gabby-" He didn't want to stop talking to her. Maybe it was selfish of him, to keep this conversation going longer than she wanted after he was the one who made them stop contact, but right now he didn't care. He wasn't sure how he felt about her right now, whether he was angry or upset, but he did know that simply hearing her voice had him the calmest he'd been in months. He wasn't ready to let that go yet. So he thought of anything he could to try and keep her on the line. "Why have you been calling me from an unlisted number?"

He heard her pause, Matt furrowing his eyebrows as she hesitated to answer. Surely it was a simple question, he didn't know why it seemed to have her struggling to provide an answer.

"Was it because you thought I wouldn't answer if I saw your number?" He started guessing when she didn't give a reason herself, a small part of him hoping he was wrong though. "Because I would've answered, if you called me. I'd always answer." He finished softly, hoping she believed him.

"_I have to go, Matt. I'm sorry._" He wasn't sure what she was apologizing for exactly, but he felt frustration wash over him as he knew she was slipping away from him. "_Stay safe, alright? Please._" Her words confused him. Matt assumed she just meant be safe during work, but the desperation in her voice left him questioning what exactly she meant.

"Always." He replied strongly, hoping to give her a source of comfort that she seemingly needed.

"_Goodbye Matt_."

She'd hung up before he got the chance to say goodbye, and he couldn't help but feel upset by that. The entire conversation left him with conflicting emotions, not knowing which to follow. While hearing her voice brought him comfort, he still didn't know why she called him, or why she was so quick to end their talk. The whole thing left him feeling frustrated, as he threw his phone angrily on the couch, haphazardly setting his now empty beer bottle on the ground. His palms came up to rest on his forehead as he pressed against his head, an anxiousness rising within him as all of her words replayed in his mind like a movie. While he didn't know what he would feel like after his first talk with Gabby, he never imagined it would leave him feeling this lost.

* * *

"Dammit." Antonio muttered under his breath as his finished listening to his voicemail, slamming his phone down against his desk in frustration. Confused and concerned glances were thrown around the room from his coworkers, no one exactly sure what had him so upset. They had just wrapped up a long, difficult case, and the members of the Intelligence Unit were dead set on having a relaxing night off, knowing another case was usually right around the corner. The tension that usually settled in the air during a case had lifted and everyone felt a little lighter, except Antonio.

The team had noticed the shift in the detective's demeanor over the past week or so, but no one went to question him on it. They assumed it was related to work, but now it was clear something else was weighing on him. Something bigger than the job.

"What the hell is going on?" He whispered to himself, pinching the bridge of his nose tightly, hoping to ease some of the tension he felt rising in his head.

He felt anger boiling inside him, the problem being he wasn't sure who to direct his anger towards. But he was quickly finding the perfect person.

He couldn't get the image out of his head, of Matt and that woman inside his sister's home. He knew better, than to believe any of the bull that Kelly was going on about this morning. Severide stood in front of him and lied to his face, giving him this sob story about how broken up Matt was over everything that happened. How he was having a hard time without Gabby. And Antonio bought it. Bought it enough to actually seek out Casey, intent on telling his former brother everything that was going on. Yet nothing could have prepared him for what he walked in on. After the words Kelly had preached to him earlier, that was the last thing he was expecting to find. But if what he saw today was any indication, Matt Casey was doing just fine without her.

Tapping his index finger against his forehead, Antonio was almost in disbelief. Even though he knew he saw it was his own two eyes, it didn't seem real to him. That Matt was with some other woman, in the home he and Gabby shared together. The home they picked out together, the home where they lost their child, and also the home where they conceived that child, a detail Antonio admittedly wished he never knew. But that was the home where they raised Louie. The home they came back to the night after they got married. So many memories of his sister and Matt were forged in that home, and none of that meant a damn thing to Casey. Seeing Matt and that woman so comfortable in the home that used to be Gabby's, it made Antonio sick. And it made him so incredibly angry.

It wasn't simply just Matt moving on that left him feeling resentful towards the firefighter. It was that he had to do it _there_. As far as Antonio was concerned, Gabby had just left. And everyday he missed his baby sister, he wished she'd come back home. And Matt was the one in love with her, yet it was like she never mattered to him. Before the ink even dried on their divorce papers, Matt seemingly moved on without a care. Antonio wanted to believe that Matt did used to love his sister, that she was his world as he so often claimed. But through the small glimpses Antonio got of Matt's actions since her departure, it was hard to believe any of that was ever true. It felt more like she was a warm body for him, not the love of his life.

Blowing out a deep breath, Antonio softly shook his head back and forth. Even though he was incredibly angry at Matt, he knew Casey did love her. That at some point in time, she was the most important part of his life. Antonio saw it, how much he cared for her. How a lot of the time, his and Gabby's arguments stemmed from the man just trying to keep her safe. Despite his actions after her leaving, Antonio knew he shouldn't question how much Matt loved her before. He just couldn't understand why that love suddenly disappeared. For as much as Matt had loved her before she left, now it felt like she never meant anything to him at all.

If today taught him anything, it was that he would have to help Gabby on his own. He couldn't rely on Casey's help, or anyone at 51. If Antonio had to guess, they probably wouldn't care too much anyhow. But that didn't mean the detective didn't have a few questions for the members of the firehouse.

Across the room, Burgess shared a look with Upton, the two women seeing him sitting there lost in thought, mumbling to himself, but no one able to make out the words he was saying. With a nod, Hailey stood up from her chair, taking the short walk towards Antonio, the older man not even noticing her presence till she leaned her weight down against his desk. Looking up at her, he watched as she crossed her arms over her chest, concern written clearly across her face.

"Everything okay, Antonio?" Taking a quick glance around, he could see the rest of the unit was listening to them, some of whom at least tried to make it look like they weren't eavesdropping.

"I'm good." He plastered a fake smile onto his face, knowing he wasn't convincing anyone in the room. But right now, he didn't care about that. He could feel the eyes of everyone on him, so he gave them all another quick smile, standing up from his desk. "Just need to talk to Voight, you all have a good night." Antonio said, patting Hailey's shoulder as he walked by. He noticed the sideways looks from everyone, clearly knowing something was wrong with him. But Antonio gave them nothing, as he completed his walk to Voight's office. The door was open, Hank looking down at a file sitting in his lap. If he felt Antonio's presence, he didn't show it.

"Hey boss." Antonio spoke up, tapping his knuckles lightly on the door, causing the other man to look up.

"You got a second?" Antonio asked once it was clear Voight wasn't going to say anything. Narrowing his eyes slightly, Voight nodded him in. Just by looking at him, Hank could tell something was bothering Antonio. And although it hadn't gotten to the point where he needed to be pulled aside, Voight knew the detective's mind had been elsewhere for a while now.

"What do you need, Antonio?" His low, rough voice filled the small room as Antonio shut the door, taking a seat across from him. There was a tense quiet that had settled around them for a few moments, before Antonio finally spoke up.

"I need your help."

"With what?"

"Gabby."

* * *

Sweat dripped down Casey's face as the sun beat down on them, the warm late October day making its presence known as truck continued running drills, Matt wanting to keep him and all of 81 busy today.

"Do you think his sudden change in demeanor has anything to do with you know who?" Herrmann whispered towards Kidd, who merely rolled her eyes.

"She's not Satan, Herrmann, you can say her name." Kidd shot back in a whisper, Christopher putting his hands up in defense, the two watching on as Casey barked at Otis and Mouch, who were undoubtedly doing something Matt wasn't happy with.

"But do you think?" He asked again, Kidd glancing back towards Casey. It was true, over the past couple shifts, their Captain had been more or less on edge. He had a short temper, and usually kept to himself if not out on a call. That is, unless he was forcing more drills upon his truck company. It reminded them all of how he acted shortly after Dawson left, he just wasn't as reckless.

"Maybe? I don't know, I-"

"Captain Casey!" Boden bellowed from the garage's entrance, Matt snapping his head to look up at his Chief. Boden signaled him over, Casey nodding in understanding.

"Truck, take a break."

"Thank God." Otis muttered, his voice a little too loud as Casey turned to him, raising an eyebrow towards the driver of truck, a harsh glare following.

"Sorry Captain." He quickly responded, Casey just nodding before walking towards Boden.

"What's up, Chief?"

"I got a call this morning, there's a few people on the way that need to talk to you." Boden treaded carefully, Matt's brows furrowing in confusion.

"What about?" Matt watched on as Boden's hand came up to rub the back of his neck, the Captain sensing a nervousness coming from the older man. "Chief?"

"Casey!" A gruff voice called out from behind him, a voice that Matt would know anywhere. Tension filled his shoulders as Casey turned around, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach as he saw two members of the CPD walk towards him, Casey feeling the eyes of the firehouse on him as they approached..

"Chief?" Matt asked, swallowing the lump forming in the back of his throat as Voight and Antonio got closer to him.

"They just need to ask you a few questions, Matt." Boden spoke softly, as the two detectives got to them.

"Captain." Voight said, extending his hand out, a gesture that Matt reluctantly accepted. Antonio kept his gaze away from Casey, Matt not forcing the issue. It had been a week since Antonio showed up at his place, needing to talk to him, and Casey hadn't heard from him since. Although he imagined whatever Antonio came to discuss with him that day, was why they were here now.

"What do you need, Voight?"

"We just need to ask you a few things, it won't take long." Voight promised, Boden stepping in before Casey had the chance to comment back.

"Let's go to my office." Chief said, Casey catching his eye. The hard stare waiting for him told Matt he wasn't getting out of this, so the Captain reluctantly agreed, nodding towards Voight and Antonio, the latter still refusing to meet his eyes.

Boden started walking into the garage, Voight at his side, Antonio sparing one glance at Matt before following the men. Casey blew out a frustrated sigh, as he walked after them. As they passed the squad table, Matt caught a look from Kelly, but it wasn't directed towards him. Severide was looking at Antonio, and he looked worried. Not having the time to figure out what that meant, Matt dropped it, the rest of the walk to Boden's office done in a painful silence.

Casey was the last one in, shutting the door behind him. Boden had already taken a seat at his desk, Voight and Antonio taking the two chairs opposite the Chief. Casey walked behind Boden's desk, leaning himself against the bookshelf there. Crossing his arms over his chest, he looked expectantly towards the detectives, Voight looking back at him with a blank stare, while Antonio's face held more anger.

"What do you need to talk to me about?" Casey asked after a few long moments of silence. Voight looked to Antonio, almost expectantly, Casey's gaze flickering back and forth between the two.

"Is this about a case?" Matt's words caused Voight to look back at him, even though Matt already knew the answer to his own question. 51 hadn't worked with the Intelligence Unit in over a month, and they'd had no suspicious calls recently that would justify them needing help from 21..

Voight looked back to Antonio one more time, like he was expecting him to be the one to initiate this conversation, but Antonio said nothing, his glare still fixed on Casey.

"No, this isn't about a case." Voight finally spoke, leaning forward in his chair. His eyes locked on Casey's, Matt straightening his back slightly.

"When was the last time you heard from Gabby?" Voight asked, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as the words sunk in.

He remained silent, his gaze hardening as he looked between Antonio and Voight, neither man giving him insight on why they were asking him about her.

"Casey?" Voight prompted, earning the sole focus of Matt's glare momentarily.

"Why are you asking me about Gabby?"

"Just answer the question, Casey." Those words were the first to come out of Antonio's mouth since he got here, no one in the room missing how angry he sounded.

"Is this what you came to talk to me about last week?" Matt deflected, but Antonio gave him nothing. "Is something wrong? Is she okay?" The hard exterior of 51's Captain had faltered, Antonio seeing for the first time a sliver of what Kelly had been talking about. But still, Antonio remained silent, not wanting to give him an answer. "Dammit Antonio, is she why you came to see me?" His voice rose with every word, Matt standing up straight, taking a step towards Boden's desk. You could feel the anger radiating off of him, clearly wanting answers.

"Yes." Antonio finally responded, the simple answer angering Matt further.

"Why didn't you tell me that? Why do you need to know if I've heard from her?" Through the anger in his words, Antonio heard the nervousness in his voice. He almost sounded scared, like he knew something was wrong.

"Didn't think you'd care, you were preoccupied." He shot back, Casey taking another step forward with his narrowed eyes aimed at Antonio.

"Enough." Voight barked, Boden eyeing Casey as the man's body relaxed slightly.

"We just need to know if you've heard from her, Casey." Voight kept calm, Matt's arms falling to his sides as his conversation with her echoed through his mind. The voice he heard a week ago replaying in his head, managing to keep him calm. He knew he needed to tell them. They were here for a reason, _she _was that reason. But he couldn't help but think if he did, he'd never find out why they were here. If he told him about all the calls, they'd most certainly leave before giving him an explanation. And he needed one. So he simply shook his head, Antonio standing up as soon as he got an answer.

"Will you please just tell me why you need to know? Is she okay?" Matt's voice had softened considerably, Antonio watching as his guard fell down.

"That doesn't concern you anymore." Antonio responded, walking out of the office without another word. Voight followed close behind him, Casey feeling heat radiate throughout his entire body, fuming as Antonio's words hit him.

It took only a few seconds for Casey to storm after him, Boden calling out for him to come back, his pleads falling on deaf ears. Casey rounded the corner, seeing Antonio and Voight near the double doors, about the exit.

"Antonio!" Matt yelled, the tone in his voice shocking the members of 51 who had congregated in the common room. Antonio had stopped, Voight walking a few more steps away from the commotion.

"What, Casey?" Antonio asked in frustration, turning to face the raging Captain.

"What do you mean this doesn't concern me anymore, you know if anything's wrong with her, it'll always concern me!" He shouted, Antonio not reacting to the volume of his voice. Matt knew the entire firehouse was watching them, but he couldn't bring himself to care. He needed to know what was going on.

Antonio continued staring at him, not giving him anything, Matt mimicking his stance, the two in a current battle of wills. Neither man noticed the double doors opening, not until a woman's voice filled their ears.

"Hey, Matt." Naomi said, clearly not realizing the tense situation she had just entered. Matt's eyes flickered to hers, before back to Antonio's. He hadn't turned around to face her, but the tough look covering the detective's features cracked slightly.

"That right there, Casey." Antonio spoke softly, turning around for a quick second to nod towards Naomi. "That right there is why this doesn't concern you anymore." The malice dripped from his voice as he watched Matt. Antonio waited for a moment, wanting to see if Casey had any response. When none came, Antonio shook his head lightly, a soft scoff escaping his lips.

"Bye Matt." He spoke harshly, turning to leave. Matt caught Naomi's confused gaze, but he ignored it. He took a few steps to catch up to Antonio, grabbing the man's shoulder to slow him down.

"Wait, Antonio-"

"No, Casey, no. I don't have time for this, okay?" He snapped as he spun back around to face the firefighter, members of 51 recoiling at the sound of his voice. "I got what I came here for, now you can forget it. Like you clearly forgot about Gabby." You could hear a pin drop in the firehouse at the moment, as her name settled in the air. Matt took a slight step back in shock, his eyes widening as Antonio's words smacked him across the face.

"You can't really believe that…" Matt stuttered out, trying to regain himself. Antonio took another glance over to Naomi, who had taken a few steps away from the situation, not knowing what she had inadvertently gotten herself into.

"What exactly am I supposed to think?" Antonio spat back. "I mean, my god Casey, you don't just have her around the apartment, you bring her to work too?" He gestured back towards Naomi as he shouted, Matt's shock turning into fury as Antonio stood there and berated him.

"Just because I had to move on, that doesn't mean I forgot about her! I can't go anywhere without thinking of her, without-" Matt tried to interject, but the older man wasn't having it. He continued on as if he heard nothing that Casey had just said.

"Kelly's been feeding me this bullshit that Gabby leaving destroyed you, that you're just so broken you don't know what to do with yourself. But that's not true at all, is it?" Antonio huffed out, Matt's eyes narrowing at him. "You just don't care, and I don't know if you ever cared." Matt felt like he'd gotten punched, the force of Antonio's words pummeling him. "You moved on the second you could. At least I hope you had the decency to wait until you were legally divorced before bringing girls over to the apartment you shared with my sister." He spat, anger seeping from each and every word as it left his mouth.

The firehouse stood there in shock, no one knowing what to say or do to diffuse the situation. Kelly's eyes moved to Matt, seeing the man standing there, his breaths shallow, his fists clenching at his sides. Antonio and Matt stood there in complete silence, their glares locked on the other.

It wasn't until Matt lunged at Antonio did that bring the house from their state of shock.

Casey only landed one punch before Kelly and Boden had dragged him off of the detective, Antonio stumbling backwards from the force of Matt's fist connecting to his jaw. Voight moved to Antonio, holding the man back in case he tried anything.

Matt pushed himself out of Boden's hold, Kelly pushing against his chest to try and calm him down.

"I'm fine." Casey said roughly, pushing away Severide's hands, Matt turning away from all of the men, bringing his hands up to his head.

"Are you good?" Voight asked towards his detective, Antonio nodding as he brought his hand up to his lip, feeling a small amount of blood dripping from his busted lip. "Let's get back to the district." Voight said softly, looking around seeing the stunned looks of everyone in the firehouse. Antonio simply nodded again, not wanting to stay around this group of people any longer. They turned to leave, headed towards the double doors when Casey's voice stopped them both.

"You know how much I care about her, Antonio." His voice was soft, the anger was gone. Antonio turned around to face him again, seeing him still behind Boden and Kelly, but the look of hatred that Antonio had seen from him these past couple of months was gone. Replacing that anger was despair, Antonio able to see it clouding his features. The man standing in front of him looked lost.

"You know how much I loved her… how much I will always love her." Casey spoke out, his voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what all she's told you, or what's going on, but nothing will ever change how I feel about her."

Antonio opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out.

Casey felt the eyes of everyone on him, but he met none of them, his gaze moving to the ground as he brought his hand up to rub over his face. Blowing out a deep breath, he finally looked up, glancing between Boden and Severide, seeing the looks of concern and hurt etched deep into their faces. He couldn't deal with this, the looks of pity from everyone. He needed to get out of here.

"Excuse me." He mumbled out, brushing past the Chief and bolting past the entrance to the common room, walking swiftly down the hallway, desperate to get to his office.

Naomi watched him walk away, intent on following him. But before she even finished her first step, Kelly stopped her.

"Don't." He spoke firmly, "he needs to be alone right now."

But Severide knew that wasn't true. He didn't need to be alone. He needed Gabby.

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**I can't wait to hear what you think about this chapter! **

**A little side note, I know this story focuses a lot on Antonio and Kelly, as well as Dawsey. I just think it's important to see where their heads are at in all this, along with what's going on with Matt and Gabby. Antonio especially, I didn't want anyone reading this to be confused as to where he stands with Matt and his feelings towards everything that's happened. I didn't want to just throw him into a scene, and you all not know why he feels the way he does towards Casey and the rest of 51. Hopefully this is making sense, and I hope you all don't mind them being included so much. But I promise you, this is a Dawsey story and more with them are coming very soon. **


	5. Chapter Five

**Wow wow wow, over 50 reviews through 4 chapters? That's honestly insane to me. You guys are absolutely incredible and have made it so much more fun for me to write and share this story. **

**I hope you all like this one!**

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_**Chapter Five**_

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Kelly looked down the hallway in the direction Casey had just gone, blowing out a sigh as he turned back towards Antonio. The detective hadn't said a word since Matt walked away, surely taking a minute to process everything that had just happened. Voight tapped Antonio on the shoulder, nodding him to the exit, figuring it was best to leave.

"Sorry we had to do this." Voight apologized towards Boden, Chief giving him a nod of acceptance.

"It's okay, just keep me in the loop." Boden spoke lowly, Voight giving him a nod of his own before the two cops disappeared through the double doors.

Boden took the few steps to the entrance of the common room, seeing the men and women of 51 still in slight shock from the events that had transpired in front of them. It had been a long time since Dawson was a topic of conversation in the house, and the circumstances surrounding her surely left them all confused. Hell, Boden was confused as well. When he got the call from Voight, it was hard to hide his surprise. He wasn't given any insight as to why they wanted to come and ask about Gabby, just that they needed to talk to Casey about her. They didn't give him any more information than that, but Boden was a smart man. Something was going on with Dawson, and he was sure Casey knew that as well.

As Boden took steps into the common room, Kelly quickly walked towards Naomi, who hadn't moved from her position against the wall.

"So, Gabby... That's her, right? The ex-wife." Naomi asked him before he could even get to her. "And that cop, he's her brother? I should've known it was something like that, from how he acted seeing me at Matt's place last week." She rambled, Kelly glancing back towards the common room, seeing everyone looking at the two of them.

"Naomi, you should go. It's not a good time for you to be here right now." Kelly told her, ignoring what she had just said.

"But she's the one who left him, right? Why is her brother so mad at Matt?" She pried, also choosing to ignore what Severide had told her.

"It's complicated. Way more complicated than I could even begin to explain, and if Matt wants to tell you, he will." Kelly told her, seeing a satisfied nod come from her. In reality, Kelly knew Matt probably would never tell her about Gabby, but he wasn't about to tell that to Naomi, not when he needed her to leave. "Matt will reach out when he's ready, but really, it's not a good time…" Kelly tried again, leading her towards the exit. Huffing out a frustrated breath, she nodded, giving Kelly a hard look before walking out the doors.

Severide brought his hands up to cover his face, pressing harshly against his eyes as he let out a soft groan. He turned back towards the common room, seeing everyone sitting in their quietly, Boden standing in the middle of the room with his arms crossed over his chest. Knowing he was being waited on, Kelly entered, giving an apologetic nod towards Chief as he leaned his body against the wall.

"I know you all probably have a lot of questions, and are curious about everything that just happened-" Boden started, the eager ears of 51 listening to his every word. "But right now, I just need to know if any of you have heard from Dawson recently." He asked, glancing around the room.

No one made any move, everyone glancing at someone else to see if anyone had in fact spoken to her.

"No one has, at all?" Boden asked, looking around again. Some members of 51 had their eyes on the ground, others looking around, waiting to see if anyone was going to speak up. "Brett?" Boden asked with a slight hopefulness in his voice, but the blonde paramedic shook her head.

"Okay, well-" Boden started, clearing his throat, "if any of you hear from her, you need to tell me. Or Antonio, Voight. Someone." He finished, catching the concerned and worried gazes from the firehouse.

"What's going on, Chief?" Cruz's voice broke through the silence, concern laced in his words. But Boden merely shrugged, his hand rubbing over his mouth.

"I don't know, all I know is if you hear from her, Antonio needs to know." Boden spoke sternly, members of 51 nodding in understanding. A few members of 51 went back to what they were doing before Casey and Antonio had their fight, but most of them were seemingly stuck in place, all trying to figure out the same thing.

"So no one's heard from her?" Herrmann finally asked after a few painful moments of silence.

"Not since she left." Brett mused, a few others nodding in agreement.

"I hope the kid's alright." Herrmann muttered.

"Did anyone try and call her?" Severide wanted to know, seeing heads snap up at the sound of his voice. A few guilty looks spread across the faces of 51, while others kept their gaze focused solely on the ground. The reactions from his question were enough to give him an answer.

Pushing himself from the wall, Kelly starting walking from the common room. He needed to talk to Matt, he needed to know what all was said in Boden's office.

"Did you call her, Severide?" Otis asked, stopping Kelly as he was almost in the hallway. Turning back to face them, he shook his head softly.

"No, but I should have…" He regretfully spoke, turning away from them to walk down the hallway, his next words coming out barely above a whisper. "We all should have."

* * *

Casey paced the confines of his office, ignoring the stinging pain in his hand as the events of the past hour crowded his mind. A million thoughts were hitting him at once, and he didn't know which to follow.

He knows he shouldn't have punched Antonio, he should not have done that. But he couldn't help it. Hearing those words come from Antonio's mouth, and how he clearly believed them, it infuriated Matt. Antonio had been there since the beginning, he saw more than most about his and Gabby's relationship, he had no right to claim that Matt never loved her. That he never cared about her, because it simply wasn't true.

The regret he was feeling about punching Antonio was nothing compared to the worry and concern that was flooding his body. Emotions were overwhelming him as he thought over all the possibilities of why Antonio needed to know if he'd heard from Gabby, and none of them were good.

Gabby had just spoken to him, barely a week ago he had heard her voice, what could've possibly happened to her in that time?

Matt blew out a sigh of frustration as he continued pacing, his mind always going back to Gabby. If she had kept calling him, certainly she would've been calling her brother. It made no sense for her to call him, but not Antonio. Matt knew how much Gabby and Antonio kept in touch, at least they were when he and Gabby were still speaking, and he couldn't see any reason as to why they wouldn't still be now. He couldn't understand why she'd reach out to him, but not Antonio, when Antonio was clearly worried about her.

As his pacing continued, his eyes caught the photo of her sitting on his desk. It caused him to slow down his steps, as he stared at it, taking in the features he knew by heart. He walked up to his desk, picking up the photo to examine it closer. His fingertips traced over her face as he held the frame tightly in his grasp.

He just wished she was here now. That whatever was going, whatever had Antonio so worried, could all be easily explained and that she was fine. That none of them had any reason to be concerned for her.

But she wasn't here. And Antonio did have some reason to be worried, Matt just didn't know what it was.

Sitting down at his desk, Casey put the picture back in its place, pulling his phone from his pocket. He needed to call her. He needed to hear her voice again, and have her explain to him what was happening. To ease his fears, to hear her tell him that Antonio had no reason to be worried. He needed that. He needed _her_.

He'd be lying to himself if he said he hadn't been waiting to hear from her again. After their last phone call, he found himself needing to hear her voice. He wanted to call her, so many times he almost did, but he didn't want to push her. He knew he was the one to end their contact, he didn't want to force her to talk to him if she didn't want to. But that didn't mean he wasn't hoping she'd call him again. That he kept his phone near him all the time, that every time it rang he felt a smile fall onto his face at the thought of talking to her again, just to have it fall in disappointment every time he saw it wasn't her.

Fumbling with his phone in his hands, he quickly dialed her number, putting the phone up to his ear as fast as possible. He frowned as it went straight to voicemail, but that frown was replaced with a small smile as he heard her recorded message. It wasn't what he wanted, but at least he was hearing her voice.

As the tone beeped, Matt spoke softly, "Gabby, hey, it's me. Please call me when you get this, alright? I really need to talk to you."

Sighing, he hung up and called again, feeling more defeated each time he'd call only for it to go straight to voicemail.

Going over to his recent calls, he found the number she'd been contacting him on. He wasn't sure where this number went, where she had been calling him from, but he could only hope she would answer.

He felt a sliver of hope as the phone actually rang, but he was quickly met with the voicemail again. It wasn't her this time, just the automated droning telling him to leave a message. He had no way of knowing if this would ever get back to her, but he had to try.

After leaving her a voicemail similar to the first, he angrily slammed his phone down against his desk. With each moment that passed, he felt his stomach sink a little further, feeling nausea creep up inside him as he thought over what could possibly be going on with her.

He knows he needs to tell Antonio about the call he got from her, the calls he had been getting from her. Antonio needed to know, for whatever reason. He just didn't know how to make sense of it all.

It had been almost two weeks since the first time she tried to call him, since that night she first reached out, when Naomi had answered his phone; the thought made him sick. The thought of Gabby calling _their _home phone and finding another woman on the other end. He knows he had every right to move on, she's the one who left him, but he can only imagine what Gabby must have been feeling when she heard Naomi answer the phone. What went running through her mind when she realized he'd had a woman in the home that they shared. While he technically knows he did nothing wrong, it doesn't make him feel any better, knowing that he hurt her without even getting the chance to speak to her.

Matt snapped out of his headspace as he heard his office door open, Kelly stepping inside without even bothering to knock. Severide saw the look of confusion and hurt covering his face as Matt looked up at him, and Kelly couldn't help but hurt for his friend. For both of his friends.

"You okay?" Severide asked cautiously, Matt opening his mouth to speak but then just closing it, not knowing how to respond. "They came to talk to you about Dawson, didn't they?" He asked, but the tone in his voice told Matt he already knew the answer.

"They wanted to know if I'd spoken to her, if I've heard from her at all." Casey found his voice, the usually self-assured Captain sounding lost.

"Have you?" Kelly asked after a beat of silence. Matt's eyes flickered down towards the ground, as he took a deep breath.

"I have." Matt whispered, Kelly's eyes widening.

"I thought you said you hadn't spoken to her since-"

"I hadn't." Matt cut him off, looking back up at Severide. "When you asked me, I hadn't heard from her. But a week ago, I talked to her." Kelly leaned back against the frame of the door, taking a second to gather his thoughts before speaking up again.

"How is she?"

"I-" Matt stuttered, not sure how to answer, "I thought she was okay, she sounded alright. But now, all this stuff with Antonio, I don't know…" Casey trailed off, covering his face with his hands.

"What did Antonio say?"

"... I didn't tell him." Matt spoke sheepishly, Kelly in disbelief.

"Casey…"

"I know, I know." Matt said, frustration evident in his voice. "I messed up, I should've told him."

"Why didn't you?"

"Because he stormed in here, demanding to know if I'd heard from her but he wouldn't tell me why. All he said is that it wasn't my place to know anymore, he wouldn't even tell me if she was alright!" Anger was building inside Casey once again as Antonio's words came back to the forefront of his mind.

"Casey, I don't care what he said, you have to tell him, he's been freaking out and-" Kelly stopped himself as he saw the look that covered Matt's face, the anger now mixing with confusion.

"What are you talking about?" Matt asked apprehensively, standing up from his desk. Huffing out a breath, Kelly met Matt's narrowed gaze.

"Antonio called me, the shift where you cleaned out Gabby's locker. He asked if I'd heard from her, if anyone had heard from her." Matt stood emotionless as Kelly spoke. "He sounded freaked, like something was wrong." Kelly watched as Matt tensed from his words, Kelly taking a deep breath before continuing. "He refused to say much, in fact he pretty much hung up on me. I went to speak to him a few days later, to try and figure out what was happening, but he wouldn't tell me anything. I told him to at least tell you what was happening, that you needed to know. I'm guessing he never did." Kelly finished, watching as mixed emotions played out over Casey's face, clearly trying to understand what all he'd just heard. Nearly a minute of silence passed before Matt spoke up.

"He did, or he tried to I guess… He came to my place, said he needed to talk to me about something important."

"What happened?" Kelly pressed.

"Naomi was there…" Matt spoke, almost wincing from the thought of that day. Kelly gave a slight nod in understanding, realizing more of what Antonio had been talking about during his and Matt's fight in the hallway.

"He, uh, stormed off after that. I tried to stop him, to get him to tell me what he was there for, but he wouldn't. He was pissed, and I get it. I do, I just- god how did this all get so fucked up?" Matt said angrily, collapsing back down into his chair, his head falling down into his hands. Kelly watched his friend closely, seeing him starting to crumble. He walked the few short steps to the desk, placing his hand supportively on Matt's shoulder.

"I need to know what's going on…" Casey muttered, Kelly barely able to hear him.

"You need to go talk to Antonio, man." Kelly spoke, Matt nodding slowly as he lifted his head to meet Severide's gaze.

"I know, I just-"

"Now, Matt. You need to go talk to him now." Severide spoke firmly, removing his hand from Matt as he took a step back. "Something's going on with Dawson, you know that." He paused, seeing Casey's already rigid form tense more. "Whatever it is, she's gonna need you." Kelly took a breath, seeing a look of panic clouding his features. "But right now, Antonio needs your help. You need to go talk to him." Blinking back the few tears welling in his eyes, Casey nodded.

"Okay." He agreed, pushing himself up from his chair.

"I'll talk to Boden, you go to 21." Kelly instructed, both men leaving the office, Kelly heading towards Boden, Matt heading towards the locker room. "But Matt," He called, stopping the Captain, "don't punch him this time." Matt gave little reaction as he made his way to the locker room, Kelly making his way to the Chief's office. His path was stopped when he saw Boden still in the common room with everyone else, low chatter surrounding the group.

"Chief." Kelly called from the entrance of the common room, stopping the conversation he was currently having with Herrmann. Boden raised his eyebrow as he turned to face Severide, Kelly taking a few steps into the room as he felt everyone's eyes on him.

"Casey left to go talk to Antonio." Kelly saw Boden tense at his words, "he's not going to fight him Chief, he's really going just to talk." Severide tried to ease his worries.

"About Dawson." Chief said, not as a question but rather a statement. Kelly nodded slowly, Chief resting his hands on his hips as he sighed.

There was an unsettling silence that fell over the room, no one willing to voice the questions they had, not until Brett spoke up.

"Is Gabby okay?"

Kelly felt the expectant eyes of 51 turn to him for answers, each of them wearing a similar face of worry. Locking eyes with Brett, he finally spoke.

"I don't know."

* * *

It took all of a minute for Matt to collect his keys and his wallet before jogging out towards his truck, fumbling with the lock for a moment until he was able to get in. His engine roared to life as he took a slow, deep breath. He needed to calm down. His emotions were running high, but he knew he needed to be level headed when talking to Antonio or he'd get nowhere.

Pulling his phone from his jacket pocket, he frowned when he saw he had no missed messages. Not able to stop himself, he called the number again, his frown deepening when it went straight to voicemail this time. Words started fumbling from his mouth before he could even process them, let alone stop them. "Gabby? It's me, Matt. I really-" He drew in a breath of air, cutting himself off as he tried to keep his emotions in check, "I really need to hear from you, I just- god, baby, I need to know that you're okay." His words came out in a whisper, his voice breaking as he spoke. "Please call me if you get this… Please." He pleaded, the phone cutting him off before he could say more. He tossed his phone onto the bench seat of his truck in frustration, pulling out of his parking spot quickly.

He couldn't shake the terrible thoughts crowding his mind during his drive to the district. More than anything, he hoped this was all some misunderstanding. That Antonio was worried for nothing, that Gabby was fine. But Matt knew how unlikely that scenario was, which lead to the much more horrifying ones to plague his mind.

He needed to know what was happening.

Before he knew it, he found himself at the 21st, parking in the first spot he could find. He tore his keys from the ignition, grabbing his cell phone before practically throwing himself from the truck. As he locked it, for the first time he noticed his hands were shaking.

Forcing himself to calm down, he jogged down the sidewalk to the entrance of the district, taking the steps two at a time as he made his way inside. His eyes moved around the lobby, seeing policemen buzzing around him. His eyes landed on a familiar face, Matt's long stride getting him to her desk quickly.

"Captain?" Casey heard the surprise in Platt's voice at seeing him arrive at the district, the cop knowing he should be on shift right now. "What can I do for you?" Trudy asked, tearing her eyes away from her computer screen as she took him in. He gave her a polite smile, eyeing the stairs up to Intelligence.

"I need to see Antonio, is he here?" Casey asked, shoving his trembling hands into his pockets.

"Should be, let me call up there- oh hey, Halstead." Platt called, Matt turning around as he saw Halstead and Upton walking in. "Dawson upstairs?" Jay eyed Casey, his gaze flickering back to Platt as he nodded.

"Should be."

"The Captain needs to see him."

"We'll take him up." Halstead agreed, Matt walking over towards the partners, giving them a slight head nod. "How you been, Casey?" Jay asked as they started the climb, Upton unlocking the door to get upstairs, Matt following the two detectives as they walked through it.

"Alright." Matt mumbled.

"Is Antonio expecting you?" Hailey asked him as they walked. Although she didn't know much of the situation, she did know Casey had been married to Antonio's sister before she left town. While she'd only met the woman in passing, she knew how much Gabby meant to Antonio, how much she surely meant to the man behind her.

"Uh, no. He's not."

The three of them got to the top of the steps, Matt noticing instantly that Antonio wasn't at his desk. Looking around, he saw Ruzek and Burgess at theirs, both of them giving him small smiles when they noticed his presence. It was unusual for Casey to stop by, considering his long history with Voight, and now the more recent history with Antonio, so no one really knew what to make of him being here.

"Looks like he's talking to Sarge." Jay spoke, breaking away from them and heading towards his own desk. Matt gave a nod, signaling he heard what Jay said, but didn't give much else as a response. He stood there at the top of the staircase, looking into the closed office door, seeing the two men deep in conversation.

"You can sit down if you want, it might be awhile." Burgess offered, Matt's gaze snapping from the office towards Kim. The entire Intelligence Unit knew her words to be true. It wasn't uncommon over the past week for Antonio and Voight to be locked up in his office, in fact it was more uncommon if they weren't. No one else on the team knew what had them working so hard, and so secretly, but they knew whatever it was had been causing the younger detective stress. Not a day had gone by where Antonio came into work looking anything other than worn out and worried. And when Voight and Antonio returned this afternoon, the latter sporting a busted lip, the team had even more cause for concern.

"I'm good." Casey gave shortly, clenching his hands in his pockets, willing the slight tremor that was still present to go away.

"Casey…" Only moments had passed until Matt heard Antonio's voice say his name, obviously not expecting to see him there.

"We need to talk."

Antonio wasn't sure what to make of the lack of emotion in Casey's voice, and he had no idea what to expect from him. He knew Matt was angry, but judging by the look in his eye, he was more concerned than anything. With a small nod, Antonio gestured towards the break room.

"We can talk in here." Antonio headed in first, Matt noticing Voight follow in after him as Casey walked through the bullpen, ignoring the glances from everyone else. He had no idea if the rest of the team knew of Antonio's worries about Gabby, but based on their confused reactions to his presence, he was guessing they didn't.

When Matt walked into the room, he immediately shut the door behind him, staying close to the wall as he met Antonio's gaze. The looks of anger that both men had held onto so strongly nearly an hour ago were long gone.

Pulling his hands from his jacket pocket, Matt crossed his arms over his chest, glancing to Voight as the man leaned against the counter, but he forced himself to focus back on Antonio. He was the person Matt needed answers from.

"I need to know what's going on with Gabby." Casey spoke firmly, his stance strong. If Antonio was surprised at this being the reason for Matt's visit, he didn't show it. Matt watched as Antonio glanced to Voight, and before the detective even spoke Matt knew Antonio didn't want to give him any answers.

"Casey-"

"You keep saying it's not my place to know, but that's not true and you know it." Matt cut him off, surprising himself by the strength of his words. "By the way you've been acting, I know something's wrong. What happened to her?"

"Matt, listen-"

"I talked to Gabby."

Matt's admission caused Antonio's spine to straighten, stunning the room into silence, Voight instinctively leaning forward as the words resonated. Once the initial shock wore off, Antonio took a step forward towards Casey, his eyes narrowing.

"You talked to her?" He asked for clarification, even though he heard the words loud and clear. Matt nodded slowly in response. "When?"

"About a week ago, last Tuesday night."

"The night I came to see you, you had spoken to her?"

"It was after you left, maybe an hour later? I don't know. But she called me." Casey was surprised to see just how relieved Antonio was to find out he'd heard from her, which only made Matt's stress levels spike.

Antonio's hands came to rub over his face, blowing out a slow shaky breath, Matt watching as Voight came over and patted him on the shoulder, almost as if for reassurance.

"Dammit Casey, why didn't you tell me at the firehouse?" Antonio asked. Even though Matt was expecting there to be anger laced in his words, there wasn't any; the relief seemed to be outweighing everything else.

"I know I should have," Matt started honestly, "but I also knew if I had, I would never know what's going on. I need to know, Antonio." His voice started wavering towards the end of his sentence, the detective noticing immediately. He wasn't able to hide the emotion in his voice this time. "Something's wrong with her, isn't it?" The shakiness in his words only increased, Antonio frowning softly as he listened to Casey.

No matter what Antonio thought about him, Antonio knew Matt was worried. He noticed how the firefighter's body had been trembling, the look of fear that would flash in his eyes every so often, the man unable to stop it. Hearing the concern in the man's voice only confirmed what Casey's body language already told him. Matt was terrified. Terrified of something being wrong with Gabby, scared that something bad had happened to her. Despite whatever fronts Casey had been putting up before, for the first time in a long time Antonio had no doubt in his mind that Matt was still in love with his sister.

"Antonio, please…" Matt pleaded when he hadn't responded.

Eyeing the desperate man in front of him one more time, Antonio nodded towards the table as he walked closer to it, taking a seat. Reluctantly Matt followed, taking a seat in the chair beside him. Antonio took a deep breath, glancing back to Voight who gave him a slight nod.

"We thought she was missing, Casey."

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**I can't wait to hear what you all think. Answers as to what's going on with Gabby are coming in the next few chapters. And the next few chapters are actually the idea in my head that started this story, so I'm really excited for those.**

**Hope you all liked this chapter, thanks for reading! **


	6. Chapter Six

**Hello everyone! Sorry for the wait, this one took me awhile to get how I wanted it. I meant to have this chapter up a few days ago but I was really struggling with it, more so than I anticipated. This is a really important chapter and I hope you all like it! I can't wait to hear what you think. Enjoy :)**

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_**Chapter Six**_

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"_We thought she was missing, Casey."_

All the moisture in Matt's mouth disappeared as Antonio's words hit him like a ton of bricks. His eyebrows furrowed, his mouth parting slightly as he tried to understand what he'd just heard. But he couldn't. The words weren't making sense in his mind, the man desperately trying to find another option as to what Antonio could possibly mean.

She couldn't be missing, he had just talked to her. This was Gabby, his Gabby.

She was fine, she _is_ fine. She had to be.

"Matt…" Antonio spoke cautiously after getting no verbal response, looking at the man who was sitting motionless in front of him. It was almost as if Casey was looking past him, the glazed over look settling into his eyes, like he'd shut down. Antonio saw his eyes snap back into focus as the man realized he was being spoken to.

Matt's throat bobbed up and down, his mouth opening slightly only to shut as he tried to think of anything he could say in that moment. The process repeated, Antonio understanding Matt needed a minute to digest this.

"What do you- what do you mean missing?" The words tumbled out of his mouth so softly, Antonio barely hearing them.

"No one had been able to get ahold of her in nearly three weeks, she stopped showing up to work…" Antonio trailed off, Matt getting the sense there was much more to it than just that. It took a minute for his brain to catch up, Casey feeling as if it took twice as much energy to process anything.

When Matt remained silent, Antonio spoke up again.

"What did you all talk about, when she called?"

"Antonio-" Matt started, only to get cut off.

"I'll tell you everything I know, okay?" Antonio relented, "I just need to know what happened when she called you."

Closing his eyes tightly, Matt forced himself to recall every memory from when he first started getting calls from her. This was important, this was Gabby, he needed to tell Antonio everything. If it meant helping her and keeping her safe, he had to do anything he could.

"She started calling two weeks ago-"

"You've talked to her more than once?" Antonio cut him off, earning a swift glare from Matt, the detective backing off and letting him continue.

"She started calling me two weeks ago, but I didn't actually speak to her until last week." Matt was confused when he saw Antonio's eyes narrow at him, the man's body tensing. When his own words ran through his head, he realized how it must have sounded and quickly clarified, "I wasn't ignoring her calls." Matt defended himself. "Every time she called, I picked up, but she never said anything. I didn't know it was her until she said something the last week."

"You didn't recognize her number?" Antonio was partly confused and partly annoyed, but Matt quickly shook his head, realizing he needed to do a better job of explaining himself.

"It wasn't her number, she had been calling me from an unlisted number." Antonio's eyes widened slightly at that information, Matt taking that as a sign to continue. "When she first started calling me, she never said anything. I only would hear breathing. But then last week, she finally said something."

"I don't think she was planning on saying anything," Matt admitted, "but after everything that happened that day, I was frustrated with you and some other stuff…" he trailed off, sighing softly, "I think she could sense that. I threatened to hang up, told her to stop calling, and that's when she said something."

"Do you have the number?" Antonio asked, Matt nodding. He pulled out his phone, bringing up the contact before showing it to Antonio. He turned back to look at Voight, who was already walking towards the table. Snatching the phone from Antonio's grasp, he headed for the exit.

"Ruzek!" He barked before even opening the door, Adam jumping up from his seat and meeting Voight at the door as it was opened. "Run this number, get me anything you can on it." He ordered, Adam nodding as he took Casey's phone and headed back to his desk. Voight shut the door again and went back to his original spot, Antonio turning his attention back to Matt.

"What did you all talk about?"

"Um, at first not really anything. I was kinda shocked, to be hearing from her. After our last talk-" Matt grimaced as he cut himself off, Antonio nodding in understanding of his words. Matt should've known Antonio was made aware of his last conversation with Gabby, he just wished Antonio knew how much he regretted it. But that didn't matter right now. "Anyway, it was kinda weird. Neither of us knew what to say. She apologized, for calling." Matt recanted, closing his eyes as he remembered word for word everything that had been said. Her voice had been on a constant loop in his mind this past week, but he knew he couldn't leave anything out.

"I told her it was good to hear from her, and then I asked how everything was going, if it was everything she wanted…" Casey kept his eyes closed as his spoke, part of him wanting to stay in the memory of her voice, but he also didn't particularly want to see Antonio's reaction to his words. "But she didn't really answer," He opened his eyes, finding Antonio staring at him expectantly, "she apologized again, said she never meant for this to ruin us." He cleared his throat as he felt his resolve weaken, emotion evident in each word.

"I, uh, I asked her why she called me, and she just said that she wanted to hear my voice. But after that she practically pushed me off the phone. I tried to keep talking but she didn't want to. I asked her why she was calling from that number, but she never answered that either." He explained. "And then we were just saying bye. She told me to stay safe, and then hung up."

Matt looked at Antonio, watching as he took in everything Casey had just told him. The group sat in silence for awhile, Antonio trying to gain his footing.

"How'd she sound?" He finally asked, "Did it sound like anything was wrong?"

"She sounded... hesitant? Maybe, I don't know." Matt questioned himself, wringing his hands together in his lap. "Kind of timid," he continued, "but I just figured it was because of what I said to her last time."

"Have you heard from her since?" Matt shook his head sadly, refusing to meet Antonio's gaze.

"I thought about calling her, but I didn't want to push her. I mean, I'm the one who said we shouldn't talk anymore, I didn't want to keep calling if she didn't want to talk to me…" Matt trailed off, Antonio able to see the frustration Matt was carrying, he just wasn't sure if the source of his frustration was with himself or Gabby.

"I tried calling her today though, after you left." Matt finally lifted his head up to look at Antonio, "I called her number and the other number, she didn't answer. I just left a few voicemails." He explained, eyeing Antonio. A numbing silence had fallen over the room again, neither man saying anything until Matt quietly spoke up.

"You gotta tell me what's going on, Antonio."

Antonio took a deep breath, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table as he tried to find the best place to start.

"Gabby and I had kept in almost constant contact since she first left," Antonio started, Matt nodding as he had known that already. "We'd talk once or twice a week, just to check in. I wanted to make sure she was doing alright. And then once you two got divorced-" Antonio saw Matt tense by his side, "I would call her multiple times a week. I was worried about her, she was definitely distant, especially at first. That hadn't really changed much since the last time I spoke to her." Matt's eyes closed as he listened to Antonio's words, guilt flooding his body. "But overall she seemed to be doing okay." Antonio quickly added, seeing the reaction that had come from Casey.

"Thank you." Matt murmured, Antonio raising an eyebrow.

"You don't need to thank me, she's my sister." He replied quickly, with more force in his words than he intended, Matt giving only a slight nod in response.

"But yeah, we had been talking at least three times a week, up until a month ago. I would call her, and it would keep going to voicemail. She never returned my calls, I'd just get texts from her, saying that she was busy. That she was sorry she missed my call, she'd call me back later, stuff like that…" Antonio trailed off. "Eventually she called me back, but she only talked to me for maybe five minutes before saying she needed to go." Antonio paused for a moment, wanting to give Matt a minute to process everything.

"That call was the last time I heard from her, and that was three weeks ago. She said she'd just been really busy at work and that things were hectic. Said she'd call me again when she got the chance. I could hear how exhausted she was, and after that call I decided I'd ease up on the calls a little bit, let her be the one to contact me." Antonio brought a hand up to cover his face, rubbing tiredly over his forehead. "But after a week of nothing, I called her again. She didn't answer. I kept calling and texting, but never heard from her."

"After a few days of no response, I contacted Chief Hatcher." Antonio saw Matt's back straighten at the name, "I called him, asked him if Gabby was working and he told me no. Told me that Gabby had been given some time off, after an incident at one of the sites a few days before." Matt's heart rate sped up as the words left Antonio's mouth.

"What happened?" He'd spoken before Antonio even had the chance to continue talking, the sheer panic evident in his voice.

"All I know is what Chief Hatcher told me, but I guess... ever since Maria, gang violence in Puerto Rico has been more of a problem. After the hurricane hit, and everything was in such a vulnerable place, they tried to take over. So when all of these groups of people were coming in to help with relief efforts, there was some conflict."

Matt knew Antonio was stepping around what had actually he happened, and he felt his blood pressure rise each second Antonio kept avoiding what Hatcher told him. Catching the hard glare from Casey, Antonio continued talking.

"Apparently since they first arrived, they had a few run ins with one particular gang. Nothing ever got violent, just some territorial problems. But on their newest site, where they were starting the planning for a new hospital- I guess things escalated." Antonio took a breath to gather his thoughts, Matt's entire body rigid as he waited for the detective to continue.

"I don't know specifics, just that Gabby got into it with one of the gang members. You know how she is, she doesn't back down from anything or anyone…" Antonio said, Matt shaking his head. He definitely did know that. "But, from what Hatcher told me, she and one of the guys started fighting, things got heated and- the guy hit her." Matt felt bile rise in his throat, the need to empty his stomach overwhelming. But he swallowed it down when Antonio continued speaking. "They got it broken up pretty quickly, according to Hatcher. The gang left when Hatcher said he was calling the cops, told me he decided to give Gabby a few days off work."

Antonio kept his eyes on Casey once he finished speaking, trying to gauge where the man's head was at. He'd been surprisingly quiet so far, and Antonio wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

"When I called Hatcher, he told me Gabby was supposed to return to work in a couple of days, he'd let me know when he saw her. So I waited. Then I got the call from Hatcher that she never showed up to work." Antonio watched as Matt's head fell to rest in his hands.

"No one's seen or heard from her since she left work that day… no one but you, Casey." Matt's head snapped up, their eyes meeting as an unsettling quiet fell over the room.

Matt's entire body felt heavy as he sat there, the simple movement of resting his arms against the table seemingly taking all his energy. His eyes moved from Antonio to down in front of him, his unsteady hands shaking against the table. He didn't even bother trying to hide the tremoring this time, his brain feeling like it was about to implode.

He didn't know how to make sense of this. At this point, he wasn't even sure he'd fully grasped everything Antonio had told him. This felt like a bad dream, one he couldn't wait to wake up from.

He pursed his lips together, trying to form any coherent thought, trying to find his voice as he looked back up towards Antonio.

"When did she- when did the guy hit her?" Matt finally stuttered out, saying the first words his brain could come up with. He wasn't even sure if Antonio had already told him, he couldn't remember.

"Two weeks ago." He answered, Antonio seeing the look of realization that crossed Matt's face, mixing with the clear pain that had been there since Matt arrived.

"When she first called me- the day she called was when…" Matt trailed off, Antonio giving a simple nod in return. He'd put it together when Matt first started telling them about his calls from Gabby, but didn't want to say anything.

Antonio watched silently as Casey slowly started to crumble in front of him, the reality of the situation hitting him full force. Antonio knew he had more to tell him, there was more that Casey needed to know, but he also knew Matt needed a minute.

Glancing back to Voight, he saw his boss in the same position he'd been in since they all settled into the room, the man leaning against the counter, ankles crossed, holding his arms over his chest. Hank's gaze fell from Casey to Antonio, giving the detective a nod, telling him to continue. Antonio raised his eyebrows in response, knowing he was unsure if now was the best time.

"What is it?" Casey's voice broke through their silent conversation, Antonio's head snapping back to Matt, seeing the firefighter looking back and forth between him and Voight.

"Casey…" Antonio hadn't realized Matt had come out of his thoughts, nor did he realize the man had been watching him.

"Tell him, Antonio." Voight's rough voice filled their ears, Matt's eyes focusing on Antonio.

"Tell me what?"

Antonio could hear the rise in panic in Casey's voice, the man taking a deep breath before answering.

"Casey, Hatcher called me back, after Gabby never showed up for work." Antonio swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before continuing. "He went to her apartment to check on her, but-" He stopped himself, gripping his hands together.

"But what?" Matt all but shouted, no doubt drawing the ears of the Intelligence Unit sitting outside the door.

"Her place was broken into. The lock had been broken, whoever did it had clearly forced their way in, the entire place was trashed... There was no sign of her anywhere."

Matt felt his entire body go numb at Antonio's admission, his vision blurring and his chest tightening.

"Hatcher called the local police, and then called me after. But they weren't able to find anything that would tell them where she was." Antonio spoke, but he wasn't even sure if Matt could hear him.

"Matt," Antonio whispered, Casey's vision coming back into focus, his blue eyes watering, "the night you spoke to her was the same night Hatcher went to her apartment." He clarified, Matt swallowing thickly.

"Do we know-" Casey cleared his throat, blinking back the tears pricking the edges of his eyes, "do we know if it happened before I talked to her?" Antonio saw the desperation shining in Matt's eyes, and he wished he had an answer for him.

"I don't know, Casey." Antonio responded regretfully, Matt sucking in a shallow breath, doing what he could to keep his emotions in check.

A sudden knock on the door grabbed their attention, Matt turning his head to see Ruzek standing on the other side. Voight waved him in, Adam entering the break room, shutting the door behind him.

"What do you got?" Hank asked quickly, Matt keeping his eyes focused on Ruzek, his gaze traveling to the folder in his hands.

"I ran the number, got everything I could from it, which wasn't much." Adam said with a grimace, "The phone was activated 16 days ago, and from what I can tell it wasn't used much." Matt was surprised when Ruzek looked up from the sheets of paper in front of him, focusing his eyes on Casey. "The only calls made with this phone were to one number… yours, Casey."

Adam saw something flicker in Matt's eyes, but he cleared his throat and continued on. "The last known location was um, just outside of San Juan in Puerto Rico." Adam spoke. He'd had an idea when Matt showed up that it had something to do with Gabby, and this confirmed it. "But that was nearly a week ago. Looks like the phone was turned off shortly after the last call made to you, Casey." Ruzek explained with a sad smile, Antonio giving him a nod.

"Thanks Ruzek." Voight said, the young cop nodding, handing over the file with all the information over to Hank before quickly exiting the room. Antonio eyed Casey, trying to gauge any sort of reaction from his former brother. But he hadn't moved or said much of anything.

"Casey, the cops, they uh- they took photos of the apartment," Antonio saw Matt's body tense from his words, the firefighter looking back at him. "I don't know if there's anything you'd see that would be able to help, but-" The immediate shaking of Matt's head cut off Antonio's words.

"Let me see them." Casey spoke, his voice raspy. Antonio nodded, looking back to Voight who was already on the move. He left the room, returning just as quickly with a thick folder in his hands. He walked over to the table, placing the closed manilla folder down in front of Casey before returning to his spot across the room.

Casey stared blankly at the folder, rubbing the palms of his hands against his pants, feeling a rush of nerves flow through his body. He'd never seen what the inside of her apartment looked like, aside from the glimpses he got through FaceTime the first few months she was away. The first real look he'd get at it was after it had been destroyed, and the thought left an unsettling feeling in his stomach.

Taking a slow, shaky breath, Matt opened up the folder, his eyes landing on the first photo in the stack. Even from the sideways view, he could tell it was a picture of her front door. His trembling hands grabbed onto the stack of photos, picking them up and bringing them closer to his view.

Slowly he began flipping through the photos, each one leaving him with more fear than the last as he saw the damage done to her home of the last five months. As he flipped through them, he tried to picture what it had looked like before the invasion. He tried to picture the living room before the furniture had been flipped and dismantled, tried to picture her kitchen before the table had been knocked to the ground, before there were shards of broken tableware littering the tile floor. Before her bathroom had been ransacked, the contents of her medicine cabinet dumped across the small room. He tried to picture what her home had looked like, before it had been taken from her.

Seeing what had become of her home made his blood boil, anger breaking through the horror he felt. Gabby didn't deserve this happening to her, she didn't deserve to have her home taken from her. A place he could only hope she felt comfortable and safe in, that was now gone. Some monster had robbed her of her security, and now she was god knows where.

He forced himself to keep looking through the photos, his desire to know exactly what happened overriding his fear of the situation. His chest tightened as he saw the first photo of her bedroom. He'd seen it once or twice, when Gabby first moved in, but seeing it like this made his blood pressure sky rocket, his eyes darting around each image as he flipped through them.

Her mattress had been flipped, hanging partially off the bed frame, her sheets ripped as they covered the floor. Her dresser drawers were all open, some of which had been thrown to the ground, their contents scattered around the room. One nightstand had been completely knocked over, the lamp Matt assumed was usually sitting on top of it was now on the floor in pieces.

As he flipped to the next image, his breath caught in his throat at what he saw. Tears welled in his eyes, as his gaze zeroed in on the image in front of him. Hidden partially under an article of clothing was a framed photo. One of them.

The frame had been broken, the glass now in shards and the wooden frame cracked in half, but it was them. He would recognize that photo anywhere. The two of them, wrapped in each other's arms, shortly after they had said 'I do'. Her head was tucked into his neck, him holding onto her as tightly as he could. Neither of them had known the photo existed, not until Kelly gave it to them as a wedding gift a few weeks later. He hadn't known she'd taken it, he was wracking his brain, trying to remember if he'd noticed it missing in it's old home above the fireplace shortly after she'd left, but now he couldn't remember. A tear slid down his cheek, his eyes glued to the broken photo staring back at him.

"Casey…" Matt's eyes flickered up to Antonio as he heard his name, the detective seeing the tear falling down Casey's face, and the others that had welled up in his eyes.

"Do you see anything at all that might-" Antonio cut himself off, taking a breath. "Anything that might help us?" Glancing back down to the photo still tight in his grasp, Matt shook his head side to side. He couldn't stop staring at the picture of the two of them, the one Matt imagined she'd had on her nightstand. Something he realized was probably the last thing she saw before she went to sleep, and the first thing she saw when she woke up. A wave of nausea overtook him, Matt swallowing thickly as he looked back to Antonio.

"No one knows who did this?" Casey's voice was hoarse and barely there, Antonio sure he wouldn't have been able to understand him had he not been right next to him. With a sad shake of his head, Antonio responded.

"No, we don't. It's a good possibility it was the same guys Gabby had issues with, but there's no proof. Or anything, really, that points to them being at her apartment. And there's nothing that tells us where Gabby went, or where she was-" Antonio stopped short of finishing his sentence, but everyone in the room knew what he meant. How if she was home when the invasion happened, there was a chance she was taken in the process.

But Matt couldn't think like that, he couldn't believe that. Wherever she was, she was alright. She had to be. He wouldn't accept any other scenario.

Looking back down at the photos, Matt dropped them down onto the table. His entire body felt hot, and the nausea had yet to go away. Eyes darting around the room, he suddenly stood up, pushing his chair back forcefully as he did so. The sudden movement caused Antonio to sit back in his chair, his eyes moving to Voight before back to Casey.

"I...I have to go." Matt said quietly, patting around his pockets frantically. "Where is my phone?" He muttered, moving around the pictures and the folder on the table, as if they were hiding it.

"Casey-" Antonio tried to stop his movements, seeing the anxiousness rise in the firefighter.

"I need to go." Casey's voice rose significantly, his hands running over his pockets again, every movement he made causing Antonio to become more concerned. "Where the hell is my phone?" Matt shouted, Antonio seeing the heads of the Intelligence Unit snap towards the breakroom.

"Matt, calm down. Ruzek still has your phone." Antonio tried to calm him, but it wasn't working.

"I have to go Antonio!" He yelled, pushing the detectives hands off him, Antonio taking a step back with his arms up.

"Where, Matt?" Voight asked, his voice as steady as ever.

"I have to go home, I have to pack." He said quietly, Antonio furrowing his eyebrows.

"What do you mean pack? Where are you going? Matt, wait-" Antonio grabbed his arm as Casey tried to head for the exit.

"I'm going to Puerto Rico, I have to find Gabby." Antonio's eyes widened at Matt's frantic words, tightening his grasp on the man's arm so he wouldn't slip away.

"Casey you can't go to Puerto Rico, we don't even know where she is."

"But I have to-" Matt pulled himself from Antonio's grip as he spoke.

"Matt, you can't-"

"Dammit Antonio!" Matt screamed in anger, "I have to go find her! I can't just sit here and wait!" The decibel of his voice never lowered, Matt grabbing a fistful of his hair in anguish.

"Matt..."

"You can't just tell me she's missing, she hasn't shown up for work, that her apartment was trashed, and then expect me to sit here and do nothing!" Casey was pacing around the room, his thoughts coming out in shouts before he could even process them. "God knows what happened to her! If they took her, or if she's hurt, I can't just stay here when she needs help!"

"Casey, calm down-"

"Don't tell me to calm down! You should've told me, Antonio!" He yelled, his sights set on Antonio as he stopped his pacing. "The second you thought something was wrong, you should've told me! I should have known, I could have gone down there weeks ago, and maybe she'd be here with us right now-"

"Matt, you going to Puerto Rico won't solve anything." Antonio tried, "it won't help anything. You said yourself, she hasn't been at work or at home, you'd have no idea where to look for her. You would have been wandering aimlessly around the city, and what? Just hope you'd run into her on the street?"

"But I could've at least been looking for her! I can go look for her!" He screamed, his anger and frustration getting the best of him as he grabbed the chair in front of him and threw it towards the wall, the offending object banging off the surface before crashing to the ground, the blinds shaking against the glass.

"Casey!" Antonio shouted, reaching for him to try and calm him down.

"Antonio, don't." Hank's voice stopped him, the younger detective looking back towards his boss, seeing the older man shaking his head. "Just give him a minute."

Antonio took a few steps back from Casey, seeing the firefighter pacing back and forth across the small area. He could see Matt's resolve crumbling, the broken man falling to pieces right in front of him. Matt stumbled over to the wall, sliding down the hard surface as his gaze stared blankly ahead of him. Antonio saw the tears falling down his cheeks, the worry and fear finally taking over.

"I should have been there…" He whispered, wiping lazily at the tears that had fallen. "I should have been there with her-" He sucked in a harsh breath, Antonio's face falling as he listened to Casey's words. He knew Matt meant more than just the past few weeks. Antonio knew that Gabby had asked him to come with her, that she wanted them to be together, and he could only imagine what was going through Matt's head right now.

"I could've-" He choked out a breath, "I could've protected her. She shouldn't have been there alone, I should have-" He cut himself off again, his head falling into his hands as he finally broke. Tears flooded down his cheeks, his body shaking as the last of his resolve disappeared.

Antonio watched as Casey broke down, a deep frown covering his features, feeling tears well in his own eyes.

Hank stared stoically at Casey, seeing a vulnerability that he'd never seen from him before. His gaze moved upwards, seeing the members of his unit looking in the breakroom, no doubt having heard and seen the breakdown Matt was having. With a slight shake of his head, they all got back to work, knowing they'd be told if they were needed.

Antonio blinked furiously, willing the tears sitting in his eyes away as he took a deep breath, walking slowly towards Matt. Crouching down in front of him, Casey looked up, Antonio seeing the clear look of defeat in his eyes.

"I love her Antonio." Matt whispered before Antonio could say anything.

"I know." His voice was just as quiet as Matt's, "I know you do."

And he did. Any doubt Antonio had of just how loved his sister was, was now gone.

"I need to find her." His voice was still quiet, afraid that if he spoke any louder he'd be unable to get the words out. "I can't- I can't lose her, not again."

"I know." Antonio repeated, "We're gonna find her, Matt. I promise… we're gonna get her back."


	7. Chapter Seven

**Hello! Again, sorry for the wait with this one. I've been super busy, and I try to only work on this story when I can focus on it completely. But I didn't mean for it to take this long. Hope you guys enjoy!**

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_**Chapter Seven**_

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Casey stared blankly ahead as he sat at the table in the break room of the 21st district, his fingers tapping lightly on the wooden surface. With every up and down movement his hand made, a sharp pain would shoot down to his fingertips, keeping him grounded as to where he was and what was going on.

It seemed like a dream. Everything Antonio had said to him today, everything he heard and saw about what happened to Gabby, it all felt like a lie. Like this was some cruel joke, a nightmare he couldn't wake up from.

The guilt he was feeling since talking with Antonio continued to eat away at him as he sat in the empty room. This never should've happened to her, she should've never been in the position where this was allowed to happen. He should've been there, he knows it. Gabby should've never been in Puerto Rico alone, and he knows that's on him. He will never forgive himself if they can't find her.

_Or worse, if they do find her but she's already-_

He pushes the thought from his mind, swallowing the lump in his throat. He couldn't go there, he couldn't think about that. He refused to. He couldn't picture a world without Gabriela Dawson in it, and he wasn't about to start now.

Even though the last five months without her had been hell for him, he'd at least known she was okay. She was helping people, doing what she loved. She was being who she was; someone who always put others before them self. And he loved her for that, he truly did, he just wished it hadn't torn them apart.

But now, he didn't have that comfort. The comfort of knowing that she was at least alright, even if she was thousands of miles away. It had been ripped away from him in the span of a few hours.

"Casey is the only person who's heard from her."

Antonio's voice out in the bullpen pulled him from his thoughts, as his eyes came into focus and he looked out through the windows, seeing the Intelligence Unit gathered around a few of the desks, listening intently to Antonio and Voight as they filled them in on everything. Casey was glad Antonio had decided to involve the rest of the team with this. The more people out there looking for Gabby, the better. Especially when those people have the training to do so. But even though he was happy Antonio was getting more help, that didn't mean he wanted to hear every detail again.

So he went back to tuning out the voices coming from the other room, closing his eyes as he focused on a voice in his head. Her sweet voice filling his mind, Matt letting the memories of them flood his senses. The only thing keeping him sane right now were his thoughts of her. The thoughts of holding her, and kissing her. Thoughts of laughing with her, even thoughts of fighting with her. It didn't matter, as long as it was _her_. And he couldn't wait for the next opportunity he got to do those things were her again, because he was determined to get another chance. He had to. He was stupid enough to let her slip through his fingers once, he'd never make that mistake again.

"She first started calling him about two weeks ago, the day she got sent home from work-" Antonio's voice broke through Matt's thoughts again, the firefighter sighing deeply as he opened his eyes, "But they didn't talk until a week ago."

Matt's eyes snapped open as a realization washed over him. Up until that moment of hearing Antonio retell his story, he'd forgotten something. Something that had left his mind since before arriving at the district. But Antonio needed to know. If it could help Gabby, he needed to know.

Pushing himself up from his seat, he walked the few steps through the break room to the open doorway, seeing a few glances from the detectives as Antonio was still talking. When there was a break in his words, Casey spoke up.

"Antonio, can I talk to you for a second?"

Turning to face him, Antonio raised his eyebrows at Casey, wondering what was so important that Matt wouldn't have waited until he finished briefing the team. But seeing the worried look covering Casey's face, he nodded.

"Give me a second." He spoke to the group before walking down the hallway with Casey in tow. Stopping in front of one of the interrogation rooms, Antonio turned around to face Matt.

"What is it?"

"I remembered something about the first night she called me." Matt started, Antonio eyeing him, a sign Casey took to continue.

"She called me twice, but I was on the phone with Severide when she called my cell phone. So I guess she tried the house phone…" Casey's hand came up, rubbing over the back of his neck nervously.

"Spit it out, Casey."

"I'm not the only person who's spoken to her." Matt admitted, a look of guilt flashing in his eyes, "Naomi was there, she picked up the phone when I was talking to Kelly. She spoke to Gabby."

Matt couldn't read the look that covered Antonio's face as the words came from his mouth, watching Antonio close his eyes, running his tongue over his busted lip before taking a deep breath.

"So your girlfriend has spoken to Gabby." The bitter statement came from Antonio's mouth before he could stop it.

"Antonio…" Matt warned, the older man shaking his head. This wasn't the time.

"I'll tell Voight, he'll send someone to go get a statement from her." Antonio said, starting to walk back towards the bullpen. Matt followed him, seeing Antonio continue on as if there had been no interruptions. Casey crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned against the doorway to the break room. He could only hope Antonio was almost done briefing them. He'd feel much better once they had a plan in place, any way to get Gabby back.

"So what's the plan here, Sarge?" Halstead asked after Antonio finished, glancing towards Casey before looking back towards his boss.

"We're treating this as a missing persons case, and I think the best thing we can do right now is get a few of us down to Puerto Rico. We need to check around the job sites, go and see if we can find anything uniforms might have missed from her apartment, talk to her colleagues. We need to get a read on her life up until she was given the time off from work." Voight explained, Matt watching as the team nodded obediently.

"Who's going?"

"Antonio, myself, Burgess, and Ruzek." He said without much thought. "Halstead, Upton, Atwater, I want you three running base from here. We have no idea where Gabriela is, and while I'm not expecting much interference from the local police there, I want everything coming back here. That way we've got all our eyes on it." He explained, the group nodding.

"Everyone who's going, we're on the next flight out. Go home, get packed up and be back here as soon as possible." The three nodded, the group dispersing. Casey watched as Adam and Kim hurried down the steps, while the other three members went to their desks. His gaze found Antonio, who was walking up to Voight, leaning forward and saying something in his ear. Both men turned to look back at Casey, who met their stares with a hard glare of his own, before Voight cleared his throat and started speaking.

"Upton, Halstead, come here." The two detectives stood up, walking towards Hank and Antonio.

"I need you two to go talk to a Naomi Graham, Antonio will send you the address. She spoke to Gabby the first night she tried to get in contact with Casey, I want to know their exact conversation."

Halstead glanced over to Casey again, who had an unreadable expression on his face, before nodding. "On it." He replied shortly, Jay nodding at Hailey as the partners exited the bullpen.

"Atwater," Voight spoke, Kevin standing up from his desk. "I want you to look over these photos, see if you can find anything Antonio or I might have missed, anything that might tell us where Gabriela is." Kevin nodded as Hank walked to him and handed him the thick file full of photos from her apartment.

"Casey." Antonio's voice cut through the white noise filling the firefighter's head, the detective walking over towards the doorway he was standing in.

"So what time are we leaving?"

"You're not coming, Matt." Antonio stated simply.

Casey's arms fell limply to his sides, a look of shock covering his features as the words sunk in. But his shock was quickly overtaken by his anger.

"Like hell I'm not going! I have to help you look for her." Somehow he managed to keep himself from shouting, but the two other men left in the room were still able to hear the anger in his words.

"Casey, you're not a cop. I can't be worried about looking after you while I'm trying to find my sister." Matt shook his head in disbelief, opening his mouth to object but Antonio continued on before he could. "I know you want to help find her, I know this is killing you. But you have helped us, you telling us about the phone calls, that's as much as you're gonna be able to do."

"Antonio-"

"I know you want to be there, but I can't bring you." Antonio cut in, "my only focus is finding Gabby, and I can't be worrying about you going off on your own while you're there. You act on your emotions Matt, you always have, but that won't help us. That won't help Gabby." He said, Casey feeling his stomach sink. "I have no idea what situation we're walking into, all I know is if I bring you, it'll make my job ten times harder. It'll make finding Gabby harder."

Matt wanted to scream. He wanted to yell at the man standing in front of him and tell him how wrong he was. How if he was there, it would just be one more person looking for Gabby. How he'd never do anything to jeopardize finding her. But he couldn't. He felt powerless, as Antonio's words washed over him.

"I can't just sit here and do nothing." Casey spoke softly after a few moments of silence between the two, his voice barely above a whisper.

"I know this is impossible, I know you want to help find her," Antonio started, "but promise me when I tell you it's better for you to be here."

Casey stared at him silently, Antonio releasing a soft sigh before speaking again. "I'm not expecting you to like it, Matt. But I hope you understand why you can't go."

Matt gave him a slow nod, Antonio breathing a sigh of relief. This conversation had gone much better than he anticipated, he was expecting much more of a fight from the man. But while he knew Matt hated the idea of not going to look for her, he also knew Matt would do whatever he could to help Gabby, even if that meant staying home.

"You call me the second you know anything." Matt's voice cracked slightly as the words escaped through his lips, Antonio placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"I promise Casey, when we find out anything, you'll know. You're not gonna be out of the loop with this, alright? I swear to you."

"Thank you." He whispered hoarsely.

"And I'll let you know if anything comes from Halstead and Upton talking to Naomi. I doubt she knows anything useful, but if something does come out of it, you'll know." Antonio explained, Matt's gaze falling to the ground. Antonio noticed his change in demeanor, seeing Matt's eyes close together tightly, the man seemingly have a battle within his own head.

"Antonio…" Casey spoke softly, his eyes coming back up to meet Antonio's. "Naomi, she isn't- she's not my girlfriend."

"You don't have to-"

Casey shook his head, cutting Antonio off. "I need you to know that." He said defiantly. "I'm not trying to replace Gabby, no one could ever replace her. I was trying to forget." Antonio heard the pain in his words as Matt explained himself, the detective frowning as he listened to the heartbroken man in front of him. "But not in the way you think. I didn't want to forget about her, I just wanted it to stop hurting so much. I wanted to forget the pain, forget that I wasn't enough for her-" Matt sucked in a breath of air as his voice became wobbly, doing whatever he could to keep his emotions in check.

"I shouldn't have started anything with Naomi," Matt started speaking again once he regained himself, "I know that. And I know it's not fair to her either, but I needed a distraction. I needed something- something that was easy. Something that took my mind off of Gabby."

"Did it work?" Antonio asked him, his voice just as quiet. With a small shake of his head, Matt scoffed lightly.

"Not at all." He explained, "But it was a mistake, I need you to know that. And I know I have to explain it to Gabby too, and I will. But I need you to know my only priority is Gabby."

"I know." Antonio spoke before the man felt the need to defend himself any longer. "I was pissed at you, and I still kind of am to be honest," Antonio said with a sigh, "but I can see how much you still love her. And I'm sorry, for not coming to you sooner." Matt gave him a nod, feeling his chest get heavy as his thoughts went back to Gabby. Every few moments, it was like the severity of the situation hit him at full force all over again. And the feeling was debilitating.

"I'm gonna..." Matt trailed off, nodding towards the exit. With an understanding look, Antonio nodded.

"Go home, Matt. I'll text you when we get there." Antonio promised, Matt giving him one last nod before walking through the bullpen to the stairs, needing to get out of there.

He got down the steps as quickly as he could, exiting through the locked door before hurrying down the last few stairs. He felt Platt's eyes on him as he walked quickly through the lobby of the building, not sparing a glance at her as he continued his exit.

Matt was desperate to get out of that building, the fresh air welcomed into his lungs as he drew in large breaths once he was on solid ground. He felt like he was suffocating, like a crushing weight had been placed on his chest and he couldn't take it off. He sucked in deep breaths as he hunched over, resting his hands on his knees, willing this feeling to go away. But he knew it wouldn't. He knew he wouldn't be able to breathe again until they found her.

* * *

Halstead sat patiently in the driver's seat of the car, watching the street in front of him as he and Upton waited. They had been sitting outside of this apartment building for half an hour, waiting for Naomi to get home. They knew she was most likely still at work, so they couldn't do much more than sit and wait.

"Her boss said the latest she usually works is six, so she should be here soon." Upton mused, sparing another glance at the photo of Naomi sent from her file. Jay simply nodded, keeping his eyes open as he watched the busy street.

"So this is, uh, Casey's girlfriend?" Upton asked softly after a few moments, Halstead glancing at her.

"Something like that."

"And we're asking her about his ex-wife…"

"Yeah." Jay replied awkwardly, clearing his throat. Admittedly, he didn't know much about the situation with the former couple. Since their brief fling years ago, aside from working together or the occasional run-in at Molly's, Jay hadn't seen much of Gabby. He'd occasionally hear things going on in her life from Antonio, but they were usually just major events. Like he heard about Gabby and Matt fostering Louie, and he heard about the two getting married, but for the most part they were off each other's radars. And he was as shocked as anyone when he heard about Gabby leaving for good. While it didn't surprise him that she initially went to go help people, he never saw her as the type of person to not come back to her life. Before she left, from the little he saw, he never knew Casey and Dawson to be anything but a happily married couple, and he couldn't imagine what all Casey had been through since her departure. Jay considered them to be friends, but not close enough to where he'd feel comfortable going to Matt and asking what happened between them. He wouldn't feel comfortable talking to the man about why Gabby left him, and he imagined Casey wouldn't be too comfortable telling him that information either.

"There she is." Hailey's voice brought him from his trance as he saw Upton nod, looking up to see the blonde woman approaching the building. The two quickly climbed out from the car, shutting the doors as they started walking down the sidewalk.

"Naomi Graham." Halstead called, stopping her in her tracks as she was about to walk up the steps to go inside her apartment. She carefully watched as the two cops approached her, turning to face them as they pulled out their badges.

"I'm Detective Halstead, this is Detective Upton, we need to ask you a few questions if you have a minute." Jay spoke with a friendly, reassuring smile. Naomi stood unimpressed as she glanced back and forth between the two of them.

"I actually don't really have-"

"This won't take long." Hailey stepped in, moving a foot closer to the other woman as she spoke. "Promise." She said with a forced smile.

Reluctantly, Naomi nodded, her pose relaxing slightly as she let out a sigh. "What is this about?"

"Two weeks ago, you were at Captain Matt Casey's home, correct?" Halstead asked, waiting for confirmation before going any further.

"Yeah…" The tone in her voice showed she was clearly confused, not knowing why they were asking her about Matt. In the few hours since she was at the firehouse this afternoon, what possibility could've happened? Although the state he was in when she saw him last wasn't exactly reassuring.

"He said you spoke to a woman on the phone when you were there?"

Squinting her eyes, Naomi took a moment to remember that night before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I did. Some woman called, asking to speak to Matt."

"Can you tell us exactly what she said?" Upton asked, Naomi eyeing her cautiously. "Anything you remember can help."

"What is this about?"

"Ma'am, please." Jay prodded.

"Fine, um-" Naomi tried to run through the conversation in her head, retelling what she remembered to these detectives. "I answered the phone, the woman immediately thought she had the wrong number, said she was looking for Matt. I told her she had the right number and that he was home, and she went quiet. She didn't say anything else, and then she hung up."

Halstead and Upton glanced to one another with a look Naomi couldn't read, before returning their attention to her. "That was it? You didn't talk about anything else with her?" Hailey asked.

"No, that was it. It lasted maybe 30 seconds."

"Is there anything else you can tell us? Anything you thought might've been strange?"

"Just that she stopped saying anything once I told her Matt was there, even though he was the one she was looking for. I mean she sounded confused that I answered the phone, but there wasn't much else to the conversation. Like I said, it didn't last very long."

"Okay, thank you for your time." Halstead said, the partners turning around to leave.

"Wait- you're not gonna tell me what this is about?" The annoyance in her voice was evident, as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"It's not important, but thank you again." Upton spoke.

"Clearly it is or you wouldn't be asking." She challenged, narrowing her eyes. "You work with that other cop, don't you? The one that came by Matt's place last week, the one Matt punched today at the firehouse." Naomi didn't miss the look of surprise that briefly crossed their faces when she mentioned the events of today, but the silent look between them answered her question. "He's _her_ brother, isn't he? Gabby, Matt's ex-wife. That's the cop's sister."

"Ma'am-"

"That's what this is about, isn't it? Gabby? She was the woman I spoke to, wasn't she?" Naomi was met with nothing but silence. "Did she come back?"

"We can't discuss an open investigation, but again, thank you for your time. Sorry to keep you." Halstead and Upton kept walking despite the protests from Naomi, getting back into the SUV as they saw her eventually walk into her apartment.

"So Casey gave Antonio the busted lip…" Upton spoke quietly, Jay giving her a slight nod.

"I guess so." Jay murmured quietly, releasing a deep sigh before starting the drive back to the district. This entire situation was one giant mess, and he couldn't help but hope they found Gabby sooner rather than later.

* * *

Casey sat on the bed in the guest room as he stared ahead at the stacks of boxes in front of him. He hadn't willed himself to open them, not yet. But he felt like he needed to. He was going crazy, sitting alone in this quiet apartment.

When he first got home several hours ago, he did everything he could to take his mind off what was happening. Even if for a second, he tried anything he could to distract himself. But his distraction methods stopped working the minute he got Antonio's text that they had boarded and were taking off soon. He found himself spiraling, his mind going to dark places as he thought of what all they might find when they got there. The endless possibilities of what could've happened to her were driving him insane, and the fact that he wouldn't be there the minute they found out what happened was also not helping his sanity.

He knew Antonio was right, at least partially. He had a point. Matt had no idea what he would've done, but he knows the second they got to Puerto Rico, he wouldn't stop until he found her. He wouldn't have rested until she was in his arms, and he knows he would do anything to get her back. And while in his mind that would help find Gabby, he knew Antonio had his reasons to be concerned. Matt would have no problem going outside the law to get her back, and while he knows without a doubt that Antonio wouldn't either, he also knows Antonio and Voight are more equipped at dealing with things like this. Matt would run on emotion, and he couldn't promise Antonio that he'd keep himself in line. It would be an empty promise. Because he also knew if he happened to run into the guy that hit Gabby, he'd have no problem bashing his head in. He wouldn't be able to keep his composure, and Antonio was right, that wouldn't help Gabby.

But Antonio was also right about another thing, that being he hated this. He hated being here when he knew there were people out there looking for her. If anyone should be there searching for her, it's him. He could only hope when they found her, Gabby would understand why he wasn't there. That it had nothing to do with his love for her, that he wanted to come but Antonio wouldn't let him. That he said him being there wouldn't help them find her. He truthfully had no problem throwing Antonio under the bus if it came down to it, as long as Gabby understood.

But that might be his worst fear. That Antonio's reasoning for leaving him behind wasn't the truth, that there was a different reason Antonio didn't want him there. That they had no idea what they might find. The state they'd find Gabby in, if she was still in a position to be in any kind of condition at all. Matt couldn't shake the feeling of that being why Antonio wouldn't bring him. Because he didn't want Matt to see how they found her. And the feeling made him sick.

All of these thoughts had been coursing through his head since Antonio's text, and that's how he found himself here. Sitting in the guest room, staring at the boxes of her things he packed up and tucked away into the closet months ago. He hadn't made the move to go through any of them in the hour he'd been in here, but he wanted to. He needed to feel close to her, he needed to feel like she was on her way back home to him. He just needed to feel her.

Deciding to make the first move, Matt stood up, going for the first box. He already knew what was in this one, which is why he grabbed it first. Filling this box were photos of them, some in albums, some in frames, and some just sitting loose inside. Aside from a select few settled around the apartment, every photo of them was in this box. And he felt a smile come to his face at the thought of all the memories he'd find in there. A sense of calm had already washed over him as a select few memories invaded his mind.

Sitting back down on the bed, he placed the box next to him, ready to dig into its contents. He had just pulled the lid off the box when he felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. He knew there was no way it could be Antonio already, but still he pulled it out from his pocket, just needing to check for peace of mind.

He blew out a frustrated sigh when he saw it was Naomi's name flashing across the screen, and this time he didn't bother to let it ring out before hitting the ignore button. She'd called him three, now four, times since this afternoon, and each one he'd let go to voicemail. But he didn't have the patience this time. Surely she understood he didn't want to talk right now. And if she hadn't gotten that message already, hopefully him sending her straight to voicemail would make it clear. He couldn't deal with her right now, he didn't want to. He could only focus on Gabby.

Tossing his phone to the side, he stuck his hand into the box, pulling out the first stack of photos. A smile came to his face the minute he saw her smiling back at him. He couldn't wait to see that smile again in person, and hopefully it wouldn't be too long before he did.

Flipping through the photos of them, he knew it was nothing compared to how he felt when she was with him. How she could calm him with a single touch, how she could make all his stress melt away with a single kiss. How with one look, he was defenseless against her. These photos couldn't do that.

But for right now, they were enough.

* * *

**Well I know this chapter definitely wasn't the longest, but it was necessary to push us into the next part of the story, which I think all Dawsey fans are going to enjoy :). I know this was kind of a filler chapter, and I'm sorry about that, but there were things that needed to be settled and explained before moving forward. I hope you all still enjoyed it. Again, sorry for the wait with this one, but I thank you for your patience. I'm going out of town this week, so I can't promise the next update will be any quicker, but I'll get it out to you all as soon as I possibly can.**

**Thank you for all the love and support you've given this story. It means the world to me.**


	8. Chapter Eight

**Hello! I don't really have anything to say until you read this chapter so let's just get into it. Settle in, it's a long one. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eight**_

* * *

Nine days.

It had been nine long, endless days since Antonio had left for Puerto Rico. Nine days of Matt waiting anxiously for a phone call, keeping his phone on him at all times with the ringer on. Nine days of dread filling his gut every time he'd call Antonio, just for him to tell Matt they hadn't found anything. It was nine days of Matt holding his breath, waiting for the phone call that would hopefully bring his world back into focus, rather than a phone call that would shatter it completely.

And the wait was becoming unbearable. With each day that passed, the more his hope faded. The more he realized that whatever had happened to her had been worse than they hoped, seeing as how she hadn't been found yet. As the days kept passing, he felt himself slipping away from his reality. He did his best to focus on shift, at least while on call. He had to, or he'd endanger the lives of his men, as well as his own. But aside from those moments, he found himself daydreaming. He'd take any free moment to replay memories of him and Gabby in his mind, it was the only thing getting him through the days. Because it was better than the alternative. It was better than thinking of what happened to her, it was better than thinking of what could be happening to her at this very moment. And it was better than thinking of what might have already happened to her.

He never remembered a time in his life when he felt so helpless. Not after Hallie died, not after he and Gabby broke off their engagement, not after they had lost their first child, not even when she left him, he'd never felt this powerless before. But sitting here in his office at the firehouse, he was completely lost. He felt like he was barely functioning, like he was living his life just waiting for a phone call.

Matt knew everyone in the firehouse was worried about him. He'd heard the whispers surrounding him and Gabby since the outburst at the firehouse between him and Antonio, but he couldn't bring himself to care about that either. This was his third shift since seeking out Antonio that day, but he'd kept to himself as much as possible. Boden had pulled him aside his first shift back, but Matt gave him next to nothing as to what was happening. He didn't want to talk about it. He didn't want to explain what had happened and have to go through every detail Antonio had given him, he couldn't handle it. Kelly had tried the hardest out of everyone to get him to open up, but Matt wouldn't budge.

Aside from Kelly and Boden, it was clear to everyone else in the house that something was going on. With the exception of calls, Matt kept himself holed up in his office, maybe appearing once a shift for food, which he'd get and then take back to his office. The door was always shut, the curtains always drawn. He'd cut himself off from the rest of them, not having any desire to be anywhere other than his office.

During last shift, they'd taken to trying to get him to talk. Whenever they'd get back from calls, they would try to start up a conversation with him before he disappeared into his office, but the Captain was having none of it, as he'd mumble something incoherent or ignore them completely before heading back to the peace and quiet he wanted.

There would be moments on shift where he'd think about going to tell them what was going on. Or at least go and tell Boden, and having him relay the message, but he ended up talking himself out of it. It wasn't that he didn't want them to know, he just didn't have the energy to tell them. He didn't have the desire to stand there and be bombarded with questions. Not when it would do nothing to help Gabby.

So he'd taken to staying cooped up in his office, working on paperwork when necessary, but other than that his mind was filled with thoughts of her. It was the only thing that brought him any relief right now. And the hope he'd soon be making new memories with her. That's what he was holding onto. It was the only thing keeping him afloat.

"Hey man."

Matt jumped in his chair as Kelly's voice filled the small room, Casey turning to face him as he saw his friend standing in the now open doorway. He had no idea how long Kelly had been standing there, he hadn't heard if he knocked or heard when the door opened.

"Hi." Matt said, clearing his throat after he spoke.

"How are you doing?"

"Fine." Matt replied shortly, turning his body back to face his desk, making himself busy with the stack of paperwork in front of him. As he ran his eyes over the papers, he could feel Kelly's gaze on him. While he hoped Severide would leave him be, it was becoming clear that wasn't going to happen.

"I talked to Antonio."

Matt's eyes flew open, as he spun around quickly in his chair, finding Kelly in the same spot against the door.

"What'd he say? Did they find her?" His voice was rushed and panicked, Matt standing up before Kelly had a chance to respond.

"He told me nothing's changed since you called him," Kelly watched as Matt's hopeful demeanor deflated in an instant, the broken man seemingly cracking more, slumping down into his seat. "Why didn't you tell me about what's going on?"

"I just-" Casey's mouth went dry at the thought of having to explain everything. He didn't know what to say, and thankfully Kelly sensed that.

"You don't have to go through this alone, Casey."

"I'm not what's important here, Severide." He spoke bitterly, releasing a sigh of frustration.

"Yeah, you're right. But that doesn't mean this doesn't affect you," Kelly reasoned, "it doesn't mean you have to deal with this by yourself."

"I'm sorry Severide, but I really don't need whatever pep talk you're trying to give." Matt snapped, his hard glare finding Kelly's eyes. "I don't give a shit about how this is affecting me. It doesn't matter. None of this matters, the only thing that matters is Gabby." His anger was rising with each word, but Severide said nothing. He knew every emotion Matt had been holding in was now getting ready to burst.

"How I'm feeling is the last thing that matters." He spoke, anger rolling through his body in waves. "I shouldn't even be here right now, having this conversation with you. I shouldn't be in Chicago, I shouldn't have been here these last five months. I should've been with Gabby, I should've been with my wife!" He cried out, pushing roughly on the arms of the chair as he threw himself up, the object banging into the wall as Matt came face to face with Kelly. "I shouldn't have been here, and I sure as hell shouldn't be here now! I should be with Antonio in Puerto Rico, looking for her. But instead I'm here, and none of it fucking matters!" He shouted, his emotions finally boiling over.

"Then why aren't you in Puerto Rico?" Kelly asked simply after giving Matt a second to calm down, his voice remaining steady. He knew he wasn't the reason for Matt's anger, the broken man just had no other outlet for it.

Kelly wasn't expecting the bitter laugh that fell from Matt's lips as he took a step back towards his desk. "Antonio didn't think my presence would be helpful. He thought I'd be too much of a distraction."

"Is he right?"

There were a few moments of silence, Kelly seeing Matt's defensive and angry demeanor beginning to falter.

"...I don't know, maybe." Matt said softly, his hand coming up to rub across his temple. Kelly watched him carefully, trying to figure out where his head was at. "I just don't get how me being here does anything, how would me being out there, looking for her, be a bad thing?" Matt asked helplessly, trying to gather his emotions.

"I need her back, Kelly." He said quietly after a moment, his voice laced in desperation. "I need to know she's okay... I need to see her. I need her to come home."

Kelly took a deep breath, his eyes locked on the shattered man in front of him, trying to gather his thoughts before saying anything. He knew Matt was searching for answers, that he was looking for someone to tell him the right thing to do. And the last thing Kelly wanted to do was make things worse.

"Antonio's gonna find her." Severide settled on, putting a comforting hand on Casey's shoulder. "You know that he won't give up till he finds her."

After a few seconds, Casey nodded in agreement.

"I know, it's just-" He cleared his throat, trying to stabilize his voice, "I can't just sit here and do nothing. I should be one of the people out there looking for her, she deserves as many people looking for her as possible. If it were me, I know she'd be out there looking. How can I not do the same for her?"

"Then go."

Matt furrowed his eyebrows, Kelly's words sinking in slowly.

"Go to Puerto Rico, help Antonio and the others look for her." Kelly said once he saw Matt's reaction. "If that's where you think you should be, go."

Matt opened his mouth to respond, but before he could the bells sounded throughout the house, calling Truck, Squad, and Ambo to an office building fire.

* * *

"Casey, you gotta get out of there, the smokes turning black." Chief called through the radio, Severide standing outside on the pavement beside him. They'd finished their initial sweep, squad having just gotten out, and the majority of truck having gotten out as well. As far as they could tell, they had managed to get to everyone, but the fire was spreading fast. The building was sure to go up within moments, and the window was closing for a safe exit.

"On it, Chief." He spoke, walking quickly down the hallway back to the stairs as the fire licked his back. He could feel the heat rising around him, as walls of fire surrounded him on either side. "Truck 81, everyone out?" Casey questioned through the radio. He had been with Kidd, but he'd sent her out with the last victim a few minutes ago. He needed to make sure his men were safely outside before he left.

"Everyone's out Casey, get yourself out here. It's not looking good." Boden replied back instantly, Casey pushing open the door to the stairs.

Outside, Boden and Severide watched the building with worry, seeing how black the smoke was getting, and how the fire seemed to only be intensifying. It didn't sit well, knowing one of their own was still in there.

Their worst fears came to light when a loud explosion blew out the windows on the top floor, a large flash of light bursting throughout the new openings in the building, black smoke barreling into the sky.

"Casey!" Boden called through the radio, knowing his Captain was coming from the top floor.

Casey heard his name being called, as he grunted back into consciousness. He found himself pressed against the far wall in the stairwell, his ears ringing as he blinked his eyes into focus. He wasn't sure how long he'd been out, but from his surroundings he figured it couldn't have been more than a minute, at most.

Adrenaline pumped through his body, running through his system wildly as he suddenly felt a searing pain in his left arm. Propping himself up against the wall, his eyes widened as he saw fire burning over his gear, the flames dancing across his arm and part of his leg. He quickly patted against the fire, ignoring the pain the pressure against his arm was causing. He could worry about injuries later, right now he had to focus on getting the fire out.

As the flames disappeared, his slightly unfocused vision saw how the sleeve of his turnout coat was slid halfway up his forearm, leaving his skin exposed, aside from the thin long sleeve shirt he'd been wearing.

Ignoring the excruciating pain making itself known, he used the wall to push himself up. His entire body was sore, his muscles screaming at him to sit back down, but he couldn't. Finally able to look at his surroundings, he saw that the wall that had previously separated the top floor of the office building from the stairwell was now partially gone, the structural integrity having taken a substantial hit. Matt knew he was lucky to have been partially hidden behind the closing door when the explosion happened, cause while the force of the blast had sent him flying into the opposite wall, he couldn't imagine the damage that would've be done had he not had the cover.

"Casey!" Boden yelled, Matt only now registering his voice again. He wasn't sure how long the Chief had been calling for him, but he knew he needed to make it known that he was okay, relatively.

"I'm good Chief," he coughed out, bracing himself against the wall as he started the descent down the flights of stairs.

The men left outside released a collective breath in relief, happy to hear the voice of their leader.

"Severide's on his way to help, are you injured?"

"I'm good." He spoke again, willing the dizziness away as he continued his path down the steps. His head was spinning, clearly having taken a good hit, more so than he initially realized. But he could worry about that later, right now he just needed to get out of here.

"Casey!" Matt felt hands on his sides, steading him. He looked up, seeing Kelly standing in front of him, holding him up. "Let's get you out of here." He said quickly, wrapping Casey's arm over his shoulders, putting his own arm around Matt's waist to support him as they made their way down the stairs. Kelly knew they didn't have much time, they all knew it was a matter of time before there was another explosion, or worse, the structural integrity being so damaged that the building collapsed in on itself. Severide had no interest in him or Casey still being in this building when either, or both, of those things happened, so he worked to get them out as quickly as possible.

He could tell Casey was labored, if anything he had gotten his bell rung pretty good. But he saw the firefighter cradling his left arm towards his chest, and he noticed the slight limp in his step. While Kelly was certain the outcome could've been much more severe, he knew Casey hadn't gotten out unscathed.

"We're almost there, buddy." Severide told him, and with every step he could feel Casey supporting more of his own weight. He was now more aware of his surroundings and more able to carry himself as they reached the exit.

When their bodies came in contact with the fresh air, Matt ripped his mask off, desperately breathing in the clean air while Severide led him to the ambulance. Matt saw the gurney now within his reach, as his body collapsed down onto it. He was handed a bottle of water by Foster, as he placed his mask and helmet down on the bed next to him.

"You alright?" Boden asked, Matt feeling the eyes of 51 on him.

"I'm good, just a little banged up."

"Let Brett check you over, make sure nothing's wrong."

"Chief, that's not-" The look Boden gave him shut him up, as he downed a few gulps of the water.

It didn't take long for Brett to find the burn covering his arm, the blonde paramedic grimacing as she moved his sleeve up his arm.

"Chief," she called him over, Matt eyeing her before looking down at his arm. He had to admit, it looked pretty bad. "He's got a second degree burn here, and part of his shirt has burned into his skin. This needs to be cleaned, we should take him to Med."

"Do it."

"Chief-"

"This is not negotiable, Casey. Go to Med, get treated. As soon as you get back to the house, come to my office." He ordered before walking away, leaving no room for argument. Blowing out a sigh, Matt stood up, giving Brett and Foster the chance to put the bed in the back before Matt climbed in the ambulance, setting himself back down as Brett climbed in with him, Foster shutting the doors.

During the ride, Brett checked over everything else, wanting to make sure she didn't miss any other injuries. While they were driving, she decided to try and get Matt to open up, figuring this was as good a time as any to figure out where his head was at. But before even opening her mouth she could tell he wasn't fully present.

"How have you been lately, Casey?" She asked, Matt finally meeting her eye.

"Fine." He said shortly.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes." He said sharply, his eyes narrowing. Brett knew she was treading into dangerous terrain in this conversation, but her curiosity was too high.

"Is there something going on? With Gabby?" His features tensed as the words left her mouth, his lips pursing together. "It's just- with Antonio being here, and Chief kept asking if we've heard from her, I figured something had to be going on."

"It doesn't concern you." He spoke firmly before she could continue, Brett sighing.

"But if there is-"

"It doesn't concern you, Brett." He spoke louder, his voice cold as the ambulance came to a stop outside Med. He stood up, pushing open the back doors before Foster had the chance to even get out of the driver's seat.

"I'll be back once they clean this up." He said, keeping his back turned to her, jumping down from the ambulance, his body language and attitude a sure sign that he didn't need them coming in with him.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Matt walked into the firehouse, his arm covered in a fresh bandage, an old CFD shirt covering his body as his other one had to be thrown away. He saw the worried eyes of his firehouse family looking to him, but he waved them off. "I'm fine guys." Was all that was said as he made a beeline for Boden's office.

The Chief waved him in the second he saw him, Matt closing the door behind him after he entered.

"How's the arm?"

"Brett was right, it's a second degree burn. They got it cleaned, I just have to make sure to change the dressings." Boden nodded, looking over his Captain. While he looked a little worse for wear, he seemed to be okay. Or, as okay as he'd been lately.

Crossing his hands on the desk in front of him, Boden leaned forward, Matt watching his movements with a curios eye.

"I want you to take some time off, Casey." Matt opened his mouth to protest, but Boden raised his hand, signaling the man to stay quiet. "I don't doubt you're okay after the call today, but something has been off with you. And I know it has to do with Dawson," Matt tensed as her name rang throughout the room, "and your reaction to me just saying her name only reassures me of that."

"Look Casey, I don't need to know what's going on, but clearly there is something. And I don't feel comfortable having you out on calls right now." Matt again opened his mouth to argue, but this time shut it on his own accord, letting Boden's words sink in. "I think you need to take some time and get your head on straight."

Casey sat there in silence for a moment, Boden giving him all the time he needed before responding.

"Okay." He whispered out, lacking the energy to fight Boden on this. Though Boden was initially shocked that Casey gave in so easily, that only further assured him he was doing the right thing.

"Call me in a few days, we'll see how you're doing then." With nothing more than a nod of acknowledgement, Casey stood up and went for the door, leaving the room without another word.

He walked down the hallway, past the common room where concerned eyes followed him until he disappeared out of their view. As he was standing in the locker room gathering his things, he heard someone walk in, Matt looking up to see Kelly standing a few feet in front of him.

"You good?"

Matt nodded, putting his bag over his shoulder as he shut his locker. "Chief's ordering me to take some time off, get my head straight."

"Might not be the worst thing in the world." Kelly agreed, Matt giving him a look before nodding slightly.

"Yeah, maybe." Matt started walking past him, before Kelly turned to stop him.

"With what we talked about earlier, where are you with that?" Kelly asked curiously, Matt staring off into space absentmindedly for a moment before answering.

"I don't know. I guess that's what this time off will help me figure out."

* * *

Antonio wiped the sweat from his brow as he walked into the small police station. In the days they'd been here, the team had set up home base inside a local station in San Juan. As expected, there was no resistance from authorities here once they explained their situation, and they promised they'd help as much as they could. The local authorities were so thankful for all the help the task forces provided during their rebuild, and hearing that someone who was only here to help had gotten into some trouble, they were more than eager to do whatever was needed to aid in finding her. But unfortunately for them, gang violence was nothing but a commonality here as of late, so that alone didn't give them much to work with. Without any names, it was hard for them to investigate much into the incident.

Their first day here, Antonio and Voight had met up with Chief Hatcher, trying to get as much information out of him as possible. But as Antonio had suspected, he didn't have much else to say aside from what he'd already told the detective. While Hatcher and the crew had run-ins with the gang before the day of the incident, they'd had no other push back since that day. And with no one in the task force knowing which gang it was, or knowing any members by name, it was practically impossible for them to get anything useful from the altercation.

While Antonio didn't know exactly what to expect from being here in Puerto Rico, it was quickly apparent that they had next to nothing in leads. There was nothing that showed them where she went, or worse, where she was taken. None of the other paramedics in her task force knew where she was, and none of them had heard from her since the day she left work.

Being here was proving to be more frustrating than Antonio originally thought. He wouldn't stop until he found out what happened to her, that he was certain of. But since they arrived, it was nothing but dead end after dead end. They were running out of leads to look into, they were running out of people to speak to who may have some idea of what happened to her. With each passing day, he was becoming less and less hopeful that they'd ever find out where she was.

It was their second day here when he and Voight went to check out her apartment, and that day showed to be more challenging that he thought. All of her things had been bagged and tagged as evidence, so he wouldn't find it in the state it'd been left in, but when he stood outside the front door, he couldn't help but picture what might've happened to her inside that apartment.

When he walked in through the newly replaced door, his breath caught in his throat as he looked around the apartment. While her things had been collected, the furniture hadn't yet been put back in place. Aside from fixing the front door, the building owner had been instructed to leave the apartment be, seeing as how it was now part of an open investigation.

He wasn't sure how he was going to feel, walking into her home for the first time, but he was not expecting the chill he felt that ran through his body. This place didn't feel like a home, it felt oddly impersonal. He wasn't sure if it was the fact that all of her things had been removed, or if it was how she never should've been here in the first place. Or maybe it was because he knows her home had been invaded. Maybe it was a mixture of all three, he couldn't quite pinpoint exactly why he was feeling like this. But all he did know was the sight of the overturned furniture made his stomach flip, feeling bile rise in his throat. Seeing the shattered glass of the coffee table, it's wooden frame bent. Seeing every part of her home ransacked made his chest tighten. Based on what he was feeling currently in this apartment, he could only imagine the feelings Gabby had while her home was being torn apart. He could only imagine the fear that ran through her, and it made him sick. He never wanted his baby sister to feel that kind of pain.

It was safe to say that they weren't able to find anything from her apartment, and once they exited the building, Antonio never wanted to go back there. That same day, they had gone through her things that were now evidence, but those didn't give them much insight either. It was one of the first dead ends they'd had, but at the time they had no idea just how many setbacks they'd have in their short amount of time here.

Experiencing the failures and setbacks first hand was bad enough, but every day when he'd have to get on the phone to call Casey, and explain, again, that they hadn't found anything, it somehow made the sinking feeling in his gut worse. Knowing just how hard they were searching, but they kept coming up empty. And to keep having the same depressing conversation every day with Casey was only making things harder. He knew he couldn't ignore Matt's calls, that would only make the man more frantic, and Antonio really didn't want to ignore them. But having to say it out loud, that they were no closer to finding her, and then hearing the desperate pleas and exasperated cries of why they couldn't find her, it was making the situation nearly unbearable.

Part of him wishes he allowed Matt to come with them. Even though he stands by his reasoning, he also would be fine never having to call Matt again with the bad news that they were unable to find anything. But somehow, Antonio knew that as bad as the phone calls were, having Matt here in person, seeing first hand just how little information they had, would be ten times worse.

So he made sure to keep Matt in the loop as much as possible, as promised. He told him every lead they'd explored, and the subsequent dead end that always followed. He knew Casey was frustrated and upset, and the man never bothered hiding those feelings, but he hoped Casey knew just how hard he was working. That he wasn't going to stop until he found out what happened. So every day he continued to call Matt, giving him any information he had, and telling him of his plans for the next day, and what his next steps were in trying to find her.

The last few days, Antonio had spent his waking hours following up any new area of investigation he could think of. He'd taken to asking around to different task forces, to other people here to help the rebuild who might have had a run-in with Gabby, even if there was no proof of them ever even meeting her. But as he predicted, those conversations were another dead end. While some of them knew who she was, they only saw each other on rare occasion. It was another lead that led him nowhere.

No one knew where she was, that was obvious. And Antonio didn't know where to go from here.

* * *

Matt paced around the living room, his cell phone sitting silently on the coffee table, the image almost taunting him. He had yet to get a call from Antonio today, and it was causing his anxiety to skyrocket. Normally, with it only being a little after seven in the evening, he wouldn't think much of it. Antonio had usually kept to waiting until the later hours of the night before calling, not wanting to call before he ended his day. But with Matt having been sitting aimlessly around his empty apartment for the last couple of hours, he found himself going stir crazy. He needed to know if they'd found anything. He needed to know if anything had changed.

He continued to lap the confines of his living room, ignoring the twinge of soreness he'd feel shoot through his thigh every time he turned too quickly, ignoring the sharp pain that would travel down his left arm every time he involuntarily clenched his fists that were hanging at his sides. The occasional discomfort kept his mind from wandering too far, as he kept his senses alert, waiting for the moment the phone would ring.

Glancing back towards his phone one more time, a scoff escaped between his lips, before he changed his path and headed towards his bedroom.

He refused to sit around and wait any longer. He didn't care what Antonio thought, he wasn't going to stand back and just wait for something to happen, not anymore. Gabby deserved more than that, she deserved more from him.

He stomped his way into the half empty closet, pulling out a small suitcase from under a row of his shirts. Ignoring the rush of pain that surged through his arm as he picked up the case, he walked back into the bedroom, throwing it onto the bed. He quickly went to his dresser, pulling out random articles of clothing. He couldn't bring himself to care about which clothes he picked out, that didn't matter. What did matter was him not sitting around here wasting another second, when he could be out there looking for her.

After haphazardly tossing the clothes into his suitcase, he walked the short distance to the bathroom, lazily grabbing for a few things to hold him over until he got there. The longer it took him to get packed, the more frustrated he found himself becoming. Frustrated that this packing was seemingly taking forever. Frustrated that he hadn't ignored Antonio the first time and flown to Puerto Rico himself nine days ago. Frustrated that he didn't go with her in the first place, frustrated the he let his pride get in the way of their relationship. He was frustrated with it all.

The blaring ringtone coming from his cell phone broke him out of his packing haze, Casey running out into the living room as quickly as he could. Collapsing down onto the couch, he grabbed his phone, seeing Antonio's contact lighting up the screen.

"Hello?" He answered frantically.

"Casey, hey."

"Did you find anything? Did you find her?"

This was how all their conversations had started since Antonio left, and just like every other one, Antonio answered with a sigh.

"No, nothing yet."

Matt hunched over, his elbows resting on his knees as his free hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose, trying to stave off the pounding headache making its presence known in his skull.

"You haven't found anything? At all?" He asked softly, the desperation in his voice making itself known.

"Nothing you don't already know…" Antonio trailed off, Casey sighing. "I spent the day asking around to different people from other task forces, thinking they may have spoken with Gabby in the past," Antonio started to explain, knowing the next words out Matt's mouth would be asking him what their current plan of action was. "I was hoping that someone might know something, that she might've reached out to someone for help, but we came up empty." Matt sat still for a moment, digesting the information.

"What do we do now?"

"I...I don't know Matt."

Matt felt his chest tighten at Antonio's words, intaking a sharp breath of air.

"I'm not gonna stop Matt, tomorrow we're gonna regroup and figure out where to go from here. But I'm not giving up."

"I know you aren't." Matt replied, taking a deep breath as he stood up from the couch. "I'm coming."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm coming to Puerto Rico."

"Matt-"

"No Antonio," he said defiantly, "I did what you asked, I sat back and let you all handle it. But we still haven't found her. Whatever you were worried about me getting in the way of, that doesn't matter anymore. Not when it's been over a week and we're no closer to finding her. I'm not sitting back anymore, I'm coming to help look for her."

"Casey-"

"She would do the same for me and you know it. I can't just sit here and wait, not anymore." He paused to take a breath. "I know you don't want me to come, but I'm not asking."

Antonio remained silent for a moment, Matt's chest heaving up and down as he tried to normalize his breathing.

"Okay." He gave in, a small smile coming to Matt's face. "Text me when you land, I'll send you the address of where we are."

"I will. See you soon, Antonio."

With one last goodbye, the men hung up, Matt sliding his phone into his back pocket as he started the walk back towards the bedroom. He was barely a foot inside before he heard knocking on the back door. Cursing under his breath, he waited a moment, hoping the person would go away. He knew it wasn't anyone from the firehouse, they were still on shift. And unless it was a neighbor, there was only one person he could think of who it might be, and he was sure he didn't want to be speaking to them tonight.

Nearly a minute passed and he thought he was safe, until the soft tapping on the glass sounded throughout the silent apartment again. Releasing a huff, he rubbed his temples before beginning the path to the back door. He was intent on telling her to go away.

But as he rounded the kitchen island, he stopped dead in his tracks as he looked towards the door. It felt like the wind got knocked out of him, like he couldn't remember how to breathe. His mind was playing tricks on him, it had to be. There was no way he was seeing things clearly.

He closed his eyes tightly, rubbing over his eyelids as he tried to clear his mind. But when he opened his eyes, they were still there. They weren't part of his imagination. They were real, _she _was real.

She brought her hand up, waving softly, further assuring him he wasn't going insane. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he carefully walked towards the door, refusing to take his eyes off her in fear she'd disappear again.

When he got to the door, he reached for the handle, opening it slowly, watching as a soft smile fell onto her lightly bruised face. He stood silently, watching as her healing busted lip fell between her teeth, the gentle wind of the cold November night blowing her hair over her shoulders. He slowly blinked again, opening his eyes to find her still planted directly in front of him, her chest rising and falling with each slow breath she took. But it wasn't until her soft voice filled his ears, that he finally believed what he was seeing.

"Hi Matt."


	9. Chapter Nine

**Okay so yeah this is the longest chapter I've written so far, it's well over 7k words. Please enjoy, maybe get a snack.**

* * *

_**Chapter Nine**_

* * *

_When he got to the door, he reached for the handle, opening it slowly, watching as a soft smile fell onto her lightly bruised face. He stood silently, watching as her healing busted lip fell between her teeth, the gentle wind of the cold November night blowing her hair over her shoulders. He slowly blinked again, opening his eyes to find her still planted directly in front of him, her chest rising and falling with each slow breath she took. But it wasn't until her soft voice filled his ears, that he finally believed what he was seeing._

"_Hi Matt."_

Gabby stood there stoically, a chill running through her body as the winter wind picked up around her. But the goosebumps rising on her skin, and the slight shiver that she felt course through her core came from Matt's piercing blue eyes locking with her own.

He hadn't moved since he opened the door, his body rigid since his name left her lips. She watched as his eyes moved around her body, his stare tracing every outline of the figure he hadn't seen in three months. Fighting the urge to cross her arms over her chest, she found herself becoming self-conscious under his gaze. Normally his eyes on her wouldn't illicit that type of reaction, but she couldn't help it. They weren't _them_ anymore, she knew that. And his continued silence caused more anxiety to rise within her body. Out of all the reactions she'd anticipated he might have, complete silence wasn't one of them. She thought there might have been some anger, maybe him throwing something or slamming the door in her face. Selfishly, a part of her hoped for a much more civil greeting, that they might even have an actual conversation. But in all the scenarios she imagined her head, complete and utter silence wasn't expected.

But as she stood there in the quiet that surrounded them, his eyes finding hers again, she realized she shouldn't have had any expectations at all. Not when she left him, not when she abandoned their life together. She had no right to expect anything from him, she shouldn't even be here. Of course he wouldn't want to see her, she wasn't sure why she ever thought this was a good idea.

"I know I probably shouldn't have just shown up here," She broke the silence, her shaky voice snapping Matt from his trance, "I should go, I'm sorry." She turned away from the door as she whispered out an apology, swallowing the lump in her throat, willing the tears welling in her eyes not to fall.

She was shocked when she felt Matt's hand reach out and grab ahold of her forearm, effectively stopping her from leaving. Turning back to face him, she watched him intently as he took a step forward, his body now in the doorway. He hadn't said a word, but his grip stayed firm on her arm, Gabby watching as his throat bobbed up and down as he swallowed thickly. She'd known him long enough to know he was trying to figure out what to say, so she stayed quiet, not wanting to rush him.

His eyes trailed over her body again, almost like he couldn't believe she was standing in front of him. She felt his hold on her tighten, in a way that told her he was trying to keep her here, like he was afraid she would disappear out of his sight if he let go. Apprehensively, she took a step towards him, their eyes locking again, their gaze never separating this time. She saw the tears that had welled in his eyes, and in that moment all she wanted to do was comfort him. Slowly, she brought her free hand up towards his face, giving him a moment to pull back if he wanted, before she placed her fingers gently over his cheek. Her thumb softly ran across his cheekbone, a small smile finding its way to his lips as he subconsciously leaned into her touch.

"You're okay." The first words he'd spoken were filled with emotion. She heard the worry, the desperation, the relief consuming his few words. Her eyebrows furrowed, Gabby confused as to what he said and why he said it, until the realization washed over her. _He knew_.

Taking a deep breath, she plastered a smile on her face, trying to look as reassuring as possible. "I'm okay."

Barely a second passed before he pulled her into his arms, wrapping her up into his embrace without another thought. The reunion was short lived when an involuntary gasp of pain escaped her lips, a sharp stabbing pain coursing through her body when his weight pressed against her ribcage. His body was off hers in an instant, worry filling his face as he pulled back, putting his hands over her shoulders lightly.

"I'm okay." She immediately assured him, trying to wipe the concern from his eyes.

"Gabby-"

"I'm okay." She said more forcefully, initiating the contact this time around as she wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, feeling his arms circle around her body. She could feel his apprehension, his arms ghosting over her figure, afraid to hold her too tightly. Ignoring the pain her body was feeling, she held onto him tighter, burying her face in his neck as she deeply breathed in the scent that was entirely Matt.

Once he was sure he couldn't hurt her, she felt him tighten his grip, holding her body tight to his, his head falling down to lean against hers, his lips landing on her covered shoulder.

As Matt stood there holding her to him, he couldn't help but think how part of this still didn't feel real. It felt like this was all some dream, and in a second he'd wake up to discover her still missing. That she really wasn't standing here with him right now. But then he'd feel her chest move against his as she breathed. He'd feel her arms tighten around his back. He'd feel the stitches closing the gash above her eye rubbing against his neck. And he knew this was real. She was here, she was safe. And he had no intention of letting her out of his reach ever again.

After placing a soft kiss to her shoulder, he pulled back from her, feeling her pull from his hold as well. The shock of her arrival was slowly starting to wear off, but the concern he was feeling had only grown, which he didn't know was possible until this very moment. The worry of finding her was gone, but seeing the state she was in had only caused his fear to skyrocket. Seeing the nearly faded bruises and cuts covering her body scared him enough, not to mention the ones he couldn't see.

"Let's get inside," he finally said, "it's cold out here." He took a step inside, giving her room to enter, watching as her eyes roamed the apartment from the doorway, a cautious look on her face.

"Are you sure?" That was the last question he'd ever expect to come out of her mouth. He couldn't understand why she'd be so afraid of her own home, until it hit him that she probably didn't think of this place as _her's_ anymore. The thought was unsettling. This was her home, it would always be her home, he'd just have to make sure to prove that to her. But that was a worry for another time, right now he was just trying to get her through the door.

"Of course." He settled on, holding out his arm as another invitation inside. Nodding slowly, Gabby walked in.

She wasn't sure what she expected to feel, stepping into this apartment again. But it didn't feel like home. Glancing around, it felt like she was a visitor. Which, she supposed she was. Most of it looked the same, but it felt cold. Maybe it was how every ounce of her had been erased from the space, but this didn't feel anything like the home they'd shared. She couldn't fault him for that though, she never would. Why should he have to live with reminders of her when she left him. She knew he'd move on with his life, she knew he _had_ moved on with his life, but she never expected stepping back into this apartment again would send a sharp pain through her chest.

When she walked past him, that was when Matt first noticed she had nothing with her. Glancing back outside, he saw no signs of any luggage. That bit of information only caused more questions to join the thousands swimming in his mind about how she got here, and where she'd been, but he didn't want to overwhelm her. He decidedly closed the door, turning the lock before focusing his attention back on her.

She had turned around to face him after her look around their former home, an unreadable expression written across her face, until her eyes fell down to his arm. This must have been the first she noticed the white bandage covering his skin, as her eyebrows furrowed, her gaze meeting his as she wore a clear look of concern.

"What happened?" she asked him softly, taking a step towards him, carefully inspecting his arm.

"I got burned in a fire today, there was an explosion-" He stopped himself when he heard her breath catch, Gabby not able to tear her eyes from the bandage. "But I'm okay, it's just a burn. I'll probably have a scar, but that's it." He did his best to assure her, the look covering her face breaking his heart. It was a look he'd seen countless times before, a look he never wanted to see, but one he couldn't promise would never reappear because of the job. But in this moment, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't comforted by it. While he didn't want to give her any reason to worry about him, to know she still cared like she used to warmed him in a way he couldn't explain.

"Brett checked it out, Chief made me go get it checked at Med," he explained further when she hadn't given him a response. "I just have to keep changing the dressing, but I'm okay."

She gave him a slight nod, wrapping her arms over herself as she dropped their eye contact. He couldn't exactly place what caused the immediate change in her demeanor, but he saw it. She was closing herself off, and he didn't know why.

"Do you want anything to drink? Or eat?" He figured that was a safe place to start, but when she shook her head 'no', he knew that hope for a conversation starter was gone.

As they stood quietly in the back entrance of the apartment, Matt's eyes weren't able to keep from running over the bruises and cuts tarnishing her perfect skin. He'd seen them when she first showed up, of course, but this was the first time he was really looking at them. The slight discoloration around her right eye was barely visible, a sign of an older injury. But left behind with it was a small scratch underneath her eye. _The day she got hit_. There was a newer, deeper purple and yellow marbling that covered more expanses of her face, the bruises obviously healing but still prominent enough to be seen on first glance. The busted lip she was sporting, joined by her slightly swollen upper lip. Looking at the gash that had been sutured above her left eye, he found himself feeling thankful she had gotten medical attention, but that knowledge only further confused him. Where had she been that she had access to a hospital, but she had been unable to contact them? It wasn't making sense, but he knew only Gabby had the answer to that question, and the dozens of others that had kept him up at night.

It was clear these injuries hadn't just happened, but they were recent enough to leave damage. He felt his stomach sink, as he thought of how badly she had to have been injured to still be showing this many signs of an attack. Looking her over, his heart felt heavy, unable to imagine what she must have gone through, anger rising within him as he thought about how this never should've happened to her. But it wasn't until his eyes fell to her neck, and he saw the faint outlines of handprints wrapped around her skin that he truly felt like he could kill someone. He wanted to find whoever had put their hands on her, and destroy them.

But when his eyes trailed back up to her face his anger softened, seeing the self-conscious and weary look in her eye. Giving her as gentle of a smile he could muster, he nodded off towards the living room. "Wanna sit?" He was a little surprised when he was met with no hesitation on her part, her agreeing nod coming instantly.

The pair walked side by side into the living room, Matt sitting down on the couch first, Gabby sitting down next to him, leaving a foot of space between them. Her hands fell down into her lap, Gabby wringing them together as she looked around more of the apartment she hadn't been able to see before, her eyes darting anywhere except towards his gaze.

"How have you been?" Gabby startled him by being the first to speak up, "I'm sorry, that's a dumb question." She immediately apologized, Matt shaking his head.

"That's not a dumb question." He responded immediately, Gabby's eyes plastered on the ground. "Gabby, look at me." He spoke softly, waiting until she reluctantly looked up at him and met his eyes before continuing. "You don't have to be afraid to talk to me." His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, reaching his hand out and resting it on the couch in between them, a small smile falling onto his face as she extended her own hand, clasping it within his. "I know things between us are hard, but believe me when I say none of that matters to me right now. You being here, me knowing you're safe, that's all I care about." He spoke honestly, tightening his hold on her hand.

Matt felt her body tense slightly from his words, and he could only imagine what all was going through her mind right now. He knew how hard it must've been for her to come to him, but he was glad to be the one she came to. After everything they've been through, everything he said to her, she still chose to seek him out. And he wouldn't make her regret that choice. He'd do everything in his power to show her she still had him, that he'd be there for her, always. He'd done a bad job of showing that to her lately, even before she left, and he was determined to never let her down again.

"But to answer your question, I haven't been doing great these last few weeks, I've kind of been going crazy." He told her honestly, moving his thumb softly back and forth over the back of her hand. "When Antonio told me what was going on, or at least what he knew, I felt like my entire world collapsed in front of me."

Matt took a deep breath, pausing to collect himself before he said anymore. The last thing he wanted to do was make this about him, because it wasn't.

"But when you showed up here, it was like I could finally breathe again. Like this giant weight was taken off my chest, because you came home. Because you were okay."

He saw the tears that had been welling in her eyes the past ten minutes since she arrived finally spill over, sliding slowly down her cheeks, Gabby not bothering to wipe them away.

"I'm sorry, Matt." She whispered, the emotion in her voice betraying her.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." His own voice betrayed him as well, the words shaky as they escaped his lips. "This wasn't your fault." But she shook her head.

"Not that... I'm sorry for everything. I'm sorry for how I acted before, and for leaving you. You deserved so much better than that... I'm sorry for ruining us." It was as if he could actually feel his heart shattering in his chest as the tears spilled over, both of them letting go of emotions they'd been holding onto for far too long. "I'm so sorry, Matt."

He watched as she broke, the weight of everything finally hitting her as her soft cries turned into sobs. Gently sliding over to her, he wrapped his arms around her shaking frame, pulling her body into his in a secure hug. Her arm wrapped around his waist as she dug herself into the safe and familiar warmth.

"It's okay, Gabby." He soothed, placing a lingering kiss against her forehead.

Feeling her trembling body deep within his grasp, he knew tonight was not the time to get the answers he needed. His desire to know what happened meant nothing compared to Gabby and her needs. And what she needed right now was him. This was his first chance at starting to make things right, at fixing what had been broken. And he wasn't gonna take it for granted.

"We'll be okay." He promised quietly, his fingers moving gently up and down her arm, praying he was able to provide her at least a bit of comfort.

* * *

Gabby opened her eyes, squinting as light from the windows was peeking in through the curtains. Adjusting her head on the pillow, she took a moment to gather her surroundings. She wasn't waking up on the uncomfortable couch that had recently been her bed, in an unfamiliar apartment in Puerto Rico. She was lying in her bed, her old bed, her body resting on the side that had always been Matt's. She didn't remember how she got here, the last thing she recalled was sitting on the couch with him. _He must have brought me here._

Sucking in a deep breath, her eyes glanced around the room, seeing it virtually looking the same as it had the day she was last here, when she packed up her bags and left. Not much had changed, with the exception of the photos of them missing. But other than that, it was the same.

But deep down she knew it wasn't the same. Because she knew if she looked deeper, there'd be sure signs that it was in fact different. Her clothes wouldn't be folded neatly in the dresser, her dresses wouldn't be hanging up in the closet, there'd be no trace of any of her things in the bathroom. It definitely was not the same.

But there might be traces of someone else, traces of the woman that answered his phone.

She suddenly felt sick, knowing he'd had another woman here. She wouldn't blame him for it, she couldn't. She's the one who left him, she had no right to hold it against him for moving on. But it didn't mean she didn't feel a stabbing pain in her chest at the thought of him being with someone else. Of another woman waking up next to him in this bed, of someone else getting to spend their days with him, in the place they called home, knowing that used to be her. How it never should've stopped being her.

But it was all her fault. She gave up on them, leaving him even though he was the center of her entire world. She couldn't resent him for finding comfort in someone else, she could only resent herself. And she did. She just wished it didn't hurt so damn much, she wished she could go back and do things differently. But she couldn't. And she had to deal with the consequences of that.

The comfort and warmth she'd felt when she first woke up was now gone, knowing she was not the last woman that had been in this bed. Instead of feeling at peace, she felt sick. So she threw off the covers, getting up as quickly as her aching body would allow. Sitting on the edge of the bed, that was the first she noticed her appearance had changed slightly. She was still wearing the pants and shirt she'd come in, but her jacket had been taken off, as well as her shoes. Looking around the room, she saw the items sitting over by the chair in the corner, her jacket lying across the back, her shoes placed neatly on the floor in front of it. _Matt_.

When she stood up from the bed, she heard a loud crash come from out in the kitchen, followed by the sound of Matt swearing under his breath. As she walked towards the door, she heard him fumbling around the kitchen, clearly trying to clean up whatever he'd just dropped. Opening up the door immediately made her presence known as she saw Matt's head snap up towards her, their eyes locking instantly.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He spoke with a sheepish look on his face.

"You didn't," She assured, "I was already up."

"How'd you sleep?" He asked, standing up with pieces of the broken mug he'd dropped in his grasp. Her eyes followed his figure as he walked through the kitchen, dropping the broken glass into the trash.

"Good." She replied, Matt looking up to her and giving her a soft smile. "Thanks for, uh, bringing me to bed. I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"It's fine Gabby, I know you had to have been exhausted."

She gave him a slight nod, not knowing what else to say. A suffocating silence filled the air around them, neither knowing how to act around the other. Or at least Gabby had no idea how to act around him. She had no idea what was going on in his head right now, whether he was still as glad to see her as he had been last night, or if that feeling had worn off.

"Gabby?" Matt spoke a little louder, her eyes snapping into focus as she saw him staring at her, a concerned look covering his face. The same look that had been there since last night.

"Yeah?"

"Did you hear me?" His voice was soft, as he started walking back towards her as she stayed planted in the doorway. She shook her head side to side, Matt coming to a halt in front of her.

"I said I called your brother last night, after you fell asleep."

"Oh..."

"He's on his way home but he won't get here until tonight, the earliest flight he could get was this morning." Gabby furrowed her eyebrows as he spoke, her head tilting to the side slightly.

"Flight? Where was he?" Matt's face now mimicked hers, as he thought over what she just said. It only took a few seconds for her confusion to make sense. She wouldn't know they'd been in Puerto Rico looking for her, how could she have? Wherever she'd been, she was not in a position to get into contact with them. She'd have no way of knowing that there were people out there searching for her.

"Matt?" Gabby asked when she got not response from him.

"He's, uh, he's coming back from Puerto Rico." A dozen emotions played over her face as she processed Matt's words, Casey watching her intently, trying to gauge what kind of reaction she'd have. "Him, and Voight, and Burgess and Ruzek have been in Puerto Rico for the last ten days, trying to find you." He watched as she swallowed thickly, seeing tears clouding in her eyes as a result of what Matt was telling her.

"I didn't-" she cut herself off, clearing her throat. "I didn't realize you all had been looking for me...that you knew-" She stopped herself again, willing herself to stay calm, but she wasn't having much luck.

"It's okay." Matt whispered soothingly, his hands finding her shoulders as he felt her anxiety starting to rise. He could feel the nerves radiating off her body, and he wanted nothing more than to be able to make this better for her. He glanced down, seeing her hands trembling slightly as they hung to her sides. "Let's sit down." He led her back into the bedroom, sitting her down on the bed, placing himself next to her.

Matt wanted to give her the time to work through this, to feel comfortable enough to open up on her own. But he also just wanted to help her, and he didn't know how to do that when he has no idea what happened to her.

"Gabby, you gotta talk to me." His voice was barely above a whisper, watching as she slowly turned to look at him. "I want to help you, I really do, but I don't know how to." They maintained eye contact as he spoke, both carrying an unimaginable amount of pain in their eyes. "What happened in Puerto Rico?"

Tears continued welling in her eyes, one falling as the sincerity of his words hit her, the emotions showing in his features making this that much harder.

Taking a deep breath, she did everything she could to gather her emotions before she started speaking.

"I don't know what all you guys know, but…" She paused momentarily to figure out where to start. Sensing her uneasiness, Matt reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers and letting their conjoined hands fall into her lap. She gave his hand an appreciative squeeze, the simple action calming her instantly.

"Don't worry about what I know, that doesn't matter." He spoke soothingly, Gabby nodding. "I wanna hear it from you." He wasn't sure if he was helping the situation or not, and he definitely wasn't sure if he was handling this the right way. But he liked to think he still knew her. Before, he never had to do much thinking when it came to Gabby. Everything between them acted on impulse, both of them always knowing what the other needed in any given situation, and he knew that Gabby usually needed prompting before opening up completely.

"So, uh, a couple weeks back, we were beginning work on a new hospital." She started softly, her eyes glued to the floor. "Everything up until that point had been hard work, but it felt so rewarding. I really was loving what I was doing." Matt watched as a small smile fell to her face as she spoke, and he couldn't stop himself from smiling as well. No matter what her work over there meant for them, he never stopped being proud of her.

"We'd had a few issues along the way," Her voice pulled him from his daydreaming. "It wasn't anything too bad, but there were times things got a little intense. We were told when we first got there that violence from gang activity had been pretty bad, luckily we weren't subjected to most of it. But there were times when us working on a new development pushed them out, and I'm sure you can imagine, they didn't take too well to that." She had almost started rambling, her words coming out quickly. It was something she did when she got anxious, she always had. Trying to center her, Matt rubbed the back on her hand that was still clasped in his, moving his free hand to her knee, rubbing soothing circles over the cloth covered area.

"Nothing ever got too bad, just some empty threats on their end, towards all of us, no one in particular. But then when we started up with this new hospital, things got worse. At first it was nothing out of the normal, there was the usual push back from them, but that always stopped after a few days. But this time, they weren't giving up. The threats became more serious, more centered around individuals instead of us as a group." Casey couldn't stop his body's involuntary reaction of tensing beside her as he digested what she was saying. The thought of anyone threatening her made him sick, and he had to push down the guilt eating away at him as she continued. "My last day at work, they were all there when we showed up, talking about how they weren't gonna let us take over their territory again. How they could 'kill us all' without leaving a trace, and a lot more unpleasant things. But then they started going after this woman's daughter." Matt frowned, hearing the shift in tone in her voice, the memory clearly upsetting her. "Most of the local's there had been great, and a lot of them were there, ready to pitch in. But this one woman, Marianna, she had this little girl. She couldn't have been more than seven or eight, her name was Anna. Both of them were so thankful to everyone who gave up their lives to come help. They'd be there with us every day, always wanting to help out however they could. Anna, she didn't know any English, so once she heard me speak Spanish, she was pretty much attached at my hip." Gabby spoke with a smile, Matt's heart filling at the thought of Gabby and that little girl.

"They were there, my last day. And when those men started threatening Anna, saying what they were going to do to her, how they were gonna-" Gabby cut herself off, swallowing the lump in the throat before starting over. "I lost it." She said. "I started threatening him, all of them really. I know it was stupid, but I was just so angry."

"You were protecting that little girl." Matt spoke, Gabby's head lifting up, their eyes meeting for the first time since she'd started talking. She saw the tears shining in his eyes, but he was wearing a small smile. There was a look of pride covering his face, a look that made her feel safe.

Nodding at his words, she continued, keeping her eyes locked on his. "I don't regret doing it, but that is what caused all this mess. The guy, I guess I cursed him out one too many times, because we weren't talking very long before he hit me."

Matt's jaw clenched, his tongue pushing forcefully against the roof of his mouth as he tried to stay calm. He already knew this happened, Antonio had told him it happened, but hearing it from Gabby made it all the more real.

"I'm guessing you knew that part already." She spoke quietly after seeing his reaction, but Matt shook his head.

"All I knew was that you'd been hurt." She nodded, before continuing.

"That was the night I called you the first time…" she trailed off, looking away from him as she stared towards the ground. "I know you said not to, but everything was becoming too much and I just thought- I thought if I heard your voice, it would make things a little easier."

A single tear rolled down Matt's cheek as she talked. He would've given anything to be able to talk to her that night, maybe things would've played out differently if he had.

"But, uh-" she cleared her throat, still refusing to look at him, "you were busy." Matt's stomach sank at her words, knowing exactly what she was referring to.

"Gabby-"

"It's fine, really." She gave an unconvincing smile, one that didn't meet her eyes as she had briefly lifted her head up. "I just thought if I talked to you, things wouldn't seem so hard…" She trailed off again, trying to find the right words to say. "But it was selfish of me to do that, to come to you for comfort, after you asked for us not to talk anymore."

"No." Casey said immediately. "It wasn't selfish." Gabby's eyes ran over his face, trying to find any sign that he wasn't telling her the truth. She found none. "And even if it was, I don't care. I'm glad you called me, that you kept calling me. I wish I could've spoken to you the first time," She saw something flash in his eyes, a look of guilt. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. But don't ever apologize for that, I'm the only one who should be apologizing."

Swallowing the lump forming in her throat, Gabby nodded. She knew there was a different conversation they needed to have, but she couldn't focus on that right now. She just needed to get through this. Clearing her throat, she kept the conversation moving forward. "But, yeah, that's why I kept calling. When you did answer, just hearing your voice calmed me down. It helped, that's why I kept doing it." She explained, not giving Matt a chance to respond before she continued.

"During my time off from work, everything was pretty normal. Except me being bored out of my mind, nothing really happened." Matt got the sense she was holding something back, he just wasn't sure what. "But then there was the night we talked…"

Matt squeezed her hand as he heard the shift in her tone. He knew that whatever had happened to her, it happened that night.

"I, uh- when I called you, I really didn't have any intention of saying anything. I figured if you knew it was me, you'd stop answering all together."

"I wouldn't have." He whispered, Gabby giving him a small nod.

"But then I heard how annoyed you were, and I thought you might stop answering when I called, so I figured I didn't have anything to lose." She explained quietly, Matt frowning as he listened to her words.

"Gabby, I… you have to know how much I regret what I said to you, the last time we talked. I was angry and said things I shouldn't have."

"It's okay, Matt-"

"No it's not. You didn't think you could come to me, you thought if you called me, I'd ignore you. And that's not true." He spoke regretfully, sighing deeply. "I'm so sorry for how I treated you, Gabby."

"I didn't make it easy on you, Matt. I started all this, I'm the one who left. You don't need to blame yourself." She said, but he wasn't believing a word she was saying. He was to blame for this, at least partially. He was just as at fault as she was.

"But anyway, you know how the conversation went." She continued, Matt pushing back his thoughts and focusing his full attention back on her. "When we hung up, that's when I heard some noises outside." She went quiet for a few moments, Matt giving her all the time she needed to gather her thoughts.

"I don't know how they found where I lived. I don't know if they followed me, if they had been following me, but-" she sucked in a sharp breath before continuing, "three of the gang members, they broke in. I tried calling the police, but they, uh, got to me before I could." Matt clenched his eyelids shut, his mind filling with images of what had happened to her, the photos he saw from the apartment overtaking his every thought.

"They destroyed everything, they stole a lot of my stuff, anything that was worth any money... They took my wedding ring." The last sentence escaped her lips in a soft whisper, like she was afraid to say it, Matt's eyes snapping open at her words. He watched her closely, the pain she was carrying across her features mirrored by the look on his face.

"They roughed me up pretty good." She said shakily, internally debating on how much detail to go into. She could see how much Matt was blaming himself over what happened, and although she didn't want to lie to him, she didn't want to make him feel worse than he already did. But she knew no matter how painful it would be, he'd want to know. "They landed quite a few punches." She spoke quietly, knowing she just had to say it. "This came from them throwing me into the coffee table." Gabby pointed to the gash above her eye as she spoke, Matt blinking back the tears threatening to fall. "That's also what hurt my ribs and my shoulder, that's what was hurting me, when you first hugged me last night. " She explained, Matt nodding in understanding.

"There's more marks, some bruises and cuts, but that's all. They didn't-" she cleared her throat, only able to imagine where all Matt's mind had been taking him about what was done to her, and she didn't want him thinking things were worse than they were. "That was all that happened, they didn't do anything else to me." She knew he understood her when he realized a deep breath, in what she could only think to be relief.

"They left me in the living room while they destroyed the place, I'm not sure why one of them didn't stay, but I don't know exactly what their plans were. If they were just there to scare me, or if they were serious with their threats and were going to-" She stopped herself, every muscle in Matt's body tensing as he thought of the second scenario she said. He didn't know either, what their intentions were, but he was beyond thankful they would never have to find out. "...and when they went to go through the bedroom, that's when I was able to get away." She finished, Matt nodding slowly.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Gabby trying to give Matt time to process this. In the two and a half weeks since the attack, Gabby had processed what happened to her as much as she was going to. She'd had time to come to terms with it, and even though there were still visible reminders on her skin, she'd like to think she was handling what had happened relatively well. But Matt was just now learning exactly what had happened to her, he hadn't had the same time she had.

"Where did you go?" Matt finally spoke after nearly five minutes. They hadn't moved from their spot beside one another, their hands still entertwined in her lap, Matt having been staring straight ahead the entire time.

"When I left my apartment, I only got out of there with the clothes I was wearing, and I was too scared to try and go back. So I went to my friend's place." He looked at her, nodding softly. "Taylor, is her name. She came from the midwest, she's a part of another task force there. She's a doctor, so I knew she could help me." Gabby explained. "And as far as I knew, those gang members had no idea she even existed, or at least they didn't know we knew each other. So I figured it'd be safe." Matt hadn't said a word, so she kept going.

"Honestly, there were a few days there that kind of went by in a blur. She got me stitched up, and let me stay with her while I healed up enough. I didn't tell her much about what happened, thankfully she didn't ask a lot of questions, but I'm grateful to her, for letting me stay there and helping me." Matt nodded in agreement. He found himself feeling thankful for this woman too, he was glad Gabby had someone to help her when she needed it.

"But I do need you to know that I'm sorry." The change in direction of the conversation confused him. "I didn't know people were looking for me, I didn't know you or Antonio knew what happened. I would've called, if I knew. I should've called."

"Gabby…" But she shook her head.

"I know it's not my fault, but I still should've called you, or Antonio. It's not an excuse, but I didn't even realize how long I'd been hiding out until a few days ago, every day had just been blending together. "

"You don't owe us an explanation. You're safe. That's all that matters." He spoke, Gabby nodding as she blinked back the tears in her eyes. She felt as if she did owe them at least an apology, but decided against pressing any further. Sucking in a slow breath, she continued on.

"A couple days ago she started asking me what I wanted to do, and I didn't know what to say. She kept talking about me being healed enough to get back to work, and all I could think about is how I didn't want to." She admitted, their eyes meeting. "I didn't want to be there anymore." Her voice was barely above a whisper, Matt bringing his free hand up to cup her cheek, brushing his fingers over her skin lightly.

"I wanted to come home." She spoke honestly. "So she helped me get a plane ticket, she helped me get out of there, and I came here."

"I don't know if I should've just shown up here like I did, but I didn't know where else to go. I-"

She was cut off by Matt bringing her body into his, wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Her guard dropped completely as she settled into his embrace, wrapping her arms around his waist, the feeling of comfort overwhelming her.

"I'm glad you came here." He whispered into her hair, running a hand up and down her back. "I'm glad you came home."

A smile covered her face at his words, digging herself deeper into his hold. Her head found a comfortable home on his shoulder, neither of them wanting to let go of the other.

The precious moment between the two of them was short lived when they both heard someone knocking on the door, the sound bouncing through the otherwise silent apartment. Releasing a sigh of frustration, Matt pulled back from their embrace.

"I'm gonna see who that is, I'll be right back okay?" He assured her, running his fingertips over the side of her face gently, a smile resting on her lips.

"Okay."

Giving her a nod, Matt stood up, his body feeling cold as he stepped away from her. Nothing could replace the warmth he felt whenever she was in his arms, and he wanted to get back to that as soon as he could. He was hoping whoever this was, it would be a short conversation.

Walking through the apartment, he got to the front door, turning the deadbolt before opening the door, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw who was standing in front of him.

"What are you doing here?"

* * *

**So, I have a question for you all. When I originally planned this story, it wasn't going to go much past Matt and Gabby's reunion. I had an ending all planned out, and there would only be a few more chapters after this one. But while I've been working on this, so many different ideas for this story won't leave my head, ideas way past my original endpoint. I don't want to give too much away, but they're ideas like how they'll work through the issues they've had, issues that have been there since before Gabby left, and how they pick up the pieces from everything they've gone through. But first I wanna know if anyone's interested? I'm not sure if I'd do it as a sequel, or just keep it all within this story, but I'd like to know if you all would wanna keep reading that? Because it definitely wouldn't be the mystery-type story that this has been so far. And also I don't wanna prolong this story if it's not needed. So if you could let me know your thoughts on that, I'd really appreciate it!**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I really wanted to get it right, seeing as it was Gabby and Matt's reunion. This chapter was the one I was most excited (and nervous) to write, and I hope I did it justice. **

**One final thing, as I said in the last chapter, I very much want to keep writing Dawsey (even though Brett and Casey are severely testing my patience), and I just want to thank those of you who encouraged me to do so. It meant a lot, and it makes me all the more determined to keep writing. So thank you.**


	10. Chapter Ten

**Hello! Thank you all for the feedback on the last chapter, I really appreciate it!**

**This is definitely the shortest amount of time in between updates for me, but what can I say? I was inspired. Hopefully you all like this chapter, can't wait to hear what you think!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ten**_

* * *

"_What are you doing here?"_

Raising his eyebrows in amusement, Kelly scoffed. "Well hello to you, too." He spoke sarcastically, walking past Matt into the apartment.

"Sure, come in." Matt muttered under his breath, Kelly turning around to face him with a smug look covering his face.

"I thought this time off was to make you less of a dick." Kelly mused, before the air around them suddenly turned serious. "But really, how are you doing?"

Matt's eyes flickered towards the open bedroom door across the apartment, knowing that Gabby would be able to hear anything the two said.

"I'm doing better." Based on the look he was receiving, Matt knew Kelly didn't fully believe him. "Really Sev, I'm okay. This time off has given me some perspective."

"It's been like, 16 hours… What could you have possibly figured out in that time?"

Matt shrugged, not really knowing how else to respond.

"So what did you decide to do?" Matt raised his eyebrows, Kelly elaborating. "About going?"

"I'm not." He said simply, being met by a shocked expression from his friend.

"Really? Now that actually is a surprise." Matt remained neutral in his expression before responding.

"Yeah, well, I decided it was best."

Kelly watched Matt intently, trying to get a read of his behavior. He was acting strange, like he was in a rush. His friend clearly wasn't in the mood for small talk, Kelly just didn't know why.

"Have you heard anything else from Antonio?"

"Uh-" Matt's eyes flickered to the bedroom again, Kelly taking notice.

"That's like the third time you've looked back there, what's going on?" Severide asked impatiently, glancing back towards the bedroom door as he spoke.

Blowing out a deep breath, Matt's hands came up, running over his face.

"I need you to go, Kelly." His voice had dropped significantly, to barely above a whisper. But the tone of his words showed that he was completely serious.

Severide's eyes furrowed in confusion, "What's going on, Casey?" He asked again, earning no response. "Is it Gabby? Is she alright?"

"...She's here, Sev."

Kelly felt as if the wind got knocked out of him, the man taking another look back towards the bedroom, where he assumed her to be.

"What- how did she? When-" He was stumbling over his words, lowering his voice to match Casey's.

"She showed up here last night."

"How'd she get here?" Kelly's brain finally seemed to be able to form actual sentences, but the shock had yet to leave his system.

"It's a long story." Matt breathed out after a beat of silence. He didn't want to get into the whole thing right now, and he didn't want to say anything with talking to Gabby first. Understanding Kelly wouldn't be getting any answers to that question right now, he moved on to a question he knew Matt would answer.

"Is she okay?" Severide asked hesitantly.

"She's alright, she's...she's here. We're gonna get through it." Matt spoke confidently, Kelly nodding. It wasn't the most reassuring of answers, but it was better than the alternative.

"Okay man. I'm gonna go, but if either of you need anything..." He offered, walking back towards the door.

"I know, thanks Kelly."

The two friends said their goodbyes, Severide slipping out of the door quietly, Matt locking it back up before heading towards the bedroom. When he got to the doorway, he saw Gabby sitting in the same position she had been when he left her, but her attention was focused on something else. He followed her line of sight, seeing her staring blankly at the open luggage sitting on the bench at the end of the bed. He'd moved it there, last night before bringing her to bed, and he guessed she hadn't seen it until now. Bracing himself for the line of questions he was sure to receive, he made his presence known.

"Gabby…" He called softly, grimacing when she jumped slightly before turning to face him. "Sorry."

"It's fine." She waved him off, her gaze flickering back towards the suitcase before turning to face Matt. "So, uh, Kelly was here?" He heard the hesitation in her voice, as he moved to sit beside her again.

"Yeah he was." He eyed her for a moment, before continuing. "I told him you were here. He's been worried about you." Matt hoped those words would put her at ease, at least slightly, but they seemed to only have the opposite effect.

"He knows what happened?" She asked quietly, a nervousness filling her voice.

"I think all he knows is that we were trying to find you." He replied, Gabby giving a slight nod. "But no one else knows, aside from your brother's team." He assumed that would be her next question, so he offered the information before she had to ask.

"No one from 51 knows?" She was looking for confirmation, which Matt instantly gave her.

"They don't know." He offered, Gabby slowly nodding. He wasn't sure the reasoning, but he could tell she didn't want them knowing what had happened. Maybe one day, he'd press to find out why, but that wasn't at the top of his priorities at the moment.

"So what's the suitcase for?" Gabby asked, expertly changing the subject. Matt knew what she was doing, but he didn't push her on it. "Are you, uh, going somewhere?"

Releasing a sigh, he spoke "No, not anymore." She furrowed her eyebrows, confused by the soft smile resting on his lips.

"Is it because I'm here? ...You don't have to stop your life, Matt."

"Well, it is because you're here, that I'm not going anymore. But it's cause- I was about to go to Puerto Rico." He spoke sheepishly, seeing the shock fall over her features.

"...Why?"

He scoffed lightly at the question, "Why? Because we had no idea where you were, Gabby. I was freaking out, being here while Antonio was there. He wasn't getting anywhere, and all I've been able to focus on lately is where you are, and if you were safe." Guilt floods her body at his words, knowing she caused them all so much unnecessary worry.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, Matt shaking his head. He reached for her hand, holding it tightly within his grasp.

"I'm not telling you this to make you feel bad, I'm telling you this so you get it. I was going crazy being here and not being able to help you. So after Boden told me to leave shift yesterday-" He felt her tense beside her, her eyes moving down towards his bandaged arm. "Not because of that, because I've been so distracted with everything. But when I got home yesterday, I couldn't do it anymore. I couldn't sit here any longer and not be helping. So I started packing my stuff." She nodded softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything."

"Why didn't you go with Antonio in the first place?" Her voice was timid, like she was afraid of the answer. And that was exactly what Matt was worried about. Reaching for her chin, he forced her to look at him before responding.

"I tried, Antonio wouldn't let me." He spoke, confusion written across her face. "He told me it would be better to stay here, that if I got there and started going off on my own, it wouldn't help." Matt explained to her. "He didn't want to have to worry about me breaking the law, when his focus should only be on finding you. Which I can't blame him for that, but I was pissed off. I didn't see how my being here was doing anything to help, and he wasn't able to find anything. So I decided I wasn't just gonna sit here anymore... Granted, I guess I do owe him an apology now."

"For what?"

He smiled softly, "because if I had been there with them, I wouldn't have been here when you came." Her smile matched his, heat rising to her cheeks as his eyes were on her.

"So, uh, how about something to eat?" Matt offered, dropping their eye contact.

"Sounds good, is it okay if I take a shower real quick?" He nodded, standing up and walking towards the dresser, both of them instantly missing the warmth of their conjoined hands when they separated.

He pulled out a pair of his sweatpants and an old t-shirt, looking at her with a reddened smile. "These okay?" She gave him a soft nod, Matt walking the clothes back over to her.

"I'm gonna go get started on breakfast." He told her, before slipping through the doorway, pulling the door shut behind him.

* * *

Matt and Gabby sat at the table, both of them picking at what was left of their takeout as they waited for Antonio's arrival. His plane was scheduled to arrive soon and they both knew he'd be here as soon as humanly possible, but Gabby couldn't help but feel anxious waiting for him. She was beyond excited to see her brother, but she was worried. She still felt awful for not reaching out to them, no matter how many times Matt had said it was fine, the guilt was still eating at her. All she could hope was that Antonio wouldn't be too mad.

Gabby's first day back had been relatively uneventful, both her and Matt tiptoeing around any real conversation. After their long talk this morning, he didn't want to wear her out. So once she emerged from the room in his clothes, they began eating their breakfast, even though it was nearly lunch time, the two keeping to surface-level topics of conversation.

Once they finished their meal, Gabby offered to clean up while he showered, and then he, stubbornly, agreed to letting her redress his burn, even though he swore he could do it himself. While it could've been a lot worse, the burn was still pretty nasty, and Gabby definitely knew there'd be a few scars left behind.

The afternoon wore on rather quickly, the two of them passing the time by watching a taped hockey game from last night. While Gabby wasn't exactly invested in it, she knew Matt loved watching them, and the action was comforting. It reminded her of how they used to be, sitting on the couch, either curled up together, or her with a book in her hand and her feet in his lap. But this time, there was no cuddling, just the two of them sitting a few inches apart, their eyes focused on the screen in front of them. Once the game was over was when Matt had ordered their food, and now here they sat, waiting for Antonio in an oddly comfortable silence.

The silence was disrupted by Matt's phone ringing on the table. It was either the fourth or fifth time it had rang today, and while Gabby had a feeling about who was constantly trying to reach him, the feeling was confirmed when she saw the name flashing over the screen.

_Naomi._

Matt quickly ended the call, pulling his phone off the table and sliding it into his pocket. Glancing up to Gabby, her saw her eyes planted to the table, her gaze resting where his phone had just been. He knew she saw who'd been calling, and he knew that was one of the many conversations they needed to have, he just wasn't sure if now was the time to do it.

"If you need to go, I'm fine waiting here for Antonio." She offered quietly. No matter how sharp the stabbing pain in her chest felt, she didn't want to keep him from his life. She'd turned his life upside down enough, she didn't want to do anymore damage.

"I don't have anywhere to be."

"I don't think _she_ knows that." Gabby muttered bitterly, the comment coming out before she could stop it. But even after it slipped, she didn't find herself regretting saying it.

Apparently now was going to be the time for this conversation. Blowing out a sigh, Matt pushed his chair back from the table, angling it so he was directly facing Gabby, who was looking at him with confusion written into her face, mixed with a slight glare.

"I owe you an explanation." He started, but Gabby immediately shook her head.

"You really don't, Matt." She pushed her chair back to get up, but he stopped her, grabbing her forearm, keeping her planted in her seat.

"Yes, I do." He spoke firmly. They both knew this was something that needed to be discussed, he needed to explain himself, no matter how much she didn't want to hear it. He wasn't gonna let her run away from this. Them ignoring their problems had caused so many issues in the past, he wasn't gonna continue that same pattern.

Realizing she wasn't gonna get out of this, she crossed her arms over her chest, a sign that he could continue.

"Naomi, the woman you spoke to on the phone, she's-"

"Your girlfriend, I know."

Matt sighed, giving her a pointed stare. He knew what she was doing. He'd hurt her, he knew he had, and instead of wanting to deal with it, she wanted to ignore it, deflect from it. But they'd get nowhere fast if she continued to act like this.

"Gabby, don't do that." He pleaded, seeing the pain settling in her eyes. "She's not my girlfriend, she never was. Just let me explain, please?"

Biting her lower lip, she nodded. She knew was being immature, and she had no right to act like this, but it hurt. Him moving on from her so easily hurt more than she'd ever admit.

"I met her during a case, she came to the firehouse for help. She's a reporter, and was looking into this company, something to do with knowingly producing faulty products. But that's not really important. We went to dinner a few times, and well, you know that she's been here." He watched as Gabby's eyes fell closed, and he could tell she was trying to keep her emotions in. He hated seeing her so upset, knowing he caused it, but they'd never be able to move past this if she didn't know the whole story.

"But our relationship was never serious, it would've never become anything close to serious. I never wanted anything like that with her. It was something uncomplicated, something easy." He told her, watching her closely. "And I was lonely." Her eyes snapped open again, finding him looking at her. "I'm not proud of it, but she paid attention to me, and I don't know...it made me feel better." His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke, Gabby doing her best to keep her breathing steady.

"But it was never an actual relationship, I just wanted a distraction." He admitted, watching her for a second before continuing. "And I need you to know nothing happened between us before the divorce was final." He saw her shift uncomfortably in her seat, and he wasn't sure if it was him admitting to sleeping with someone else, or because he mentioned their divorce. If he were to guess, he'd assume it was a little of both.

He wasn't sure what else to say, and he couldn't read where her head was at. She had given him next to nothing, he wanted to know what she was thinking.

"I'm not sure why she keeps calling me, I haven't been contacting her."

"You don't owe me an explanation, Matt." She spoke, her voice lacking emotion, Gabby refusing to meet his eyes.

"Yes I do." He spoke with a sigh. "You're still my-" he cut himself off, knowing he couldn't say what he wanted to say. Because it wasn't true. He saw her tense at his words, so he changed the direction of his conversation. "I know I didn't technically cheat on you, but it feels like I did. I know I hurt you," A tear escaped down her cheek as she looked off to the side, eagerly wiping it away, "and I'm so sorry for that, Gabby."

"It's fine, Matt." Her voice was shaky, Matt drawing in a deep breath. She was deflecting, again.

"It's not fine Gabby. It's clearly not, and it shouldn't be. But you won't even look at me." Her eyes found his, a glare resting on her face.

"What do you want me to say?" Her anger broke through her desire to keep her emotions in. While he didn't want her pissed at him, at least it was progress from where they'd been five minutes ago. "That I'm totally fine with all this?" She didn't give him time to answer her rhetorical question. "That I don't care that you brought some other woman back here and fucked her in our bed?" He grimaced at the words she used, even though they were true. But hearing them come from her somehow made him feel worse than he already did. "Well there you go, Matt. I'm totally fine with it." She spoke sarcastically, Matt sighing.

"It was a mistake, Gabby. I know I shouldn't have done it, but I did and I can't take it back." He shot back. "And it's not exactly like you were here." He spoke bitterly, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"You're right, I wasn't here." She spat back, "that's why I can't be mad. I have no right to be mad at you for this." Her resolve was wearing thin as the words continued to spill from her lips. "You didn't do anything wrong, you had every right to do whatever you wanted to do."

"But I shouldn't have done _that_." He told her, Gabby biting her bottom lip roughly. "You can be mad at me, Gabby. I'm mad at myself. Maybe I did have every right to move on, but I never should have done it here."

Finding his gaze again, Gabby saw the regret hiding in his eyes. "You'll never know how sorry I am. But whatever Naomi and I were, it's over." He assured her, Gabby inhaling deeply before giving him a slow nod of acceptance.

"I'm not expecting you to forgive me right away, I just need you to know how much I regret it." He was surprised when she reached for his hand, but he gave it willingly, a goofy grin falling onto his face as she laced her fingers within his.

"I wasn't lying when I said I'm not mad at you. I'm hurt, yeah, but I'm not mad." She did her best to verbalize her feelings, knowing she'd been less than stellar at it in the past, especially in recent memory. "But I don't blame you, Matt."

Matt's phone dinging pulled them from their conversation, him pulling away from her grasp to see who it was.

"But you might want to tell _her_ that it's over, because the next time she calls I'll pick it up and let her know myself." Gabby joked, Matt chuckling with a raised eyebrow as he opened the message.

"Now that I might like to see." He teased her, Gabby rolling her eyes with a smile. He knew she was probably only half-kidding, but he was glad to see her sense of humor hadn't changed. "But nothing to worry about, it's just Kelly."

"Just Kelly, huh? That might give me more to worry about." She teased back, Matt chuckling as smiles covered both of their faces.

* * *

Matt stood in front of the bed in the guest room, looking over all the boxes he'd just pulled from the closet. Antonio had gotten here over an hour ago, and shortly after he burst in and wrapped Gabby up in his arms, Matt made himself scarce. He knew Gabby needed time with her brother, and he didn't want to encroach on that. And while he would've stayed if she wanted him to, the thankful smile Gabby sent his way when he backed out of the room told him she was fine.

So he quickly found himself in the guest room, trying to figure out what to do with all her things. He wasn't sure the best course of action to take when dealing with this. While she had taken a lot of her clothes to Puerto Rico, she had left a fair good bit here, which had been housed in these boxes for months. No matter how much she had always liked wearing his clothes, he knew she'd feel better once she got into more of her things. The problem was he didn't know what to do with them.

Gabby had said she wanted to come home, and he believed her. But he didn't know if she meant their home specifically, or just Chicago. He didn't want to assume she'd want to stay here with him and put all her things back in their rightful place in their room, even though he hoped she'd want that. But they hadn't talked about it yet. And after everything they had talked about, he wasn't sure where she was at with staying here permanently. There were still so many things they needed to figure out, but this one seemed to be the most pressing.

He could never remember a time when things had been this hard. He didn't know how to act with her, which was something that had never been an issue in the past. But now he was weary around her. He didn't want to force her into anything, but he wanted nothing more than for her to come home, here with him.

Matt was also finding it hard to fight the urge to just put everything of hers back where it belonged. Put all her clothes back in their closet, put all the pictures of them back around the apartment. But his worry of where she was at kept him from doing those things. No matter what he wanted, it wasn't about him. They had to do things at her pace. After everything she'd gone through, he refused to pressure her into anything. She had taken the leap of faith by coming here, she showed him that she wanted to come back home. He had to hold onto that, and let her lead them through the rest.

He decided to at least get some of her things out, and leave them here on the bed. Whether she decided to stay here or not, he didn't want her living out of cardboard boxes.

He'd gotten through half a box, placing the folded clothes in piles when he heard Antonio's voice from out in the living room. He'd been able to hear them speaking, but he tuned it out, not wanting to eavesdrop on the siblings. And truthfully he really didn't want to hear Gabby explain again what she'd suffered through, it was bad enough the first time. But when he heard what sounded like goodbyes, he decided to leave the confines of the guest room.

Walking out into the living room, he saw Gabby and Antonio heading towards the back door. He stepped his way towards them, Gabby giving him a smile when she saw him, Matt stopping around the entrance to the bedroom.

"So I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"

"I'll be there, Tonio." She promised, Antonio turning to see Matt standing there.

"Hey Casey." Matt gave him a nod. "Gabby's gonna come by the district tomorrow, so I can write up a formal statement about what happened."

"I don't know if you're busy, or working-" Gabby started, only to quickly be cut off Matt.

"We'll be there."

"Good. Okay sis, I'm gonna head home." He gave her another hug, glancing back wearily towards Casey before turning his attention to Gabby again. "Call me if you need anything." She nodded to him knowingly, Matt picking up on something in Antonio's tone, but he wasn't sure what it meant.

After another long hug, Antonio left, Gabby locking the door before heading over towards Matt, who had been planted in the bedroom doorway.

"What were you doing in there?" Gabby asked, nodding off down towards the guest bedroom.

"Uh, I was starting to unpack your stuff, what was left here." He spoke nervously. "How was your visit with Antonio?" He desperately wanted to change the subject, figuring if they didn't bring it up, she'd at least be here for another night.

"It was good. I told him what happened, told him I wanted to come home." He nodded in response, not able to stop the small smile that came to his lips whenever she said those words. But the smile quickly fell when her next words came. "He, uh- he told me I could stay with him, if I wanted to."

He sucked in a short breath, feeling his stomach sink but doing his best to mask his true feelings as her words washed over him. He saw her eyes on him, knowing she was going to read into any reaction he gave, searching for what he wanted her to do. He saw a hopeful look shining in her eyes, and he hoped what he said next wouldn't take that away. But he couldn't make this decision for her, it had to be what she wanted.

"It's whatever you want, Gabby." His voice was soft, a slight frown forming on his face when he saw her falter slightly.

She recovered quickly, giving him a small nod. "Okay." Was all she gave in response, turning away from him, starting to walk towards the living room. He didn't know what that meant, was she staying here? Was she going to stay with her brother? He kept his eyes on her, watching as she looked around the room, stopping in her tracks, her shoulders rising as she took a deep breath.

"I don't want to go stay with Antonio." She murmured so softly that Matt barely heard her, but he did. And the words brought the widest smile to his face.

"I don't want you to, either." He said just as quietly, watching as she turned back to face him, her eyebrows raised, a weary look covering her face. "I want you here with me."

He waited for her to respond to him, for her to say anything in affirmation that she wasn't going anywhere. But that never came.

Instead, she quickly closed the gap between them, Matt watching her every movement as she came to stand in front of him, her hands grasping the sides of his face before slamming her lips into his. The action shocked him, but the feeling of her lips against his again quickly pulled him from that. He began kissing her back with the same force, his hands falling to her hips as he pulled her to him, their bodies flush against one another.

A moan escaped her mouth as he gripped her tighter, the two of them relaxing into the other as they relished in this feeling.

She was the first to pull back, their chests heaving as they both tried to suck in deep breaths, Matt leaning down to rest his forehead against hers.

"I missed that." She whispered, her breathing no closer to becoming steady. He let out a soft laugh, pulling her in for another, more tame, kiss.

"I missed you." He spoke once they pulled away, Gabby biting gently on her bottom lip, looking up to meet his eyes. She saw the same look of love she'd seen for the past five years shining proudly in his gaze, and that was all the assurance she needed that she made the right choice.

Placing one more gentle kiss against his lips, she placed her hands on his chest, gently pushing him back towards the bedroom, staying in step with him as he moved backwards. She saw a quick flash of nervousness in his eyes, but it quickly disappeared. Her lips found his again, the two of them navigating their way blindly through the all-familiar path to their bed. He felt his legs hit the edge of the mattress, Gabby feeling it too as she moved her kisses from his mouth to across his jaw, moving down his neck.

She hungrily grasped at the hem of his shirt, making quick work of it as she pulled it from his body, her lips detaching momentarily but then reattaching just as quickly to the skin on his neck. She felt his body tighten from her actions as she tossed the article of clothing to the floor, pushing against his bare chest, making him fall down onto the bed, Gabby falling with him as his hands flew to her hips.

Their lips reconnected, the two of them moving together in a rhythm that felt so natural. It was as if they'd never stopped while simultaneously they were making up for lost time, their movements full of nothing but love and want.

His hands moved to grab the edge of her shirt, or technically _his_ shirt, Gabby moving her lips off his so he'd be able to remove the piece of clothing. But he'd stopped his movements, his eyes glancing downwards, a clear look of hesitation on his face.

"What's wrong?" She whispered, their faces inches apart. He closed his eyes, trying to form a coherent thought before responding.

"I just need to know one thing." He stated, opening his eyes again, Gabby seeing them shining in the dim room.

"What?"

"I need to know you're not leaving me again." It felt like her heart snapped in half when the words hit her. She knew she hurt him, but hearing the vulnerability in his voice made her realize just how badly she'd ruined things. In all the years she'd known him, together or not, she'd never heard him sound so scared. And in that moment, she made a promise to herself that she'd never give him a reason to fear losing her again.

Placing a soft kiss to his lips, she sat up, straddling his hips. His hands found her thighs, resting on them softly as he watched her intently, confused as to why she hadn't given an answer. She reached for the bottom of her shirt, pulling it from her body in an instant, tossing it to the ground.

She fell back down against him, his warm hands moving to her bare sides, the feeling of their skin against each other again filling her with a sense of safety. Leaving one hand against his chest, she ran her other up to his face, grabbing his chin as she forced him to look her in the eye.

"I'm not going anywhere." She promised, the smile rising on his face making her fall in love with him all over again. His lips hungrily found hers again, flipping them over so she was under him, Matt intent on showing her exactly how much she was missed.

* * *

**Looks like things between Dawsey are progressing quite well, I'd say. I know after the last chapter, a lot of you figured it was Naomi at the door, which I'm not gonna lie that was kind of intentional, but I wasn't gonna have her show up so soon, at least not yet anyway ;). Also, when Matt's explaining his and Naomi's relationship to Gabby, I kept it as vague as I possibly could, because truthfully I have no idea what all they did on the show, in terms of how they met, why they were working together, etc. Most of the details I did give was guess work. All I know is she's a reporter (and I'm only 90% sure on that I really don't know), they slept together, and that him working with her is why the apartment burned down (which isn't apart of this story anyway). So I tried to keep it as surface level as possible, because clearly I don't know enough about it to go into any more detail. I just didn't want anyone reading anything into it, that Matt was keeping part of it from Gabby or something. It's nothing like that, I just really don't know much about their storyline on the show. Sorry if some things were wrong, but I wasn't about to go watch to find out the details so… Anyway hopefully that makes sense.**

**Thanks for all for your words of encouragement on continuing this story past my original plan. I've decided to keep it going, because there's so much I want to be able to write for them. Essentially how their relationship would continue if Monica hadn't left. I'm excited for it, especially after reading your all's comments. Thank you to those who took the time to review and give me your thoughts, I appreciate it so much. **

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, can't wait to hear what you think! Thanks for all the continued support with this story, it's honestly been overwhelming, but it means the world to me.**


	11. Chapter Eleven

**Hello hello hello, here's another chapter for you all. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eleven**_

* * *

Matt grunted into consciousness, confused to be surrounded by an unfamiliar, yet somehow all too familiar warmth, a smile falling onto his face before he even opened his eyes. Memories of the previous night took over his mind, as he lightly squeezed the body of the woman in his arms.

He couldn't remember the last time he'd woken up with her like this, the once routine action suddenly ripped away from him all those months ago. But what he did know was that he would do everything in his power to wake up like this every morning. He'd spent far too many mornings without her, woken up too many times in a cold, empty bed. He never wanted to live like that again, not when he knew how it felt to have her within his grasp.

Their night together was everything he could've ever dreamed of, and somehow more. They'd taken their time getting used to one another, but it proved to be an easy transition, the two of them being together again. It was like no time had passed, everything falling into place as it always had with them.

Not that she had been anywhere close to his mind last night, but now that he had a moment to think about it, he realized that Naomi, nor anyone, could ever come close to this. No one could ever make him feel as alive as Gabby could, no one had ever come close. It was more than the intimacy, it was the quiet moments. It was how he felt right now, feeling more content than he ever had just by holding onto her. It was feeling safe, as her bare back was pressed to his chest. It was knowing that no matter what happened, they'd always find their way back to one another. No one would ever be able to compete with that, he never wanted to be in the position where someone had to. All he wanted was Gabby. And somehow, even after everything they'd gone through, he had her.

He felt her shiver within his hold, Matt looking to see her still sound asleep. With a grin on his face, he drew her deeper into his grip, pulling the comforter up slightly. He placed a soft kiss to her bare shoulder, his head falling blissfully back onto the pillow.

During the previous night's activities, they'd taken their time to get reacquainted with one another, but during that time, Matt also found more evidence of her attack. He didn't focus on it too much last night, wanting her mind to be far away from everything that happened. He wanted her to be able to enjoy herself and let go, so he chose not to focus too much on the scars blemishing her perfect body. But now, with her peacefully asleep beside him, he couldn't help but think of them.

He'd seen, and felt, scratches on different parts of her body, covering various parts of her arms, stomach, and back. As well as a more disturbing mark across her upper chest, which looked to be like someone had clawed across her skin. He'd seen the remains of what had to have been a gigantic bruise covering her left side, wrapping around her front and back. The most unsettling of the marks had to be the scratches covering her right thigh. He believed her when she said they didn't do _that_ to her, but seeing the remains of what had been done to her, he couldn't help but think one of them at least tried.

If the scars told him anything, it was that she gave him the toned down version of events, whether it was for her benefit or his, he wasn't sure, but there were injuries she didn't tell him about. He wouldn't push her to talk about it, not if she didn't want to. But he couldn't stop himself from worrying. He could only imagine how much pain she'd been in, and seeing and feeling the full extent of her injuries made him sick.

But he didn't want to think about that, not right now. Not after he'd had a very relaxing night, getting the best sleep he'd had in months. Not when it felt like things were slowly starting to fall back into place. All he wanted to focus on was the woman asleep in his arms.

"You're thinking so loud." she mumbled. _Okay, apparently she's not asleep. _Matt smiled, lifting his head to rest on her shoulder, giving her waist a gentle squeeze.

"Good morning." He spoke happily, Gabby adjusting herself, moving to lie on her back so she could see him.

"What's on your mind?" She asked, her arm bending at the elbow as she rested it on the bed, her fingers coming up to run over his cheek.

"You." His grin widened when he spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrows. After how things had transpired last night, she was happy, of course she was, but he was downright giddy. "It's just… I never thought this would happen again, waking up next to you."

A frown formed on her lips at his words, that all too familiar guilt filling her body, but he shook his head, kissing away the pout she wore. "None of that." He whispered, giving her another quick kiss. "I just missed this, that's all. But now I don't have to." He gave her another smile, her hand moving to the base of his neck, playing with the short hair she found there.

He could still feel the apprehension rolling off her, and he wished it wasn't there. But he'd be lying if he said he had none himself. The pain of their split was all too fresh, and neither one of them wanted to go through that again. But Matt would fight like hell to make sure they never had to. He was sure that if they could manage to learn from their mistakes in the past, they'd be okay.

"What's going on in there?" He asked softly as he gently tapped against her temple, noticing how she'd gone quiet. The silence stayed for a few moments, before she finally spoke up.

"We're gonna be okay, right?" She was nervous, having to force herself to maintain eye contact with him. "I mean, you said last night you needed to know I'm not going anywhere, and I'm not, but this… this wasn't just sex, was it? If it was, please tell me now so I can-"

He cut her off with a searing kiss, feeling some of the anxiety leave her body while his lips were on hers. Pulling back, his ran his hand over her forehead, pushing back some of the stray hair covering her face. "Nothing between us could ever be 'just sex', Gabby." He was hoping to stave off her fears, but seeing the look on her face, he knew he hadn't. Looking at the worry covering her features, he knew she was just as afraid as he was.

"I'm scared, Matt." She whispered, emotion evident in her voice. "I know we love each other, that's never been the problem between us. But love wasn't enough last time." She kept her voice low, afraid of her own words. "I know I want this, I want us to make it. But I don't want to hurt you again."

Taking a deep breath, Matt gave himself a second to gather his thoughts. He understood why she was scared, because he was too. Things never seemed to be easy for them, and they'd experienced so much heartache together, but he liked to think they could grow from it. And above all else, he knew she was worth it. He'd rather get hurt by her a thousand times than ever have to live without her again. So that's what he told her.

"I don't know what's gonna happen, Gabby. I can't promise I won't hurt you, or that you won't hurt me. I want to promise it won't happen, but knowing us and how stubborn we are, I can't." He spoke lightly, hoping to put a small smile on her face. Thankfully it worked. "I'm scared too. But this, us, is worth a little heartache. I know we have a lot to talk about, a lot to work out. But I want us to work it out, I want us to make it too. I don't want to go another day without you." He told her, watching her nod slowly. "I can't promise things won't get hard, but remember when I told you that whatever the future brings, we'll face it together?" She smiled at the memory of them sitting in the firehouse, him holding her close as he spoke those words. It felt like a lifetime ago, and in some ways, she guessed it was.

"I do." She confirmed.

"That's still true. I want to be with you, Gabby. I want us to be together for the rest of our lives. That is what I can promise you."

"I want that too." She whispered, using her leverage to pull his face down to meet hers, their lips connecting in a fiery kiss. When they eventually pulled back, Gabby kept her eyes closed, feeling Matt's face near inches away from hers.

"I love you." She spoke quietly, opening her eyes just in time to see the wide smile grace his lips, his eyes crinkling in happiness. Leaning down, he captured her in another heated kiss, the passion building between them as he rolled on top of her, his own body covering hers completely.

"I love you too." The words came out in a whisper, Matt steading his breathing as he rested his forehead against hers. "I swear, we'll be okay." Those words were exactly what she needed to hear, tears brimming in her eyes as he smiled up at him.

Their lips found each other's once more, as Gabby's hands slid down his back underneath the bed sheet, Matt's hands roaming her body as the sunlight streamed in through the curtains.

While they couldn't get back all the time they'd lost, they could at least make up for it.

* * *

Pulling up outside the district in his loved blue truck, Matt glanced over to Gabby as he put the vehicle in park. She'd been kind of quiet this morning. During the time they'd gotten out of bed, gotten cleaned up, and had some breakfast, she hadn't said much. He knew she was probably feeling some anxiety, knowing she'd have to relive the entire thing _again_. But all he could do was be there for her, which he had every intention of doing.

"You ready?"

Her eyes peeled from the building in front of them, turning to face Matt in the driver's seat. She gave him a small smile, following up the action with an assuring nod.

"Yeah."

The two climbed from the truck, Matt locking it and coming around to meet her on the sidewalk. Once the two started walking, he reaching for her hand, which she willingly gave, as they made their way into the building.

When they got into the lobby, it suddenly felt like a hundred pairs of eyes were on her. Everyone had seemingly stopped what they were doing, some looking at her with pity, some with a supportive smile, and some simply in shock. She guessed she shouldn't be surprised, that everyone here knew what had happened, or at least knew she'd been in trouble.

Needless to say, word spread fast around the district about 'Detective Dawson's little sister' being missing. Even though Intelligence did what they could to be discreet, the second half of the unit went to Puerto Rico, word got out fast.

But it seemed as if as suddenly as the looks and gazes had started, they were gone, everyone going back to what they were doing, Matt giving her hand a squeeze.

"There's young Dawson." Trudy Platt said from her desk, her tone light. Gabby took a deep breath, giving the woman an appreciative smile as she started walking towards her, Matt in tow.

"Hey Trudy, is Antonio here?"

"He should be." She spoke, giving her another light smile. But Gabby saw the look that flashed in her eyes. The look she desperately didn't want, but knew she'd be on the receiving end of countless times in the upcoming weeks. The look of pity, as Trudy's eyes flickered up to the gash on her forehead, before meeting Gabby's eyes again. "I can buzz you two up."

"Thanks." Gabby spoke, giving her another smile before heading towards the stairs, Matt remaining a strong presence beside her. He hadn't said much, but she didn't need him to. Just him being here gave her strength. They went through the gate, Matt pulling it closed behind them, before ascending the rest of the way.

It was surprisingly quiet as they made their way to the bullpen, seeing everyone sitting at their desks, no one noticing their presence quite yet. Matt had kept his hold on her hand, as Gabby took a few steps into the large room.

Upton was the first to look up, Gabby surprised to see the woman simply smile at her. There was no look of remorse, no look of pity, she just looked at her like she was Gabby, which she appreciated more than she could say. "Antonio…" Hailey spoke lightly, the older detective looking at the blonde who then nodded towards Gabby.

"Hey sis." He said with a smile, pushing himself up from his desk, gaining the attention of everyone else in the unit. She caught a few of their smiles before Antonio got to her, Matt dropping her hand as Antonio wrapped his arms around her.

"How you feeling?" He asked quietly, rubbing over her back a few times before they disconnected.

"I'm alright."

Antonio eyed her for a moment, decidedly accepting her answer before turning his attention to Matt. "Hey man." He greeted, shaking Matt's hand.

"Hey Antonio."

"So, Gabs you ready to do this?" Releasing a sigh, she nodded, Antonio starting the path towards the break room, Gabby and Matt following. He stopped by his desk, reaching for a folder, before continuing. As they walked, Gabby felt the eyes of everyone on her, and she wasn't sure what to say to them. She was aware they knew more than most of what had happened to her, and she wanted to say a thank you for their help, but she didn't know how to express it.

When they got to the entrance of the break room, Gabby let Antonio walk in first, stopping herself before her and Matt could enter. "Are you good to wait out here?" She asked him, immediately being met by a look of confusion coming from Matt. He tried to mask it, but she saw it.

"Uh, sure. If that's what you want, yeah." He gave her a small smile, hoping it looked reassuring. But he was sure it didn't.

"This won't take too long." She assured him, giving him a quick kiss on his cheek.

Antonio, having heard the exchange, turned his attention to Matt. "You can wait at my desk, Casey. Just don't get into anything."

Nodding, he walked away from the door, ignoring the glances from everyone as he made his way to Antonio's desk, hearing the break room door shut behind him.

"You don't want him in here?" Antonio asked once the door had been closed, Gabby coming over to meet him at the table.

Shrugging, Gabby sat down. "He's already heard what happened, I don't want him to have to hear it again."

He furrowed his eyebrows at her words. "But you and I both know he'd sit through it again, if you need him."

"Quit reading into this Antonio." She was met with an unimpressed look from her brother. "He's already blaming himself enough, and him hearing every single thing that happened to me, that wouldn't help anyone."

"I thought you said you told him everything-"

"I did." Gabby bit out, frustrated by her brother's line of questioning. "I told him the basics. He knows everything that happened, he just doesn't know all the details. Him knowing everything would only make him feel more guilty, and I don't want that for him."

"Did he tell you that?"

"He didn't have to, I can see it every time anything is mentioned about Puerto Rico. Or anytime he sees any scar or scratch. He's blaming himself for this and I wish he wouldn't."

Giving her a slight nod, he decided to change the course of their discussion for a moment. "Speaking of Casey, you too seem awful close."

She narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "And?"

"And… you just got back, and after everything that happened, are you sure it's the best idea to just jump back into a relationship with him?"

"He was my husband Antonio, he's not just some guy. I'm not jumping into anything." She snapped at him, Antonio putting his hands up in defense.

"Look, I know better than to try and tell you what to do. I just want you to be sure. A lot of things have happened since you've been gone, and I don't want you winding up hurt again." Gabby knew what he was talking about, figuring Antonio probably just wasn't sure if she herself knew.

"If you're talking about Naomi, we talked about that."

"...And?"

"It's fine."

"Come on, Gabby." He scoffed, clearly not believing her.

"I'm not mad at him Antonio. I can't be. Obviously, I wish he handled things differently, but I don't blame him." She watched her brother closely, trying to gauge his reaction, hoping he believed her. "Him and I are okay. I know you're worried about me, but I came home because this is where I want to be. I want to be here, with Matt. I know we hurt each other, we've handled things poorly in the past, but neither of us want to go through that again. We love each other, Antonio."

"I know you do. And no matter what I thought before, I know Matt never stopped loving you. I saw it. I just don't want to see you hurt again. But I trust you, and Matt, most of the time." His comment was met with an eye roll from his baby sister, but he didn't care that she was annoyed with him. He was just grateful she was here.

"But can I say something?" He asked her, Gabby sighing.

"You will anyway, what is it?"

"You say you two don't want to go through the pain you did before, and fall back into those same habits." She nodded, waiting to see where he was going with this. "I know you think you're sparing Matt, by keeping some details of what happened from him, but that's exactly the thing that's caused problems in the past with you two." He gave her a second to think over his words before continuing. "I know you're doing it with good intentions, but keeping things from each other, that never ends well. So if his feelings in all this are the only thing keeping you from having him in here, you might want to think about going to get him."

* * *

Matt sat quietly at Antonio's desk, leaning back in his chair as his eyes glanced around the room. He tried to keep from looking over towards the break room, somehow feeling like it was an invasion of Gabby's privacy. She didn't want him in there for a reason, something he was desperately trying to not read too much into, so he tried to keep his focus elsewhere.

As he sat under the harsh fluorescent lights, he felt the headache that had been nagging him for nearly two days creeping back into the base of his skull. He'd been having them off and on since the explosion, but they usually didn't last too long. Deep down, he knew it was probably something he should get checked out, but Gabby was his main priority right now. A little headache was nothing compared to what she'd been through.

"Uh," he cleared his throat, gaining the attention of the room. "Does anyone have any aspirin?"

He saw Burgess open her desk drawer, watching as she pulled out a small white packet of pills. "Here you go." She tossed it to him, Matt nodding at her appreciatively.

"Thanks Kim."

"You alright over there, Casey?" Jay asked, watching the man rip open the individual packet, tossing the medication into his mouth and swallowing it.

"I'm good. Just still a little sore from a call last shift." He figured that would be the best way to explain it, and it technically was the truth. He was met with a nod, before the team started going back to work.

"Matt?" Looking over, Matt saw Gabby standing in the now open doorway to the break room, her waving him over. He hadn't even heard the door open. He was sure she wasn't done yet, they'd been here all of ten minutes, but he answered her action by quickly standing up, ignoring the dizziness he felt from the sudden movement, walking over to the doorway.

"You okay?" Concern was laced in his voice, but his question was met with a small smile.

"I'm good. Can you sit in here with me while I do this?"

He wasn't sure what had caused her to now want him with her, but he wasn't complaining. "Of course." He smiled, letting her lead him into the room. The two walked to the table, sitting down next to each other, Antonio ready and waiting to start.

"So, uh, how do I start this?" Matt could tell she was anxious, but he knew this was the last time she'd have to explain this from start to finish.

"Just start with the issues leading up to the accident at the work site, and we'll go from there." Antonio spoke calmly, Gabby feeling her nerves lessen slightly. Her head turned to face Matt, and she was met with a strong smile, her body relaxing as their eyes met. Reaching for his hand, she gained strength through his presence, as she began telling the story.

Matt sat in a stoic silence as she ran through every single detail she remembered from the events leading up to the invasion. At first she was doing okay, having no trouble going through the events that had happened, and she even seemed fine explaining the day she'd been hit.

But he could feel her beginning to falter when she she started talking about the night of the attack. She was tense, he could hear the emotion in her voice and it broke his heart. He listened intently as he heard her talk about their phone call, then the noises she was hearing outside. How they'd barged their way in, and destroyed the place. He tried not to focus too long on the new details he was hearing about that night, of what exactly had been done to her. How they'd thrown her to the ground, kicking her in the stomach, grabbing her by the hair and using it to hold her to the ground. How they'd clawed at the skin on her arms, stomach, and back. How'd they'd thrown her into the coffee table, the glass from that causing some of the deeper scars she had on her body. How the scratch marks that Matt saw across her chest came from them yanking the necklace forcefully from around her neck, a chain that was holding her wedding ring.

Matt had shifted uncomfortably in his seat when he found out that last part, doing his best to stay strong beside her, but hearing all of this at once was overwhelming. In the back of his mind, he'd wondered about how she knew they'd taken her wedding ring, since she told him she'd been in the living room while they ransacked the place. But now, hearing she'd been wearing it, how she had kept it so close to her even after all these months, it only made him feel worse. All he'd been focused on until recently was trying to forget about her, while here she was, seemingly doing all she could to hold onto what they had. The feeling made his stomach sink.

The part he'd been most be afraid of hearing was how she'd gotten those scratches on her thigh, and his worries came to light when he heard her explain how one of them had _tried_ to assault her, how he'd tried to get her clothes off, but she fought him off. Then one of the others had come in, stopping him from going that far, saying they 'weren't here for that'.

Matt tried his hardest to keep his emotions in check, but hearing the exact details of what she'd been through, seeing the slow tears rolling down her cheeks, and feeling her body trembling at his side, he couldn't stop the tears from filling his eyes, or stop one from escaping down his cheek. He hated knowing she'd gone through so much pain, knowing how scared and alone she felt.

Gabby had paused momentarily to gather herself, Antonio leaning across the table and rubbing a comforting hand up and down her arm. Looking over, she saw the emotions displayed prominently across Matt's face. The moment their eyes locked, more tears fell down his face despite his best efforts to stop them. She squeezed his hand tighter, Matt's free hand coming up to wipe the tears away. "I'm okay, Matt." She spoke quietly, more tears escaping her own eyes from seeing him so upset. He didn't reply verbally, but instead he nodded, leaning forward and wrapping her up in a hug. She reciprocated the action, feeling warmth and comfort spread through her body as he held her tightly. "I'm okay." She whispered against his neck, feeling Matt place a soft kiss to the side of her head.

"I know."

While Gabby finished giving her statement, walking Antonio through everything about where she'd been, Matt kept his arm around her shoulders, effectively holding her close to him, while his other hand remained intertwined with hers in her lap. As he sat there listening to her, he found himself feeling a little better, now that he knew exactly what had happened. As awful as it was, at least there was no more room for his imagination to run wild. He'd known when she first told him yesterday about what had happened, she'd given him the bare minimum. So to hear the exact details, somehow that made him feel a little bit better. Because at least now he could stop worrying she was keeping things from him, for his benefit. He didn't have to worry there was more to what happened than what she led on. Now that he knew the whole story, he felt better equipped to help her through this, to help get them both through this.

"Alright, Gabs, I need to know what you want to do here." Antonio spoke once he'd finished writing. "I'm gonna send this to the local police, they'll file it and see what they can do. Are you wanting to press charges?" He asked quietly, Gabby biting her bottom lip nervously.

"Would I have to go back there?"

"Yeah, you would."

Sighing deeply, Gabby looked up at Matt, finding his eyes already on her. She was desperately searching his gaze for the right answer, for what she should do.

"This is up to you, Gabby." He spoke, as if he was able to hear her thoughts. "Whatever you decide, I'm there every step of the way." Blinking back tears, she nodded, turning her attention back to her brother.

"I can't go back there." Her voice was broken, the words coming out barely above a whisper. She felt Matt's grip around her shoulders tighten, pulling her deeper within his grasp.

"Okay, you don't have to." Antonio responded immediately. "No one's gonna make you go back there, alright?" He soothed, both men seeing her body instantly relax. "But… that does mean that unless they get a confession, there's not much they can do." He explained, Gabby's eyes falling to the ground.

"I know… and I know this probably isn't the right thing to do, but I can't. I can't do it-" she sucked in a deep breath, feeling herself getting worked up.

"Hey, hey, look at me." Matt spoke instantly, pulling back from their embrace so he could see her. He waited until their eyes met before continuing. "There's no right or wrong thing to do here. The only thing that matters is what's best for you, okay?" He promised, Gabby nodding slowly.

Taking a slow, steady breath, she looked back towards her brother. "Send them the report. If they can get a confession, great. If not… Then I'm sorry. But I won't go back there."

"Alright. I'm gonna go get these typed up and sent out." Antonio spoke as he stood up, placing a kiss to the top of her head as he walked by. "Take all the time you need, but I'm done with ya, sis." He told her, rubbing her shoulder. She put her hand on top of his, as she felt him squeeze her shoulder softly.

"Thanks Antonio." She whispered, and he gave her a smile.

"No thanks necessary." After giving her another kiss, he left the room, shutting the door behind him, closing Matt and Gabby off from the rest of the world.

Once they were alone, Matt focused his attention back solely on Gabby, watching her intently as she was fidgeting in her seat. When she finally looked up at him, she found him watching her with a small smile.

"I'm so proud of you." He spoke, warmth filling him when he saw a smile fall onto her face. She leaned forward, letting him pull her into his arms, needing nothing more in this moment than him.

He held her close, rubbing up and down her back, occasionally placing kisses to her forehead.

After a few minutes, he'd noticed her body had become much more relaxed than it had been moments prior. "You ready to get outta here?" Matt asked quietly, feeling her grip on him slack slightly, Gabby pulling back out of his embrace.

"Yeah, I am. Let's go home." A wide smile broke out onto his face at her words, Matt nodding in agreement as he stood up, holding out his hand for her to grasp onto. She held on tightly, letting him guide her up and towards the door.

When they got out into the bullpen, they stopped momentarily at Antonio's desk, Gabby saying a quick goodbye to her brother. "Oh, I almost forgot. The police department there is done with your stuff from your apartment, they wanna know what to do with it."

Gabby spared a quick glance at Matt, who simply smiled. "Have them send it to the apartment." He responded. Antonio looked to Gabby quickly, searching for affirmation from her, which she gave instantly.

"Okay, I'll tell them. I'll come see you tomorrow, alright?"

"Sounds good, Antonio."

* * *

Gabby followed Matt into the apartment, her body shivering slightly as she transitioned from the cold evening air to the warmth the safety of their home gave them. Matt latched the lock on the door, turning to face Gabby who was standing near the island in the kitchen.

"You hungry?" He asked her, taking small steps towards her, ending up by her side.

"Not really, just tired." She shrugged, Matt's hand finding the small of her back. He'd seen how tired she was all day, their afternoon spent at the district draining her physically and emotionally. Her eyes were tired and her movements were sluggish, and he was sure all she really wanted was to go to bed.

The two stood in the comfortable silence around them for a few moments, Gabby's head lulling to the side in contentment from Matt's hand moving softly along her back.

"When do you work again?" She whispered, neither of them having mentioned work aside from his accident.

"Well, shift's tomorrow but I'm still on my leave. I'm not sure, really." He spoke quietly, leaning and resting his elbow down on the island. "It'll just depend, I'll probably take it day by day." Her eyes opened as she looked to him. "You're back, so that's one less thing distracting me from the job, but we've still got a lot of things to figure out, things to work through. And until we're all good, I don't know if me working is the best idea." He murmured, seeing her nod apprehensively, both of them knowing they had some hard conversations ahead.

"But none of that tonight," He assured her, seeing her release a soft breath. Clearly she wasn't up for a long talk tonight either. "I'd say all we should do right now is get something to eat, and maybe watch some football." She scoffed lightly at the idea, moving her hand to brush over his face.

"You sure that's how you want to spend tonight?" She challenged, raising her eyebrows. That got his attention, as he lifted his head up, eyeing her with a hint of excitement in his eyes.

"Depends, what do you have in mind?"

"You'll just have to come with me and find out." She spoke, reaching for his hand before walking towards the bedroom.

* * *

**And here's another one. I hope you all enjoyed this. It's been so fun getting to write sweet Dawsey, because I miss it so much. **

**I know there's still a lot of conversations Matt and Gabby need to have, but I didn't want to rush it (especially now that I've decided to keep this story going). And seeing as how a lot of the things they need to work out are heavy topics, I don't think it's something they'd sit down and hash out all at once. But those conversations with definitely be coming soon, gotta have some pain to even out the fluff, right? **

**Thanks again for all the love and support you all have given this story. I know I say it often, but it's still crazy to me how many of you like it. To everyone who's read this story, favorited it, left a review, etc., from the bottom of my heart, thank you.**


	12. Chapter Twelve

**Yes, here's another chapter. I honestly don't know what's gotten into me, but I've been feeling very inspired here lately with this story. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Twelve**_

* * *

Matt groaned as he felt a shiver course through his body, the chill pulling him from his slumber, the cold telling him that sometime during the night Gabby had shifted from his grasp. Reaching out to pull Gabby back into his embrace, he was expecting his hands to find her waist, but instead he was met with nothing but a cold bed sheet. Opening his eyes, it took him a moment to adjust to the darkness, finding Gabby's side of the bed empty, and it seemingly had been for awhile. Sitting up, he saw a dim flashing light coming from the living room, telling him the tv was on, and he could hear something playing at a low volume.

He swung his legs off the side of the bed, picking up his phone from the nightstand to check the time, the light blinding him momentarily before his eyes adjusted.

_3:08AM_

He wasn't sure why Gabby was awake, or how long she'd been awake for, but he was determined to find out.

While checking the time, Matt noticed he had a message from Severide.

'_Hey man, wanted to know if I can let everyone know Gabby's back? They've been worried about her, and you. Just let me know what you want me to do.'_

Blowing out a sigh, Matt knew he now had a few questions to ask her. Getting out of bed, he aimlessly felt around the room until he found his boxers that had been thrown from the bed earlier in the night, sliding them on before heading for the living room. He decided against trying to find his shirt, figuring it would take too long in the dark.

Walking out into the living room, he found his shirt rather quickly as he saw Gabby sitting on the couch, his shirt covering her body, and the blanket from the back of the couch wrapped around her lower half. She was curled up into herself, her eyes plastered on whatever was playing on the tv screen in front of her.

"There you are."

She jumped slightly, her eyes locking with his, not expecting him to be awake.

"You scared me." She spoke lightly, putting her hand over her chest for effect as he walked closer to the couch. "Did I wake you up?" Matt turned on the lamp near the couch before sitting down, Gabby lowering the volume on the tv.

"No you didn't." He spoke with a soft smile, patting his hand over her knee. "Everything alright?" He asked her, Gabby pulling at the blanket and throwing some of it over his legs, effectively getting him to move closer to her.

"Yeah, just couldn't sleep." She spoke with a shrug, Matt eyeing her for a moment before nodding. "Why are you up?"

"I was cold." He said sheepishly, his eyebrow raised, watching a grin fall to her face.

"So, uh, I got a text from Kelly last night, after we fell asleep." Matt spoke, Gabby's eyes finding his as she waited for him to continue. "He wanted to know if he could tell the house you're back." He saw her begin to shift uncomfortably beside him, her eyes falling down. He ran his thumb softly over her blanket covered knee, waiting for her response.

"Uh, he can tell them I'm back, if he wants." She blew out a breath, "but I don't want them knowing what happened." She looked back up at him as she spoke, Matt trying to gauge where her head was at.

"Okay, I'll let him know." He replied, Gabby's hand coming to rest on top of his. "But you do know no one will judge you for what happened, or treat you differently, if that's what you're worried about."

"It's not that, I just- The people who need to know, they know. You and Antonio, as far as I'm concerned, are the only people who need to know what happened." He felt her squeeze the top of his hand as she spoke. "I know Kelly knows some of it, but I really don't think it's necessary anyone else knows."

"Okay, if that's what you want, we don't need to tell anyone else." While he didn't completely agree with it, he'd do whatever she wanted to do here. Everything was up to her, so he wouldn't fight her on it, or go against what she wanted.

"That's what I want." She told him with a soft smile. "At least for right now."

"Then that's what we'll do." He confirmed, smiling as she leaned her body into his, adjusting the blanket as she fell into his embrace. Her head rested against his bare chest, her hand coming to rest there as well, feeling the steady beat of his heart under her fingertips.

They sat there in a comfortable silence for awhile, Gabby feeling Matt's breathing even out, figuring he fell asleep. She hadn't planned on staying out here for the rest of the night, but laying on the couch with Matt like this wasn't the worst way to sleep.

She had almost let her exhaustion take over, the continuous rising and falling of his chest lulling her to sleep, until she felt him take a deep, shaky breath. She'd heard that sound from him before, an action that almost always meant he was trying to keep himself together.

With furrowed eyebrows and concern shining in her eyes, she pulled back from him, finding herself fully awake as soon as she saw the tears hiding in his blue eyes.

"Matt- what's wrong?" She adjusted her body to be able to face him, her arm moving to rest behind him, placing her hand on the back of his neck. She ran her fingertips along his hairline lightly, knowing how that usually relaxed him.

"I'm so sorry, Gabby." He whispered out, her eyes narrowing slightly as confusion covered her face.

"What? What are you sorry for?" She had no idea what had gotten him so worked up, but whatever it was must have been weighing heavily on his mind for awhile.

"I should've been there."

"Matt…"

"No. don't say it's okay. Or that it's not my fault, because it is." He spoke firmly. Gabby knew he'd been holding onto guilt over what had happened to her, but she had no idea it ran this deep. "I should've been there with you, you never should've been alone." A single tear fell down his cheek, Gabby feeling tears well within her own eyes. "If I was there, they might've never broken into your apartment."

"There's no way to know that-" She tried to interject, but he just shook his head.

"But even if they had still tried, I would've been there to protect you. I could've-" His coughing stopped his sentence, Matt desperately trying to keep his emotions in check.

"Matt, look at me." She spoke quietly, his eyes refusing to meet hers as he kept his head down. "Matt." She tried again, watching as he reluctantly lifted his head. "This is not your fault."

"Gabby-"

"Listen to me." She spoke quickly, effectively cutting him off. "This isn't your fault. Nothing that happened to me in Puerto Rico happened because of you. I know you feel guilty, I know you think you could've changed things. And maybe that's true. But, even if you had been there, there's the very real possibility that you would've been hurt too. And there's no telling how badly. That would've killed me, you getting hurt because of me." She admitted, Matt taking a slow breath. "If you won't stop blaming yourself for you, do it for me. Please." She pleaded. "Because seeing you beat yourself up over this is not helping either of us."

There was a silence in the air surrounding them for a few seconds, Gabby hoping Matt was starting to believe her.

He cleared his throat, Gabby wiping away a tear falling down his cheek. "I'll try." A soft smile fell onto her face at his words. "For you, I'll try."

Gabby leaned forward, placing a soft kiss to his lips, feeling him lean into her touch almost desperately. When they pulled back, she could still see the guilt in his gaze. While she knew there was no way for him to immediately stop feeling responsible, she prayed that he'd realize he wasn't at fault sooner rather than later.

"Thank you." She replied, using her hand around his neck to pull him back to her, their lips meeting again.

"I still should've been there." He whispered against her lips, Gabby releasing a sigh as she opened her eyes. Clearly they hadn't made much progress. "That's not what I mean." He continued, their faces separating completely, confusion written across her face. "You asked me to go with you, I should've. I wanted to." He admitted, Gabby removing her hand from his neck as it fell into her lap.

"I thought about it over and over," he continued when she hadn't said anything. "From the moment you left, to at least a month after, so many times I thought about packing my bags, hopping on a plane, and going to be with you."

Gabby was now the one to avert her eyes, focusing on her fingers which were pulling at the blanket.

"Why didn't you?" Her voice was barely audible, Matt hardly hearing her.

"I was scared." He confessed, her head snapping up. "I knew we had a lot of problems, most of which had gotten swept under the rug. We figured we'd deal with them when you came back, and then-" he cut himself off, Gabby's eyelids shutting tightly. "I was scared that we wouldn't be able to work it out, that since we'd made no progress since our fight, everything would be exactly the same as it had been. That we'd fall into the old routine of fighting and then not dealing with it." He paused momentarily, wanting to give her a second to really hear what he was saying.

"But I knew everything would only be much worse, because we'd be in a different place. One of us wouldn't have been able to go out to Molly's when we needed some space, or I wouldn't have had Kelly to go to... Who knows, maybe the change of scenery would've forced us to deal with our problems, but it scared me Gabby."

She hadn't said anything, and he didn't know what kind of reaction to expect from her.

"I know letting you go meant I'd lost you, but… I don't know how to explain it, I thought that was better than me going with you and ending up losing you anyway. I figured that would be easier than me moving with you, and us not being able to make it work." He waiting to see if she'd respond, but she hadn't. "I'm sorry I was too scared to fight for us. Because truthfully, looking back at it now, I do think we would've been okay. But at the time, it terrified me." He spoke honestly.

Matt decided he'd done enough explaining, wanting to hear where Gabby's head was at, what she was thinking.

"I'm really sorry, Matt." She eventually whispered, forcing herself to look at him.

"Gabby, that's not why-"

"I need you to know how sorry I am, for all of it." There was no hiding the vulnerability in her voice, nor hiding the tears escaping down her cheeks. "For our fight, for going in the first place, for leaving you… I'm so sorry."

"We don't need to get into all this right now." He deflected, rubbing his hand over her arm. "I just wanted you to know why I didn't go with you."

"I didn't exactly make it easy on you. And we do need to talk about it."

"Yeah, but this conversation doesn't need to be done in the middle of the night." He tried, being met by a stern glance from her.

"We have to talk about it, Matt. We can't avoid it, act like it never happened." She could see him tensing beside her. "That won't fix anything." Reluctantly, he nodded.

"Okay."

Matt waited for Gabby to gather herself, watching her closely as she thoughtfully chose the right words to say.

"You will never know how much I regret what I did to you. I know we had our issues, but instead of dealing with them, I ran away… When I first decided to go, I thought that's what would be best for us, to give each other some time. At least for me, I think I needed space to wrap my mind around everything, to try and figure out how to move on from everything that had happened. I probably should've told you that, and let you know where I was at. But I never meant for it to be the thing that ruined us. I didn't leave with the intention of not coming back, I just needed time." She spoke honestly. "But I did leave, and you never did anything to deserve that. No matter what happened between us, you never deserved me leaving you." She saw the flicker of hurt that flashed in his eyes as she spoke.

"I know we both said things before I left, things we shouldn't have, but I know you were just trying to protect me. I couldn't see it at the time, or I refused to, but I know you were scared. I know you were trying to do what you thought was best for all of us, and instead of us talking about it, I left. You deserved better than that."

"It's not just on you Gabby." He interjected, "I said horrible things to you, and honestly, a little space probably would've done us some good. I mean, I do wish you would've told me that before, that you needed time, but I get it. We'd been through so much, even before the pregnancy stuff, maybe space would've helped us. I just… never dreamed you wouldn't come back." He knew he needed to be as honest as possible, but that didn't make it easy to say this to her.

Taking a deep breath, Gabby nodded. "I never planned on not coming back, it was always supposed to be temporary." Her mind fixated on something else he'd brought up, knowing they needed to talk about it. They needed to air out everything, before it ruined them again. "And I know a lot of the problems we were having before, they were because of me. I know I kept things from you- everything with Bria, and then Cordova. I never meant to leave you out of things, I just… I don't even know why I was doing it. But I saw what it was doing to you, and I'm sorry."

"While all that stuff was happening it just felt like... it felt like you couldn't trust me. That I'd done something to make you not want to come to me for help, and it hurt. Because I didn't know what I'd done… And I guess that played into me not going to Puerto Rico, because part of me still felt like that."

"That was never my intention, Matt. I never want you to think I don't trust you. I trust you more than anyone else. Even after all of this, that hasn't changed. With Cordova, that had nothing to do with you. That whole situation turned into a mess so quickly, I never meant to keep it from you. But I did and I'm sorry."

"And then with Bria, I think with that, I knew I was keeping you at arms length. I guess… I know you've been weary of me getting involved with things in the past, that you think I jump into things without thinking, which, to be fair, is true. And I guess I would've rather dealt with the fallout of keeping you at a distance and be able to help this girl, than let you talk me out of it."

He furrowed his eyebrows at the last part, her words causing a bad feeling in his stomach. "I wouldn't have tried to talk you out of it, I just wanted you to be safe." He explained, letting their conversation sink in before he said anymore. "But I guess I understand why you thought I might… I've been unfair to you in the past, in situations like that. I've been quick to judge when you try to help people, and that's not okay." The realization had just dawned on him, her reasoning making more and more sense to him. But something was still bothering him. "I hope you know it was never me trying to tell you what to do, or keep you from helping people. I was just trying to protect you." He spoke, Gabby nodding. "I know how you get, when you put your all into helping other people. You have the biggest heart, Gabby, but you tend to forget about yourself, so I guess I always felt the need to look out for you when you weren't."

"I know. I know your intentions were always good, Matt. And, like I said, I haven't made it easy on you, even before Puerto Rico. I don't know if you know this, but I'm kind of stubborn." She joked, feeling her heart swell when he gave her a small smile.

"Really? Who knew." He teased back, squeezing her arm gently.

"I know the past year has been hard on us," Gabby started again, "but me leaving you was the worst thing I could've done. It was wrong, and I know how much that hurt you. I wouldn't blame you if you hated me forever, because no matter what we'd been through, you didn't deserve me doing that to you."

"I'm not gonna lie to you, it hurts Gabby. And, I don't know, maybe a part of me will always hurt because of it. But I could never hate you, even though there were times I wanted to." He admitted, his eyes falling down to his lap. "I just… it killed me, knowing I wasn't enough for you anymore."

"Matt-" She immediately tried to interject, but he shook his head.

"It's okay, Gabby. We both know it's the truth, I think a part of me has always known it. You were happier there than you had been with me in years, maybe more than you'd ever been with me." Pain was evident in his voice, a sad smile falling onto his face. "That last time we facetimed before you came back, when you were at work, I hadn't seen you look that happy and relaxed in a long time. I don't even think I'm able to make you that happy." He sounded defeated, and it broke her heart. She didn't know how to explain to him that it wasn't true, she was sure he wouldn't believe her. But she had to try.

"I won't lie to you, Matt. My job there, it did make me happy. It honestly did. But how I felt there, is nothing compared to how I feel with you." She spoke honestly, hoping her words resonated with him. "I was happy, for awhile. But when I made the decision to stay there, after I came back to get my stuff, my work there slowly stopped giving me that feeling. It felt more like a chore, than something I loved. I realized that why I was so happy, was because while I knew I was there helping people, I knew it was temporary. That happiness you saw, I was able to feel that because I knew, eventually, I'd be coming home. I just hate it took me leaving to realize that. I wish I'd known before I agreed to stay." She hoped she was explaining herself well, that he was understanding what she meant. Still, he looked apprehensive.

Grabbing his chin, she locked eyes with him. "I need you to believe me, there is no doubt in my mind that you make me the happiest, Matt. But you have to know, you're more than enough for me. I know now that I can't be truly happy if I'm not with you. And I wish I could take it back, I wish I didn't take you for granted. That I knew what I had before I threw it away. I'll never be able to express how sorry I am, for all of this." He nodded within her grip, Gabby dropping her hand from his face.

"Can I ask you something?" Matt asked cautiously, seeing her nod. "...Did you think about what it meant for us, for me, you staying there?"

"Of course I did." She responded quickly, almost hurt by the question. But she understood it. "I knew it would end us, even though that's not what I wanted-"

"Then why did you do it?" He cut in, not able to stop himself.

"Because I was scared." She responded quickly. "I guess it was the same fear you had about going with me, I had about coming back." She admitted, Matt remaining silent.

"I messed up, I know I did. But it felt like everything here just blew up. Everything was falling apart and I got scared. So instead of coming back to deal with it, I hid from it. Being there was easier, so I stayed." She was sure that wasn't the answer he was looking for, but she couldn't lie to him.

"I'm not proud of it. For throwing away everything we had. But believe me when I tell you, staying in Puerto Rico never crossed my mind until the job was offered. I never planned on it, but I couldn't stop thinking about everything here. I was terrified to come back, and maybe see that what had happened to us wasn't fixable. That we'd both done irreparable damage to us. I was afraid, so I did what was easiest, and decided to stay."

He slowly nodded, not sure what to do with that. He understood her fear, because he'd had the same fear all those months ago, part of him still did. But it didn't make it any less painful that she chose to give up on them. Though he imagined she felt that same pain, hearing he gave them up too by not going after her. He knew the situations weren't exactly the same, his fear coming from the fact she had already given up on them, but he knew he had to accept it. He couldn't hold onto any resentment towards her when they'd both done the same thing. Holding a grudge against her would do nothing except make them go backwards, and that was the last thing he wanted. They couldn't change what happened, they could only grow from it and move on.

"Okay." He whispered, Gabby watching him closely.

"I know I haven't given you a lot of reason to trust me lately, to trust us. But I swear to you, I realize now that I don't want us to be apart ever again. I should've known it before, I should've trusted our relationship and what we had, but I didn't. There's no excuse for it, all I can do is make sure you know how much I regret it. And that I'm not going anywhere." She told him, her voice strong. "I'll remind you as much as you need me to, I'll show you as much as I can. But I promise you, I want this. I want us to be okay, to be able to move on from this. I want you. If that's what you want."

She'd laid it all out there, and now all she could do was wait. There were no more secrets between them, no more wondering why she'd done what she did. It was all out in the open, now it was up to him with how they moved forward.

"It's what I want." He said after a few moments, Gabby releasing a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding. "I've always wanted you, I guess I just didn't do a great job of showing it at times. But I want us to work. You're my life, Gabby."

The smile she gave him made a warmth spread through his body, her hand moving to rest on his shoulder.

"I don't know how long it'll take for the sting of all this to wear off. I don't want to lie to you and tell you I'm completely fine with it, but I know I hurt you too. I'm not innocent in all this, we both made mistakes that led us here, I know that." He admitted. "But I also know, in time, it'll be okay. I just may need some reminders every once in awhile that you're not going anywhere." The amount of vulnerability and honesty in his voice shocked her, but it also showed her how far they'd come. If they'd tried to have this conversation months ago, it would've had a very different outcome. His words gave her hope, that they really were learning from their past mistakes. That they would be able to overcome this, and anything else life threw at them.

"I'll remind you as much as you need me to. I'm not going anywhere." She spoke again, letting him lead them into another kiss, their lips moving together in a slow rhythm, both of them needing the intimate contact.

* * *

"And Herrmann is still acting Lieutenant, he will be until further notice." Boden spoke, Kelly's eyes dancing around the conference room as he looked at his coworkers. He was perched in his usual spot up against the wall, the space on the wall beside him empty.

During their roll call, Kelly tried to get a read on Boden, and if he knew anything. After waking up to Matt's text this morning, telling him what he could and couldn't say, he figured Boden didn't know what happened to Gabby in Puerto Rico. But he was wondering if Boden had any clue was she back.

"That's all for this morning, let's have a good shift, get everyone home safely." He dismissed them, Kelly pushing himself off the wall.

"Actually, Chief-" Kelly started, effectively stopping everyone from leaving. "I have something to say."

"Go on, Severide."

"I just wanted to let you guys know, that uh… Dawson's back." He figured it best to just rip off the bandaid. As he suspected, there was evident shock in the faces of everyone in the room. When no one said a word, he kept talking. "She's been back a few days, she's with Casey." Kelly chose his words carefully. He knew everyone was aware _something_ had been wrong with her, with Antonio's insistence on needing to know if they'd heard from her a few weeks back, and Matt's strange behavior lately, they knew something had been going on. They just didn't know what, and Matt had been very clear they weren't supposed to know.

"Is she okay?" Brett spoke first, Kelly finding Boden's eyes, the look in them showing Severide that his Chief had no idea she was back in Chicago.

"She is." Kelly decided to give nothing more than that, not wanting to draw more questions than the ones he already knew were coming.

"Do you know what happened?" Cruz asked next, everyone watching Kelly closely.

"I don't." Kelly sighed, deciding to give them as much as he could. He didn't like lying to them, and it felt like that's what he was doing. "I went to visit Matt the morning after last shift, to check in on him, and she was there. I didn't see her, but Matt said she'd be okay."

A few of the group nodded slowly, others remaining neutral in their reactions.

"So she's not actually okay, at least right now?" Herrmann asked, picking up on Kelly's wording. Releasing a deep breath, Kelly responded.

"I don't know, guys. Like I said, I didn't see her, and Casey didn't tell me anything. All he told me is what I just told you, I really don't know any more than that." He told them, seeing a few nods around the room.

"So you don't know if she's back for good?" Brett asked the question everyone had been thinking. And while Kelly had an idea, he wasn't going to tell them definitively based on a hunch from something Casey had said.

"I don't know."

There was a silence that fell over the room, Boden nodding to Kelly, signaling he wanted to have a private conversation. Chief exited the room rather quickly, Kelly beginning to head out after him when Herrmann's voice stopped him.

"Should we reach out to her?" It was an innocent question, something they probably felt like they should do. She had been apart of this family for so long. But if Matt's text was any indication, that would probably be the last thing Gabby wanted right now.

"I wouldn't." Kelly replied instantly, turning back around to face the group. They eyed him curiously, Kelly knowing he'd have to give more of a explanation. "Probably best to not overwhelm her right now." He covered. "She's with Casey, and she has Antonio. I'd let her come to you, let her get her bearings."

Herrmann kept an eye on Kelly, almost as if he knew Severide wasn't saying something. But he didn't question it, as Kelly took the opportunity to leave the room. He followed the usual path to Boden's office, seeing the man in question leaning against the front of his desk. Kelly entered the office, shutting the door behind him.

"Chief."

"What you said in there, is that really all you know?" Boden asked, figuring Severide might have been told more than he let on. "Do you know what happened in Puerto Rico?"

"I don't Chief. The only thing I know is Antonio thought she was missing, and then the night you sent Casey home, she showed up at their place." He knew there was no use in lying to Boden, and seeing as how he didn't actually know what happened to Gabby, he didn't feel like he was betraying her. At least he hoped he wasn't. "And when I was there, Casey couldn't get me out of there fast enough. He asked me to leave." Boden nodded at the information he was given.

"So you didn't see her?"

"No, I didn't. I don't know what all happened, but if the way Casey's acting says anything, it's not good. Although I'm not sure if we'll ever know what actually happened to her." Kelly spoke, Boden raising his eyebrows in confusion. "I texted Matt and asked him what he wanted me to do, if he wanted me to let people know she was back. He told me Gabby said that was fine, but she made it very clear she didn't want anyone here knowing what happened."

"Did he say why?"

"No, he didn't, you'd have to ask him." Kelly spoke, a soft sigh falling from his lips. He had some ideas as to why Gabby had her reservations around everyone here, but he wasn't about to voice them.

He saw the worry covering Boden's face, clearly concerned for his former paramedic.

"She'll be okay, Chief. Matt will make sure of it."

* * *

Matt was pulled from his peaceful slumber as he heard his phone ringing loudly, the object buzzing on the coffee table. Blinking rapidly, Matt began to gather himself, surprised by his surroundings as he realized he was still in the living room.

"Are you gonna answer that?" Gabby groaned, snuggling herself deeper into Matt's chest as they laid together on the couch. He hadn't remembered falling asleep out here, but they clearly had. Last he remembered, Gabby was curled into his chest, him sitting up while they sat together, both of them feeling a sense of peace after their talk. At some point, they had to have fallen into a more comfortable position, as now Matt was lying flat on the couch, Gabby's body flush on top of his, their legs tangled together as the blanket kept them warm.

He chuckled at her as the ringing stopped, Gabby feeling the vibrations against her body as his shook lightly. Matt ran his hand up and down her side, placing a soft kiss to the side of her head as they enjoyed their current position.

"How'd we end up sleeping out here, anyway?" He asked, mindlessly playing with her hair between his fingertips.

"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure I fell asleep before you. You could've at least carried me to bed." She teased him, tightening her grip around his bare waist.

"I could've, but I'm pretty comfortable here right now."

"Me too."

Matt's phone dinged, signaling that whoever had called left him a voicemail. Seeing as how she was in a better position to do so, Gabby leaned over, grabbing the phone from the table, turning the screen on. He saw her face falter slightly, before she looked to him.

"It's Boden."

Matt nodded, taking the phone from her. Truthfully, after getting Kelly's text last night, he was fully expecting to hear from Boden at some point today. Glancing at the time, he saw shift would've only started about twenty minutes ago, so Matt figured everyone already knew what was going on. Putting the phone to his ear, he listened to the voicemail.

'_Casey, Kelly just told us about Dawson. Call me when you can. I hope she's doing okay.'_

From her close proximity, Gabby could hear Boden's short message as well.

"I should probably go call him back." Matt said, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, you should." She pulled herself from his arms, the two of them adjusting to a sitting position on the couch. Gabby wrapped the blanket tightly around herself, Matt leaning over and kissing her temple. He stood up, intent on walking to the bedroom but Gabby's hand on his arm stopped him.

"What is that?" She asked, Matt looking back at her with confusion.

"What?" He asked, seeing her eyes glued to his back. He felt her fingertips come up and trace along his lower back, stopping at the waistband on his boxers.

"You have a huge bruise on your back." She spoke, concern laced in her words. She wasn't sure how she hadn't seen it until now, but the severity of it worried her. It covered his spine, taking up the entirety of his lower back, before disappearing under his boxers.

"It must've happened in the explosion." He spoke wearily, knowing he hadn't told her the extent of what happened to him during the call. Her eyes trailed up his back, finding his eyes as his head was still turned. "I'm okay." He promised, turning himself to face her. "I didn't even know it was there, it doesn't hurt." He assured her, seeing her hesitantly nod.

He leaned down, kissing her softly before pulling back. "I'm gonna go call Boden, then you think you could change my dressing for me?" He asked her, trying to shift her attention from the bruise on his back.

"Yeah, of course." He smiled, giving her one more kiss before retreating to the bedroom. When he got in there, before making the call he quickly pulled on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, needing to warm himself up. Sitting down onto the bed, he dialed Boden's number, placing the phone by his ear.

"_Casey?_" Boden had answered after the first two rings.

"Hey Chief."

"_How's Dawson doing?_"

"She's okay, taking it day by day."

"_Kelly said he didn't know much about what happened, just that Antonio thought she was missing…_" He trailed off, Matt knowing he was wanting answers.

"Chief, I… I'm sorry, but Gabby doesn't really want everyone knowing."

"_Yeah, I figured that would be the answer._" He sighed, but Matt could tell he wasn't upset, just worried._ "But just make sure she knows we've been worried about her._"

"Of course, I will Chief."

"_Okay. If either of you need anything, don't be afraid to call. And don't worry about shift, just do what you need to do Casey._"

"I will, thank you. I appreciate it, and I know Gabby does too."

"_I know I don't need to tell you this but… make sure she gets through this._ _Whatever it is._"

"I will, Chief. I got her. Always."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I really don't know what's gotten into me, with like 3 chapters in less than a week, but I figure you all don't mind. **

**I really liked writing out Matt and Gabby's talk, but boy did scare me. That part might be the hardest thing I've written so far, just because it's so important. I hope none of you were disappointed by it, I tried to make it as 'them' and realistic as I possibly could, or at least how I think they'd handle it. **

**If you have a minute, I'd love to hear some feedback. Thank you all for your continued support!**


	13. Chapter Thirteen

**Back with another chapter for you all, hope you enjoy! Also, thank you guys so much for over 200 reviews on this story. That's so crazy to me, thank you to everyone who takes the time the read this and leave their thoughts.**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirteen**_

* * *

Gabby watched as he disappeared into the bedroom, hearing him walking around before settling on the bed. Figuring it was better to get up instead of lounging around all morning, Gabby pushed herself up off the couch, folding the blanket up, returning it to its rightful place. She turned the tv off, fixing the pillows before heading towards the guest room. There was a slight chill in the air, the cold winter air seeping its way into their home, Matt's shirt doing little to keep her warm.

She walked in, seeing her things strewn across the bed as she'd left them. When her and Matt decided she was going to stay here, she had every intention of putting away what clothes she did have with her, but other things kept coming up, keeping her from being able to complete her task. So she'd been living from these boxes for the past few days. Truthfully, she couldn't wait until her things from Puerto Rico to arrive, so she'd at least have more of her own clothes to wear. But what she had would do for now.

Grabbing a pair of old sweatpants, she slid them over her bare legs, tying the string around the waist as the once well-fitting material was now hanging a bit loose on her body. She'd known she'd lost weight amidst all the chaos, the stress of everything affecting her in multiple ways. She wasn't stick thin, but she'd lost some of the meat on her bones, enough that it was noticeable. Truthfully, she was surprised Matt hadn't mentioned it, although she had noticed on more than one occasion him keeping an eye on her while they ate.

She wasn't really sure why he hadn't brought it up, except for thinking he probably just assumed it was from the stress of the attack. Which, to an extent, was true. But she'd be lying if she said she hadn't noticed the change in her appearance since before those issues started. The main cause had started well before then, coming from the stress of everything surrounding the two of them, Gabby having had to force herself to eat some days. In some ways she was glad Matt hadn't brought it up, even though he surely had noticed the significant weight loss. Because if he had mentioned it, she wouldn't lie to him, and the last thing she wanted was him feeling more guilt.

Blowing out a sigh, she glanced around the limited selection of things she did have. It couldn't hurt to get a few more things to hold her over until her stuff came, she'd have to add that to list of things she needed to do.

Turning off the light, she exited the guest room, heading back out into the living room. She heard Matt still on the phone with Boden and decided to leave him be. She started walking towards the kitchen, intent on making her and Matt some breakfast, but was stopped by a knock on the front door.

While she wasn't expecting him so early, she figured it was Antonio as she walked back through the apartment, heading for the door. But her stomach sank when she looked through the peephole, seeing a woman she'd never met before. But somehow she knew exactly who this woman was.

Gabby stood there for a second, debating what to do. She didn't want to ignore it, but she also wasn't sure how much longer Matt would be on the phone, and the last thing she wanted to do was make small talk with this woman. When she knocked again, Gabby blew out a shaky breath, slowly unlatching the door and pulling it open.

Naomi was clearly shocked, as she saw her standing there in the apartment. She was probably the last person Naomi expected to see behind the door, the air turning thick as an uncomfortable tension surrounded them.

"So you're back." Gabby couldn't read the tone of her voice, the blonde not giving anything away.

"I am." She spoke softly, crossing her arms across her chest as a defense mechanism.

"That explains why I can't get ahold of Matt…" She trailed off. Gabby didn't know what to say, what Naomi was expecting her to say. "So I guess he forgave you, even though you up and left him."

Gabby didn't know this woman, but she could tell she was looking for a fight. But Gabby had no intention of getting into it with her. She knew, more than anything, Naomi was probably just hurt. That she'd fallen for a guy she couldn't have, and even though Matt had made it clear they weren't anything serious, it still had to hurt. She had no idea what Naomi must've been feeling, she'd never been in the position Naomi was in and the last thing she wanted to do was make this worse. Naomi didn't do anything wrong by being with Matt. He was entitled to do whatever he wanted, Naomi was in no way at fault for that. And Gabby didn't want to cause any more issues here. She knew she needed to try and keep this as civil as possible.

"Listen, Naomi, I'm sorry you got caught in the middle of this. I know Matt never wanted to hurt you, and I'm sorry you-"

"I knew he wasn't over you," Naomi cut her off, "that he still loved you. Anytime you came up, he couldn't even talk about it, and he'd change the subject. He was never over you… and you're taking advantage of that." She spoke bitterly, Gabby's eyes widening at the accusation from this woman who didn't know her. "Even after everything you put him through, he still goes crawling back to you."

"Hey-" Matt's voice cut in, Gabby turning to see him halfway to the door. She wasn't sure what all he heard, but she could see he was irritated. Clearly, he'd heard some of the conversation. "What are you doing here, Naomi?" He asked, stopping by Gabby's side.

"I came by to see why you hadn't been answering my calls, now I know." She spoke, nodding towards Gabby. Releasing a sigh, he turned to Gabby.

"Give us a minute?" He asked, Gabby nodding understandingly. He rubbed over her back before she walked away, Matt waiting until she was in the bedroom and out of sight to continue.

"Listen, I know I should've answered your calls, but things have been hectic-"

"Because of her."

"Naomi, look… I'm sorry, but if I'm being honest here, I never should've started anything with you. I wasn't looking for anything serious, I was looking for something simple." He saw the flash of hurt that crossed her face, but she quickly gathered herself. "I used you as a distraction, and it was wrong. I'm sorry for that, I really am. But you have to understand, I never wanted anything serious here, and if I gave you the wrong impression, I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention. But I know I hurt you and I'm sorry for that." She stood silently for a second, Matt waiting to see what her next move would be.

"Are you saying this because she's back, or because it's how you actually feel?"

"It's the truth. It would still be true, whether Gabby was here or not. Nothing between us would've ever become more than it was, I'm sorry. But I never should've gotten involved with you in the first place. Gabby, she's… she's everything to me, and I made a mistake by-"

"You know she's just gonna hurt you again, right?" She cut in, fuming. "You all were married and that didn't stop her from leaving you before. What's to stop her from doing it again? Maybe try having a kid, that might get her to stay."

Matt's eyes fell closed momentarily, Naomi's cheap shot hitting him like a punch to the gut. He knew she didn't know trying to get pregnant was a big part of what tore him and Gabby apart, but regardless it was a low blow. He gave himself a second to calm down, knowing blowing up at her would only prolong her visit.

"Naomi, you have no idea of what all happened between me and Gabby, or her reasons for leaving, alright?" He tried to explain, his voice firm, but she only rolled her eyes. "You barely know me, don't act like you know her." He shot, feeling the need to defend Gabby before reeling in his emotions. "Look, I really am sorry I hurt you, I am, but don't drag Gabby into this. Be mad at me, you have every right to be upset. But don't take it out on her." He spoke sternly. "This is all on me."

"You're right, I do have every right to be mad at you." She spoke bitterly, turning to walk away. "Bye Matt, I hope for your sake, she doesn't break your heart again."

He sighed deeply as she walked away, shutting the door. He never meant to hurt somebody else in all this, but he'd never apologize for being with Gabby. All he could apologize for was getting involved with her at all, even though he knew that's not what she wanted to hear.

"You okay?" Gabby's soft voice broke him from his thoughts, Matt turning around to see her walking slowly towards him. He didn't say anything, he just walked to meet her in the living room, wrapping his arms around her and hugging her tightly.

They stood in each other's embrace for a few quiet moments, Gabby able to feel Matt's body relax in her hold. "I love you so much." He whispered into her hair.

"I know, I love you too."

They pulled apart, Matt bringing his hand up to rest on the side of her face. "I'm sorry you got put in the middle of that. I should've called her and ended… whatever we were as soon as you and I talked about it, but I got so sidetracked with everything." He explained.

"It's fine Matt, really." She assured him, wrapping her arms around his waist, effectively pulling them closer together.

"I feel bad for all of this... I hurt her, I hurt you, I really just screwed up everything, didn't I?" He asked what she was sure to be a rhetorical question. He was trying to play it off, but she could see how upset this all made him.

"I know you feel bad, Matt. You're not a bad guy, you don't set out to hurt people. I'd be more surprised if you didn't regret everything that happened. But all we can do is move past it." She reminded him, watching a small smile appear on his face, followed by a nod.

"So," Matt started, wanting to change the subject, "what's on the agenda for today?"

"Well, there's a few things I'd like to do." She spoke, biting her bottom lip.

"Name it."

"I figured we could go and get me some more clothes. I know my stuff is coming, but, I'd like to get some more things to hold me over till then, if that's okay?"

"Of course it's okay." He spoke, pecking her lips lightly. "What else?"

"We definitely need to do some grocery shopping, I know you'd gotten quite used to the bachelor life, but I don't really want to live off beer and pizza." She teased, earning a playful glare from him.

"Not funny." He spoke, Gabby rubbing her thumb over his back.

"And then once we get back, you think you could help me put the rest of my stuff away?" She asked, knowing that would make him happy. As she suspected, a warm smile fell to his face, his features lighting up.

"That I can definitely do."

"Alright, well the first step here is I need to shower, and so do you. You kind of stink." She told him, tapping his chest while scrunching her nose.

"That can be arranged." He spoke, placing a soft kiss to her lips before dragging her to the bedroom.

* * *

"We also need to get some more bandages, and neosporin while we're at the store. I used the last of what we had wrapping your arm." Gabby reminded him as he drove through the streets of Chicago. The two were on their way to a diner to meet up with Antonio for a late breakfast. After their shower, while Gabby and Matt were getting ready Antonio had called the apartment. Gabby was in the process of bandaging his arm when Matt handed the phone to her, the two siblings talking while she covered his burn. He only caught bits and pieces of their conversation, but the next thing Matt knew, Gabby was rushing around in a hurry to finish getting ready, telling him they needed to leave in a few minutes to meet up with Antonio.

"Okay." He responded, pulling into a parking spot about a block away from the diner. Putting the truck in park, he got out, walking around to her side as she climbed out of the vehicle, Matt shutting her door for her. He made sure his truck was locked before the two started walking towards their destination. Gabby reached for his hand, intertwining their fingers as they fell in step with one another.

The two were both quiet during their walk, a comfortable silence settling between the two as they listened to the sounds of the city around them.

"Is he here yet?" Matt asked as he opened the door, letting Gabby walk in ahead of him.

"He should be, he was coming from the district." Her eyes bounced around the restaurant, finding her brother sitting in a booth against the window. "Yeah, there he is." She spoke, walking towards him, Matt following close behind.

"Hey there." Gabby said, Antonio standing up to greet her, placing a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Hey sis." He replied, Gabby sliding down into the booth, "Matt." Antonio nodded towards him, Casey giving him a slight smile before sitting down next to Gabby, Antonio sitting back down as well.

They made small talk until the waitress came to take their order, Gabby listening as Antonio told her about some of the cases he'd been working on lately, the two siblings catching up, Gabby thankful to be able to talk with her brother about everyday things, as opposed to only speaking about her attack. It brought a sense of normalcy back to her, which she greatly appreciated.

During their chat, Matt had remained mostly quiet, his eyes focused on his hands that were clasped together on the table. Gabby had noticed his behavior, noting he'd only looked up when he ordered his food, and since then he'd been quiet. She could tell he was uncomfortable, but she didn't know why.

"So is one of those drug mules how you got the busted lip?" Gabby asked, referring to a case he'd just explained to her. Antonio's eyes flashed to Matt, who had looked up from his hands, his eyes finding Antonio's. Gabby noticed the exchange, feeling Matt tense slightly beside her. Antonio looked away from Casey, releasing a soft chuckle to try and steer the conversation away from her question.

"Yeah, something like that." He responded, Gabby's eyes narrowing as her eyes moved back and forth from her brother to Matt. Casey had relaxed slightly, looking back down to the table. Clearly, she was missing something. But she never got the chance to ask as their waitress had brought them their drinks, and then Antonio effectively changed the subject.

"So, Casey, aren't you usually on shift today?" Antonio asked him. Over the amount of time they'd spent together these past weeks, Antonio had gotten a pretty good idea of Matt's work schedule.

"Uh, no-" Casey cleared his throat, looking up to Gabby with a soft smile, a look she reciprocated. "I'm taking some time off."

"He got hurt last shift." Gabby supplemented, Antonio's gaze flickering over to Casey.

"That's not why I'm not working."

"You okay, Casey?" Antonio had noticed the bandage covering his arm when he went to visit Gabby the night after she got back, but he wasn't exactly focused on anything other than his sister at that point. It never really crossed his mind to ask, figuring he got burned on a call. But Antonio didn't realize it was anything serious enough to keep him from working.

"I'm alright, just a slight burn and some bruises. That's not why I'm taking time off. Boden asked me to leave shift cause I'd been too distracted with everything." He explained, Antonio nodding. "And now, I'm taking time off to be with Gabby, while we figure things out."

"Makes sense." Antonio mused.

"I'm still not entirely convinced you getting hurt isn't part of it…" Gabby spoke, taking a sip of her coffee. Matt chuckled, glancing to her.

"Yeah, I know." He spoke lightly. "But I promise, I'm okay."

Antonio eyed them both as they interacted with one another. This was the first time he'd seen them being carefree together since before Gabby left; it reminded him of how they used to be. He was skeptical of them getting back together, but seeing them right now gave him a bit of hope that they'd be okay. He wanted his sister to be happy, that's all he wanted. And he did know how happy Matt made her, but he also knew how much pain they'd caused each other in the past. And he didn't want her going through that again.

"So you two are gonna try and figure things out?" Antonio broke them out of their bubble, Gabby answering before Matt had the chance to really process the question.

"Of course we are. We are figuring things out." Gabby spoke forcefully, raising her eyebrows at him.

"Alright, no need to bite my head off it was just a question." He defended, being met by a glare from his sister. "I'm just trying to look out for you." He spoke, eyeing Matt who had remained quiet.

"Well stop." She bit back.

Clearing his throat, Matt moved to stand up. "I'm gonna go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." He shot Gabby a small smile before walking through the diner, figuring it best to let the siblings have a private conversation. Gabby sighed, watching him walk away before her eyes narrowed in on her brother, a look of annoyance covering her face.

"What is your problem?"

"Like I said, I'm just wanting to make sure you're okay. You're jumping right back into life with him. Ignoring everything that happened won't fix anything."

"And like I told you, I'm not jumping into anything. He was my husband, Antonio. I appreciate you looking out for me, I do, but you acting like you know every aspect of our relationship isn't helping anything." She shot at him, Antonio taking a deep breath before nodding slowly. "We haven't ignored anything, in fact we spent over an hour this morning talking some things out. We both want this to work, we're both learning from our past mistakes, alright? You've got to trust me with this, Antonio."

"I do. I'm just worried. But I'm not apart of this, I don't see everything that goes on between you two. I know how badly you want this to work, and I know Matt does too… I'll try ease up a little bit."

"Did Antonio Dawson just admit to being wrong about something?" Gabby asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Easy, that's not exactly what I said."

She smiled at him, her eyes drifting past Antonio to look back towards the bathrooms, Matt nowhere in sight.

"Is that all this is about?"

Antonio furrowed his eyebrows, "I don't follow."

"You and Matt, you two are weird around each other. Is it just about him and I getting back together?" The sigh Antonio released told Gabby that wasn't it. "What happened?"

"Him and I weren't exactly on the best of terms after you left." Antonio admitted, Gabby cocking her head to the side, waiting for him to elaborate. "I was pissed at him, and he was angry at… well, everything. We both said some things we shouldn't have. Then we didn't talk for months, our last conversation before all this happened was a few days after you left for good."

"What did you say to him?" She asked him.

A look of discomfort covered his face, as he shifted in his seat. "Something about him giving up on you all, how he should've treated you better… I might've said that it was no wonder you left him."

"Antonio…" She sighed exasperatedly.

"I was mad at him, Gabby. All I knew about what happened was what you told me, and how you thought he didn't love you anymore, what else was I supposed to do? And he said some awful things as well." He defended, even though he knew he'd been too harsh towards Casey.

"What did he say to you?"

"Probably best to let him explain that one…"

"Antonio." She warned, watching her brother's resolve fade.

"He was hurt, Gabby. You'd just left him…" Antonio prefaced, Gabby preparing herself, knowing whatever Matt had said probably wasn't good. "He said he wished you two never got together, because it never meant anything to you anyway." There was more to it than that, but he knew Casey had to be the one to tell her.

He watched a defeated look cover her face, her head falling down into her hands.

"But you two are better now, right?" Even though Antonio wasn't totally on board, he didn't want this to derail the progress the couple had made. "And this was literally right after you left, and I'd already said some things that had upset him. He didn't mean it, Gabs." He tried to soften the blow, even though he knew he hadn't.

Gabby waved him off, taking a deep breath. "I know he didn't mean it, it's not that. It's just I keep getting reminded of how badly I hurt him, that my actions made him think that." She spoke quietly, Antonio frowning. "I know I screwed up, and I'm so thankful he's willing to move on from everything that happened, but I don't know how he's able to." She confided to her brother, glancing back to make sure Matt wasn't coming. "I don't know how he can look at me and not hate me for everything I put him through."

"Because he loves you, Gabby. He's always loved you. And I know he was angry and hurt, but he said himself, he messed up too. He hurt you too. He played a part in why you two fell apart. He's not blind to that." Antonio tried to comfort her the best he could, but he knew the words he was saying would only resonate coming from Matt. "You need to talk to him about this."

She nodded, her eye catching Matt as she saw him heading for the table. "I will. But you and him need to work things out too." She said in a low voice, Antonio nodding in agreement just as Matt got to them. "Hey." She greeted him with a smile, one he reciprocated, but it quickly fell when he met her eyes.

"You okay?" Concern was laced in his words. Clearly her trying to mask her feelings for the time being wasn't convincing enough. But she nodded anyway, knowing they'd be talking things out later.

"I'm good." She told him, leaning into his side, smiling when he pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

* * *

Matt and Gabby walked hand in hand back to his truck, having just parted ways with Antonio after their late breakfast. Matt wasn't sure what all had been discussed while he was hiding out in the bathroom, but the air around them was much lighter when he'd come back, and him and Antonio managed to have some pleasant conversations. It reminded him of how it used to be with the three of them, and the thought comforted him.

He figured that Gabby had given Antonio some kind of talk while he was gone, but whatever had been discussed, he was glad they were able to have a nice meal together without the tension that had been so present between him and Antonio lately.

"So, where to next?" Casey asked her as they climbed in the truck, Matt moving to put his keys in the ignition but Gabby's hand stopped him. He looked to her, his eyebrows raising slightly, seeing a serious look on her face.

"Antonio and I talked, while you in the bathroom, he told me about the last conversation you all had." Matt knew this talk was coming, his hand dropping and moving to the seat as he released a sigh.

"I know I should've told you earlier." He admitted, his hands fidgeting as he looked to her. "I never should've hit him, but I was so-"

"Hit him?! ...You hit him?" She asked with wide eyes, Matt's eyes widening as well. Clearly they were talking about two different things.

"You said you talked to him about our last conversation…" Matt trailed off, confused.

"Yeah, the one a few days after I left." She saw his body tense immediately, realizing he now knew what she was talking about. Immediate regret covered his face as he thought about the things he'd said. "Which we'll get to, but first, what are you talking about, why did you hit him?"

"I was angry." Matt started, "it happened about two weeks ago. Antonio came to the firehouse wanting to know if I'd heard from you, before he told me what all had been going on. It wasn't exactly a pleasant conversation… I tried to get him to tell me what was happening, and he wouldn't. So I went after him when he tried to leave. He kept saying it wasn't my place, that I didn't care about you anymore-" Matt took a deep breath, pausing himself momentarily. "He said he didn't know if I ever cared, and I lost it. So I hit him."

He tried to read Gabby's reaction, but he couldn't get much from her.

"I know I shouldn't have done it, but I just- I don't know, I did it before I could even process what was happening. I was just so angry at what he was saying, but it doesn't excuse what I did. And truthfully, I don't blame him for thinking that. I didn't exactly give him any reasons to think differently…" He trailed off. He could see her trying to process everything, but her silence was making him nervous.

"Gabby?"

Breathing in a deep breath, she responded. "I'm surprised you were able to land one." She spoke lightly, a soft smirk falling to Matt's lips.

"Yeah well, I think I caught him off guard." He joked back, but the air around them quickly turned serious again. "But really Gabby, I'm so sorry."

"I know you are. And I know none of this has been easy. I'm not mad, but maybe next time use your words before using your fist?" He nodded, smiling as she reached for his hand and held it in hers. But he knew they'd only finished half the conversation.

"So, you said Antonio told you about the conversation we'd had after you left…"

"Yeah, he did." She spoke uncomfortably.

"I'm- I don't know how much he told you, but you have to know none of that was true. I just… I was so hurt and upset, and said things I shouldn't have."

"I heard Antonio's side of it, I want to know yours." She spoke apprehensively.

"The conversation started civil enough, for the circumstances. It was the first time I'd heard from him since you left…"

"_How are you holding up, Casey?"_

"_Great, fantastic. Best I've ever been." Matt spoke bitterly into the phone, nursing his umpteenth beer of the night._

"_Matt-"_

"_Have you spoken to her?" He asked as he downed another long sip._

"_I did, this morning."_

"_How'd she sound? Is she having the time of her life?" The words stung as they sarcastically fell from his lips, blinking back the tears in his eyes. _

"_Casey, man, don't do this."_

"_Do what? Wonder how my wife is doing since she left me?" He cried desperately._

"_Yeah, well, you didn't exactly fight for her, did you?" Antonio spat, his emotions getting the better of him._

"_Excuse me?"_

"_You let her leave like it was nothing, you didn't even ask her to stay. You gave up on you two just as much as she did."_

"_How could I have asked her to stay if she wanted to leave? What, you want me to force her to stay here with me?" His voice was getting angrier by the second._

"_No but maybe at least make it known you weren't okay with her leaving, maybe you could've shown her that you love her…"_

"_Are you kidding?! What did she tell you? Because that isn't true. And how could I fight for her when she didn't want to be with me anymore?!"_

"_Is that really what you think? You honestly think she didn't want to be with you?"_

"_What else am I supposed to think?! She left me! She's thousands of miles away, she left our life together like it was nothing!" He yelled, Antonio speaking back at him with just as much force._

"_Yeah, and why didn't you go with her?"_

"_She didn't want to be with me, why should I follow her when she didn't want us together anymore?"_

"_You can't be that stupid, Casey-"_

"_And you can't be that blinded by your sister to not realize that she gave up. Things here got hard and instead of dealing with it, she ran. She ran away from me, from her family here. How are you okay with that? She's a coward!" He yelled, throwing his half-full beer bottle against the wall, the glass shattering as the liquid stained the wall, dripping down onto the floor._

"_Don't you dare. I don't know what all happened between you two, but I do know my sister. She doesn't give up without a fight. Maybe you should've been a better husband. Maybe you should've cared about her more, you ever think of that?"_

"_Dammit Antonio, you and Gabby never stop do you? Both of you have been a constant pain in my ass since I first met you." He drunkenly spoke into the phone, not able to stop the words before they flew from his mouth. "I swear, I wish I never even got together with her. She's done nothing but hurt me. She never cared about me, or us. I never meant anything to her anyway, all I did was waste five years of my life." He spoke angrily, his words dripping with pain. As they left his mouth he knew they weren't true, but his hurt was overriding his sense._

_Antonio had gone silent on the other end, clenching his fists as Matt's harsh words hit him._

"_... It's no wonder my sister left you. She probably made the best decision of her life by leaving your sorry ass in Chicago-"_

_Matt didn't let Antonio get another word out before ending the call, throwing his phone down onto the couch in anger._

Matt kept his eyes on her, seeing flashes of hurt, regret, and anger in her eyes.

"You have to know, Gabby, I didn't mean anything I said. I didn't. I was drunk, and hurt. Everything had just happened and I was a mess. It's not an excuse though, I'm not justifying what I said or trying to make it okay, I just want you to know why I said it." He spoke quickly, his voice full of guilt. "I'm so sorry for saying those things, I really am."

"Not everything you said was untrue…" She whispered, knowing if she spoke any louder her voice would betray her.

"Gabby, no- Nothing I said was true, it was me being a drunk idiot. No matter what happened between us, I'd never regret the time we were together. You have to know that."

"I do know that." She agreed, her voice shaky.

"I don't regret us being together. You're the best thing I have." His voice was low, feeling tears welling within his eyes as he thought over the words he'd said to Antonio. He'd never not regret them. "That's why it hurt so much, why I said those things. Because I wasn't coping with what happened and I lashed out."

"I don't blame you for what you said." She said, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "You would've never said any of that if I didn't leave."

"But it doesn't make it okay." He interjected.

"No, it doesn't. But the truth of all this is, though you only said those things because you were hurting, they would've never crossed your mind had I not left. I just-" she ran her hand over her head, her emotions getting the best of her. "God, Matt, how can you not hate me? How can you look at me and see anything other than the person who abandoned you? I hate myself for everything I put you through, there's no way you don't." She cried, tears escaping down her cheeks before she could stop them.

Matt hated what his words had done to her, how he'd managed to hurt her, again. Pulling his hand from hers, he turned in his seat, angling himself towards her, before grabbing her face with both of his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"I need you to really listen to me when I say this." He spoke softly, feeling a stabbing pain in his chest as he watched her tears fall. Matt waited for a sign of acknowledgement before continuing, which he soon got in the form of a slight nod. "I have never hated you, I never will hate you. I love you, more than anything, I love you so much." He spoke confidently, tears escaping his own eyes. "I never want you worrying about that, please don't ever, ever think I could hate you." His voice fell to a whisper as the words left his mouth, his thumb rubbing over her cheek softly.

"We're both at fault here, but you don't hate me, do you?" He asked, hoping to help her make sense of this.

"Of course not." She spoke without hesitation.

"Exactly." He spoke, thankfully seeing realization starting to set in her eyes. "You have to start letting go of this guilt, Gabby. It's consuming you, and we'll never be able to move past this if you don't." He explained, Gabby's hand coming up to grasp his wrist. "There's nothing we can do anymore except learn from the mistakes we've made. We're being given a second chance at our life together, and I'm so thankful for that. You have no idea how lucky I feel to be here with you right now." He spoke, Gabby leaning her head into his hand slightly.

"We don't have to forget the things that've happened, but we have to move on from them." He kept his eyes locked with hers as he spoke. "I know it's hard, and they'll be times we need reassurance. They'll be times we need to talk about it, this isn't something that can be fixed overnight, but you've got to let the guilt go."

She nodded, moving forward and wrapping her arms around him, holding herself as close to him as she could. It was uncomfortable, the awkward position making it hard, but neither of them cared at the moment.

"I'll work on it, I will. But you need to, too." She whispered against him, both of them feeling the sense of familiarity as they'd said similar words earlier this morning. "You have to stop feeling guilty about not being there."

"I know... I'm working on it, too." He spoke with a small smile as the two pulled apart. His hand moved to her forehead, moving a strand of hair from her face as they sat in the confined space.

"I love you." She said, leaning forward and kissing him gently, Matt putting his hand behind her neck to pull her closer.

"I love you too." He whispered against her lips, feeling her smile. "Never doubt that."

* * *

Gabby stood in the kitchen, working on putting away the groceries they'd gotten this afternoon, while Matt had gone back out to the truck to get the last of their bags. After their emotionally draining early morning, and their not-much-easier talk after breakfast, the rest of their day had proven to be quite relaxing. They'd spent a fair amount of time getting Gabby some more clothes, Matt ending up getting her way more than she planned. She tried to tell him she didn't need it, reminding him he had her stuff coming, but he didn't care. He wanted her to have whatever she needed, and whatever she wanted on top of that. He wanted this to start feeling like home again, and he figured having her side of the closet filled with clothes might help.

They'd gone from there to the grocery store, Gabby realizing not much had changed between them as they stood in the aisles, debating over what they should and shouldn't get. She found herself grinning at one point as she heard Matt rattle on about why they didn't need _three _different types of cookies in the house, him going on about how they never finished them anyway and they ended up just getting thrown away. The conversation had given her a sense of comfort and normalcy, showing her that things could go back to how they'd been before.

As always, Matt ended up giving in, kissing her temple as he grabbed the three boxes from her and tossed them into the cart, the two moving on to the next thing. The entire trip had filled her with a sense of warmth, the two of them falling back into their old routines as if no time had passed, as if nothing had happened between them.

She was pulled from her thoughts as she heard the door open, turning her head to see Matt walk in with bags hanging off his arms, him expertly kicking the door closed. "Jeez, you got more clothes than I thought." He teased, setting all the bags down on the kitchen island before wiping the nonexistent sweat from his brow. She rolled her eyes at him, turning back to the open fridge to put the carton of milk away.

"I don't wanna hear it, I tried to tell you it was too much." She muttered, hearing him chuckle, seeing him approaching her in her peripheral vision. He came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her stomach and resting his chin on her shoulder.

"You should have all the clothes you want… who knows, maybe you'll stop wearing mine so much." He spoke lightly, kissing her shoulder softly.

"Don't get too excited. If you remember, I didn't get many pajamas." She responded, slipping from his grasp to keep putting the groceries away.

"Who says you need them?" He asked smugly, smirking when Gabby glanced back at him with a raised eyebrow. Ignoring his less than subtle comment, she continued putting their food away, Matt watching her move around the kitchen for a few moments before setting out on a task of his own.

Leaving the kitchen, he wordlessly walking through the living room, Gabby watching him as he disappeared around the corner at the other end of the apartment. She could hear him shuffling around, as she placed the last of the cold items in the fridge. Turning around, she saw him walking back towards her, one of her boxes held within his grasp. A smile fell onto her face as he stopped in the doorway to their bedroom.

"I think it's time to get you moved back in." He spoke, Gabby feeling happiness wash over her, nodding excitedly at him.

He gave her a wide smile of his own, disappearing into the bedroom, Gabby hearing him laughing as he spoke, "we need to put your clothes away so you can keep wearing mine."

Rolling her eyes, Gabby headed towards the guest room to grab a box, wanting to get officially moved back in as quickly as she possibly could.

* * *

**This chapter ended up being much more intense than I originally planned, wow. When I first mapped this one out, it was just gonna be kind of a short filler chapter, to get us into the next part of the story but then I kept thinking of things I wanted to address and, well, went a little crazy.**

**I know some of you were curious as to what Matt and Antonio's last conversation was, that I alluded to in an earlier chapter, before all the stuff with Gabby happened, so I wanted to include it. I know some of the things Matt said were very harsh, but I tried to put myself in his mindset, where he'd be at emotionally after Gabby just left, and that's where I ended up.**

**I hope you all liked this one, can't wait to hear what you think!**


	14. Chapter Fourteen

**Here's another chapter for you guys, hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Fourteen**_

* * *

Matt stood in front of the mirror in their bedroom, tucking his white shirt into his pants, adjusting his belt as he made sure his appearance was up to code. His eyes glanced down to the small bandage taped to his arm, Gabby having switched from wrapping his entire arm to just using a bandage a few days ago, feeling comfortable enough with how it was healing that he didn't need the extra support.

It had been twelve days since Gabby had come back, and today marked the first day Matt would be back on shift. He didn't necessarily want to go back just yet, but Gabby had all but forced him. He'd missed three shifts, on top of the shift he left halfway through. He knew it was close to time to go back, but he was nervous. Not for himself, but for Gabby. This would be the first time she'd be alone at all since she'd gotten back, let alone for over 24 hours. He knew she'd be fine, he did, but it wouldn't stop him from worrying.

The last twelve days had been spent with Matt and Gabby getting back into a routine together, finding their rhythm as they got used to having each other in their lives again. And it had been some of the greatest days of Matt's life, especially lately. They'd done a lot in their time together, almost like they'd gotten a vacation from life, the two of them living in their own little world. They'd done a lot of things around the house, like get all the photos of them back up in their rightful home, and they'd gone through all the belongings of Gabby's that had arrived from Puerto Rico a couple of days ago. He was glad to see that some of the possessions he'd expected to be taken, like her phone and wallet, were sitting in the boxes with all her other things. Most of what had gotten sent back was just her clothes, but he was glad to see some of her sentimental possessions hadn't been stolen from her. But he did notice one item was missing, something he knew she'd taken with her, and that was her engagement ring. He knew they'd taken her wedding band, him reminded of that fact every time he saw the claw marks across her chest, but he never knew what happened to her engagement ring and he didn't want to ask, for fear of bringing up unpleasant memories. But when they finished going through everything and it was nowhere in sight, he knew what had happened to it.

Them unpacking her belongings proved to be an emotional affair for both of them, but Gabby especially, the memories overwhelming her more than she thought they would as they'd gone through her things. One thing that had sent her over the edge was pulling out a bag that had the photo of them from their wedding day, the broken frame being sent along with it. He was surprised to hear a soft sob come from her as she held the broken image in her hands, Matt immediately pulling her into his arms, holding onto her tightly while she cried.

They had to pause a few times, when Gabby's emotions got the best of her, but there wasn't much said between them while they sorted everything. Neither of them had brought up the engagement ring, Matt figuring because Gabby didn't want to open up another can of worms with that topic, at least not right now, and he couldn't blame her.

But after it was all said and done, Matt couldn't help but feel a sense of peace after all of her things had been put away and the boxes had been broken down. It felt like the last roadblock holding them back from starting this new chapter of their lives together was gone. There was no more looking back, only looking forward.

Arms wrapping around his waist broke him from his trance, as he saw Gabby behind him in the mirror, her arms squeezing tightly around his body, resting above his belt buckle. He placed his hands over hers, smiling as she pressed her head against his back.

"What are you doing up?" He murmured, having done his best to be as quiet as possible as he'd gotten ready.

"You really think I wouldn't wake up to send you off? Plus, I need to change your bandage again."

"I could've had someone at the house do it."

"Yeah, but I don't mind." She told him, placing a kiss to the middle of his back before pulling away, heading into the bathroom. He followed her in there, seeing her standing by the counter, getting out the supplies she needed. He came to her side, leaning his body weight against the countertop, holding out his arm to give her the space she needed.

He grimaced as she started pulling the bandage from his arm, the sticky material irritating his skin. But he continued to let her work, knowing this process would be done soon.

Keeping his eyes on her, he saw how concentrated she was, her tongue sticking out from between her lips slightly, a look of pure determination covering her face. As he looked over her, he couldn't stop himself from smiling. She was slowly started to look like his Gabby again. Aside from the light marks on her side, all of the bruises had faded on her body, the only visible marks left being the scratches, the scab from her split lip, and the scar on her forehead. All of the swelling from the various injuries covering her body had gone down, now only detectable if it was pointed out. The stitches had fallen out a few days after she got back, Gabby taking to keeping the wound covered just to be safe. But she decided a couple days ago it was healed enough that she didn't need that anymore. The scar and her lip were the only signs of injury visible to anyone other than him, and he found himself thankful for that. From their many talks, he knew she felt self-conscious about the injuries she'd sustained in Puerto Rico. He was glad the more emotionally painful ones were covered by her clothes, that way she wouldn't have to answer any questions she didn't want to.

The non-visible injuries she had were slowly healing as well. Her sprained right shoulder was nearly completely healed, Gabby not having any flares ups from that injury in over a week. It was her ribs that worried him the most, Matt never wanting to hurt her. He knew anytime he'd accidentally hurt her, she played it off, choosing the comfort of his embrace over the pain of her injury, but he could tell whenever he'd held on too tight. But over the course of her time back, they were getting better. Now, as long as too much direct pressure wasn't applied to the specific areas of her injury, she was fine. There was no more wincing every time she moved too quickly, or a sharp pain shooting through her body if Matt accidentally hugged her too tight. Still, he'd been extra mindful of her heavily bruised ribs, usually letting her take the lead in any hugs or touches. He knew she still had some time before they'd be healed completely, but she was getting better everyday.

He'd also slowly noticed her putting on weight again. He wasn't blind, compared to the Gabby he'd known for so long, the Gabby that had come back was skin and bones. She was breathtaking, still as beautiful as ever, but the apparent weight loss had worried him. He figured it was due to stress, not having brought it up because he didn't want to give her something else to be self-conscious about. Not that he cared how much she weighed, never had he cared. She was always beautiful to him. But especially now, here being here with him was all that mattered. The worry came from wanting her healthy, and when he saw her for the first time she looked anything but. Thankfully, she's started putting weight back on, looking more like herself. And he could tell she was feeling more like herself too.

"You're staring, Matt." She commented as she turned to toss her trash away.

"You're pretty, what can I say." He spoke with a smile, Gabby smiling as she walked up to him, leaning against him. His arms wrapped around her waist, holding her to him as he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss to her lips, both of them melting into the contact. "Are you sure it's okay if I go back?"

"Yes." She spoke confidently. "I'm fine, I promise."

"I know you are, I'm just worried." He said honestly, Gabby's hand coming up to run over his cheek.

"I know, but you don't need to be. I'm just gonna be lounging around here. I think Antonio is coming by for dinner. I'll be fine." He nodded, giving her another quick kiss. "But you…" she started, narrowing her eyes. "I need you to come home in one piece. No more getting thrown around buildings.

"I promise to do my best." He assured her.

The two of them stayed in the warmth of the embrace for a few more minutes, only separating because they knew Matt had to leave soon. Gabby left for the kitchen as Matt finished getting ready. He put on his navy Captain's jacket, grabbing his bag for shift before leaving the room. He placed his belongings on the counter, watching Gabby as she filled a travel mug of coffee for him.

Matt swung his bag over his shoulder, putting his phone and keys in his pocket as Gabby walked around the island to stand beside him.

"I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Absolutely." He responded, taking the coffee she offered, leaning in for one last kiss. "I love you, try not to be too bored."

She laughed lightly, tapping his cheek as she kissed him again. "I love you too, but I think I'll be okay. I can always call you if it's too bad."

"Definitely call me if you need to." He spoke, giving her a soft smile.

They said a few more goodbyes before he walked through the door, neither of them really wanting to spend so much time apart, but they knew they didn't have a choice. She stood by the back door, waiting until he was out of her sight until turning the lock. Leaning against the glass, she closed her eyes, taking a slow, deep breath as she tried to calm her nerves. She was worried about him going back to work, not able to shake the feeling that he wasn't one hundred percent, that there was something he wasn't telling her. But she had to believe him when he said he was fine.

Her focus shifted as she realized she was all alone in what now seemed like a huge, empty apartment. She knew she'd be okay, but she also knew her first day alone was bound to cause some anxiety. But all she could do was keep herself occupied, knowing the busier she was, the easier this day would be.

* * *

Matt pulled up to the front of the firehouse, parking his truck in the spot that had been deemed his for years now. Pulling the keys from the ignition, he braced himself for all the questions that were most definitely going to get thrown at him. He'd heard from Kelly that everyone was asking questions, the beginning of every shift they'd ask Severide if he had any updates. And all Kelly would say is that Gabby was doing better, because that's all Matt had given him. But he knew he wouldn't be able to give them any more than that. Last night while he and Gabby laid in bed, he checked with her again to see what all he could say, and as he expected, she hadn't changed her mind. She was quick to answer him, she didn't want them knowing what had happened. He didn't press her on it, although he was surprised at how adamant she was. But he'd never try to change her mind, he would do whatever she asked of him.

But he knew he was about to walk into a building full of people who would have tons of questions for him, questions he couldn't answer.

Aside from his conversation with Boden, his calls with Kelly, and a visit Severide had made to the apartment, Matt hadn't had any contact with anyone from the firehouse since the day he left shift. At first, he'd found it a little strange, that no one had reached out to him to check in on Gabby. He knew a lot of them had been hurt by her decision to not come back, but he didn't think that ran deep enough for them to not care about her. But when Kelly had clued Matt in on how he told them to not call, the radio silence began to make sense.

Glancing at the clock, he realized shift started in a few minutes. He'd left later than he wanted to this morning, finding it difficult to leave Gabby. He'd become so used to the routine they'd set, it was hard to break that. And he didn't feel good about leaving her alone, either. He knew he'd have to eventually, but he personally would've felt better if he took a few more shifts off.

Knowing he didn't have any more time to sit, he got out of his truck, making sure to lock it before heading inside. Since he was late, he figured everyone else was already here, which might be better anyway. If everyone was already in one room, he'd only have to address the situation once, instead of explaining it over and over.

Stepping onto the apparatus floor, he walked around the rigs parked in their rightful place, seeing all of squad seated at the table. Aside from Boden, know one, not even Kelly, knew he was coming back today. So Matt wasn't surprised to see a look of shock covering Kelly's face once he saw him.

"Hey man." Severide spoke, standing up from the table. The rest of squad fell silent, watching truck's Captain closely. "I didn't know you'd be back today." Kelly gave him a quick hug, patting him on the back as they pulled apart.

"Yeah, we decided it was time."

"We as in both of you, or she kicked you out?" Kelly asked, a teasing tone in his voice which caused Matt to smile.

"A little of both."

The members of squad glanced around at each other as the two men spoke, surprised to hear them speaking about Gabby so casually. It was a definite shift from how that topic had been handled around here the last few months.

Matt and Kelly started walking towards the doors, squad following as they all walked inside, no one wanting to miss the conversation that was bound to happen.

It was like you could hear a pin drop when Casey walked into the room. Everyone stopped what they were doing, surprised to see their Captain looking so calm. The only person who wasn't surprised was Herrmann, only because about five minutes prior he'd been told by Boden that Casey was coming back today, meaning he wouldn't need to be acting Lieutenant anymore. But everyone else was clearly shocked.

"Hey guys." He said, nodding to Boden who was in the back of the room.

"Welcome back, Captain." The Chief spoke, breaking everyone from their daze. A chorus of 'welcome back's rang through the common room as Matt came to stand in the entrance.

"How are, uh, things?" Otis asked carefully, no one really sure how to handle the topic. Matt couldn't blame them. Gabby had been a sore subject around him for months, he couldn't fault them for their apprehension.

"I'm doing good, _we're_ doing good." He prompted, hoping that would make them feel more at ease about bringing her up.

"How is she, Casey?" Herrmann asked, the worry clear in his voice.

"She's okay, you know, we're getting through it… She's getting better every day."

"What happened over there?" Brett asked softly, everyone dying to know the answer but no one else wanting to be the one to ask. Matt cleared his throat before he responded, knowing they wouldn't really like the answer they'd be getting.

"Gabby, uh, she doesn't really want people knowing. Not right now at least." He could see the concern mounting in their faces, and he could only imagine what all was going through their minds. "But she's doing good. She's okay guys." He promised, giving them as much as he could without getting into details.

"Well tell her we're glad, and we can't wait to see her." Herrmann spoke, understanding they'd be getting nothing else from the Captain. Matt saw the looks that crossed a few faces from the members of 51, and they confused him. They seemed nervous, almost apprehensive, at the thought of seeing Gabby again, and he couldn't understand why. He understood their nerves before, when they wouldn't want to bring her up around him. But now, it wasn't the reaction he was expecting, that's for sure.

"I will." He replied simply, his eyes finding Boden, who nodded towards the exit, signaling they needed to have a conversation. "Kelly, can you put this in my office?" He asked his friend, handing him his bag.

"Yeah, of course." He respond, taking it within his grasp before Matt walked through the common room, heading for the exit Boden had just left through.

"Hey Casey," Herrmann's voice stopped him, "is she coming back?"

"She's home, yeah." Matt said, but the older firefighter shook his head.

"I meant is she coming back here…" Matt glanced around the room, seeing everyone waiting for his answer.

"I don't know Herrmann, that wasn't exactly high on our list of priorities." He spoke before walking out, leaving behind the suffocatingly quiet common room and heading for Boden's office.

He saw the looks of the civilian staff as he walked through the building, everyone knowing what all had transpired over the the last couple of weeks. But he didn't care, he knew people would have questions and want to know exactly what was going on between him and Gabby. He was sure the company members of 51 had those exact same questions, but he also was aware it really wasn't any of their business.

"Hey Chief." Matt spoke as he got to his office, Boden waving him in.

"Close the door, Casey." Matt followed the instructions, coming to sit down across from the man at his desk. "How's Dawson doing?"

"She's doing pretty well, all things considered."

Boden eyed him carefully, before continuing. "And how are you doing?"

"Honestly, I'm just glad she's okay. I'm great, now that she's back and I know she's alright." Matt spoke truthfully, Boden giving him a small smile.

"Look Casey, I have no idea what all she went through, what both of you have gone through, but the entire house is here for you all."

"I know Chief."

"I know you do, just make sure she knows that too." Matt gave him a nod, Boden signaling that he was excused. Casey started walking towards the door, Boden's voice stopping him.

"You sure you're ready to be back?"

"I am Chief." He confirmed, before heading out. He walked through the firehouse, walking back into the common room, surprised when conversation came to a halt when they saw him. Furrowing his eyebrows, he opened his mouth to question it, but was cut off by the bells ringing throughout the firehouse, signaling them to a fire.

* * *

Matt walked into his office, groaning as he felt an ache course through his body. He knew with being out of the swing of things for a few shifts, he was bound to feel a little soreness, but he wasn't expecting to feel _this_ uncomfortable. The ever-present headache he'd been feeling had come back with a vengeance. After their first call, they'd immediately gotten called as backup to an apartment fire, something that had taken up the entire morning and well into the afternoon. Climbing all those stairs, as well as having to carry a few victims out, left him feeling more exhausted than he expected to.

It was now late into the afternoon, and Matt really just wanted to take a nap. He also wanted food, but he wasn't exactly in the mood to be out with everyone else right now. There'd been a weird shift in the air of the firehouse since he'd come in this morning, and he didn't know why. Well, he had a feeling he knew the reason why, he just wasn't sure why the topic of Gabby had elicited such a strange reaction from them. Knowing how happy he was having her back, he was sure 51 would have those same reactions, but clearly that wasn't the case.

Taking a deep breath, Matt collapsed down into his chair, stretching out his back as much as he could, grimacing slightly as he heard a few pops and cracks as he continued to stretch out his limbs. Pulling out his phone, he saw he had a text from Gabby. She'd sent him a message about three hours ago, asking him how shift was going. A frown formed over his face, hoping he hadn't worried her by not responding.

'_Hey, sorry we've been at calls all day. It's going well, I could use a good nap right about now'_

He smiled softly when he saw her read the message immediately, and she began typing a response.

'_Maybe you should've stayed in shape a little better during your time off, Captain. You've been kind of lazy'_

He typed quickly, sending his response to her teasing. '_Never heard you complaining, Miss Dawson_'

"Back one day and you're already sexting Dawson?" Matt looked up to see Kelly standing in the doorway with a smirk on his face. Rolling his eyes, Matt put his phone down on the desk, turning his attention to his friend.

"Like I'd tell you if I was."

"How's she been doing?" Kelly asked. It had become the first question he'd ask Casey anytime they had a conversation lately, his worry for her always present. And his worry only increased after he saw her for the first time.

After the first full shift without Casey, Kelly had called and checked to see if it was okay to stop by. When he got there and Matt let him in, seeing Gabby for the first time had knocked the air out of him. She was still Gabby, but she looked different. He could see the remnants of bruising on her face, a busted lip that was nearly healed, and the large healing gash above her eyebrow. She was thinner, and she looked nervous. She definitely didn't have the same Dawson confidence he'd known for years. She was timid, keeping her arms wrapped around herself as he walked in. He hadn't wanted to push her, she looked so fragile that she might break, but she initiated a greeting by walking to him, Kelly quick to wrap her up in a light hug. He'd told her how much he missed her, and how thankful he was she was okay.

During his visit, he and Matt both wanted to keep the conversation light. He wanted to apologize for not being there for her, but he didn't want to bring up any unpleasant memories. He'd tried hard not to focus on the marks over her face, or how worn down she looked. He just wanted to focus on getting to spend time with her again.

"She's doing good, Sev. She's starting to act like her old self." Matt spoke with a smile, knowing he could be more truthful with Kelly than he could with the rest of the house. Kelly still didn't know the whole story, but he knew more than most.

"Good, I'm glad. I've been worried about her since I saw her."

"I know you have, but spending time with you did her some good. Getting her around other people that aren't me or Antonio, I think could only help. Slowly, though... She definitely went through a lot, but things are getting better. She's getting better." He spoke, both me turning around as they heard talking in the bunkroom, seeing Brett and Foster passing through.

"Can I ask you something?" Matt lowered his voice considerably, Kelly nodding slowly, wondering where this is going.

"Sure."

"Do you know why everyone's acting so weird about Gabby?" Kelly sighed in response, Matt's eyebrows furrowing, gathering that Kelly knew something. "They're acting like they're, I don't know, worried about her coming back. Or nervous, or something. I don't know, but it's weird."

"Yeah, I think I have some answers to that." Matt looked at his friend, waiting for him to elaborate. "It's a few different things, but mostly they're just nervous. Some of them feel guilty, for not reaching out to her when she left, or after. I know some of them are upset, that she never reached out to them. And that she left the way they did, I think that hurt some of them more than they're willing to admit." Matt's eyebrows furrowed as the information sunk in. "And they're worried about you." His ears perked up at the statement. "They saw what her leaving did to you, and they're worried she'll hurt you again."

"They said that?" Kelly nodded, Matt's eyes flickering back out towards the bunkroom. "Who?"

"Uh, Herrmann and Brett were talking about it this morning, while you were with Boden. And everyone else kind of agreed." Matt blew out a frustrated sigh. "They mean well, Matt. They're concerned, I get it. They don't know what happened, or that you all had problems before she left. All they really know is that she left, and they saw how it affected you. I know it's coming from a good place."

"I know… but like you said, they don't know what happened. They shouldn't be mad at her when they don't know the whole story."

"I know. Maybe you should talk to them, tell them as much as you can. Or at least explain to them that things happened between you two before she left, and that was part of it. I don't know, I can't tell you how to handle this, but I think if you talked to them about it, they'd be more understanding." Matt remained quiet as the words sunk in, Kelly continuing. "You know they love her, Matt. They're just confused, and little nervous about her being back."

"...I should talk to them. But I need to talk to Gabby about it first, and figure out how much she's okay with them knowing."

Kelly nodded, debating whether or not he should ask this next question. Deciding to just go for it, he opened his mouth. "Have you two talked about it?" Matt raised his eyebrows, signaling Kelly to elaborate. "Is she wanting to come back here?"

"Honestly, we haven't. We haven't really talked about what she's wanting to do, we've just been focused on getting past the attack and everything that happened." Kelly's body went rigid as the word 'attack' left Matt's lips. While he assumed something along those lines had happened, Gabby's appearance only solidifying it in his mind, hearing Matt say the word made it real. Seeing Kelly's reaction, it was like Matt realized what he said, muttering a 'dammit' under his breath.

"It's okay, Matt. I won't say anything about it. After seeing her- I figured it was something like that." Kelly assured him, Matt nodding in thanks.

"So- aside from work, have you talked about other things?" Kelly asked, skillfully changing the subject, hoping Matt understood his not so subtle questioning.

"We've worked through a lot of things, we're wanting to figure everything out." He saw the slight look of apprehension on Severide's face. "We both screwed up, but we both want to be together. So that's where we're at. We're taking it one step at a time, but things are going well."

"So you're back together?"

"Yeah, we are." Kelly nodded, his eyes finding the ground. "What Sev?"

"Look, there was much more that went down between you two than I ever realized, and I'm sure there's a lot more I don't even know about." Matt nodded, telling Kelly his words were true. "But you're still my best friend, and I don't want you to get hurt again, man." Matt had known Kelly had the same apprehension that the other's in the firehouse had, but he just appreciated Severide talking to him about it, instead of talking behind his back.

"I know you're worried, I know the whole house is, but...I love her, Kelly. I was miserable without her, nothing made sense without her." Matt paused to take a breath. "Since she's been back it's like- I don't know, like I finally have purpose again. I never want to live without her, it was the worst thing I've ever experienced... I need her, Kel." Matt preached, a knowing smile falling onto Kelly's face.

"I know you do, I just wanted to make sure." He said with a smirk, patting Matt's shoulder. "But that goes both ways, I don't want her hurt either. You two have been through enough heartache."

"I won't hurt her, we've both done enough hurting." Matt promised, Kelly unable to respond before the bells rang out again.

* * *

Matt pushed open the back door to the apartment, surprised when he breathed in the fresh smell of coffee, hearing the tv on in the living room. He figured Gabby would still be sleeping, seeing as it was barely after eight. But she was clearly awake, or she had been.

Stepping inside the warmth of their home, he closed the door shut behind him, turning the lock and tossing his keys down onto the table. Dropping his bag, he hung his jacket on the coat hook, walking further into the apartment.

"Gabby?" He called softly, walking past the kitchen table, seeing her as she came into his line of sight when he entered the living room. She looked up at him, wearing a soft smile and tired eyes.

"Hey." She spoke lightly, Matt glancing over her quickly. She was sitting with her legs crossed on the couch, wearing one of his faded CFD t-shirts and a pair of leggings, the box of her belongings from the firehouse sitting next to her, some of its contents strewn out in front of her on the coffee table.

"What are you doing up?" he asked, coming around to her side, placing a quick kiss to the side of her head before sitting next to her on the edge of the couch. She shrugged by his side, continuing to flip through the pile of photos in her hands.

"Couldn't sleep." She responded, Matt watching as she individually separated the photos in her hands into two different piles. Frowning, he moved his arm across his body, placing his hand on the side of her face, turning her head to look at him.

"Are you okay?" His concern was met with a small smile, as Matt rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

"I'm fine… I was more anxious yesterday than I expected, that's all." She spoke, his frown deepening.

"I shouldn't have gone back to work yet…" He mused quietly, Gabby shaking her head.

"Matt, I was bound to have some anxiety, whether you went back yesterday or you waited another month. It was just different, not having you here. Being by myself for so long was an adjustment, but it's something I have to be able to do." She told him. He was aware she was right. She needed to be able to be alone again, but there wasn't a timeline for how quickly she needed to recover. He didn't want her to be pushing herself and end up making things harder.

"Maybe I should take next shift off." He suggested, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, Matt, that's not necessary. I was okay, I am okay, it's just an adjustment. I have to be able to do this." He knew she was determined to get past this, and he knew she would. But he didn't want her forcing it.

"I know, and I have no doubt you can. But there's not a schedule for this Gabby. If you're not ready, I want you to tell me." He spoke softly.

"I will, but I do think I'm ready to start being on my own again, at least for as long as you're on shift. But I promise if that changes, I'll tell you." She assured him, Matt eyeing her skeptically for a moment before nodding in acceptance.

"Okay, thank you." He leaned forward, kissing her quickly, before the two settled into the couch.

"How was your dinner with Antonio?" Matt asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders as she leaned into his side. He watched her curiously as she continued to separate the photos from her locker into two different stacks, Matt wondering what the significance of the two piles were.

"It was good, I made fajitas. There's some leftovers, if you'd want that for lunch."

"Sounds great."

"How'd shift go?" She asked, glancing towards him.

"It was alright… busy. Everyone was asking about you."

"Oh yeah?" She asked, turning her attention back to the photos she'd finished separating.

"What are you doing with those pictures?" He asked her as she picked up the pile that had a photo of the two of them on top of it.

"Well, these-" she spoke, lifting the stack in her hand, "are finding a new home, maybe somewhere around the apartment, I'm not sure." She spoke, Matt reaching for the pile, wanting to look through them. She handed them over, watching as he flipped through them. He noticed once he got to the end that the only photos in this pile were ones with the two of them, ones with Shay, and a few with Kelly.

"What about those?" He nodded to the second pile on the table, able to see a couple of the pictures, photos of her with people from 51.

"Uh, I don't know yet. Maybe put them away for now." She spoke, Matt sighing. Every time the firehouse had come up since she got back, she started acting strange. He was beginning to think that some of the reservations the house had about seeing Gabby, she had about seeing them.

"There's actually something I need to ask you." He decided to drop the picture discussion for now, knowing he'd probably get an answer to the questions he had from that, from this new conversation. She raised her eyebrows at him, as he continued. "I think I need to tell the house about what happened to us." Gabby immediately tensed at his side, shaking her head. "Just hear me out, alright? I'm not saying we have to give them the details, but I think they need to know that we'd had problems before you left. I think it would help them understand why you did what you did." He spoke, Gabby reading between the lines.

"They hate me, don't they?" She asked quietly, Matt blowing out a sigh.

"They don't, I swear. But they're confused, and- they don't really know how to act whenever you come up. I think they're nervous about you being back, and I want them to know they have no reason to be. That you didn't just up and choose to leave for no reason."

He watched as her eyes fell down to her lap, Gabby fiddling with her hands as she thought over what he was asking. "If you think it would help, then you can. It's fine with me… just- please don't go into the details of everything, I don't…" She trailed off, Matt rubbing her shoulder comfortingly.

"I won't, I promise." He agreed, placing a soft kiss to her temple. "But they also asked me something else. They wanted to know if you'd be coming back to 51." They hadn't broached this topic at all since she came back. Matt wasn't lying to Herrmann when he'd said it wasn't high on the list of priorities, but now he was curious. He wanted to know where she was at with all this.

"Honestly… I'm not sure if I want to."

* * *

**Hope you all enjoyed this one. If you can, please leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	15. Chapter Fifteen

**Hello! This chapter is a little shorter than most but… well, I'll just let you read it. I'm sorry in advance.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifteen**_

* * *

"_But they also asked me something else. They wanted to know if you'd be coming back to 51." They hadn't broached this topic at all since she came back. Matt wasn't lying to Herrmann when he'd said it wasn't high on the list of priorities, but now he was curious. He wanted to know where she was at with all this._

"_Honestly… I'm not sure if I want to."_

Her response stunned him momentarily, Gabby looking up from her lap as she caught his gaze. She knew her answer to the question would catch him off guard, knowing Matt probably never thought of any other scenario aside from her returning to the firehouse. He knew they hadn't discussed it yet, but it never crossed his mind that she wouldn't, at some point, come back.

"Matt?" She asked, trying to snap him out of his headspace, him not having said a word in the minutes that had passed.

"Why don't you want to go back?" He managed to get out, a clear look of confusion mixed with concern covering his face.

"I… truthfully, I don't know if 51 could ever really feel like home to me again." She started, the confusion not leaving his features. "You said yourself, they don't know how to act around me, they're not sure if they want me back. And everything before…" She trailed off, Matt rubbing his thumb softly over her shoulder as he watched her. He'd managed to snap out of his daze, seeing how hard this decision was on her. He'd support her with whatever she decided to do, no question, but he wanted to know why she was making this choice. "I just don't know if me going back is the best idea."

"They're your family, Gabby."

"Yeah…" She started, sucking in a short breath. "They were… but after everything that happened, I don't know-"

"What aren't you telling me?" He asked her, being able to read between her words. She was holding something back, something keeping her from feeling comfortable going back there. "You keep saying 'after everything', what are you talking about?"

"It's really not important-"

"Yes it is." He interjected. "It's making you feel like you can't go back there, it's affecting you. What happened?"

He watched her take a deep breath, preparing to explain everything to him, Gabby leaning deeper into his hold, Matt welcoming her willingly.

"You and I weren't the only ones who got in a fight before I left." She started, seeing a look of surprise fall onto his face. "Brett and I… we got into a pretty bad fight, the same shift where everything for us started to..." She spoke with a slight grimace on her face. Matt nodded, understanding the fight her and Brett had started shortly after everything between them began going downhill. "It was the call after I found out you'd gone to the adoption agency, after our fight in your office." Matt felt a wave of guilt wash over him as he remembered the harsh words he'd said to her. He knew he still had apologies to make for that day, for how he handled that situation, and he would. But right now wasn't the time.

Swallowing thickly, he encouraged her to continue. "What happened?"

"That call, it was simple enough, but truthfully neither Brett nor I probably should've been working. After everything with losing that woman, Brett hadn't really recovered from that, and I was upset about what you and I were going through…" Gabby prefaced. "She wasn't there, mentally anyway, while we were trying to treat this guy. We kind of got into it, I snapped at her, and she threw the ambo bag at me and left me to treat him."

"When we got back to the house, I tried to go apologize. I knew she was struggling and I took out my problems on her, but she didn't really want to hear it." Gabby spoke softly, wincing at the memory. "I tried to explain why I acted like that, explain to her it wasn't about her but she never let me get a word in. She talked about how she didn't care about what was going on in my life, that it didn't matter when we were out on calls." Gabby blew out a breath, "She talked about how I didn't respect her, and if I couldn't when we're working then she didn't want me as her partner anymore."

"Gabby, I-" Matt sat there, stunned, as her words sunk in. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Shrugging softly, she gathered her thoughts before replying. "I didn't really have the chance to. Everything with us was a mess and I didn't want to pile onto that, especially when it didn't really matter…"

"Of course it mattered. She was one of your best friends… I'm sorry I made it so hard on you, that you didn't think you could tell me."

"It wasn't that, Matt. If I really wanted to, I could've found a moment to tell you, but... I don't know, it didn't seem to matter as much as everything else. I was more focused on trying to keep us from falling apart. Yeah, the first couple days after my fight with her, it hurt. But as more days passed, and it was clear how bad things between you and I had gotten… fixing my problems with Brett didn't seem as important."

The two sat in silence for a moment, Gabby placing her hand on Matt's leg, running it gently over his thigh. "I don't want you to feel bad about this."

"I just- I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. I'm sorry I was so blinded by anger that I didn't stop to notice how much you were hurting." He apologized, Gabby sighing softly.

"We were both hurting, Matt. That last week before I left, neither of us were really functioning. Especially not together. We were both just going through the motions, trying to avoid another fight before I left." She spoke, the pain of that week haunting both of them. "Everything that happened between Brett and I was not your fault. I mean, yeah, it happened after our fight, but I still should've handled things better. And she didn't handle things well, either."

"You two never talked about it before you left?"

"No, we didn't. My last couple of shifts were spent with me pretty much avoiding her, and she was doing the same. And then my last shift when I told everyone about Puerto Rico, no one really said anything to me after that. On our last call, Brett asked me how long I'd be gone, but that was it. No one asked me why I was going, or what I'd be doing there, and- I guess it felt like I'd already left. Like they didn't really care what I was doing, so it made it easier to leave that part behind." She explained, Matt feeling his stomach sink hearing how isolated she felt her last few shifts. He never even realized, him still reeling from their fight at the time that he wasn't able to pay attention to things going on around him.

"I'm sorry Gabby, I didn't know you were feeling like that." But she just shrugged, giving him a sad smile.

"It is what it is. Like I said, I was more worried about you and I than anything going on at the firehouse. But, that's why I'm not sure if me going back is the best thing to do here. I mean, after I left, I never heard from any of them. Once I left for good, I wasn't surprised none of them called me, but when I was there in the beginning… I don't know, it kind of stung that they didn't care." She admitted, Matt knowing this whole thing hurt her more than she was letting on. "It felt like I wasn't apart of that family anymore… I don't feel apart of it. I don't think I'd feel comfortable trying to go and work there right now."

"Is that why you don't want them knowing what happened?"

"Kind of. It's that, but it's also that I just don't want a lot of people knowing…" He nodded, pulling her deep into his embrace as they sat on the couch. Her arm wrapped around his waist, the two of them holding onto each other tightly.

"Whatever you decide is best for you, I'll support it. I had no idea all of that happened… but I know they still love you Gabby. Even though it might not feel like it, I think if you'd see them, things would be easier than you think." He prompted, Gabby staying quiet. "But I can't tell you what to do here. If you decide you don't want to go back, that's fine too." He spoke, running his hand through her hair.

"I'll think more about it, I haven't given it a lot of thought yet. I haven't decided one way or the other… but someone's filled my spot, haven't they?"

"Emily Foster, yeah." She nodded against his neck.

"Yeah… it might just be better if I don't try and come back, I don't want to cause any trouble, or make anyone uncomfortable. Things might be better for everyone if I just leave that part of my life in the past."

She shifted in his arms, lifting her head up to look at him.

"We don't have to decide anything now, but I meant what I said. I'll support you no matter what you choose." He told her softly, her hand moving up from his waist to his neck, her thumb stroking his jaw.

"I know. And I know it's just not my decision, either. I want to do what's best for me, yeah, but I also want to do what's best for us." She spoke, Matt's smiling widening. Every time he was reminded of how much progress they'd made, it made his heart swell, lessening the worries deep in the back of his mind that they wouldn't be able to make it.

"We'll figure it out. Ultimately, it's your choice. But I'll be there to help you, you know how I great I am at giving advice."

Gabby chuckled, leaning in to kiss him softly, their lips moving together in a perfect rhythm. When they pulled back, she patted his neck gently, feeling his hands trail to her hips. "You're alright, I guess." She teased, moving her head back to his shoulder, the couple intent on enjoying a quiet morning together.

* * *

Matt walked into the common room, coming in from the conference room door, seeing most of the house sitting in their usual spots. A few eyes glanced up at him as he made his way to the coffee pot, the usual chatter dying down when he came in. Blowing out a sigh, he poured himself a cup of coffee, placing the pot back down. Turning around, he leaned his body weight against the counter top, catching any pairs of eyes that had been on him dart away. It was only halfway through his second shift back, and he knew he needed to speak to them about Gabby. Everyone had started to tiptoe around him like they had the topic of her, and it was getting on his nerves. Especially after hearing Gabby's side of things, and why she didn't want to come back, he was all the more annoyed at the firefighters around him. He understood them not being sure how to act about Gabby, and the last thing he wanted was to be mad at them. There were two sides to everything, and he was sure they had their reasons for not reaching out to her. But he still found himself irritated by their behavior.

Matt's eyes moved to the double doors as he heard them open, seeing Kelly walking in. When Kelly looked up, Matt nodded him over. "Hey man." Severide spoke.

"Can you, uh-" Matt kept his voice low, "can you bring the squad guys in here. I need to talk to everyone and I'd rather only do it once." Nodding understandingly, Kelly patted him on the arm.

"Yeah, give me a sec." Kelly quickly left the common room, leaving through the doors he'd just entered in, only to reappear thirty seconds later with the squad guys in tow.

"What are we doing?" Capp asked, as they stood in the entrance of the common room, gathering the attention of everyone else.

"Uh guys, I want to talk to you about something." Matt spoke up, moving closer to the middle of the room so everyone could see him.

"Everything okay, Captain?" Herrmann asked, Matt nodding as he crossed his arms over his chest, waiting for Mouch to mute the tv before speaking.

"Yeah, it's about Gabby." He started, seeing eyes dart around the room, looking at one another. "Or, I guess it's about how you all feel about her. I've heard what's being said around here, about you all feeling apprehensive about having her back, because of her leaving. But I need you all to understand that you don't know what happened that caused her to leave." He spoke, trying to keep his emotions in check.

"What do you mean?" Stella asked from her seat at the table.

"She didn't one day just up and decide to leave. Her and I…" He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain this without giving too many details. "There were things that happened to us before she even got offered the position. We got some… news, unexpectedly, that really hurt us- that hurt Gabby. Neither of us were in a good place, individually or together, so Gabby decided to go take the assignment to get some space, to be able to clear her head."

"What happened?" Brett couldn't help but ask, her mind flashing back to her fight with Gabby. How Dawson had tried to explain there was something going on, but she shut her down. Brett figured whatever Matt was talking about, was the same thing that caused Gabby to lose her cool on the call.

"The specifics don't matter." Matt spoke forcefully, continuing with his explanation. "When she first left, she never planned on not coming back. She didn't go over there with the intention of staying." He didn't want to get into why she stayed, they didn't need to know that. He just needed them to understand there were reasons for her doing what she did.

"I know I can't tell you how to feel, and if you want to stay mad at her, or be weary around her, I can't stop you. But just know I caused her to leave just as much as she chose to go. If you're gonna be mad at her, you have to be mad at me too. And things here were hard too-" He cut himself off quickly, not meaning for the words to come out like they did.

"Wait- things here? What did we do?" Herrmann asked in confusion.

Matt's eyes flashed to Brett, seeing her staring at him with a look of guilt covering her face. A few other members of 51 caught the interaction, but didn't have time to question it before Matt spoke up. "It's not my place to get into all of it, but her last week here, she didn't exactly feel welcome. Especially after she told you about what she was doing in Puerto Rico, she said it felt like she was already gone. And then none of you ever reached out to her while she was there, she didn't feel like she belonged here anymore." Matt pushed his hand against his temple, trying to relieve the headache that was forming in his skull.

"I just want you all to understand why she made the choices she did. I'm as much at fault here as she is… The problems with her and I were what made her leave, and then everything else just became too much. I know she left you guys too, but she never intended to hurt anyone. And trust me, for as nervous as you all are about this, she feels ten times worse. She doesn't even know if she wants to come back." He spoke, looking around at the firehouse. "So just… please at least try and understand where she's coming from. Nothing she did was her trying to hurt anyone." Matt spoke, the room falling quiet.

"Matt." Casey looked over to the entrance, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw Antonio standing behind the squad guys. He didn't know how long he'd been here, or better yet, why he was here. Gabby had told him Antonio was coming to spend time with her today, so he wasn't sure why the detective was here.

"Antonio, hey." He spoke, walking closer to him. "What's up?" He asked, the firefighters moving out of the way so the two men could see each other. Everyone in the house watched the two with interest, knowing the last time they saw them interact, Matt had punched him. But clearly they weren't in that place anymore.

"Can we talk?" Antonio asked, his eyes flickering behind Matt, seeing everyone looking at them. Matt tensed slightly, not knowing what Antonio was here to discuss, but he could only assume it had to do with Gabby.

"Yeah, let's go to my office." He offered, the two men disappearing down the hallway.

While they weren't completely back to where they had been before Gabby left, the two men were making great strides in repairing their fractured relationship. After that day at the diner, Antonio had come by the apartment and the two of them had a long talk, finding common ground and realizing they needed to move past everything that happened between them, just like he and Gabby were. They couldn't stay being angry or resentful at one another, not when Gabby needed both of them. In the days since, they'd been working on getting back to where they'd been before.

"Aren't you supposed to be with Gabby? Is she alright?" Matt asked as he stepped into his office, Antonio following and closing the door behind him.

"I was, I just left your place, she's- have you noticed her acting different lately?" Antonio questioned.

"Maybe a little, yeah. Did something happen?" Matt asked quickly, nerves filling his body.

"She just wasn't herself, when I got there it looked like she'd been crying… I don't know if something happened between you two." Antonio said apprehensively, doing his best to not sound accusatory. He and Matt had made progress, he didn't want to ruin that. But he was worried about his sister.

"No, nothing happened between us." Matt answered calmly. "She seemed okay this morning, but she's definitely not the same Gabby." He mused, Antonio nodding in agreement. "I know after everything she went through, there's no way to just get over it. But she's been jumpy… nervous, kinda. She has good and bad days with her anxiety from everything." He spoke, knowing Antonio had seen the same changes in her. "And she told me after my last shift she had trouble sleeping when I wasn't there. I know she doesn't like to be alone anymore."

"Yeah, I've noticed all that too."

"But nothing seemed worse than usual." Matt spoke, worry filling his voice. "She was fine before I left, I don't know what would've been going on to have her crying." He said with a frown.

"I'm not sure, all she kept saying was that she was fine, just tired. But something's going on with her- I didn't know if you knew anything."

"Nothing that you don't already know. I thought things had been getting better for her." It was like the frown had been permanently etched into his face, Matt wracking his brain to try and think of anything that would've caused her tears.

"I think she is doing better, but this stuff is always a rollercoaster, man." Antonio spoke, Matt looking to him. "Even though, overall, things are getting better, she'll still have some hard days. That could've been all this was."

"Yeah, you're right…" Matt agreed, reaching his hand into his pocket to pull out his phone. "I'm gonna call, check in on her." He couldn't help but think back to the conversation he'd had with her after last shift, about wanting to know if she was ready. He believed her when she said she was okay, knowing she probably believed it too.

"Couldn't hurt. I know hearing from you will probably put her mind at ease, too." Antonio mused, Matt pulling his attention from his phone to look up at the man in front of him, confusion evident in his features.

"What do you mean?"

"She's worried about you, Casey. With the accident you had on shift." Antonio spoke, Matt blowing out a sigh. "The burn worried her enough, but I guess the bruise you had on your back- it freaked her out."

"She told you about that?"

"Yeah, she did. She's convinced that there's something wrong, something that you're not telling her."

"I know she's worried, but there's really nothing to tell Antonio. I got caught in an explosion, but aside from the burn and some bruises I'm fine." He spoke, trying to sound convincing. He knew bringing up the headaches wouldn't help his cause, since he hadn't told Gabby about them. It wasn't that he didn't want her knowing, but clearly she was already worried enough. And he was fine.

"It'll probably take her some time to let go of the idea. I think she's struggling so much with it because she wasn't there when it happened. Every time you've gotten hurt before, she's been there. Seen the damage first hand, so she knows what she has to worry about. But her not being there, I think that's making it worse for her."

"Did she say that?" Matt hadn't taken that into consideration, that she wasn't used to not being there on a call where he'd gotten injured.

"Kinda. Mostly she was just focusing on thinking there was more going on than you were telling her. But the whole situation has her a little freaked out. And I know her not being on shift with you doesn't help either."

Matt brought his hand up, rubbing deeply over his forehead as Antonio's words sank in. "Yeah, I need to call her." The words barely left his mouth before the bells rung throughout the house, Matt sighing as he shoved his phone back into his pocket. "Later. I'll call her later."

Both men exited the office, Antonio following his path to the garage.

"I think I need to take a few more shifts off." Matt told him as they walked together. "I told her I would if she needed me to, and I think I should. Even if it's only just for my peace of mind."

"It couldn't hurt." Antonio agreed. "It would probably be good for both of you. I know she's worried about you while you're here, and you're worried about her. Maybe it was too early for you to come back." Matt nodded at him as they went through the double doors.

"Yeah, I think you might be right… Thanks for stopping by and letting me know." Matt spoke, Antonio following him through the garage, standing by the rig while Matt pulled on his gear.

"Of course. Will you let me know if you find out anything? Just so I know how worried I need to be."

Nodding, Matt stepped up into the rig. "Yeah, I will."

Antonio thanked him, stepping away from the rig, as they prepared to pull out, the man glancing back and seeing a few pairs of eyes on him before the firefighters climbed into their rigs. Matt gave him a nod, before 81 pulled out from the garage, the other companies following in tow.

During the drive, Matt moved his turnout coat back, reaching into his pocket for his phone, typing a quick message to Gabby before he needed to shift his focus completely on work.

'_Hi. Just thinking about you. I love you.'_

* * *

Gabby stood in the closet, staring mindlessly at the disorganized mess in front of her. Once Antonio had left her, she'd taken to trying to find a task to keep her mind occupied. Today had been hard; harder than normal. The last thing she needed was to be alone with her thoughts. And an undertaking like re-organizing their closet was the perfect thing to keep her busy. As soft music flowed through the apartment from the radio in the kitchen, Gabby began pulling clothes down, taking them out into the bedroom and placing them on the bed.

Ideally, her and Matt would've done this before putting all her things away. But they were both so excited to get her moved back in, they ended up just putting her clothes up as quickly as possible, which undoubtedly left a mess behind. So now she'd decided to fix the disaster that had become the closet.

She started with her things, getting them all stacked on the end of the bed. Glancing towards Matt's small quarter of the closet, she realized his things didn't need to be rifled through as much. He didn't have much excess where clothes were concerned, and aside from her wanting to organize his things better, there wasn't much that needed to be gone through. Although there were a few Hawaiian shirts she definitely wouldn't mind getting rid of, she wouldn't do it without asking him. And, though she'd never admit it to him, part of her loved when he wore his ridiculously printed shirts. It brought out the quirky side to him that so rarely came out, but it was a part of him she loved so much.

After spending about half an hour or so organizing his things, and moving her dress blues that had been packed up to hang next to his, she was ready to get to the real undertaking, which were her clothes. She walked back into the bedroom, humming along to the music filling her ears as she climbed onto the bed, crossing her legs as she started to rummage through her clothing.

She didn't even realize how much time had passed by the time she finished getting everything separated, glancing to the clock and seeing almost three hours had gone by since she started work on the closet. She had made piles of things to keep and things she wanted to donate, as well as a few items that had served their purpose and were best to just be thrown away. After that feat, she'd gotten the donated items folded and packed into a couple boxes, stacking them against the wall. Her next task was to go through the items that needed to be re-hung, and get them all back on hangers, but she decided to take a little break before starting that.

Glancing around, ignoring the mess the bed had become, she looked for her phone, realizing she didn't remember where she put it last. Wandering out into the kitchen, she eventually found it, sitting on the coffee table in the living room. Collapsing down onto the couch, she picked it up, a smile falling to her face as she saw she had a text from Matt, from over two hours ago.

'_Hi. Just thinking about you. I love you.'_

She went to unlock her phone to send him a response, but wasn't able to as it started buzzing in her hand, a call from Severide showing up. Her stomach dropped seeing Kelly's contact appear. They were on shift, and there was only one reason he'd be calling her and not Matt, the thought springing tears to her eyes as she wearily answered.

"Kelly?"

"_Hey, Dawson…_" He didn't sound too distraught, which Gabby found slight comfort in. She knew something was wrong, that something had most likely happened to Matt, but the tone in his voice gave her hope it wasn't anything too terrible.

"What's wrong, Severide? Is Matt okay?" The emotion was thick in her voice, not able to mask her worry.

"_We're at med… I don't know what happened, I wasn't with him._" Kelly spoke, his voice shaky, Gabby feeling the tears that had filled her eyes begin to stroll down her cheeks. "_But he was unconscious when I found him, Dr. Rhodes is working on him. I don't know anything other than that_."

"I- I don't-" She was stuttering as she tried to form a coherent thought, hearing Kelly breathe deeply on the other end. "I need to call a cab, or something- I don't…" She pushed herself up from the couch, aimlessly stumbling around the apartment.

"_Gabby… Gabby, hey- take a breath, alright? Everything's gonna be fine. I called Antonio already, he's coming to get you and he's gonna bring you here, okay?_"

Taking a deep breath, Gabby tried to calm herself. "Okay, okay." She breathed out unsteadily. "Thank you, Kelly."

"_Of course. I'll call you if anything changes before you get here, okay? I'll see you soon_."

The two said their goodbyes, Gabby closing her eyes tightly as the weight of what was happening hit her full force.

He was unconscious, but no one knew why. He hasn't regained consciousness, as far as anyone knew. Did he get hit in the head? Was it something from the explosion? She was trying to focus in on any possible explanation, filing through the years of medical knowledge stored in her mind. But she was coming up blank, her fear overtaking her brain, Gabby unable to think rationally about the situation. All she could focus on was how her worst fears were coming true.

She didn't think he was ready to be back at work. She was convinced something was wrong with him, and it certainly seemed like she was right. Whether he knew or not, that didn't matter right now. She just needed to see him.

She had no idea how much longer it would be until Antonio got here, but she couldn't sit still waiting. She hurried into the bedroom, quickly pulling on a pair of jeans, not bothering to change from Matt's old candidate shirt as she covered her bare arms with a jacket. After sliding on her shoes, she fumbled her way back into the main part of the apartment, shoving her phone into her jacket pocket, grabbing her keys to the apartment.

Knocking on the back door broke her from her thoughts, turning her head to see Antonio standing there on the other side of the glass door, a look of concern covering his face. She hurried to the door, opening it and stepping outside next to him, barely remembering to lock up before they wordlessly rushed to his car.

Most of the ride to the hospital was done in silence, Antonio glancing over to her every few minutes. Her gaze was plastered outside the passenger window, her hands clasped together tightly in her lap, while her leg shook nervously up and down. He knew how worried she'd been about him going back to shift, and now those worries were coming to light and he couldn't imagine what she was feeling right now. All he could do was be there for her.

"He's gonna be okay, sis. Everything will be fine."

Glancing to her brother, Gabby bit her bottom lip tightly, trying to hold in the tears that were desperate to fall. She gave him a slow, unconvincing nod, not trusting her voice to respond to him as she turned back to face the window, needing the rest of the ride to go by as quickly as possible.

* * *

**I had to go back and watch last year's finale because I couldn't remember exactly what was said between Brett and Gabby during their fight and boy, was that painful. I do not recommend re-living that episode, it is not fun. In fact, if not for my story being based mostly around what happened in that episode, I would happily never think of it again.**

**I know some of you kept talking about how you thought something wasn't right with Matt, well you were correct. I knew some people would pick up on the clues to that, but you're gonna have to wait and see what's going on.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this one, please leave me a review if you can!**


	16. Chapter Sixteen

**Oh boy, we've officially got our longest chapter yet. Have fun!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixteen**_

* * *

Severide stared helplessly down the hallway as members of 51 sat in the waiting room a couple yards away from him, his eyes staying glued to the entrance of the room he knew Casey was in. April had come and spoken to them moments ago, saying they were running tests, and that he was in good hands; everything Kelly knew nurses said when they didn't have any information to give.

Squad and Truck had only been at the hospital for maybe ten minutes. The minute they rushed in, Brett and Foster updated them on Matt's condition. How his vitals were stable in the ambo, but he never regained consciousness. How they didn't find anything that might explain the state he was in. How the second they'd got there, Dr. Rhodes had whisked him away into a room, not having come out since.

But Kelly kept his gaze on the room, somehow feeling that if he kept looking, it would give him information faster. Deep down, he knew it wouldn't do anything. But it made him feel better.

As he stood there stoically, his eyes suddenly widened in realization. He wasn't sure what made him think of it, or why he suddenly remembered, but it was like his mind cleared from the haze it was in and he could only think of one thing.

_Gabby._

"Shit." Kelly muttered, cursing himself for momentarily forgetting. For going this long since Matt got hurt to think of calling her. With one last glance to Matt's room, he took the few short steps to the waiting room, walking through the crowd of firefighters as he made his way to Boden.

"Have you called Dawson?" Severide asked, the Chief's face remaining neutral before shaking his head side to side. "Alright, I'm gonna call her, let her know what's going on." The Lieutenant spoke, pulling his phone from his pocket. He didn't want to keep this from Gabby any longer than he had already, but he knew he had one other call to make first.

He went to his contacts, finding the person he was looking for, putting the phone to his ear as it started ringing. He walked to the back of the waiting room, seeing a few eyes on him as he passed his coworkers.

"_Hello?_"

"Antonio, it's Kelly." He saw more members of the firehouse look to him as he spoke.

"_Severide. What's going on? Everyone okay?" _Kelly heard the nervousness in the man's tone.

"We're at med... Matt got hurt on our last call." Kelly spoke as steadily as he could.

"_Is he gonna be okay? Did you call Gabby?_"

"I don't know anything on his condition yet, just that they're running tests. I found him passed out on the top floor, he was by himself so no one saw what happened. And I'm about to call her… I wanted to call you first, cause I know she doesn't have a car." Kelly spoke, Antonio connecting the dots as to what he was asking. "I don't know if you're working, I can go and get her if you need me to-"

"_No, no, I'll go. Thanks for letting me know, I'm leaving the district now. You're gonna let her know?_"

"Yeah, I'm about to call her. I'll see you in a bit." After their goodbyes, they both hung up, Kelly immediately clicking on Gabby's name, dreading this conversation.

"_Kelly?_" He could hear the nervousness in her voice, like she knew what this call was.

"Hey Dawson…" He spoke, trying to keep his voice as calm as possible. Heads around him snapped up, their focus on Kelly as he took a deep breath.

"_What's wrong, Severide? Is Matt okay?_" She sounded like she was about to start crying, Kelly feeling a stabbing pain in his gut as he heard the emotion her voice carried.

"We're at med… I don't know what happened, I wasn't with him." He started to lose some of the composure in his voice, not wanting to freak her out but the image of finding him flashing in his mind was making it difficult. "But he was unconscious when I found him, Dr. Rhodes is working on him. I don't know anything other than that." He regretfully told her, wishing he had more information to give.

"_I- I don't-_" Kelly could hear her breathing increase, knowing she was struggling with digesting the information. "_I need to call a cab, or something- I don't…_" She was rambling, Kelly sensing she was on the verge of full blown panic.

"Gabby… Gabby, hey- take a breath, alright?" He tried to soothe her, seeing the concerned glances of those around him. "Everything's gonna be fine. I called Antonio already, he's coming to get you and he's gonna bring you here, okay?" He hoped he was doing something to calm her down, not liking that she was alone right now. Hopefully, Antonio would be there soon.

"_Okay, okay._" He heard less panic in her voice, thankful she'd managed to calm down, at least a little bit. "_Thank you, Kelly_."

"Of course. I'll call you if anything changes before you get here, okay? I'll see you soon."

"_Okay, thank you._" The two said goodbye, Kelly hanging up, releasing a deep sigh. Looking up, he saw the eyes of the entire firehouse on him.

"Gabby's on her way with Antonio." He spoke quietly, not knowing what else to say. He knew they'd all heard at least his side of the conversation, so he figured they knew that already. But all the eyes on him were making him uncomfortable. Without saying another word, he walked back through the crowd, taking up his original spot by the desk, his eyes locking back on Matt's room.

* * *

_Matt drew in a deep breath as they pulled up to the fire, seeing the house in front of them set ablaze. He pushed his door open, practically stumbling from the rig as a wave of nausea hit him. He steadied himself, grabbing on the side of the door, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to suppress the unsettling feeling. It took only seconds for the feeling to seemingly pass, Matt moving to shut the door when a loud ringing sound filled his ears. Squeezing his eyes shut tighter, he hunched over slightly, pressing against his forehead trying to get the ringing to stop. He didn't know what was going on, but he forced himself to stand straight, hoping that if he managed to get to work, the ringing in his ears would end._

"_Captain?" Kidd called out, having seen his odd behavior since he nearly fell from the truck. All of 81 were standing there, waiting for orders, noticing something was wrong with Casey._

"_Yeah- let's go." He spoke, breathing out through his nose, forcing his eyes open as he started walking towards Boden._

"_You sure you're okay?" Herrmann asked, Matt waving him off, signaling he was fine._

_The ringing had dulled to a softer tone, but it was still present. Thankfully, the nausea had passed and he felt more equipped to do his job. But he ignored the weakness he was feeling in his legs, figuring he probably just needed something to eat. Whatever the issue was, it could be addressed later. Right now there were people who needed help._

"_Casey, I want Truck to do the sweep on the top floor. Severide, have squad do the first floor and basement. Let's do this quickly- the smoke's already looking bad." Boden ordered, the firemen nodding as they masked up, following their leaders inside._

_Matt lead the way up the steps, ignoring the dizziness he was feeling with each step. The smoke was thick as they got to the top step, Matt seeing fire burning the walls on either side of the hallway. He knew they needed to do this quick. Casey called out orders, having Otis come with him all the way to the end of the hall. _

_They got to the last room, Matt opening the door, immediately being met by an unconscious man lying in the middle of the floor. He and Otis hurried to his side, another wave of nausea hitting Casey as he bent down next to this man._

"_Kidd." He called through the radio. "We need you down at the end of the hall, last door on the left." It took only seconds for her body to appear in the doorway, coming over to them._

"_Help Otis get this guy out?" He asked, not trusting his own body at the moment to be able to get this man to safety. Usually he would push through, but something was telling him he wouldn't be able to. "I'll be out right behind you. Is everyone from truck out?"_

"_Yeah, they just went down." Kidd confirmed, her and Otis lifting the man, Matt watching as they disappeared through the doorway. Bent over on the ground, he placed his hand over his chest, suddenly finding it harder to get air into his lungs. He didn't know what was happening, but he knew he had to get himself out of here._

_Downstairs, Severide and Cruz had just come up from the basement. Luckily the fire had been localized to mostly upstairs, but they knew once it was in the walls it would be harder to contain and spread faster. They found no victims on either floor they searched, Kelly glancing around and seeing no one else in the house aside from Joe and himself._

"_Squad, everyone out?" Kelly asked over the radio, hearing the confirmation that all of his men were waiting outside. The two men headed for the exit, but stopped immediately when they heard the unmistakable sound of a pass alarm going off upstairs. His head snapped towards the stairs, Kelly rushing to the steps with Cruz in tow._

"_Who's still in here?" Kelly called frantically over the radio._

"_Casey, why?" Boden responded immediately as Kelly got to the top of the steps, dread filling his body as he looked at the flames surrounding him, trying to follow the sound of the alarm._

"_His pass alarm is going off." _

"_...Hurry and get him Severide, smokes turning black." Boden spoke nervously over the radio, Kelly anxiously moving through the flames. Getting to the end of the hallway, he found the source of the alarm, seeing an unmoving Casey laying in the doorway._

"_We found him, he's unconscious." Kelly spoke quickly into the radio, doing a quick once over to see if he could figure out what had caused him to lose consciousness. He didn't want to move him incase there was an injury, but Kelly saw nothing that would explain his current state. Nothing had fallen on him, there was no debris around him. Aside from the fire, there was nothing that could explain what had knocked him out. Not knowing how much time they had left, Kelly decided to risk it as he instructed Cruz to help lift him up. While they carried him down the hall, Kelly shifted Matt's weight to be able to reach his radio. "Brett, Foster- be ready." _

_He and Cruz got him down the stairs as carefully and quickly as possible, Kelly's mind racing as he tried to piece together what had happened. He didn't know why Matt was up there by himself, or who from truck had been with him last. Obviously he was okay before everyone else left, or they wouldn't have left him alone. _

_Soon enough, they got outside, more firefighters waiting by the door to help carry Casey down to the awaiting gurney. As soon as his limp body was placed on the bed, Brett and Foster got to work, Kelly removing his helmet and oxygen mask so they had access to his airway._

"_Did anyone see what happened?" Foster asked quickly as she checked his breath sounds._

"_I don't know, I just heard the alarm. He was unconscious in the room, who was the last person with him?" Kelly asked, his eyes flashing around the members of truck standing there._

"_Kidd and I were- he sent us out with the other victim." Otis spoke, nodding to the guy who was being tended to by another ambulance. "He was fine. He said he was coming out right behind us."_

"_We gotta get him to med." Brett spoke, everyone worried about the fact he hadn't regained consciousness. Severide helped load him in the back with Foster, slamming the doors shut, 51 watching as the ambulance sped away._

"_I know we're all worried about Casey, but we have to get this fire contained first, then we can focus on him." Boden ordered, everyone knowing he was right. The sooner they finished up here, the sooner they'd get to hospital to be with Casey. But they wouldn't be able to keep from worrying._

_The uncertainty of the situation was weighing heavily on Severide as he began giving orders to his men. There were no obvious signs of trauma. Matt wasn't bleeding, he hadn't been hit by anything. There was no sign as to what caused his unconsciousness, and that's what was worrying Severide the most._

* * *

Gabby felt her legs shaking slightly as she hurried in through the double doors of the hospital, glancing around as she tried to find a familiar face. Turning the corner, she found herself looking into the waiting room, seeing a group of people she hadn't seen or talked to in months. If she wasn't in such a panic, she might've taken a second to think through what she wanted to say to them. But right now she was too worried about what was happening with Matt to care so much about seeing them again.

Stumbling forward slightly, wringing her hands together in front of her, her eyes darted around the group, looking for the one person she's had contact with. She found him leaning up against the far wall, his eyes on the ground, Boden standing strong beside him.

Chief was the first one to see her, him looking over from Kelly and locking eyes with her. A quick look of shock flashed over his face, before it morphed into a small smile, giving her a comforting nod. He nudged Kelly, the man looking up, Gabby watching as he looked to Boden before his gaze shifted to her.

An immediate frown formed on his face, seeing the clear worry covering hers, noticing her trembling body immediately. "Hey Gabby." His soft voice flooded through the quiet space, pushing himself from the wall. The heads of 51 snapped up, all eyes immediately on her as they watched Kelly approach her. None of them knew what to say, seeing her again for the first time. Taking in her appearance was like a shock to the system. She looked the same, mostly. But there was something different, like she was the Gabby they'd always known while at the same time she was a complete stranger.

"What happened, Kelly?" Her voice was shaking, Severide wrapping his arms around her in a quick hug as soon as he got to her, trying to give her any comfort he could. He rubbed up and down her back before pulling away, keeping a hand on her shoulder.

"I don't know." He blew out a deep sigh, seeing more unshed tears fill her eyes. "We were sweeping the house, all of truck was out except him. I was leaving the building when I heard his pass alarm going off. When we got up there, he was unconscious."

A lone tear fell down her cheek as she listened to Kelly continue the story. "There were no signs of what caused it. As far as I can tell he didn't get hit by anything, I- I don't know what happened, Gabby." He knew hearing the whole story only worried her more, seeing more tears roll down her face.

"No one knows what happened?" She asked quietly. It was a question for the whole group, but Gabby addressed it to Kelly. He shook his head, moving to stand beside her so Gabby had a better view of everyone.

"No, Otis and Kidd were the last ones with him." Kelly spoke, eyeing them both, silently ordering them to elaborate.

Otis spoke up first, clearing his throat. "He seemed fine in there, Dawson. We had a victim and he called Kidd to come help me get the guy out, nothing seemed out of the ordinary." He felt strange, speaking directly to her. But it was like she was looking through him. Everyone in the room could see how worried she was.

"He was acting weird before we went in." Kidd spoke, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing at the new information.

"What do you mean?"

"When we got there, he kind of fell from the rig. I don't know what happened, but I thought he just tripped. But then he was hunched over for a few seconds, and kind of holding his head."

Gabby's eyes moved to look at Kelly, as both of them heard this for the first time.

"We asked him if he was okay, he said he was fine. Once we got inside, everything seemed okay with him, but it was weird." Kidd spoke, her eyes darting back and forth between Dawson and Severide.

Gabby thought over everything she knew, gathering that whatever had caused his lack of consciousness was probably the same thing ailing him when they got to the call. She couldn't shake the feeling that this was caused from an injury during the explosion. That he was keeping an injury from her because he didn't want her worrying, or that he had an injury he himself didn't know about. Either way, the sinking feeling in her stomach made her nauseous, swallowing thickly to try and make this feeling go away. But it wouldn't.

Out of the corner of his eye, Kelly saw Gabby falter by his side, her releasing a small gasp of air as her legs started to give out from under her. He quickly turned towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist to keep her upright, members of 51 shooting up from their chairs as the scene unfolded in front of them.

"It's okay, Gabby. Let's sit down for a second." He kept his voice calm, not wanting to make things worse. Held tight within his grasp, he guided her to the nearest seat, holding onto her until she was secured in the chair. "Can someone get some water?" Kelly asked quickly, squatting down in front of her, placing his hands on the arms of the chair. Foster was the first to move, heading for the nurses station to get a cup of water for her.

Her legs were twitching as she sat there, her head falling into her hands as she thought over the endless possibilities of what could be wrong with Matt. Was it something internal? Was it related to the injury that caused the bruise on his back? Had he hit his head again? Dozens of thoughts were swarming her brain, not even noticing how 51 had closed in around her, forming a half circle around her shaking form.

Foster was back after a few moments with a small cup of water, handing it to Severide who held it out to Gabby. "Drink some of this." He spoke, leaving it in front of her face until she slowly grabbed it, taking a small sip to appease him. She didn't care so much about making herself feel better right now. She'd feel better when she knew more about Matt, when she knew he was okay.

"Have any doctors or anyone been out to talk to you all?" Her voice was quiet, only audible because the liquid had soothed her dry throat.

"April was out here a little bit ago, all she said was that they were running tests." He told her, pushing the cup of water towards her mouth again, holding firm until she reluctantly took another sip. He couldn't do anything for Casey right now, but he damn sure was going to do whatever he could for Gabby.

Once half the water was gone, she leaned down, placing the cup onto the ground, sitting herself back up. When she finally looked up, she saw how close everyone had gotten to her, and it was making her nervous. Gabby wasn't used to being around this many people, and it was causing her anxiety to skyrocket. She caught a few of the worried gazes of her former coworkers, before she looked back towards her lap, pulling on the ends of her jacket. She closed her eyes, moving to rest her head in her hands as she took slow, deep breaths, doing what she could to center herself.

Kelly had been watching her, and her behavior was worrying him. "He'll be okay." He assured her once more, knowing she needed to hear it. From his crouched position, he could see her eyes open even though her head was down, seeing a tear fall down onto her jeans.

"I can't lose him, Kelly." Her broken voice came out in a whisper, lifting one hand up to wipe away the tears on her face. "After everything… I- I just got him back, I can't lose him. Not again." She was talking so low the words were hard to hear, but Kelly did. As did most of 51. They could hear the pain in her voice, and that combined with how visibly shaken she was, they were starting to understand what Matt had been talking about. How her leaving maybe wasn't as black and white as it originally seemed.

"Don't think like that." Kelly spoke immediately, moving to rub his hand comfortingly over her knee. "You're not going to lose him, Gabby." He spoke as confidently as he could, but in the back of his mind he was having the same worries as she was, the uncertainty of the situation causing his worst fears to come to light.

Herrmann cautiously stepped closer to Gabby, Kelly pushing himself to stand up and backing away from her as Herrmann got closer, Severide not wanting to crowd her. Silently, Herrmann put his hand on her shoulder, giving it a soft squeeze as she looked up at him.

"He'll be okay, kid. He's always been a fighter." He gave her a soft smile as the words left his lips, hoping to give her some strength. She gave him a small smile back, not able to muster up much more than that. She moved her hand to rest on top of his, Herrmann staying by her side as the group stood there in silence.

Herrmann had his questions about everything that happened that caused her to leave, but seeing her here in front of him, his questions were now aimed more towards what happened to her after she left. The scar on her forehead was worrisome enough, but it was the difference in her demeanor that had him concerned. Maybe it was just the stress of the situation, but this wasn't the same Gabby Dawson he'd known all those years. She was a shell of the woman she used to be. He couldn't help but wonder what all had happened to her to cause her to lose so much of herself.

Seeing Gabby was seemingly okay, Kelly took a few more steps back, glancing around at the group and seeing all of their eyes fixated on her. He couldn't blame them, when he'd first seen her that was his instinct, too. Although at that point, she still had more visible injuries. But he just hoped she wasn't uncomfortable, or better yet, he hoped she didn't even notice all the eyes trained on her.

As his eyes bounced around the room, that's when he saw Antonio heading towards them. Breaking away from everyone, Kelly met him halfway, the two standing away from the group.

"Is she okay? Did you find anything else out about Casey?" Antonio's voice was frantic, having seen the state Gabby was currently in.

"No, nothing yet. She- I don't know how to explain it, she freaked out after hearing exactly what happened. Her breathing got heavy and her legs gave out on her." Kelly spoke, Antonio rubbing his hand over his mouth tiredly. "We got her some water, she's not shaking as much. I think she's calmed down a little, I just… she'll feel better when she can see him. When she knows he'll be okay."

There was a silence that hung in the air between them, Antonio not wanting to ask the next question on his mind.

"...Do we know he'll be okay?"

Kelly opened his mouth to respond, wanting to give a definitive yes. But he slowly closed it back, knowing he couldn't. Because no one knew what was going on, or how serious this was. They knew nothing.

"I...I really don't know."

"Kelly." April's voice grabbed both of their attentions, Kelly not able to read the look on her face as she approached them. She looked slightly optimistic, but mostly weary, and it worried him.

"Is he okay?"

"He's awake." Kelly blew out a sigh of relief, Antonio following suit as well. But the look on April's face wasn't promising. "But, we think there might be an issue."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Kelly folded his arms across his chest. "What kind of issue?" He asked apprehensively.

"Well we're not really sure exactly what we're dealing with, he seems to know where he is, and he remembers what happened. He knows what day it is, what year it is, he seems to remember everything."

"Then what's the problem?" He asked impatiently.

"He keeps asking for Gabby." Kelly and Antonio shared a look, both of them confused as to why that would cause any red flags. "But she's been gone for months. Everything appears normal aside from remembering that she's not here. He's insistent on seeing her." She spoke, glancing to Antonio.

"Wait- that's the only reason you think something's wrong? There's nothing else?" Kelly looked for confirmation, which he soon got in the form of a nod. "Oh, thank god." He breathed out in relief, April eyeing him in confusion.

"Am I missing something?"

"Gabby's here, she's been back a few weeks." Antonio answered, a look of relief mixed with understanding covering April's face.

"Well, that explains why he kept looking at us like we were insane when we wouldn't bring her to him. She's here right now?"

"Yeah, over there." Kelly spoke, pointing to the group of firefighters. He then realized you couldn't see her anymore from where they were, seeing as how everyone was huddled around her. "Can she go see him?"

"Of course."

The three walked over to 51, April breaking her way through the wall of firefighters.

"Gabby?" She asked softly, Dawson's head snapping up at her name. She didn't say anything, afraid of the answers she might get if she asked a question. "Matt's asking for you."

A sound of relief escaped her lips, Gabby pushing herself up from the chair immediately, the group of firefighters taking a few steps back. "He's okay?"

April gave a slight nod, "He will be. Dr. Rhodes can explain more to you than I can, but Matt had an undiagnosed concussion, which was causing his symptoms. But he'll be fine, should make a full recovery." Gabby's eyes fell closed as gratitude washed through her body, more tears escaping as she ran her hands over her head. She felt a hand on her back, Herrmann having moved to stand behind her.

"Told you he'd be okay." He spoke with a lightness in his voice, Gabby looking up and smiling at him appreciatively.

"Can I see him now?" She felt better knowing it wasn't anything too serious, but she was sure this heavy weight wouldn't be lifted from her chest until she laid eyes on him. Nodding, April held her arm out, signaling Gabby to follow her as the two walked through the waiting room.

As they walked through the emergency room, Gabby did her best to keep herself calm, feeling her nerves rise with each step as she got closer to his room. But knowing he was awake and talking kept her grounded. They stopped in front of what Gabby assumed to be his room, April sliding the glass door back. Gabby followed her in, clasping her hands together tightly as April pulled back the curtain that was hiding him from sight.

When she laid her eyes on him, she was unable to stop the fresh tears that fell from her eyes, raking over his form as he sat upright in the hospital bed. He'd been stripped of his turnout gear and Captain's shirt, the items sitting in a pile by the bed. There were wires attached all over his chest, connecting to different machines by his bedside. In the quick once over she did, she found no new bruises and marks covering him. He looked the same as he did this morning, and she found herself comforted by that.

When he looked over from Dr. Rhodes, a wide smile graced him face, his eyes crinkling as he saw Gabby standing in front of him. But the smile soon faded, seeing the clear concern written in her features and the tears in her eyes. "I'm okay, Gabby." His raspy voice met her ears, a warmth filling her as she heard him speak.

Dr. Rhodes had looked over towards her, Gabby glancing towards him, the look on her face asking him if Matt was telling the truth.

"He is." Dr. Rhodes confirmed, Gabby blowing out a sigh of relief. "The explosion he was in about two weeks ago, he got a concussion from that but never knew it." He explained as Gabby walked over to the bed, trying to calm her shaking hands. When she got to his bedside, Matt immediately reached out for her, Gabby grabbing onto his hand with both of hers. "I'm honestly surprised it took this long for more of the serious symptoms to manifest themselves. I guess going back to work triggered it, but next time you have those consistent headaches Casey, and the dizziness, don't ignore them, alright? Especially if it's after you've hit your head."

A frown fell to her face as she heard what Rhodes had said, her eyes moving to Matt's as he looked down towards their conjoined hands.

"Are you guys keeping him for observation?" Gabby asked, deciding to deal with Matt lying to her once they were alone.

"We will for a couple more hours. Normally, we'd keep him longer with the symptoms he was having, but if you'll be with him, I know you know what to keep an eye out for." Dr. Rhodes spoke, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, I will be."

"I'll come back to check on you in a little while, you feeling okay Casey?" He checked one last time, Matt giving him a nod. "Okay good. Let us know if anything changes, it's good to see you Dawson." He greeted as he walked towards the exit.

"You too." She replied, waiting until he had shut the curtain and door before turning back to Matt, a look of anger mixed with worry etched on her face. He met her eyes, waiting for her to start yelling at him for worrying her, and for keeping this from her. But instead, she dropped his hand and wrapped her arms around him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder as she held him. He was shocked, to say the least, that he wasn't getting a lecture right now, but he wasn't complaining. He wrapped his arms around her as well, holding her to him with all the strength he had.

"When Kelly called me, saying they found you unconscious, I… You scared the hell out of me." She trailed off, Matt closing his eyes as he felt guilt rush through his body.

"I'm okay, Gabby. I swear." His words caused her to pull back, Matt keeping his arms around her waist so she couldn't get too far. She rested her arm on his shoulder, standing up straight as she leaned slightly into his body.

"I asked you over and over again if you were ready to go back, and you told me yes." Her voice was quiet, clearly wanting answers as to why he lied to her. "You said you were fine, but you obviously weren't. You knew you weren't."

"I… I thought they were just headaches. I didn't know it was anything more than that, or I would've told you. I was so worried about everything else, I dunno, I didn't think much of it... I'm sorry."

Sighing softly, Gabby moved her hand to run over the side of his head. "I know you probably thought it was nothing, but constant headaches are never a good thing, and you know that." She spoke firmly, Matt nodding at her. "Promise me you won't keep something like this from me again?"

"I won't." He assured her, squeezing her waist lightly. Leaning her head down slightly, she placed a soft kiss to his lips, neither one of them wanting to pull back but she eventually did.

"But don't think I forgot what Dr. Rhodes said about the dizziness." She whispered softly against his lips, pulling back completely as she looked at him with raised eyebrows. "What was he talking about?"

"I had a few dizzy spells, that's it."

"Matt-"

"It only happened twice." He tried to assure her. "I thought it was just from being tired, or that I needed to eat something." She gave him a pointed look, and he could tell she wasn't sure if she believed him. "I swear, I didn't think it was anything serious. I know I should've put the two together, between that and the headaches, and known something more was going on. But I didn't, I was so worried about you and everything with us, it just didn't seem like a big deal." He ran his hand over her hip as he spoke, keeping her tight within his hold. "I would've never ignored it if I thought it was something like this."

She nodded, moving to brush her hand over the top of his head, running her fingers lightly through his hair. His eyes fluttered closed as he leaned into her touch. "I know you did none of this on purpose, but please never do this to me again." She breathed out, her voice soft.

"I won't, or at least I'll try not to." He spoke lightly, a small smile resting on his face. Before she could respond, he pulled her in for another kiss, the two happy for the close contact after the day's events.

"So… what exactly happened in there?" She asked once they pulled back, keeping herself close to him, continuing to run her fingers through his hair. After hearing what Dr. Rhodes had to say, and hearing Kidd talk about how he was acting before the call, she couldn't help but wonder what had happened.

Taking a deep breath, Matt began explaining everything, Gabby feeling him lightly squeezing his fingers against her side. "I felt fine, but when we pulled up to the scene, I started to feel...weird, I don't know." He explained, his eyes glancing downwards, missing the frown that formed on her face. "I felt nauseous, and just- off. Like I got tired all of the sudden. And my ears started ringing, it kind of freaked me out." He admitted, Gabby bringing her free hand up to his face, gently adjusting his chin so he was looking at her. "But I pushed through it... figured I could deal with it after. So I went in."

"Your body was trying to get you to slow down, baby." Her voice spoke softly, Matt nodding at her knowingly.

"At first I felt okay, I thought whatever it was had passed. But by the time we got to the victim, I could tell there was something wrong. I called for Kidd to come help Otis... I knew I wouldn't be able to get this guy out." He told her, Gabby running her thumb lightly over his jaw while he told his story, knowing the action comforted him. "I tried to get out of there, but it was like I couldn't breathe anymore. I felt lightheaded and wasn't able to really see anything. The last thing I remember is trying to get to the door of the bedroom, and I guess that's where I passed out. After that, all I remember is waking up in here."

Gabby nodded as he finished explaining himself, leaning down to place a kiss to his forehead, holding her lips against his skin for a few extra seconds. She didn't move far when she pulled away, Gabby resting her head down on top of his, feeling him tighten his hold on her.

"I'm glad you're okay." She whispered, feeling his body relax into hers. She knew how much this entire thing scared him. Though he tried not to ever show it, accidents on the job always rattled him more than he'd let on. She knew this situation would be no different.

"Now that we've talked about me… I want to talk about you." He spoke, breaking the calm silence that had settled between them. Pulling back from their embrace, a quizzical look spreading across her features. "Antonio stopped by after his visit with you." He prefaced, seeing realization fall onto her face. "He said you seemed upset, that you'd been crying."

Gabby blew out a sigh, glancing down between them, her eyes glued to the fading CFD crest on her shirt. "What's going on, Gabby?"

"It was just.. a rough morning." She admittedly quietly, making herself look at him.

"What happened?" He prompted after she'd gone silent again.

"I got a little anxious, more than I have been." She started, Matt giving her a small, understanding nod when she looked to him. "I was having a hard time being alone, and I've been worried about you being at work, which now I know wasn't completely unjustified, but I thought it was just me being paranoid, which was making me more anxious." She did her best to explain to him where her head was at, not wanting to keep anything from him. "Everything became too much, and I started freaking out. But I'm okay, I just got overwhelmed."

A sad smile covered his face, Matt moving to grasp her hand in his. "It's okay. I know things have been hard, after everything. Do you think… maybe, you might need some help with this? To get past everything?" She knew what he was asking her, and she'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about it.

"I don't know, maybe. I do think things are getting better." Matt nodded in agreement, squeezing her hand. "I'll think about it, if things get worse I might have to."

"It's nothing you have to decide right now, it's just an option." He assured her, Gabby nodding knowingly. "I just want you to be okay."

Smiling softly, she gave him a quick kiss. "I know, I just want you to be okay too."

"I think I went back to work too early." Matt spoke after a beat of silence.

"Honestly, I think you did too." She agreed quietly. "I was wanting to talk to you about it when you got home, but, you know, you had a change of plans." She spoke lightly, Matt smiling.

"Yeah, sorry about that. But now, I'll definitely be taking time off. Granted I don't have a choice, but I think it's what's best for the both of us. At least for a few more shifts. After speaking with Antonio, I planned on going to talk to Boden, ask him if I could have more time off. Even before everything happened at this call… I don't know, I don't think either of us were ready for me to go back."

Gabby gave him a nod, showing him she agreed with him. "Yeah, I don't think we were either. I know we wanted to be, but it's been harder than I thought, being alone. I don't want to keep you from work, but-"

"You're my priority here, Gabby." He interrupted, not liking where her sentence was heading. "I'll take off as much time as you need, as _we _need."

"Okay." She responded quietly, but Matt could tell she wasn't completely convinced.

"Also, I don't care where we are, if I'm on shift, if it's in the middle of the night, whatever the situation, if that happens again, everything becoming too much- I want you to tell me." He spoke sternly, Gabby eyeing him for a moment before nodding.

"I will."

The smile that fell to his face was enough to bring one to hers as well. "Good."

Before the two could say anything else, they heard the door slide open, both of them looking over in time to see Dr. Rhodes come in, holding Matt's chart.

"Hey doctor."

"Hey Casey, still feeling okay?" Matt only gave a nod, Connor looking towards Gabby. "I'd feel comfortable letting you go in about an hour or so. I just want to go over everything with you two, even though I know you all know most of it." He explained, the two nodding.

Dr. Rhodes started going over everything they needed to know, Matt finding himself tuning out most of it. He caught bits and pieces, hearing Rhodes say how he couldn't work for at least two shifts, and he was going through the things that Gabby needed to know and the things she needed to look out for, but he wasn't worried about missing that information. He knew Gabby would be paying close attention, and he felt himself becoming more and more tired as he let his mind wander. Although he felt better knowing what was causing his issues, that didn't make the symptoms go away. The past few minutes he'd been feeling a headache creep up, which he knew would continue to happen for a while. Rhodes had told him it would, but it didn't mean it was any less uncomfortable. He didn't want to say anything and worry Gabby more, but the feeling was becoming painful. As he sat there quietly, he slowly felt that feeling of nausea creep into his system, but this felt more intense than just feeling queasy. He could feel a pressure moving up his chest and into his throat, causing him to gag.

"Matt?" Gabby asked, seeing his movements and hearing the gagging noise escape through his lips. Reading his body language, she knew exactly what was about to happen. Quickly grabbing the plastic basin from his table, she held it in front of his mouth just in time as he threw up into it, his body shaking as he emptied the contents of his stomach.

"It's okay." Gabby soothed, rubbing his back up and down as he was hunched over, not knowing if another wave would hit him. Dr. Rhodes handed Gabby a new basin, the two switching them out quickly, just in case he got sick again. While Connor got rid of the full container, Gabby continued to comfort him, knowing how much he hated being sick. He was still shaking slightly and she felt horrible for him. She knew this was part of his recovery, but it hurt her seeing him in so much discomfort.

"This is all part of it, Casey." Dr. Rhodes spoke, Matt having heard him but he gave no verbal response. He still felt like he needed to throw up again, but he was trying his hardest to get the feeling to pass. "I can prescribe you some medicine for the nausea, if you want."

Seeing Matt still not in the position to answer, she did for him. "Yeah, let's do that." Connor nodded, just as Matt threw up again in the basin Gabby was holding. She grimaced, hearing the retching sounds coming from him, wishing she could do anything to help.

When he finished the second time, he fell back against the bed, his head looking up as he kept his eyes closed. Dr. Rhodes took the container from her, Gabby moving her entire focus to Matt. She ran her hand over his forehead, watching him breath slowly through his nose.

"I know it's not fun, but this part of it shouldn't last very long." Dr. Rhodes told them, Gabby nodding with a sad smile on her face. "I'm gonna go get that medication in for him, if you need anything or he gets sick again, let us know." Gabby gave him a nod of acknowledgement, moving her eyes back to Matt as Connor left the room.

She continued moving her hand over his forehead, hopefully soothing him as he kept his eyes closed. For a minute, she thought he'd fallen asleep, but then he spoke up again.

"Sorry for that."

She rolled her eyes, even though she knew he couldn't see her. Even when he was this sick, he couldn't help but apologize for something out of his control. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Matt." She assured him, smiling softly as he leaned into her touch. "Now, you should try and get some sleep. Rest up a bit before they kick you out of here."

He smiled, opening his eyes slightly to look at her. "Whatever you say." He said softly, his eyes falling shut again, letting himself drift off as he focused on the feel of her fingers running softly over his head.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

**So I hit over 100k words with this chapter and that's so crazy to me. I never expected to write this much with the little thought I had in my head for this story. When I first started this, I thought maybe I'd write like ten chapters, at most. But now it feels like the story has only really just started, and I'm so excited for the storylines I have coming for this. I hope you guys are too. **

**Thank you all so much for the continued support, it means more than you could ever know. I hope you all enjoy this one!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventeen**_

* * *

Gabby stood by Matt's bedside at Chicago Med, watching his chest as it moved up and down steadily. He'd been asleep off and on for the past hour, Gabby having not left her spot since she arrived. April had come in about 15 minutes ago, dropping off the medication they prescribed him to help with nausea, as well as a a mild pain killer. Dr. Rhodes had assured her it wasn't much stronger than tylenol, but it would help a little better with the headaches he was bound to have in the upcoming days.

While standing there she'd been alternating between running her hand through his hair and holding his hand tightly in hers, Gabby feeling the overwhelming need to keep physical contact with him. She wasn't sure exactly where the strong desire was coming from, she figured it probably had to do with how long she'd been left dealing with the uncertainty of his condition. But, whatever the reason, she found herself not wanting to let go of him.

Matt clearing his throat pulled her from her thoughts, her eyes moving to his face, seeing him looking back at her, squinting slightly as he adjusted to the light. They'd turned down the lights in the room considerably, to help with his headache and to let him sleep, but it still took some adjusting every time he woke up.

"Hey sleepyhead." She spoke softly, moving to grab his cup of water and holding it out for him to take. She watched him slowly down a few sips, before he placed it back on the table.

"How much longer am I here?"

"Well, it shouldn't be that much longer. I've got your medications, and they went ahead and gave you some nausea medicine while you were sleeping. I can go find Dr. Rhodes, see where we're at." She spoke, Matt giving her a soft nod. Leaning down, she placed a light kiss to his lips, intent on pulling back but Matt held her to him as he moved his arm around her waist, kissing her deeply. Smiling into the kiss, Gabby reciprocated his actions.

Someone clearing their throat broke them apart, both of them looking to see Kelly standing in doorway with a smug smirk on his face, his arms crossed over his chest. Beside him was Herrmann, who seemed much more uncomfortable around the clear display of affection between the two. "Get a room." Severide joked, stepping closer to Matt's bed, Herrmann following behind.

"We tried." Matt replied back, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks as they stopped on the other side of his bed.

"April came and told us you were gonna pull through," Severide said with a light, teasing tone to his voice. "Maybe next time you're feeling a little sick, don't go inside a burning building." Matt opened his mouth to respond, but Gabby's voice stopped him.

"I'm gonna go talk to Dr. Rhodes, I'll be back in a bit." She spoke to Matt, him nodding as she headed for the door.

"But really man, you scared the hell out of us. Don't do that again." Were the last words Gabby heard from Severide as she exited the room.

Looking around the busy emergency room, her eyes spotted Dr. Rhodes over by one of the computers, talking with Maggie. She made her way over, standing back a few feet until they were done talking.

"Hey, I heard you were back Dawson." Maggie spoke with a smile, the warmth of her voice putting Gabby at ease.

"Yeah, just got back a few weeks ago." She replied, accepting Maggie's hug as the woman came to to stand in front of her.

"I heard about everything you were doing down in Puerto Rico, that's really amazing Gabby." Maggie said, Gabby giving her a small smile.

"Yeah, uh- it was very fulfilling work." She tried to hide how uncomfortable to topic made her, but she could tell Maggie and Connor sensed it.

"Did you need me, Dawson? Casey still feeling okay?" Dr. Rhodes shifted the topic of conversation, Gabby releasing a grateful breath.

"Yeah, he's okay, just tired. I was wondering how much longer you think he needs to be here? He's getting a little antsy, I think he just wants to go home."

"I'll go check him over one more time, but he should be fine to leave. I'll get started on the discharge paperwork."

"Thank you." Her voice was soft as she gave him an appreciative smile.

"I'll be in there in a few minutes." He said, Gabby giving him a nod before walking away, saying a quick goodbye to Maggie. She headed back towards Matt's room, but stopped short of the entrance when she saw Matt in light conversation with Severide and Herrmann. Deciding not to interrupt, she chose to head to the waiting room, wanting to let Antonio know they'd be leaving soon. She also knew everyone would want to know how Matt was doing. Even though she still felt uneasy around them, she knew she couldn't avoid them forever.

Turning the corner to the waiting room, Gabby's progress was halted as her body crashed into another, a shooting pain moving through her ribcage as the other person's body weight hit her square in the ribs. A gasp of pain immediately left her lips, a grimace covering her face as she instinctively brought her hand up to hold over her side. Hands came out to steady her, Gabby looking up and being met by the worried eyes of Boden.

"You okay, Dawson?" His deep voice met her ears, Gabby's eyes flickering between Boden and Brett, who was standing just behind him, both of them wearing a look of concern.

Clearing her throat, she removed her hand from her ribs, the sharp pain dulling considerably. "Yeah, I'm good." She spoke, giving what she knew to be an unconvincing nod.

"You sure?" Boden eyed her for a few seconds, removing his hands from her arms. She gave him another nod, her eyes darting to the ground away from them. "How's Casey feeling?" He asked, deciding to move on from questions surrounding her, knowing she wouldn't share anything regarding herself.

Neither Boden nor Brett missed how the tension left her body at the question, a genuine smile finding its way to her face. "He's doing okay, he's tired but he'll be fine. Just needs some rest. I was actually on my way to update you all." She spoke, continuing her path to the waiting room, sensing Boden and Brett following behind her.

When Antonio saw his sister approaching, he shot up from his seat, his movements gaining the attention of the rest of the firehouse.

"Hey guys," Gabby spoke, seeing everyone's eyes on her. "Matt's doing fine, he's tired but overall he's alright." She saw their bodies relax at her words. Even though they knew the medical side of what happened, hearing that he was doing alright had to put them at ease.

"So it was just the concussion?" Otis asked, Brett moving from behind Gabby to come and stand in between Foster and Cruz.

"Yeah. I guess during that explosion, he hit his head pretty hard. But he only ever dealt with the burn. He's been having headaches, and some dizzy spells, but he ignored them." She explained, trying to push down the uncomfortable feeling she felt with everyone's eyes on her. "Dr. Rhodes thinks him going back to work put too much stress on him, and eventually his body just shut down."

When no one said anything, she continued. "But he's okay, he just needs to rest for awhile, take it easy. He'll have to be off work for a little longer, but he'll make a full recovery."

"Thank god." Cruz murmured, similar musings being spoken around the room from the fellow firefighters.

"Can we go see him?" Mouch asked, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, that's fine. Dr. Rhodes is planning on getting him out of here soon, but I know he'll be glad to see you." She spoke honestly, the group nodding. "But, uh-" she said, stopping their path as they were heading for his room. They all turned to face her, Gabby glancing around the group. "Try not to talk too loud, he's still having some pretty bad headaches." She warned them, being met with understanding nods as they left the waiting room.

As the group left, she couldn't help but notice Foster's lingering gaze on her. She wasn't sure why the woman kept looking at her, or what she wanted. Gabby had no idea what all Foster had heard about her, but she could only imagine it was less than pleasant.

"Gabby?" Antonio's voice broke through her haze, her eyes snapping into focus as she looked over, seeing her brother and Boden standing beside her. Everyone else had gone to visit Matt, leaving the three alone in their area of the waiting room.

"Sorry, what?" She asked, seeing Antonio's worried gaze waiting for her.

"I asked you how you're doing."

"Oh," Her eyes flickered to Boden quickly, plastering a smile on her face. "I'm fine, just glad he's gonna be okay." Antonio knew she was more shaken up than she was showing, but decided against pressing her on it here. "So, uh, Dr. Rhodes said he'd need a couple shifts off, that he just needs to take it day by day." Gabby shifted the conversation to Matt, wanting to take the focus off her. "He'll have to be cleared before going back, it's kind of up in the air as to how long exactly he'll need off."

"That's fine Dawson, just keep me updated on how he's doing, okay?"

"Of course, yeah I will." She assured him, Boden giving her a small smile.

"I'm gonna go see him before he gets sent home. It was really good to see you, Dawson. We're all glad you're back." He spoke sincerely, Gabby nodding at him before he walked away, leaving just her and Antonio.

"So how are you really?" He asked her, leading her to the closest chair, the siblings sitting down. Releasing a shaky breath, she leaned over onto her knees, holding her head up against her palm.

"I'm fine, I just- god Antonio, I thought I was gonna lose him." She murmured, feeling Antonio's hand come up to rub soothingly over her back.

"I know how scared you were, but he's okay Gabby."

"I know he is." She agreed, forcing herself to sit back up. "All of this will wear off, I think getting out of the hospital will help. Make me feel a little better." He gave her a sympathetic smile, Gabby pushing herself up out of the uncomfortable chair. "I'm gonna go back there. Once everyone else leaves, you can come on back. Matt shouldn't be here much longer." Antonio nodded, standing up and giving her a supportive hug.

The two broke apart, Gabby heading back for Matt's room, stopping short when she saw how full it was. She could see the backs of a few firefighters who were stuck in the doorway, the room too small for all of them, but they squeezed their way in anyway. She hung back, leaning against the wall to stay out of the way, not wanting to interrupt their time with Matt.

It was only a few minutes later when they started filing out of the room, seemingly getting kicked out. Gabby gave them a small smile as they began walking past her, most of them not really knowing what to say to her. She didn't know what to say either, so she was kind of glad for the lack of conversation. It wasn't until Brett, Severide, and Herrmann exited that someone spoke to her.

"Take care of him, kid." Herrmann spoke, pulling her in for a hug. "I'm sorry for not calling. That wasn't fair to you." He whispered in her ear, Gabby blinking back the tears that sprung in her eyes, hugging him tighter.

"I'm sorry too, Herrmann." She whispered, feeling him place a quick kiss to the side of her head as they pulled back.

"Don't be a stranger, okay?" He encouraged, rubbing over her arm. "I wanna hear about all that amazing work you were doing in Puerto Rico." Nodding, Gabby pulled him in for another quick hug, whispering a quiet 'thank you' in his ear before they separated again.

Herrmann walked to stand with the rest of 51, Gabby looking between Brett and Kelly. Severide could sense the uncomfortable tension that had settled in the air, Antonio's words of Gabby and Sylvie's fight bouncing around his head. He opened his mouth to speak, to try and clear the air, but Brett beat him to it.

"It's good to see you again, Gabby." She said softly, Gabby giving her a small smile, one that didn't quite reach her eyes.

"It's good to see you all, too."

Brett gave her a nod, the two exchanging a few more awkward smiles before Brett walked away, Gabby blowing out a soft breath as the blonde left. Her eyes moved back to Kelly, seeing him glancing back and forth from her and Brett's retreating form, an uncomfortable look covering his face. When his eyes settled back on Dawson, he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Things will get better, Gabby." He spoke truthfully, moving to wrap an arm around her in a hug, his other arm occupied as it was holding Matt's turnout gear. "Matt talked to them all today, to try and get them to understand why you left. They'll start to come around." He told her, squeezing her lightly before pulling away.

"Yeah… everything's just weird now." She sighed, "I know I caused it, but, I don't know- I'm not sure if things will ever go back to where they were." She gave him a sad smile, a frown forming on Kelly's face from her words.

"Just give it time, Dawson. It'll be fine." He assured her, the two pulling away.

"Thanks Kelly. I'm gonna get back to him. I'll let you know when we get him home."

"Thank you." He spoke softly, pulling her in for another hug before the two separated, Gabby taking the last few steps to Matt's room, seeing Dr. Rhodes in there with him.

"There you are." Matt said, a smile lighting up his face when he saw her.

"Yeah, I'm back." She gave him a smile of her own, moving to his bedside.

"Can I finally get out of here?" Casey asked, his impatient nature getting the better of him.

"Yup. You're good to go." Dr. Rhodes said, handing the discharge papers to Gabby. "I know Gabby knows all of this, and I'm sure you do too, but I'm serious about taking it easy for at least for awhile. The most I want you exerting yourself is walking from the living room to the bedroom. You have to be careful." He warned the firefighter, knowing from past experience how stubborn he could be.

"I know. And believe me, Gabby won't let me do anything."

"I know she won't. Why do you think I'm letting you get discharged so early?" He spoke with a smug smile, Gabby smirking down at Matt. "I'll see you next week, alright?" Matt nodded, Connor patting him on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself, Casey."

"I will."

Dr. Rhodes left the room, Gabby turning her attention fully towards Matt. In the time she'd been gone, all the monitors had been taken off him, and his shirt had been put back on. Aside from needing his jacket, he was ready to go.

"Please get me out of here." Matt begged jokingly, Gabby bringing her hand up to the side of his face, stroking his cheek softly.

"Okay, take it easy, Antonio has to get the car first."

"When is he doing that?"

"When is who doing what?" Antonio asked as he walked in the room.

"Matt wanted to know when you were getting the car." She spoke with a grin, Antonio stopping at the foot of his bed.

"I see you're ready to get out of here, Casey." He chuckled, Matt nodding. "Okay, I'll go get the car. I'm glad you're okay, man."

"Thanks Antonio." Matt gave him a nod, the older Dawson leaving the room, April coming in seconds later, pushing a wheelchair.

"Are you serious?" Casey groaned, Gabby laughing as she patted his chest lightly.

"Those are the rules, Matt. Now come on, let's get you into that chair."

It took longer than they thought getting Matt up and out of the bed to the wheelchair, Casey feeling more soreness in his body than he was expecting to. The headache he'd been feeling for the last few hours had dulled, but was still present, and he was feeling more effects from his passing out than he thought he would. His body still felt weak, but he couldn't be more excited to get home.

Once he was settled, Gabby said a quick thanks to April before pushing him through the emergency room, careful to not move to fast, not wanting to jostle him too much. Her speed was met with some complaints from Matt, but she simply smiled, placing a kiss to the back of his head, ignoring his complaining. Soon enough, they got outside, seeing Antonio leaning against his car waiting for them.

"Took you too long enough." He teased, opening the passenger side door for Matt as Gabby wheeled him over.

"Yeah, well I don't move as fast as I used to. And your sister was moving two miles an hour, I'm pretty sure I saw a turtle lap me back there." Matt responded, Gabby rolling her eyes and muttering something under her breath as she locked the wheelchair. With Antonio's help, Matt stood from the chair, the older man helping to maneuver him into the car, Matt grimacing as his body adjusted to the new angle. Antonio made sure he was as comfortable as possible, while Gabby quickly went to return the wheelchair. Once Gabby was back and buckled in the backseat, Antonio pulled away from the hospital, doing his best to drive as steadily as possible.

It took nearly an hour before Matt got settled at the apartment. From the time it took to get there, to the near 15 minutes it took to get from the curb to the bedroom, and the time it took Gabby to help him into more comfortable clothes and get ready for bed, more time had passed than any of them originally thought.

"You sure you don't want anything to eat?" Gabby asked him one more time, sitting on the edge of the bed in the dark bedroom. It was well into the evening, and the only light in the room was that coming from the lights in the kitchen.

Unscrewing the lid of his pill bottle, she got the correct dosage before placing it in his palm, handing him the glass of water she brought in. She watched as he swallowed the medication, Gabby taking the glass from him and putting it back on the bedside table.

"I'm fine, Gabby." He assured her with a small smile, Gabby softly running her fingers over the side of his face. "I'm just gonna try and sleep. Doctor's orders." His smile transformed into a wide grin, Gabby matching his smile.

"Good. I'll come back to bed in a little bit, I just wanna make sure Antonio gets out okay."

"Thank him again for me, I know he didn't plan on spending most of his day at the hospital."

"I will. Now get some sleep. If you need anything, call me." She spoke softly, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss to his lips. He nodded, slowly scooting further into the bed, trying to get comfortable. Gabby stood up, waiting until he was situated to lean down and place a kiss to his forehead. "I love you." She murmured against his warm forehead.

"I love you too." His soft voice broke through, Gabby pressing another kiss to his skin before pulling away and leaving the room, closing the door softly, leaving it cracked against the doorframe. She walked towards the kitchen island when Antonio was waiting, Gabby blowing out a shaky breath as she met her brother's eyes.

"How is he?"

"Good, he'll be out soon if he's not already." Antonio nodded, taking a good look at his sister. She looked beyond exhausted, the bags under her red eyes prominent.

"I spoke to Kelly, we're gonna get Matt's truck and his stuff situated tomorrow after their shift is over, so you don't have to deal with it." Gabby nodded in appreciation, reaching for Antonio's hand and squeezing it tightly. Antonio stayed silent for a few moments, letting Gabby gather herself, knowing all she needed from him right now was his presence.

"Thank you for everything today." She spoke quietly, Antonio patting the back of her hand comfortingly.

"You never need to thank me for that. I'm just glad he's okay, that you're both okay." He spoke, Gabby catching the double meaning behind his words.

"I'm fine, Antonio. I was such a mess this morning because I was worried about Matt, and now I know I had every reason to be." She explained, Antonio nodding. "But now that I know what's wrong with him, I'm feeling better. And selfishly, I'm a little glad he can't work for awhile. I just feel like every time he walks out that door, I'm holding my breath, and I can't breathe until he gets back." She rambled, the words flying from her mouth faster than she could register them. After she was finally able to take a breath, she glanced up to him, seeing him watching her with worry. "I promise, I'm fine. Just stressed out, and tired."

"I know. I'll go, let you get some sleep." He told her, coming around the island and placing a kiss to the side of her head. "Call me if you or Matt need anything, alright?"

"I will." She agreed, giving him a hug before walking him to the door. After letting him out, she locked up, checking around the apartment to make sure the other door was locked, as well as closing the curtains and turning off the lights aside from one small light in the kitchen. She knew she probably needed to eat something, but the thought of putting anything in her body right now made her nauseous. Pushing open the bedroom door, she was able to make out Matt's sleeping form through the darkness. She was glad he fell asleep so easily, knowing rest was the absolute best thing for him right now.

Gabby quickly and quietly went through her routine, changing into one of Matt's larger shirts before climbing into bed. Before she even had the chance to get comfortable, she heard the all too familiar sound of Matt gagging by her side, Gabby instantly reaching across him to grab the wastebasket she put by his side of the bed. By the time Matt realized what was happening, he was already throwing up what little he had in his stomach into the bin Gabby was holding.

"It's okay, Matt." She soothed, rubbing up and down his back as he started coughing. She kept the bin close to him until he moved back, Gabby placing it on the ground before getting out of his way so he could lay back down. "It's okay." She whispered again, rubbing over his chest as he cleared his throat.

A groan escaped through his lips, Gabby frowning as she continued her movements over his chest.

"Do you need anything?" She asked quietly, Matt shaking his head as he tried to once again get comfortable in the bed.

"No, I'm okay." His voice was raspy as it left his mouth, his eyes falling closed again as he breathed in through his nose.

"Try and go back to sleep." She murmured into the quiet air, placing a soft kiss against his t-shirt covered chest. "I'm here if you need anything, just try and rest." She coaxed, Matt giving her another nod before drifting off.

Gabby kept an eye on him momentarily, making sure he had fallen asleep before she moved a few inches away from him, not wanting to overcrowd him and make him get too hot in his sleep. She knew this was a process, that some of his symptoms would last longer than others, but she couldn't wait until this particular one stopped.

* * *

Kelly sat quietly in his office, the small lamp on his desk illuminating the small space as he leaned back in the chair at his desk. His eyes flickered out into the dim bunk room, seeing the sleeping bodies of his coworkers, before he turned back to face the wall, glancing to the clock and seeing it was well after one in the morning.

He knew he needed to get some sleep, but he felt wired. He'd tried on multiple different occasions to lie down and fall asleep, but each attempt failed. He couldn't stop thinking about Casey, about finding him lying unconscious in that house. He also couldn't stop thinking about Gabby, and look on her face. He knew Matt would be fine, and that Gabby was fine, but the entire situation shook him up more than thought it would. He's been there before, when Matt's gotten hurt, and no other time had it affected Kelly this much. He didn't know if it was because it wasn't the call that injured him, or if it was having to be there when Gabby found out what happened, but for some reason he was unable to shake the bad feeling in the pit of his stomach.

Hearing from Antonio a few hours ago that they'd gotten Matt home made him feel a bit better, and he knew seeing him tomorrow morning would probably help the discomfort he was feeling towards the situation. He just wanted this to all be over. Both Matt and Gabby had been hit with curveball after curveball, they were still trying to move past everything with Puerto Rico, and now this, the two couldn't catch a break. One they both so desperately deserved.

Soft tapping on his door pulled him from his thoughts, Kelly turning his head to see Herrmann standing there on the other side of the glass. Severide nodded the older man in, Herrmann opening the door and stepping inside, closing it back quietly behind him.

"Any update on Casey?"

"They got him home, as far as I know everything's still good."

"Good, good." Herrmann mused softly.

Seeing the older man standing there uncomfortably, Kelly raised his eyebrows as he spoke. "Need something else, Herrmann?"

"You know, don't you?" He asked, Severide looking at him in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate. "You know what happened to Dawson over there."

Blowing out a sigh, Kelly sat up straight in his chair, one of his hands coming up to run over his jaw.

"I know you keep saying you don't know anything, but somehow I don't believe that." He pressed, raising an eyebrow in Kelly's direction.

"Herrmann…"

"I'm just worried about her, Kelly. Seeing her today, she's not the same woman I remember. She seemed scared, and not just because of what was happening with Casey. She seemed scared because of us." Kelly brought his bottom lip between his teeth, Herrmann continuing on. "And that scar on her forehead? I'm gonna take a guess and say that didn't happen on the job."

"I don't know what you want me to say, Herrmann."

"I wanna know she's okay." When Kelly stayed quiet, Herrmann continued. "And Brett said she thinks Dawson hurt her ribs? That she seemed hurt today at the hospital, I don't know exactly what happened there but Brett seems to think she'd been hurt."

"Look, Herrmann, whatever I do or don't know, it's not my place to share. She's okay, but things aren't the same as they were before." Herrmann gave him a pointed stare, but Kelly stood his ground. "She's not the same Gabby she was before she left, a lot has happened… but all you can do is show her you'll be there for her. She's weary around everyone here, and honestly she has a good reason to be."

"Yeah, I know she does." Herrmann murmured quietly. "I didn't really understand much of what Casey was talking about until I saw her. I didn't understand what he meant, saying she didn't want to come back. But after everything today… it gave me some perspective." Kelly wasn't sure what to say, so he let him continue. "We messed up, by not calling her. By not reaching out to her after everything, I get now why she might not feel comfortable coming back here."

Kelly nodded slowly, glad to see at least one other person in the firehouse was starting to realize things with Gabby weren't as simple as they seemed.

"Yeah, I know we didn't really see it at the time, but we essentially cut her off. Everyone was so focused on Casey, no one stopped to think about Gabby in all this." Kelly supplemented, Herrmann agreeing with a slow sigh.

"We need to fix this, I don't want her thinking she has to deal with everything on her own. I know she has Casey, and her brother, but we're still her family."

"Herrmann, all I know to tell you to do is to make sure she knows that. Because if my conversations with Casey are any indication, she doesn't." Severide said, a small frown forming on Herrmann's face. "Just talk to her. She's still Gabby. Yeah, she's not the same person she was before she left, but after everything she went through..." Kelly trailed off, not realizing the weight of his words until they left his mouth.

"So you do know what happened to her."

"I know some of it." Kelly gave in slightly as he released a sigh, knowing Herrmann wouldn't drop it. "But even if I knew all of it, I wouldn't talk about it when she's made it clear she doesn't want everyone knowing." He spoke strongly, Herrmann leaning back against the door frame. "Look, just show her you're still there for her, that she can rely on you like she used to. That's all you can do, Herrmann."

"I know, I just wish I'd done a better job of that before this all happened." He mused, shaking his head slightly.

"I know what you mean." Kelly agreed instantly, "But we can't focus on that now. Just show her you'll be there, and she'll come to you if she needs to. Just like she would before." Herrmann nodded, understanding the conversation had come to an end.

"I'll get out of here, try and let you get some sleep." The older man spoke, making a move for the door but he stopped suddenly, turning back to face Kelly, the squad lieutenant looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Just… Casey at least knows what happened, right?" Kelly couldn't help but blow out a sigh as Herrmann refused to drop it. He opened his mouth to reply, but the older firefighter cut him off. "I just want to know she's not dealing with it alone. Whatever happened to her over there, she doesn't need to hold onto all of it by herself."

"Casey knows what all happened, so does Antonio." Kelly assured him, understanding his irritating curiosity was coming from a good place. "Matt's got her," He said forcefully, "he and Antonio are making sure she gets past all this. You don't need to worry about that, Herrmann."

With one last nod, Herrmann left the room quietly, Kelly leaning back in his chair as he watched the door shut against the frame, silence yet again filling his office.

* * *

Gabby rested on her side as her eyes stayed locked on the body beside her, watching the slow movement of Matt's chest rising up and down with each breath his sleeping body took. Her eyes flickered to the clock, seeing it now just past five, before they moved back towards the man she loved more than anything.

It had been a long, rough night for the couple as Matt's symptoms had hit him full force. He'd wake up with either debilitating nausea, a pounding headache, or he'd need to gag into the bin by his bedside, his body trying to expel contents that were no longer there. Gabby felt like she hadn't slept one second. Every time he woke up, she woke up, his condition leaving her unable to fully fall asleep. And when he was sleeping, she found herself waking up every ten minutes or so, needing to see with her own eyes he was still okay. She eventually gave up the repetitive process and decided to stop trying to go back to sleep half an hour ago, so now she laid there with her eyes locked on him, afraid that if she looked away or closed her eyes she'd miss something.

She knew that even though this night had been hell for her, it was worse for Matt. She could only imagine how uncomfortable he felt and what all his body was going through, she just prayed that he'd stay asleep for awhile. It had been over an hour since he last woke up, that being a new record for the night, and all she wanted was for him to stay asleep a little longer. His body needed the rest to recover.

Unfortunately, it was only a few minutes later when she saw him start to shift around, Gabby watching him slowly come into consciousness. She sat up on her elbow, watching him closely, waiting to see if he what kind of state he was in. But as far as she could tell, he seemed relatively okay.

Matt rolled towards her slightly, his eyes slowly opening as he adjusted to the darkness around him, it taking a few seconds before he was able to make out Gabby's form beside him. As he gathered his bearings, he was surprised to not feel that sudden wave of nausea that had accompanied the previous times he'd woken up through the night, and that the formerly pounding headache present in his skull had dulled considerably. Feeling like he'd finally woken up, the first thing he noticed was the concerned look on Gabby's face.

"What's wrong?" His voice was raspy, but she heard the confusion in his words as he saw her sitting up in bed, watching him.

"Nothing," She responded softly, "just making sure you're okay." She saw him smile through the dark room, Matt reaching out for her and slowly pulling her into him, Gabby carefully resting her head on his chest. "This isn't hurting you, is it?"

She felt him chuckle, the soft noise filling her ears. "No, no you're not." He assured her, placing a soft kiss to the top of her head. Hesitantly, she cuddled into his side, feeling his arm wrap tightly around her back.

"How are you feeling?" She asked quietly against his chest, her hand coming to rest against his collarbone, rubbing her thumb gently against him.

"Decent." He murmured, Gabby feeling his hand slide down to her waist, moving under the shirt covering her to caress her bare skin. "I don't feel like I'm gonna throw up any time I talk, which I'd call an improvement." She nodded at his words, finding herself focusing on his warm hand moving up and down her back, the feel of his skin against hers relaxing her. Her eyelids were drooping slightly, Gabby finding she had to force herself to stay conscious. "My head still hurts, but not as much as it did yesterday." Matt continued, his voice jolting her awake.

"Maybe you're past the worst of it." Gabby replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Matt glanced to the clock, seeing how early it was. Knowing how tired he was from waking up so frequently throughout the night, he could only imagine how tired Gabby was. Even in his haze, he knew that every time he woke up, Gabby was by his side, ready to do anything he needed. And if her being wide awake when he woke up was any indication, she didn't get much sleep while he was resting either. Moving his free up to the side of her head, he lightly ran his fingers through her hair, smiling when she hummed in contentment at his actions.

He continued rubbing up and down her side, alternating between running his fingers through her hair and cupping her head in his palm, rubbing over her temple with his thumb. He could feel her slipping from consciousness, but every time she got close to sleep she would force herself to wake back up.

"Go to sleep, Gabby." He spoke against her head, feeling her dig herself deeper into his hold. She gave no verbal response, aside from a slight moan that he took to be compliance.

He found himself fading as well, the feeling of Gabby's steady breaths against him lulling him back into his slumber. Before he let himself go completely, he made sure she was sound asleep. He knew how hard the last day had been on her, he knew how exhausted she must've been. In all the fuss around him, he knew no one had been taking care of her, including herself. Even though it wasn't much, he would do whatever he could to look out for her. And as he let himself start to drift, he thought about how he would spend the rest of his life doing just that.

* * *

**First off, can I just say thank you so much for the overwhelming support I got on the last chapter. To know so many of you enjoy this story and want to see it continued makes me so excited about the plans I have for this. I'm beyond grateful for each and every one of you who continue to read this story.**

**Also, there's an idea that's been stuck in my head for months for another dawsey story, and I kind of want to start writing it and see where it goes. It's an AU one, kind of. Would anyone be interested in another dawsey story? I would definitely still be continuing this one, I just can't get this other idea out of my head and I think it would be a fun to write. If any of you would be interested in another story, please let me know!**

**I can't wait to hear what you all think of this one, thanks for reading!**


	18. Chapter Eighteen

**So, uh, fair warning, I'd recommended settling in before reading because this chapter kind of got away from me. I started writing and next thing I knew, it was suddenly at 10k words, so… Hope you all like long chapters. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighteen**_

* * *

"So you're back tomorrow, huh?" Kelly asked as Gabby brought the bowl of bread to the table, sitting down in the chair bedside Matt. Severide had come over earlier in the day to check on his friends, and somehow his visit that was supposed to be half an hour ended up with him staying all afternoon, Gabby inviting him to stay for dinner.

Releasing a soft chuckle, Matt nodded and sipped his drink. "Yeah, finally."

"You only missed two weeks, don't act like it's been months." Gabby shot, Kelly smirking at her words.

"It seems like longer." He refuted, moving his arm to rest along the back of her chair, twirling her hair in between his fingers. "But no, I needed the time off. We both did." He said, smiling softly as he caught Gabby's line of sight, the woman smiling widely under his gaze.

Kelly watched the two intently, a genuine grin falling onto his face. He'd spent a lot of time with the couple over the past few weeks, and in that time he'd found out that Matt's need for time off was more than just his concussion. It wasn't hard to see how much Gabby was struggling with everything, but he also saw how much progress she was making. Though he doesn't know the extent of everything, he could see how much lighter Gabby had become. Her nervousness, at least around him, was diminishing. With each passing day she was resembling her old self more and more, and he was happy to be there to see it.

"What all did Dr. Rhodes say yesterday?" Kelly questioned.

"Just that he finally feels comfortable sending me back to work. I'm restricted to light duty, though." Kelly's eyebrows furrowed at the new information, glancing back and forth quickly between the people across from him.

"Are you okay?" He asked apprehensively, Matt nodding immediately.

"I am, I'm completely good to go." He responded, rubbing his thumb softly over Gabby's shoulder. "Dr. Rhodes wants me to start easy, just in case. It's only for a shift or two, to make sure there's still no lasting effects. After the problems with my recovery, and my history with head injuries, he wants to play it safe."

Gabby shifted in her seat, feeling a familiar sense of worry settling in her gut. She did think he was ready to go back to work, she truly believed he was fine, but seeing the ups and downs of his recovery had left a permanent feeling of concern for him in her system these past couple of weeks. His recovery started well enough, Matt seemingly rid of all his symptoms in the first 24 hours. But they came crashing back to reality the second night, when his symptoms hit him with a vengeance. He'd spiked a fever, was constantly vomiting, and could barely get out of bed. She'd gotten so scared by the severity of his sickness, she ended up calling Dr. Rhodes, which resulted in a trip to the emergency room. As it turned out, he'd picked up a bug during his first visit, and his weakened body made his symptoms all the worse. They admitted him as a precaution, even though they'd managed to get his fever down in the emergency room with a dose of some pretty strong medications. The 36 hours they spent in the hospital forced Gabby's anxiety to skyrocket, and had caused some of the most stressful hours of her life. But when it was all said and done, Matt was released to go home and everything after that in his recovery had been pretty normal.

He had good days and bad days through the rest of his recovery, but he'd gotten progressively better as the days passed. And as he continued to feel better, Gabby did as well. She'd always worry about him, it didn't matter if he was completely healthy or not, she'd never not have some fear while he was at work. But her worry about his health was slowly reducing, and she felt comfortable with him going back.

"Herrmann's gonna get a big head if you keep letting him be Lieutenant on truck." Kelly laughed, causing Matt to as well, the sound of their laughter pulling Gabby from her thoughts.

"He's gonna have a little too much fun bossing me around, I already know that." Matt chuckled, glancing towards Gabby as he spoke. He'd noticed her go quiet, sitting there eating her dinner. The topic of the firehouse had still been a sore subject around the apartment, even more so than it was before the accident. Matt's injury had caused everything else to take a backseat, but that didn't mean the topic hadn't come up a few times. And each time, the conversation hadn't lasted very long. As far as Matt knew, Gabby still didn't have an answer for what she was wanting to do, and she'd quickly change the subject whenever he mentioned it. He was trying not to push her, but he wanted to know where her head was at.

"Yeah, he definitely will. But everyone will be happy to have you back, hopefully for longer than a shift this time." Kelly replied, Matt moving his glance from Gabby back to his friend, giving him a nod. "They keep asking about you, asking about both of you." Kelly spoke, almost cautiously. Matt saw his gaze flicker to Gabby, Matt's eyes following his as well, both men seeing Gabby staring towards Kelly with a near blank expression.

"They're worried about you two." Kelly continued when neither Matt nor Gabby had said anything. "Did you, uh, ever hear from Herrmann, Gabby?" He asked, the woman furrowing her eyebrows.

"No… was I supposed to?" The confusion was evident in her voice, Matt eyeing Kelly carefully, wondering where he was heading with this.

Kelly shrugged lightly, meeting Matt's narrowed gaze before speaking. "He's asked about you a lot, he's worried. He talked about calling you, I just didn't know if he had."

An uncomfortable feeling settled in the air around them, Gabby's eyes plastered to her plate. Matt released a deep breath, glaring at Kelly before focusing all his attention on Gabby. He ran his hand lightly over her shoulder, getting her to look up at him. She flashed him a small smile, one that was obviously forced, before clearing her throat and looking towards Kelly.

"I haven't heard from anyone, but you can let them know that we're good." Gabby spoke softly, dropping her fork down against her plate. Pushing her chair back, she stood up, the motion causing Matt's hand to fall from her back. "I'll be right back." She murmured, walking towards the bedroom and closing the door behind her.

Blowing out a frustrated sigh, Matt looked from the closed door back to Kelly, seeing a guilty look covering his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset her." Matt waved him off, rubbing his hand over his jaw. "The night of your accident Herrmann talked to me about her, said he wanted to talk to her. And he's brought her up a lot since, I figured he might've reached out by now."

"Apparently he hasn't." Matt spoke, standing up from his chair. "I'm gonna go check on her."

"I'm really sorry."

"It's okay. This isn't just because of tonight," Matt started with a sigh, "the topic of 51 hasn't exactly gone well around here the last couple weeks. I'll be right back." Matt spoke, walking into the bedroom and closing the door behind him. Seeing the room empty, he started moving towards the bathroom, finding Gabby leaning against the counter, her head hanging down with her eyes closed.

"Babe?" He called softly, Gabby lifting her head at his voice, clearly not having heard him come in. "You okay?" Matt stepped into the bathroom, wrapping his arm around her back as he came to stand beside her. Sighing softly, she nodded, feeling his hand move softly over her hip.

"I'm fine." She murmured, seeing his face contort with concern. "I just needed a minute, but I'm good. Promise." Gabby assured him with a small smile.

His eyes ran over her features, looking for any sign of deception but he found none. "Okay." He complied, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss to the side of her head, his lips lingering against her hair as he felt her relax into his grip.

"We can talk more about it later, but I'm okay." She spoke, Matt placing another kiss to her head before pulling back.

"Alright. I'm gonna head back out there. Take as much time as you need."

Matt let go of her, rubbing her back lightly before taking a few steps backwards, Gabby giving him a small smile as she watched him go, waiting until she heard the door open and shut before returning to her previous position, leaned over the counter.

Closing the door behind him, Matt found Kelly where he'd left him at the table, shoving a piece of bread into his mouth when his gaze moved to Casey.

"Is she okay?" The words were muffled from the food, but Matt understood enough to answer his question.

"She's fine, just got overwhelmed. It happens." Matt spoke, Kelly nodding in understanding. He felt awful for upsetting her, but he knew better than to mention it again when she came back out. And when she emerged from the bedroom a few minutes later, she looked fine. He gave her a small smile as she sat back down, watching as Matt reached for her hand while he skillfully changed the subject.

The rest of their night had gone well, the friends enjoying their dinner together. Both Kelly and Matt were careful to avoid conversations that involved work, at least work from after Gabby left. A few stories of Shay had come up, the memories evoking bittersweet laughs from the three of them as they spoke of their fallen friend.

It was a little after ten by the time Kelly left, Matt walking through the apartment after letting him out to find Gabby in the kitchen loading the dishwasher. He came to stand by her side, wordlessly helping her with the task, the two of them completing it in a matter of minutes.

"So…" Matt drug the word out as she started the dishwasher, Gabby turning to find him leaning against the island, only a few inches of space between them. "Let's talk." He prompted, holding out his hand for her to take, which she did without a thought, Matt leading them towards the living room.

The couple sat down on the couch, Gabby facing Matt with her legs curled under her, his arm resting on the back of the couch as her knees were laying against his thigh.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, placing his free hand on top of her leg.

"I'm alright. All that talk of people at 51 just had me feeling a little overwhelmed, that's all." She replied softly. He nodded slowly, moving his fingers softly over her knee.

"Can we talk about that?" He asked quietly, knowing all talks of the firehouse had ended quickly in the past. When she gave him a nod of acceptance, he continued. "I know you're nervous to be around them, and I understand it. I do. You have every right to feel like that." He prefaced honestly, Gabby watching him closely. "But I feel like something else is going on."

Blowing out a sigh, Gabby gave herself a second to gather her thoughts before responding. "I was hoping that seeing them again would get rid of this doubt I have about being around them, about going back there." She started, keeping her eyes locked on Matt as she spoke. "But it didn't. If anything, it made it worse."

"Why?"

"Aside from Herrmann and Kelly, no one spoke to me if they didn't have to. It didn't feel like any of them _wanted_ to talk to me. I can't fault them for not knowing how to act around me, but I can't go back to work there when it's like that. I felt so uncomfortable around them, they felt uncomfortable around me. Foster kept staring at me, Brett had to force herself to talk to me. No one else said anything if it wasn't about you." She rambled out, taking a breath before continuing. "And I know that day wasn't about me, I understand that. But the way they act around me won't change in a different setting." A frown had formed on his face while she spoke, hearing how upset she sounded. "I don't want to force myself into a situation where I'm not wanted, that'll only make things worse. I don't want to go work there again when they don't want me to."

"Gabby-"

"It's fine, Matt. Really, it is. I figured this would happen, but seeing them all just assured me of what I already thought. Me going back to 51 wouldn't do anything but make things harder for everyone."

"Maybe spending more time together would help things. It was the first time they saw you, they were caught off guard." Gabby gave him a sad smile once he finished speaking. She appreciated the thought, she did, but her mind was made up.

"But I can't count on that, Matt. And there's not even a job for me there anymore. What am I supposed to do, ask Boden to transfer Foster? I can't do that. It's her job now. And even if I tried, doing that would only make them dislike me more." He opened his mouth to interject, but he didn't have a chance to before she started speaking again. "And I don't want to work on a different shift, because then we'd barely see each other. I don't want us to only see each other a couple days a week." She responded, Matt nodding in understanding.

"I would love to be able to go back to 51 like nothing has changed, like everything is fine. But I can't. Too much has happened. And as nice as it is that they're concerned, they haven't forgiven me." His sad eyes met hers, Gabby placing her hand on top of his. "I saw them two weeks ago, and none of them have tried to talk to me since. I mean, I know I haven't called either, but they're afraid to talk to me. They're clearly apprehensive because of me. You heard Kelly, Herrmann can't even work up the nerve to call me."

"Let me talk to them again." He tried, Gabby releasing a soft sigh. "I could've explained things better."

"Matt," she started, effectively ending his rambling. "I love you for trying, I really do. But it would be better for everyone if I move on. I don't want to cause anymore trouble for them."

"Gabby, you never caused trouble. You did what you thought was best at the time, you weren't trying to hurt them." He spoke immediately, a small smile finding its way to her face at his words.

"Thank you." She murmured, bringing her hand up to caress the side of his face. "But I did hurt them. Even though it wasn't my intention, they're not happy with me. So I think it's better to put that part of my life in the past. As long as it's okay with you…" His expression softened, turning his head to the side to kiss her palm.

"You don't need my permission, Gabby. If this is really what you want, of course I'll support you. I just want what's best for you." He spoke firmly, Gabby nodding.

"I don't know if this is the right decision. Maybe they'll see it as me running away again, I'm not sure. But right now, I think this is what's best for me."

"Then that's all that matters." He assured her, squeezing her leg gently. "I'm gonna miss working with you, though." A smirk fell onto his lips as he spoke, Gabby smiling as well.

"I know. Luckily you've already adjusted to that." She responded, tapping his cheek softly. Rolling his eyes, Matt shifted so he was facing her more.

"So, do you know what you wanna do, instead of working at 51?" Her eyes flickered away from him, telling Matt she had some sort of idea for her next endeavor. "Spit it out." He teased, pinching the side of her knee, chuckling when she squirmed under his touch, a light smile finding its way to her face.

"Stop it, Matt." She shoved his hand away, the smile staying on her face as he rested his arm over the top of her thighs. "But before I left, I got approached by this private ambo service, they tried to get me to come work for them. I've been thinking about seeing what they have to offer." She watched as his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Gabby clasping her hand in his.

"Wait- when did this happen?"

"Maybe a month before I left? I'm not sure, but they came to me and Brett, wanted us to come work for them. At the time, I could've never imagined not working for the CFD. But now, I don't know, the slow pace might be good for me."

Matt nodded, taking a deep breath as he digested everything she'd just said. "Did I ever hear about this?" He tried to remember if she'd ever mentioned it, but he was coming up blank. They were dealing with so much at the time, he couldn't remember if she'd told him or not.

"No, I never said anything." He nodded, Gabby running her fingers over his palm. "I never seriously took it into consideration. I thought about it, for a split second, but if it was anything I was seriously considering, I would've told you." Matt nodded in understanding, encouraging her to continue. "The old me would've never really wanted a job that calm. But now, after everything… I might do better working there than in the CFD."

"I don't know much about those companies, but I want you to feel comfortable where you're working." He told her, releasing his hand from hers and bringing it up to cradle the side of her face. "You're sure this is what you want?"

"I think so."

Giving her a supportive smile, he nodded at her, pulling her securely into his embrace. "I can't wait to hear more about it." He spoke, placing a kiss to the top of her head as they cuddled together on the couch, a comfortable silence filling the air around them.

* * *

Matt quietly stepped out of the bathroom, clad in his blue pants and a long sleeve Captain's shirt. A soft smile fell onto his lips as he saw Gabby curled up in the bed, wrapped tightly in the covers to shield herself from the chill in the air. As he walked over to her, he noticed she'd subconsciously rolled to his side of the bed after he left, her head resting on his pillow. Gently sitting down on the edge of the mattress, he brought his hand up to the side of her face, brushing the hair from her eyes. Her face twitched slightly under his touch, Matt running his hand over her cheek as he slowly brought her into consciousness.

"Gabby." He spoke softly, watching her slowly open her eyes, taking a minute to adjust to her surroundings. "Good morning, beautiful." Matt leaned down, placing a soft kiss to her lips, Gabby barely responding to the gesture in her half-conscious state.

"What time is it?"

"A little before seven. I'm about to leave." Gabby nodded, her eyes falling closed again, blindly reaching out for his leg, Matt smirking as he had to redirect her efforts, grabbing her hand and holding it within his. "I didn't want to wake you, but you were adamant about me not leaving before a goodbye."

"It's your first shift back, couldn't let you go without saying bye." She mumbled, Matt chuckling as she forced herself to stay awake.

"Are you still planning on going to talk with the people at the ambo company today?" He asked her, knowing she briefly mentioned it last night before bed.

"The SAS, yeah. Just to see what the options are, and what all I'd need to do before being able to work there. I mean, it's been a month since I've been back? I need to start working again." She spoke, finally able to keep her eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time.

"Don't rush this, Gabby. If you don't feel like you're ready to start work, take some more time." He spoke quickly, Gabby rubbing her hand over his leg.

"I'm not going back to work today. I'm just seeing what they have to say. I won't rush into this, I promise." She assured him, Matt watching her for a moment before nodding, leaning down to kiss her once again, smiling when she was able to reciprocate the gesture this time.

"And you're sure you're fine with me going back?" He asked again. Between their many talks about what she was feeling and spending all their time together, he knew she was feeling more and more comfortable, that her anxiety was getting better. Once he'd gotten out of the hospital the second time, he'd made a point to focus on her and how she was doing. He knew he'd scared her, and made everything she was feeling escalate, so as soon as he'd been able, he did whatever he could to take care of her. And she'd come a long way, not just with feeling better, but coming to him when she didn't. But she still had moments when she got overwhelmed and panicked. He was proud of how far she'd come, and how much better she'd gotten at working through those moments of anxiety, but that didn't mean he wouldn't call Boden right now and tell him he couldn't come in if that's what she needed.

"I'm fine, Matt. I know I've had a harder time with all this than I thought I would, but I know I'm getting better." She told him, Matt giving her a smile.

"I know you are, too."

"I'm not sure if my anxiety can ever completely go away, but I feel like I'm managing it better. And now that I know you're completely healthy, that makes things easier too. So yes, go to work. If I need you, I'll call you." She promised, as she had many times over the last two weeks. Every time they'd talked about how she was doing, Matt made a point to mention how she could always talk to him if she needed, a gesture she always responded to with an assurance that she would.

"Good." He replied, sneaking one last kiss before pushing himself up off the bed. "But also call me after you finish up today, I want to hear all about this new job." He spoke proudly, Gabby feeling a warmth spread through her body at his support.

"I will." She assured him, Matt stopping in the doorway to the bedroom as he got ready to leave. "Be safe today, try not to get into too much trouble." She teased, hoping it would mask the small ounce of worry in her voice.

"I will." He repeated her words, flashing her the grin she fell in love with long ago. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

Gabby fidgeted nervously in the lobby of the small office building, her hands clasped together in her lap as she waited for her meeting. If the feel of this office was any indication, working for a private company would be a complete shift from what she was used to. Compared to the hustle and bustle of CFD headquarters, the single older woman sitting at a desk by the door was a total 180 from her past ambulance experience. The atmosphere here was calm, and she found it oddly comforting.

"Miss Dawson?" A man who seemed to be around Boden's age stepped out from his office, Gabby standing up with a small smile, making her way over to him. "I'm Chief Jim Peters." He extended his hand, Gabby reaching out to shake it before following him into his office. "Sorry for the wait, I just now got your file from the CFD and I wanted to look over it before we met."

"It's fine, I know this was all last minute." She responded, Peters moving behind his desk to sit down, Gabby taking a seat across from him. "I appreciate you letting me meet with you today."

He waved her off, opening the thick file on his desk that she could only assume to be hers. "No, no I'm happy to meet with someone as experienced as you. You were a paramedic in the CFD for nine years?"

"Yeah." She responded with a soft smile. "I worked at Firehouse 51. I loved it there, but seven months ago I decided to go help with relief efforts in Puerto Rico. But I'm back now, and looking for something new." He nodded at her words, glancing down to her file.

"I'm sure you know this, but I want to make sure we're all on the same page here. I came from the CFD myself, I know the pace of everything in that sector. This here, it won't be like that." He spoke forwardly, Gabby nodding. "It's a different environment here. Most of our calls are non-emergent, patient transport type situations. I'm sure you're aware of that, but I don't want there to be any confusion."

"Yeah, I know this isn't like the CFD. But I'm actually looking for a job that's not as intensive. It'll be an adjustment, but I think this is the right move for me right now." She explained, seeing a nod come from him as he pushed his glasses up his nose.

"So, I had the chance to look over your file before you came in, and you have more than enough experience. We'd be lucky to have you here, if you're sure you're interested in the job."

"I am interested, definitely interested." She responded immediately, pushing down the small sliver of doubt creeping in her gut.

"Fantastic." He spoke, pulling out paperwork from his desk. "This stuff is mostly just formalities, but I'll need you to fill this out and bring it back as soon as you can. We can't get you started until I have this." He informed, Gabby nodding as she took the paperwork from him. "I do want to start out your first shift or two shadowing two of our other EMT's, just so you can get your feet under you."

"Sounds good."

"Aside from that paperwork, all I'll need from you is a letter of recommendation from your last boss. Chief Boden, I think?" He spoke, eyeing the file in front of him. Gabby slowly nodded, her eyes darting down to her lap. "Once I get that from him, and get your paperwork filed, we can get you on the schedule."

"Great." She spoke with a soft smile, Peters closing her file and clasping his hands together on top of his desk.

"I think you're gonna be a great asset here, Gabby. We're very excited to have you."

* * *

Closing the door of her cab, Gabby took a stabilizing breath as she stared at the firehouse in front of her. She hadn't planned on coming back here so soon, if ever. And standing here in front of the building that used to be like her second home, she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. With her belongings clasped tightly within her grasp, she cautiously walked up the long driveway. As she got towards the garage, she thought about bailing and just going home. She knew she needed to talk to Boden, but she couldn't shake the uneasiness settling in her stomach.

Knowing she had no other choice, she continued her path, her nerves lessening slightly when she saw that both ambo and squad were out. That made stomach settle a little, knowing Matt was here and it wasn't the entirety of second shift she'd see when she walked in.

Making her way through the garage, her steps slowed as she got to the double doors, looking in through the glass and seeing all of truck sitting in the common room. A soft smile fell across her face as she saw Matt leaning against the counter, laughing at something being said in the room, his arms crossed lightly over his chest. Seeing him that happy and carefree lifted some of the worry she felt filling her system, and gave her the courage to pull open the door.

Stepping inside, she held the door until it fell back in place, her eyes darting nervously around the room. She kept herself in the doorway, her gaze landing on Casey as she waited for him to notice her presence. Thankfully it only took seconds for him to see her, his grin widening as he locked eyes with her, Matt pushing himself from the counter.

"Hey, I didn't know you were coming by." His voice was light and happy, all eyes moving to her after Matt spoke. She felt the stares of truck on her as Matt walked through the room, Gabby taking a few steps away from the door and meeting him in the hallway. "How'd it go?" He asked her, giving her a quick peck on the lips, the action releasing some of the tension from her body.

"It was good, it went well I think." She spoke, her bottom lip falling between her teeth, Matt giving her a reassuring nod.

"I can't wait to hear all about it."

"I'll fill you in on everything, I just need to talk to Boden first. Is he here?"

"Uh, yeah he's in his office. Everything okay?" Matt asked, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. She simply nodded, ignoring the stares she felt from everyone as she focused her attention on Matt.

"Everything's good, I just need to talk to him for a sec." She assured him, Matt's eyes scanning her face before nodding. "Once I'm done, if you have time, I'll tell you about everything?"

"Of course, just come and find me." He replied, leaning down and giving her another quick kiss before they separated. As she walked past the common room, she gave them a soft smile, thankful that her gesture was returned by everyone else before she was out of sight.

Walking through the familiar hallways left her with a sense of nostalgia, the feeling hitting her like a wave as she made her way towards Boden's office. It was an odd feeling, being here when she wasn't apart of this family anymore. It was upsetting, knowing this part of her life was officially over, but all she could do was look ahead.

Before she even realized, she found herself outside his office, standing by the door and seeing Boden sitting at his desk diligently working through some paperwork. She hesitantly brought her fist up to knock on the glass, hearing an invitation to enter without him looking up from his work. Opening the door, she stepped in, clearing her throat when he hadn't yet looked her way.

The shock was evident in his features when he looked up and saw her, clearly not expecting her to be standing in his firehouse.

"Hi Chief." She spoke softly.

"Dawson, come in." He replied, Gabby taking another step in, closing the door behind her. "It's a surprise to see you here." Nodding uncomfortably, she walked towards his desk and took a seat.

"Yeah, I wasn't planning on stopping by today but I kind of have a favor to ask you." He didn't give her much of a reaction, aside from nodding, signaling her to continue. She opened up the folder holding all the paperwork she needed to fill out, pulling out the business card with the information he'd need. "I, uh, need a letter of recommendation from you for a job I'm taking." She held out the card for him, watching a look of confusion fall over his face. He took the card from her, studying it carefully before meeting her eyes again.

"The SAS? You're working for a private company?"

"Uh, yeah. But they need a letter from my former boss. I hate to bother you with this, I would've asked Hatcher but he's still in Puerto Rico." He waved her off, clearing his throat as he sat the business card down.

"No, it's fine. I'm happy to do it, I'm just a little caught off guard, that's all." She nodded, shrinking in her seat slightly. "Honestly I thought you were coming to ask me for your job back."

"Oh, well- There's not a job here for me anymore, and I think this is the right move for me right now." Gabby explained, Boden eyeing her carefully. Grasping his hands together, he leaned forward against his desk, waiting till he met her gaze before speaking.

"Gabby, if you wanted to come back we would find a way to make it work."

Blowing out a soft breath, she forced a small smile as she shook her head. "I appreciate it, Chief. I do. But I don't think that's a good idea. Matt and I have talked about it, I've thought about it a lot… I think it's best if I keep this part of my life in the past."

"If this is what you want, of course I'll write the letter for you."

"Thank you Chief, really. Um, I know this is last minute, but I can't start until they get all the paperwork-"

"I'll get it written and faxed over there as soon as possible." Smiling gratefully, she stood up from the seat.

"Thank you." She responded again, Boden giving her a nod as she headed for the door.

"Dawson?" He called, making her turn around as she was opening the door. "Don't be a stranger around here, okay? You're still apart of this family." Not knowing what to say, she simply nodded at him, plastering a smile to her face before walking out.

She felt a little relieved as she walked back through the firehouse, the conversation with Boden going better than she expected. But as she got closer to the common room, she could feel her nerves rising with each step. She didn't know where Matt was, or who all would be there when she walked in, and the last thing she wanted to do right now was talk to them without Casey there as a buffer.

Turning the last corner in the hallway, she came to a halt as she saw Brett and Foster walking towards her, the two of them laughing as they walked down the hall. Sylvie slowed her steps when she saw Gabby, the two locking eyes as they stood a few feet apart.

"Hi." Gabby spoke first, clutching the folder tighter within her grasp.

"Hey Gabby." Brett responded, her arms folding over her chest. "How are you doing?"

"I'm doing good." The awkward tension was clear as neither woman knew what to say to the other, Foster's eyes darting back and forth between the two. Clearing her throat uncomfortably, Gabby turned her attention to the new paramedic. "Uh, we haven't officially met. I'm Gabby." She extended her hand towards Foster, the woman accepting graciously.

"Emily Foster, it's nice to meet you. I've heard you're one hell of a paramedic." The woman spoke, trying to lighten the air around them. A small smile fell to Gabby's face, her eyes darting to Brett who was staring towards the ground.

"Well I don't know about that, but thank you." Gabby replied, her eyes moving to look into the windows of the common room, seeing everyone where they'd been before she went to Boden, everyone except the one person she wanted to see. "I'm, uh, gonna go find Matt. It was nice to meet you." She said, changing her path and walking past the two paramedics, knowing she'd feel better when she saw Matt.

Brett and Foster watched her walk away, seeing her walk past the common room without stopping. Sylvie noticed a quick exchange between her and Herrmann, but couldn't make out what they said.

"So, is she trying to come back?" Foster asked, Brett shrugging as she released a sigh.

"I honestly don't know."

Across the firehouse, Gabby walked into the bunkroom, smiling when she saw Matt sitting at his desk in his office, her eyes trained on him as she walked towards the room. She stopped in the open doorway, taking a look around the office she knew so well, Matt not yet realizing she was standing there. Her eyes bounced throughout the room, seeing it virtually the same as it had been all those months ago, her smile widening as she saw the photo of herself still perched prominently on his desk.

"Hey Captain." She broke the silence, Matt turning around instantly at the sound of her voice, a wide grin covering his face.

"That was fast." He commented, waving her in, Gabby following his gesture as she stepped inside the office, closing the door behind her. "So what did you need to talk to Boden about?"

"I needed a letter of recommendation, for the new job." She explained, coming to sit on his bed, Matt turning his chair to face her.

"Ahh." He spoke in response, cocking his head to the side with a grin. "How did all that go?"

"It went well." She replied after a moment of silence, gathering her thoughts.

"Are you sure?" He asked, picking up on her hesitation.

"Yeah, yeah. It's just different, not exactly what I'm used to." She brushed off his concerns, watching as he pushed himself up from his chair and walked over towards the bed, coming to sit by her side. "I still think it's the best choice for me right now."

"And you're positive this is what you want?" He checked one last time, needing to know she wasn't making this choice for the wrong reasons. "Because if it really is only because of them," He started, nodding out towards the empty bunkroom, "I don't want you changing your whole career because of that. And even if they don't get over it, I can order them too. I don't know if you've heard but I kind of have seniority around here." He spoke, trying to lighten the mood, his attempt working when a chuckle escaped through her lips, her head turning to face his.

"No, it's not just because of them." She promised, placing her hand on his thigh and squeezing gently. "I really think it's what I need to do for me. I don't know if I could handle a job in the CFD right now."

With a slight frown, he wrapped his arm around her back, pulling her into his side, kissing the top of her head as she moved her hand slowly up and down his leg. Her even admitting she couldn't handle something was a huge step in the right direction, but it didn't stop him from worrying about her.

"Tell me about the job." He murmured against the top of her head, bring his other hand over to rest on top of hers. Matt couldn't see her face, but he could feel her smile.

"I met with Chief Jim Peters, he seems like a great boss. He used to be apart of the CFD, too. So he knows the adjustment first hand." She began, Matt listening intently as she spoke. "He told me about the specifics of the job, it's mostly patient transport it sounds like but sometimes there's harder cases. The hours will take a bit of adjusting. It's not twenty four hour shifts, it's twelve hour ones, and I work four to five days a week. So we'll have to get used to that." She spoke softly, Matt squeezing her hand.

"It's not exactly what we're used to, but we'll figure it out." He reassured her, Gabby nodding against his shoulder.

"Yeah, I know. I don't like us not getting as much time together, especially after being apart for so long, but there's not really any way around it."

"Hey, it'll be fine." He promised, "And I think we've done a pretty decent job of making up for lost time." He teased, Gabby feeling the vibrations in his chest as he chuckled, a heat rising to her cheeks as she thought over his words. "But in all seriousness, we'll figure it out. This is what you want, we'll work it out. It's still better than you working in the CFD on a completely different shift. Everything will work out just fine."

His words lessened her worries, Gabby smiling softly at how self-assured he sounded, knowing he wholeheartedly believed what he was saying.

"I know it will." Her eyes fell closed momentarily as she felt him press another kiss to the top of her head, a feeling of contentment rushing through her. "Chief Peters said as soon as I get all the paperwork sent in, I can start work."

"Wow… that's fast." Matt mused, the hand he had on her back moving down to rest on her hip, rubbing softly over the material of her jacket.

"Yeah." She hummed in response, "I wasn't expecting everything to happen this soon, but I think it'll be good for me to get back to work." Matt nodded, Gabby feeling his movement against her head. A comfortable silence washed over them, Gabby basking in the quiet moment for a few seconds before lifting her head up and pulling away from him slightly. Her eyes narrowed as they ran over his features, Matt's face contorting into confusion as he watched her.

"What?"

"You're still feeling okay?" She questioned, his face softening.

"I'm good, Gabby. I promise." She locked eyes with him, trying to read his expression to make sure he was telling the truth. When she was sure he wasn't masking anything, her gaze softened, giving him a small grin.

"Good." She followed her sentence with a quick peck on his lips, Matt smiling into the kiss just as she pulled away. "You better stay that way." She warned before standing up from the bed, bending over to grab her purse and paperwork she sat beside her.

"You leaving already?" He questioned, standing up as well.

"Yeah, I need to get started on this application." She told him, Gabby walking towards the door and pushing it open. Her path was halted in the doorway when Matt grabbed her by the waist, effectively turning her around as they stood together just inside his office, his arms wrapping around her hips.

"Need something, Captain?" She spoke teasingly, resting her free hand against his chest. The smirk on his face sent shivers down her spine as he ran one hand over her side.

"Nope." He replied, popping the word. "I've got everything I need right here." She couldn't help but roll her eyes at the cheesiness, but she also couldn't stop her heart from swelling with love, or the heat that filled her cheeks as warmth spread through her body. She saw his smirk widen as he noticed the reaction his words elicited, a proud look shining in his eyes. Before he had the chance for some smug remark, she closed the distance between them, planting her lips on his in a heated kiss. He gripped her waist tighter, pulling her into his body as her hand gripped the material of his shirt.

"Knock it off, you two." Severide's voice filtered into the bunk room, the two pulling apart in time to see him heading towards his office, a grin covering his face as he shut his door behind him, disappearing from view.

Blowing out a sigh, Matt loosened his grip on her slightly, allowing her a little bit of space as they caught their breath. "He has terrible timing." He muttered, rubbing his thumb lightly over her lower back.

"I really should go now." She breathed out, Matt giving her a nod as he placed a soft, gentle kiss to her lips.

"We'll continue this later." He spoke against her, feeling her smile widen before they separated.

"Something to look forward to." Gabby responded, before disentangling herself from him completely and pulling out her phone.

"What are you doing?" He asked after a moment of her fiddling around with the device in her hands.

"I need to call a cab."

"Ahh. Well, how about you just take the truck home. I'll make Severide give me a ride." Gabby dropped her phone to her side, looking at him skeptically.

"You sure? It has been awhile since I've driven anywhere."

"I'm positive." He said, slipping out past her into the bunkroom, signaling her to follow him as they headed toward the locker room. "But I guess that's something else we need to think about." He pondered, leading her towards his locker as they walked in.

"What?"

"We're gonna need to get you a car. Especially with you going back to work." He expertly undid the lock, opening up the door and pulling his truck keys off the top shelf.

"Oh, yeah. I hadn't even really thought about that." She graciously took the car keys from him, waiting for him to secure his locker before they headed for the exit. "But, uh-" Clear apprehension settled over her as they stopped in the deserted hallway just outside the locker room. "Can we afford to get one right now? I know you sold my old car, but I don't really know if we have the money for it or not..." He could see the embarrassment in her demeanor, something he wished wasn't there. He figured her reaction came from this being another reminder of everything that had gone on between them and how disconnected they'd been from one another, that something as basic as their finances was now something she knew nothing about. "Maybe we should just wait until I've been working for awhile and we have more saved up, I don't want to-"

He silenced her rambling with a soft kiss, feeling the tension leave her body as their lips connected. "We can get you a car, Gabby." He told her as he pulled back, only inches away from her face. "Sometime in the next few days, we'll go car shopping."

"Are you sure? Cause I really don't mind waiting if we need to."

"We can do it." He assured her, seeing her hesitantly nod before a smile fell to her face. "Before my next shift, we'll go look and see if we can find something you like." Leaning forward, Matt placed a soft kiss to her forehead.

"Sounds like a plan." She replied, the two of them walking down the hallway towards the double doors. When they got to the exit, Matt glanced down the long hallway back towards the common room, able to hear the chatter of the firehouse.

"You want to say goodbye to everyone?" He asked, seeing her eyes flash down the hallway as well before meeting his gaze once more.

"No, that's okay. I should get home."

A small frown set in on his face, Matt holding back a sigh. "Gabby, you don't have to avoid them. They want to see you."

"It's not that, I just-" She cut herself off, taking a deep breath before continuing, "they're gonna ask me if I'm coming back and I'd rather not get into the whole conversation right now."

"You're not gonna tell them?" His voice was laced in confusion, trying to understand where her head was at.

"I don't care if they know, I figured they'd find out, or that you might've already told them. But I...I just-" She started fumbling over her words, his expression softening as he saw her begin to work herself up.

"You don't want to be the one to tell them." He finished for her, Gabby nodding immediately, taking another deep breath to try and relax herself.

"Yeah." She responded softly.

"I can tell them for you. You don't need to worry about it, alright?" Matt kept his voice light, hoping to soothe her worries. "I'll let them know today. They should find out from us, I don't want them hearing it from Boden, or seeing you out on a call."

"Yeah, I don't want them to find out like that either." She agreed, glancing back towards the common room one last time before giving him a small smile. "But I really need to go now. I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

Gabby had started moving through the double doors, Matt going through with her, standing in the doorway holding the door open. "I'll see you then." He replied, pulling her in for one more kiss before she started walking away.

"Stay safe out there, Captain." She spoke with a smile, taking a few steps backwards, giving him a salute before turning around and leaving the garage. He kept his eyes on her retreating form until she was out of sight, the smile never leaving his lips as he walked back into the firehouse.

"You know I don't miss 'angry at the world' Casey," Severide started as Matt saw him walking towards him, Casey rolling his eyes. "But it's kind of annoying seeing you so damn happy all the time." Kelly teased, coming to stand in front of his friend, Matt raising his eyebrows as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Need something, Sev?"

"No, nothing at all. But I heard the school girls gossiping when I got back, Gabby was here to talk to Boden?" Kelly questioned, Matt nodding as he shifted his weight back and forth. "She coming back?"

"No she's not. She was here to get a reference letter for her new job."

The shock was written across Kelly's face as the words sunk in. "Oh…"

"Yeah." Matt replied, "And speaking of those school girls, I need to go tell them." Kelly nodded, the men starting off down the hallway towards the common room, Matt walking in first. Herrmann saw him first, his eyes darting behind Matt as if he was waiting for someone else.

"Uh Dawson gone already, Captain?" Herrmann's voice broke up the chatter around the room, Matt nodding at his question.

"Yeah, she needed to get back home."

"Ah dang, I was hoping to talk to her." He replied, Matt simply shrugging, not sure what to do with that information. "So she was here talking to Boden, when is she coming back?"

"She's not."

You could hear a pin drop in the room as the words left his lips, Kelly being the only person in the room not in complete shock. Matt understood their reactions, he himself was surprised she didn't want to come back, but he also had known it wasn't out of the realm of possibility. He figured they at least had some idea she'd decide to not come back to work here, but based on the silence that had fallen over the room, they never considered it a real possibility.

"Wait- what?" Cruz was the first to break the quiet, Matt turning to face him. "She's really not coming back?"

"No, she's really not." He said simply, seeing members of 51 glancing around at one another. "She was here getting a letter of recommendation for her new job."

"New job?" Brett asked, and Matt swore he could hear a sliver of hurt in her voice. He found himself getting annoyed by that, but he ignored the feeling.

Standing here in front of them, he was now understanding why Gabby didn't want to be here when they found out.

"Yeah, she's gonna be working for a private ambo service. I guess it's the one that reached out to you all back in the spring." Matt replied to Brett, Sylvie nodding in understanding.

"A private ambo? That doesn't really seem like Dawson's speed." Otis remarked, Matt eyeing him, causing him to stand up straighter, Otis' eyes darting towards the ground.

"It's what she wants to do." He spoke firmly, clearing his throat before continuing. "But I just wanted to let you all know. I'm sure you'll still see her around, but she's moving on from 51." Matt stood there for a second, waiting to see if anyone had more to say. But when no one said anything, he took that as a sign they had no more questions.

He started to leave, but the palpable tension he was feeling in the room was bothering him. He couldn't tell if it was because they were angry or hurt, but he figured it might be a little of both, and he hated it because it meant Gabby had a reason to be worried about their reactions. He didn't want them to resent her because of this.

"She still loves you guys." He spoke up, seeing some of them look back at him. "She does. But she thinks it's best to move on to something else. I don't want you all mad at her because of this." He told them, walking out of the room without another word.

He heard shuffling behind him as he walked down the hallway, figuring Kelly was following him out. But he was surprised to hear Herrmann's voice call out to him, stopping Casey in his tracks as he turned around and saw the older firefighter jogging towards him.

"What Herrmann?"

"So this is real, she's really not coming back to 51, ever?"

"She's not planning on it, no." Matt replied, knowing that everyone in the common room could still hear them.

"But… why?" Herrmann asked, Matt having to resist the urge to roll his eyes. "I know you said she was having her doubts, but we're her family." Matt blew out a sigh as Herrmann spoke, crossing his arms over his chest. "I always figured she'd decide to come back."

"Maybe you should've called and told her that yourself, Herrmann." Matt snapped before he had the chance to stop himself, his annoyance outweighing his rational thought.

"Casey-"

"I'm sorry Herrmann, but not one of you reached out to her. You told her you wanted to talk to her, that you wanted to hear about what all she'd been doing, but then you never spoke to her. Kelly's the only person here who's made an effort with her since she's gotten back, you can't be shocked she doesn't feel welcome here anymore." He continued angrily. "I wish she wanted to come and work here again, believe me I would love for her to come back, but she feels like she can't. She feels like her coming back here would only cause more 'trouble'." He punctuated, Herrmann listening in shock.

"I had no idea, I wanted to call her but I…"

"I know you did, she knows you did. But you didn't." He spoke, the words coming out more bitter than he realized. "Gabby doesn't feel like she belongs here anymore. She doesn't blame you all, in fact she still only blames herself. But she wants to keep this part of her life in the past, and I support her decision."

The two men stood there, staring at one another for a few moments, Matt trying to calm himself down and Herrmann trying to gather his thoughts.

"I'm sorry Casey, I really am. We all just thought she'd reach out to us when she was ready. We never thought it would've turned into this."

Taking a deep breath, Matt continued. "I know you all did what you thought she wanted. And I don't blame you guys for this, it's no one's fault. I just need you to understand why she's making this decision."

Matt turned to walk away, needing to get away from this conversation before he said something he shouldn't. Deep down he knows he doesn't blame them, Gabby didn't reach out to them either. But he can't help but feel a bit of animosity towards everyone in the firehouse, knowing they're part of the reason she's choosing to not come back. He knows it's not fair, but he can't shake the unsettling feeling in his gut knowing these people played a part in why Gabby's feeling so lost.

"Casey." Herrmann's voice stopped him, Matt sighing but not turning around. He heard Christopher walk towards him as he kept speaking. "Are we the only reason she's not coming back?"

Running his hand over his face, Matt reluctantly turned around, his voice dropping before he responded. "It's not entirely you guys, no. It's just a part of it. She-" He cut himself off, afraid to say too much. But he saw the way Herrmann's head tilted to the side, the confusion written across his face. "She went through a lot over there, Herrmann. A lot that she's still dealing with. It's not just you all." He left it at that, leaving the older man more confused as Casey walked away, needing to distance himself from this conversation before he revealed something he shouldn't.

* * *

**Matt finally snapped, it seems like. Firehouse aside, it looks like everything's going pretty well for Dawsey. Matt's back at work, Gabby's feeling better and starting a new job, everything's just absolutely great... Nothing could possibly go wrong now..**

**In other news, I'm kind of in shock at this story reaching 300+ reviews. Never in a million years did I think so many people would enjoy this story. As some of you know, I was very hesitant to ever post this. I've never shared any of my work, and it was nerve wracking. And I still get nervous over posting sometimes. But you all have made me so glad I started sharing my work. To everyone who reads my story, and especially everyone who takes the time to review, I cannot express how grateful I am for you. There's so many of you who take the time to review every chapter and it means so much to me. **

**If you're reading this right now, just know how thankful I am for you supporting this story. **

**I can't wait to hear what you all think! Thanks for reading!**


	19. Chapter Nineteen

**Hello! Hope you guys enjoy this one!**

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_**Chapter Nineteen**_

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"Whose brilliant idea was it to go car shopping in the middle of winter?" Matt spoke, rubbing his glove covered hands together as they stood outside the car dealership, him watching as Gabby inspected their tenth car of the morning. His eyes met hers as she stood up straight, cocking her beanie-clad head to the side with a raised eyebrow.

"Yours. It was yours." He saw her breath in the chilly air as the words escaped her mouth, a challenging look covering her face.

"Fair enough." He replied, Gabby grinning as she turned her attention back to the car, Matt huffing as a shiver coursed through his body. He started bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, doing his best to keep any more warmth from leaving his body.

Pulling his phone from his pocket, he glanced at the time, sighing as he realized they were approaching the end of their second hour out here, the salesman having gone inside long ago to get away from the cold. There were piles of snow surrounding them, a storm having rolled through the night before dumping blankets of white across the city. Unsurprisingly, they were the only two here at the dealership, no one else daring to brave the below freezing temperatures.

His eyes followed Gabby as she walked around the other side of the car, watching as her bottom lip went in between her teeth, a deeply concentrated look covering her face, her hands stuck inside the pockets of her jacket that was swallowing her. Well, _his_ jacket. Matt's smile widened as he saw her body turn slightly, catching a glimpse of the yellow LIEUTENANT embroidered across the back. It used to be his favorite jacket, the puffy navy material having become sort of a comfort item in the past. Since his promotion, he hadn't been able to wear it, all of his Lieutenant branded clothing being swapped out with his Captain ones. But seeing it wrapped around Gabby gave him the same comfort it had when he'd wear it himself, knowing it had always been her favorite of his as well. It gave him a sense of normalcy, being reminded all of the times in the past she'd steal the jacket from him before leaving the house.

His eyes moved from her towards the sky as he felt water hit his face, seeing snow begin to fall from the clouds. Blowing out a breath, he took a few steps towards Gabby, her eyes still focused on the car in front of her.

"Babe," he called, getting her attention as she looked up towards him with a soft smile on her face. "I know this is a big decision, but we probably need to make a choice soon." He spoke, his point being proven as the snowflakes falling around them became heavier. A chuckle escaped her lips, Matt's smile widening as he watched her, seeing the snow begin to stick to her clothes, clinging to the hair peeking out beneath her beanie.

"This is the one I want." She spoke surely, nodding to the car they'd been standing in front of for the last ten minutes. His eyes flashed from her to the vehicle, suppressing a smirk as he realized it was the same exact car she used to have, only a few years newer. She was nothing if not consistent.

"You're positive?" He checked, Gabby nodding excitedly.

"I am. If you're sure we can afford it." She spoke softly, Matt's demeanor softening as he walked around the car to stand by her side.

"We can." He assured her, leaning down and placing a kiss to her covered forehead. "And you know how great I am at negotiating." He spoke smugly, pecking her lips before taking a few steps away from her. "Let me go get the guy, I'll be right back." He'd only made it a few steps before his phone started ringing in his pocket, Matt pulling it out and putting it to his ear.

"Hey Severide." He spoke, Gabby watching as he continued walking towards the building, his voice getting harder to hear the further away from her he got.

"No, we're at the dealership getting Gabby a car. What's up?" That was the last she heard as he walked inside, Gabby feeling a shiver run through her as the wind picked up, blowing the falling snow all around her.

Standing there, she felt that all too familiar nervousness creeping up inside her, suddenly feeling vulnerable being out here by herself. It seemed like the snowfall was picking up speed every second, creating white noise in front of her as she heard the sounds of the city around her. A car backfiring in the distance caused her to jump in her skin, Gabby suddenly feeling like it was hard to swallow as she closed her eyes. Pressure rose within her chest, the feeling hitting her all at once as she tried to calm herself down. But her efforts proved useless as she heard people yelling across the street as they got out of their car, their screaming combining with the harsh sounds of the city, the overload of noise around her causing everything to become too much as she felt her heart begin to pound in her chest. She found it becoming hard to get air into her lungs, her hand reaching out and gripping the side mirror of the vehicle. Her heart was racing, as sudden images from the night of her attack flashed in her mind, the snow falling in front of her replaced by a picture of herself being pinned to the floor, crying out helplessly. Before she knew what was happening, her body crashed to the ground, Gabby falling to her knees as she desperately sucked in air, the cold snow seeping in through her jeans as she moved to sit down on the ground, leaning up against the car.

The memories of that night ran through her head like a horror movie, Gabby forcing her eyes open as she saw the snow falling in front of her face. Despite the temperature, her entire body felt like it was on fire, Gabby grabbing a handful of snow and holding it to her cheeks, trying to cool herself off as she took slow breaths.

And as quickly as it had started, it was over. Gabby drew in deep breaths, dropping what was left of the snow from her palms, wiping the water from her face with the sleeve of her jacket. Her eyes fell closed as she felt her heart rate slow down, Gabby now very much aware of where she was and how cold it was, her body shivering involuntarily as the water seeped through her clothes.

Her mind ran rampant as she tried to digest what had just happened. She thought it was getting better. It had been getting better. But clearly she didn't have the handle on her anxiety she believed she did, knowing she'd just experienced a full blow panic attack. It had never been like that before, not this bad. She'd never seen images of her attack so clearly during one of her episodes, she'd never felt so paralyzed by fear. She had always been able to get back control of her emotions, but she wasn't able to this time. The realization made that same feeling creep back into her system, Gabby focusing on her breathing, knowing she needed to calm herself down before it got any worse.

"Gabby?" She heard Matt's voice calling for her, Gabby pushing down the uneasiness in her gut as she forced herself up off the ground.

"I'm right here, Matt." She spoke, using the car as leverage to get off the ground. She hadn't looked up, but she heard Matt rushing towards her, the snow crunching under his boots.

"What happened? Are you okay?" His voice was panicked as he got to her, putting his hands out on her arms, his eyes running over her body as he looked for any signs of distress.

"I'm fine, just slipped on some ice." The words flew from her mouth before she could process what she said. She wasn't even sure why she said it, but now wasn't the time to get into it.

Matt's frown deepened, his hands slowly running over her body as he scanned her form, even though they both knew he wouldn't be able to see any injuries, her layers of clothes hiding her. "You're not hurt or anything?" he questioned, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm okay. I just wasn't paying attention, ate it pretty hard." She covered, flashing him a smile in hopes to ease his concern.

"I leave you alone for one minute." He joked softly, Gabby smirking as he brushed some excess snow from her body. "You're soaking wet, we can come back and do this later." He offered, clearly worried about her being out in the weather like this, but Gabby refused.

"No, I want to get this done today. I'm good." He raised his eyebrows, silently asking her if she was sure, to which she gave a nod. "Let's go." She prompted, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he lead her to the building.

"Oh before I forget, Kelly invited us to Molly's tonight." He asked as Gabby put her arm around his waist. She nodded, feeling him squeeze her shoulder. "Would you wanna go?"

"Maybe, yeah." She answered as they got to the door, Matt holding it open for her to walk through.

"We don't have to, but maybe it'll be good to see everyone." He spoke lightly, Gabby only nodding as they got inside, knowing this was a conversation they could finish later.

* * *

She knew she should've told him. The second it happened, she should've told him about her panic attack. It was something he needed to know, and the last thing she wanted was to keep this from him. She planned on telling him the minute they got home. But she didn't.

When they got back from the dealership, she had every intention of telling him what actually happened while he was inside. After they walked in the apartment and placed their car keys on the table, she'd opened her mouth to tell him, but he spoke before she got the chance to. He'd suggested her going to take a shower and warm up after being in those wet clothes for so long, and she agreed, heading into the bedroom without another word.

As she stood in the hot shower, she'd gone over the conversation she wanted to have with him in her head. How she was going to bring it up, and what she wanted to say to him, but her plan took a detour a second time when Matt came into the bathroom stripped down to nothing except his boxers, wandering around the small space, before ultimately ending up in the shower with her. In that moment, what happened earlier in the day was the last thing on her mind while they were together.

Her last attempt to talk to him failed as well, Gabby having looked to him an hour later when they were curled up together in their bed, only to find him fast asleep. They'd been laying in silence for a few minutes, both of them enjoying each others company. Gabby had been working up the courage to bring it up, but by the time she was ready he was out. So instead of getting to talk to him, she'd placed a soft kiss to his bare chest, before relaxing against him and falling asleep as well.

And now as they sat in his truck on the way to Molly's, she didn't know when to tell him. If she told him now, he'd surely turn around and go right back home, and that's not what she wanted. After they woke up from their nap, they decided they'd come tonight, and she could immediately tell how excited he was. Gabby didn't want to ruin that for him, so all she knew to do now was wait for another time.

"You still in there?" He asked her, the hand he'd placed on her thigh squeezing her leg lightly, his other grasping the steering wheel.

"Yeah, just thinking." He nodded, pulling into a parking spot about a block away from the bar. Putting the truck in park, he unbuckled, shifting his body to get a better look at her.

"I really appreciate you doing this." He said softly, Gabby turning to look at him. "I know this isn't easy for you, but I'm really glad you came with me." His smile filled her with warmth, Gabby bringing her hand up to cup his cheek.

"You don't have to thank me for anything. Who knows, maybe this will be good for all of us." She offered, Matt turning his head to place a kiss on her palm. Gabby wasn't sure if this was a good idea, in fact she was pretty sure it was a terrible one. But she couldn't avoid them forever, and she couldn't ask Matt to either. For as awkward and uncomfortable as being around them was for her, she knew it wasn't the same for him. She wouldn't ask him to skip out on time with people he saw as family, and she knew how much he wanted her to be there as well. There's a part of her that's hoping maybe Matt was right, that maybe seeing everyone on a more even playing field would have different results.

"I think so. But whenever you need to leave, just tell me. This is a lot, all at once, so as soon as you need to, just say the word and we'll go."

"Okay." Matt leaned forward, kissing her softly, before the two got out of the truck, thankful it wasn't currently snowing. Gabby zipped up her black jacket, Matt coming around the front of the truck and onto the sidewalk with her. Matt had his hands in his pockets to protect him from the cold, Gabby looping her arm through his before doing the same. They walked in step towards the bar, Gabby trying to keep herself grounded as she thought about what would be waiting for her when they got to Molly's. Kelly hadn't told Matt who all was gonna be there, but if things were still like they'd been in the past, she assumed it would be most of the firehouse.

"I got you." She heard Matt whisper as they got to the front door. The door that held so many memories for them. Looking up at him, she gave him a soft smile, placing her lips against his in a quick kiss. "Now let's go have some beer." He spoke with a grin as they pulled apart.

"I think I'll let you handle the drinking tonight." She spoke as he pulled open the door for her, Gabby taking the first step into the crowded bar. He cocked his head to the side in confusion as he followed her in. "I'm just gonna stick with water, but you have fun." She responded before he could ask a question. Gabby had felt a little guilty, knowing that since she'd been back he hadn't really had a night to let loose and have fun. All of that wasn't her fault, his head injury partly to blame, but she wanted him to be able to have a good night with his friends, and not be the one to worry about getting them home in one piece.

"If you insist." He replied with a smirk, grabbing her hand and leading her towards the bar. Glancing around, she saw many faces she recognized, some of which were already looking back at her. Feeling slightly self-conscious under the gaze of her former coworkers, she trained her focus on Matt's back, following him through the crowd.

"Kidd, a beer and water please." He spoke as he came to stand at the bar, Gabby squeezing in by his side.

"You got it Captain. Hey Dawson." She greeted with a smile, Gabby returning the gesture.

"Hey Stella. You guys are busy tonight."

"Yeah, everyone and their mama seems to be here tonight." Kidd replied, placing the glass of water on the bar top, the beer being sat beside it seconds later.

"Thanks Kidd." Matt said, dropping Gabby's hand as he reached for the glasses, handing Gabby hers.

"No problem. It's good to see you here, Gabby."

"Feels good to be here." She responded, Matt smiling widely at her, placing a soft kiss to the top of her head, the couple saying a quick goodbye to Stella before moving around the bar. Gabby let him lead her as they worked their way through the crowd, Matt clearly having a destination in mind. They managed to get towards the back of the bar, Gabby finally able to see who Matt was headed for. Sitting at a table was Kelly, accompanied by Brett and Cruz.

"Got room for two more?" Casey asked as they arrived at the table.

"Room for Dawson, sure." Kelly spoke, pulling out the empty stool beside him, nodding towards Gabby. Matt rolled his eyes, stepping out of the way for her to sit down. Placing her water on the table, she hoisted herself up onto the seat, Matt wasting no time to move by her side, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he stood next to her.

Gabby took a sip of her water, looking straight across and meeting Brett's gaze neither woman knowing what to say to the other.

"We heard about the new job, congrats." Kelly spoke, nudging her shoulder.

"Yeah, thank you. I'm excited." She replied softly, glancing up to Matt who gave her a supportive smile, putting her at ease.

"So it's the SAS? That place that approached us a while back?" Brett spoke for the first time, looking for confirmation.

"That's the one, yeah." Gabby answered, giving her old partner a nod. "I think it's the best job for me right now."

"I hope it goes well." Brett spoke sincerely, both women hating how awkward the simplest conversations were now.

"When do you start?" Cruz asked curiously.

"I'll find out in the next few days, but it should be here soon."

"Brett!" Yelling from across the bar stopped their conversation, Gabby turning to see Foster standing over by Kidd, both women waving the blonde over. Brett quickly excused herself, heading over to the other two, Gabby watching as she walked through the bar and met up with her friends. Sitting there, Gabby couldn't help but think about how that used to be her with Kidd and Brett. How that used to be the three of them, attached at the hip. But that wasn't them anymore, her spot had been filled. In more ways than one.

"I'm gonna go get a refill, you need anything?" Cruz offered as he got up, the three declining his offer before he left the table.

Blowing out a sigh, Gabby moved her fingers along her water glass. Although logic told her it wasn't because of her, she couldn't help the nagging feeling in the back of her mind that her presence is what cleared the table. But she didn't want to focus on that. All she could do now is try. Try and make things better between her and everyone else, but she can't force them to forgive her.

"So, did you end up getting a car today?" Severide asked, Gabby feeling Matt running his hand over her back.

"Yeah, we did. Now I don't have to depend on this one to take me places." Gabby spoke, leaning into Matt's side slightly.

"That's funny, considering I drove tonight." He said back, Gabby rolling her eyes before pushing him away from her lightly.

"Just for that, you can go sit over there by yourself." She nodded to the other side of the table, Matt frowning before stepping away from her and walking around the table, sitting across from her.

As Matt and Kelly fell into easy conversation, Gabby let her eyes wander around the room. Brett had set up over by Kidd, both her and Foster now seated at the bar. Cruz was bickering with Otis near them as well, seemingly having no intention of coming back to the table. She saw a few other firefighters around, as well as some regulars she remembered serving all the time.

"I'll be right back." Matt spoke, breaking her from her thoughts.

"You're leaving too?" She asked, a light tone to her voice. "Kelly's the only one who wants to sit with me, huh." Kelly chuckled at her teasing, Matt huffing as he stood up, coming to place a kiss on her forehead, his lips resting against the scar residing there.

"I'm just going to the bathroom." He assured her, before taking off in that direction.

"So how you doing, Dawson?" Kelly asked, taking a sip of his beer as the two of them were left alone.

"I'm doing pretty good." She spoke, turning to look at him. "And how's Kelly Severide?"

"Can't complain." He spoke with a shrug, shifting in his seat to face Gabby. "And what about Casey? He okay?"

"Yeah, he's fine." She spoke, raising her eyebrow. "Is there a reason he wouldn't be?"

"He kinda got into with Herrmann last shift, and kept to himself after that." Kelly responded, Gabby's eyes narrowing in confusion. Sensing she didn't know what he was talking about, he elaborated. "It was mostly just Matt losing his cool and Herrmann taking it, but Casey seemed really upset about it after. I just wanted to make sure he was good."

"He's seemed fine." Gabby responded, taking a drink of water. "Do you know what they fought about?" Kelly gave her a knowing look, Gabby sighing in response. "It was about me, wasn't it." She stated, Kelly nodding with a small grimace.

"He told us about you switching jobs, and everyone was confused. And didn't really get it. They all just assumed, at some point, you'd come back. Matt tried to explain it to them, but he was losing his patience with it pretty quickly." Kelly explained, Gabby taking in the information. "Herrmann went to him after, I only heard bits and pieces but he was really upset. Herrmann thought that by waiting for you to come to him, he was doing the right thing. But now he thinks all he did was push you away. Matt kind of let him have it, for not reaching out to you. Both Herrmann and Casey were just... off the rest of shift. They avoided each other, and everyone else." Kelly told her, Gabby frowning as Kelly spoke.

"Matt didn't say anything to me." She replied quietly.

"Probably didn't want to worry you." Severide answered quickly, Gabby nodding as she moved her eyes around the bar. She was looking for Matt, but he still hadn't appeared yet. However her gaze found another man she knew she needed to have a conversation with, the older firefighter carrying a stack of glasses to the back room.

"I'll be right back, Kelly." Severide had followed her movements, seeing her gaze end up on Herrmann before he was out of sight. He gave her a knowing nod, patting her back gently before she stood up, walking through the maze of people and sliding behind the bar, going into the stock room.

When she came in, his back was to her as he was sorting the bar glasses on the table. She waited to see if he would turn around, but she soon realized he hadn't heard her come in.

"Hey Herrmann." Her soft voice floated through the room, the man jumping in his skin slightly from the voice, not expecting anyone to be behind him. He immediately turned around, a smile resting on his face when he saw her.

"Hey kid, I didn't know you'd be here tonight." Herrmann took a few steps towards her, wrapping her up in a gentle, yet firm hug, Gabby holding onto him tightly for the few seconds they embraced.

"Matt drug me along with him." She replied as they separated, Herrmann nodding with a knowing grin.

"I sure am glad you're here." He spoke, his voice lowering a bit as emotion flooded his words. "It hasn't been the same without you." She knew his phrasing had multiple meanings, Gabby swallowing thickly.

"I'm glad I'm here, too." Her voice dropped to nearly a whisper, feeling tears pricking the edges of her eyes. "I owe you an apology." She started, knowing she needed to get the words out while she could.

"If either of us owes anyone an apology, it's me." He interjected, Gabby shaking her head.

"I appreciate that Herrmann, I do. But I caused all this." She waved her hand in front of her to emphasize her words, willing the tears in her eyes to stay there. "I'm the one who ran away because things got hard," He frowned as she spoke, seeing the unmistakable look of sadness cover her features, "and I never said goodbye to you." Her voice became shaky, Herrmann watching her with sadness filling his own features. "You deserved better than that, and I really am so sorry. I never meant to hurt you all." A lone tear escaped down her cheek, Herrmann feeling his heart begin to crack as he saw the pain and regret she'd been carrying.

"It's not just on you, Dawson." He spoke, his own voice full of emotion. "I should've called you, especially when we found out you weren't coming back. You never do anything without a damn good reason, it wasn't fair for me to cut you out because I didn't take the time to understand why you left." He spoke firmly, more tears falling down her face. "You were hurting... before you left, you weren't yourself and we didn't see it. That's on us, that's not on you. I know you blame yourself for all of this, but we're just as much to blame. We're your family and we let you down." His voice cracked as he finished his sentence, Gabby swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, kid."

Tears were falling down her face as he pulled her in for another hug, Gabby clinging to him as her emotions got the best of her, a soft sob escaping her lips as he held her tighter, moving his hand up and down her back. He felt her body tremble slightly in his arms, Herrmann holding her tighter as his own tears rolled down his cheeks and landed on her shoulder.

"I can't change what happened, but just know I'm here, Gabby." He promised, more tears falling as his words hit her. "I don't know what all happened before you left, or what happened in Puerto Rico. I don't need to know," He prefaced, Gabby pulling back from his embrace, wiping the tears from her cheeks, "but I'm here for you. Whatever you need, I'm right here." He swore, Gabby nodding slowly, Herrmann placing his hand on her arm.

"And I'm sorry for not coming to you sooner." He started, squeezing her arm. "I thought giving you space is what you needed, but I shouldn't have given you _that_ much space. I'm sorry we made you feel like you couldn't come back to 51, that's not what any of us wanted."

"There was more to it than that, Herrmann." She replied, wiping under her eyes.

"Yeah, but we were a main part of it." He supplemented, Gabby staying quiet knowing what he said was true. "I know you're starting your new job soon, and you're gonna be the same badass Gabby Dawson you've always been, but just know you can always come home." He spoke honestly, Gabby taking a slow breath before nodding, brushing away a single tear that fell. Without another word, he pulled her in for another hug, Gabby holding on tightly.

"I'm proud of you, kid." He whispered after a few moments of silence.

"For what?" She asked, her head resting on his shoulder.

"For being here right now. Because even though I don't know what all happened, I know it took a lot of strength for you to come back. It's taking a lot of strength for you to be here right now. I'm proud of you for that." His words resonated in her head, causing a few more tears to fall down her face, Gabby sniffling softly as tightened his grip around her back.

"Thanks Herrmann." She whispered, before the two pulled away.

"But I was serious," He started, Gabby looking at him quizzically as she wiped the tears from her face. "I want to hear all about your job." He said with a smile, Gabby grinning as she nodded. "Let's head back out there." He prompted, Gabby leading the way as they went back into the filled bar.

The second she got out there, her eyes went to her table, finding Matt's gaze already waiting for her. Clearly he'd been waiting for her to come back, and by the frown that formed on his face, she knew he could tell she'd been crying. She came around to stand by the end of the bar, Matt already making his way to her. Herrmann had stopped behind the bar, standing across from her.

"Hey," Matt spoke, coming to a stop by her side. "You okay?" His hand came up to rest on her cheek, his thumb moving softly over her skin, his frown only deepening when he saw her red eyes.

"I'm alright." She replied, Matt furrowing his eyebrows. "I promise." She assured him, bringing her hand up to hold onto his wrist. "Herrmann and I were talking, everything's fine." Matt finally peeled his eyes from Gabby, turning to see the other man standing and watching them, a similar look of emotion covering his face. Releasing a soft breath, Matt nodded as he looked back to Gabby, leaning forward and placing a tender kiss to her forehead.

Dropping his hand from her cheek, Matt turned his attention to Herrmann, feeling Gabby move her grasp from his wrist to his hand.

"I was just apologizing," Herrmann started, Matt bringing Gabby into his side. Their hands dropped long enough for him to wrap an arm around her shoulder, but she quickly brought her hand back up to latch with his, their fingers interlocking. "We both got a little emotional, though Captain." The older firefighter spoke lightly, bringing soft smiles to both Matt's and Gabby's faces.

"I owe you an apology, too." Matt spoke regretfully, Herrmann quick to wave him off.

"I know why you were so upset with us, Casey. You were looking out for Dawson," Matt felt Gabby squeeze his hand as Herrmann spoke, "I get it. And truthfully, what you said, I needed to hear it. You have nothing to apologize for. We're good." He assured.

"Thanks Herrmann." Casey replied, Christopher giving him a nod before he was called for further down the bar, the older man excusing himself leaving Matt and Gabby by themselves.

"So your talk went okay?" He asked her softly. Matt didn't need the details right now, they could talk about it later, all he wanted to know was that she was alright. But even through her watery, red eyes, he could see her spirits were lifted. It was like an invisible weight had been lifted. She seemed lighter than she had before, and that was all the confirmation he needed.

"It did." She responded, wrapping her arm around his waist as she dropped his hand, letting him lead her back to their table.

"Good." Matt leaned his head down, the two stopping in their path momentarily as he took her lips with his, kissing her quickly yet passionately, taking her breath away as he pulled back. "I love you."

A goofy grin had appeared on his face, Gabby not able to stop a similar one from forming as she placed her free hand on his stomach, the pair continuing their walk to the table.

"I love you too." She spoke back as they got to their seats, Gabby and Matt sitting opposite of Kelly who was watching them with a smirk.

"You got something to say, Severide?" Matt challenged, the other man shaking his head, putting his hands up in surrender.

"Nope." Kelly responded. Gabby chuckled at their behavior, moving to rest her head against Matt's arm, lacing her arm through his as Matt and Kelly began bickering back and forth. In the midst of their conversation, Matt had reached across the table, grabbing her water and setting it in front of her, Gabby flashing him an appreciative smile and placing a quick kiss to his covered arm.

As she took a sip, her eyes wandered around the bar, her gaze stopping as she found three pairs of eyes on her. Brett, Stella, and Foster had been watching them, Gabby not sure for how long, but the second they were caught, they looked away. Well, Sylvie and Stella had looked away, but Foster kept her eyes on her, Gabby uncomfortably breaking the eye contact quickly and focusing her attention back on Matt and Kelly.

* * *

Foster kept her eyes trained on Gabby as the women looked away, Emily seeing her move even closer against Casey, the man leaning and placing a kiss to her forehead before engaging back in his conversation with Severide, Matt seemingly never missing a beat.

"So is it weird, having her back?" Emily asked the question again, neither woman having answered after Gabby saw their staring.

"Uh, kinda. Maybe." Stella stuttered out, glancing back to Gabby before returning her gaze to the women in front of her. "I'm glad she's back, but it is a little strange." Foster nodded, looking at Brett expectantly, waiting for the blonde to answer. Stella looked to her as well, Brett sighing before she responded.

"Yeah, it's kind of weird." She gave in, focusing her attention on the glass in front of her. "I'd gotten used to her not being here. And I don't mean that in a bad way, I just-" Brett fumbled over her words, stopping a moment to gather her thoughts. "She was my best friend here, and for her to just up and leave… it hurt." Brett admitted, Foster giving her a sad smile.

"Casey said she had her reasons." Stella spoke, both women eyeing her.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure I'm one of those." Kidd and Foster looked at her in confusion, Brett blowing out another sigh. "Her and I got into a fight before she left, and we never really made up."

"About what?"

"How she treated me on a call. She was dealing with some stuff and snapped at me, and I didn't respond well."

"No one can fault you for that." Foster cut in, Brett shrugging.

"She tried to apologize, and explain, or at least I think she did. I didn't really let her. We both said some things, and then a week later she left." Sylvie explained, taking a sip of her drink. "I don't know, for a long time I blamed myself. Maybe I am a big part of why she didn't come back, but I don't even know what to say to her."

"From what I've heard, it sounds like things here got hard and she ran away." Foster imputed, Kidd and Brett exchanging a glance before turning to their friend. "I don't know Gabby, but as someone on the outside looking at this, that's how it seems. I'm sure, like Casey said, she had her reasons, but she still made the choice to go. That's not your fault."

"Yeah, but I don't think it's that simple." Stella replied, "I've known Gabby for a long time and if she's anything, it's a fighter. She doesn't give in unless she sees no other way out. I think there's a lot more that was going on that we don't know about. It's like the Captain said, whatever news they'd gotten before this happened, it broke her. And that's not an easy thing to do." Kidd took a breath before continuing. "Dawson is as resilient as they come, she's been through more in the last five years than anyone should ever have to endure in their life. I know she chose to go, and it hurt, her leaving, but all I'm saying is I think she had some pretty good reasons."

Kidd hadn't meant to sound so defensive of Dawson, but she couldn't help it. Gabby had been one of her closest friends for years, and despite how she left, Stella never felt that animosity towards her that others in the firehouse had.

Emily put her hands up in defense, a small smile falling to her face. "I didn't mean anything by it. I know you all know her, I was just saying that ultimately it was her choice to leave." Foster said, Kidd nodding slowly. An uncomfortable silence had fallen around them, neither Kidd nor Brett knowing what to say.

"Tell me about her." Emily finally spoke up, Kidd eyeing her cautiously. "Tell me about Dawson. I've been here for months, and I barely know anything about her. You said she's been through a lot, like what?" She pried, Brett shifting in her seat.

"I don't know if it's really our place…" Brett spoke apprehensively, Foster rolling her eyes and smiling.

"Come on, the things you're talking about, it's common knowledge around the firehouse, right?" Emily asked, Kidd looking to Brett who shrugged. Stella nodded in response, Emily clasping her hands together. "Then it's not like you're spilling some deep, dark secrets. I just wanna know about her."

"Alright, well…" Kidd started, clearing her throat. "I met Dawson when we were in the academy-"

"She was a firefighter?" Emily asked, surprise evident in her voice.

"Yeah, for about two years. But I met her then, we had some classes together. We were friends, but we reconnected when I got stationed at 51 a few years back. She'd been working on 81 for a little over a year at that point."

"She was on truck? But how- if she was married to Casey?"

"They weren't married at that point." Brett interjected, Emily turning to look at her. "They got engaged shortly after I came to 51, but then Gabby got placed on 81 and they had to put things on hold. Things got… tense, they ended up breaking up for awhile. But they got back together when-" Brett cut herself off, looking to Kidd for guidance.

"When what?"

Kidd saw Brett staring at her, the blonde obviously not knowing if she should tell that part of the story. Shrugging her shoulders, Kidd tossed the rag in her hand over her shoulder. "I wasn't there when it happened, it's up to you." Stella responded, Emily looking back and forth between the two.

"What happened? What are you two talking about?" Foster pressed, Brett sighing. Glancing to the back of the bar, Sylvie caught a glimpse of Gabby, seeing her laughing at something being said at the table, tucked into Matt's side.

"They got back together when they found out she was pregnant." Brett spoke, her eyes focused on Gabby.

"Whoa, wait-" Foster spoke, looking back to Matt and Gabby as well before looking back towards the girls. "Dawson and Casey have a kid?"

"No, they don't." Brett breathed out, turning back to face front. "Them getting back together wasn't because of the pregnancy, but Matt found out when he went to get her back." Sylvie told her, the memory of Gabby telling her the story replaying in her head. "But Gabby had a miscarriage. The baby… it was never really a viable pregnancy. But it almost killed her."

"Wow." Foster spoke, her voice barely above a whisper. "That's awful."

"Yeah, it was hard on both of them. But eventually they were okay."

"And they got married?" Foster asked curiously.

"Not until like a year after that."

"Is that why she went back to being a paramedic? So they could get married?" Foster questioned.

"Uh, no. She went back to being a paramedic for Louie." Kidd answered, Emily's eyes narrowing in confusion.

"Who's Louie?"

"A child her and Casey were fostering." Foster's eyes widened, glancing to Brett who was wearing a sad smile. "They had him for about seven months. Louie had a rough past, and Gabby didn't feel comfortable with both of his parents running into the same burning building. She didn't want to leave him with no one, again, so she decided to go back to being a paramedic. And they got married a couple months after she became a paramedic again." Kidd explained, Foster nodding as she listened intently. "They were planning on adopting him, they were trying to. But then his birth father came back and a couple of long, painful weeks later, Louie was back with him."

"You weren't kidding about her going through a lot, her and Casey both…" Foster mused, both women nodding.

"She lost her best friend, too." Brett spoke up. "The paramedic here before me, Shay. She was Gabby's best friend, and Kelly's. But she died in an explosion."

"The name on the ambulance…" Emily said softly, Sylvie nodding.

"Yeah, that's her. Neither of us ever knew her. Aside from Casey and her family, she was probably the person Gabby loved most in the world." Kidd spoke, Foster glancing back towards Dawson again. "So when I say that Gabby is resilient, that's why. She's been through a lot, and she's never given up so easily before. So whatever happened to her and Matt before she left, had to have completely broken her for her to choose to stay in Puerto Rico." Kidd finished, Emily nodding and taking a sip of her drink.

"I can understand that," Foster started, Brett and Kidd waiting for her to continue. "But after everything you've told me, it's not just her that's been through a lot. It's her _and_ Casey. And I'm assuming whatever news they got before she left, affects her _and_ Casey, too." Emily spoke. "She still chose to run away from him, and from her life."

"Emily…" Brett started, Foster cutting her off.

"All I'm saying is that you shouldn't feel guilty about whatever happened between you two before she left. It was still her choice to go."

Knowing there was nothing else she could say, Brett just nodded, taking a long sip of her drink, finishing off the glass before setting it back on the bar. Calling from down the bar got Kidd's attention, Herrmann needing help serving some customers across the room. Foster watched her friend's retreating form before turning to Sylvie, seeing the blonde lost in thought.

"So why do you really think she's back?" Emily asked, Brett snapping from her headspace and looking towards her, confusion written across her face.

"What do you mean?"

"She wouldn't have come back without a reason. And I doubt it was just because she missed everyone. She would've come back a lot sooner if that was the case. I just think it's weird." Foster said, shrugging as she spoke.

"I don't know." Brett responded, not sure where Emily was going with this conversation.

"And Casey just got back with her like nothing happened. I mean, she was his wife and he loved her, but I don't know how you could get back with someone who abandoned you like that."

"I'm not gonna pretend to know what all goes on in their relationship." Brett started. She knew Emily was a curious person, she had been from the moment they met, but she didn't understand why she was so fixated on this. Especially when she barely knows them. "I don't know what all went down before she left, or after she left. And I definitely don't know what's been going on since she got back. But what I do know is that Casey loves her more than anything in the world. She's his number one priority, and she always has been." Brett spoke, seeing Emily's eyes flash back towards their table. "And Gabby loves him just as much. I know you weren't here to see it, but they're at their happiest together."

"I'm just worried about you guys, that's all. I feel like me not knowing her, I'm able to see this situation clearly." Emily said, Brett glancing to her. "I'm not judging Dawson for what she did, I never knew her and it doesn't affect me. But it affects you all. You guys are like my family and I don't want to see you get hurt again."

"I appreciate that, really. But you don't need to worry about us." Brett told her, Emily eyeing her cautiously. Sylvie took a deep breath, trying to gather herself before continuing, not knowing how she wanted to voice her thoughts. "Gabby and I… we have a lot to figure out. But we have to do that for ourselves." Foster nodded understandingly.

"You mean back off. I get it." Emily said with a smile, Sylvie sighing. "You're just too nice to say so."

"I just meant that her and I are the ones who had problems, we're the only ones who can fix them."

"Brett, you don't need to explain yourself. I know you can handle yourself. Just know I'm here if you need a little help." Brett nodded appreciatively, turning her attention back towards her empty glass. She was thankful for Emily trying to help, but she knew this was something that only her and Gabby could fix. The only problem was Sylvie didn't know if there was anything left to fix.

* * *

**Well there's another one. Unfortunately, it's looking like Gabby's not as okay as she thought she was. But at least things between her and Herrmann are looking up.**

**Herrmann and Gabby's relationship was always one of my favorite dynamics on the show, so I really enjoyed writing their scene in this. I feel like we never really saw much of it after season four, which is a bummer because their scenes were always some of my favorites.**

**I know a lot of this chapter wasn't with Gabby and Matt, but I felt it important to show Foster learning about Gabby, and see that conversation between Brett, Kidd, and Foster. Full disclosure, I know nothing about Foster's character/personality, so if she's out of character from the show, I'm sorry. Also, to be clear, I'm not trying to make her out to be a bad guy or anything like that. **

**Can't wait to hear what you guys think!**


	20. Chapter Twenty

**Here's another chapter for you guys, hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty**_

* * *

Matt stared up at the dark ceiling, his hand lightly running through Gabby's hair as the woman lay asleep in his arms. Glancing towards the clock again, he saw it was now only minutes until Gabby's alarm would go off. He hadn't gotten much sleep during the night, having been up for over an hour now. He'd done nothing but lay there in that time, not wanting to risk waking Gabby, their bodies having been entangled since the night before. Matt wasn't sure the reason for him not being able to get any sleep, all he knew was that he wouldn't be getting any more rest right now.

He felt Gabby subconsciously nuzzle deeper into him, her bare chest rubbing against his side as she shifted, her arm tightening around his waist. Matt knew she was slowly waking up, her internal clock telling her she'd need to be up soon. But that didn't stop her from groaning as her alarm went off, the sound blaring through the otherwise silent room. Gabby dug her face into his chest, seemingly trying to hide from the sound, Matt chuckling softly at her antics. It only took a few more seconds of the annoying sound filling their ears before Gabby gave in, rolling onto her back and reaching to turn off the alarm. She immediately rolled back into his side, tucking herself deep under the covers as Matt slid his hand down under the blanket, resting his warm palm against her skin.

The two sat in a peaceful quiet for a few moments, Matt taking to running his fingers lightly over her side, feeling Gabby's breath hitting his chest every few seconds. Her thumb began moving over his stomach, both of them wanting to enjoy the few minutes they had left before she needed to get up.

"You ready for today?" Matt whispered, not wanting to disrupt the peaceful calm they'd settled in.

Clearing the sleep from her voice, she spoke up after placing a light kiss to his chest. "I am." He hummed in response, his body tensing slightly as Gabby's hand subconsciously slipped lower down his stomach. Feeling his reaction to her, Gabby chuckled lightly, patting her hand against his skin before moving back up until she found his cheek. "No time for that, mister." She murmured, Matt grinning before using the arm around her to pull her on top of him, her legs straddling him as a gasp of surprise left her lips. His hands fell to her hips, gripping her tightly as he held her against him.

She opened her mouth to speak, Matt not giving her the chance as he lifted up to catch her lips with his, kissing her passionately, Gabby moaning into his mouth as he felt her press her body into his. A satisfied smirk played on his lips as they pulled away, air becoming a necessity for them both, the pair panting as they caught their breath.

"Are you sure about that?" He breathed out, managing to regulate his breathing enough to get the words out. The smug smirk stayed on his face, Gabby giving him a challenging look before slamming her lips back into his, the pair fighting for dominance as she ran a hand down his body. She felt him reacting to her touch, a smirk of its own resting on her face before Matt kissed it away, him raising his hips slightly as her hand moved further down.

"Gabby…" He pleaded softly against her mouth, Gabby stopping her movements just before getting where he wanted her.

"I need to get ready for work." She spoke lightly, bringing her hand back up his body and tapping his cheek gently. A look of shock spread over his face as she climbed off him, a chuckle escaping through her lips as she got off the bed, heading towards bathroom.

"Are you serious? Gabby-" He spoke frustratedly, Gabby laughing more as she walked through the door. "Tease." He muttered, blowing out a harsh breath as he heard the shower start running. Taking matters into his own hands, he threw the covers off of him, pushing himself from the bed and walking towards the room she just went to. When he entered, he saw her standing in front of the shower with her back to him, waiting for the temperature to warm up. Taking long strides, he got to her in seconds, wrapping his arms around her waist. She jumped slightly from the unexpected contact as he slid his head on her shoulder, tucking himself against her neck as he placed a light kiss to her skin.

"Matt, I wasn't kidding. I need to get ready for work." She spoke softly, bringing her hand up to rest on the side of his head, rubbing her fingers over his short hair.

"That was mean." He whispered against her skin, biting her neck gently before kissing the spot, hearing her release a soft moan. She could feel the effect she'd had on him as he pressed against her, Gabby's eyes falling closed as he continued placing soft kisses over her skin.

"I'm sorry, but I really need to get ready."

"You have two hours, that's plenty of time." He reasoned, moving his hand over her stomach. Gabby released a soft sigh, moving her head back to give him more access. He stopped his movements when she still hadn't said anything, resting his chin on her shoulder. "You take your shower." He gave in, but she shook her head.

"You're not going anywhere." She spoke defiantly, a grin falling to his face. "But you better make it quick."

"Challenge accepted." He murmured against her, placing one last kiss against her skin before she pulled away, stepping into the shower, Matt following her without prompting.

* * *

Matt watched her from the freshly made bed as she walked around the room, Gabby having just finished pulling her hair back before she went to get her new shirt from the closet. Their fun in the shower lasted just long enough before she kicked him out, giving him enough time to actually shower before making him leave. In the time she was she still in there, he dressed himself in a pair of blue jeans and a dark red t-shirt, he made the bed and cleaned up their clothes from last night, and started a fresh pot of coffee. Once those tasks had been completed, he'd taken to sitting on the bed and watching her get ready for work, able to feel the nerves radiating from her body as she moved around.

His eyes found her again as she came from the closet, tucking in the white paramedic shirt into her black pants, the uniform a shift from what he was used to seeing her in. She threw down a thick black jacket onto the bench at the end of the bed, Matt seeing the red SAS symbol emblazoned on the front. Gabby went to the dresser, pulling out a beanie and gloves, knowing a cold December day would be awaiting her.

After placing her things with her jacket, she came and sat down on the bed beside Matt, beginning to put on her shoes, her body leaning into his slightly as the bed dipped. He brought his hand around to rest on her back as she was leaned over, Gabby feeling the warmth of his skin through her shirt.

"You excited for this?" He asked softly, seeing her peek up at him before turning her attention back to her task.

"Yeah, I am. Feeling the first day jitters a little bit, but I feel good." She spoke honestly, leaning back up and finding his smiling face waiting for her. "I just gotta get back into the routine of being a paramedic again."

"You're gonna do amazing." He spoke instantly, wanting to soothe her worries. "The city of Chicago is lucky to have you back out there." She gave him a grateful smile, leaning forward to give him a quick kiss.

"Thank you." She put her hand on his knee, squeezing lightly before pushing herself up and walking to the end of the bed, grabbing her jacket.

"So what are you doing today?" She asked him, knowing he had a free day all to himself.

"Gonna go do some stuff with Kelly." He spoke, averting his eyes from her gaze. She looked at him quizzically, the shift in his demeanor obvious as she slid on her jacket.

"Oh yeah?" She asked him, Matt looking back up at her, seeing the look on her face. He simply shrugged, watching her put her gloves and beanie in her pockets.

"He needs help putting together some new furniture in his apartment." Matt covered, Gabby raising her eyebrows.

"Uh huh." She replied, coming back to stand in front of him. He parted his legs, giving her the space to stand in between them, Gabby putting her hands on his shoulders, an unconvinced look resting across her face.

"We are." He spoke with a small smile, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"Okay, sure." She gave in, leaning to place a kiss on the top of his head. She moved away from him just as quickly as she got there, walking to get her phone and wallet. "But whatever you and Kelly are doing, don't do anything stupid. Or get hurt." She told him, Matt smiling as she headed for the door, him standing up to follow her.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, following her into the kitchen, pouring her a cup of coffee as she got her things together. "You get off at seven, right?" He asked, effectively changing the subject, glad that Gabby didn't even question it.

"Yeah. I should be home around 7:30." She responded, throwing her things into her bag before slinging it over her shoulder.

"I hope you have a great first day. I know you will." He told her as he came to stand by her side, handing her the thermos. He gave her a quick peck, Gabby taking the drink from him and heading for the door. "You're gonna be amazing." Matt reminded her, Gabby smiling as she grabbed her car keys. "And I can't wait to hear all about it tonight."

"I'll tell you everything. I hope you have a good day, doing whatever it is you're doing with Kelly." She responded with a raised eyebrow, Matt looking at her sheepishly as he followed her to the door.

"Be safe out there. I love you." He told her, kissing the look off her face before opening the door for her.

"I love you too." She responded quickly, Matt giving her a wave as she walked down the sidewalk. He held the door open despite the freezing air forcing its way into the apartment, waiting until she was out of his sight before going back inside.

* * *

Gabby pulled into the first open parking spot she found, looking at the small station that housed the ambulances she'd be working out of, the station that would become her new home. During her twenty minute drive, snow had begun falling on the roads, Gabby thankful it hadn't gotten too bad yet. Grabbing her belongings, she killed the engine and exited her car, making sure to lock it before heading into the station. This was the first time she was seeing this place, and from first glance, it seemed pretty standard. There were three ambulances, all lined up at the different garage entrances. As she stepped in the entry closest to her, she saw the garage was nothing more than the spots for the ambos, and there was one set of doors that she assumed led inside.

Gripping her bag tightly, she walked towards the entrance, cautiously stepping inside the building. The layout was surprisingly similar to 51, just smaller. The common area was directly inside the entrance, as well as the radios being lined on the wall. Gabby could see the offices from where she was standing, and down the opposite hallway was what Gabby could only assume to be the way to the bunk room and locker rooms.

She saw six other paramedics, all sitting in the common room. One of them was in the kitchen, Gabby assuming they were making breakfast. She wasn't sure whether to make her presence known with them first, or go straight to the Chief Paramedic she'd been instructed to look out for. Before she could make the choice, one of the paramedics had spotted her, the woman smiling and getting up from the table.

"Dawson, right?" She spoke, grabbing the attention of the other paramedics as they all looked her way, Gabby being met by warm smiles all around.

"Yeah, that's me. Gabby Dawson." Gabby introduced, the woman coming over and shaking her hand.

"I'm Jemma Norris. I know you're working as a shadow for a few shifts, but I think I'm your partner." She said with a smile. Gabby reciprocated the action, taking in the brunette woman standing in front of her. She looked young, Gabby guessing she hadn't been on the job very long, but she seemed nice enough.

"It's nice to meet you."

"You too." She said enthusiastically, flashing a bright smile before grabbing Gabby's arm and bringing her into the common room. "Everyone, this is Gabby. Gabby, this is Michael Blevins, Nick Turner, Elizabeth Murray, Lucy Decker, and that is Bobby Miller." Jemma spoke, pointing to everyone as she introduced them. "Bobby usually isn't on our shifts, but he's gonna be with us until you've finished your light duty." She said, Bobby nodding. He was an older man, maybe a few years older than Matt. But everyone else in the room seemed younger, Gabby guessing only one of them to be older than her, the rest of them seeming to be as young as Jemma.

"It's nice to meet you all, I'm excited to be here." Gabby spoke, them responding with similar words, Dawson not having a chance to get another word in before Norris grabbed her arm, saying some words about Gabby needing to meet the Chief and then leading her towards the office. They stopped by the door, Jemma knocking and waiting for the signal to enter before pulling Gabby into the room.

"Chief Walters? Dawson is here." She said, the enthusiasm in her voice lowering considerably, Gabby assuming she did that for a sense of professionalism.

"Thank you Norris." The brunette excused herself, Walters gesturing towards the chair across from his desk. "Nice to meet you, Dawson."

"Likewise."

"I've heard a lot of great things from Chief Peters, and I reached out to Chief Boden over at Firehouse 51, he had nothing but wonderful things to say about you as well." Gabby gave him a small smile, the older man reciprocating the action. "I know you have to be treated with kid gloves for a few shifts, but if your past work is any indication, you should have no trouble here." He offered warmly.

"Thank you, Chief."

"You've clearly met Jemma Norris, your partner. Did you meet everyone else?"

"Yes sir. Jemma introduced everyone."

"Very well. I know Norris can help you get settled in. From a logistics standpoint, everything here runs pretty much the same as a firehouse, so I don't think you should have much trouble getting adjusted. But if you need anything, just come and ask."

"Thank you, Chief."

The two exchanged more pleasantries before Gabby was dismissed, grabbing her things and heading back out into the station. Walking towards the common room, she saw everyone where she left them, Jemma seeing her immediately.

"Can you show me around, Norris?" Gabby asked, Jemma nodding happily as she stood up, coming to stand by her side as they began walking down the hallway.

"So I know you came from a firehouse, what was that like?" She asked curiously as they walked in step.

"It was fun. It was crazy, but it was good." Gabby replied, Jemma nodding.

"How long have you been a paramedic?"

"I was at 51 for about nine years."

"Wow, that's a long time." Jemma breathed out in admiration. "I hope I can do the job that long."

"How long have you been here?" Gabby asked her as they turned a corner, seeing a room with a few bunks.

"A little under a year." Jemma told her, before shifting her attention to the room they were in. "This is the bunk room, usually no ones in here unless we're working overnight shifts. And this way leads to the locker room and bathrooms, and the laundry room." She explained, leading the way. Gabby found the layout very similar to 51, just at a smaller scale. "This locker can be yours, if you want." Jemma spoke, Gabby seeing her pointing to the empty one next to hers. This girl was clearly making an effort with her, and Gabby felt very appreciative of that. Although 51 was a family, Gabby knows all too well that not all places operate like that. So to work in a place that seemed to have that special bond, and had nice people, she was thankful.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Gabby replied, seeing a smile light up on the girl's face. Jemma stepped out of the way, giving Dawson space to get into her new locker.

"So what made you change from the CFD to a private company?" Jemma asked as Gabby began putting some things away. She put away the extra uniform first, glancing back towards the girl before answering.

"Uh, well I took a break from being a paramedic for a little bit. I went to work in Puerto Rico to help with relief efforts. And when I got back, I was just looking for a change of pace." She explained vaguely, Jemma accepting her answer without question.

"That's amazing. How was the work there?"

"Hard. But rewarding." She answered with a small smile, trying to steady the nerves she felt rising within her at the thought of Puerto Rico.

"Who's that?" Jemma asked suddenly, her curiosity getting the better of her as she inadvertently changed the subject, seeing the pictures Gabby was putting up.

Blowing out a breath, Gabby's eyes ran over the photos hanging on the door. "Which one?" She asked with a slight chuckle, looking between the people in the pictures.

"Well, any of them. But I was referring to the same guy who's in all three of the pictures." Jemma said with a smirk, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks as she glanced towards the pictures.

"That's Matt, he's a Captain over at Firehouse 51, where I used to work." Gabby spoke, seeing Jemma raise her eyebrows, clearly wanting more information. "He's, uh, my husband." The word slipped out before she could even think of how else to address him. She knew it wasn't true, not anymore, and she was only causing problems for herself if anyone ever found out otherwise, but she couldn't bring herself to refer to him as her boyfriend. He was so much more than that, no matter their status anymore. Referring to him as just her boyfriend seemed cheap, even when they'd just been dating she always saw him as more than that. And especially now, she still thought of him as her husband, and she hoped one day they'd be back to that.

"Aww, that's sweet." Jemma replied genuinely. "And he's cute." She spoke with a giggle, Gabby smiling as she traced over his face in the photo.

"Yeah, he is." She murmured, before returning to putting the rest of her things away.

"How long have you two been together?"

"Six years, give or take." Gabby answered, closing her locker and turning her attention back to her partner.

"Wow… You seem like you have an amazing life, Gabby." Jemma spoke, Gabby sitting down next to her on the bench.

"Well, it's been interesting. That's for sure." She responded, finding herself becoming uncomfortable with all the attention on her. Wanting to shift the focus, she started questioning the girl in front of her, wanting to know more about her.

"And what about you? Anyone special?" Gabby asked with a grin, the blush rising to the girl's cheeks giving her all the answer she needed.

"My boyfriend, Marcus." She spoke sheepishly, embarrassment filling her voice.

"How long have you guys been together?"

"Seven months." Gabby saw how happy Jemma got at the simple mention of Marcus, and it couldn't help but remind her of herself and Matt.

"You love him." Gabby commented, Jemma blushing furiously before nodding, her head facing the ground. Gabby opened her mouth to say more, but was cut off by a voice over the intercom, signaling ambulance 98 to a patient across town. Gabby was all ready to jump up and go, but then remembered she didn't even know what ambo she was on.

"Is that-?" She questioned, Jemma shaking her head.

"No, it's not. We're ambulance 12." Accepting the answer, Gabby settled into her seat on the bench, turning her body to face Norris.

"So, tell me all about Marcus." Gabby prompted, the young girl smiling widely before turning herself as well, it taking only seconds before she was gushing over her boyfriend.

* * *

Matt stood anxiously out on the sidewalk, glancing over the busy street around him, waiting to see the familiar face that was supposed to be here over half an hour ago. He bounced back and forth on his feet, trying to keep as much warmth in his body as possible while snow fell around him. Standing under the awning of the building only provided so much protection from the harsh winter around him, Matt rubbing his glove covered hands together as he waited impatiently.

"There you are." Matt called, his voice not hiding the annoyance he felt as Kelly jogged across the street, careful not to slip on any ice or snow around him.

"Calm down, you changed the address on me last minute." He bit back, Kelly slowing down his pace as he got to Matt. "I thought we were gonna be at your place. Why were you waiting outside anyway?" He questioned, adjusting the beanie on his head as he stood under the minimal shelter.

"Because you don't know why we're here."

"And whose fault is that." Severide responded, glancing up around at all the different shops around them. "So what are we here for?"

Staying silent with a grin on his face, Matt nodded his head to the sign on the window behind him. Kelly glanced to it, his eyebrows furrowing as realization set in.

"What are we doing at a jewelry store? This a Christmas present for Dawson, or something?" He questioned, his eyes shooting back to Casey. But the look in his friend's eye told him there was more to it.

"Kind of, kind of not." Matt responded vaguely, Kelly narrowing his gaze.

"What does that mean?"

"We're here to find a new wedding ring." Matt spoke nonchalantly, his grin widening as he saw the look of surprise on Kelly's face. Before Severide got a chance to speak, Matt turned around and headed for the door.

"Wait- what?" Kelly questioned in disbelief, rushing after his friend and following him into the building. Matt and Kelly were barely in the door before one of their staff came up to them.

"Hello, what can I help you with today?" The woman asked politely, Kelly holding his hand up before Matt got a chance to respond.

"Give us a minute." Severide spoke, grabbing Matt's shoulder and pulling him to the corner of the store. "Okay talk me through this."

"What?"

"Explain to me why you're doing this. You know I support you, and Dawson, but just- I wanna know where your head's at." Kelly responded, Matt nodding as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I love her, Sev. I never stopped loving her, I never will stop loving her." He started, Kelly seeing a small smile form on Matt's face. "With everything we've gone through and everything we've overcome, I don't want to spend another minute with her not being my wife again. Those months without her were torture, and I've been given a second chance with her. To do things right, and part of that is us being married again." Matt explained, Kelly nodding slowly as he digested Casey's words. "So with Christmas in a few weeks, I want to propose to her again then."

"Okay…" Kelly drug the word out as it left his mouth, clearly not completely convinced of what Matt wanted to do.

"If you're gonna try and talk me out of this, don't bother. My mind's made up." Casey spoke defensively, Kelly shaking his head immediately.

"I'm not. You know Gabby better than anyone, if you think this is the right thing for you two, of course I'll support you." Severide started, a grateful smile falling on Matt's face. "Does Dawson know?" Matt merely shook his head in response, Kelly releasing a soft sigh. "But you're sure she wants this, too?"

Matt took a second to gather his thoughts, taking a slow, deep breath before responding. "For the first time in awhile, maybe since we got married, I know that Gabby and I are completely on the same page." He spoke softly. "I know what we both want, and that's to be together for the rest of our lives. The only thing I want is for her to be my wife again." Matt admitted, Kelly's eyes softening. "I don't want to prolong what her and I both already know. There's no reason for us not to get married. When I look at her, I see her as my wife. She'll always be my wife. The paperwork, the ceremony, those are only formalities. She's my wife, she never should've stopped being my wife." Matt paused for a moment, Kelly watching him intently. "I don't want to spend another second not married to her."

"And you're sure it's not too soon?" Kelly asked apprehensively, not knowing what Matt's reaction would be. The slight glare he was met with proved his point, but Kelly simply shook his head. "Just hear me out. Gabby's only been back, what, five weeks? And with the divorce and everything, why rush into this? Would it really be so bad to wait a little while? Gabby's not going anywhere."

"We got divorced because we had to." Matt defended. "Neither of us wanted it, it never would've been on the table if not for the circumstances."

"I know." Kelly responded.

"And I know Gabby's not going anywhere. But we don't know I'm not." Matt spoke lowly, Kelly's eyes falling closed as he took a breath.

"Is that why you're doing this? Rushing into this because of the job?"

"I'm not rushing into anything. But we both know with our jobs, there's no guarantee we'll always make it back home. And why should I waste time not being married to her, when I know I want to spend the rest of my life with her as my wife." Matt spoke forcefully, taking a breath to calm himself. "Look, I'm not doing this because there's a chance I could die, I'm doing this because I know how much I love Gabby. I know that she's the love of my life and I want to be married to her again. There's no reason to wait, I feel as sure about this as I did when I proposed the first time, and as sure as I felt when I married her."

"What about when you proposed the second time?" Kelly asked with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood, happy when his question elicited a chuckle from Matt.

"Yeah, as sure as I felt then, too." Casey responded, shifting his weight on his feet. "But really, Severide, I know this is the right time to do this. Waiting a few more months won't change anything, except wasting time that I could spend married to her."

"Alright." Kelly agreed, patting Matt on the shoulder. "If you're sure about all this, let's do it. But I do have one more question." Severide prefaced, Matt raising his eyebrows as he waited. "Have you guys talked about it? The divorce?"

Blowing out a sigh, Matt shook his head. "No, not really. It's been mentioned in passing. We need to have a conversation about it, and we will. But things have just been going so well lately, I didn't want to bring up more bad memories." Matt explained, Kelly nodding in understanding. "But we're gonna talk about it, we have to."

"Well luckily for me, I don't have to be apart of that conversation." Kelly spoke lightly, Matt rolling his eyes. "Now let's find you a ring." He spoke with a grin, Matt nodding appreciatively.

"Thank you." Matt started to walk back towards the salesmen, but Kelly grabbed his arm to stop him. "What, Severide? I thought you said only one more question."

"Sorry, it's just- why are you getting a new ring when she already has one?" Kelly asked curiously, Matt releasing a soft sigh, his demeanor faltering slightly. "What is it?" Concern filled Kelly's voice, Matt running his hand over his jaw before answering.

"Both her rings were taken… during the attack." Matt spoke softly, knowing he could speak more freely with Severide than he could with anyone else. Kelly frowned, sadness filling him as the words hit his ears.

"Shit, man." He breathed out, shaking his head. "I didn't even think of that, I'm sorry-" He started, but Matt waved him off, the blonde taking a deep breath.

"It's fine, really. But they took both her rings. So I need to get her a new one." Casey explained. "And honestly, since we got married nothing has gone right for us. A new ring couldn't hurt. Sort of a fresh start, you know?"

Kelly nodded, the two men moving from the corner of the store towards the display cases, the woman coming to meet them.

"So what are you two looking for today?"

"A new wedding band." Matt spoke, eyeing the rings in the display case.

"How long have you two been together?" She asked with a smile, looking back and forth between the both of them. Kelly chuckled, Matt shaking his head with a grin.

"No, it's for my, uh, wife, Gabby." He spoke, Kelly smirking at his choice of words. "Her wedding ring was stolen, so I'm looking to get her a new one." Matt explained, ignoring Kelly's look.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Do you know what you're looking for?"

"I think just a simple, silver band. She loved her old one, and with her job it's better to not have anything too big that could get caught on things." Matt explained, the woman nodding as she led them to a different case.

"What does she do?"

"She's a paramedic." He spoke proudly, the woman nodding with a smile. Matt leaned over the counter, looking at the different rings, it taking only seconds before one caught his eye.

"That one, can I see it?" Matt asked, the woman pulling it out and placing it on the glass. Picking it up, he examined it closely. It was similar to her old one, the band itself a bit thinner, but it looked like Gabby. The second he saw it, it reminded him of her.

"This is the one." He spoke adamantly, Kelly glancing to him.

"You sure?"

"Yep. This is the one for Gabby."

The entire process took under an hour, Matt feeling happier as he walked from the jewelry store with a small bag clasped in his hand, Kelly following behind him.

"Thanks for bringing me, man." Severide spoke as they maneuvered through the people on the sidewalk.

"Well, the first time I did this I brought Shay, but you're an okay second choice." Matt joked, Kelly scoffing as he gave a reluctant nod.

"Fair enough." He responded, the two men saying a quick goodbye before parting ways. Matt hurried to his truck as the snow fell down, a permanent smile resting on his face as he pictured giving Gabby this ring, warmth filling his otherwise cold body at the thought of being married to her again.

* * *

Matt skillfully moved around the kitchen, opening the oven to check on the salmon and veggies he was cooking, making sure he was satisfied with its progress before moving to clean some of the dishes in the sink that had been there all day. Glancing towards the clock, he saw it a few minutes past 7:30. He knew Gabby should be home from work soon, and he couldn't wait to hear all about her day.

He'd already got the table set, having put out a new bottle of wine to have with their meal, a celebration of sorts for her completing her first day. As he placed the last dirty plate in the dishwasher, he heard the jingling of keys sliding into the back door. He closed the dishwasher just as she walked in, Matt turning around in time to see her close the door behind her, turning the lock before walking further in.

"Hey babe." He spoke, moving around the island as he caught her smile, walking towards her and placing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Hey yourself." She replied, Matt sliding her bag down off her shoulder, placing it softly on the ground before leaning back up, meeting her eye line.

"How was your first day?" He asked, placing his hands on the sides of her arms, Gabby giving him a warm smile

"It was good, different but good." She responded, the pair getting separated as the timer on the oven went off. Matt dropped his hands from her body, walking back into the kitchen.

"I can't wait to hear all about it." He told her, grabbing their meal from the oven.

"What's all this?" Gabby asked as she walked further into the apartment, seeing the table set and the meal Matt had prepared.

"Figured I could make you dinner, as a congratulations for your first day back." He spoke with a soft grin, carrying the pan over the table, beginning to put the food on their plates.

"Thank you." She replied softly, hanging up her jacket on the coat rack before walking towards their table. "Anything I need to do?" She asked, Matt turning to face her, being careful to avoid grazing her with the pan, not wanting to burn her.

"Just sit down and enjoy." He spoke lightly, placing a soft kiss to her forehead before discarding the pan on the island and coming back to the table, the two sitting down together.

"So tell me all about it." He spoke excitedly, pouring wine into their glasses as Gabby took a bite of her food.

"It was good, everyone there is really nice." She replied after swallowing, Matt smiling encouragingly at her. "There's three ambos on call during a shift, so it doesn't get very busy. At least my first shift wasn't. We only had three calls, all of which were transports. But it was good. I think it's the type of job I need for right now." She told him.

"It sounds nice. What about your partner?"

"Her name is Jemma Norris, she's really nice, she's… perky." Gabby spoke, Matt chuckling at her words. "But she's sweet. She's young, in her early twenties, but she's good at her job." Gabby explained before taking a sip of wine. "For a few shifts I'm also working with a guy name Bobby Miller. He's on the ambo with us until my probationary period is over. He's a nice guy, older, like you." Gabby spoke with a smirk, Matt cocking his head to the side.

"Good thing he's gone in a few days, knowing how much you like the older men." He teased her, Gabby scoffing, watching as a smirk appeared on his lips. "I might have something to worry about."

Gabby laughed before she responded to him, Matt grinning at the sound. "You have nothing to worry about. I only have eyes for one old man." She assured him, Matt rolling his eyes.

"Good to know." He spoke, taking a drink. "So you like your partner? You feel comfortable working with her?" He shifted the subject, Gabby nodding.

"I do. I feel comfortable there, I know she's got my back. And I really like all the other paramedics working there, they seem like good people."

"Good." He replied, the two smiling at each other before going back to their meal.

"Oh, uh, I should probably tell you…" Gabby started, catching his attention. "Norris, she thinks, well I told her-" Gabby rambled, cutting herself off to gather her thoughts. Matt watched her curiously, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand, Gabby relaxing at his touch. "I introduced you as my husband." She breathed out, Matt's eyes widening slightly, a feeling of surprise filling his body. "I probably shouldn't have, but she saw me put up photos of us in my locker and she asked who you were." A smile rested on his face as she spoke, Gabby not expecting that reaction from him. But it soothed her worries, making a smile of her own appear on her face. "I know we're not-" She cut herself off, clearing her throat before continuing. "But it felt wrong, to just call you my boyfriend. Or whatever we currently are." She spoke nervously, Matt squeezing her hand. "I just didn't want you to get blindsided by it, if you visited me at work, or we ran into each other on a call."

"It's okay, Gabby." He assured her, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.

"Really?"

"Of course. I mean, I know we've got a lot to figure out, but I'm kinda… glad you introduced me as your husband." He spoke, the smile never leaving his face. Gabby nodded, giving his hand one last squeeze before dropping it, the two going back to their food.

They fell into comfortable conversation as they ate, Gabby giving him all the details of her day, the two enjoying their time together. Both Gabby and Matt were on shift tomorrow, so they made sure to take advantage of the simple moments they had with each other, this dinner included.

Once dinner was over, Matt offered to clean up while Gabby went to go change into comfier clothes, knowing his surprise of dinner hadn't given her the time to change out of her work attire when she got home. He had just finished putting away the leftovers as Gabby emerged from the bedroom, clad in a pair of sweatpants and one of Matt's t-shirts, the material swallowing her as she took a few steps towards him.

"Have any plans for tonight, Captain?" Gabby asked lightly, Matt smiling as he walked to meet her.

"Can we talk?" He asked her. Furrowing her eyebrows, Gabby nodded, hearing the serious tone in his voice.

"Yeah, of course." She replied, reaching for his hand as the two headed for the living room. She sat down on the couch, Matt sitting next to her, her hand moving to rest on his thigh. "What's going on?"

"It's about what you said earlier, about you referring to me as your husband." She tensed slightly, wondering where this conversation was headed. "We've never really talked about it… the divorce." He said, his voice low. Gabby shifted in her seat, her eyes darting towards her lap as he looked at her. "We have to talk about it, Gabby. We can't ignore it."

"I know." She whispered, glancing back up to him. "I don't want to avoid it, it just- hurts." She gulped, Matt nodding in understanding, a frown forming on his face.

"I know it does." He responded, placing his hand on top of hers.

"I know I left us no choice." She admitted, her eyes flashing to their conjoined hands. "Me leaving, I know I chose divorce for us. And I'm so sorry, Matt." He shook his head, dropping her hand to bring his up to the side of her face, making her look at him.

"We both chose it, alright? It wasn't just your fault. Both of us could've done things differently, we both made mistakes here." He assured her, Gabby nodding slowly, a lone tear escaping down her cheek.

"I just want to know where your head's at." He started, rubbing his thumb over the side of her face. "I mean, I know things had gotten hard between us before you left, but-" Matt stopped himself, feeling a lump forming in his throat. "We've come so far Gabby, and I wholeheartedly believe if we thought we had another option, we would've never gotten divorced in the first place."

"Me too." She agreed, leaning into his palm. "I know it's more complicated than just one of us being to blame, but I need you to know how much I regret how I handled everything." She was practically whispering at this point, the emotion in her voice betraying her. "When we got together, never in a million years did I think us getting married would've ended in divorce. If I could go back and change everything, I would in a heartbeat." She promised, tears welling in her eyes as she spoke. Matt felt tears gathering in his as well, him nodding as her words hit his ears.

"I know baby." He spoke softly. "I regret how I handled things, too. I made things harder than they needed to be. You were hurting and I pushed you away instead of helping you through it." He paused, taking a steadying breath, clearing his throat as he searched from the right words to say. "We both made mistakes, both of us hurt each other. We can't take it back, but I know how much I love you. How much I've always loved you and will always love you." He spoke surely, Gabby nodding silently as his words filled the air around them.

The two sat in a heavy, yet comfortable silence for a few moments, both of them needing that time to collect themselves. It wasn't until Matt spoke up again that their quiet had been disturbed.

"Can I ask you something?" He prefaced gently, Gabby looking up at him and nodding, hearing the weight his words held. "There's something that's been bothering me, something you said to me awhile ago and I haven't been able to let it go." Matt started, Gabby bracing herself for whatever was coming. She could only imagine what she'd said that left such a lasting effect on him, knowing both of them had some said awful things to one another. "It was during our last conversation, or what had been our last conversation. When you signed the papers." He began, Gabby waiting for him to continue. That conversation had played over in her mind many times in the months after it happened, but she couldn't pinpoint which part of it he was talking about.

His eyes found hers, opening his mouth to speak. "What did you mean when you asked me for more time?" He questioned, Gabby sighing softly. "You said you needed more time to think about everything, and I know, at the time, I cut you off and didn't let you really explain yourself. But I just… want to know what you meant."

"Matt, we don't have to-"

"Please, Gabby." He pleaded, "I wanna know."

She stayed silent for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to give him the answers he was looking for.

"I was planning on, or thinking about, coming back home." She admitted quietly, Matt's eyes falling closed. He'd always expected that was what she meant, but hearing it come from her broke his heart. "Every day there was getting harder, and I missed you so much. I missed my life here so much. I was scared, to come back. I was. But it felt like I had nothing left to lose. I had pretty much lost you already at that point, and I knew signing those papers meant I'd lose you completely, so I decided to get over my fear and come home." Tears filled his eyes as she spoke, Gabby clearing her throat before continuing. "And then when I got the papers, and saw your signature, it became all the more real. I knew if I didn't come back then, there'd be nothing to come back to."

"Why didn't you tell me?" His voice was dry, his words cracking as they left his lips.

"Because when you called, and I heard you, it hit me." His face showed nothing but confusion, Matt staying quiet as he waited for her to finish her thought. "I was hurting you. And it was selfish of me to come and force my way back into your life. I heard how hurt you were, and it was then I realized I couldn't expect you to just let me back in. You asked me not to drag you along anymore. I had put you through enough, so I did what I thought you wanted, and signed the papers."

Matt blew out a shaky breath, a single tear falling down his face as he digested her words. The words that held so many implications, the words that could've changed everything for them.

"I- I don't…" He couldn't form a sentence, the weight of everything hitting him like a ton of bricks. If he had let her talk that night, if he hadn't spoken to her the way he had, she might've been back home with him a hell of a lot sooner. They might've never gotten divorced. She would've never gotten attacked.

He felt sick to his stomach as the last thought hit him, Matt drawing in a deep breath.

"Matt…" Gabby whispered, him snapping his head up to look at her. "Whatever you're thinking, stop." She could read him like a book, she knew he was blaming himself.

"Gabby, if I had just let you talk to me, everything would've been so much different."

"Maybe, yeah. But I still could've told you. I made the choice to stay, that's not on you."

"You would've never gotten hurt…" He murmured, Gabby shaking her head.

"Matt, what happened to me wasn't your fault." They'd made so much progress in Matt moving on from his guilt, she didn't want this to set them back. To set him back. "It was still my decision to stay. I thought I was doing what was best for the both of us, you're not at fault for that, okay?"

He nodded slowly, giving himself a moment to reel in his emotions as he took in Gabby's words.

"Okay." He responded, Gabby breathing out a sigh of relief.

"Okay?"

He nodded, reaching for her hand. "Yeah… I'm just sorry I didn't let you really talk to me that night." He murmured, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand. "God, we've caused each other so much pain, Gabby. But as hard as the past half year has been on us, I do believe there is one good thing that can come from this. And that's us learning from our mistakes." Gabby nodded in agreement, bringing her hand up to wipe away her tears. "And I'd like to think we've done a pretty good job at it so far." He spoke with a small smile.

"I think we have, too." She responded, Matt leaning forward and placing a soft, lingering kiss against her lips.

"I know we're not legally married anymore, but I agree with what you said. You could never just be a girlfriend to me. I still see you as my wife, I always will. And one day, we're gonna get that back. I promise you." He spoke honestly, a wide smile gracing her lips.

"I want that for us, I want it so much." She spoke, emotion filling her voice as Matt leaned forward, kissing her passionately. Gabby pushed herself up and threw her leg over his waist, straddling him as their lips stayed connected. Matt deepened the kiss, grabbing her hips and holding her to him, her arms wrapping around his neck.

They separated when the need for air became too much, her lips ghosting over his as they drew in steady breaths. "I love you." She murmured, Matt dragging his hand up from her waist until he came to a stop on her neck, not letting her get very far as he felt her smile against him.

"I love you too, Gabby. So much." He closed the slight distance between them again, the two settling in on the couch, both of becoming lost in one another.

* * *

**I'm pretty sure I rewrote every scene in this chapter at least once. For some reason, I was having a hard time with this one. But I like where it ended up. And writing these scenes between Matt and Gabby has become very therapeutic for me, not gonna lie. **

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. If you can, please leave a review and let me know what you thought! Things between Dawsey are gonna be getting interesting here soon, I'm very excited for these upcoming chapters.**


	21. Chapter Twenty One

**Hello! I don't have much to say, so let's just get into it. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty One**_

* * *

"Dawson, can you hand me more gauze from the compartment over there?" Norris asked as she sat on the gurney in the back of the ambulance, the bag filled with their supplies laid out beside her.

Gabby nodded, grabbing a sufficient amount before handing it to her partner, Jemma stashing it in the bag before marking it off their checklist.

Today was Gabby's fourth shift working for the SAS, this being her first day without watching from the sidelines. The morning had gone by slow, Gabby's ambulance not having been called out yet. But she was thankful that her time on light duty was done. Chief Walters decided it was time to take the kid gloves off and leave her to her own devices, Gabby having done her last shift with both Jemma and Bobby Miller two days ago. She's only been working here for a week, but in that time Dawson has fit in nicely. Everyone was nice and accommodating, and soon it felt like she'd been here forever. Seeing as how they were never usually crazy busy, that left a lot of time to get to know one another.

She'd learned a lot about the lives of her coworkers, as well as letting them see a little into hers. After her talk with Matt, she felt comfortable speaking of him as her husband to her new friends. Even though it wasn't exactly what he was to her, trying to explain their current set of circumstances was too painful, especially to people she'd only just met. And she believed Matt when he told her they'd get married again one day, so she felt no problems with referring to him as her husband.

They'd also been curious about her previous work in a firehouse, wanting to hear about any and all crazy calls she'd been apart of. With the many years of experience under her belt, she had quite a bit of stories to share. It had become a ritual of sorts, Turner or Murray usually being the ones to initiate the conversation, wanting to hear any and everything about her past job, everyone listening intently as she'd explain different calls she'd been on in years past.

Gabby found herself thankful that as interested as they were in her past work at 51, they didn't share the same level of enthusiasm for her relief work in Puerto Rico. After learning what she went there for, they didn't have many questions. And she was grateful for that. She felt like she was on thin ice lately with having a handle on her anxiety, Gabby never sure what might send her over the edge. So her not having to constantly mention Puerto Rico and relive those memories was a small blessing.

"We need anything else?" Gabby asked her partner as she got out of her own head, Norris eyeing over the contents of their bag, checking it against her list.

"A few more pairs of gloves and we should be all set." Jemma replied with a smile, Gabby pulling the items out of their drawer and handing them over, Norris placing them in the bag before zipping it up and storing it in its home in the back of the ambo.

"So, first shift on complete duty, you excited?" Jemma asked as they both stepped down from the back of the ambulance, the younger woman shutting the doors behind them.

"I am. I'm gonna miss Miller around here, though. He made some damn good food." Gabby spoke with a smile, Jemma nodding with a smirk on her face.

"That he does." Norris replied with a chuckle, the two women laughing as they headed for the door to get inside, wanting to escape the chill in the air around them. Both women were stopped in their tracks as a loud, shrieking sound rang throughout the garage, the sound of metal on metal filling their ears. Jemma whipped her head towards the noise, seeing ambulance 98 scraping the side of the garage as it was being backed in.

"Oh boy," Jemma spoke with a grimace on her face, "looks like Lucy let Blevins drive again." She turned around, her mouth open to speak but it slammed shut as she saw Gabby huddled on the ground, the woman breathing heavily with her hand over her chest.

"Dawson, hey, what's wrong?" The concern was evident in her voice, Jemma crouching down beside her, gently placing her hand on Gabby's arm. The contact caused Gabby's eyes to snap up, seeing Jemma's worry-filled gaze on her. "What happened?" Norris' voice had dropped considerably, seeing how shaken her new partner was.

"No-nothing." Gabby stuttered out, embarrassment filling her body as she regained sense of where she was, as she realized what had just happened. "I'm fine." She spoke firmly, pushing herself up off the ground, Jemma standing up with her. "I'm just gonna…" Gabby trailed off, darting towards the entrance to the station. Norris watched her go through the double doors, following her until she was out of sight. Glancing back towards the ambulance, she saw Blevins directing Decker in the garage as she tried to fix his mistake. She wasn't sure what to do here. Clearly something was wrong with Gabby, and she wanted to help. But she didn't want to pry and make things worse.

Glancing back to the double doors Dawson had disappeared through, she decided it best to give her some space for a few minutes, let the woman have a moment alone before going in search of her. She wanted Gabby to know she didn't need to go through whatever this was alone, and make it known she was here if she needed anything.

Once she entered through the doors, Gabby rushed to the bathroom, needing a minute to compose herself. A minute to try and come to terms with what just happened. She pushed her way into the bathroom, sucking in a deep breath as she got to the counter, leaning her body weight against it as her palms rested on the cold surface. She closed her eyes, hanging her head down as she drew in slow, steady breaths.

She's not even entirely sure what happened. She heard the noise and it's like her body acted on impulse, Gabby crouching down to the ground to hide. Hide from whatever her mind saw as a threat, even though she knew there was no real danger around her. But it was like she had no control over her actions, she immediately acted out of fear without any way to stop it.

Deep down, since her first panic attack she knew she wasn't okay. She wasn't coping with what happened, no matter how much she tried to tell herself she was. There were aspects of what she went through that she hadn't dealt with. If she was being honest with herself, she knows she hasn't really dealt with it at all. She moved her focus from herself to Matt, and her brother, trying to convince them that she was okay. Even if she wasn't. But now her ignorance of what happened to her seemed to be manifesting into something much more daunting. Something much harder to control.

There was another part to this that made her even more nervous, and that was Matt. She never told him about what happened at the car dealership. Gabby didn't mean to keep him in the dark about this. It just got swept under the rug, as other things kept coming up. And suddenly it didn't feel as important anymore. She thought she'd gotten somewhat of a handle on it, or she told herself she did. So she decided against telling him. The last thing Gabby wanted was him worrying about her more, over something that wasn't important.

But this was more of an issue than she wanted to admit. It wasn't something Gabby could ignore anymore, it wasn't something she could keep from him. What was happening to her, her body's reactions to things her mind didn't understand, it was scaring her. Not having control over your own reactions to simple, everyday things, was nerve-wracking.

She was scared, and Matt needed to know.

Gabby's head lifted back up as she heard the bathroom door open, seeing Jemma walk into the room through the mirror, the woman wearing a look of clear concern. "Hey Dawson." She started softly, not wanting to spook her. Gabby replied with a nod, turning around to face her as she leaned against the countertop. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine." Gabby's voice came out hoarse, not sounding nearly as self-assured as she wanted. And Jemma saw right through it.

"Okay." She responded, clearly not convinced. "You want to talk about what happened out there?" She was giving Gabby the choice, giving her a out in case she wasn't ready.

Shrugging, Gabby averted her eyes to the ground, crossing her arms over her chest. "The noise just scared me a little. I'm good."

"Are you sure that's all it was?" Jemma took the opening, hoping she wasn't overstepping. She'd only known Gabby for a week, yes, but in that time the two of them had grown to become friends, and she wanted to do anything she could to help her.

"Yeah, I just-" Gabby cut herself off, bringing her hand up to run over the side of her face as she tried to figure out what to say. "There's some anxiety issues I've been having, but I'm okay." She confided in her friend, feeling like she could be honest with her. "There's some… things I've been dealing with lately and it's left me a little on edge, that's all." Gabby couldn't understand why she was sharing this with someone she just met, but for some reason she didn't feel weary to talk to Jemma.

Norris nodded with an understanding smile, trying to find the right words to say. "I'm sorry to hear that, Gabby." She spoke sincerely, not wanting to pressure her into saying anything more, assuming her new partner would open up if she wanted to. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No, not really. It's just something I've gotta get through. But thank you." Gabby replied appreciatively. Norris nodded, biting her lip apprehensively before speaking again.

"I may be completely overstepping here, and if I am feel free to tell me… But are you seeing anyone? Or getting help for this?" Jemma asked wearily, Gabby's eyes widening slightly at the question. "I'm sorry, I just- I want you to be okay and I can't imagine how hard this has been on you."

"Jemma, I promise I'm okay." Gabby tried to assure her partner, not wanting to get into the details of everything. Before any more words could be said, her phone ringing broke their conversation, Gabby sparing one last glance to Jemma before pulling the phone from her pocket, seeing Matt's contact photo covering the screen.

"One second." She spoke apologetically towards Jemma, the woman nodding as Gabby brought the phone up to her ear. "Hey baby."

"_Hey yourself_." Matt responded lightly, his voice bringing an instant smile to her face. No matter what she was going through, just the sound of him was always able to calm her down. "_How's your shift going?_"

"It's alright." Gabby did her best to sound convincing, not wanting to alarm him, knowing the conversation she needed to have with him couldn't be done over the phone. "How's your day going? Did you finish up at your job?" She asked curiously, remembering him telling her all about the construction gig he was taking today. It was the first job he was taking since she'd been back, and she knew he was eager to get back to work.

"_The snow made fixing that porch a little more difficult, but it went well. It felt good to get back to construction for a little bit." _Gabby smiled as she heard him speak, hearing the genuine excitement in his voice.

"I'm sure it did, I'm glad you were able to do it." She responded to him, her eyes catching Jemma's waiting gaze. "So, uh, did you need something?"

"_Trying to get rid of me already? I get it._" He spoke with a breathy laugh, Gabby smirking as she looked to the ground. "_But actually, I was calling to see if you wanted to go to Molly's tonight after you get off shift? Also I was calling just because I miss you._" He added at the end, Gabby's chest filling with warmth at his words. "_But I figured we could stop by after dinner, if you're not too exhausted from shift._"

Bringing her hand up to her forehead, Gabby put slight pressure against her skull as she thought over his request. She didn't want to keep what was going on with her from him any longer than she already had, but she also didn't want to disappoint him if he was excited to go out tonight. After their last visit to Molly's, she had felt herself regain a sense of normalcy that had been taken from her as they sat there with Kelly, and she was sure it felt the same for Matt. And at this point, she didn't think a few more hours could hurt anything.

"_Gabby?_" His voice broke her from her thoughts, Gabby taking a quick breath before responding.

"Yeah, sorry I'm here. That sounds good babe."

"_You sure? We don't have to if you're not up for it._" He spoke quickly, Gabby hearing the hesitation in his voice. She was sure her prolonged silence had him doubting her words.

"I'm positive, it'll be fun. Maybe I'll see if Jemma wants to come." Gabby spoke, the woman's eyebrows raising as she heard her name mentioned.

"_Yeah, you should invite her. I'd love to meet her._"

"I will. But I gotta get back to work. I'll see you tonight, alright?"

"_Okay. Be safe out there. I love you._"

"I love you too. Bye." She spoke softly, waiting to hear his goodbye before pulling the phone away from her ear, shoving it back in her pocket as she found Jemma's gaze again. "Sorry about that." Gabby told her, Jemma waving her off. "That was Matt, we're gonna go to Molly's tonight, you should come."

"Molly's?" She questioned, her face wearing a look of confusion.

"Oh, sorry." Gabby apologized, not even thinking to explain what it was. "Molly's is a bar I own with some of the people I used to work with. It's a good atmosphere, everyone there is really nice. I think you should come, if you want." Gabby offered, Jemma smiling softly. "And I'd love for you to meet Matt. Just think about it."

"I will, yeah." Jemma responded, neither woman able to say another word before their ambo was called out over the intercom. They rushed from the bathroom, heading for the garage as they mentally prepared for their call. When they got to the ambulance, Jemma stopped before climbing in. "You sure you're okay to do this?" She questioned, worry filling her words.

"Yeah, I'm good." Gabby promised, giving the assurance her partner needed before the two women climbed into the rig and headed out into the cold city.

* * *

Gabby stood at the bar, her arm resting on Matt's shoulder as he sat on the stool next to her, the two making conversation with Herrmann. The older man had been asking her nonstop questions about her job, this having been the first time she's seen him since starting at the private company. Kidd kept popping in and out during their conversation, engaging as much as she could in the conversation as she worked her way up and down the bar when needed.

When Gabby first walked into Molly's an hour ago, her hand clasped tightly in Matt's, she didn't know what to expect. Although her first visit to Molly's had gone okay, she still didn't know what kind of reception she'd get from this group. This was only the second time she'd be spending any sort of time with anyone from the firehouse, and she still didn't know what kind of reactions she'd get from them. She hadn't spent enough time with them to know if they were finally starting to move on from the animosity they held towards her, or if they were just playing nice for the sake of everyone involved. With Herrmann and Kelly, she felt fine. Herrmann was making an effort with her, and she felt them gradually getting back to the relationship they had before. But aside from those two, she still felt nervous around everyone else. Thankfully, the crew from 51 was light here tonight, aside from Herrmann and Kidd working, only Severide and Brett were here, both nursing their drinks at the bar. Kelly was seated on the other side of Matt, Brett a few seats down from him. The bar wasn't too crowded tonight, the only other patrons being a few regulars who had stationed themselves around the room, and a bachelor party who had taken up refuge at the far end of the bar, Stella being called over multiple times to replenish their drinks.

"So, the slow pace hasn't bothered you yet, Dawson?" Herrmann asked with a raised eyebrow, Gabby scoffing at the question, seeing Matt turn to look at her with a smirk on his face. "I mean, you used to get bored when we'd go two hours without a call."

"Yes, well Herrmann I'm getting older, like you." She started, Matt chuckling as he moved to wrap his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "And I'm actually enjoying the pace." She told him, Herrmann eyeing her suspiciously. Gabby challengingly raised her eyebrows, before grabbing her beer and taking a long sip.

"Alright kid, I believe you." He replied after studying her for a few moments. "I just want you to be happy."

"I am, Herrmann." She responded lightly, her eyes darting to Matt as she felt him tighten his grip around her waist while the older firefighter spoke. Leaning forward, Matt placed a soft kiss to her lips, pulling away just as quickly as he got there. Before he could pull away completely, she gave him another peck, patting her hand against his chest as they separated.

"Gabby?" A voice from behind them spoke up, Gabby turning in Matt's arms at the sound of her name, Matt's hand shifting from her hip to her stomach as she moved.

"Jemma, hey!" Gabby greeted, slipping from Matt's grasp to go greet her friend. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"I'm happy to be here." She replied, Gabby turning back towards the bar.

"No Marcus tonight?"

"No, he has some work to catch up on. Next time I'll bring him." Jemma promised, Gabby nodding understandingly as they got back to the small group.

"Guys, this is my partner Jemma." Gabby introduced, the young brunette waving to the small group in front of her.

"Hi." She spoke shyly, which was a shift from her usual demeanor.

"Jemma, this is Christopher Herrmann, Stella Kidd, Sylvie Brett, and Kelly Severide." Each of them gave Jemma a wave or nod as Gabby spoke. "And this is Matt." Gabby said as she placed a hand on his chest, Casey giving Jemma a warm smile.

"It's nice to finally meet you." Matt spoke, holding his hand out to shake hers.

"Ah, so you're the husband." Jemma said, Gabby tensing as the words came out of her mouth. Behind Matt, Kelly choked on his drink as she spoke, Kidd and Herrmann glancing to each other before looking to Matt and Gabby, silently looking for answers.

Without missing a beat, Matt chuckled, reaching out to rub over Gabby's arm as she stood in front of him. "That's me."

"It's nice to finally meet you, too. Gabby never stops talking about you." Jemma responded, Matt's tongue poking between his teeth as he raised his eyebrows.

"Is that so?" He asked teasingly, seeing Gabby's eyes avoid his gaze, embarrassment evident in her demeanor.

"Definitely. It's cute though." Jemma spoke, Kelly chuckling from his seat, Matt reaching out and pulling Gabby into his embrace.

"If it makes you feel any better, you're all I'm thinking about during work too, babe." He spoke quietly in her ear, placing a soft kiss to the side of her head. He watched a warm smile appear on her face before turning his attention back to the group, feeling Gabby lean her back into his chest.

"You want a drink Jemma?" Matt asked, rubbing his hand over Gabby's side.

"A beer is fine." She shrugged, Matt nodding before turning to Herrmann. The man still hadn't said much, his eyes trained on him and Gabby.

"Herrmann, can you get her a drink?" Matt prompted, snapping Herrmann from his headspace.

"Sure thing Captain."

"So, you all work at 51?" Jemma asked, recalling all the stories she'd heard from Gabby, happy to be able to finally put some faces to the names.

"That we do." Herrmann spoke as he slid her drink on the bar. "We're all firefighters, except Brett over there. She's one of our paramedics." Jemma nodded, looking towards the blonde who was already staring at her. Norris knew from Gabby's limited mention of the paramedic that her and Brett used to be partners. She didn't know what the story was there, Gabby rarely mentioning the woman except in passing. Smiling softly, Jemma broke the awkward stand off between the two of them, Brett reciprocating the action before moving her attention back down to her drink.

"So, Jemma," Kidd spoke, gaining the woman's attention, "how's it working with Dawson here?"

A genuine smile fell to the woman's face, no one missing it as Jemma glanced towards her partner. "It's been amazing, honestly. She's taught me so much already, I'm so lucky to get to learn from someone like her."

Matt grinned widely as he heard what Jemma had to say about Gabby, tightening his grip around her waist. He saw her head turn to the ground, clearly embarrassed by the praise given to her.

"Alright, enough of that." Gabby spoke, taking a sip of her drink. Herrmann chuckled, tossing the bar rag over his shoulder. "I haven't done much."

"Same old Dawson, never could take a compliment." Herrmann mused, before shifting his attention back to Jemma. "So how do you like the private ambulance business? Is that where you started as a paramedic?"

Jemma fell in easy conversation with Herrmann, the woman answering his questions as Matt shifted Gabby in his grip, moving her to standing in between his legs, her body resting against his thigh as they listened to the chatter around them. Kelly and Stella had joined in on the conversation, Jemma fitting in seamlessly with the group as they all talked together.

Throughout the conversation, Gabby had seemingly become lost in her own head, her only sense of her surroundings being the feeling of Matt's thumb moving softly back and forth over her stomach. She slowly stopped initiating topics of discussion and eventually stopped saying anything all together. Matt noticed her go completely quiet, knowing this was something that had happened a lot since she'd gotten back. It was like she would check out from everything around her, and Matt knew it often happened when something was weighing on her mind. When there was something she needed to talk about. He figured it was her way of readying herself for whatever was bothering her. But he knew it wasn't anything they could talk about right now, not at Molly's with everyone around them. Whatever it was, Matt knew she would come to him when she was ready.

Leaning his head forward slightly, he placed a soft kiss behind her ear, holding his lips to her head until she turned to look at him. Her eyes locked with his, an immediate grin present on her face. "You okay?" He whispered, partly because of their surroundings but also because she was already so close to him. Nodding slowly, she placed a soft kiss to the side of his mouth.

"I'm good." She assured him, moving her hand to rest on top of his over her stomach.

"Wow, two Dawsons tonight? What's the special occasion?" Herrmann teased, his words snapping Matt and Gabby from each other, Gabby looking to see Antonio walking towards them. Furrowing her eyebrows, she dropped her hand from Matt's, him following suit as she stepped away from him and walked towards her brother.

"Hey Antonio." She greeted, hugging him quickly before pulling away. "What are you doing here?" The last place she ever thought she'd seen Antonio was here at Molly's, knowing how he felt about everyone in this room.

"I stopped by the apartment, but you two weren't there. Figured this would be the next place to check." He informed her without really answering her question. Nodding slowly, she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to read his body language. "I need to talk to you." He spoke, Gabby tensing at the seriousness of his voice.

"Okay Tonio." She replied quietly, turning around to see Matt's worried eyes on her. She assumed he heard what Antonio had said, based on the frown covering his face. Clearing her throat, she took a few steps back towards the bar, feeling Antonio following her. "Uh Herrmann, can Antonio and I use the back room for a second?"

"Sure thing, kid." He complied immediately, Gabby nodding in thanks. "Hey there detective." The older man greeted, giving him a small smile.

"Hey Herrmann." Antonio spoke back, avoiding the stares of everyone else as he focused his attention back to Gabby.

"Go ahead, I'll be back there in a second." She told him, Antonio agreeing as he headed for the back of the bar. Gabby immediately sought out Matt's gaze again, finding him watching her closely. Without a word, Gabby nodded to the back, Matt understanding her silent request, pushing himself up off the bar stool.

"We'll be right back." Matt told the group, not waiting for any responses before he turned and started walking with Gabby towards stock room.

All five of them watched curiously as the couple walked away from them, seeing Matt place his hand softly on the small of her back. "Anyone have any guesses as to what that's about?" Kidd questioned, being met with shrugs and confused faces.

"Who was that?" Jemma asked curiously.

"Antonio Dawson, Gabby's brother. He's a detective over at the 21st district." Kelly told her, the woman nodding as her eyes went back towards her friend, watching Gabby and Matt until they disappeared behind the door.

Gabby walked in the room first, seeing Antonio leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest, an unreadable expression covering his face. Gabby waited until the swinging door came to a stop, taking comfort in Matt standing by her side. "What's this about?"

"Your case." He replied, Gabby sucking in a deep breath.

"What's going on?" Matt asked for her, moving his hand slowly up and down Gabby's back, the motion keeping her calm.

"I got the final word from the cops in Puerto Rico, they're moving on from your investigation Gabby." He spoke regretfully. Matt's gaze moved to Gabby immediately, seeing her eyes fall closed, feeling her body go rigid under his touch. He knew this was a possibility, with Gabby not being able to go and make a positive ID it was their word against hers, and without a confession there wasn't much that could be done. He just didn't know how the news would affect her.

"So what does that mean?" Gabby asked him after a few moments of silence, even though all three of them knew exactly what it meant.

"It means they'll walk. They weren't able to get a confession. They tried everything they could, but with what they had, it wasn't enough to charge them. They weren't able to narrow down the three who attacked you, so they had to let them all go." Antonio relayed the information, Gabby nodding understandingly, subconsciously stepping closer to Matt. He moved his hand from her back to her waist, pulling her against him, hoping to give whatever comfort he could. "So your case will be left open, but for now, they're gonna stop investigating."

Gabby merely nodded, not knowing what to say as she tried to digest the news. Matt and Antonio both watched her worriedly, not wanting this news to cause her to have a set back. Unfortunately, neither man knew just how fragile she was right now.

"You know you're safe, right?" Matt asked her after she'd stayed quiet, placing a soft kiss to the side of her head. He didn't know what all was running through her mind, but he was sure whatever thoughts were bouncing around up there weren't good ones. "They can't get to you here."

"I know." She whispered, glancing up at him. Even though both of them knew he couldn't completely promise they wouldn't come searching for her, they knew the chances were slim. There was no reason to come after her, especially since she was never involved in the investigation. "It's not that, I just- all I had to do was go back there and they would've been sent to jail. Or I think they would've- I don't know." Her mind was racing as her hand came up to press against her temple. "Everything's a blur, I don't know if I could even pick them out of a lineup anymore, but I could've tried, I could've…" She cut off her rambling, her mind racing as she felt panic rise within her chest.

"This isn't on you." Antonio replied immediately, Matt nodding in agreement. "It's not up to you to solve this. You're the victim, Gabby." He reminded her softly, Gabby grimacing as that word left his lips. "It's not on you to fix this."

"Yeah, but I could've tried. And now what if someone else gets hurt because of me? What if they do something worse to someone else?" She questioned, the emotion in her voice betraying her.

"Hey, look at me." Matt called softly, hoping to calm her before she got any more upset. When she turned her head to look at him, he took a slow breath, watching her mimic his actions before he spoke. "You said you weren't able to go back there, that you couldn't do it. Is that still true?" He tried to reason, keeping his eyes locked on her as she thought over his words. After a few seconds she nodded slowly. "Okay, then that's the only thing that matters here. Like Antonio said, it's not your responsibility to fix this. This happened to you, you have nothing to feel guilty about Gabby." His voice was soft as he spoke, and he could only hope she at least tried to believe what he was saying.

"Matt's right." Antonio supplemented, taking a step towards his sister. "I know it's hard, I know you feel like this is your fault. But you can't live like that, Gabs." He told her, hoping he'd be able to help Matt get through to her. Antonio had a unique perspective in this, having spent his entire life helping victims. Usually, he'd be hoping for them to try and make an ID, or do anything they could to help put their abuser away. But this was different. This was his sister, he couldn't and wouldn't force her into doing something that might hurt her. She was openly admitting she couldn't go back there, there was no way he'd ever even try and convince her to. If the circumstances were different, and the awful men who did this to her were closer, then maybe he'd push harder for her to be more involved. But those men are thousands of miles away, and he wouldn't make her go back to that place. He was completely fine with whatever course of action she needed to take, she was his only concern now. "I just wanted you to know what was happening, I didn't want you in the dark about this. But it's over, Gabby. Even though they're not being put away, they can't get to you here." He assured her just as Matt had, Gabby nodding reluctantly.

"Okay." She responded softly, clearing her throat before speaking again. "Thank you, for telling me." Gabby slid out of Matt's hold, taking a step forward and hugging her brother, Antonio wrapping her up tightly in his embrace, holding onto her for a few extra seconds.

"Of course." He whispered against the side of her head, giving her a tight squeeze before pulling back. "I'm gonna head out of here, get back home." He told them, Matt nodding as Gabby came to stand back by his side. "Call me, if you need anything."

"I will."

"Thanks Antonio." Matt spoke, shaking the man's hand before he left through the door, leaving Matt and Gabby in there alone. He turned his body to face her completely, placing his hands on her forearms, rubbing softly over the material covering her skin. "Do you want to go home?" He figured that was the best place to start. To his surprise, she softly shook her head, placing her hand on his waist under his jacket. "You sure?" He checked again, Gabby meekly nodding before she slid her hand around to his back, using it to push them closer together, hugging herself to him. Matt moved his hands to wrap around her, holding her body to his as he felt her other hand move under his jacket to connect with the one behind his back.

"I'm okay, I just need a second." She told him quietly, her face buried in his neck. He accepted her words, holding onto her as tight as he could, sensing that was all she needed from him right now. "I just- I wasn't expecting that." She eventually murmured, her voice breaking the silence they had settled in, her head never leaving his chest. "I knew it was a long shot, getting them to confess. But I guess I hoped one of them would. That maybe they'd feel some remorse for what they did to me." She whispered, Matt frowning as he listened to her words. Before he could respond, she pulled her head from him, keeping her arms wrapped around him as she moved back just enough to see his face. "You're sure I'm not doing the wrong thing here?"

"There's not a wrong thing for you to do." He spoke quickly, not liking how unsure she sounded. "I can't begin to understand how you feel right now, but all I do know is that the only right way to handle this is doing what's best for you." Matt's voice was soft but strong as he locked eyes with her. Nodding slowly, Gabby placed her head back to his chest, relishing in the comfort of his embrace. Matt's hands moved up and down slowly over her back, holding onto her until she was the one to break the contact a few minutes later. She pulled from him completely, Matt moving to brush her hair behind her ear, keeping his hand on her cheek as his thumb moved softly over her skin. "One more time," he started softly, "are you sure you're okay to stay? We can leave right now if you'd rather just go home."

"I'm okay, Matt. I want to stay." She assured him. "Jemma came all the way here, and I want you two to get to know each other better. The second I feel like I need to leave, I'll let you know."

"Alright." He agreed, Gabby leaning forward to kiss him gently before grabbing his hand and leading him out of the room. Matt saw the crowd had thinned out slightly while they were back there, but the same crew from 51 was still stationed at the bar, Jemma having taken up a spot at one of the tables. Matt wasn't surprised to see Gabby head for her new friend, him following in tow.

"Hey Jemma." Gabby greeted, sitting on the opposite side of the table. "Sorry about that." Jemma waved her off, giving her a small smile.

"It's fine, seemed important. Herrmann said that was your brother?"

"Yeah, that was Antonio. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to introduce you. I'll have him stop by the station some time."

Understanding that whatever had just been discussed wasn't something Gabby wanted to talk about, Jemma nodded, flashing a bright smile. "Yeah, I'd like to officially meet him."

"I'm gonna go grab our drinks from the bar, I'll be right back." Matt interrupted when there was a slight break in the conversation, Gabby nodding before turning her attention back to her friend. Casey walked the short path towards his friends, Herrmann watching him as he approached them.

"Everything good, Casey?" He asked, effectively stopping the rest of the conversations happening around them. Matt felt multiple pairs of eyes on him, waiting for his answer.

"Everything's fine, Herrmann." Matt spoke vaguely, grabbing his and Gabby's glasses, intent on heading back towards his girl. His movement was stopped when Herrmann reached out for his arm, Matt glancing towards his friend with raised eyebrows. "Yes?"

"The, uh-" Herrmann cleared his throat, "husband? Did I miss something? When did you two-" Matt shook his head, effectively cutting off the man's sentence.

Glancing around, he saw Kidd, Severide, and Brett all staring at him, clearly wanting answers as well. Blowing out breath, Matt shook his head, tightening his grip on the glasses in his hands. "You all didn't miss anything. We didn't get married, it's just easier than explaining everything to her coworkers." Matt replied, not waiting for any more questions before he walked back towards Gabby. He knew they probably wouldn't understand it, but they didn't need to.

Getting back to the table, Matt placed the drinks down in front of Gabby before taking a seat next to her, not wanting to interrupt the middle of their conversation. He felt Gabby place her hand on his thigh, Matt flashing her a smile before she focused back on Jemma, running her thumb slowly over his leg.

Matt didn't have too much to contribute to their current topic of discussion, but he didn't mind quietly sitting here. It gave him a chance to look at Gabby, a small smile resting on his face as he saw how carefree she looked. He was surprised to see her so at ease, considering the conversation they'd just had with Antonio, but it made him happy to know she was enjoying her time right now. From their many talks about work, he knew how much she enjoyed working with Jemma, and how close the two were becoming. Gabby had admitted to him how easy she found their friendship, saying that she felt no pressure with her new partner. There was no history there, no wounds that needed to be healed from her abrupt departure in the early summer. There was nothing that had to be repaired between them before they could be friends, and he knew Gabby felt comfortable in her new friendship with Jemma. He was just so thankful she had found such a quick friend at work, and that things were going smoothly. The last thing he wanted was for work to become a place that burdened her.

Matt had been focused on Gabby, not saying much during the conversation, until a few unexpected words came from Jemma's mouth.

"Oh, I meant to ask you. Are you feeling better, Gabby?"

Matt furrowed his eyebrows, feeling Gabby's body tense beside him as he glanced between the women. "Feeling better?" He immediately questioned, Jemma catching his surprised tone immediately. He saw the woman flash Gabby an apologetic look, clearly knowing something he didn't. Gabby turned to face him, a look of regret shining in her eyes. "Are you okay? Did something happen at work?" His worry went on overdrive, never knowing what to expect these days when it came to Gabby. He was worried about her all the time, and now it seemed he had another reason to be.

"I'm okay, nothing happened really." She tried to lessen his concern, but his face held the same amount of distress as it had moments ago. "I had a... moment, I guess, at work today. But I'm fine. I was gonna tell you tonight." She assured him, Matt's frowning deepening.

"Moment? What does that mean?"

"Can we, uh- can we talk about this at home?" She asked with pleading eyes, Matt's face softening slightly at her request. Logically he knew this wasn't the place to have a real discussion about whatever had happened, but he couldn't stop the fear pulsing through his veins of something being wrong and her not telling him. "Please?" Her voice came out barely above a whisper, asking him again after he hadn't responded. Nodding slowly, he forced a small smile on his face.

"Yeah, that's fine."

Gabby nodded at him appreciatively, moving her hand from his thigh to grab ahold of his, squeezing it tightly before looking back to Jemma, expertly changing the subject.

* * *

Matt sat on the bed in their room, perched up against the pillows as he waited for Gabby to leave the bathroom. There had been an uncomfortable feeling in the air around them ever since Jemma brought up what happened at work, neither of them knowing how to act since it wasn't something they couldn't talk about at that moment. While they were still at the bar, Matt stayed rooted in his spot next to Gabby, but he let her field most of the questions Jemma had. The girl was curious, wanting to know all about them and their relationship, to which Matt let Gabby take the lead. He'd answer when he felt he needed to, or when he hadn't spoken in awhile, but he mostly focused on the endless possibilities of what could have happened to Gabby. And why she hadn't told him.

After they left Molly's, the car ride home wasn't much better. Matt had driven them home in relative silence, neither knowing what to say. Gabby didn't want to have this discussion outside of the privacy of their home, and although Matt didn't know what was going on, he also didn't want to have whatever conversation was coming in the truck. So their drive ended up being done quietly, a somewhat tense air filling the small space.

When they got home, the two went about their routine getting ready for bed, Matt now waiting for Gabby to finish hers as he sat patiently. He wasn't mad about her not telling him. He believed her when she said she planned on telling him after their night out. But he was worried. Had something happened with a patient? Had she been sick? Did it have something to do with what happened in Puerto Rico? Did something happen with one of her coworkers? The possibilities were swimming around in his head, his thoughts becoming bleaker by the minute. He knew she was fine, at least physically. But he couldn't shake the feeling that something seriously troublesome was going on with her.

Matt broke from his thoughts as he saw her exit the bathroom, turning the light off as she went. Her hair was resting down over her shoulders, her body covered by an old sweatshirt of his from the academy, and a pair of small shorts he hadn't seen in awhile. But what caught his attention about her appearance was the uneasiness he saw across her face. Something was seriously bothering her, and the more time Matt spent not knowing what it was, the more on edge he felt.

She surprised Matt by coming to sit on his side of the bed, Gabby sitting close to him, her body facing his as her side rested against his legs. She aimlessly reached out for his hand, Matt giving it willingly as he saw more and more tension rise in her body.

"What's going on Gabby?" He finally asked, keeping his voice soft. Matt kept his eyes glued to her, seeing her inhale deeply, taking a moment to gather herself before opening up to him.

"Today at work, I was in the garage with Jemma. We were heading inside, but then one of the other paramedics, he was backing in the rig and he accidentally scraped it up against the side of the garage." Matt's eyebrows furrowed as he listened to her speak, having no clue as to where this was going. "It made a really loud noise, and the next thing I knew I was on the ground." His confusion deepened as he did his best to follow her, trying to understand what she was saying. "I don't know what happened, but it was like my mind told me I was in danger. The noise, it wasn't something I was expecting, and it made me panic." She continued, hoping she was explaining herself well enough that he understood what she was trying to say. "It was like I had no control over what my body did. One second everything was fine, then the next it was like my head thought I was in danger, and it was getting hard to breathe, and I was trying to hide from whatever my mind thought was gonna hurt me."

A deep frown formed across Matt's face as her words sunk in, pain filling his heart as he listened to her speak. He was able to hear how upset she was because of this, it was evident in her voice. Tears slowly began filling his eyes as he watched her, Matt only able to imagine how scared she must be because of this.

"It sounds like you had a panic attack, Gabby." He finally spoke, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Something along those lines, yeah."

"Was that the first time it's happened?" He questioned, Gabby's eyes darting down to their conjoined hands resting on the bedspread. "...Gabby?"

"It happened once before." She admitted quietly, Matt barely able to hear her. His eyes narrowed in confusion, so many questions filling his head as her words sunk in.

"When?" He asked cautiously.

She stayed quiet for a moment, Matt waiting patiently for her to tell him. "The day we got my car."

"Gabby…" He breathed out, shock, confusion, and concern only a few of the many emotions flooding his body.

"I'm sorry." She responded immediately, sniffling before continuing on. "I should've told you when it happened." Matt's mind raced back to that day, remembering how he found her on the ground. When she said she'd slipped. Clearly, there was more to that story than she ever let on.

"What happened?" He needed to know, he knew he did. But he didn't know what to expect. The state he found her in that day already told him whatever she had experienced while he was inside couldn't have been anything good.

"I was fine. I felt fine. You just went inside, and everything was okay. But then it was like- suddenly it wasn't. I felt vulnerable, and I knew I was alone and it scared me. And there were all these noises happening and it was stressing me out. And then it was kind of like what happened today. I felt like I couldn't breathe and I fell to the ground, but-" She cut herself off, Matt's tear filled eyes waiting for her to finish her thought. When she didn't, he knew she needed a little prompting.

"But what, Gabby?"

"It was like I wasn't in Chicago anymore." She whispered, the pain written on Matt's face morphing into confusion. "I was back in Puerto Rico, and I was seeing flashes of that night." She stumbled over her words, her voice shaking as she spoke. "It was like the entire thing was playing over in my head, and I couldn't make it stop." It was as if Matt could feel his heart breaking in his chest, an unsettling feeling flooding his system as the extent of what she experienced hit him like a ton of bricks. "I had to put snow on my face to get it to stop. It was the only thing that snapped me out of it. And then it was just… over."

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked after a beat of silence, needing the moment to absorb everything he'd just learned. His words weren't accusatory, they were filled with nothing but pain.

"I don't know. I wanted to. I kept trying to bring myself to tell you, but then other things just kept coming up…" She trailed off.

"Nothing is as important as this, Gabby."

"I know. I know, I just-" She sucked in a sharp breath, willing herself to stay calm. "I feel so weak, Matt." She admitted, her voice tired. Tears brimmed his eyes as the words left her lips, his worry for her only growing. "I don't know why this is still affecting me, it shouldn't be." Her words were turning angry as spoke, Gabby clearly upset by the conflicting feelings in her head. "I should be over this by now."

"You went through something awful." Matt spoke immediately, his voice wavering as emotion ran through him. Her eyes snapped up to meet his, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth. "There's no schedule for how quickly you have to get over something like this."

"But I was fine." She nearly cried, unable to hide her frustration at the situation. "After it happened, I was fine. But now, it's like- I don't know, I don't know why I'm suddenly being affected by it. I was okay after it happened, why aren't I now?" She was searching for answers, and Matt didn't have them. He didn't know what to tell her, because he didn't know.

"You had to process everything, Gabby." He spoke, hoping anything he was saying could help her. "I wish I could fix this, I wish I could make this all go away but I can't." Matt whispered, his voice cracking. "I think you need to talk to someone. Especially after what happened at work, and then with what Antonio told us, I think you need help. To be able to work through all this, and get past it." He spoke cautiously, not wanting to push her but he couldn't bear the thought of her living like this any longer. She'd already been hiding her pain from him for so long, he needed to do whatever he could to help her.

"I just want you to be okay." He spoke quietly after she'd remained silent, praying his words weren't making things worse. "God baby, I wish I knew what to do to help you. I would do anything to fix this, but all I know to do is be there for you." Matt watched her closely, seeing her eyes fixed on him, but she hadn't said anything yet. She hadn't given him any sign to her acknowledging his words.

"I know you're scared," Matt started, seeing her bottom lip begin to quiver. "But it'll all be alright, I promise you." Gabby finally nodded, silently agreeing with what he was saying. Not able to find the right words to say, she moved to lay down beside him, Gabby attaching herself to his side as she lay on the edge of the bed. Matt immediately took her into his arms, holding onto her for dear life as varying emotions flooded his system.

"We're gonna get you help, Gabby... Everything's gonna be okay."

* * *

**Well this one was kind of heavy, but I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Some of you have brought it up in your reviews, but I know there's still one, very big, issue Matt and Gabby haven't talked about yet. Trust me when I say that is coming. It's definitely not something that can just be glossed over and fixed in one conversation. Believe me, Matt and Gabby are going to deal with it.**

**I can't wait to hear your thoughts! Thanks for reading!**


	22. Chapter Twenty Two

**Hey guys. Sorry for the wait with this chapter. **

**But while we're here, 400 reviews on this story? That's absolutely insane. Thank you to everyone who reads my work, and who takes the time to leave me a review. I appreciate you all so much, your support means the world to me.**

**I hope you all enjoy this one! It's kind of heavy from start to finish, but I hope you all still like it.**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Two**_

* * *

Gabby fiddled with her fingers as her hands rested in her lap, her eyes planted to the ground as she sat there silently. She'd been in here for over five minutes, the short time feeling like an eternity, neither her nor the older man sitting across from her having said a word. She had no idea where to start, or what to say, and that led to the uncomfortable silence filling the room.

After confiding in Matt a few nights ago about what she was going through, the next morning he'd asked her what she wanted to do. They went through many options, but ultimately Gabby decided on Matt's suggestion of speaking to Chaplain Orlovsky. At first, she wasn't sure if she wanted to talk to someone who knew her so well, but after a lot of thought, she decided the best course of action was to go to him. He'd been able to help her through so much in the past; losing Shay and the loss of her and Matt's baby. She felt comfortable confiding in him.

But that didn't mean she knew where to start this conversation. So much had happened in such a short amount of time, and even more had happened since the last time she had spoken to the Chaplain. She wasn't sure what he knew about her departure, if he knew anything about it at all. The unknown of all this made her unsure of where to begin.

Her eyes lifted from the ground towards the door, knowing Matt was just on the other side, waiting for her to finish. Part of her wished he was in here right now, his presence always able to settle her down. When they first arrived, Chaplain thought it better to speak to Gabby first, and then he'd have Matt come in once he knew what was going on. Gabby knew he was doing it to make sure he got the whole truth, that she didn't feel the need to sugarcoat things. She understood it, but Matt knew everything and right now she just wished he was here with her.

"I was a little surprised to see your name pop up on my schedule." Chaplain started when he realized she wasn't going to talk. Even though she hadn't said a word, he knew something was going on with her. This wasn't the same Gabby Dawson he'd known for years. He'd seen her at some of the lowest points in her life, and even then she still had that fire and unmistakable determination in her eyes. But now, it was like that was gone. After only spending a few minutes with her, he could see the change in the woman across from him.

Gabby looked up at him, nodding as she met his eyeline.

"I heard about you being in Puerto Rico." He prompted, hoping to put her more at ease and get her to open up. "Matt told me what you were doing there, it sounds like you were apart of some amazing work."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Gabby finally spoke up. "Matt told you?" She questioned, Chaplain nodding as he placed his hands in his lap. "When?"

"A couple months after you left." He spoke honestly, Gabby putting the dates together in her head.

"So after I told him I leaving for good." She supplemented, the Chaplain slightly nodding in response.

"But clearly that wasn't the case. You're back here now." He spoke softly, hoping his words were enough to move her in the right direction. He'd never force her to talk, but he could see she was barely holding herself together. She had come here for a reason, and he wanted to help her.

"Yeah, I am."

"For good?" He asked, Gabby nodding. "What made you decide to come back?" The question caused an immediate shift in Gabby, her body tensing completely as the words left his mouth. Blowing out a sigh, he leaned forward, sitting on the edge of his seat. "Gabby, I'm not gonna make you talk about anything you don't want to. We can discuss whatever brought you here, or we can talk about something else. Or we don't have to talk at all. Whatever you feel comfortable with."

His words hung in the air for a few seconds, Gabby's eyes darting around the room as she wrung her hands together.

"I'm guessing you know about Matt and I's… separation, then. If you all spoke after I left." She started.

"I know you all had broken up, yes." He clarified, Gabby nodding slowly. "Is he why you came back?"

"Partly, yeah- I just… I missed him so much. I know I'm the one who left, but I didn't go over there intending to stay. I needed space, and time…" She started, glancing up at the Chaplain. "I'm assuming Matt told you about what happened between us before I went over there, everything about us trying to have a baby." Gabby spoke, her thoughts shifting back to that heartbreaking day before she could stop them.

"He told me some. But Gabby, I don't want you focusing on what I do or don't know, just tell me whatever you feel comfortable sharing." He reminded her gently, Gabby taking a deep breath as she nodded.

"Okay." She agreed, wiping her clammy hands against the material of her pants before continuing. "After our fight about that, I knew everything was still too fresh and painful for us to be thinking clearly. We both said things. Things that I knew we couldn't just forget about. We couldn't act like it never happened, but I knew neither of us- or at least I wasn't in a place where I felt like I could deal with it. Not then. So I decided to go to Puerto Rico to get some space and just have a minute to let it sink in... that I can't, or shouldn't, get pregnant. I needed time." She explained quietly.

"I was able to step back from everything for awhile while I was there, and at the time, I loved the work I was doing so much. Being there, helping others, it was helping me heal, in a way. But then my time there was coming to an end, and I was scared. I was scared to come back here and have Matt and I fall right back into where we were. We hadn't gotten anywhere in dealing with what the doctor told us, and how we hurt each other. We were talking, but not much past checking in with each other. I knew neither of us had dealt with the news and our fight… I was afraid it wasn't something we could get past." Her voice faltered, Gabby taking a breath before continuing. "It hurt like hell, deciding to leave him. But I figured that pain would be better than me coming back here and us breaking up anyway, so I decided to stay. But the minute I got back to Puerto Rico, I regretted it."

"Why?" He prodded, thankful they were getting somewhere.

"Because Matt is the most important person in my life. And I lost sight of that. I gave into the fear I had of losing him, to end up making the choice to lose him. I hurt him so much..." She admitted, her voice barely audible. "Both of us wanted to be together, and I recently learned that he was just as scared as I was. But the difference is that I gave up first."

"But it's not really that simple, is it?" He questioned, Gabby remaining silent as a lone tear fought its way down her cheek. "You were scared, and you were hurting. And you might've hurt him, but he hurt you too." He spoke, Gabby eyeing him. "You said yourself, you and Matt hadn't dealt with the news or your fight, and I'm guessing you hadn't really dealt with it yourself either." The look on Gabby's face gave him all the answer he needed. "I understand the regret you have, but you didn't just give up Gabby."

Shrugging softly, Gabby looked away from him, her eyes finding the ground. She hadn't come here with the intention of talking about Matt and what they went through. But she couldn't say she was surprised that the conversation had shifted to him, since their issues are what started this in the first place.

"Maybe, but sometimes it still feels like I did. It was easier to stay in Puerto Rico than to come home, so that's what I did."

"But something must've changed." He spoke, Gabby nodding slowly. She knew she just needed to say it, the words would never come out if she kept thinking over them.

"When I was in Puerto Rico… I was attacked." The Chaplain barely heard her, her voice was so quiet, but she saw the exact moment her words registered. He couldn't hide the look of shock that immediately covered his face, even though he tried to mask it. The look of surprise quickly morphed into one of pity, causing her to avert her eyes. Clearing her throat, she continued telling her story. "A few of these gang members, I'd kind of gotten into it with them on one of our sights, they broke into my home and attacked me."

Her confession hung in the air, Gabby surprisingly feeling like a weight had been lifted from her now that he knew.

"Gabby, I'm…" The Chaplain was at a loss for words, that being the last thing he expected to come out of her mouth. "I'm so sorry that happened to you."

Raising her shoulders softly, she released a slow breath. "It is what it is. But that's why I'm here today, I haven't… I haven't been handling it well." The words tasted bitter as she spoke, an unusual feeling settling in her gut as she heard them leave her mouth. "I thought I was okay, that I had accepted what happened… But things aren't going so well."

"What's been going on?" Chaplain opted to avoid asking for details of her attack, knowing she'd offer whatever she felt comfortable sharing.

"I've had a few panic attacks… sometimes I'll start seeing the attack in my head. I get nervous and anxious sometimes, especially if I'm alone. There doesn't seem to be just one thing that triggers it. The first time I was by myself and that made me anxious, and then it just spiraled. The second time, one of my coworkers ran the ambo into the wall and the noise triggered it." She explained, fiddling with her hands in her lap. "I just want it to stop. I don't want to always be worrying about something happening that might cause me to have a panic attack. I want to be able to move on with my life."

Nodding slowly, the Chaplain released a gentle sigh. "You said you've been seeing the attack in your head?"

"Yeah, like a memory of it will replay in my head. Of them pinning me to the ground, or of them hitting me…" She trailed off, the Chaplain nodding sadly. "And I can't stop it unless I find something to bring me back into where I am. When it happened, I had to rub snow all over my face to make me realize I wasn't back in Puerto Rico." She explained, her voice getting lower as she talked.

"It just- it feels like I don't have a handle on any of it. That I'm not in control of my own reactions to things, and it's scaring me." She spoke, her voice wavering.

"You might not be, Gabby." He responded, closing the notebook in his lap. "You might not have a handle on things right now. And that's okay. But you have to accept that this happened. You can't keep pretending like you're fine and that it wasn't a big deal." He spoke truthfully, more tears clouding her vision as his words sunk in. "Something terrible happened to you, you have to accept that or you'll never get past it."

"But I have accepted it… or I thought I had. I don't know."

"That doubt you have, that tells me you haven't. I'm not saying it'll be a magic fix, that things will get better overnight once you have dealt with your attack. But it won't be like this forever, Gabby. Things will get better." He promised, Gabby holding her bottom lip in between her teeth. "This isn't something that will just go away, but you're doing all the right things. You're getting help, you're confiding in the ones you love," He started, nodding towards the closed door where they knew Matt was waiting on the other side, a small smile falling to Gabby's face as she looked that way, "you're opening up. All of those things are good, and they will help you get past this."

"But I do think you might need more help than I can give you." He told her, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly. "I'm not a doctor, but with the anxiety you've been dealing with, it might be beneficial for you to go see someone who could help you with that. I'm always here to talk you through things, and be a sounding board, but that's about as much as I can help." He reminded her, Gabby nodding.

"Okay."

"I do believe you'll get past this, Gabby. You just might need a little help along the way. But whenever those moments happen, when you feel like you're about to panic or you feel overwhelmed, try and find something to ground you." He advised, leaning forward in his chair. "You said when you had those flashbacks of your attack, you were able to snap out of it with the snow, right?" He asked, Gabby giving him a nod of confirmation. "Well, you can do that with other memories as well. If you feel that start to happen again, try and think of a fond memory. Whether it's something with Matt, or your family. Anything to help you push away the attack."

"I can try, yeah."

"Good." He replied, taking a deep breath before speaking up again. "So, Gabby, I do have one more question… if the attack hadn't happened, do you think you'd be home right now?"

The question left her momentarily stunned, the thought having never crossed her mind until now. It wasn't something she chose to think about since she'd come back, but now she couldn't not think about it.

"I… I- I don't know." She stuttered out, her eyes narrowing in thought. "It's not something that I've ever really considered before."

The Chaplain remained silent as he watched her ponder over his words, them clearly having more of an effect than he intended.

"I had been wanting to come back for awhile. I missed Matt, I missed my family. I hadn't been happy over there for a long time, before the attack and everything happened…"

"But was that enough to make you come home?"

"I don't know. I wanted to come back, I wanted to be here, but I was scared it would only make things worse." She spoke, more to herself than to the Chaplain. "It hadn't been enough up to that point, but by now? I have no idea." She replied, trying to mask her frustration. "All I do know is that after it all happened, the only thing I wanted was Matt. I needed him, I still need him." She admitted softly, "and maybe it wasn't fair to expect him to be there for me after everything, but I knew I couldn't get through this without him. So I came back."

"And I think that's an entirely different part of this whole thing, Gabby." He spoke, seeing her watching him expectantly. "The attack, in a way, gave you your life back." She inhaled sharply, his words taking her by surprise. "It gave you back the life you left behind, the life you still wanted. It gave you Matt back." She bit the inside of her cheek as he spoke, trying to keep her tears at bay. "It might be that this awful thing you experienced is responsible for making you happy again, and that's a hard thing to accept."

A single tear slid down her cheek as his words washed over her, Gabby quickly wiping it away.

"Based on what you've told me, there's a good chance that had the attack not happened, you might still be in Puerto Rico right now. As much as you wanted to come back, as much as you wanted Matt, you hadn't been able to make the choice to come back. Not until this." He continued, Gabby furrowing her eyebrows.

"So you think I should be thankful that those men broke into my home and attacked me? That they beat me, and would've done god knows what else had I not gotten away?" Her voice was dripping in sarcasm as the words left her mouth, Gabby gesturing to the scar on her forehead as she spoke. "You think this was some blessing in disguise?"

"That's not what I'm saying." He replied calmly, seeing her fighting an internal battle with herself. He knew his words had gotten to her, and were causing some of the walls she placed so highly around herself to come down. "I'm saying that it's completely normal and expected for this to be something that's still affecting you. Because it's not a black and white situation. It's not as simple as these men breaking into your home and attacking you. It's about everything that happened before, and everything that happened after too. It's that this awful thing brought you and the man you love back together." More tears slid down her cheeks as he spoke, his words going straight to her heart. "And it's the fact that sometimes you still feel like you don't deserve it, to be here with Matt." He spoke, his words confirmed correct by the look that crossed her face. He knew he was taking a leap, having to read between her words, but from her reaction he knew he'd hit a source of the problem. "And maybe, there's some times that you wonder if you and Matt would've ever ended up back together had this not happened, even if you still chose to come home." He continued, Gabby's eyes filling with more tears, his words holding more truth than he realized. "All I am saying is that there's still a lot to this you haven't dealt with, that you and Matt haven't dealt with. It's not something you can just get over."

Seeing the look on her face, he sighed softly, making sure he had her gaze before speaking again. "I know how much you and Matt love each other Gabby. I've always known it, it's impossible to not see it." Tears continued to roll down her cheeks as she sat there, Gabby not bothering to wipe them away this time. "And there's no way to know what would've happened between you two had this not happened. But the attack is the thing that brought you two back together, it's the reason you're here right now, both of you have to be able to accept that to move on from it."

The two of them sat there in silence for a few moments, the Chaplain giving Gabby the time she needed to gather herself and her thoughts.

"I know there's some truth to what you're saying." She eventually spoke up, her voice quiet. "I know that the attack is the reason Matt and I are where we are right now… I just wish it didn't take something like this happening to make me do something about it, to try and fix the mistakes I'd made. I'd known for a long time that I wasn't happy, that I don't think I could ever be completely happy without him… I just wish I would've fixed it sooner. It shouldn't have taken something like that happening to realize what we gave up."

The Chaplain opened his mouth to speak, but Gabby's quick words cut him off. "And what does that say about me?" She questioned, his face covered in confusion. "What if part of me is thankful that the attack happened? Because it led me and Matt back to each other. What kind of person am I, to be grateful for getting attacked?" She nearly cried, her emotions betraying her.

"It makes you human, Gabby." He replied firmly, hating to see the tears falling down her cheeks. From knowing this woman for years, he could never take pleasure in seeing her so distraught. But they were on their way to a breakthrough. Something was clicking within her, and he couldn't help but be thankful they were making progress. "You're finding the positive out of something that should've been entirely negative. You're not grateful that it happened, but you're grateful for what happened because of it. Those are two entirely different things." He promised, her eyes shining as she took in his words.

"Matt loves you Gabby. He always has, and he always will. And I know you love him, too." He spoke, taking a breath before continuing. "You're allowed to be happy. You're allowed to be thankful to be back together, despite the circumstances. You deserve to be happy with Matt, don't let what happened to you make you think otherwise. The both of you made mistakes, but making a mistake doesn't mean you don't deserve him Gabby." He promised, knowing he was hitting a source of her insecurity. He knew his words could only do so much, but he hoped they helped at least a little. "It doesn't make you a bad person to have something good come from a bad situation, and that's what you and Matt are doing."

The Chaplain watched her for a few moments, trying to gauge where her head was at. He knew he had gotten through to her, and that hopefully meant she was on her way to making some progress. But he knew this wasn't something that could be fixed overnight. "You're allowed to be happy, Gabby. Don't let those men take anything else from you." He reiterated strongly.

Nodding slowly, Gabby wiped away the tears that had settled on her skin, taking a minute to let this all sink in. She wasn't entirely sure how she was feeling right now, but part of her felt a little better. Like this crushing weight on her chest was gone, she felt lighter than she had when she first walked in here.

"Is there anything else you want to talk about?" He questioned after a few minutes, Gabby pondering over his words for a moment before shaking her head. "Alright, let's get Matt in here." He spoke, Gabby nodding as she shifted in her seat. As he walked towards the door, she did her best to make herself more presentable. She knew she couldn't hide that she'd been crying, and she didn't want to, but she didn't want to look like a complete mess either.

"Casey, come on in." Chaplain said as he stood in the now open doorway, Gabby placing her hands in her lap as she waited for him. The minute he stepped through the door, a small smile found its way to her face, Matt mimicking her action as he walked towards her. The smile on his face soon morphed into a frown as he got closer, seeing her red and glassy eyes staring back at him.

"You okay?" He questioned softly as he got to her, sitting down beside her on the couch.

"I am." She spoke honestly, Matt's eyes flickering over her face in worry before he settled on her eyes. "I feel a little better."

"Good." He replied, wrapping his arm around her shoulders in a quick hug as he leaned forward to place a kiss to her forehead. The two settled into the couch, Gabby holding onto his hand in her lap as the Chaplain sat back down across from them.

"So, we definitely made some progress today. I am gonna give you the information about that doctor to help with your anxiety, Gabby." He spoke, Matt's eyes flashing towards her. "She's a great person, I think she'll be able to help you." She nodded, squeezing Matt's hand slightly.

Shifting his body slightly, the Chaplain had his gaze trained on Matt, the firefighter looking back at him curiously. "Now I do have a question for you, Casey." He prompted, Matt raising his eyebrows. "Gabby and I talked a little bit about it, but I think she needs to know where you are with this."

"Okay." Matt responded, not sure what to expect. But he could feel Gabby's nerves radiating off her body, clearly knowing what was about to be asked.

"Had the attack not happened, do you think you and Gabby would be together right now?"

Similar to Gabby's reaction, the question stunned him for a second. Matt had gone silent, holding his tongue between his teeth as he thought through how he wanted to answer this. "Truthfully, I don't know." He breathed out, glancing quickly to Gabby to see how she would react. But he didn't get much from her. "I never thought us getting back together was a possibility, but then everything happened and she came back." Matt was working through his thoughts out loud, figuring that best than to bottle up what he was thinking and feeling. "I don't know if we would've been able to work things out, had she not showed up at our apartment. But what I do know is that I would've wanted us to." He responded, before turning to face her. "I never stopped loving you or stopped wanting to be with you, I just thought it wasn't in the cards for us, anymore."

"So you don't think we're only together right now because of the attack?" She questioned almost immediately. Gabby wasn't naive enough to think that the only reason Matt was with her was out of pity. She knew that wasn't what their relationship was, that he only got back together with her because he felt sorry for her. But ever since the Chaplain brought it up, she couldn't stop thinking about it. How they owed the reconciliation of their relationship to this terrible thing that happened to her.

Matt waited a moment to answer, knowing he needed to choose his words carefully. He wanted to make sure he communicated how he was feeling, and he didn't want to leave any room for doubt in Gabby's mind. "All I do know is that I'm grateful to have you here right now. I thank God every day that we found our way back to each other. I think that we were given a second chance at our life together, despite the reasons for you coming back." He breathed out, Gabby nodding with a sad smile, "I don't know, maybe we wouldn't have found our way back to each other if not for what happened in Puerto Rico, or maybe it would've taken us longer. I hope we would've still gotten back together. All I can tell you for certain is that I know we belong together, and I'll never stop being thankful that you came back to me." Matt's voice faltered towards the end of his sentence, the emotion in his voice betraying him. He felt Gabby squeeze his hand, her eyes holding unshed tears as he took a deep breath.

"But I'll never sit here and be grateful for what happened to you. No matter what it might've meant for us, they'll never be a time when I'm happy you went through that." He spoke, Gabby seeing his eyes watering. "I don't know, I'm probably not explaining this right." He rambled, shaking his head lightly.

"No, no, I get it." She replied with a small, reassuring smile.

"That's what Gabby and I were talking about." The Chaplain supplemented, Gabby and Matt turning away from each other to face him. "You don't have to be happy that it happened, but you can be happy that something good came from it."

Matt nodded slowly, taking a deep breath as he glanced back towards Gabby. Seeing the look on his face, Gabby chuckled softly, Matt looking at her curiously. "What's so funny?" He asked, not able to stop the smile on that rose on his face.

"Nothing, it's just- that question really threw me, too." She admitted, Matt shaking his head lightly before they turned their attention back to the Chaplain.

"Now, I know this has been a lot for one day so I'm gonna let you guys go. You both know I'm always here if you need someone to talk to, about anything." He started, the couple nodding. "But there are some things I need you to do for me. Gabby, any time you're feeling even the slightest bit anxious, you need to talk about it. Whether it's to Matt, or your brother. Or even me, you can't bottle this stuff up. You'll never get past this otherwise." She nodded in understanding, before the Chaplain's eyes moved to Casey. "And Matt, I'm sure I don't even need to tell you this, but you need to make sure she can come to you. That you're there for her. You're both gonna need each other."

"Of course." Matt spoke without missing a beat.

"Yeah, I didn't suspect that would be a problem, but I just want us all on the same page. And Gabby, I'm not even talking about just things with the attack. It could be anything. Whether it's work, or it's about the things that happened before you left," Gabby felt Matt tense for a split second by her side, knowing they were both thinking about the same thing. And about how they hadn't yet talked about it. "It doesn't matter what it is, if it has you feeling overwhelmed or anxious, I want you to talk to someone."

"I will." She promised.

"I know you're strong, Gabby. You might be the strongest person I know. But you're not gonna be able to get through this alone. You're gonna get past this, I know it. But you're gonna have to let people help you." He told her one last time, knowing who he was dealing with. This was Gabriela Dawson, the most independent and self-reliant person he's ever met. He knows how challenging it must've been for her to come ask for help, but he didn't want her thinking she could now work through this on her own. She was gonna need support, and thankfully she had one hell of a support system.

"I know." She looked to Matt as the words left her mouth, seeing him smiling back at her.

"You got this." He spoke firmly. "And I'm gonna be right here the entire time." She nodded in response, leaning into him for a moment, feeling him place a kiss to the side of her head. "I love you." He murmured against her hair, Gabby sure she wouldn't have heard it had it not been for their placement.

"I love you too."

* * *

Matt moved around the apartment swiftly as he was trying to get everything in place before Gabby got home. It was Christmas Eve, and Matt wanted tonight to be perfect. He had big plans for this evening, the square jewelry box in his pocket a constant reminder of how important this night was.

He had finished up shift this morning, missing Gabby as she headed off to work, but they'd checked their plans days prior, knowing tonight would be their Christmas celebration since tomorrow would be spent with Antonio and her father. It was rare that Matt, and in the past Gabby, had both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, so he wanted to make the most of it. And that started with this dinner.

The week that had passed since their visit to the Chaplain had its share of ups and downs, but thankfully it was mostly ups. Gabby had been extra mindful of talking to him anytime things became too much, and that simple step alone was proving to work wonders. She'd only had one other panic attack since meeting with Chaplain, and thankfully Matt was there when it happened and he was able to help her through it. She'd gone back to the Chaplain's after it happened to talk through it, which seemed to help her. Other than the one episode, he'd noticed a change in her. He wasn't sure if she was aware of it, but he could tell a significant difference in her overall demeanor. She was less on edge, and more of her old self. And he knew the anxiety meds she was taking now weren't hurting either.

After leaving the Chaplain's office, they'd immediately made Gabby an appointment with the doctor he'd recommended. It only took one visit for her to prescribe Gabby some medication to help with what she was going through. Despite her reluctance to take them, he was glad she ultimately decided to use them. It was too early to tell if they were helping, but her doctor assured them that they'd help her in the long run, and that was all Matt cared about.

He had just finished putting the last piece of silverware down on the table when the timer on the stove went off, signaling that their meal was done. He challenged himself a bit with this one, deciding to make arroz con pollo picante. It was the first meal Gabby had ever cooked for him, and even though it wasn't the most difficult, it wasn't what he was used to cooking for them. But he wanted to make it for her, he just hoped it turned out okay.

Glancing into the pot on top of the stove, he stirred the concoction around, tasting a bit of it to see how it was. Satisfied with what he'd prepared, he turned the stove off and covered the pot, wanting to keep it warm until she got here. It wasn't as good as anything Gabby made, but it would do.

His eyes flickered to the clock in front of him, seeing it was half past seven, meaning Gabby would be home any minute now. He knew the commute might take her a little longer with the heavy snow falling outside, but that only gave him extra time to make sure everything was perfect. He carried the covered dish towards the set table, placing it in the middle as he surveyed his work. The apartment was dimly lit, the small Christmas tree illuminating the living room with the help of a few small lamps. He'd gotten everything in place on the table, their meal flanked by a new bottle of wine Matt had picked up after shift this morning.

Checking over his mental list one last time, he noticed the only thing he'd forgotten was to light the candles on the table. Matt made his way through the kitchen, searching through each drawer endlessly trying to find a lighter. Cursing under his breath after his search proved futile, Matt moved to the living room and towards their desk, hoping to find something he could use. Pulling back the chair, he pulled out the top drawer, shuffling through its contents.

He was about to move on to another drawer when something caught his eye, his eyebrows furrowing as his hand moved over the thick folder. Pulling it out from under the rest of the random papers, his breath caught in his throat as he held the file in front of his face.

Matt's body weight collapsed into the chair behind him, the file falling onto the desk as his eyes stayed glued to it. He felt a wave a nausea move through his stomach, almost like the papers sitting there were taunting him. The papers from the day he went to the adoption agency behind Gabby's back. The papers that factored into the downward spiral of their relationship.

He had forgotten all about them, having put them in here the day they got back from that shift, before their final blow up that sent her away. He'd had no reason to go back to them since, the papers ending up buried under stacks of other things. But now they were right in front of his face, and he couldn't ignore them anymore.

Blowing out a defeated sigh, Matt couldn't stop the thousands of thoughts swimming through his mind. He and Gabby had managed to fix the broken pieces they'd made of their relationship since she got back. They had fixed every part but this. He wasn't sure how it happened, that they had skirted around the thing that tore them apart in the first place, but they had. Neither of them had gone near the topic of their issues on trying to have a family. It had crossed Matt's mind multiple times, and had been a constant fixture in his thoughts since Chaplain mentioned it last week, but he hadn't brought it up. And she hadn't either.

Any time they even came close to the subject, the conversation shifted, neither of them ready to dive into the hurt and the pain it would cause. They both knew trudging up those old wounds would be excruciating, and neither one of them wanted to go through that again. But they had to. They couldn't avoid it any longer.

Matt had managed to suppress the events from that day, pushing them to the back of his mind any time they came close to his thoughts. The memories of everything that happened to them, and the words that had been said, it destroyed him. He never dealt with the pain they caused each other, neither of them did. They never dealt with the pain the news itself caused, finding out that Gabby could die if she tried to carry a baby to term. Finding out that she shouldn't bring a child into this world. They never dealt with that blow, the two of them more or less ignoring the magnitude of it as they tried to move forward and find their own solutions. And now his choice of a solution was sitting in front of his face, bringing back memories of one of the most painful days of his life.

Their fight was a result of days of pent up, undealt with emotions that boiled over and caused one of the most heartbreaking days they'd experienced together. It caused days of tiptoeing around the other until she left, both of them putting off dealing with their issues until she returned home. But then there was no return. She wasn't coming back. There was nothing left for them to figure out. So he pushed away every haunting memory until he no longer felt it, until he was numb to it. Because ignoring it was easier than feeling it, knowing it would destroy him over and over again.

But he couldn't do that anymore. He couldn't keep going on like everything had been solved, not when he had his world back. Not when he had everything to lose.

Swallowing the lump that had formed in his dry throat, Matt ran his clammy hands over his legs, feeling the thousand pound weight in his pocket. He hesitantly slid his hand into his pocket, pulling out the small box, staring at it for a few moments as the realization set in.

He couldn't do this, not right now. Not when there was so much uncertainty between them.

They'd worked through so many of their problems, and he was proud of how far they'd come. But their biggest problem they had completely avoided, and none of their progress would matter if they couldn't get past that. None of this meant anything if they couldn't deal with their fallout from that day, and come to a decision about how to expand their family, if they even still wanted to expand their family.

No matter how much he wanted to call Gabby his wife again, he couldn't do it right now. They'd been living in their own little bubble, wanting to believe they'd solved everything when they both knew they hadn't. He couldn't put the added pressure of a proposal on top of everything else. He wouldn't do that to her. There was already a black cloud looming over them, he couldn't make it more complicated with this.

It didn't feel right giving her this ring… not yet. There was too much they had to talk about, too much they couldn't avoid any longer. They couldn't keep going on like everything was fixed between them. He couldn't stomach the thought of giving her this ring before they had talked through _everything_. Because he couldn't stop the nagging thought making itself present in the back of his mind that this is the exact thing that wrecked them in the first place, who's to say it wouldn't do that to them again. As much as he believed they were in a better place than they had been, he had no way of knowing if that was enough for them to get past it this time.

Inhaling a shaky breath, Matt flipped open the jewelry box, the ring catching in the dim light as Matt stared at it.

One day. One day she would have this ring on her finger and they would be married again. He wholeheartedly believed that. But there were too many discussions that needed to be had before he could give her this. There were too many problems that needed to be solved. He wanted this proposal to be a fresh start, for it to be the next beginning to their story. But that couldn't happen if they didn't deal with what happened. Their fresh start would be doomed from the beginning if they didn't make sure they were on the same page this time.

Keys jingling in the lock on the back door snapped Matt from his thoughts, his eyes widening as he took in the scene in front of him. Snapping the jewelry box closed, his hastily shoved it back into his pocket, hurriedly putting the adoption center papers back into the desk drawer. He'd just managed to get it closed as she walked in, Gabby seeing him sliding the desk chair back in place as he came into view.

"Hey baby." She spoke cheerily, a wide smile on her face as she locked the door, stepping further into the apartment. He took a calming breath, forcing himself to lose some of the tension that had settled in his shoulders as he walked closer to her.

"Hey, how was your shift?" He asked her, Gabby hanging up her jacket after wiping some of the excess snow off her.

"Pretty busy, actually. But good." She replied, her body turning and finding the meal waiting for her. "What's all this?" She asked, stepping closer to the table. Matt followed her path, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

"Merry Christmas." He spoke softly in her ear, feeling her smile grow as she leaned into his embrace for a moment.

"You didn't have to do all this." She responded quietly, leaning forward to uncover the dish, wondering what he had prepared. A slight gasp left her lips as she recognized the food immediately, Gabby shifting in his arms to look at him. "You really made that?"

Nodding proudly, a smile fell onto his face. "I found your recipe. I thought it would be a fun surprise. It won't be as good as yours, but-" He was cut off by Gabby placing her lips against his in a slow kiss.

"I love it. I can't wait to try it." She murmured against his lips, giving him another swift kiss before pulling away. "I'm gonna change real quick, I'll be back." She promised, Matt keeping his eyes on her until she disappeared into the bedroom.

His smile faltered slightly once she was out of sight, Matt blowing out a small sigh. His hands moved to slide into his front pockets, his fingers grasping the ring box housed there.

They couldn't put this off any longer, he knew they both were aware of it. They couldn't keep walking on eggshells around something this big. Whatever would come from hashing it out, it needed to be done sooner rather than later.

But when Gabby emerged from their bedroom, the bright smile having never left her face, he knew he couldn't do it right now. He couldn't ruin her Christmas by bringing this up now. After everything they'd gone through this year, after everything that she's gone through, he wanted her to be able to enjoy her Christmas. He wouldn't bring it up tonight, or tomorrow, but he knew it was coming. He knew they needed to talk about everything that happened right before she left, and there'd be no turning back once they did.

* * *

**I want to apologize for the wait with this chapter. I know I'd been updating pretty solidly every 3-4 days there for a while, I'm sorry this one took a little longer. There's a few reasons for it. First off, I was struggling with writing both of the topics in this chapter. I want to do justice to both of these storylines. Gabby's anxiety and, obviously, the baby storyline are both extremely important parts of this story and I definitely felt the pressure of it when writing this. I didn't want anything to come across as cheap, or like these issues were being glossed over. Even posting this, I'm still a little nervous about how it turned out. There were definitely a lot of rewrites with this chapter.**

**Secondly, I've been in a weird place with this story for a few weeks now and I'm trying to work through it. I'm feeling a little lost with this, not really from a storyline standpoint, just overall. It's kind of hard to explain, but every time I think of Dawsey I get so sad, and I wonder if there's even a point to me writing this story. And sometimes that feeling channels into me wanting to write more (which is what had been happening the last few updates), but then other times I just can't go near anything with them. And that's kind of what this was. I needed a break, to step away and refocus on why I'm writing this. I felt kind of stuck and frustrated, so I took a few days off and didn't go anywhere near writing. It's just something I'm working my way through. I want to give you all the best chapters I can, and I didn't want to force myself to write because that would've ended badly. I'm sorry you had to wait a little longer for this one, hopefully you thought it was worth it. Thanks for your understanding.**

**Side note: I'm sure by now you all could've guessed, but I have no idea what the deal with Chaplain Orlovsky is on the show, I just know there's that new Chaplain. But we're gonna ignore all that because I have no idea what the situation is there. Just so we're all on the same page.**

**I can't wait to hear what you all thought of this chapter, thank you all for taking the time to read my work. I appreciate all of you so much.**


	23. Chapter Twenty Three

**Hello hello hello. I hope you guys enjoy this one!**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Three**_

* * *

Matt furrowed his eyebrows as he was slowly forced into consciousness, confusion settling over him in his half alert state. The first few seconds after waking up, he couldn't figure out what had pulled him from his slumber, but it only took a few moments until his unusual surroundings began to register, alerting him to the fact that something was wrong. He felt the unexpected movement around him, feeling something smacking into his leg repeatedly. He heard the quiet moans of distress coming from the woman beside him, Matt fully awake now as his brain finally realized what was happening.

Pushing himself up, he quickly flipped on the lamp before turning to Gabby, seeing her body trembling against the bed, her legs kicking frantically as she fought against whatever was terrorizing her mind. Placing a light hand on her arm, Matt shook her gently, not wanting to startle her into consciousness. But his first efforts proved to be useless, Gabby still deep within whatever nightmare was traumatizing her, a sharp whimper escaping her lips as she started babbling barely coherent words. Matt frowned as he heard the words 'no' and 'stop', along with many similar ones, his worry intensifying as he worked harder to wake her up.

"Gabby." He spoke firmly, squeezing her arm while placing his other hand against her waist. He felt her shaking body under him as he tried to rouse her again, the combination of gripping her arm and shaking her side finally getting the job done. Matt watched in worry as he saw her eyes snap open, Gabby's body shooting up in bed as she sucked in deep breaths.

"Matt." His name was the first word out of her mouth, the sound coming out in a whimper as he heard the confusion and horror in her voice.

"You're okay," He soothed, adjusting his grip on her as they sat there, Gabby placing a hand on her heaving chest. "It was just a bad dream, you're okay. Everything's fine." He did his best to console her, his heart shattering as he saw her teary eyes. Her breaths were swallow, Matt murmuring comforting words as he helped get her breathing under control. He began taking slow, deep breaths, Gabby mimicking his actions, their tired eyes locked on one another.

They remained in the calm quiet for a few minutes, Gabby's breaths beginning to steady as she moved her attention to her lap, Matt continuously rubbing his hand up and down over her back in a steady motion. He noticed she wasn't shaking anymore, and some of the tension had left her body. Thankfully she was calming down, and he hoped it was enough for her to get back to sleep.

"I'm sorry," she finally spoke, Matt furrowing his eyebrows. "That hasn't really happened before, I don't-" She cut off her own sentence, the correct words escaping her in her tired state as she moved her hand up to rub over her head.

"You have nothing to apologize for." He cut in, Gabby turning to look at him. "None of this is your fault." Gabby's eyes flashed over his face before nodding. Blowing out a soft breath, he brought his hand up to cradle the side of her face. "Are you okay? You think you can go back to sleep?" He questioned, brushing the hair from her eyes. She nodded slowly in response, Matt adjusting their positions before laying back down, bringing Gabby with him. She fell securely into his chest, her body nestled against him as he kept a reassuring arm around her.

Matt spared one last glance at her before turning the lamp off, the room coated in darkness. He felt Gabby tighten her grip around his waist, her head buried in his neck as she focused on her breathing. They had both fallen into a peaceful quiet, Matt stroking her hair softly, not daring to fall asleep until he knew she had. But based on her movements and breathing, she was still very much awake.

"It was the attack." She eventually murmured, her breath hitting his skin. Matt hadn't figured they'd be discussing this tonight, but he was more than willing to listen as she spoke up again. "It was like it was happening again, but this time I couldn't get away."

"You're okay, Gabby." He told her after she had gone quiet. "You got away from them, you're safe. I promise you." Matt felt her relax into him as he spoke, her weight resting against him as her breaths became more steady. He could feel the exhaustion radiating from her body, and as much as he wanted to let her talk, he knew there'd be plenty of time for that later. "Get some sleep, babe. I'm right here. We can talk more about it in the morning before work." His reassurance was all she needed to let her tiredness take over, Gabby falling back asleep in mere minutes.

Matt on the other hand wasn't so lucky. He kept himself focused on her steady breaths against his neck as he held onto her, his body staying alert as he waited to feel or hear any signs of distress coming from Gabby.

He knew this would be a rollercoaster. That Gabby getting help and facing her anxiety head on wouldn't be all ups and no downs, but that didn't make it any easier whenever she had her down moments. He hated seeing her so distraught, it broke his heart. Matt knew all he could do was support her and help her through the low points as best he could, but it hurt him to see her suffer.

* * *

Casey blew out a tired sigh as he stood at his locker, his body weight leaning into the door as he forced his eyes to stay open. Rubbing his hand over his eyes, he pinched the bridge of his nose before standing up straight, stretching out his limbs to try and shake the fatigue from his body.

"Looks like someone didn't get much sleep last night." Severide's teasing voice filled his ears as Matt turned to find his friend entering the locker room, being met with a knowing smirk. Huffing out a breath, Matt leaned his side into the lockers, crossing his arms over his chest. "I figured you'd have a pretty good Christmas, but you should've at least tried to get some rest before shift."

Casey rolled his eyes, eliciting a chuckle from the other firefighter before Kelly took a few steps closer. It was the day after Christmas, and although it had only been two days since they'd last been at the firehouse, it felt like an eternity. It was like everything was moving in slow motion since Christmas Eve. Matt hadn't been able to get this feeling of dread to leave his body, knowing what conversations were laying ahead for him and Gabby, and it had made the hours tick by slowly. And his lack of sleep hadn't been helping things, either.

After their nice dinner on Christmas Eve accompanied by some quality time together, Matt hadn't been able to get much sleep. If he had to guess, he would say he maybe got a couple of hours, while Gabby had slept soundly through the night, tucked into his side. He couldn't stop thinking about their fight before she left, about all the things that still needed to be dealt with. Finding those adoption center papers had been a wake up call, and now it was almost impossible to not think about.

Their Christmas Day spent with her family proved to be emotionally draining, piling on to the exhaustion he already felt. It was just him, Gabby, Antonio, and Ramon, and it was more tense than Matt felt up to dealing with. Ramon wasn't too happy with him after how things between him and Gabby ended, and the eldest Dawson made no effort to hide it. It was comment after comment about him and Gabby being back together, Ramon going so far as to say that Matt only wants to be with her when it's convenient for him. Matt knew he wasn't supposed to hear that part, but Ramon's hushed voice from his spot in Antonio's kitchen wasn't nearly as quiet as the older man must have thought, Matt able to hear his words clearly from his spot in the living room. Despite both Gabby's and Antonio's best efforts to keep things civil, the thick tension in the air made for an uncomfortable Christmas. But Matt stuck it out, knowing how important spending time with her family was to Gabby. He kept quiet most of the time, seeing as how anytime he said anything Ramon jumped on it, which in turn caused Gabby to become upset at her father. No matter how many times Gabby told him he didn't know the whole story, Ramon didn't seem too eager to hear Matt's side of things. He was content holding onto that anger towards his former son in-law. So to make the day as painless as possible for Gabby, Matt stayed a silent participant for the majority of the afternoon.

Thankfully once they all parted ways, the rest of their holiday was quite relaxing, the couple happy to just spend time together before going to bed, knowing they both were on shift the next day. But it was another restless night for Matt, especially after Gabby's nightmare that had startled her. He hadn't been able to get a minute of rest after that, his mind too focused on making sure she was okay than actually being able to get any sleep. And now it was like he was on autopilot, his body going through the motions because he had no other choice.

"So, tell me." Severide broke through his trance, Matt's eyes snapping back into focus as he saw Kelly leaning against the lockers across from him. "How'd the-" Kelly stopped himself short, his eyes glancing around the room to make sure they were alone before continuing, "proposal go?" Casey let out a harsh sigh, Kelly immediately frowning as confusion covered his face. "That bad, huh?" He asked lightly, hoping to ease some of the uneasiness in the room. But it didn't work. "She didn't say no, did she?" Severide asked in disbelief, his mouth parting slightly.

Narrowing his eyes into a glare, Matt moved to shut his locker, slamming it louder than he intended before locking it up and reluctantly turning his attention back to Kelly, who was waiting for him with his hands raised defensively.

"She didn't say no." Casey bit out, his frustration towards the situation evident. "I didn't ask her."

"What happened?"

"It just… it wasn't the right moment." Matt spoke lamely, Severide looking at him unimpressed. Realizing he wasn't gonna get out of the conversation, he blew out a breath, moving to sit down on the bench in between them. "Remember how I said there was some news Gabby and I got before she left that really messed with us?" Casey waited for a nod of understanding from Kelly before continuing. "Well, we still haven't really talked about it. We've kind of avoided it, and I realized the other night that I have no business proposing to her again until we've dealt with it." Matt explained vaguely.

"Why haven't you all talked about it yet?" Kelly asked, knowing better than to ask for details.

Sucking in a deep breath, Matt ran his hands over his legs, trying to dissipate the nerves floating in his system. "Because it destroyed us last time." He admitted quietly, his eyes plastered on the ground. "The news itself was bad enough but… It caused Gabby and I have to the worst fight we've ever had. And I know we never really got the chance to work it out, but part of me isn't sure that we can."

Seeing his friend's sunken, distraught form, Kelly moved to sit beside him. "But you guys are in a better place now, aren't you? I mean, things between you and Gabby hadn't been the easiest, even before she left."

"Yeah, yeah we are in a better place than we were then." He agreed after clearing his throat, "but I don't know if that's enough. I mean, we've managed to work through our other problems. And those conversations went much better than I ever could've thought, but this... with this I don't know. After she first got back, I guess- I guess I was hoping it would just come up, but we're both avoiding it. Neither of us want to be the one to bring it up."

"You need to talk to her, Casey." Severide told him firmly. "I don't know what happened, but you have to talk to her about it. You can't keep avoiding this, especially when it's something that affected you two so much, and it's affecting you now. Nothing good will come from you two continuing to avoid it. And who knows, you said the other conversations went better than you thought they would, it could be the same thing here." Kelly tried to reason, Matt finally glancing up at him. Seeing Casey wasn't totally convinced, Kelly knew he had to try harder to get through to him.

"Look man, whatever this is about, I know it had to have really hurt you guys to cause as much damage as it did. But it's better to know now if it's something you all can get past or not... Don't put it off because you're worried about it driving you two apart again. That'll only make things harder for the both of you." Severide paused to take a breath, wanting to make sure Matt was really hearing what he was saying. "And have a little faith in Gabby, and the relationship you two have." That sentence caused Matt to perk up, his eyebrows raising slightly. "I know there's no way to know if you all would've gotten past this had she come back, but knowing you guys, I have no doubt you two would've been fine." Kelly spoke honestly, Matt's head tilting to the side slightly. "Hell, not even divorce managed to keep you two apart. Have faith in each other, talk to each other, and you'll be fine."

Kelly's blunt words hung in the air for a moment, Matt needing a few minutes to digest what he'd said. He knew his friend was right, that there was no reason to think him and Gabby wouldn't be fine, but he still knew nothing could stop the pain and heartache that would come from having this conversation.

Before either man could speak, the bells rang through the house, both shifting their focus as they waited to see if their services were needed. After hearing only ambo was being called, both of them visibly relaxed, turning their attention back to the other.

"Yeah, you're right," Matt agreed, squeezing his hands together. "Surprisingly." He added, lifting some of the heaviness from the room. "When did you get so good at giving relationship advice?"

Blowing out a breath, Kelly stretched his arms out in front of himself with a sly grin covering his face, "Well, after seeing you fuck yours up for so many years, I've learned what not to do."

"Funny." Matt responded dryly before pushing himself up off the bench, Kelly mimicking his actions.

"But really, you two will be okay. You all went through some awful shit when you were together, and then even more terrible stuff that broke you apart, and yet here we are, Dawson and Casey still together." Severide spoke with a grin. "You guys will be fine."

"Thanks Kel." Casey spoke, leaning forward to give him a quick, appreciative hug.

"Of course. I'm always here for you and Dawson." Matt nodded gratefully as the two separated, Kelly clapping him on the shoulder before walking away, leaving Casey alone in the locker room.

* * *

"So… do you want to talk about it?" Gabby looked up from her paperwork as her and Norris stood by the nurses desk at Med, a confused look covering her face before she turned her attention back towards the form in front of her. They had only been here for a few minutes, having just dropped off their first patient of the shift, an elderly woman who had fallen and given herself a few cuts, and Gabby had been tasked with filling out the paperwork before they left.

"Talk about what?"

"Whatever's got you so distracted and in your own head." Jemma replied, leaning forward onto the counter, resting on her forearms. "You've barely said anything since shift started, it's very un-Gabby like. You're worrying me a little bit."

Blowing out a breath, Gabby shrugged, her eyes not moving from the paper in front of her. "I'm fine, just had a long day yesterday."

"Everything okay?"

Nodding slowly, Gabby finished the last line of paperwork before putting down her pen and focusing her attention on her friend. "Yeah, it is. Just my and Matt's Christmas didn't go exactly go according to plan." She confided in her friend, knowing how easy it was to talk to her. In the short time they'd known each other, Gabby had found a trustworthy friend in Jemma. She was always there to listen to anything Gabby might want or need to talk about, but she also knew when to back off and give her space. It was a relationship Gabby felt thankful that she had, one she didn't want to take for granted.

"Everything alright between you two?" She asked worriedly, Gabby quickly waving off her concerns.

"Oh, we're fine. It wasn't anything with us, it was my dad." Jemma nodded as she took in the new information, willing to listen to anything Gabby felt comfortable to share. "He and Matt have a… complicated history, and my dad was in fine form yesterday." Gabby breathed out, Jemma frowning slightly.

"What happened?"

"My dad means well, I think. But he just… goes too far sometimes. He's always loved Matt, but when my parents separated a few years back, my dad stayed with us for awhile and it caused some tension between them. And then-" Gabby cut herself off as she tried to figure out how to say her next thought, Jemma placing a supportive hand on her arm as a source of comfort, flashing her a reassuring smile. "...Matt and I, we had some problems before I went to Puerto Rico, things between us weren't good while I was there either, and my dad's weary of that. I know he thinks he's looking out for me, but it just makes things harder." She vented, Jemma nodding understandingly.

"How does Matt feel about all this?"

"He's trying to make it easy on me. He pretty much just stopped saying anything yesterday after it was obvious my dad wasn't gonna stop. But it feels like he's a little distant, I don't know how to explain it." Gabby blew out a frustrated sigh, running her hand over her head. "He's just been checked out since yesterday, I guess. I don't wanna push him, he does this sometimes, gets caught up in his own head-"

"You two are more similar than I thought." Jemma cut in with a smile, Gabby chuckling before continuing.

"Fair enough… But I know he'll open up when he's ready, I just wish my dad hadn't pushed so hard."

"Well, I can't speak on your father, but from what I've seen of you and Matt, I don't think your dad has anything to worry about." Jemma responded, Gabby catching her gaze. "That guy is so in love with you, it's almost sickening. I don't know what all happened between the two of you, but your dad has to know how much you two love each other. Couples fight, things happen. But you and Matt are still together, you got through it." Gabby's eyes moved back to the desk, forcing herself to take a deep breath. "I'm sure your dad will come around, and Matt will be fine. Everything will be okay." Jemma finished, rubbing softly over Gabby's arm.

"Thanks Jemma." Gabby replied softly, the woman nodding before pulling her into a quick side hug.

"Anytime. Now let's get out of here, it's Murray's day for lunch so it should be good." Jemma said with a smile.

"Yeah, we need to get back before Blevins and Turner eat it all." Gabby joked, Jemma nodding her head up and down with a laugh. Gabby checked over the paperwork one last time before handing it off to a nurse, the women getting ready to head towards the exit. Before stepping away, Gabby's eyes flickered across the emergency room, a flash of movement over by the entrance catching her attention.

Jemma had started off towards the back exit, but stopped when she realized her partner wasn't following. Turning back around, Jemma saw Gabby still planted in her spot, her gaze trained across towards the front of the building, a look of confusion settled into her features. "Gabby?" She called curiously, snapping the woman from her thoughts, Dawson turning to look at her. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, just- I thought I saw someone from 51 heading towards the waiting room." She replied with a frown, Jemma's eyebrows furrowing. They both knew there was usually only one reason for a firefighter to be waiting around at a hospital.

"Wanna go see?" Jemma asked, knowing it would give Gabby some piece of mind.

"Yeah… just to check." She spoke, the frown seemingly permanently etched into her skin.

The two set out across the ER, nerves radiating off Gabby's body. "I'm sure if it was anything with Casey, someone would've called you." Jemma tried to comfort her, Gabby nodding as she ran her hands over her pockets, seemingly searching for her phone. The women walked around the corner, seeing all of the firehouse huddled together in the back corner of the waiting room, some sitting and some mulling around. Jemma turned to look at Gabby, seeing the woman's eyes bouncing around the room, clearly searching for one face in particular. Jemma's stomach dropped when she looked around at the firefighters and she couldn't find the one she knew Gabby was looking for. She heard Gabby's breath hitch beside her, Jemma placing a soft hand on her back.

"Kelly." Gabby called out, her voice unsteady. A few heads turned to look at them, some giving the women soft, greeting smiles as Severide moved towards them.

"Gabby? What are you doing here?" He asked, the confusion evident in his voice. "Hey Norris, good to see you again." Kelly greeted as he got closer, Jemma nodding back at him.

"We were dropping off a patient and I saw you guys, what's going on?" Gabby asked, her words shaky. Kelly immediately shook his head, hoping to reassure her it wasn't what she thought.

"Casey's fine."

"Where is he?" Gabby asked quickly, her eyes bouncing around the room again. Logic told her he wasn't in the room, knowing he would've come to her side by now had he seen her, but she couldn't stop from trying to find him.

"He's talking with Boden, he's not why we're here. I promise." Severide assured her, rubbing over her shoulder lightly as Herrmann came to stand with them.

"Why are you guys here? Is someone hurt?" She felt better knowing that Matt wasn't the reason for all of 51 to be waiting around, but that meant that _someone_ was hurt. Her concern shifted, the ache in her chest dulling when her body finally registered that Matt was okay, but she was still on edge, knowing someone that used to be family might be hurt.

"Brett and Foster got into an accident. They're gonna be okay, just some jerk who wasn't paying attention when they were going through a light. The rig is a little beat up, but there's no serious damage. The girls will be fine." Kelly explained, Gabby blowing out a sigh of relief.

"Good, good. I'm glad."

"Brett's shoulder is a little busted, and aside from a few scrapes Foster's good to go." Herrmann explained, Gabby nodding.

"I'm glad they're okay." Norris added when Gabby hadn't said anything else.

Gabby glanced back towards the ER, her eyes moving around to see if she could find any clue as to where Brett was.

"She's in room six, if you wanna go see her." Kelly spoke, as if he could read her mind. Crossing her arms over her chest, Gabby nodded before taking a few steps away from the small group.

"Yeah, I'm just gonna go check on her. You mind waiting a few more minutes?" Gabby directed the question to Jemma, her partner shaking her head.

"No, of course not. Take your time." She replied, Gabby flashing her a small smile before heading towards her destination. She felt a few nerves traveling through her body, but she pushed through regardless. This was just Brett. Despite everything, she was still someone who had been an important part of Gabby's life for years. She didn't want to keep tiptoeing around her, and acting like it didn't hurt whenever she thought of how far they'd fallen from each other.

As she came to stand in front of Brett's room, the glass door was closed but the curtain was open, giving Gabby the perfect view of her former partner. Herrmann was right, aside from the sling supporting her shoulder, Brett looked visibly unharmed. There was sure to be some bruises that would pop up in the next few days, Gabby knowing first hand how brutal an ambulance crash can be, but overall she looked okay. Before she stepped inside, her eyes traveled to Foster, who was sitting by Brett's bed, looking equally alright. Foster had more visible injuries, a few closed up cuts across her face, but for the most part they both looked fine.

Knowing she'd put this off as long as she could, Gabby sucked in a deep breath before moving towards the door, slowing sliding it open. Brett's eyes found hers first, the blonde clearly surprised to see her old friend standing there. Foster looked equally as surprised, but the emotion wasn't as visible.

"Dawson, hey, what are you doing here?" Sylvie asked softly, Gabby taking that as an invitation to come further into the room.

"I was here dropping off a patient and I heard what happened, you guys okay?" The sincerity in her voice was clear as day, Gabby stopping as she got to the foot of Brett's bed.

"We're okay, no one got seriously hurt or anything." Foster replied with a slight smile, Gabby nodding with a small smile.

"Good, good, I'm glad." She murmured, her eyes flashing back to Brett, seeing her already watching her. "Can I, uh, talk to you for a minute, Sylvie?" Gabby asked, clearing her throat.

"Yeah, sure." She replied, turning to Foster who was waiting for Brett's signal of what she wanted her to do. Gabby bit her bottom lip, suppressing an eye roll as Foster glanced back to her with a blank stare. She knew a lot had happened between her and Brett, but Foster hadn't been there for any of it, and Gabby didn't necessarily appreciate Foster acting like she needed permission to be alone with her.

After getting a nod from Brett, Foster stood up and wordlessly headed out of the room, not sparing a glance in Gabby's direction. The slightly cold interaction could only make Gabby wonder what stories had been told about her since her departure, and what had changed to make Emily give her the cold shoulder. Before, their minimal interactions had been uncomfortable and a touch awkward, but there was never any hostility between the two. But apparently that wasn't the case anymore, at least not today.

Gabby decided not to give any sort of reaction to it, knowing Foster had a pretty crazy day so far, and that can really shake a person. And on top of that, Gabby had no interest in forging a relationship with 51's newest paramedic. She would be friendly, but there was no reason for her to become best friends with this woman, when they would only ever see each other in passing.

Once they were alone, Gabby came to take the seat previously held by Foster, her body turned towards the paramedic sitting on the bed. There was an uncomfortable feeling that had settled in the air, neither woman knowing how to act around the other. It was something both of them hated, knowing nothing between them had ever been this hard before.

"I owe you an apology." Gabby breathed out after a few silent moments, Brett not showing much in terms of a reaction. "And I should've done this awhile ago, but the way I handled everything on the call that day… that wasn't fair for me to treat you like that. I should've never snapped at you. I took my problems out on you, and that's not okay. We're partners- we were partners." Gabby corrected herself, swallowing thickly, "I should've never let the things I was dealing with bleed over into the call, I'm sorry for that."

Brett stared at her for a moment, the blonde releasing a soft sigh as she clasped her hands together in her lap. "I messed up too, Gabby. I did the same thing, I hadn't dealt with us losing that woman and I let it affect my work, and I took it out on you. I never should have done that." Gabby gave her a slight nod, moving her hands over her legs. "And I didn't mean what I said, about not caring what you were dealing with. Of course I care, and I'm sorry I acted like I didn't. I knew something was going on with you, you've never acted like that before. But I just wasn't coping and I took it out on you." Brett explained, regret laced in her voice. "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you. We were best friends, and I wasn't there when you needed me. I'm sorry you felt like no one cared about what you were going to do, and I'm sorry none of us noticed there was more going on than you just wanting to go help." Sylvie spoke softly, Gabby tensing slightly from her words. "We all should've seen it, and we didn't. I really am so sorry, Gabby. We never meant to make you feel like you couldn't come back."

"It's not your all's fault. I make my own decisions, you all didn't do anything wrong."

"That's not really true, Gabby." Brett replied, Gabby breathing slowly as she looked up at her. "Casey, he didn't say much, but he told us that what you all were dealing with before you left, that it broke you." Gabby's breath hitched as Sylvie spoke, Brett's eyes softening at her reaction. "And looking back on your last week at 51, I know what he was talking about. None of us saw how bad it was at the time, or we did and ignored it, but you weren't okay. We should've been there for you, we should've helped you. Helped the both of you, but we didn't. And that's on us. That's on me." Brett told her firmly, Gabby's eyes falling closed.

"We all made mistakes here, Gabby. This isn't just on you. I'm sorry everything got so messed up between us, I really wish everything played out differently... It's not the same without you, Dawson."

Gabby opened her mouth to respond, but she didn't know what to say. She was coming up empty on finding the right words to express exactly what she was feeling, and before she could she heard Jemma's voice come through over her radio.

"_Dawson, sorry but we got a call for a transport_."

"I'm coming." She radioed back immediately, standing up from her seat.

"I'm…" She started, still not sure of what to say. "I'm really glad you're okay. That you're both okay." Gabby spoke, looking quickly out through the door. Brett nodded softly in response, wearing a small smile on her face.

"Thanks for checking up on us."

"Of course, yeah." She replied, taking a few steps closer to the door. "I'm sorry I have to run out like this, but, I uh…" She trailed off, unable to find the right words to say to her friend. After a few quick seconds of thought, Gabby walked back towards the bed, slowly wrapping her arm around Brett in a gentle hug. "Thank you, for everything you said." She whispered, a soft smile falling onto Brett's face as she wrapped her uninjured arm around her.

The two separated quickly, knowing Gabby needed to get to work. But both of them felt better, like this had been a turning point in mending their broken relationship. Gabby waved a quick goodbye before hurrying out of the room, Brett watching her until she was out of sight. She wasn't sure if her and Dawson's friendship could ever completely be fixed, but this was a definite step in the right direction of repairing it.

Out in the hallway, Gabby was about to head back for the lobby when she saw Jemma, Kelly, Matt, and Foster standing near the nurses station. She made her way over to them, knowing they were on limited time.

"Hey, you ready to go Jemma?" She asked, turning her attention to Matt quickly as she gave him a quick peck on the lips. Her partner nodded, the girl beginning to break away from the group. "I'm sorry I can't stay, but I'll see you at home tomorrow morning?" She asked, Matt nodding as he gave her another quick kiss.

"I'll see you then, stay safe." He told her, Gabby patting his cheek gently before stepping away from him. She gave a quick goodbye to Kelly, not having the time or the energy to give Foster anything more than a nod before she hurried off to the call.

* * *

Gabby sat at the kitchen table in the quiet apartment, nursing her first cup of coffee as she flipped through some paperwork, her elbow resting on her bent knee as she sat with one leg tucked under her. She'd gotten an early start to the day, earlier than usual on her days off, having woken up before the sun. Gabby had taken a shower, cleaned up a bit around the apartment, and now she was sitting here waiting for Matt to get home.

Seconds after she glanced at the clock again, she heard the telltale sign of Matt returning home, looking up to see him working on unlocking the back door. He slid inside, Gabby seeing the minute he registered she was awake, noticing him take a deep breath as the smell of coffee attacked his senses.

"Good morning." He spoke lightly, locking the door in place and shedding off his winter jacket before coming over to her. "I wasn't expecting you to be up." He stopped to place a soft kiss to the top of her head, before moving his way towards the coffee maker.

"Couldn't sleep." She replied, seeing him look up from his mug, halting the pouring of his drink as he looked to her.

"Are you okay? Was it another nightmare?" Concern was laced in his voice as he went back to fixing his drink, Gabby shaking her head.

"Nothing like that, just wired I guess." She said with a shrug, Matt coming over to the table and sitting in the chair next to her. "But I am gonna go see Chaplain again later in the week."

"Good." Matt responded, taking a slow sip of his beverage, the warmth thawing his cold body. "How was the rest of your shift?"

"Uneventful, yours? How's Brett?"

"She's okay, Boden sent both her and Foster home. We had no ambo the rest of shift, but they got a replacement one in before third shift got there." He explained, Gabby nodding as she shifted in her seat to get a better view of him. "Speaking of, there is something I wanna ask you." He prompted, her eyebrows furrowing in curiosity as he looked to her carefully. "Boden was talking to me before you got there, and he was wondering what you thought about covering for Brett next shift?"

Gabby's mouth fell open in slight surprise, but she snapped it shut almost immediately, her head tilting to the side in confusion. "But I thought Brett was okay?"

"She is, but Boden's sidelining her next shift. She's gonna come in, but he doesn't want her doing much. He wanted me to see if you'd like to cover for her for a shift before he put in a formal request for fill-in." Matt spoke lightly, trying to gauge her reaction.

"But I don't even work in the CFD anymore…"

"Chief said he'd take care of the paperwork, that if you wanted to come back to 51 for one more shift, he'd love to have you. As long as it doesn't interfere with your schedule." Matt told her, Gabby biting her bottom lip as she focused her gaze onto her drink. "You don't have to do this, Gabby." Matt told her, sensing her hesitation. "It's just an option, Boden wanted you to know. I told him it was completely up to you, but he needs to know today."

Blowing out a sigh, Gabby ran through the possible outcomes of her working one more shift, trying to decide if this was something she should do. Ultimately, her desire to work there one last time won out, Gabby silently praying it wouldn't be too uncomfortable.

"Hell, let's do it." She spoke, watching Matt's face light up.

"Really?"

"Yeah, why not. It's just one shift, and selfishly I want to be able to work with you one last time." She said with a grin, Matt smiling.

"I'd love that." He told her, leaning forward and kissing her softly. "I'm gonna go call Boden, let him know you're in." The excitement in his voice made Gabby smile, Matt standing up, planting one more kiss on her before heading towards the bedroom.

Blowing out a breath, Gabby closed her eyes as what she had just agreed to sunk in. She felt like she was in a good enough place with everyone there to go and do this, especially after her conversation with Sylvie yesterday. Her last shift at 51, she didn't know it was her last at the time. She had thought, eventually, that she'd be back. But it didn't work out that way. She could only hope doing this would give her a bit of closure, and give her the chance to say a proper goodbye to one of the biggest parts of her life.

* * *

**I hope you guys liked this one. I know there's been a few of you who have wanted to see a reconciliation between Brett and Gabby, so I hope you enjoyed that part. Things between them aren't completely resolved, but it's a start.**

**I want to say a quick thank you to all the support on the last chapter. I promise, I have no intention of quitting this story. I really want to do what the show couldn't and continue Dawsey's story, and your words of encouragement have made me even more determined. Just sometimes I need a break from it. But I appreciate everyone who left such kinds words on the last chapter, you all are the best.**

**Also, I know Gabby's anxiety and everything with that has been a big part of the story these last few chapters, and I hope no one minds. One of the things that always kind of bugged me about the show was that they would bring up these storylines for the characters, and then they'd get dropped after like an episode and never mention it again (like Gabby's obvious trauma from what happened to Matt in the season 5 finale don't even get me started, what wasted potential. And also the fact that Matt was completely fine after almost dying? Sounds fake but anyway I didn't mean for this to be a rant sorry). But I don't want to do that here. This isn't something that just goes away, and I don't want to make light of something like this. I promise it won't always be such a driving force to the chapters as it is right now, but it's something that has to be dealt with. I hope you guys understand. **

**Lastly, I have a quick question for you all. I've been working on the outline for the new Dawsey story I mentioned a couple chapters back, and the type of story it is, I'm trying to decide whether to keep it more PG-13 or if I should go ahead and go full M-rated with it, because it could easily be that. I just don't know what people are more interested in reading? If you all could let me know, that would be great because I'm still trying to decide which way to go with it. Thanks so much.**

**I know I talked a lot, I'm sorry about that. But I can't wait to hear what you all thought about this one, thanks for reading!**


	24. Chapter Twenty Four

**Hello hello! I know a lot of you said how you were looking forward to seeing how Gabby's shift at 51 goes and well, let's just say it's interesting. I originally planned this chapter going in a different direction, but I just started writing and this is what came out so… settle in, I've got a long one for ya.**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Four**_

* * *

Gabby studied her appearance as she looked in the mirror, the unfamiliar yet all too familiar uniform covering her body causing a rush of emotions to flood her system. The blue pants and grey shirt were a little loose as they hung from her body, Gabby still thinner than she was when she first left. But with the long sleeve shirt tucked into her pants and the belt wrapped around her waist, she looked the same. It was odd, seeing herself in this uniform again. The uniform she kept hidden in the back of her bottom drawer, never expecting to pull it out again.

It was a weird feeling, seeing the CFD crest staring back at her through her reflection. Her hand came up to run over it, her fingers grazing over the slightly faded emblem, Gabby tearing her eyes from it as she caught her own gaze.

She couldn't explain exactly what she was feeling in this moment. It almost felt like she was herself again, like she was going back to where she belonged. But she knew that wasn't the case, that 24 hours from now everything would be back to normal. Or at least her new normal. Firehouse 51 wasn't her home anymore, her spot had been filled. She didn't have a place there now, and she had accepted that. Today was simply her chance to say goodbye to it.

"I found it." Matt called happily as he bounded into the bedroom clad in his Captain's attire, holding onto Gabby's old paramedic jacket from the CFD, the thicker material needed for the freezing temperatures they were about to head out into. "It was hiding in the front closet." He spoke with a soft smile as he came to a halt beside her, holding out the item for her to take.

"Thank you." She responded quietly, grabbing the jacket from him and pulling it over her shoulders.

"You okay?" He took a step closer to her, wrapping his arm around her back as he looked at themselves in the mirror. Nodding slightly, Gabby gave him as much of a smile as she could muster.

"Just a little nervous… it's gonna be weird, working there again." Matt gave her a sympathetic smile, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss against the side of her head.

"That's understandable, but I really don't think you have anything to worry about. Everyone's gonna be so excited to have you back, even if it's just for one shift." He murmured into her hair, squeezing her side lightly. "And remember what I told you," Matt shifted the position of his head as he spoke, resting his chin on the top of her head, "if anyone's mean to you, they're automatically on bathroom duty for the next month." A chuckle escaped through her lips, genuine smiles finding their way to both of their faces as Matt brought his other arm around her front. "But in all seriousness, I know you're a little nervous to go back, but I think it'll be good for you. And I'll be right there the entire time." He promised her, Gabby turning her head to place a soft kiss against his neck.

"Thank you." She whispered against his skin, Gabby shifting in his hold so they were facing each other, pushing herself up to place a soft kiss on his lips. Matt had a wide grin on his face when they pulled back, his hand rubbing over her back lightly. Glancing over his shoulder to the clock on the wall, Gabby blew out a soft breath, patting his chest before pulling from his grip. "We need to get going soon." Turning to look at the clock as well, Matt nodded in agreement, pulling Gabby in for one more kiss before the two went back to getting ready for the day ahead.

* * *

Matt and Gabby walked up the driveway of 51, the formerly routine action now almost foreign to her as they maneuvered past the snow and ice covering the ground, Gabby blowing out a heavy breath. The last time the couple had done this trek, things were completely different, the two barely speaking as they walked into work for the last time with a heavy tension looming over them. Now, Gabby felt a similar tension for a different reason, the paramedic weary of what she was getting herself into. But knowing she had Matt here with her, and knowing the relationship between her and the other members of 51 was slowly moving in a better direction, she felt like this was the right decision. Even if it was only for one shift, she wanted to be able to call this place home again.

"Do they know I'm working today?" She asked him, Matt's beanie clad head turning to look at her for a moment before he returned his attention to the ground below him, not wanting to slip and fall.

"I don't know. Boden said he was gonna tell Brett and Foster, but aside from them I'm not sure who else knows." He answered, their breath fogging up at the air around them as the cold temperature attacked their senses. Gabby merely nodded as they got to the door, Matt holding it open for her to walk through. She stopped in the doorway to take in the familiar surroundings, leaving room for Matt to come in behind her so he wouldn't be trapped in the cold.

She couldn't pinpoint exactly how she was feeling right now, her mind and her heart pulling her in different directions. This place still felt like it should be her home, even though it's not. Part of her wished she could come back to her old job, and be able to work with Matt and see her friends all the time, but she knew that wasn't a possibility. When she was here a few weeks ago, she didn't get this same feeling. Maybe because she knew she was a visitor, or because the only reason she was here was to talk to Boden about her new job, but now, she felt oddly at peace. It felt like she was back where she belonged. But Gabby knew she had to push back those feelings. She didn't belong here, she couldn't get too comfortable. It wasn't her house anymore. She was nothing more than a floater, coming in to cover for a paramedic who _did_ belong here, and she couldn't let herself lose sight of that. It would only make things harder.

"You good?" Matt asked her softly, Gabby feeling his hand come up to rest on her lower back. Nodding slightly, she turned to look at him.

"I am, it's just a lot… Being back here again." She spoke quietly, Matt flashing her an understanding smile. "But this'll be good, to get to work with everyone one last time." Gabby was unable to hide the hint of sadness in her voice, Matt frowning as he picked up on it. He opened his mouth to question her, but she spoke before he could get a word out. "Let's go put our stuff away."

Deciding it was a conversation for another time, Matt nodded in agreement, following her towards the first set of double doors. The doors that conveniently avoided the common room. He wasn't sure if she was doing it on purpose, or if it was purely out of their location, but regardless he followed her path.

As they walked through the halls of the firehouse, he saw a few faces from first shift wondering around, most likely getting ready for shift change that was due to happen soon, but Matt had yet to see anyone from second shift. As they got to the locker room, Matt could hear Herrmann and Severide talking before they even got in there. He noticed Gabby's steps slow, but she never stopped her path. The couple turned the corner together, finding the two firefighters at their respective lockers, along with Foster and Kidd standing with them.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" Herrmann bellowed as soon as he laid eyes on her, slamming his locker shut in surprise. "Is that Miss Gabriela Dawson wearing her CFD uniform? What are you doing here?" His voice was laced in excitement, Gabby's nerves lessening tremendously from his reaction as he walked closer to her.

"Boden asked me to cover for Brett this shift, and I figured why not? For old times sake." She replied with a grin, Herrmann wrapping her up in a tight hug, swaying them side to side as he held onto her.

"You never greet me like this, Herrmann." Matt spoke lightly as the older firefighter let go of Gabby, moving to stand by her side but keeping his arm over her shoulders.

"There's nothing special about seeing you, Cap." He replied smugly, Gabby chuckling at Casey's expense.

"I'll remember that next time I need someone on shower duty." Matt muttered, giving Gabby's arm a comforting squeeze before moving towards his locker.

"I almost didn't believe Kidd when she told me." Severide interjected, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she looked from Kelly towards Stella.

"You knew?" Kidd moved towards Gabby, the woman nodding with a soft smile.

"Foster told me, I didn't really believe her either but here you are." Stella spoke, forcing Herrmann's arm off Gabby as she wrapped her long-time friend up in a hug. "It's good to have you back, Dawson."

"I second that." Kelly said from his locker as Stella pulled away, Gabby feeling a heat rise to her cheeks.

"It's just for this shift guys, don't get too used to it." She reminded them, her eyes flashing to Foster who had stayed rooted in her spot across the room, her blank stare focused on Gabby. "But I'm glad to be here for today."

"Well we're happy to have you back, kid. Even if it's just for one day." Herrmann's voice was light, the man giving her one last hug before heading out of the locker room, Kidd following his path seconds later.

"Well, good news is in about ten seconds everyone within a five mile radius will know Dawson's here." Kelly said with a grin, Gabby smirking as she walked towards Matt. "I'll see you guys out there, glad to have you back Dawson." Kelly stopped by Gabby's side, giving her a quick hug and planting a kiss on her cheek before sliding past the couple, making his way out of the locker room.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Matt spoke with a soft smile, Gabby nodding before her eyes moved behind him, seeing Emily still in her same spot. Matt saw her gaze shift, turning around to see Foster watching them.

"Hey Foster." He said warmly, the words causing her to snap out of her stare, Emily starting her way to the exit.

"Hey Captain, Dawson." She greeted with a weak smile, slipping out of the room without another word. Matt turned back to his locker, placing his keys on the shelf as Gabby slid her bag down off her shoulder.

"Can I, uh, just put my stuff in your locker?" Gabby asked quietly, Matt glancing at her to see her eyes elsewhere. He followed her line of sight, landing on her old locker, the locker that now had another firefighter's name written across it.

"Of course." He replied, carefully taking her bag from her grasp and hanging it in his locker. Matt hung up his jacket, Gabby opting to keep hers knowing what kind of weather she'd be getting herself into. "You ready to go out there?" He asked after shutting his locker, "Seeing Herrmann and Kidd went well, I'm sure everyone else is equally excited to see you." He said with a small smile.

"Yeah, it did. But everyone in here wasn't really who I was worried about, for the most part." Gabby responded, Matt tilting his head to the side in confusion, taking a step closer to her.

"For the most part?" He repeated, picking up on her wording. Gabby's eyes flickered towards the ground, Matt sighing softly before placing his hand under her chin, lifting her head until she was looking at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's really nothing, it's just- things between Foster and I are a little..." She trailed off, not able to find the right words to say.

"Did something happen?" His voice had dropped significantly, both of them knowing where they were and that their conversation could easily be heard by anyone passing through.

"No, not really. It's just awkward, and I get a weird feeling from her." Gabby began explaining, Matt watching her closely. "All she does is stare at me, and I'm not really sure why. And she was kind of cold towards me when I was at the hospital visiting Brett." A soft sigh escaped her lips before she continued. "I don't know, it could be nothing, but I don't get the feeling she likes me very much."

Matt's eyebrows furrowed as she spoke, a deep frown etched into his face. "You want me to talk to her?" He knew the answer already, and based on the indignant look that crossed her face his assumption was correct that she didn't want his help, but he wanted to at least ask.

"No, I don't want you to do anything." She replied sternly, Matt giving her a nod to show he understood. "No need for you to go all Captain Casey on anyone." Her voice shifted into a light tone, Gabby bringing her hand up to run her thumb over his lips, wiping away the frown that had yet to disappear.

"I'm sure none of this is fun for her either, it's a weird situation to be thrown into. I'd probably be acting the same way if I were in her shoes." Gabby continued, tracing her fingers up to his cheek, rubbing lightly over his skin. "She knows whose job she took, and now I'm back, it has to be weird for her."

"Yeah, but it's not like you're trying to get your job back." He countered, Gabby breathing in deeply.

"No, I'm not. But it's still uncomfortable for both of us. So just don't make it any weirder, okay?" She pleaded, Matt nodding before moving his hands to either side of her waist, pulling her flush against him. He took her by surprise when he placed a hard kiss against her mouth, the moment ending as quickly as it started.

Gabby was heaving when he pulled back, a pensive yet amused look covering her face as she raised her eyebrows at him.

"I won't say anything unless I feel like I need to," He compromised, Gabby opening her mouth to protest but he stopped her. "But for the record, you wouldn't be acting like that if you were in her position." He spoke, placing a soft kiss to the side of her mouth before sliding past her. "Come on, we don't want you late on your first day." He teased, watching a genuine smile fall onto her face, Matt nodding at her to follow him.

The couple walked through the maze that was Firehouse 51, Gabby trailing behind Matt as they got to the conference room, seeing everyone in there already, Boden at the helm, waiting to start roll call.

"There you two are." Chief spoke lightly, Matt and Gabby coming to a halt just inside the doorway. "I'm sure most of you have heard by now, but today we have Dawson back with us to cover for Brett." Gabby turned to face the sea of people, surprised to be greeted by so many warm smiles. Herrmann whistled, Cruz and Otis clapping loudly as Boden finished her introduction.

"Welcome back, mama." Cruz called out, a few of the other firefighters in the room cheering. Heat rushed to her cheeks at the warm welcome, that being the last thing she expected from the group in front of her. If anyone still had a problem with her, they weren't showing it as the loud noise filled the small space. Matt bumped her lightly, wearing a proud look on his face that screamed '_I told you so_'. She nudged him back, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of being right, despite it being true.

There had been a shift in the attitudes of mostly everyone in the room, their genuine excitement of her being there filling her with warmth. She wasn't sure if they had finally forgiven her, or maybe they had just moved on from their resentment towards her, but whatever had caused it, Gabby was grateful. Gone was the awkwardness and apprehensive stares, replaced with nothing but warmth and a feeling of content. This is what she missed so much, what she was afraid had been ruined forever. The feeling of being surrounded by her family and feeling nothing but joy radiating off the people around her.

Except from one person.

Foster was sitting at the back table beside Mouch, the woman wearing a seemingly permanent blank stare, focused in on Dawson. The strong gaze made Gabby uncomfortable, but she tried to push the feeling away. It was unfortunate that Foster was the one Gabby would actually be working with today, but she felt hopeful that once they got to know each other better this clear tension between the two would dissipate. The last thing Gabby wanted was to start any problems, not when she was only here for one day and not when things between her and everyone here had gotten so much better. She just wanted to be able to enjoy her last shift working at 51, her last shift working with Matt. She didn't want or need any trouble, and hopefully Foster felt the same way.

"Now, today will be pretty much business as usual. Dawson, I know it's been awhile but I trust you're ready to go."

"Absolutely."

"Great. You'll be our PIC for this shift." He spoke, Gabby's eyes widening slightly in surprise. "You have more experience, and you were PIC here for a long time so I take it that'll work fine for you two." Chief questioned, even though both women knew he wasn't asking. Gabby spared a glance to Foster, who looked even more annoyed than before.

"Of course." Emily replied, her eyes narrowed.

"Sounds good." Gabby's voice didn't hold nearly as much confidence as it had moments prior, but Chief continued nonetheless.

"Excellent, now-" The bells stopped Chief's sentence short as they all listened intently, hearing Ambulance 61 being needed, the address being rattled out as everyone aside from the two paramedics relaxed.

"You got this." Matt assured her, giving her wink before she headed out of the room, her body moving on autopilot through the familiar motions. She felt Foster behind her, Gabby stopping short of the rig.

"You wanna drive, or do you want me to?" Gabby asked her. She knew they needed to figure this out quickly, the pace of the firehouse much more rigorous than her current job, but she didn't want to make Foster feel like she was being pushed around her own rig. Even though Boden made her PIC for the shift, she didn't work here. This wasn't her ambulance anymore, and she didn't want to try and act like it was.

"You're the PIC, you choose." Foster spoke dryly, Gabby releasing a soft breath before changing her path towards the passenger side.

"You can drive." She responded before she disappeared behind the rig. Both women got into their seats, Foster whipping out of the garage as they raced off towards the person in distress.

* * *

Gabby trailed behind Foster as they walked through the garage, returning from their fourth call of the day. It was a little before noon, and this was the first time they'd been back to the house since they got called out at the start of shift.

The dynamic between the two paramedics hadn't improved nearly as much as Gabby was hoping, Foster seemingly content to stick to only the necessary forms of communication. At first, Gabby did what she could to try and strike up a conversation between them, but Emily wasn't interested. Gabby didn't try for very long, not wanting to force the woman to talk to her if she didn't want to. Although she found the behavior to be quite childish, Gabby said nothing. Things between them were already uncomfortable enough, confronting Foster about it would do nothing but cause more tension.

But Gabby wasn't about to let this woman walk all over her either, and she made it very clear that despite this now being Foster's house, she was the PIC, and she called the shots. She didn't want to overstep her role here, but she was the one put in charge, and Foster had to respect that. It was a role that Gabby fell back into quite nicely, and she found herself missing it. She missed being apart of a firehouse, she missed working here, but every time those thoughts crept up into her mind she squashed them down, constantly reminding herself this was only temporary.

"So, uh, I thought Brett was supposed to be here today?" Gabby asked hesitantly as they approached the double doors, not exactly looking to make conversation with Foster but the question had been on her mind all morning. Gabby knew Brett could be an excellent buffer between the two, Dawson wishing the blonde was here right now.

"She is, she had a follow up with Dr. Rhodes this morning." Foster responded, Gabby merely nodding in response as they walked into the common room. "And there she is." Foster smiled widely, seeing Brett sitting at the table with Kidd and Otis.

"It's about time you two got back, I've been sitting here for almost two hours." Brett playfully whined, her smile shining brightly.

"Girl, I've missed you!" This was the most enthusiasm Gabby had ever seen from her current partner as Foster walked towards the blonde. Mindful of the sling, she wrapped Brett up in a hug.

"Emily, it's not even been half a shift." Brett spoke with a laugh, her eyes moving behind the woman who had a hold on her to find Gabby standing in the entrance to the common room. "Hey Dawson." Gabby gave her a small smile and a nod, Foster pulling back and glancing to Gabby before sitting down next to her friend.

"Yeah, well it feels like longer." Emily spoke with a sigh, Gabby biting her tongue as she moved her focus to another person in the room. She found Matt's gaze waiting for her, a questioning look covering his face as he nodded to Foster. Gabby shook her head, silently telling him not to worry about it before making her way to him and Severide, who had taken up residence at the round table behind the couch.

"Hey you." Matt spoke cheerily, pushing out the chair beside him for her to sit down. "So, crazy shift back. I'm not sure what's going on today." He commented, Gabby nodding as she fell into the chair, blowing out a tired sigh.

"Yeah, I heard you guys get called out over the radio for the fire earlier, everyone okay?" Gabby questioned. Usually, they would have to wait until tomorrow morning to talk about their shifts, but being able to do it like this again was comforting.

"No fatalities. I heard some of the calls you two got, sounded pretty intense." Matt replied, Gabby shrugging softly.

"Not exactly the pace of that private ambo company, huh?" Severide asked with a mug grin, Gabby narrowing her gaze at him before grabbing the magazine closest to her and tossing it at him.

"You forget I've done this for years, Kelly." She bit back, earning a chuckle from Herrmann who was sitting on the couch.

"Yup, our Dawson is back." He muttered under his breath, but most of the room heard him, eliciting laughs from a few of the firefighters around them. The focus moved on from Gabby and Severide, chatter settling in around them as Matt put down his newspaper, turning his attention to the tired woman beside him.

"How's everything going?" He asked, his eyes flickering to Foster before locking eyes with Gabby.

Picking up on the real meaning of his question, she shrugged, reaching for the plate of apples he had sitting in front of him and placing it in front of herself. "It's going about like I expected."

Matt smiled softly as he watched her eat his snack, Matt reaching for one of the cut up apples on the plate and taking a bite. "And how are _you_ doing?" He asked after a few moments, his voice low. He was sure Kelly could hear him, but he hoped no one else around them could. "You feeling okay? I know you've been called out like crazy, but this isn't too much for you?" Concern was laced in his words, despite the low volume.

Gabby's eyes flashed to Kelly, who, to his credit, was acting oblivious to the conversation even though Gabby knew he heard what they were saying. "I'm alright."

"Okay," He started, Gabby picking up the last piece of food and holding it out for him to take, which him immediately declined. "You eat." Matt told her, Gabby nodding and taking it for herself. "But you'll tell me if you start to feel overwhelmed or anything, right?"

"Yeah, I will. Promise." She responded with a smile, Matt reciprocating the action before moving back to his newspaper.

"Oh, and instead of subjecting you to Otis' cooking, I ordered in from that Mexican place you love. Food should be here in about an hour." Matt spoke proudly, Gabby's eyes widening in excitement and thanks.

"You've just become my favorite person." She teased, Matt's mouth parting open in shock. There was no time for him to respond before the bells rang out, signaling 61 to another call. Gabby pushed herself up from the table, leaning over and placing a soft kiss to the top of his head before heading out towards the garage behind Brett and Foster.

"Wait, who was ahead of me before?" He called out, Gabby shrugging with a grin before she disappeared through the doors.

"It's nice," Herrmann mused, turning around to look at Casey, who's eyebrows raised in question. "It's nice seeing you two happy again."

"Thanks Herrmann." Matt replied, not sure what else to say as he flashed the older man a smile, the firefighters going back to their individual activities while they waited for their lunch.

* * *

Gabby sat at the long table in the common room, happily enjoying her food as she was positioned in between Matt and Stella, few words being said as everyone dug into their portions. 61 had gotten back maybe fifteen minutes after the food had been delivered, and Gabby found a plate of her favorites and a seat waiting for her next to Matt when she came in, Casey getting rewarded with a quick kiss before she took her seat and began eating.

Aside from some chatter here and there, it was unusually quiet around the room, until Herrmann spoke up from the end of the table.

"So kid, we still never heard anything about Puerto Rico." He started, Gabby swallowing before turning her attention to him, placing her fork down on her half-finished plate.

"Well," She cleared her throat, glancing to Matt was gave her a small, encouraging smile. "What do you want to know?" She felt eyes throughout the room on her, both Casey and Severide holding bits of concern in their gaze, knowing the topic wasn't the easiest to talk about.

"What did you do over there?" He questioned, shoveling another forkful of food into his mouth.

"Well, uh," She cleared her throat again, willing her mind to focus solely on the job aspects of Puerto Rico before she spoke up, Matt moving his hand from the table to rest on her back, rubbing soft circles over her shirt. "We did a lot of logistical help with building back up hospitals, we taught families basic first aid. A lot of us took turns going around schools down there, to help teach kids some first aid skills too. We were doing a bunch of different things." She said softly, Matt smiling as she spoke, his body filling with pride as she talked of the work she'd done. "And I ended up becoming a permanent translator for some of the other paramedics there." Chuckles were heard about the table, Herrmann catching her gaze.

"Yeah, I mean we were used to only hearing you speak Spanish whenever Casey got in trouble." Herrmann teased, the laughs growing at the expense of their Captain, who merely let out a dry chuckle. "But I'd imagine it came in handy while you were there."

"Very funny Herrmann." Matt responded, Gabby smirking as she placed her hand on his thigh, squeezing gently.

"But no, it sounds like amazing work you were doing while you were there. Did you enjoy it?"

"I did, yeah." She replied, catching Matt's eyes before continuing. "Being able to help everyone there, seeing how appreciative they were over the littlest thing, it definitely gave me a lot of perspective. It was rewarding, being able to help them. Even if it was just for a little bit." She trailed off, Gabby seeing a few of the looks worn by her former colleagues, noticing a hint of pride shining in their gazes.

"Sounds like the job was made for you. You've always been helping others, so I'm not surprised you enjoyed it so much." Herrmann said sincerely, Gabby flashing him a small smile.

"Thanks Herrmann." She responded, feeling Matt pat her back before dropping his hand. "I did enjoy what I was doing there, but, uh, I'm glad to be back home." Matt gave her a strong, supportive smile, proud of her for how well she handled talking about her work over there.

"Why are you back?" Foster's blunt voice broke through for the first time, confused glances and raised eyebrows turning to meet the woman at the other end of the table.

"Emily." Brett bewildered voice whispered from beside her.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it like that." She covered quickly, her eyes finding Casey's narrow glare and Dawson's hesitant gaze staring at her. "I just meant what made you decide to come back?"

"Oh," Gabby responded, clearing the shock from her voice before speaking. "Well, it was a few things, but mostly I just wanted to come home."

"Was your assignment up or something?" Emily questioned, no one else at the table daring to speak as the uncomfortable conversation continued.

"No, I had a permanent job there. But I wanted to come back." Gabby replied, confused as to why Emily was so intent on questioning her.

"Why? Did something happen to make you want to come home, or something like that?" She prodded, multiple pairs of wide eyes moving back to Gabby, waiting for her answer.

"Foster." Matt spoke warningly, no one missing the harsh edge to his voice.

"It's okay, Matt." Gabby whispered from his side, her eyes narrowing before landing back on Foster. "I'm not sure what answer you're expecting here, but I wanted to come home. I missed Matt, and my family, and the job wasn't making me happy anymore." She responded sharply, the tension in the room growing.

"But wasn't it your choice to leave all that? You chose the job over people here." Foster sharply replied. "And weren't you gone for like five months? You're saying one day you just suddenly decided to come back to the people you left? That's it?"

Gabby's mouth parted open slightly, the prying questions slapping her in the face. You could hear a pin drop in the room, everyone in the room practically able to see the anger radiating off of Casey's body.

Gabby knew they were all waiting to see what she would say, and how she'd react to Foster's questions, but no one was willing to speak up before she did.

"Out of everyone in this room, you're the last person who deserves any explanation as to why I chose to come back." Gabby spoke after nearly a minute of silence. "I don't know why you have a problem with me, or what you think is going on here, but what made me come back doesn't concern you." Without another word, Gabby pushed back her chair and left the room, Matt watching her until she disappeared down the hallway.

With anger coursing through him, Matt slid back his chair, the metal on tile sound screeching throughout the room as his fists clenched at his sides. "What the hell was that, Foster?" He bit out, grabbing his and Gabby's plates from the table.

"Matt-" Severide started, but Casey shook his head, shooting Kelly a glare before turning back to Foster.

"I'm just trying to figure out what's going on."

"There's nothing going on!" He replied exasperatedly, his body radiating aggravation as he moved around the table. "The reasons for Gabby coming back have nothing to do with you, and quite frankly they don't have anything to do with anyone here." He snapped, his anger getting the best of him. "There's no hidden agenda here. This is her home, that's why she's back."

Casey left the room before anyone else could get a word in, going in search of Gabby.

"Uh, you wanna explain what that was all about, Foster?" Herrmann broke the silence in the room, Emily looking around and seeing every pair of eyes on her.

"I just find it weird, her coming back so suddenly. I told Brett this a few weeks ago, there has to be another reason she's back."

"But even if there was, how would that possibly even affect you?" Brett questioned, unable to understand why Emily was making this into something more than it was.

"I'm not trying to look out for myself, I'm looking out for you guys." Foster replied frustratedly, earning confused stares from her coworkers. "If today has shown me anything, it's that everyone here has tunnel vision when it comes to her. Up until a few weeks ago, no one wanted to even talk to her, and now everyone's acting like she didn't do anything and nothing happened... I don't want you all getting hurt again."

Foster's words left an unsettling feeling in the room, no one really sure how to respond to what she was saying. After a few fleeting moments of uncomfortable silence, Herrmann blew out a breath, turning in his seat to face her.

"Look, Emily, I know your heart's in the right place here, but you're out of line with this." He spoke honestly, the woman in question giving little reaction. "What went down with us and Dawson, that's between us. You don't get to accuse her of something when this has nothing to do with you. Whatever other reasons there might be for Gabby coming back, I'm willing to bet they affect her a hell of a lot more than they do us." Herrmann's words were accompanied by a few agreeing nods from around the table, Foster taking a deep breath. "I know you mean well, but you owe Dawson an apology."

His words settled in the air for a few seconds before Emily nodded in compliance, the tense quiet moving throughout the room as everyone slowly went back to their meal.

* * *

Matt walked through the hallways, pushing his anger down as he made his way to the bunk room, figuring that the best place to look first. He couldn't focus on his feelings towards Foster at the moment, his only concern was making sure Gabby was alright after being interrogated in front of all her friends.

His instincts proved correct the second he walked into the room and saw Gabby in his office, sitting at his desk, her body hunched over slightly. Her back was to him, Matt having to maneuver the door open while holding two plates, but he completed the task successfully, Gabby turning around when she heard the noise. Matt placed the food down on his desk before saying a word, squatting down in front of her as Gabby turned the chair towards him.

His eyes ran over her face, and despite seeing a sadness in her tired eyes, he saw no signs of crying, which he was thankful for. Placing his hands on her knees to steady himself, he squeezed her legs lightly, Gabby giving him a pitiful smile.

"You okay?" He asked softly, Gabby's hand drifting up to run her fingers over his forehead as she released a deep sigh.

"I am, I just- I really don't know what her deal is with me." He could hear the frustration in her words, and he hated that Foster put her in this position. She had enough going on already, pettiness at work, especially about this, was not something she needed on top of everything else.

"You didn't do anything wrong. She's convinced there's some ulterior motives to you being back, but I don't even know what that could possibly mean." Matt was equally as frustrated at the situation, neither of them knowing why Foster was pressing this so hard. "She thinks there's something else going on."

"Oh, like me being attacked?" Gabby spoke bitterly, Matt's eyes shining with sadness. Not knowing where this conversation was going, he pushed himself up from his crouched position and moved to shut the door, wanting to give them privacy. "I wonder if that would get rid of whatever theories she has about why I'm here." She breathed out, Matt returning to his previous position, crossing his arms over her lap.

"Who knows, but it's none of her business." Matt replied, balancing on the balls of his feet. "You don't owe anyone out there any explanation. You know why you're here, and I know why you're here. That's all that matters." He spoke softly, rubbing his fingers over the outside of her thigh. "And, uh- I went a little Captain Casey out there after you left." He said with a smug look, Gabby's eyebrows raising. "I know I said I wouldn't, but the situation warranted it." Matt defended himself, a light smile finding its way to her lips. Leaning forward, she brushed a soft kiss over his forehead, placing a hand on the back of his neck.

"I love you."

"I love you too." He responded immediately, using her as leverage to return to a standing position. "And I'm sorry you had to deal with that, especially in front of everyone. She shouldn't have started any of that." He cradled the side of her face as he spoke, running his thumb lightly over her cheek.

Shrugging softly, Gabby's gaze flickering down. "This is what I didn't want to happen, and why I didn't think it was a good idea to come back here." She murmured, Matt's eyebrows furrowing at her words. "Me being here inevitably causes problems, whether it's something I did or not."

"This isn't your fault, Gabby." Matt spoke before she could finish her thought, her eyes snapping back to him. "This is completely on Foster, you didn't do anything. You're here doing your job, just like she is. She's the only one with the problem here."

"But I'm why she's acting like that. If I wasn't here, then she wouldn't-"

"And that's on her." He cut in. "You saw how excited everyone was to see you today, don't let her ruin that... Even though you don't work here anymore, don't let her keep you from coming here. This is her issue, don't avoid this place because of that. She'll get over it. And if she doesn't, you and I will deal with it." Matt assured her, tapping his thumb softly against her skin. "This is still your home, everyone out there loves you. Who cares about what she thinks." He finished, grinning softly at her, his smile widening when he saw a similar grin appear on her face. "Okay?"

"Okay." She confirmed, Matt leaning down to place a kiss on the top of her head.

"Good. Now finish your lunch." He commanded gently, moving her plate to position it directly in front of her. He picked up his own, walking the short distance past her and sitting down at the end of the bed. With a small smile on her face, Gabby picked up her plate and balanced it on her lap, turning the chair towards him as they finished their lunch together, both of them content just being together as they ate in a comfortable silence.

* * *

Gabby sat quietly as ambulance 61 drove through the wintery streets of Chicago, nearly to their destination of returning to the firehouse. They'd gotten called out to a heart attack victim, the three women working together in perfect sync. Anyone on the outside would be hard pressed to detect the tension among the paramedics. But it was there.

Luckily, after the lunch incident, 61 went nearly three hours without getting a call, Gabby having stayed put in Matt's office during that time. Even when 81 had gotten called out to a fire, Gabby remained in his office, taking up post on his bed. Kelly had stopped by to visit with her while Matt was out, but other than that she had been on her own. And truthfully she didn't mind.

The craziness of the day had taken its toll on her, and the break was very much needed and even more appreciated by the paramedic, Gabby thankful to enjoy the downtime with Matt like they used to.

But her solitude came to an end when they got called out, and without any negotiation Gabby automatically climbed into the back of the ambulance when the three got out there, wordlessly shutting the door behind her.

Unsurprisingly, they all handled the call professionally, getting the victim to the hospital quickly, speaking to each other when needed, but other than that Gabby stayed silent.

They'd somehow ended up with Gabby in the passenger seat and Brett, with her one good arm, driving the rig back to the firehouse, that similar silence permeating throughout the ambulance. Brett hadn't tried to get her to talk, knowing better than to force the situation, and Foster had remained a quiet presence in the back of the rig.

The snow was getting heavier as they got closer to the house, Gabby thankful when they pulled into the driveway of 51. She wanted to get out of this weather, and get back into the warmth and security that Matt's office provided her.

Once Brett backed in the rig, Gabby hopped from the passenger seat almost immediately, closing the door behind her before walking around the front of the ambulance, her path set on the double doors across from her.

"Dawson, wait." Foster's voice called, Gabby hearing the back ambulance doors slam and the sound of footsteps approaching her. Gabby hadn't slowed her steps yet, but she knew the paramedic would catch up to her. "Dawson." She felt a hand on her arm, effectively stopped her as Gabby turned around, seeing a weary-looking Foster in front of her, Brett a couple steps back from the two, watching the pair cautiously.

"I'm sorry." Foster spoke first, Gabby crossing her arms over her chest in a protective stance. "What happened earlier, that was out of line. I never should've pushed that hard." Emily began, Gabby's eyes softening slightly. "Whatever your reasons for coming back, it's none of my business. I wasn't here when it happened, we barely know each other- you don't owe me any explanation. I wish it didn't take Herrmann and the Captain kicking my ass to realize that, but... I was projecting my issues onto you, and that's not fair." Gabby's eyes narrowed in confusion, silently telling Foster to continue.

Releasing a soft breath, Emily mimicked Gabby's stance, her arms crossed over her chest. "I guess I felt a little threatened, by you coming back. I was worried the reason you came back, or at least part of it, was that you wanted your old life back. All of your old life back." Emily spoke, gesturing towards the garage. "I was afraid you were gonna come in here and want your old job back and I'd be moved from 51. It scared me, cause I love it here and don't want to work anywhere else. And I saw you being back as a threat to that."

"It's not my job anymore." Gabby cut in, her voice soft. "There's nothing I can take from you because it's not mine."

"Come on, Dawson. You really think if you went to Boden right now and asked him for your job back, he wouldn't move me in a second?" Foster asked. "You're beloved around here. And seeing that first hand, seeing how easily they all welcomed you back today after how everything went down, and Boden making you PIC… it freaked me out."

Sucking in a deep breath, Gabby pursed her lips together in thought before responding. "I don't know what Boden would do if I asked him for my old job. I'll be honest with you, when I first came back, he told me if I wanted my old job that he'd make it work." Gabby saw Emily visibly deflate, but she continued on. "I don't know what he meant, I didn't ask- but it doesn't matter, because it isn't my job. It was my job, for a long time this place was my home. But it's not anymore, at least not in the way it always had been." Gabby explained, her eyes flickering to Brett before moving back to Foster. "As far as I'm concerned, this is your job now. I'm not going to try and take it from you. I just wanted one last shift to be able to work with people who were my family for years. I wanted to work here with Casey one last time, that's all this was. Boden asked me to cover for Brett, and I said yes. There's nothing more to it."

It felt like a hard rock had settled in the pit of Emily's stomach, realizing just how off the mark she'd been in Dawson's intentions.

"I should've just come to you, instead of what I did earlier. I really am sorry. What happened with you leaving, it isn't between us. You didn't do anything to me, and I should've never acted like it affects me." Foster finished, taking a deep breath, trying to gauge the woman's reaction but she wasn't able to read her.

"I'm sorry, Gabby."

Gabby's tongue poked out from her mouth as it ran over her bottom lip, her head turning to the ground as she shifted back and forth on her feet. Not wanting to keep this going any longer, when Foster was visibly remorseful over what she'd done earlier, Gabby nodded, looking back up to meet her gaze.

"Okay." She accepted, Gabby seeing Foster's shoulders relax. "Thank you, for saying that." Gabby gave her a small smile before turning around and continuing her path towards the double doors, intent on making her way back to Matt's office.

* * *

Herrmann sat halfway off his bunk, looking around the dark room at all the other sleeping firefighters. It was barely past 11, yet the majority of the firehouse was dead to the world, peacefully sleeping away until the next call. All companies of 51 had spent the entirety of their late afternoon and evening at an apartment fire, the call tiring out most of the house, some barely eating dinner before calling it a night. Glancing towards the cracked door of the Captain's office, he could see there was at least a lamp on, the light peeking out from the cracks showing the high probability that Casey was still awake. Pushing himself up off the mattress, he slowly walked through the maze of bunks. All the blinds to the Captain's office were drawn, aside from the one on the door, Herrmann seeing that Casey was in fact still awake, the man in question leaned over his desk working on paperwork. The older firefighter quietly pulled the door open, tapping lightly on the frame to alert Matt of his presence. Casey turned from his desk, nodding towards his bunk without a word.

Looking to the right, that was when Herrmann first noticed Gabby's residence in the room, the woman curled up in Casey's bed, sleeping soundly under a blanket that had been thrown over her. It shouldn't have come as a surprise that she was still in there, Herrmann knowing that aside from about half an hour before their last call, and then some time during dinner, Gabby had spent the majority of her afternoon here.

"Oh, sorry Captain." He murmured, Casey waving him off.

"It's fine, she's been out for awhile. What's up?" Matt questioned, setting his pen down on top of his papers.

"Uh, can we talk? Maybe somewhere a little more private." Herrmann suggested, his eyes on Gabby while he spoke before they shifted back to Casey, Matt wearing a look of confusion but nodding nonetheless.

"Yeah, sure." He agreed, standing up from his chair, sparing one last glance to Gabby's sleeping form before following Herrmann from the room. He placed the door softly back against the frame, seeing Herrmann already headed out into the hallway. Matt followed his path, the pair ending up out in the garage. Even with the doors down, the chill in the cold Chicago air couldn't be escaped out here.

"Okay, what is it Herrmann?" Matt asked, the cold metal seeping through his clothes as he leaned against squad's rig, his legs crossed at the ankles.

"I know about the attack." He blurted out, Matt's neck tensing as his words registered.

"What?" He questioned, his demeanor faltering.

"I know Dawson was attacked." He repeated, even though both of them knew he didn't need to. Casey was well aware of what he meant the first time.

"How do you know that?"

Blowing out a deep sigh, Herrmann came and leaned against the rig next to Casey. "I went to go check on her after everything with Foster, and when I was coming to your office, I heard her... talking about being attacked."

Biting his tongue harshly, Matt clenched his throat, feeling Herrmann's eyes on him.

"Herrmann…"

"Is she alright? What happened to her, Casey? Is that really why she came back?"

"Herrmann." His voice came out stronger than he intended, trying to stop the man's rambling. "She's okay." He continued, Herrmann blowing out a sigh of relief. "I'm not gonna sit here and tell you what happened, if she wants you to know she'll tell you, but she's getting through it. We're getting through it." Matt spoke softly, knowing there was no way to unring this bell. He had to be somewhat honest with the man in front of him, Matt fearing he'd try and use other methods of getting answers to his questions if he ignored him completely.

"Good, that's good." He started, the man clearly caught up in his own thoughts. "I… I don't even know what to say to her. How can I help her? Are you sure she's okay?" It was like every time Herrmann opened his mouth, he worked himself back up. Matt couldn't say he blamed him, knowing the close relationship he and Gabby always had, it wasn't shocking that Herrmann was having this type of reaction, but he needed to remain level-headed.

"You don't say anything to her." He answered quickly, Herrmann looking up at him. "Not about this, you don't."

"Casey-"

"I'm serious, Herrmann. Unless she comes to you, don't bring it up. She's getting the help she needs, I can assure you of that, but it hasn't been easy. You bringing it up could only make things harder for her, alright?" Matt's tone left no room for negotiation, Herrmann deciding against standing his ground. As much as he wanted to help her, he knew it'd be best to follow whatever Casey said.

"Okay, I won't say anything." Herrmann complied, Matt nodding as a silent thank you before his body relaxed against the rig.

"Is that… is it how she got that scar?" The older man asked after a few moments.

"Yeah." Matt replied shortly, Herrmann grimacing at the response.

Herrmann opened his mouth to ask more questions he wasn't sure he'd get answers to, but a noise from behind the rig caught their attention, the sound of metal banging into the concrete floor ringing throughout the large room, followed by a muttering of a string of curse words. Pushing himself off the rig, Matt quickly walked around the front of the firetruck, Herrmann hot on his trail as they came face to face with Foster, the woman wearing a regretful look on her face.

"I..." She started to speak, but couldn't find the right words.

Matt felt his body go numb, not even needing to ask her if she'd heard what they were talking about, the look on her face was confirmation enough. Gabby had been very clear she wanted no one knowing anything about what happened to her, and now two more people in the firehouse knew, one of which Matt was sure Gabby definitely did not want knowing what she'd gone through.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Matt blew out a harsh breath as Foster began walking towards them.

"Captain-"

"Forget you heard anything." He spoke firmly, his eyes moving between the two before focusing back on Foster. "That's an order." Matt turned on his heels and headed for the double doors before there was any room for discussion, hearing nothing but silence as he slipped back into the firehouse, desperate to forget the events of the past ten minutes.

* * *

**Yeah, I definitely did not intend for the entire chapter to be Gabby's shift at 51. I originally had a second part to this with another storyline, but it just got way too long so that'll be in the next chapter.**

**For clarification, I really am not trying to make Foster out to be the bad guy. I don't know enough about her character on the show to have an opinion one way or the other, and I couldn't say whether or not I think her and Gabby would be friends cause I just simply know nothing about her. But there's gotta be some conflict yanno? I'm sorry if you guys like her, I promise there won't always be so much tension between her and Gabby. I always do my best to keep the characters as close to in-character as possible, but with Foster I'm pretty much flying blind. It's fun in some aspects, because really I get to do whatever I want with her character, but it also comes with its downsides because I don't know how to accurately portray her in a situation like this. I hope you guys still liked it and didn't think it was too much.**

**Thanks for reading! If you can, please leave me a review and let me know what you thought of this chapter. And thank you all for the continued support with this story and my writing in general, it means the world to me.**


	25. Chapter Twenty Five

**I honestly can't believe we're on chapter twenty five of this story, that's absolutely insane. Never did I think I'd still be writing this far into it. **

**I hope you all like this one. Fair warning, it's gonna hurt. Hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Five**_

* * *

Casey jogged his way back through the halls of the firehouse, hurrying to the locker room as to not keep Gabby waiting any longer than he already had. Second shift had just completed their stint at 51, and it was time to pack up and go home. Luckily, aside from a few random ambo calls and one car accident, it had been a relatively quiet evening in the house. Every time the bells rang out, Matt would snap from his slumber, only to slowly fall back to sleep when it was clear his services weren't needed. Whenever there was a call, Gabby would quickly crawl from the bed, Matt instantly missing her warmth against him as he fell back into his peaceful sleep. But he would wake back up each time she came back, hearing her shut the door behind her and slip into his bunk, his arms tangling around her as she returned to her previous position.

When Matt had woken up this morning a little before six, he was surprised to not feel Gabby beside him, his mind taking a few moments to catch up as he remembered she'd been called out an hour prior. But once ambo returned, no companies had been needed before the end of shift, everyone in the firehouse grateful for the easy morning.

Gabby had said her fair share of goodbyes to people around the house at shift's end, knowing that this was the last time she'd be here with them in this capacity. She'd been greeted by hugs all around, Matt standing back in the doorway of the common room while the members of 51 got their time with her. During the goodbyes, Matt couldn't help but notice the sad look covering Herrmann's face as he'd spoken with Gabby, but the man said nothing aside from a sweet goodbye, telling her not to be a stranger before she moved onto the next person vying for her attention.

When the crowd started to dissipate, Gabby and Matt left the firehouse hand in hand, walking through the garage towards his truck. As they neared the exit, it was then Matt realized he'd left his keys in his locker, the man saying a quick apology to Gabby before hurrying inside to retrieve them.

Casey finally got to the locker room, blowing out a breath as he entered. Almost all of second shift had gone for the day, third shift already settled in and ready to go, so the room was quiet. But as he turned the corner for the last row of lockers, he stopped short when he saw Foster standing at her locker, the woman equally as surprised to see him. Matt hadn't noticed her presence while everyone was saying their goodbyes to Gabby, Casey having figured she already left shift, but clearly that wasn't the case.

Giving her a slight nod, he continued his path to his locker, wanting to get out of there as quickly as possible. The two hadn't seen one another since last night in the garage, and Casey had been just fine with that. He wasn't sure if the paramedic had been avoiding him, but he hadn't seen her around the firehouse until now.

Quickly undoing the lock, Matt fished his keys from the top shelf, shutting the door back in place, working on getting the lock positioned correctly. He had just finished his task when he heard Foster clear her throat behind him, Matt sighing as he braced for whatever words were about to come out of her mouth.

"Casey… I'm so sorry." She started, Matt's eyes falling closed momentarily before he turned around. "I never would've said anything had I known what happened to her."

"Foster-"

"I feel awful." She cut in, Matt pinching the bridge of his nose tightly, aiming to relieve some of the pressure building in his skull. "I should apologize to her, I-"

"No." He commanded, stunning her into silence. "You won't say anything to her."

"But-"

"Foster, what part of me telling you to forget what you heard do you not understand?" His voice was laced in aggravation, not wanting to deal with this right now.

"But when I apologized, I didn't know what had happened. I never should've pushed her so hard about why she came back, I need her to know how sorry I am for that."

"You never should've been questioning her in the first place." He replied sharply, Emily's arms crossing over her chest. "And as far as I'm concerned, you don't know anything... You heard Herrmann and I talking, so I'm assuming you heard me telling him how Gabby doesn't want _anyone_ knowing."

"I'm not gonna say anything." She assured him quickly, the tone in her voice telling Matt she was almost offended at the insinuation.

"Yeah, I would hope not." He muttered bitterly. "Considering you shouldn't even know anything in the first place, you definitely shouldn't be telling anyone else." The hostile tone to his voice shocked even himself, and it definitely took Foster by surprise.

Releasing a soft groan, Matt took a step closer to her before continuing. "I'm sorry, I'm not trying to be an ass. I just- Gabby's going through enough right now, she can't handle something like everyone finding out, not when it wasn't her choice." He explained, Foster giving him a nod of acknowledgement. "And, no offense, but you two don't exactly see eye to eye, and you're really the last person I imagine she'd want knowing about this. And now I have to worry about that, and-"

"You don't have to worry about it, because I'm not gonna say anything." She replied firmly. "I promise, I won't say a word. To Gabby, or anyone. I don't want to make things harder for her, so if you say I shouldn't say anything to her, I won't. I never meant to eavesdrop on your and Herrmann's conversation, I should've made my presence known sooner. But like you said, as far as we're both concerned, I don't know anything."

Blowing out a relieved sigh, Matt gave her a small smile. "Thank you, Foster."

Casey started walking towards the exit, only getting a few steps before her voice stopped him. "But Casey," She started, Matt turning back to look at her. "I am really sorry that happened to her. No one deserves to go through that. And I'm sorry for how I've been acting towards her, like I told her, I'd been taking out my own issues on her and that wasn't fair." She told him, pausing to take a breath. "I know I'm far down the list of people you two would go to, but just know that if either of you need anything, I'm here for you guys."

The sincerity in her words stunned him, Matt needing a moment to process what she'd said before he could respond.

"Matt?" Gabby's voice filtered through the small room, Casey's open mouth slamming shut as he turned to look at the exit just as Gabby came around the corner. "You ready to go?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she saw Foster still there. Gabby hadn't seen her since they returned from their last call, Dawson assuming the woman was long gone.

"Yeah, let's go." He replied, walking the short distance to her. "See you next shift, Foster." Matt told the other paramedic, the woman nodding before the couple walked out of the locker room.

Gabby could feel the weird energy in the room the second she had walked in, and she could only imagine what they had been talking about. If she had one guess, she would say it had been about her. But whatever it was, Matt remained quiet about it as they walked to the truck.

"I have an appointment with Chaplain later this morning." Gabby broke the silence as they walked down the slippery driveway. Matt turned his head towards her, flashing her the sweet smile he usually reserved only for her. "I heard back from him while you were inside, he had an opening so I'm gonna go see him around eleven."

"That sounds good, do you need me to go with you?"

"No, no, it's okay. We're just gonna talk about the nightmares, and then update him on how I've been feeling." Matt nodded at her words, focusing his attention back on the wet ground beneath him.

"Did you sleep okay last night?" He questioned, reaching out for her hand as they maneuvered around a patch of ice.

"For sleeping on a cramped bunk, I slept pretty damn well." She commented with a grin, Matt huffing.

"You could've had your own roomy bunk, lady."

"Yeah, I know." She responded, squeezing his hand. "But I enjoyed yours a lot more."

"Can't say I disagree with you there." He replied with a smug smile, placing a soft kiss to her lips before getting to the truck.

The pair climbed in, their breath still able to be seen in the air from inside the vehicle, Matt hurrying to put the keys in the ignition, both of them craving the warmth from the heater as chills ran through the bodies from the cold seats.

Waiting for the truck to warm up to an acceptable temperature, Matt spared a quick glance at Gabby, the woman turned away from him as her gaze was trained out the window. Aside from what happened between her and Foster, from Matt's perspective it seemed like her shift had gone well. She'd been welcomed back with open arms by everyone who knew her, and Matt couldn't be more thankful for that. He knew how worried she'd been about going back, but he hoped the past 24 hours had eased some of those concerns.

"So…" He started, pulling her attention away from the falling snow she had been concentrating on out the window, Gabby turning to him with a small smile on her face. "How do you think that went?"

"Honestly? It went better than I expected." She started, Matt moving to rest his hand over her thigh. "I mean, the stuff with Emily I could've done without, but other than that, I was glad to be back." A wide grin fell to his face, Gabby's smile widening as well. He ran his tongue over his bottom lip, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she sensed a question on the tip of his tongue. "What?" She prompted when he hadn't said anything.

"Do you think it might be something to think about, you coming back?" The smile fell from her face, Gabby releasing a gentle sigh as she pursed her lips together.

"Matt…"

"Just hear me out." He spoke quickly, Gabby shifting in her seat to get a better visual of him. "I know you were worried about what it would be like, working with everyone again. But you saw it, everyone was so happy to have you back. And it felt so great, having you there and being able to work with you again." Matt paid close attention to her as he spoke, trying to get a read on where her head was at. "I know it's not as simple as you just deciding whether or not to come back, I know there's more to it than that. But do you think it could even be an option for you? If Boden offered you this job right now, do you think you'd be able to do it?"

"I don't know." She responded truthfully, placing her hand over Matt's. "I felt okay for the most part, but there were a few times where it got close to being too much for me. I don't know if I'd be able to do this full time." Matt nodded with a sympathetic smile, moving his thumb over the outside of her leg. "Who knows, maybe if I just submersed myself in it, it could help me. But it could also make things worse... I really don't know if I'd be able to handle a job like this right now."

"And that's okay. I didn't mean to pressure you, I guess I got a little excited getting to work with you again." He responded with a grin, Gabby's heart fluttering at the sight. "But I know how much you're enjoying your new job, and working with Jemma. I don't want you to lose that. All that matters is you being happy and feeling comfortable where you work."

"You weren't pressuring me, and trust me, I loved getting to work with you again, too. It reminded me of before, and it was nice." She replied lightly, tapping her fingers over the top of Matt's hand. "And I don't know what's the best place for me right now, I really don't. I know I'd love to be working with you again, but with how I feel right this second, I think I need to stay where I am. I don't know if I could keep up with the pace of 51 consistently." Gabby did her best to explain. "Is that the right decision? I don't know. But it feels right."

"Then it's the right decision." He spoke, Gabby smiling appreciatively at him.

"Thank you." She whispered, picking up his hand from her leg and placing a soft kiss to the back of it. "Now can we get going, I'm hungry and would love a nap before I go see Chaplain." She berated, Matt chuckling at her before demanding his hand back, moving it towards the gear shift.

He put the truck in drive, preparing to pull out into the road when he suddenly stopped, putting the truck back in park, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Gabby. "What is it?"

"Actually, before we go, there's something I need to tell you." The clear shift in his voice worried her, Gabby sitting up straight as she focused on him. He'd been wrestling with if he should tell her about what happened last night, but he knew he had to. He couldn't keep her in the dark about something that directly affected her. Not with this. And not when they'd been making great strides in getting out of those old habits about keeping things from one another, with the intention of sparing the other's feelings. He refused to fall back into those old patterns, knowing how detrimental they ended up being to their relationship. The last thing he wanted was to add to what she was going through, but he couldn't not tell her. He wouldn't.

"Matt?" She questioned, her tone telling him this wasn't the first time she'd tried to get his attention.

"Herrmann and Foster know about the attack."

His voice was low, but Gabby heard him clearly, her conflicting emotions playing out over her face as she tried to process what she'd just been told.

"What- I… how did they find out?" Her words came out choppy, her mind playing catch up as she tried to form a coherent sentence, his news knocking the wind out of her. She could hear the blood pumping through her ears, she felt her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for an explanation.

With a slow, deliberate breath, Matt began telling her what had happened, going over every detail from Herrmann hearing their talk in his office, to the talk the two men had in the garage, and Foster ultimately overhearing everything. He made sure to leave nothing out, knowing it best to give her all the details so her mind wasn't running rampant. Matt went over in depth what he'd told Foster last night, and the conversation she saw the tail-end of this morning in the locker room, keeping his eyes focused on her while he spoke. Gabby had remained silent, giving him next to nothing in terms of a reaction, the woman silently digesting the words she was hearing.

Once he finished, he gave her a second to process everything, Matt preparing himself for the worst as he waited to see how she'd react to this.

When minutes had gone by and she still had said nothing, Matt blew out a tired sigh, reaching for her hand that rested in her lap. "I'm so sorry, Gabby."

His voice seemed to snap her from her daze, her eyes meeting his, an unexpected, soft smile reaching her lips. "It's not your fault, Matt. You have nothing to apologize for." She murmured, Matt surprised at how well she seemed to be taking this. "If anything, it kind of sounds like it was my fault. And, if I'm being honest, I don't think I mind so much." Matt's eyes widened at her statement, the look of shock clear over his face. Never did he expect this type of reaction. Seeing his astonished gaze, Gabby further explained herself. "Well, I don't really mind that Herrmann knows." She clarified, "I really wish Foster didn't know, but she does. There's nothing we can do to make her forget what she heard." Gabby spoke with a sad smile. "But Herrmann, I actually feel a little… relieved? I'm not sure if that's the right word for it, but part of me is grateful I'm not the one who had to tell him. I'm kind of glad he knows."

Matt sat stunned for a few seconds, trying to gather himself before responding. "You sure you're okay with this?"

"I mean, there's not really anything we can do to change it. Hopefully Foster meant what she said and won't tell anyone, and I trust Herrmann." Gabby tried her hardest to explain where her head was at, but she could tell Matt was weary, and definitely confused.

"I know I was so adamant about no one finding out what happened, and I still don't know if I want everyone knowing, but I realized something when I first went to see Chaplain. After I told him what had happened, I felt lighter. It didn't feel like I was being weighed down by this huge thing anymore, at least in the moment it didn't. But right after I told him, and he knew what had happened, I felt better. It's kind of that same feeling now that Herrmann knows." She told him, Matt nodding slowly in response. "I know this probably doesn't make sense to you, it doesn't to me either, not really. I don't know why sometimes I'm okay with people knowing, and other times the last thing I want is anyone knowing what happened, but all I know to do is follow how I'm feeling, and right now I think I'm alright."

"It doesn't need to make sense to me, as long as you're okay that's the only thing that matters."

"I am, or I feel okay right now at least." She responded. "Foster knowing does make me a little nervous, just because of the weirdness between us and I don't know if she was serious about not saying anything. And having a complete stranger knowing something so personal about you is hard. But at least with her, I don't owe her any explanation."

"You don't owe any of them an explanation, Gabby." He reminded her gently.

"I know I don't, but it's different with everyone else. Foster, she never knew me, so there's none of that expectation for her to know what happened. But with everyone else- I don't know how to explain it, I know they'd never sit there and make me go through the details of it, but they'd worry. They'd build up some terrible, awful story, and always wonder what did or didn't happen. I wouldn't just be Gabby to them anymore, they'd look at me and their first thought would be the attack. It's a different thing with Foster, because she doesn't look at it as 'this happened to my friend'. She's not emotionally involved, so it's almost easier that it was her that found out." Gabby knew she was rambling, but she hoped Matt understood at least a little of what she meant.

Matt had watched her carefully the entire time, almost not trusting how well she was handling this. There were times he never knew what to expect when it came to Gabby and how she'd react to things, and she'd handled this a million times better than he would've ever thought. He couldn't help the surge of pride that ran through him as she spoke, knowing that even a few weeks ago, something like this might've seriously derailed any progress she'd made.

"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" She asked with a gleam in her eye when Matt had yet to respond, the man chuckling as he shook his head.

"Not because of this, no." He responded teasingly, before the mood shifted once more. "No, but I just worry about you Gabby. I want you to be okay."

"I know you do. But I think I am okay. I don't know if that'll change once I see them again, but if it does, I'll tell you." She promised him, Matt nodding in response before moving his attention back towards the truck. The pair fell into a comfortable quiet as Matt pulled out into the street, focused on navigating the icy roads. Gabby kept a hand on his leg while they traveled, both of them needing this moment to decompress after the events of the past twenty four hours.

* * *

"Do you think I should tell people about the attack?" the Chaplain's eyebrows raised in curiosity, not expecting those words to come from her mouth as they sat in his office. "It's just- Herrmann and Foster accidentally found out what happened and part of me felt relieved that someone else knew. Is that weird? For me to be feeling like that?" She questioned, stopping to take a breath.

"It's not weird, Gabby." He responded almost immediately.

"I could tell Matt really didn't know what to do with my reaction, I'm sure he was expecting some type of breakdown because of it, can't say I blame him." She mused. "I know he was surprised, and honestly so am I. I don't know why I'm okay with them knowing, especially Foster… but I can't explain it. I don't get it either. But for some reason, it's not really bothering me like I thought it would."

"That's a good thing, though. Isn't it? What happened to you, it's been like this weight pushing you down, and maybe opening up to people about what you went through will help you. You said it's not bothering you like you expected it to, maybe that's a sign you're starting to accept what happened to you." He theorized, Gabby falling deep in thought over his words.

"Yeah, maybe." She agreed, biting her bottom lip gently. "But does that mean I should start telling everyone? I don't know if I could do that."

"No, not at all. There's no guide you have to follow here, it's all about what you feel comfortable doing. You starting to accept what happened, maybe that's not telling everyone what you went through, but maybe it's talking to a few people about it. Maybe it's confiding in Herrmann." He spoke, knowing of the close relationship between the firefighter and paramedic. "There's no right or wrong thing to do, it's all about what's making you feel better. You have to follow what feels right for you, Gabby."

She nodded slowly, digesting everything he'd just said, the Chaplain giving her a minute before continuing on.

"So, speaking of this, how have you been doing lately? Working a shift at 51, that had to be fun."

Blowing out a sigh, Gabby ran her hands over her knees. "It went well, for the most part. Everyone seemed really glad I was there, and it felt nice. And I've been, well- I've been kinda up and down lately. I have some really good days, and then some pretty rough days." She confided, the Chaplain giving her a sad smile.

"That's to be expected. What's been going on during the bad days, have you had anymore anxiety attacks?"

"No, I haven't. And I guess it's not so much bad days as it is bad moments. I started having nightmares." She spoke softly. "Once Matt was able to wake me up, it was okay. I was a little spooked, but I was able to get back to sleep. I just don't know why they're starting now. I mean, aside from when I was still in Puerto Rico after it happened, I haven't really had any nightmares until now."

"It could be a few things, but if I were to guess I'd say it's because you're finally facing this thing head on. Trying to get past something like this, there's times when things go great, and then times when you stumble a little. How many have there been?"

"Just the one."

"What happened?"

"It was the attack, but I wasn't able to get away… It felt so real while it was happening, but then Matt woke me up and I snapped out of it. He was able to calm me down, and I… I dunno, I felt okay. I was scared while it was happening and a few minutes after I woke up, but once I realized it wasn't real, I felt alright."

"Were you surprised, that it didn't affect you more?"

"Honestly, yeah." She admitted. "I was expecting it to rattle me more than it did. Don't get me wrong, I was terrified. But once I grasped that it wasn't real, it didn't stay with me as much as I was expecting. And Matt and I talked through it the next morning, I told him what all happened, but even when I was reliving it, it didn't shake me like I thought it would. I don't know, sometimes it feels like I'm starting to get past it?" Chaplain heard how unsure she sounded in her words, Gabby not sure if she could trust her own feelings. "I mean, yeah, there's still days where I feel so overwhelmed and like the weight of this is almost unbearable, but then there are days when I feel almost at peace with it… like I'm okay about what happened. Is that normal? For this to be so up and down?"

"I promise you it is. I know it might seem like you're not making progress, but everything you're telling me, you're in a much better place than you were even when I first saw you. I know I told you there's no quick fix, and there's not. But you're working on getting past what happened to you. There's gonna be days where it feels like you're drowning, I wish I could lie to you and tell you that won't happen, but it will. There's no way around it, some days will be harder than others. But there will be a point where it's more good days than bad… And everything I'm hearing, about how you handled the nightmare, and your feelings about people finding out about what happened, you're on the right track Gabby."

"I'm gonna take your word for it." She replied with a small grin, the Chaplain chuckling softly.

"I know it's hard while you're in it to see how much progress you're making, but trust me, you're making progress." He assured her. "And you being able to work a shift at 51, all of these things are steps in the right direction." Gabby nodded with a small smile, letting his words of encouragement sink in. "Speaking of, how was it? Being back at 51?"

"It felt good to be back there, it felt like I was home. It was a little overwhelming at times, the pace and everything, but I loved being back there. I loved getting to work with Matt again." She spoke softly, a knowing smile falling onto the Chaplain's face.

"And things with Matt are still going well?"

A look flashed over her face for a split second, Gabby immediately trying to mask it. But the Chaplain caught it. "...Things are good."

"You don't seem so sure about that." He spoke with furrowed eyebrows. "What's going on?"

"No, it's nothing- we're fine. It's just… he's seemed a little distant the past few days." Gabby spoke, Chaplain hearing her slight confusion. "I don't know what it is, but he's been a little… hard to reach? Maybe. Something with him just seems off, but I don't know what."

"Have you asked about him about it?" Gabby shook her head side to side, the Chaplain nodding as he crossed his legs. "Well that might be a good place to start. Did something happen between you two?"

"No, nothing. We've been fine. I mean, him and my dad kind of had some issues over Christmas, but he was acting weird before then, so I'm not sure that's a part of it." Gabby replied, breathing out a strong sigh. "And I'm not even sure he realizes it. It doesn't happen all the time. It's mostly just when we'll be hanging around, not really talking or anything, he seems checked out."

"Is there anything you can think of that might be causing him to act like this?" Gabby's eyes fell closed as she wracked her brain, trying to find some sort of cause for his recent behavior, but she was coming up empty.

"No, not really. I mean we've gotten a lot better about talking to one another whenever something is bothering us, so I'm not sure what it could be about… that he hasn't come to me." Her voice was soft, both of them hearing how timid she sounded. "I know him and I had our communication issues in the past, but that really only came from us trying to spare the other. But we've gotten better at that, at opening up and leaning on each other. We've been able to work through a lot of the problems we had before I left, we've been communicating better. So, I'm sure he'll tell me when he's ready."

The Chaplain nodded, her words hanging in the air for a moment, him getting caught up on one sentence in particular. "Is there anything you haven't talked about?"

"What do you mean?" Gabby asked with furrowed eyebrows, surprised by the question.

"You said you've worked through some of the issues you two had, but is there something you haven't dealt with yet? Something that might be causing him to be distant?" The tension that gathered in Gabby's shoulders gave him the answer, the Chaplain sighing softly as he looked at her expectantly. "Gabby?" The woman across from him took a deep breath, avoiding his gaze as she clenched her hands together.

"We haven't- we never really talked about everything with trying to have a baby." Her voice was barely above a whisper, her eyes planted firmly on the ground as realization set in across his face.

"So the thing that caused you to leave in the first place." He replied gently, Gabby nodding slowly as a frown set in over her face. "Do you think that could be what this is about?"

"Maybe? I don't know why that would be it, neither of us have said anything about it."

"That might be the problem." He responded, Gabby releasing a shaky sigh. "You've been back, what, a month and a half?"

"A little longer than that, but yeah."

"And in all that time, neither one of you have ever tried to talk about what drove you apart in the first place. The thing that broke the both of you. That could be what this is about. This isn't something either of you can just forget, and he might not be able to avoid it anymore." He told her, the frown seemingly permanently etched into her skin. "That's a long time to be tiptoeing around such a big problem between the two of you, maybe Matt can't do it anymore."

"But he's said nothing about it, there's a million different things this could be causing him to act like this. Wouldn't he have brought it up by now, if that was what this is about?" The Chaplain ran a hand over his mouth, knowing he'd have to try another tactic.

"Why haven't you spoken to him about it? Is there a reason you haven't brought it up?" He asked her, completely avoiding her question.

"...Because I'm scared." She whispered after a moment of silence between the two. "Because this ruined us last time, and that can't happen again. I can't lose him again." Her words held a lot of emotion, Gabby having to take a steadying breath after she spoke.

"Don't you think that might be the reason he hasn't said anything, either?" He questioned her, Gabby taking in his words. "I know you're scared, I know this will be hard, but it's something you all need to deal with. You said you're scared to lose him, but if you continue to ignore this, eventually you might not have him at all." Her eyes widened at his words, Gabby feeling her heart rate begin to increase. "You'll both just be waiting for the other shoe to drop, when you've reached the last possible moment where you can't avoid it anymore. Isn't it better to deal with it now, instead of continuing to let it hang over you?"

He gave her time to let his words sink in, knowing she needed a minute to digest this. But when minutes had passed and she had yet to say a word, he spoke up again. "Look Gabby, I'm not even going to try and pretend I know what you and Matt are going through. That I can even begin to understand what that kind of news does to someone. But you and Matt need to face it. You have to help one another through this, you're the only people who can. You can't keep going on avoiding it, it'll only make things worse."

"But what if this isn't why he's acting distant?" Her soft, fearful voice hit his ears, the Chaplain's head tilting to the side as he waited for her to elaborate. "What if I bring this up, and it just causes another fight for nothing?"

"It's not for nothing, Gabby." He spoke quickly. "As much progress as you two have made, you haven't fully repaired what was broken. Not yet, not when you haven't dealt with this. This isn't something you two can just ignore for the rest of your lives, you have to work through it."

His words resonated in her head, Gabby knowing they were filled with truth. Her and Matt were a ticking time bomb if they continued to avoid this, but she didn't know if she could face it. She didn't know if they could.

"Fixing your relationship could never be for nothing." He continued, Gabby catching his gaze. "It's for the rest of your lives together, it's figuring out how to have the family you've both always wanted, together. That's not nothing. You wouldn't be sitting here right now if it were nothing."

Tears clouded her vision as a silence washed over the room, the Chaplain knowing he didn't need to say anymore on the topic. The rest was up to her and Matt now, there was nothing else he could do.

* * *

Matt kicked the snow from his boots as he stood outside the back door of their apartment, the cold winter air nipping at his skin as he made sure to get off all the water he could, not wanting to track it into their home. After completing his task, Matt slid his key into the door while juggling a few grocery bags, wanting to get out of this brutal weather as quickly as possible. From his position at the door, he could see the dimly lit apartment inside, Matt pushing the door open and being met with nothing but silence.

"Gabby?" He called out, closing and locking the door behind him. Matt moved into the kitchen, wanting to put the minimal groceries away before doing anything else. Glancing at the clock above the stove, he saw it read half past six. He was gone longer than he intended, much longer. While Gabby was away at the Chaplain's office, he'd received a helpless call from Severide, the man needing assistance putting together a new home entertainment center that Kelly claimed was 'a real son of a bitch'. When Matt had got there, it came as no surprise that the equipment was quite easy to put together, Kelly just lacked the patience. His early afternoon of helping Severide turned into a late afternoon of watching the Blackhawks game together, both men nursing a few beers as they sat around Severide's new TV.

Despite leaving a note for Gabby on the counter of his whereabouts, he'd sent her a message, letting her know what they were doing and why he was still gone. He'd gotten a simple reply, Gabby telling him to have fun and that she'd be at home waiting for him. After the game had finished, he left with every intention of heading straight back to the apartment, but halfway home he remembered they had next to nothing in terms of food, and decided to make a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a few things.

"I stopped at the market on the way home, just to get some things to hold us over until we can do an actual shopping trip." He spoke, despite the fact he'd gotten no response from her. His eyebrows furrowed as he looked past the open fridge, Matt putting away the half gallon of milk before closing the door, going in search of her. "Gabby? You here?" He called again, moving from the kitchen. He assumed she was home, her car was parked outside in it's normal spot, and she hadn't told him she'd be going anywhere. "Babe?" He'd still gotten no response as he walked towards the bedroom, stopping short of the door when he saw Gabby sitting on the couch, staring blankly ahead.

"Hey, there you are." He spoke with a small smile, snapping her from her headspace as she looked towards him. The smile on his face fell when he noticed her teary eyes shining, his concern growing as he walked towards her. "What's wrong?" Matt questioned, taking quicker steps to the couch. When she had yet to respond, he opened his mouth to speak again, but stopped abruptly when he saw what was lying in front of her on the coffee table. His path slowed as he got to the edge of the couch, swallowing the lump in his throat as he glanced from the papers to her.

"Were you looking at these?" Her hoarse voice broke the thick silence that had settled around them, Gabby clearing her throat after the words left her mouth. Matt sat down on the couch next to her, keeping a good few feet of space between them, but he said nothing. "I saw them in the drawer, but they weren't there the last time I was in there." She spoke, Matt intaking a sharp breath.

"I, uh, I found them again during Christmas. I was looking for something and found them under a bunch of stuff in the drawer." He explained, his throat feeling dry as he stared at the papers from the adoption center that were sprawled out in front of them. "I had forgotten all about them, I forgot we still had them." She gave him a slight nod, gripping her hands together tightly in her lap.

"Have you been thinking about it?" She murmured, although she already knew his answer.

"It was kinda hard not to, after seeing those again." He responded, gesturing to the papers.

An unsettling silence filled the room, neither knowing what to say or where to go from here. It was the opening they'd both been looking for, but now that it was in front of them, they didn't know where to start. Both of them knew this wouldn't be easy, and there'd be no turning back once they started. But this couldn't be avoided anymore, and they knew it.

"We need to talk, Matt." She spoke first, finding her voice as he glanced up from the coffee table to meet her waiting gaze.

"Yeah, I know we do." He replied, shifting his body to face her. "Honestly, I've been wanting to talk about this for awhile but I didn't know how to bring it up. I didn't want to overwhelm you, or us, but we have to deal with this." He admitted softly, taking a second to gather his thoughts. "There's a lot of pain and hurt we never dealt with, we swept it under the rug because this wasn't something we could fix while you were gone. And then everything happened," He eluded, Gabby nodding with a look of sadness covering her face, "and I know I just pushed away all that pain, because I didn't think I'd have to face it again. And I think you did the same thing."

"Yeah, I did." She murmured, Matt taking a breath.

"Neither of us dealt with how this broke us, individually or together, or the fallout from it. We never got anywhere close to a resolution on how to have a family before everything, and it almost tore us apart. It did tear us apart." She merely nodded at him, Matt sighing softly as she remained quiet. Bringing his arm up to the back of the couch, he moved his hand to the side of her head, tapping gently against her temple. "What's going on in there?"

"Honestly, I-... When the doctor told us what was wrong, I felt like a failure." Her voice was barely above a whisper, tears clouding in her eyes as she spoke, Matt's heart breaking as he heard the pain in her voice. "I wasn't able to give you the one thing you've always wanted, what we always wanted. It destroyed me, knowing I can't- or shouldn't get pregnant." A lone tear escaped down her cheek, Matt wiping it away gently, tears forming in his eyes.

"Gabby, this isn't your fault." He tried, Gabby nodding slowly.

"I know. Logically, I know that, but I couldn't help it. The minute we got that news, it broke me. And I couldn't handle it." She admitted, her voice shaking. "So I wanted to ignore it. Act like we never found out, pretend nothing was wrong. But when you went to the adoption agency, it freaked me out. Because it was making it real, and I wasn't able to handle that. I was terrified of facing it."

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, to help you through it." Matt apologized softly, water gathering under his eyes. "I wasn't dealing with it either, but I immediately tried to jump into a solution instead of giving us time to really let the news sink in. I was terrified of losing you, and you being so adamant about carrying our child, it scared me. So I tried to find the quickest solution possible… We should've taken the time to deal with it, to really let it sink in what that news meant for us, maybe then it wouldn't have spiraled like it did." Gabby nodded, silently agreeing with his words.

"We both kind of shut down, at least from each other. Neither of us were in a good place, and we took it out on each other when we should've helped each other come to terms with it. I just… it felt like I was being punished." She spoke, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "Like the aneurysm was a punishment."

"A punishment for what?" He questioned, placing his hand on her shoulder as a source of comfort.

"I don't know… for losing our first child, for getting us into that situation with Louie…" Matt couldn't stop the fresh tears from rolling down his cheeks as her words hit him like a truck, the pain in her voice slicing through him straight to his heart. "There's always been this nagging thought in the back of my mind that maybe we weren't meant to be parents, or you weren't meant to be a parent with me. It had been there since we lost the baby, and then after we lost Louie it wouldn't go away. And when we found out about the aneurysm… it just solidified what I'd been thinking for years and I couldn't handle it."

"I had no idea…" Matt breathed out, his voice barely above a whisper, knowing any louder and it would betray him. "I- Gabby, I know we've been through hell with trying to have kids, but none of that was your fault. You didn't choose to lose our baby, or Louie. You didn't choose to have this aneurysm. You have to believe that, this isn't your fault. You don't deserve to be punished for anything." Matt did his best to comfort and assure her, knowing she was dealing with years of this feeling haunting her. "I know we've been through a lot with this, that _you've_ been through a lot, but Gabby I can promise you that I only want to have kids with you." Stray tears rushed down her cheeks as his words hit her ears, Matt giving her an understanding smile. "If I can't be a parent with you, I'm not gonna be a parent at all. I meant it when I said I wanted you. Above everything else, I just want you. That hasn't changed since I first told you that three years ago." He lifted his hand up to her cheek, wiping away the fresh tears on her face. "I do still want to have kids, but only if it's what you want."

"Of course I do." She responded immediately, a small, genuine smile breaking through the pain her face had been carrying. "I want a family with you, but I'm scared of how to do it. And I'm scared of what it might do to us again." She admitted sadly, Matt nodding softly, understanding her fears.

"I know, me too. But we have more options than just you carrying our child, or adopting. We can go see another doctor, get a second opinion and get more information on exactly what we're dealing with. Surrogacy is an option, too. There's more than just adoption or you getting pregnant, neither of us were thinking clearly and those suddenly seemed like our only options, but they're not." He assured her, Gabby nodding tearfully. "And I'm not saying we have to come to a decision right now over how to expand our family, but we have to be committed to figuring this out together." He breathed out. "We can't let this destroy us again. We can't have one of us calling the shots and the other blindly following, this is something we have to do together."

"I know." She whispered, quickly wiping away the tears that had gathered under her eyes. "We have to come to a decision we can both live with, if we don't this'll just tear us apart again."

"We can't let it." He supplemented, "I believe we can figure this out, and we'll have a child, but we can't shut down like last time. We can't run away." Matt's words caused her eyes to fall closed, but Matt placed his hand under her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Hey, I'm not talking about you deciding to go to Puerto Rico, you needed time to come to terms with everything. I'm talking about us mentally running away. I did it too, we both ran away from this because it was easier than working through it. But we can't do that again."

"I know. I don't want to ever go through that again." Matt nodded, dropping his hand from her chin as he leaned back into the couch, his eyes flashing to the papers sitting across from them.

Blowing out a sigh, Matt ran his hand over his mouth, knowing there were still things they needed to deal with, things that needed to be addressed. "I know there's still a lot of apologizing that needs to be done," He started, catching Gabby's gaze, "but I never should've gone to the adoption agency without you. That was something we should've agreed to do together, and instead I took it upon myself to surprise you with it and I never should've done that. Despite what you were saying, I knew you weren't okay and me doing that- I messed up."

"Matt…"

"And I never should've said those things to you, in my office about you not being able to have a child. That was cruel and I never should've said it." He saw her eyes brimming with fresh tears, Matt feeling a stabbing pain slicing through his chest. He would always regret the things he'd said to her. "I knew you were hurting, but I was so frustrated with everything… I took it out on you instead of trying to help you and that wasn't fair."

"I didn't exactly make it easy on you. I never should've just up and decided that we would still have a baby, without us actually sitting down and deciding together. I was trying to ignore it, and you fighting me on it made everything real, so I stopped listening. I didn't want to think about it, so I pretended everything was fine, but I never stopped to think what that was doing to you, and I'm sorry." Matt nodded, tears streaming down their cheeks as they laid everything out on the table. "And then our fight… I'm sorry I made it sound like I don't need you, because I do. I always have." She told him, reaching out for his hand which he gave willingly.

"That wasn't a good day, was it?" He mused softly, Gabby shaking her head.

"It was an awful day."

"There was a lot that we said, a lot that can never be taken back." He prefaced, Gabby agreeing with a sad smile, "but I hope you know that I love every single thing about you, and I wouldn't change a damn thing." He spoke with such conviction, a genuine smile breaking through the hurt and pain written across her face. "I did a terrible job of showing you that, especially the months before everything happened, but god, Gabby, I fell in love with you because of how driven you are and how independent you are. I love that about you, I'm sorry I made you believe otherwise. I was just scared… I felt you slipping away from me, and you were so blindly stuck in your decision that you'd get pregnant, I was terrified of losing you." He spoke sadly, Gabby squeezing his hand as he worked through his feelings. "And if I'm being honest, I was angry. Because it felt like what I thought didn't matter in all this, it felt like I didn't matter." His words went straight to her heart, a feeling of guilt settling in her stomach. "And I know now that you weren't coping, and had I paid more attention I would've seen it then, but at the time I didn't, or couldn't, understand why you were so set on getting pregnant. All I saw was you choosing to disregard me, and it hurt. Because this was something I couldn't let you just decide for us. This was something we had to figure out together, and we weren't. I was hurt, and scared, and I took it out on you instead of trying to talk to you about it and that was wrong. All I did was make things worse, and I'm so sorry."

"Truthfully, even if you had tried harder to talk to me, I don't know if I would've listened." She admitted, adjusting her position to sit closer to him. "I don't know if I would've been able to listen, without completely falling apart. I was so broken over this, if you tried to confront me about the actual problem, I doubt I would've been very receptive to it." Gabby explained, Matt wearing an understanding smile. "And I'm sorry too, for making you feel like you didn't matter in all this. I never wanted that, I just- I couldn't think straight and I wasn't able to see how much this was affecting you."

"I know. We both should've handled things differently, but there's no way to go back and change what happened. All we can do now is not make the same mistakes again. And I don't think we will." He murmured, tightening his grip on her hand.

"I never want to be back in that place again, I never want things between us to get that bad. I don't think I could handle it a second time." Her voice was soft as she broke their eye contact, Gabby leaning against him as her head rested against his neck, dropping his hand to rest her arm around his waist. She felt his arm wrap around her back, holding her to him tightly as their words hung in the air.

"Me neither." He agreed gently.

"We're gonna figure this out, right?" Her voice was so soft, he barely heard it. But she was unable to mask her worry. Moving his hand down to her side, he adjusted his head to be able to place a soft kiss to her forehead, placing his other hand over her forearm.

"We are. We're gonna find the best solution to this, and we're gonna have our family. I truly believe that." His words were met with silence, but he felt the smile on her face as she dug further into his embrace.

A comfortable quiet had filled the space around them, the two holding onto one another like their lives depended on it. And Matt couldn't help but feel content, thinking of how big of a shift this conversation had been from their fight. They had come so far, they had learned from their past mistakes, and they were both finally on the same page. Even though no discussions had happened about how exactly they would expand their family, he knew tonight wasn't the time. He meant what he said, they didn't need to figure everything out this exact moment. He just needed to know they were both committed to doing this together, and for the first time in a long time, he knew they were. Matt had no doubt in his mind they'd come out the other side of this together, with a child of their own. Just like they'd always wanted.

* * *

**So, there it is. I know it was a long time coming, but hopefully it was worth the wait. Despite my nervousness for writing out them dealing with what happened, I'm actually quite proud of how it turned out. I hope you all think I did it justice.**

**I can't wait to hear what you all think of this chapter, I hope you all enjoyed it. Until next time x**


	26. Chapter Twenty Six

**Hello hello hello, I'm back with another one for you guys. Hope you enjoy!**

**Trigger Warning: Rape is mentioned in the first section of this chapter. There is nothing graphic or explicit described, but the word is used. Just a warning.**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Six**_

* * *

Gabby pushed open the heavy door that led to the bar, being met with a wave of warmth as she stepped inside. Her eyes bounced around the near empty bar, Gabby not surprised of its vacancy given it was barely after six in the evening. But she was hoping for the light crowd, finding only one patron inside the bar, clearly getting any early start to their night.

It took her no time at all to find who she was looking for, the older man coming out from the stockroom, a white towel thrown over his shoulder as he walked behind the bar. He hadn't noticed her presence as Gabby took small steps across the room, unzipping her jacket as she moved.

"Hey Herrmann." She called lightly, the man turning around to face her with a wide grin.

"Hey kid, I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight." He spoke, Gabby taking up residence on the bar stool across from him, draping her coat over the seat next to her. "How have you been?" It had been nearly a week since Gabby's shift at 51, the firefighter not having seen her since.

"I've been pretty good, working mostly." She replied as Herrmann held up an empty glass, offering her a drink. "I'm fine, thanks." Gabby held up her hand as she declined, Herrmann giving her a nod before setting the glass back down.

"So, just you tonight?" He asked, his eyes flickering behind her towards the door expectantly, like he was waiting for someone else to come in. "Casey joining you?"

"No, he's not. He's been at a job all afternoon, fixing some things around their yard and on the house."

"Working outside in this weather? The Captain might be losing it." He chuckled, Gabby smirking.

"Yeah, well, it's for this older couple, the Johnsons… Matt kind of has a soft spot for them, he never says no to anything they need." She explained, Herrmann nodding understandingly.

"Sounds like Casey." He mused, bracing his palms against the bar. "So, what brought you here this evening?"

"Actually, I've been wanting to talk to you." She prefaced, Herrmann's ears perking up from her words. "I meant to stop by here a few days ago, but I, uh- I've just been busy. But... uh-" She began stumbling over her words, a frown forming on his face as he studied her, Herrmann able to feel her nerves from across the bar.

"You okay, Dawson?" He asked cautiously, watching her take a slow deep breath before responding.

"I'm good, it's just… I know you know what happened to me." She spoke softly, seeing Herrmann's body tense, his eyes glazed over in sadness. "Matt told me that you overheard us talking, and then what happened in the garage." A look of regret covered his features, Herrmann blowing out a harsh breath.

"I'm sorry, Gabby." He breathed out, clearing the emotion from his voice. "I wanted to come talk to you, but Matt didn't think it was a good idea. He wanted to let you come to me."

"Yeah, I can't say I blame him for being cautious. I've been kind of all over the place lately."

"That's understandable." He replied, taking a steadying breath. "I had a feeling more was going on there, after you first came back, but I didn't want to push you to talk. But then after everything that happened with Foster… I just- I wanted to know you were okay, but I never meant to hear that. I know you didn't mean for anyone else to find out. And I never should've gone to Casey, I was just so worried and I needed to know you were alright." He explained, Gabby wearing a sad smile, tears shining in both of their eyes. "But I should've left it alone, or waited until we were out of the firehouse. I'm sorry that Foster knows, hell I'm sorry that I know."

"It's okay, Herrmann." Her voice cut off his rambling, the firefighter looking at her with curious eyes. "Really, it is." She assured him, seeing his body relax slightly. "I'm not mad or upset that you know, honestly if there's anyone from 51 that I'm okay with knowing about this, it's you." A small smile fell onto his face, Gabby clasping her hands together in front of her. "And I'm okay." Her voice lowered a bit, a look of worry flashing across his face. "Or- I'm working on getting there." She admitted, the man nodding in understanding. "Some days are better than others, but I'm doing alright."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Herrmann's gaze moved down to the bar, trying to suppress the tears welling in the corners of his eyes.

"And I know you have questions about what actually happened." She started, his wide eyes flashing back up towards her.

"Dawson, you don't have to tell me anything." He assured her, but she shook her head with a sad smile.

"It's okay, really. I'd rather you know, instead of always having questions of what did or didn't happen." She promised softly. "And I've learned that it actually helps me, to sometimes talk about it." Herrmann nodded, his spine straightening as he silently waited for her to start.

"So, uh, part of my job while I was there was to help around sites for new hospitals and urgent cares, to help and make sure they were planned as efficiently as possible. We were at a site for a new hospital, and we had a run in with a few gang members there." She began, Herrmann listening intently. "It was a common problem, after the hurricane a lot of gangs moved into vulnerable areas, so we usually had some push back from them. But things never escalated, until that day. I got into it with one of them, I was stupid and should've kept my mouth shut, but one thing led to another and one of them punched me." Herrmann felt anger flood his system, his palms clenching the edge of the bar. "It got broken up quickly, they left and I got sent home. I had been given some time off, and one night- I was actually on the phone with Matt, right before it happened." His eyebrows furrowed slightly at the information, Herrmann not realizing the two had been in contact before this all happened, but he didn't question it as she continued. "But after our call, I heard some weird noises outside, and the next thing I knew these men were barging their way into my home. They, uh, they took turns beating me; hitting and kicking me while the others were ransacking the place, when I fought back one of them threw me into the coffee table." Her voice was getting softer as she explained the attack, tears clouding Herrmann's vision as he heard the pain in her words. "That's how I got this." She motioned to the scar across her forehead. "There's a few other ones, but this is the only one that's visible." Her sentence caused his stomach to drop, Herrmann feeling a wave of nausea flow through him.

"But they didn't..." She sucked in a breath of air, Herrmann's eyes watching her intently. "I wasn't- they didn't rape me." Gabby saw his entire body relax, his eyes falling closed momentarily as the relief set in. "I wasn't sure if you were thinking it might've happened, but it didn't. I don't know if they were planning on it, one of them tried but the others stopped him." Some of the tension that had left quickly set in again, Herrmann feeling sick over what all she went through. "I got away before anything else happened." Her reassurance made him feel a little more at ease, but it felt like a rock had settled in his stomach.

"I um, I stayed with a friend of mine there, she patched me up a bit. It wasn't very pretty there for awhile. She helped me get back here, and well, you know the rest." She told him, Herrmann nodding at her with a sad smile. "Physically, I'm all healed. Nothing I can really do about the scars, but everything else is better. Mentally, well- I'm working on it." She responded quietly. "It's been hard, a lot of ups and downs… I've been having trouble with handling my anxiety, but it's getting better. I've been seeing the Chaplain, he's been helping me a lot. And Matt's been helping me through it. Things are moving in the right direction." She finished with a soft smile, Herrmann wearing a similar one.

Reaching across the bar, he placed a hand overtop of her conjoined ones, squeezing tightly. "I always knew you were as strong as they come, but this… I'm so proud of you, Gabby. More proud than you could ever know." His voice shook as he spoke, tears welling in Gabby's eyes. "I'm so sorry you went through this, I wish there was something I could do that would undo everything that happened, but I am so damn proud of you for getting through this, and coming out the other side stronger. I admire you, Gabby." A lone tear fought its way down her cheek, Herrmann squeezing her hand once more.

"I love you, Herrmann." Her voice was unsteady at best, the man wearing a heartwarming smile across his face.

"I love you too, Dawson." His tone matched hers, the emotion in their words betraying both of them. "And I'm so glad you came back home. I wish it was under better circumstances, I do, but you belong here, kid."

"I'm happy I'm here, too." She agreed softly.

Their moment was broken by the lone patron across the room whistling towards Herrmann, raising his now empty glass in the air to signal he wanted a refill.

"I'll be right back." He promised, moving further down the bar to get another beer.

"That's fine, I'm actually gonna get going." Gabby responded, pushing herself up from the bar stool, Herrmann moving from behind the bar to head towards the table.

"You sure?" He called, their conversation easily had through the near empty room.

"Yeah, Matt should be home soon, if he's not already." Gabby grabbed her coat from the stool, sliding it onto her body as Herrmann walked towards her.

"Okay, well I'm glad you stopped by. It was good to see you, yanno despite the reasoning." He spoke, Gabby offering him a small smile.

"I'm glad I came, too." She responded, taking a few steps towards him and wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you, Herrmann." She whispered, the man wrapping his arms around her just as firm.

"Ah, you don't have to thank me for anything." He assured her, patting her back before the two separated. "But I'm always here for whatever you need, kid."

"I know." Gabby began walking towards the door, turning to wave at him before continuing her path.

The door swung open just as Gabby was getting ready to open it, surprise filling her as she saw Kidd, Brett, and Foster standing just outside.

"Oh, hey Dawson. Didn't know you'd be here tonight." Kidd spoke lightly, Gabby stepping out of the way so the women could escape the cold and enter the warm bar. Foster entered last, Gabby being met with a sad stare from the woman.

"Yeah, uh, just came by to talk to Herrmann for a second. You girls having a night out?" She asked, being met with a nod from Kidd.

"Well, when it's actually night time, yeah." Brett responded. "Stella drug us here because Herrmann needed help stocking some stuff, but after that, yes."

"Is Casey not with you?" Kidd asked, her eyes dancing around the room.

"Oh, no, he was working a job this afternoon, but he's home now I think, I'm just gonna go meet him."

"You should stay." Brett offered, the other women nodding encouragingly.

"Yeah, it'll be fun. Like old times." Stella added, Gabby shaking her head lightly.

"Oh, no that's okay. Maybe some other time, but I gotta get home."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." Gabby replied with a soft smile. "You all have fun." They nodded, saying a quick goodbye before heading towards the bar. Before the last woman got too far, Gabby lightly grabbed Foster's arm, stopping her momentarily.

"I, uh- thank you, for not saying anything." Gabby spoke quietly, not missing the look of pity that flashed in the woman's eyes.

"Of course… I'm sorry you went through that."

Gabby only nodded, the idea of discussing this any further making her uncomfortable. Without much other interaction, the women went their separate ways, Emily moving towards her friends and Gabby exiting the bar, carefully walking through the slick street to get back to her car, ready to be back home with Matt.

* * *

Gabby stepped in through the back door of the apartment, locking the door behind her as she glanced around the dim room. "Matt?" She called out, beginning to shed her extra layers. She hung her jacket up and kicked off her boots, placing them by Matt's, his still wet from the snow. As she stepped further into the apartment, she started to register the sound of the shower running. Moving into the kitchen, she grabbed a few crackers from the pantry before setting out towards the only sound being made in their home. She entered the bedroom, heading straight for the bathroom, stepping into the warm room. Matt hadn't noticed her presence yet, Gabby seeing him through the clear shower door, not able to tell if his skin was red from the heat of the water or the cold of being outside all day.

"Hey babe." She spoke, her voice a bit louder than normal to make sure he heard her through the sound of the running water. Looking over at her, he paused his movements of washing his hair, a smile lighting up his face as he saw her, the steam doing nothing to impair their view of the other.

"Hey, where'd you run off to?" He asked, continuing his shower as Gabby hoisted herself up onto the counter across from him.

"I went to go talk to Herrmann." She responded, shoving a cracker in her mouth.

Matt's eyebrows raised as he looked towards her again, trying to get a read on her before speaking. "And how'd that go?"

"Pretty good. I told him what happened."

"Do you feel better?"

"I do, actually, yeah."

"Good." He replied, smiling brightly.

The two fell into a comfortable silence, Gabby falling deep in thought as she nibbled on her snack, her eyes glued to Matt. He'd glanced to her a few times, seeing the pensive look covering her face. He wasn't sure what was on her mind, but he could tell whatever it was had her thinking hard.

Matt turning off the faucet snapped her back into reality, Gabby watching him as he stepped from the shower. A chill ran through him as he reached for his towel, quickly drying the excess water off his body before wrapping it around his waist.

"So, uh, I've been doing some research…" She started, Matt padding across the tile floor to come stand in front of her. "I've been looking up doctors, to try and get a better idea of what we're dealing with." Gabby spoke, her hand ghosting over her stomach. A frown quickly appeared on his face as he saw her movement, hating to even think about the probable ticking time bomb inside of her. "And I found one I think I want to see." She told him, Matt placing his hand on her thigh. This wasn't the first time they'd spoken about the baby situation since their discussion nearly a week ago, but it was the first time either of them had brought up actual steps towards finding a solution. Both of them were weary to jump back into that again, knowing the pain and destruction it caused last time, but Gabby didn't want to wait anymore. And if Matt were being honest with himself, he didn't either.

"Her name is Linda Tanner, she has her own practice in the city. But she's known to handle high-risk pregnancies, she has a lot of experience with that. And I think she could help us. Just figure out what exactly is going on in there, and what options we have." She told him, her bottom lip falling between her teeth.

"High-risk pregnancies?" His voice was quiet, like he was afraid of the words leaving his mouth. Blowing out a soft breath, Gabby placed her hand on his cheek, wiping away the water droplets that had fallen from his hair.

"Us going to see her isn't me saying I'm gonna get pregnant. We haven't decided how we're going to have a baby, I know we have to figure that out together. But I think she'll be able to help us." Gabby told him gently, rubbing her thumb over his skin. "When we got the news last time, neither of us were able to deal with it, let alone ask questions. Now that we at least know about the aneurysm, we won't be blind sided by it. She can tell us exactly what we're dealing with, and what options we have."

Matt nodded slowly, squeezing her leg gently as he stood there, letting her words wash over him.

"We're gonna do this together, Matt. I just think she's the right first step for us to figure out what to do."

"Then let's go see her." He responded with a gentle smile, Gabby's hand moving down to rest on his neck. "I'd feel better having all the information. You're right, we weren't really able to grasp everything last time. And if she could give us more info, maybe if she's dealt with something like this before, it could only help us. The high-risk pregnancy thing just threw me." He admitted, Gabby nodding understandingly. "But I want to figure this out, and hopefully Dr. Tanner can help us."

"I think she can."

"Let's call and set up an appointment. I know it might be hard to work around our shifts, but I can duck out for a few hours if I need to. This is important, so whatever we need to do." He spoke, the small smile on her face filling him with warmth.

Instead of responding verbally, Gabby used her leverage and pulled her towards him, their lips connecting gently as she kept her hand on his neck, the other coming to rest on his back. Matt moved to stand in between her legs, Gabby widening them so he could stand closer, his hands resting on her hips.

The two stood connected for a few minutes, enjoying the steady pace they'd set, Gabby's fingers teasing the edge of his towel. Matt pulled back when he felt her nose scrunch up, a slight giggle escaping her lips as he put a few inches between them.

"What?" He asked, amused by the adorable look on her face.

"You're getting water on me, it tickles." She chuckled, Matt smirking before leaning forward and placing a hard, quick kiss against her lips.

"You don't seem to mind too much." He murmured against her, Gabby panting slightly as she caught her breath. Their eyes locked on each other, Matt catching the wanting gleam in her gaze, a grin falling to his face as he moved his hands down past her hips.

"I don't mind one bit." She whispered, Matt shifting her body to lift her up, a chuckle escaping her lips as she wrapped her legs around his waist, her arms locked around his neck as Matt carried her into their bedroom.

* * *

"So, it's been over a week," Jemma spoke as she climbed down from the ambulance, Gabby walking around to her side with a confused look on her face, "and it looks like the shift at 51 didn't steal you from me." She said with a gentle grin, Gabby releasing a soft chuckle.

"No, no it didn't." She responded, the two women beginning their walk through the garage. "I enjoyed seeing all my friends again, I really did, but I don't think going back there is a possibility for me."

Neither woman were able to say anything else as a call rang throughout the house, signaling all three ambos to help with patient transport at a pile up on the highway.

"What is with today?" Jemma blew out a sigh as they jogged back towards the ambulance. "We've had more calls today than like all of last week." She mused, both women climbing in before Norris peeled out of the garage, sirens blaring. It had been a hectic morning and afternoon for the two paramedics, Gabby surprised by the large amount of calls they'd gotten. It was definitely her busiest day working here so far, but she didn't mind it so much, enjoying the more frequent one on one time she was getting with Jemma.

"Sounds like we're heading into a busy one." Jemma commented, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"With as awful as the weather is today, can't say I'm surprised." She mused, looking at the thick snow falling around them. "Hopefully it's nothing too bad."

"Yeah, hopefully. But with the amount of ambos they're needing, it might not be pretty." She spoke with a grimace, the brunette navigating the snow covered streets expertly.

"So, were you really worried that I might leave and go back to 51?" Gabby questioned, knowing they were still a few minutes out from their destination.

"No, not really." She responded softly. "But I know it was your home for so long, and Matt's there. It wouldn't be unreasonable for you to want to go back."

"Yeah, maybe. I won't lie to you, I do miss it sometimes. But I love working here, and having you as my partner." Gabby spoke truthfully, watching the girl's smile widen. "Barring some huge change or dramatic life event, I'm pretty sure you're gonna be stuck with me for awhile."

"Good." Jemma replied, merging onto the exit to get them up on the highway. "I know you've had a lot of partners and you've been doing this for awhile, but I haven't. And I feel so lucky to have gotten partnered with someone like you so early on in my career. You can only make me better, and I love getting to work with you."

Warmth filled Gabby as she heard her friend's words, a soft smile resting across her face. "I love having you as my partner, too. Trust me, I have no intention of going anywhere any time soon."

Jemma nodded in response, not having much time for anything else as they got to the scene. Unfortunately, Gabby was incorrect in thinking it might not be too bad, the paramedics walking in on a gruesome scene.

Cars were smashed into one another, some piled on top of the other, a few of which were on fire, and that was just from first glance. There were screams heard all over, echoing through the air as they climbed down from the ambo. They grabbed what they could, heading into the near warzone. Gabby saw ten different fire trucks just during her first scan through the scene, and she was sure there were more she couldn't see. Dozens of ambos were lined up everywhere, smoke filling the air from multiple different cars, Gabby grimacing as she saw some red patches covering the snow and ice. She could see the presumed end of the pileup, but it was a ways back, and if she had to guess, she'd say at least fifty cars had been involved, if not more. She's not sure what triggered this crash, but whatever had caused a lot of damage.

"I need a medic!" She heard being yelled from maybe twenty yards in front of her, Gabby jumping into action immediately, her body reacting before her mind processed it. Norris watched her go, intent of following her before her she was pulled in another direction.

"What do you got?" She called back when she was close enough, looking up from navigating through the wreckage to see Severide standing near the car with a few members of squad working on the car door.

"Dawson?" He broke through his serious Lieutenant voice, the surprise evident as he looked up at her.

"Hey Kel. You needed a medic?"

"Yeah, guy's losing blood. We're trying to get the door open but it's jammed pretty hard. Can you get in there and collar him?" Gabby nodded, her eyes moving towards the scene, surveying her options.

"Capp, break the window out. I doubt we could get that door open." Severide ordered, Kelly standing partially in front of Dawson while his firefighter broke out the backseat window, shielding her from any possible spraying glass. Once it was clear there were no shards or anything that could cut her, Capp and Cruz helped her into the car, Gabby sliding in expertly and getting situated in the back seat before having them hand her the ambo bag.

She worked quickly, leaning over in between the seats to get a better look at the unconscious man, seeing blood wetting the man's clothes on different parts of his body. "Yeah, it's not looking too good, Severide. We need to get him out of here soon." She relayed, hearing Kelly order his men to get back to work. Pulling out the c-collar, she moved to place it around him when blood started spurting from a gash in his neck, spraying across the vehicle.

"Shit." She muttered, moving quickly to place her fingers over the hole in his neck, the bleeding slowly substantially. "Kelly, you need to hurry!" She called, hoping her voice could be heard over the machine.

"What's wrong?" He asked, all progress halting as Kelly leaned down to get a visual. Seeing the picture in front of him, he automatically knew what was wrong, with Gabby's hand pressed firm against the man's neck, and some blood staining her skin and her clothes.

"We don't have a lot of time, and I won't be able to stabilize him without killing him." She spoke quickly. "If I collar him, he'll bleed out. We're gonna have to risk paralysis if we want him to live."

"Okay, we'll get you out as soon as we can." Severide assured her with a grimace, standing back up and signaling Capp to start with a jaws again.

"Hey, we need help with an extraction over here at the northwest end of the pileup. Got a victim stuck." He said through his radio, pausing when he heard coughing coming from the car. Looking back through the window, he saw smoke starting to flow throughout the vents. "God dammit." He muttered, forgetting his radio was still on.

"_Severide? What happened?_" Boden's voice came through the other end of the radio.

"There's smoke starting to come through the vents. We've got extinguishers ready, but we need to get this guy out, her and D- Gabby, we're gonna get you guys out in a second, alright?" He cut off his own sentence as her heard her coughing get louder, the woman giving him a nod.

"_Gabby's here?_" Casey's concern filled voice flooded through the radio.

"Yeah, she is. She's in the car with the victim, he's bleeding out, she's putting the pressure on the wound but we're working on borrowed time here. We need some help with this jammed door."

"_I'm coming_." Matt spoke shortly into the radio, Severide moving his attention back towards Gabby as they waited for more assistance. In less than two minutes, Casey had found them, being followed by Kidd and Otis, the latter carrying their set of jaws to help with the door.

"Otis, set up down towards the bottom, Capp move closer to the top. Hopefully with that much pressure, you can get some leverage." Severide ordered, the two men obeying as they got into their positions. Matt ducked down by the driver side window, staying out of the way while getting a good look at Gabby.

"You okay in there?" He asked her gently, wincing as he saw the position she was in, the blood splattered on her, and the smoke flowing through the vents.

"I'm good." She promised, Matt nodding before turning his attention to his other firefighter.

"Kidd, be up here at the front with that extinguisher, in case it starts to go up." Casey ordered, Stella immediately taking up her position at the hood of the car, ready to go if need be.

Severide opened his radio up to all channels, calling for some paramedics and a gurney, knowing this man needed to be transported immediately.

Less than a minute later, the two firemen were able to pry the door open, the wrecked metal screeching as it was pulled away from its frame. The two medics had just arrived, Kelly filling them in on the situation as their PIC leaned into the car.

"We can't collar him, he'll bleed out." Gabby spoke, the man nodding in agreement.

"Alright, I'm gonna put my hand over yours then I'll take over so we can get him out of here." The paramedic spoke, Gabby complying. The two completed the handoff seamlessly, and moments later the unconscious man was on a backboard and put on a gurney, being carefully wheeled away.

The second he was able, Matt moved to help Gabby, the woman having relocated towards the backseat, knowing that was her easiest exit. She began to lift herself through the window, Matt hoisting her, his arms wrapped around her body until he felt she was firmly on the ground. After giving her a once over, he leaned into the car, getting out her bag and handing it to her.

"You sure you're okay? You were breathing in a lot of smoke." His voice was laced with worry, his tough Captain exterior long gone.

"I'm fine. If the coughing doesn't go away, I'll get some oxygen when we get back to the house." She assured him, Matt's eyes running over her momentarily. "I'm alright." She whispered, placing her glove covered hand over his cheek.

He opened his mouth to respond, but never got the words out as the car Gabby had just been in caught on fire, the flames shooting through the air vents, Kidd getting them extinguished as quickly as she could.

Matt placed his hand on her arm, forcing them to take a few steps away from the vehicle. Once they were far enough away for comfort, he looked back to her, a grimace covering his face as he saw the blood spatter up close.

"You need to get back to work, and I'm sure I do. I need to find Norris, see where we're needed. But I'm good, I promise." She told him one last time, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss on his cheek, the metallic smell of blood filling his nostrils, blocking out her usual Gabby-scent.

"Stay safe out here." He told her as they separated, Gabby giving him a small salute as she backed away.

"You too, Captain."

Matt kept his eyes on her as she moved through the smashed cars, the snow fogging his vision as he watched her move swiftly. Once he saw her meet back up with Jemma, he released a breath, relief washing over him knowing she had her partner with her.

"_Casey, we need you back over here._" Herrmann's voice broke through the radio, snapping Matt's thoughts away from Gabby as he moved his hand to his radio, nodding at Kidd and Otis to head back.

"We're on our way."

* * *

Gabby sighed softly as she looked over herself in the mirror, her tired eyes shining back at her, fatigue wearing across her face. She'd gotten most of the blood off her neck, and switched out the soiled shirt a few moments prior, replacing it with an old CFD t-shirt. Her shift had just finished, well it had finished an hour and a half ago, but her and Jemma had only now gotten back from their last call. They'd spent the rest of their afternoon and evening helping and transporting victims from the pileup, not having a moment to breath. Thankfully, there were not nearly as many casualties as she expected upon first arrival, the death count was still in single digits, but she was sure that number would continue to rise as the night went on.

Putting her dirty shift clothes in her bag, she spared one last glance to herself in the mirror before exiting the bathroom, her tired body moving slowly through the hallways of the house. The minute her and Jemma got back about ten minutes ago, they'd handed off the keys to the night shift medics and Gabby went straight to the bathroom, needing to get out of her blood stained clothes that she'd been in for hours. Thankfully now that she was officially off the clock and into cleaner clothes, she was able to go home. But part of her didn't want to.

"You good, Dawson?" Norris asked her as they met in the hallway, Jemma having just left the common room.

"I'm fine. Worn out, but fine. This reminded me of my 51 days a little bit." She commented, the other paramedic nodding as they walked through the double doors.

"Yeah, it was really hectic. I'm not sure I've ever had a day this crazy before." Gabby nodded in response, the two women walking from the garage out into the cold, the light snow falling down on them as they headed towards their cars. "You headed home?"

"Yeah, I think so. I'm ready to sleep." She said, earning a laugh from her friend.

"I understand that. Have a good night, Dawson." Jemma told her, giving her a wave before sliding into her car.

Gabby completed the short walk to hers, her body on autopilot as she unlocked the door and got in, a chill running through her as she made contact with the cold seats. She quickly put her keys in the ignition, locking the doors as she sat and waited for the car to warm up. Pulling out her phone, a photo of her and Matt shined brightly in the dark car, Gabby seeing a text from Matt waiting for her, him having sent it about fifteen minutes ago.

'_Hey babe, we just got back to the house. I'm sure you're off shift by now, but just wanted to let you know we all got back safe. I love you._'

A small smile fell onto her face as she read over his words, Gabby placing her phone down in the passenger seat as she thought over her options of what to do tonight. She knew she needed sleep, her body was desperate for it. But she didn't feel like sleeping alone in her and Matt's giant bed. She really just wanted to be with him after the crazy day she experienced.

It took only seconds for her mind to be made up, Gabby buckling her seatbelt before pulling out of her parking spot, driving to the familiar location.

By the time she pulled up outside the firehouse, it was nearly 9PM. She managed to find a spot less than a block away, Gabby slinging her bag over her shoulder, grasping her phone in her hand before locking up her car and beginning her walk. As she neared, she realized she probably should've called Matt first, to make sure it was okay her being here. She was sure it wouldn't be an issue, but she also knew it wasn't her place to just assume she could stop by anytime now.

Blowing out a soft breath, she called Matt's cell phone, bringing the phone up to her ear as she continued down the sidewalk.

"_Hello there._" He answered lightly into the phone, a smile coming to her face as she turned the corner and walked by the side of the house, taking the shortcut through the snow-covered grass.

"Hi. Are you guys still at the house?"

"_Yeah, we are. Why, where are you?... What are you doing, you're breathing kind of heavy._" He questioned, Gabby hearing the confusion in his voice.

"Walking in a foot of snow will do that." She replied back, thankful as she neared the closed garage doors of 51 and got into much more manageable walking conditions. "Actually, I'm outside."

"_Wait, what? Where are you?_" He asked her, Gabby able to hear him shuffling around.

"I'm just outside the garage, is the door unlocked? I'm freezing out here."

"_Should be._" He responded, Gabby getting to the door and pulling on the handle, feeling gratitude wash over her as it opened. Stepping inside, she saw Matt walking towards her, a look of confusion covering his face. He hung up the call, sliding his phone back into his pocket as he approached her, Gabby kicking her boots on the mat before moving towards him.

"What are you doing here?" He asked with a smile, the two stopping their paths as the met a few feet inside the doorway.

"I just finished my shift half an hour ago, I didn't feel like going home." She replied, a frown forming across his face. "Nothing's wrong." She assured him immediately. "I just missed you." The frown slowly left his features, Matt nodding in understanding. "Is it okay that I'm here? I didn't think to ask until after I was already walking up."

"Of course it's okay." He spoke quickly, giving her the reassurance she was seeking. "You're always welcome here. Are you staying the night?"

"Yeah, if it's alright." She spoke, Matt nodding immediately, a gentle smile resting on his face.

"I'm happy you're here." He placed a soft kiss to her forehead, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he led them further into the garage, the chill making its way to their bodies from where they stood in the doorway. "I'm actually glad to know you'll be staying here. It's already late, and I don't like the thought of you driving home in this weather." She simply nodded, staying tucked into his side as they got the double doors, the pair maneuvering through the entrance without disconnecting. "Look who I found outside." He called into the common room, eyes lighting up when they saw her walk in with Casey.

"Dawson!" Herrmann said excitedly, the pair coming to a stop in the entrance of the room. "What brings you by tonight?"

"Just got off shift, figured I'd come by and see how you all were doing." She responded, the group smiling.

"We're decent, that pileup was crazy though." Cruz commented, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, the boys were telling everyone how badass you were today, Dawson. Some things never change." Herrmann mused, Gabby shrugging softly from within Matt's grip, glancing up to see the proud smile covering his face.

"Just doing my job." She replied, before turning her head to talk directly to Matt. "Is it okay if I take a shower? I feel gross, like I still have blood all over me."

"Of course, yeah." He responded softly, Gabby saying a quick goodbye to the men and women in the common room before walking with Matt down the hallway towards the showers, the pair separating as they got into the bathroom. Gabby turned the water on while Matt moved around the room, grabbing a towel for her and getting his soap and shampoo from his locker. He came to stand beside her, items in hand, a grateful smile appearing across her face.

"I know my shampoo doesn't really do it for you, but I figured it's better than nothing." He spoke softly.

"It is, thank you." She replied, hanging up the towel he brought her and placing the products inside the shower.

"You need anything out of here? I'm gonna take it to my office." He asked as he picked her bag up off the ground, holding onto her coat as well. She nodded, quickly pulling out a pair of sweatpants she'd stashed in there for emergencies.

"I'm good now, thank you." Matt nodded, taking a few steps away from her as he headed for the exit.

"Take your time. I'm gonna get all this bloody stuff in the wash." He told her, seeing the stains on her jacket. "Unless we get a call, I'll be in my office." She nodded, smiling at him until he disappeared around the corner. Checking the temperature one last time to make sure it was warm enough, Gabby shed her clothes, setting all of them on the shelf against the wall before stepping into the shower, the steam welcoming her as she put her head under the stream of water.

She stood there for a moment, letting the water wash away the long day she'd had, feeling her tight muscles relax under the heat. All the tension was slowly leaving her body the longer she stood there, her eyes remaining closed as she enjoyed this quiet moment.

After she'd relaxed for long enough, she reached for Matt's shampoo, her movements stopping when she heard rustling outside of her shower curtain. Furrowing her eyebrows, she grabbed the material, holding it to cover her body as she poked her head out.

Her confusion morphed into amusement as she saw Matt standing there, stripped to nothing except his boxers, his hands placed on the waistband like he was getting ready to remove them, a goofy grin covering his face.

"Can I help you?" She asked, her grip on the shower curtain loosening.

"Well, I got your stuff in the wash and was in my office, but all your talk about a shower… it sounded nice."

"Well, good for you there's plenty to choose from." She replied before shutting the curtain back.

"Oh come on." He whined, his voice sounding childish despite the very adult situation they were in. "Don't leave me out here. What would the guys think if one of them came in here and saw me naked outside of your shower?"

"Is that any better than you naked inside the shower?" She questioned with a chuckle, hearing him let out a huff in frustration.

"It's definitely better for me." He spoke smugly, Gabby rolling her eyes as she pulled the curtain back, finding him sans every ounce of clothing, her head moving to see his clothes stacked neatly next to hers.

"Come on in." She prompted, "wouldn't want anyone to find you completely naked trying to get into my shower, that wouldn't be very Captain-like." He agreed with a nod, needing no more convincing as he stepped inside, closing the curtain shut behind him. "But really, I was just wanting to take a shower and go to sleep." She explained, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"I'm only here because I missed you, and really, a shower did sound nice." He told her, Gabby scoffing as he gently turned her around so her back was to him, grabbing the shampoo and handing it to her.

"I love you, but you're full of bullshit." She replied, Matt smirking but saying nothing. He enjoyed the warm water running down his back, leaning forward to place a kiss to her wet shoulder before she lathered her hair with shampoo, Matt getting out of the way as her arms came up. He watched her intently, his hands rubbing up and down her back as they stood in the confined space.

"What's that?" He asked out of the blue, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she turned to face him.

"What's what?" She questioned back, maneuvering them so she could wash the soap from her hair. He let her stand under the water, but lifted her arm, giving them both a good view of the harsh purple and yellow bruise painted over her side, the color dancing across her ribs and disappearing under her breast. She looked at the mark, before moving her eyes back to him, seeing his worried gaze focused on the discoloration in her skin.

"That explains some of the soreness," She commented, more to herself than to him. "I think it was from being in the car today, I was jammed in there pretty tight." She explained, placing her hand under his chin to get him to look away from the bruise.

"But you're okay?"

"I'm fine. I didn't even know it was there until you said something." He nodded softly, his eyes darting around the small space, Gabby sensing there was something on his mind. "What is it, Matt?"

"It's nothing... just- you're positive there was no reason for you coming here tonight?" He questioned, "I mean, after the crazy day today, I know that was a lot for me. And with everything…" He trailed off, her eyes softening. "I want to make sure you're okay. I'm worried about you."

Gabby sighed softly, stepping towards him and wrapping her arms around his waist, pressing their bodies together as she left enough space to look up at him. "I know you're worried, I know I've given you plenty of reason to worry. But I am okay. I really just missed you, and didn't feel like sleeping at home all by myself. After everything that happened today, I wanted to be with you. There's nothing else to it, I promise." She told him softly, Matt nodding at her words, his arms wrapped tightly around her back.

"I'm sorry for being so overbearing, I know you've never really liked that. I just get a little nervous when something out of our normal happens. But I'm trying to be better about backing off a little bit. I know you're getting better and I don't need to worry as much, but sometimes I can't help it." He admitted, Gabby smiling softly.

"You don't have to apologize for being worried about me. I know I've never been the most receptive to it in the past, but it's not like you don't have your reasons for being concerned. I love you for it, even if you are a little overbearing at times." She teased, Matt raising his eyebrows at her before she nuzzled herself against his neck, placing a soft kiss to his skin. "But really, you have no idea how much it means to me, how you've been here for me throughout all of this." She whispered, Matt running a hand lightly up and down her back. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He spoke back, the two holding on to one another as they stood under the warm water, enjoying their moment of peace together while they could.

* * *

**Hello there, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I felt all the sweet Dawsey was warranted, considering how rough things have been for them lately (and considering things that are coming..) But also just because sweet Dawsey is adorable as hell and I miss it. Also, I know I just posted a few days ago, but I was feeling inspired and this chapter came quickly. Although I don't think anyone minds the fast update.**

**I appreciate all the feedback I got on the last chapter, you all left me such kind and heartfelt reviews, it truly means so much to me. You all have been so nice to me and it motivates me so much to keep this story going. I get so happy every single time I get a review, you all have no idea. But I also do want to apologize to a few of you. I got a message from someone who didn't really like the way I wrote Dawsey's talk, and I feel bad because I know so many of you were really waiting for that and I'm sorry if you were disappointed. I'm sure there were more than just the one who reached out to me, so I want to apologize to everyone reading this. I wrote it the best way I knew how, and I know I can't please everyone, but I'm sorry if you didn't like it. I'm not sure if there's anything I would've done differently, but I am sorry it fell flat for some of you. The main purpose of this story is to give you all some Dawsey that you enjoy reading, while keeping them as close to character as I know how. I'm sorry for failing to do that for some of you. But I appreciate all the feedback, I'll try and do better.**

**Thank you to everyone who takes the time to read my work and to those who leave me reviews and messages, it is so helpful and makes it easier to continue writing this. I look forward to hearing what you all thought of this chapter. Big things are coming for our favorite couple.**


	27. Chapter Twenty Seven

**Hello hello hello, here's another chapter for you all. But before we get into it, I want to say a quick thank you to everyone reading this. This story just hit 500 reviews and that's honestly mind blowing to me. The never ending support and love you all have shown me and my work, it makes me so happy. I'm so thankful to everyone who takes time out of their day to read my story and to review. It means more to me than you'll ever know.**

**Now, onto the fun stuff. Settle in, it's a crazy one. Enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Seven**_

* * *

Gabby pushed herself up from the bed having just finished tying up her boots, checking to make sure her white long sleeve shirt was still tucked neatly into her pants before heading out of the bedroom. Moving out into the open layout of their apartment, she saw the heavy snow falling through the window, blanketing the city on this chilly mid-January morning.

"Morning." Matt's tired voice spoke from his spot at the coffee machine, clad in his Captain's attire as he held out a thermos of coffee for her, already prepared just how she liked it.

"Good morning." She responded with a soft smile, walking towards him and grabbing the container, placing a soft kiss to his cheek before whispering a thank you in his ear. She walked past him, coming to a stop by the island and taking a sip of her pseudo-breakfast, the hot liquid warming her from the inside out. "So, I still haven't heard anything back from Dr. Tanner's office." Gabby spoke, Matt turning towards her. A look of hesitation quickly flashed over his face, Gabby waiting patiently for him to speak up.

"With as difficult as it is to even get an appointment, are you sure we shouldn't look somewhere else?" He questioned, Gabby shrugging as she took another sip.

"She's in high demand, apparently. Which makes me think we should wait it out at least a few more days. I think she's our best option." Gabby responded, Matt nodding as he prepared his own coffee. "But if you're tired of waiting…"

"I want us to go to who you feel comfortable seeing." He assured her with a gentle smile. "Even if we have to wait another month, if this doctor is who you want, we'll wait. As long as you're okay with it."

"I'm okay to wait it out a little longer. If I need to, I can start looking around for other options. But we'll give it a few more days." Matt nodded, moving closer to her and placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Sounds good to me. Just let me know what's going on." He requested, Gabby nodding in response. "You ready to head out?"

"Yeah, just gotta get my stuff." She replied, walking towards the coat rack by the door, pulling on her thick coat as Matt went into the bedroom to get their shift bags. He reappeared within seconds, Gabby zipping up the puffy material as he came to stand in front of her now clad in his Captain's jacket, both his bag and hers were strapped over his shoulder. He held out her gloves and her favorite beanie, Gabby taking the items gratefully as Matt grabbed his coat, slinging to material over his forearm. The couple moved in sync as they gathered the rest of their belongings and got ready to leave for the day, Gabby carrying both their drinks and grabbing their respective keys before they headed for the door. Exiting their home, Matt used his free hand to lock up behind them, Gabby waiting for him to finish the task before they moved towards their vehicles.

They both walked to Gabby's first, following the usual routine they'd set on the days they both worked since Gabby had started her job. Matt would walk her to the car, making sure she got settled in and had everything, staying put until she left. It was a nice regimen they'd perfected, both enjoying their last few moments together before going off in separate directions for the day.

"Got any fun plans tonight after shift?" He asked casually as he placed her bag into the backseat, shutting the door and turning to face her. She'd already put the keys in the ignition but was standing just outside the car.

"Um, well if laundry sounds fun to you, then yes." She spoke with a grin, Matt nodding as she handed him his drink.

"Sounds like a blast." He responded teasingly, leaning forward and placing a soft kiss to her lips. "Stay safe out there." He spoke softly once he pulled back, their faces inches apart.

"You too." She replied, kissing him again before they separated completely, Gabby getting into her car.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, I love you." He told her, leaning down with his hand on the frame of the door.

"Love you too." Matt maneuvered the tight quarters to steal one more kiss, feeling Gabby smile against him before he pulled back, making sure her body was completely in the car and shutting her car door firmly. He took a few steps back, giving her room to pull out from her parking spot, Gabby giving him a small wave goodbye. He returned the gesture, winking at her with a bright grin before she carefully pulled out into the street, Matt sparing one last glance towards her retreating vehicle as he moved towards his own, going through his similar routine before heading to the firehouse.

* * *

Ambulance 12 pulled out into the snowy streets of Chicago, Norris and Dawson having been called out to transport a patient downtown. It was just after eleven in the morning, this being their first call of shift, neither woman complaining about the slow pace to the day so far.

The women were sitting in a comfortable silence, Gabby staring out the passenger side window as Jemma navigated the morning traffic through the city, sirens blaring despite the non-emergent call. Their peaceful quiet was broken by Gabby's ringtone filling the air around them, Jemma glancing towards her partner as Dawson pulled her phone out of her pocket. Seeing the number calling her, Gabby's spine straightened, answering the call quickly knowing they were still far enough away from their destination.

"Hello?"

"_Hi, this is Debbie from Dr. Tanner's office, is this Gabriela Dawson?_"

"Yes, this is she."

"_Hi Miss Dawson, I'm sorry it's taken so long to get back to you, we've had quite the busy new year. But I wanted to let you know we've had a cancellation, and there's an open appointment with Dr. Tanner at the end of the month, in about two weeks on Tuesday the 29th. Is that something that you could do?_"

"Yes, yes absolutely." She responded quickly. Despite not knowing her and Matt's schedule for that day off the top of her head, she knew both of them were willing to move around whatever they needed to go to this appointment.

"_Wonderful. I'll put you down for that day. The appointment starts at 11, but if you could arrive thirty minutes before, you'll need to fill out some paperwork and we'll have you meet with a nurse before seeing the doctor. And whatever past medical paperwork you have, if you could get that sent over to us as soon as possible."_

"Of course, I'll have them sent in the next few days." Gabby replied, feeling Jemma's curious eyes glancing towards her every few minutes. She was sure Jemma could hear both sides of the conversation in the quiet rig, but she wasn't focused on that right now.

"_That would be great. We'll see you in a few weeks, Miss Dawson._"

"Thank you, see you then." She spoke, hanging up the call and immediately opening her messages, clicking on Matt's name. She typed out a quick message to him, not able to wipe the content smile from her face.

'_Just heard from Dr. Tanner's office, they have an appointment on the 29th at 11, I told her that was fine. I'm not sure what your schedule is, but hopefully we can make it work?'_

She saw him read the message immediately, the three dots appearing as he began typing a response.

"Everything okay?" Jemma asked softly, worry having filled her body when she heard it was a doctor's office Gabby was talking to. But the woman's happy demeanor was confusing, Jemma sensing whatever the call was about was something good.

"Yeah, everything's great." Gabby responded, glancing to her quickly before moving her attention back to her phone when she felt it buzz in her hands, seeing Matt's response.

'_That's great. I'm not sure if I'm on shift that day or not, but if I am I'll talk to Boden, tell him I need to step out for a few hours. This is important, we'll be there.'_

Warmth settled in the pit of her stomach, typing a quick thank you and goodbye before shoving her phone back into her pocket, Jemma having just pulled up to the apartment building. The paramedics hopped down from the rig, Jemma unloading the gurney and Gabby grabbing their bag before they went inside.

"Patient's on the fifth floor." Norris reminded as they headed for the elevator, Gabby pressing the button, the doors opening immediately as the paramedics navigated themselves and the gurney inside.

During the ride, Jemma could feel the jittery excitement radiating from Dawson's body, and despite not wanting to pry, she was very curious as to what had her friend's mood so elevated. Seeing wondering eyes on her, Gabby's smile widened, the action causing Jemma to raise her eyebrows.

"That call, it was from a doctor I've been waiting to hear from." She started, Jemma listening intently. "Matt and I, we're, uh- we're trying to have a baby." She spoke softly, Jemma's eyes lighting up as a similar wide smile fell onto her face. Not wanting to get into the painful details of it all, Gabby left her words vague. "And, it's complicated, but this doctor should be able to help us."

"Gabby, that's so exciting." The enthusiasm in Jemma's voice was genuine, the partners exiting the elevator as they got to their floor. "I'm so happy for you guys, you two will make amazing parents." She commented with a smile.

"Thank you." Gabby nearly whispered in response, their conversation halting as they got to the apartment where they were needed.

* * *

Matt walked through the hallways of 51, intent on returning back to his office now that he'd retrieved a snack from the kitchen. He'd been cooped up in his office all morning trying to work through the seemingly never ending pile of paperwork, when he eventually decided he needed a break, taking to doing a once over through the house to check in with everyone and get some food. With the bowl of orange slices in his grip, he turned the corner into the bunkroom, his eyebrows furrowing as he looked to his office and saw Kelly leaning against his desk.

"Need something Sev?" He asked once he was in the doorway, the other firefighter's head darting up to look at him.

"Just wanted to check in." The man responded with a shrug, a look of confusion settling across Casey's face.

"Uh, alright. Well I'm good." He told his friend, stepping around him to sit down in his chair, pulling himself up against his desk, placing his food off to the side.

"And Dawson? How's she doing?"

Narrowing his gaze, Matt turned to look at his friend. "She's good... but I have a feeling this isn't why you're here."

Blowing out a sigh, Kelly's tongue ran over his bottom lip as his eyes glanced out towards the empty bunk room before settling back on Casey.

"When are you gonna do something with that ring, man?" Kelly blurted out suddenly, Matt's eyes widening as he quickly got up from his chair and stepped around Severide to shut his office door, not wanting to make the same mistake he and Gabby had during her shift a few weeks ago.

"Would you keep your voice down?" He said through his teeth, settling himself back into his seat.

"I'm sorry, but you know how many times I've almost let it slip to Stella that we went ring shopping for Dawson?" He questioned exasperatedly. "I'm not trying to rush you or anything, but are you any closer to giving that thing to her? Before I say something I shouldn't?"

"Okay well, I'm sorry. You haven't really been a thought in all this." Matt replied sarcastically, Kelly rolling his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"But really, where are you with all this? Do you still want to give it to her?"

"Of course I do." He responded incredulously. "I'm just… waiting for the right moment."

"...Which is?" Severide prodded, Matt glaring towards his friend once more.

"I don't know, Sev. I'm still trying to figure it all out." He blew out a frustrated breath, rubbing his hand over his mouth before continuing. "I mean, we've talked about the, uh, issue we'd been avoiding. We're now moving forward, getting past everything, but- I don't know, now part of me thinks it might be too soon."

Raising his eyebrows in disbelief, Kelly spoke up. "Too soon? This coming from the guy who bought the ring a month ago with every intention of proposing?"

"And weren't you the guy telling me I should wait? I believe your exact words were 'what's the rush?'." Matt countered, Severide blowing out a sigh.

"Fair point. But also, when have you and Dawson ever waited for anything? What's stopping you?" He challenged, to which Matt simply shrugged.

"I just- I don't want to screw this up again. I can't. I want to be married to her again, more than anything else I want her to be my wife. But she's only been back for a little over two months." He started, his voice soft. "It's been like nine weeks, and yeah in that time we've made a lot of progress. We've dealt with every big issue that broke us apart, but we also spent the majority of that time avoiding the biggest problem we had. We've talked and we're working on it, yeah, but those discussions only started a couple of weeks ago. I don't want to pile on too much too soon. With everything she's dealing with, I'm hesitant to add more on top of it." Matt voiced his fears, Kelly nodding understandingly with a sympathetic smile. "I can't mess this up again, I can't let it get messed up. She's too important to me, I don't want to rush back into this if we're not ready, or if it's not what she wants right now."

His words hung in the air for a few moments, Kelly giving him a minute to breathe before speaking. "Has she given you any indication she doesn't want to get married again?"

"No… the opposite, actually. We talked about it awhile ago. We said we both still see each other as husband and wife, and she said she wants to be married to me again." Saying the words out loud squashed a few of his worries, but the whole thing still made him feel uneasy.

"Okay, listen. It sounds to me like you're overthinking this." Kelly told him bluntly, Matt eyeing him closely. "I don't think you should do this if you're unsure about Gabby or your relationship, but I know that's not the issue here. You two are like the most married divorced couple I've ever seen." He spoke, Matt chuckling softly, dissolving some of the tension in the room. "Just from what I've seen of you two since she's gotten back, you're in a much better place than you were even before all this Puerto Rico stuff happened. Whatever this 'moving forward' thing means, you two are clearly doing it together. All I'm saying is that if you're both sure of your relationship together and the future you want, which I know you are, why wait?" Matt nodded slowly, waiting a moment before speaking.

"You really have completely changed your stance on this, haven't you?" Matt asked lightly, Kelly rolling his eyes despite being glad to see his friend in better spirits.

"Things change… You and Dawson have never done things the conventional way anyway, why start now. And me knowing about this ring and Gabby not, it's like you're asking me to slip up about it." He commented, Matt shooting him a glare. "I can't keep waiting around for you to propose to her again, it's exhausting. You love Gabby, she loves you. You both want to be married again. I'm not saying you have to run out of here tomorrow and go propose to her, but don't make it complicated. When you feel like it's the right time for the both of you, do it. She's said yes to you like, what, three times already? I'm pretty sure she'll say yes again."

"Yeah, you're right." Matt breathed out.

"Of course I am." He replied smugly, Matt ignoring his comment.

"I know we're basically married, we act like we are. All that's missing is the paperwork and the rings. I just can't help but overthink things now, with everything going on."

"I know it's not simple anymore." Kelly started. "I know there's a lot that has to be considered now, especially where Gabby's concerned. But this is something you know you both want, and if anything, don't you think it would make her happier?" He questioned, his words sinking in as Matt listened intently. "I know there's been a lot of hard stuff you two have had to deal with, but this isn't one of them. This is a good thing. And yeah, when you first told me it took me by surprise and my first instinct was that it might be a little soon, but this is you and Gabby, man. You two are destined to be together for the rest of your very long and probably boring lives." He spoke genuinely.

"Thanks, Kelly." Matt replied softly, Severide clasping his hand over Casey's shoulder as a smug grin settled across his face.

"Although determined might be a better word for it. Both of you are stubborn as hell." He joked, Matt huffing out a breath at his friend's teasing. "But really, I can't tell you what's best for your relationship, all I can do is kick your ass in the right direction when you're making things harder than they need to be."

"Thanks Sev. I appreciate... well, most of what you said." Matt replied, Kelly flashing a grin.

The bells sounded throughout the house before either man could say another word, both of their heads tilting upward to listen to the call.

"_Truck 81. Squad 3. Ambulance 61. Persons trapped in an elevator._" They both moved out of the office as the address was rattled out, shuffling being heard throughout the firehouse as everyone headed to their rigs, the fireman pulling on their gear in seconds before jumping in and speeding off through the snowy streets.

51 arrived to the apartment complex in minutes, the building not far from the firehouse, everyone climbing down from their rigs as they gathered the usual components they'd need for an elevator rescue. Casey hurried inside, Severide hot on his trail as they got into the lobby, seeing a man standing there waiting for them.

"What's the situation?" Kelly asked, Casey letting him take the lead considering the nature of this call.

"Three people are trapped in our third elevator, two paramedics and the guy they came here to treat. They're stuck just above the first floor. One of the cables snapped, caused them to fall but the fail safe brakes stopped them from a complete free fall. I'm not sure how much longer it'll hold, though." He breathed out in a panic.

"Squad, up to the third floor. We're gonna go in from the top, get a look at exactly what we're dealing with. Otis, come get the elevator open for us." Severide ordered, his firefighters following him as they moved towards the stairs.

"So you've spoken to them?" Casey asked following the man towards the elevators, truck following close behind him, Brett and Foster coming as well but staying back, knowing they weren't needed yet.

"Yeah, I think they're pretty close to the first floor but I can't tell. I was just yelling at them." Matt nodded, knowing he'd have to wait for Otis to get back to get the doors open.

"This is Captain Casey from Firehouse 51, everyone okay in there?" Casey yelled as he stood close to the doors, removing his helmet and placing it on the ground out of the way.

"Matt?" A voice called back, Matt feeling the hair on the back of his neck stand up as he recognized the voice.

"Jemma?!" He called back quickly, "you and Gabby are in there? Are you okay?" He tried to keep his panic from seeping into his words, but he was sure he wasn't doing a good job.

"Yeah, we're here. Uh, any chance you could get us out of here soon?" She called back, Matt hearing a similar nervousness in her voice. His hand ran over his mouth, Matt pulling his radio towards his lips, forcing himself to keep a level head.

"Otis, where are you? Severide, how close are you to getting down there?"

"_Coming Captain._" Otis' voice broke through, Kelly's soon following.

"_I'm getting strapped up, I'm about to go down there, why?_"

"Gabby's in there."

"_Shit._" His muttered voice came through the radio. "_I'm about to head down and get a better look. At first glance it seems like only one cable snapped, so we might be able to get them out down there if there's enough space._"

"Okay." Matt replied anxiously as Otis reappeared, shoving the key into the top of the elevator doors, Matt helping him prop them open, pushing them apart until they were completely open.

"Gabby? Jemma?" He called again, getting a better look at the situation.

"Yeah?" Norris replied.

"You guys are stuck about halfway down the door. We could probably get you out down here, once Kelly does a once over." He explained. "How are you guys, how's the patient?" It wasn't lost on him that he hadn't heard Gabby say anything, and it was worrying him.

"Uh, I'm okay. Our patients fine, a little shaken up but he's okay. But, uh, Gabby, she's-"

"She's what? What's wrong?" He called back frantically, wishing more than anything he could just pry open the doors to the elevator car. But he knew he couldn't, not until Severide gave the all clear.

"She's having a hard time breathing, I think she's having a panic attack." She called back, Matt hearing Jemma's voice continue to speak after she replied to him, but it was muffled. He could only make out a few words, but it sounded like she was trying to calm Gabby down.

"God dammit." Matt spoke, his worry and frustration kicking into overdrive. The next sound heard was a loud noise from the top of the elevator, the car shifting for a moment before settling, Matt knowing Kelly was now down to them. "Severide, Gabby's having a panic attack, you got eyes on them yet?" He called over the radio, a nervous energy filling the lobby as all the firefighters waited for some opportunity to be able to help.

"_Almost._" He grunted back, Matt able to hear him working on getting the emergency hatch open.

Casey felt powerless, standing on the opposite side of the wall unable to help her. He was sure screaming comforting words would have less of an affect when he wasn't even sure if she could hear him. All he knew to do was wait, but it was killing him.

Up on top of the elevator, Kelly steadily lifted to the door, doing what he could to keep the weight even as he came face to face with the scene in front of him. His eyes first locked on the gurney, seeing their patient seemingly okay. He was a little shook up, but seemed fine. He found Jemma next, which ultimately had his gaze land on Gabby, a frown forming on his face as he saw his friend huddled in the corner, her head resting in her palms. Jemma was trying to comfort and help her, but from what Kelly could tell, nothing was working.

"Norris, Dawson, you guys okay?" He asked them, getting Jemma's attention as the woman stood up from her squatted position next to Gabby.

"We need to get her out of here, Severide." He nodded, moving back to his radio.

"_Severide, what's going on?_" Casey's frantic voice came through the radio.

"Just got down here, Casey. Gabby's having a hard time."

"_Can she hear me?_" He asked back, Kelly looking down to Dawson who was trying to suck in deep breaths, her head lifting up from its downward position, giving Severide his first look at her face. His frown deepened as he saw a bleeding cut across her cheek, tears shining in her eyes as she tried to breathe.

"I think so, yeah." He responded, Gabby giving a single nod in response to Kelly, not able to muster up more than that as her head fell against the wall behind her.

"_Gabby, listen to me._" Matt started, Kelly angling his radio down towards the elevator car. Her eyes fell closed as his voice washed over her, focusing on his words as she tried to steady herself. "_We're gonna get you out of there, everything's okay. I'm right out here._" His soothing voice flowed through the radio, everyone's movements stopping momentarily as 51 listened to him try and calm her down. "_You're okay, baby. Just breathe. Take deep, slow breaths. We're coming._"

Once he finished, Kelly spoke into the radio. "Okay Casey, I think you can try and get those doors open. If there's room, it'd be a lot better to get them out down there. We need to work fast though." He finished, seeing Gabby's head fall back down into her hands as she tried to breathe.

"_On it_."

Downstairs on the first floor, Casey, Kidd, and Otis began prying the elevator car doors open, being careful of their foot placement knowing the open elevator shaft was just below them. With some forceful movements, they slowly got the doors pried open, able to open them most of the way, enough to get everyone out.

Matt's eyes landed on Gabby's collapsed form in the corner, seeing Jemma's comforting hand placed on her shoulder. He felt relief wash over him for a split second, having her in his sight, but seeing her shaking body only increased the concern he had for her.

"Gabby." He called gently, the noise of the doors having not been enough for her to look up.

Slowly, she lifted her head from her hands, his frown deepening as he saw her cut cheek, Matt hearing the sharp, short breaths she was inhaling. He'd seen her like this before, he'd managed to help her through it before, and he knew he had to do it now.

"You're okay, everything's fine." He murmured softly. He knew they needed to get everyone out, but he couldn't help but take a moment to comfort her. He wanted to just jump in there, grab her, and pull her to safety, but he knew he couldn't. That kind of shift in the weight might cause the safety breaks to fail, and he wouldn't risk it. Not when she was still stuck in there.

Gabby nodded slowly, her emotions running rampant as she felt more tears sting her eyes, the gravity of the situation hitting her all over again. Her choppy breaths became shorter, her eyes darting around the confined space they were in, the pain in her cheek washing over her. He saw himself losing her, he could tell any progress he'd made in consoling her was slowly being wiped away.

"Jemma, can you collapse the gurney, let my guys get him out first." Matt ordered, the woman nodding as she reluctantly stepped away from Gabby.

"Gabby, hey." Matt spoke gently, trying to get her attention. "Baby, look at me." His voice was a touch louder, not wanting to startle her but he needed to get through to her. Luckily her darting eyes landed on his face, Matt seeing the fear and confusion in her gaze. "We're about to get you out. Everything's okay." He kept his voice calm as he continued to reassure her, but he was only able to do so much without actually being able to touch her.

"Matt…" Her voice came out as a whimper, his heart breaking hearing her fear as he had to move to the side, giving Otis and Herrmann room to begin removing the patient from the elevator. But he made sure to stay in her line of sight, knowing things would only get worse if she lost a visual on him.

"I'm right here, you're alright." He spoke again, his voice unwavering. "I know you're scared, you have every right to be scared. But it's okay. I'm gonna get you out of there. I love you, I'd never let anything happen to you, you know that right?"

Despite her panicked condition, she nodded, the fog that had consumed her mind clearing slightly. Her breaths were getting deeper, the crushing weight slowly beginning to lift from her chest as she kept her eyes focused on Matt. She saw him staring back at her with a gentle, reassuring smile, occasionally glancing to the side to see how much progress had been made with removing the patient.

Once the gurney was in the clear, Matt's gaze moved to Jemma. "Get on out, slowly."

"Casey…"

"It's fine, come on." He told her, knowing it'd be easier for the other woman to get out first before coaxing Gabby from the corner. "See, Jemma's getting out, and then you. And then it's all over." He spoke to Gabby, the woman's eyes never leaving him as she nodded slowly. He could see in her gaze that he was slowly getting her back, that she was coming out of her panicked state. But he also knew her fear wouldn't dissolve completely until she was out of that elevator.

The elevator shifted slightly, settling against the emergency brakes as Jemma was helped down onto solid ground. When the movement happened, Gabby's eyes widened slightly, her hand coming out to brace against the wall.

"You're fine, everything's okay. I promise." Matt spoke immediately, receiving another nod from Gabby as he stepped closer to the open elevator doors. "Now I need you to come away from the corner, and I'm gonna pull you out, alright?" He asked her, reaching his arm inside as far as he could, his head ducking into the elevator.

"Casey…" Herrmann warned, but Matt ignored him. He knew what he was doing was against protocol, he just didn't care.

"Just reach for my hand, I've got you." He assured her, holding his arm out. Gabby carefully moved towards him, grasping onto his hand as quickly as she could. She felt herself coming further out of her haze at the contact, shifting her body weight slowly to the exit. True to his word, as soon as she was close enough, Matt grabbed onto her body and lifted her down from the elevator. A sigh of relief left her lips as soon as she felt her feet hit the ground, her mind exhausted from what she'd just gone through.

In seconds, she was wrapped up in Matt's embrace, him holding her head to his chest as he walked her away from the elevator, feeling her body still trembling slightly. He was sure blood from her cut was seeping into his white shirt, Matt able to feel the change in temperature against his chest, but he didn't care.

"Severide, I got her. We're good." Matt called through the radio.

"_Thank God._" He called back. "_Okay, we'll be down soon_."

Casey shifted his focus back to Gabby, thankful to no longer feel the shaking against him, and her breaths felt steady. But she kept her firm grip around him, her hands locked around his waist as the events of the past half hour flooded her system.

"Thank you." She whispered against his neck, Matt smiling softly as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head.

"No thanks necessary." He whispered back, rubbing his hands over her back. "You would've done the same for me."

They stood in the comfort of one another for a few more moments, before Gabby finally realized exactly where she was, or rather she realized exactly who was here with them. Pulling back slightly from his grip, her eyes moved around the room. She saw Jemma standing close by, but keeping her distance. She saw most of truck pretending not to be staring at them, but Herrmann hadn't bothered to pretend, the older man wearing a look of concern. She gave him a small smile, hoping to ease some of his worries before her gaze moved to Brett and Foster, the paramedics doing a once over of the patient, but Foster kept looking over at her, her face wearing a sad expression.

"How are you feeling?" Matt asked gently, gaining her attention back.

"Tired, mostly. But I'm okay. The whole thing just..." She trailed off, unable to put into words exactly what had happened. Matt could see the exhaustion in her eyes, knowing this entire thing had taken a toll on her in a way she didn't know how to voice. Thankfully, he understood exactly what she meant, a soft, sympathetic smile appearing on his face.

"I know. That wasn't an easy thing to go through." The last thing Matt wanted was for Gabby to feel ashamed over what just happened. He knew with her progress came setbacks, but he didn't want this to derail everything. "But I'm proud of you. You got through it." She nodded slowly, Matt watching her closely for another moment before his concern shifted to her physical injury.

"How'd this happen?" He asked, looking between Gabby and Jemma.

"I hit my head against the edge of the gurney." Gabby spoke, Matt looking to Norris for confirmation.

"When the elevator fell, the jolt sent her forward and it smacked her against the bed."

"It looks pretty bad, do you think she needs stitches?" Casey asked quickly, Jemma stepping towards them to get a closer look.

"Yeah, it might."

"You should go to med, just to be safe." He spoke to Gabby, who wasn't thrilled at the idea. "Just in case you do need stitches, they can patch you up."

"Matt, I'm fine." She responded, Matt leaning in closer to her.

"Gabby, please." He pleaded softly. After realizing he wouldn't budge, she agreed, Matt turning to face 51 as he saw squad begin to filter in from the stairwell.

"Brett and Foster, transport Norris and Dawson's patient to med. Dawson needs to go and get checked out." The paramedics complied easily, taking their cue to leave as they headed for the exit. "Truck, we're gonna go to med. I'm gonna ride with Gabby-"

"You don't have to go." Gabby interrupted, but Matt continued speaking.

"If we get a call during the ride, Herrmann you're in charge." He told them, everyone nodding before truck and squad began to move for the exit.

"You really don't need to go." She tried again, Matt keeping his arm around her as they walked towards the door.

"I know I don't, but I want to." He said, leaving no more room for debate as they got outside. Jemma quickly helped 61 unload their empty bed and move it into their ambulance, knowing they couldn't transfer the patient out in the snow, and they could just switch back at the hospital. Once that task was complete, Gabby climbed in the back, Matt keeping at least one hand on her at all times, getting in behind her and sitting next to her on the bed.

Before they left, Jemma cleaned up what she could of the cut, cleaning the excess blood from her face and giving her gauze to hold against it. Once her work was done, the woman hopped down into the cold, closing the doors and moving towards the driver's seat, taking off towards the hospital.

In the back, the couple sat in relative silence, Matt keeping a firm arm around her as they moved together with the motions of the rig, Gabby's free hand gripping his thigh.

"That really scared me." She breathed out, Matt releasing a gentle sigh as she turned to look at him.

"I know it did. And when I found out it was you in there- I was terrified." He admitted, feeling Gabby squeeze his leg gently. He hoped that by letting her know how scared he was too, that would help her come to terms with what happened. "But you're okay now, everything's alright. We're gonna get you checked out, then go from there. But you're fine." He reassured her.

"I know." She agreed quietly, resting her head on his shoulder. "I'm just glad you were there."

"Me too." His eyes moved towards the front seat, seeing Jemma focused on the road, seemingly not paying attention to the two in the back. Turning his attention back to Gabby, he lowered his voice considerably, making sure she was the only person who would hear him. "Was it like the other ones?" Her head lifted from his shoulder, a look of confusion spreading across her face. "Did you have flashbacks to the attack?"

"No, nothing like that." She assured him, placing her head back against his body. "I just got freaked out, being trapped in there and not knowing what happened or how long it would be until people got there. Right after it first happened, I was okay. But then I started to get really anxious, and it became hard to breathe. Everything just sort of spiraled, I felt a little confused, like I knew where I was and that help was coming but for some reason my mind was telling me we'd never get out. The combination of everything caused me to panic… but no, it wasn't like the other ones." Gabby explained, knowing Matt would be curious as to exactly what happened.

Matt gave her an understanding nod, Gabby snuggling into his embrace as he placed a kiss to her forehead. "I'm so glad you're okay." He murmured against her skin, speaking more than just from a mental standpoint. They both knew how differently today's call could've gone. Had another one of the cables snapped, or the fail safe brakes hadn't worked like they were supposed to, it could've been a much different ending. He knew she was lucky to only have minimal physical injuries, and, despite the panic attack, things could've been much worse.

Gabby simply hummed in response, neither one saying anything else as they pulled up to med. She pulled from his embrace slightly once Jemma opened the back door, Matt getting out first to be able to help her down.

Once inside, the second Maggie saw Dawson's banged up face, she got her into a room, Jemma hanging back to trade off the gurneys with 61 as Matt walked back with her, his warm hand placed firmly on her lower back.

Matt watched from the side of the room as the nurse examined Gabby, and cleaned and stitched up the cut across her cheek. He hadn't said much, remaining a strong, silent presence by her side as Norris waited out in the hallway, making sure to flash her a supportive smile every time she looked his way.

The couple waited for the all clear to leave after the nurse left, Matt having moved to her bedside as she sat there, both of them hoping they could get out of here soon, the minutes ticking by slowly. While they talked, he couldn't help but notice she seemed in better spirits since he first found her, and if not for the obvious signs of trauma across her face, he probably never would've been able to tell something terrifying happened to her an hour ago. He also made a point not to focus on her cheek as they waited, not wanting to make her feel self conscious about the stitches, bruising, and slight swelling that had all blemished the side of her face.

After what felt like hours, but had probably been only twenty minutes, they heard the glass door slide open, Matt turning to look as they saw Dr. Rhodes come in, Casey's eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Hey Dawson, Casey." He greeted, come to her bedside.

"Hey Dr. Rhodes." Gabby responded with a small smile.

"I heard about what happened today, just wanted to come check on you." He replied, a slight hint of confusion filling his features as he got a closer look at Gabby's face.

"Is everything okay?" Gabby asked curiously, unable to determine what had him so stunned.

"Yeah, just- is that bruising only from today?" He asked inquisitively, Matt glancing towards the prominent purple coloring over her cheek, the mark trailing up under her eye. He knew it wasn't pretty, and it had to hurt like hell, but with how hard the impact must've been, Casey wasn't surprised to see the discoloration.

"Yeah… why?"

"Do you always bruise that easily?" He questioned, ignoring hers.

"Lately, she has." Matt spoke up from beside her, Connor looking at him expectantly. "She had a really nasty bruise from a call, and she's had a few little bruises on her." He recalled, Dr. Rhodes nodding as he started typing on his iPad. "Is something wrong?" Matt asked after a few moments of silence, Dr. Rhodes shaking his head.

"No, I don't think so. In fact I'm sure it's nothing at all, but I just want to do some routine bloodwork to double check, make sure everything's okay. Since you're already here." He told them, Gabby nodding slowly.

"Okay." She agreed, Connor heading for the door.

"I'll get a nurse to draw your blood, and it shouldn't take long to get those results. You alright to sit tight for a bit?" Gabby simply nodded, Dr. Rhodes saying a quick goodbye to the couple before disappearing through the door.

"I wonder what all that's about…" Matt mused, Gabby shrugging as she relaxed into the bed.

"Who knows, but I guess I can nap for a bit." She spoke, a grimace suddenly falling to her face as she looked at him.

"What is it?"

"You really need to change your shirt." She commented, Matt glancing down to see the red stain from her blood across his chest.

"I can get another one when I get back to the house." He replied with a shrug, Gabby opening her mouth to respond but she got cut off by Herrmann's voice over the radio.

"_We got a call, Casey. High-rise fire downtown, seems pretty bad. You coming or staying here?_"

Blowing out a sigh, Matt looked to Gabby who was wearing a soft smile over her face. "Go." She told him.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm positive. There's no telling how long I'll be waiting around here, and I'm fine. Plus, I've got company." Gabby spoke, nodding towards Jemma who was still hanging around outside the room.

"Okay." He responded, before turning back to the radio. "I'm coming, Herrmann." As he spoke, he waved Jemma in, the woman following direction immediately. "I've got a call, can you stay with her?"

"Of course."

"Thank you." Matt spoke quickly, placing a kiss on Gabby's forehead before heading for the door. "Please let me know what's going on, whenever they get the results back." He asked, Gabby nodding in compliance.

"I will, now go. People need help." She urged him, Matt nodding before running off down the hallway.

* * *

Firehouse 51 drug their feet as they stumbled back into the firehouse, their energy wearing thin as they returned from the apartment fire. They spent all of their afternoon and well into their evening rescuing victims and getting the fire out, truck and squad not pulling back up to the house until well after seven.

As they all got into the common room, collapsing into the nearest chair they could find, Matt pulled out his phone. When he first left her room in the hospital, he had no idea the call they were taking on would've lasted this long, and he was anxious to see if he had any messages from Gabby. This had been his first opportunity to check since leaving her, and to his surprise he had nothing from her. He was sure that meant everything was fine, and he knew she was off shift by now anyway and had probably just forgot to text him, but that wouldn't stop him from calling just to make sure.

"Gabby doing alright, Casey?" Herrmann's voice broke through the quiet, Matt looking up from his phone to the older man. "That call today… it wasn't easy."

"She's okay, the whole thing just scared her." Matt explained, knowing all of truck and squad were listening. Herrmann stared knowingly at Casey, both men having a silent understanding of the deeper meaning to the panic attack she suffered today.

"Can't blame the girl." Mouch replied. "She's worked enough elevator calls to know how bad that stuff can be, I would've been terrified too." Matt merely nodded, not up for continuing the conversation any longer.

Thankfully he didn't have to as Boden's voice rang through the room, calling Casey towards him. Chief started taking off towards a quiet hallway, Matt following his path wordlessly until they came to a stop. Before the Chief even spoke, Matt knew what this was about, knowing he wasn't quite done talking about what Gabby went through.

"I heard about what happened to Dawson, is she okay?"

"She is... everything just freaked her out and she had a panic attack." Casey explained, knowing all the curiosity in the house was coming from a good place. "It was a rough day, she's a little shaken up but she's alright."

Boden nodded slowly, his hands resting on his hips. "I can understand, what she went through was difficult. But I appreciate you going to work that call today. I know that had to have been hard to leave her, but I respect you doing so."

"Just doing my job, Chief."

"I know. But I think you should call it for the night." He replied, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "Go home, be with Gabby." He told him.

"Are you sure it's okay?" He asked, trying to hide how ready he was to leave.

"You should be with her, Casey. After what she went through, I don't know how you're managing to focus much on work anyhow, but you should be at home. I would've done the same thing had this happened to her here, just now instead of sending home two people I only need to send home one." He explained, Matt nodding.

"Thank you, Chief. I really appreciate this."

"I know. Now get out of here." Matt released a grateful breath, nodding at the Chief's words before heading for the locker room. He quickly grabbed his things, making a quick pit stop in his office before practically running from the firehouse, his desire to be at home with Gabby outweighing everything else.

* * *

Matt pushed open the back door, making a point to close it quickly, trying to keep as much warm air inside as possible. Desperate to shake the cold from his limbs, Matt discarded his boots and his jacket, putting away the items before stepping further inside the quiet apartment. Glancing towards the clock, he saw it was already half past eight, traffic holding him up on his quest to get home.

His eyes moved around the room, surprised to not see Gabby anywhere as he walked towards the living room, knowing that gave him a better view of the entire apartment. He'd sent her a text on the way home, telling her that Boden let him leave shift and he'd be home soon. But he never got a response.

Not seeing her anywhere in the main part of the apartment, he turned his head towards their bedroom, calling out her name softly as he moved towards the open door. "Gabby?"

There was no response, and as he got to the doorway he caught a glimpse of the lower half of her body lying on the bed, Matt assuming she'd fallen asleep. But as he walked all the way into the bedroom, he was proven wrong when he saw her wide awake, facing the middle of the bed with tears falling down her face.

"Gabby." He breathed out in confusion and concern, moving towards the bed quickly and sitting down, his body facing her as she looked to him, more tears spilling over as their eyes met. "What's going on?" His voice was gentle but full of worry as he took in her red stained eyes. Whatever had her this upset, she'd been crying about it for awhile.

She remained silent, her eyes closing for a second as tears continued to fall, feeling Matt place a warm hand over her side.

"Was is something with the bloodwork?" He asked softly when she had yet to say a word, his confusion morphing into fear as he wondered what could possibly be wrong. She had yet to react to his questions, placing her hand on top of his, her eyes shining in the dimly lit room. He stared intently at her as he saw her emotions playing across her face. She was scared, he could see it clearly. But she also looked devastated, and he was terrified to learn the cause behind it.

"Gabby, you're scaring me. What's wrong?" He asked hesitantly, swallowing the lump forming in his throat.

The two sat in silence for a few moments, Gabby having to gather up the courage to open her mouth and speak.

"I'm pregnant."

* * *

… **So, how are we feeling? This chapter was kind of a doozy, and now… well let's just say there's a lot of decisions to make.**

**I'm sorry for leaving the cliffhanger like this, and I'm even more sorry because tomorrow I'm leaving for vacation for a week and I'm not sure when I'll be able to give you guys an update. I'm hoping to have time to write while I'm gone, but I don't know what my schedule will be like. I'm sorry to leave you guys hanging like this, but I was determined to get this chapter posted before I left. Hopefully it won't be too long before I can update and you all can see what's coming next. I'm not sure if any of you saw this coming, but let me tell you things are about to get a lot more intense.**

**I can't wait to hear what you think of this, please leave me a review if you can. Thanks for reading!**


	28. Chapter Twenty Eight

**Well, here it is. The chapter I know many of you have been waiting for. There's nothing I really need to say, except I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Eight**_

* * *

_Gabby blew out an impatient breath as she sat in the hospital bed, Jemma having left to get them both a snack from the vending machine. The nurse had come in over an hour and a half ago to draw her blood, and no one had been back since. Despite Gabby being thankful for Dr. Rhodes' caution, she knew these blood tests would come back fine. There was nothing wrong with her, she knew it was just a precaution. But the longer she had to wait, the more antsy she became. And she felt bad for making Jemma wait as well._

_Norris had been in constant contact with the house, letting their Chief know what all was going on, that they were keeping Dawson for further testing. Their ambulance had been taken out of service for the time being, the two women stuck in the hospital until Gabby was set free, which she hoped would be any minute now._

_The sliding of the glass door caught her attention, Gabby looking up to see Connor walking in, iPad in hand. Tilting her head slightly, her forehead creased in confusion, wondering why Dr. Rhodes had come back to see her._

"_Hey Dawson," He greeted, his eyes bouncing around the small room. "Did Casey leave?"_

_Nodding slowly, she responded. "He had a call, apartment fire."_

"_Oh, yeah. We've been getting a lot of patients from that one." He commented, Gabby nodding again. "So, I know I said I wouldn't be back, and I was hoping Casey would've still been here, but I was looking over your bloodwork and something caught my eye." He began, Gabby feeling her heart start to pound in her chest. For as sure as she'd been that nothing was wrong, now she couldn't help but wonder what he might've found._

"_What is it?" She found her voice, her throat feeling dry as the cautious words left her lips._

"_You're pregnant, Gabby." He spoke with a gentle smile._

_The second the words left his mouth, she froze. Her eyes widened slightly, her pounding heart nearly stopping as it dropped to her stomach, fear and panic coursing through her veins._

_She couldn't be pregnant. She couldn't be. Not when her and Matt were just beginning to figure this out, not when they hadn't even decided on how they would expand their family. This couldn't be happening to them right now. _

_She felt like she couldn't breathe, like her entire body had stopped functioning. She vaguely heard Dr. Rhodes ask her a question, but she couldn't make it out, his words sounding muffled and far away. Her body felt like it was on fire, worry creeping up her throat as her mind tried to comprehend what this meant. What it meant for them, what it meant for her, and how dangerous this pregnancy was. It felt impossible to digest the magnitude of this, like this wasn't something real. She didn't know how to feel about this news that, at one point, would've been the best thing to happen to them._

_And she had no idea how Matt would react. _

_Except she did have some idea, and she was terrified. She feared what this would do to them and everything they'd rebuilt, knowing how he was openly against the idea of her carrying their baby, not willing to risk losing her. She knew he'd be scared, and he'd probably be angry. But would his anger be directed at her, she wasn't sure. _

_He was so against her carrying their child because of the risks, but that was even before she'd gotten pregnant. If he had that much anger and strong feelings before it had even become real, how would he handle this? Would he blame her? Would he think she did this on purpose?_

_Her terrified thoughts were crushing her, holding her down as the weight of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. She was carrying a baby, her and Matt's baby. A baby they'd always wanted, but it felt like they were never meant to have. A baby that they'd tried so hard to create, but were never able to. A baby that could kill her._

_Ever since getting together with Matt, she dreamed of the day she'd find out about her being pregnant with their child. She imagined how she'd tell him, and how excited they'd both be. How their eyes would be filled with happy tears, knowing their dream was becoming a reality. But this, this wasn't something that should be happening right now. She shouldn't be pregnant, and despite how determined she'd been all those months ago that she would be the one to carry their baby, now that it was happening, she'd never been more scared._

_This child could kill her. This life she and Matt created could take away hers, the life she fought so hard to get back. It could take her away from Matt. And she was terrified._

_But there was also a small part of her that felt a little bit of happiness, despite what it meant for her. Knowing that her and Matt had created something so wonderful, she couldn't help but feel a small sliver of pride. There was a baby inside of her, a life that was part her and part Matt, created through nothing but love. This is what she'd always wanted, what they always wanted. And now they had it._

_But it wasn't supposed to happen this way._

_Tears clouded her vision as her mixed emotions of fear and hesitant joy morphed into devastation, knowing of all the possible outcomes of this pregnancy, most of them were not good. The few tears turned into many as they escaped down her cheeks, a sob ripping through her chest as her hand came up to cover her mouth._

"_Gabby?" Jemma's concerned voice echoed in her ears, sounding oddly far away but she was sure it wasn't. "What's wrong?"_

_Another sob escaped her lips as she cradled her head in her hands, the tears streaming down her face seemingly endless as her body began to shake. She felt a hand on her shoulder, but couldn't process much else as grief consumed her. This wasn't supposed to happen, she wasn't supposed to get pregnant. _

_There was almost no possible way for this to have a happy ending, and she knew it. She couldn't see a scenario in which this played out in their favor. She had just gotten Matt back, they had finally worked through their problems, and this was going to mess everything up._

"_Gabby, what can I do?" Jemma's panicked voice broke through her thoughts again, the girl sounding helpless and worried. "Do you need me to call Matt, I don't know-"_

"_No, don't!" Gabby spoke immediately, Jemma's words snapping her from her thoughts. Norris' eyes widened at her response, not expecting such a panicked reaction._

"_Okay, okay I won't." She assured her, Gabby nodding slowly as more tears fell from her eyes. Jemma wasn't sure what to do, not knowing how to help her clearly distraught friend._

_Gabby's frantic eyes bounced around the room, noticing that Dr. Rhodes was nowhere in sight, having stepped out at some point during her emotional reaction, mostly likely once Jemma had returned to help._

"_Are you okay?" Jemma softly spoke, her voice causing Gabby to look back at her, continuous tears sliding down her red cheeks as a wave of nausea flew through her._

"_...I'm pregnant."_

_Gabby saw the conflicting emotions play out on Jemma's face, an immediate smile falling onto her face as her eyes lit up, but the smile was gone as quickly as it came, her gaze shifting into confusion._

"_But that's a good thing, isn't it? … It's what you and Matt wanted, right?" Her cautious voice spoke, trying to understand why this news was eliciting such a response from Dawson._

_Wiping the fresh tears off her cheeks, they were quickly replaced by new ones as Gabby's head shook side to side._

"_No… it's not."_

* * *

"I'm pregnant." The shaky words tasted bitter as they left her mouth, Gabby forcing herself to keep her eyes open as she watched him. She saw the exact moment her words registered, his look of concern and worry morphing into a blank stare, his face white as a ghost.

Matt's body went rigid as the few words left her lips, every muscle in his body tensing, a loud ringing sound filling his ears. He felt frozen, like time had stopped as those two words washed over him.

Two words that changed everything.

He felt like he couldn't comprehend anything at this moment, like his brain had short-circuited. That maybe he misheard her, or maybe this was some sick joke. But he couldn't accept this was happening to them, this had to be a mistake. That her blood work had gotten mixed up with someone else's, or the results were wrong. She couldn't be pregnant, they had been so careful, Gabby taking her birth control religiously knowing this wasn't something they could handle right now.

But this was real, and they had to deal with it. He just didn't know how. He didn't know what to do, he needed someone to tell him what to do.

Silent moments passed, more tears falling down her face as he had yet to react. He'd gone quiet, his eyes still on her but it was like he was looking through her. His mind was elsewhere, and Gabby had no idea what was going on in his head.

"Please say something…" Her quivering voice pleaded, "Matt." His shining eyes snapped back into focus, the look of shock covering his face turning into one of sorrow.

"I…" His mouth kept opening and shutting, unable to form a coherent thought as the haze cleared from his mind, and the true reality of the situation hit him.

He could lose her. This child, _their_ child, could kill her. And he couldn't handle that.

"You're sure- you're sure you're pregnant?" He stuttered out, his soft voice barely audible despite the silence in the room. She responded with a slow, sad nod, tears clouding in her eyes.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Her voice was hoarse, Gabby clearing her throat before continuing. "When Dr. Rhodes first told me, I lost it. I didn't know what to do, and I broke down." She explained quietly, Matt nodding sadly. "But after I calmed down, he came back and showed me the blood work. I'm definitely pregnant." Her voice faltered as the last word left her lips, Matt's body stiffening once more.

His hand slid off her waist, Matt hunching forward as he rested his head in his hands, Gabby missing the warm comfort his contact gave her. She stared at him for a moment, watching as he took slow, deep breaths.

She was scared of what was going to happen now, and his reaction so far hadn't given her much assurance, but she knew she needed to give him a second to let this sink in. She'd had hours to deal with this, and she still hasn't come to terms with it. He'd only learned about this minutes ago, she owed it to him to let him process this life-altering news.

"I don't know- I mean what do we… God, Gabby I don't know what to do." He cried out, shooting up from the bed quickly, his movement startling Gabby as he began to pace in front of her.

"I know." She responded quietly, slowly adjusting her body to sit up. She reached out for him, trying to get him to stop but he wasn't able to focus on her actions.

"This wasn't supposed to happen, not when it can ki-" He cut himself off, not able to say the words out loud, continuing his small steps back and forth by the bed.

"I know." Her sad voice repeated again, Gabby taking a slow breath as she watched him, tears filling her eyes. "I'm so sorry," She started, Matt's movements halting immediately. "I didn't want it to happen like this." She whispered, his eyes snapping towards her as he heard the pain in her voice. "I never meant for this, I hope you don't think I did this on purpose, because I didn't." The fog his mind was in cleared completely as he listened to her blame herself, listened to her worry about him being angry at her. Matt moved back towards the bed instantly, shaking his head as he sat back down, reaching out for her hand.

"Gabby-"

"I know I was dead set on getting pregnant last time, but I wouldn't do that to you. Not when I know how you feel about this, and what it did to us last time. This was an accident, and I don't know what we're gonna do but I'm so sorry." She cried, Matt feeling his heart constrict in his chest.

"Hey, listen to me." He spoke softly, forcing his own emotions aside as he looked at the broken woman in front of him. No matter what he was feeling right now, he knew this had destroyed her. He couldn't sit here and let her continue to think this was her fault. "I don't blame you for this, okay? I could never blame you for this. I'm not upset with you, you didn't do anything wrong. I mean, if we're placing blame on either of us, it would be my fault really. But I know you would never do this on purpose, alright?." He assured her, hating that on top of the news alone, she was worried about him placing blame on her. Gabby watched closely as fresh tears slid down her cheeks, slowly absorbing the words he was saying. "This isn't your fault."

She nodded slowly, Matt bringing his free hand up to wipe away the water from her skin.

"I'm scared, Matt." She nearly whimpered, a deep frown etching into his face as he nodded in agreement. "I mean if I'm being honest, a small part of me is happy. How could I not be happy about us getting pregnant?" She asked softly, Matt remaining silent. "But I am so scared… I don't know what we're gonna do. But I can't do this without you, I can't have this break us apart again." Tears were rapidly descending down her cheeks, Matt wiping them away quickly.

"I don't know what we're gonna do either." He replied honestly, the emotion in his voice betraying him. "I really don't. But we're gonna get through it together, I promise you." His voice was firm, lessening her fears. "Whatever this means for us, we're gonna figure it out... And I'm terrified of this, I am. I can't- I can't lose you." He stuttered out, the tears he'd been holding in his eyes finally escaping. "That's not something I can live with, and I don't know how to fix this…" He whispered, Gabby squeezing his hand tightly. "But the only thing I know to do is wait for your appointment and see what Dr. Tanner says. Then we'll go from there." He breathed out, quickly wiping the tears from his skin. "We'll see what she thinks we should do, what the, uh… what options we have." Gabby's body stiffened, knowing they had to look into _all _the options and come to a decision together. She knew that terminating the pregnancy might be the best course of action for them, but she couldn't think of that as real option, not until she had all the information. "I'm so scared, Gabby. I am. But we're gonna figure it out, alright? I promise, we will." He assured her gently, forcing his voice to be as steady as possible, the words leaving his mouth just as much for him as they were for her.

With a slight nod, Gabby slowly laid back down on the bed, pulling on Matt's hand gently, silently urging him to lay with her. Understanding her request, he dropped her hand and stood up, adjusting his angle before climbing into bed next to her, Gabby clinging to him the second he was within reach. Her arm wrapped around his waist, Matt letting her fall into his hold as he put both arms around her. He felt her body trembling slightly, tears still slowly falling down her cheeks as they hit his chest.

As they laid in bed clutching onto one another, Matt felt as if he was breaking inside. Ever since those words left her mouth, he'd slowly started to crumble. He knew he had to try and be strong for her, but it felt impossible. It felt like he was sinking, and there was nothing to lift him back to the surface.

Never in his life did he imagine the news of his and Gabby's baby would elicit such an unwelcome feeling within him. Having always wanted children, he pictured himself to be overjoyed and filled with warmth, maybe a little nervous but completely content. That's how he pictured finding out he was becoming a dad, how he pictured he'd react to having the child he'd always wanted with the woman he'd always wanted. But this, this was not something he could be happy about. Despite Gabby feeling a little bit of excitement about the news, he couldn't. He'd been consumed by fear the minute he found out, and that feeling had yet to go away. His stomach had sunk like a rock, his body feeling weighed down by this. He felt completely overtaken with dread, and a small part of him couldn't help but resent the life they'd created. Because there was a chance it could take the most important person he has away from him.

He never imagined that Gabby telling him she's pregnant would result in him having such negative feelings towards their unborn child, but he couldn't help it. He wanted a child so badly, he always has, but not without Gabby. Not when he'd be left to raise their child alone, knowing this is what had taken the love of his life away from him.

Deep down, he knew no matter what happened, god forbid if they're able to have this child, he'll love them no matter what. There's no way he wouldn't be completely enamored by a life that's part him and part Gabby. But right now, he can't even think of that being a possibility. He can't lay here and think of how amazing and perfect their child would be. How maybe they'd have a son, who was all Gabby in terms of appearance, but otherwise was completely his father. Or maybe a little girl, the spitting image of Gabby with her brown eyes and curly brown hair, who would have him hooked from the start. For years, he'd imagined over and over what their child would look like, who they'd take after more, but now he couldn't bear the thought of it. Not when there was so much uncertainty around this pregnancy and what it could do to Gabby.

He couldn't think of this child as real, not right now. Not when it could take his world away from him.

Movement pulled him from his deep thoughts, feeling Gabby hook her leg up over his thigh, entangling them together as he felt her trembling body begin to shake more. Glancing down, he saw her fighting back tears as her grip subconsciously tightened on him. Drawing in a deep breath, he placed a kiss to the top of her head, pulling her closer, her body now half way on top of him.

"We're gonna figure this out." He murmured, hearing Gabby intake a sharp breath. "Whatever we have to do, we're gonna get through it together." His soft assurance opened the floodgates, her silent tears quickly turning into sobs as she broke down. Matt blinked back the tears filling his eyes, a few escaping as he listened to her cry, his heart continuing to break more than he thought possible.

Despite his desperate need to comfort her, he knew all he could do now was hold her and let her cry. There was nothing he could do to fix this, and he knew they needed time to process what all this meant. But he also knew they couldn't completely process this pregnancy until they met with the doctor. The next two weeks were going to be filled with fear and worry, Matt knowing this weight wouldn't leave his chest until their appointment. And even then, there was no telling what kind of news Dr. Tanner would have for them, if there was any bright spot to this at all. If there was any possible way for them to have this baby without the possibility of losing Gabby.

Matt wouldn't be able to breathe easily again until they had figured out what they were going to do, and he was sure Gabby felt the same way.

Drawing in an unsteady breath, Matt didn't bother to keep his tears at bay as Gabby sobbed against his chest, his body slightly trembling as their resolve weakened entirely. Feeling his shaking form under her, Gabby tightened her hold on him, shifting her body until she was laying on him completely, her thighs hooked over his hips. His eyes closed tightly as he moved his arms around her back, Gabby tucking her head into his neck as they cried together. Her hand came up to cradle the side of his tear stained cheek, one of his hands coming up to hold her head against him, their trembling bodies molding together as they held onto one another like their lives depended on it.

They knew the only way they'd get through this was by doing it together. They were going to need each other, they had to lean on one another, support each other. There was no way for them to get through this otherwise.

* * *

Matt blew out a heavy sigh as he tucked his white shirt into his pants, his eyes glancing towards the bathroom door every few seconds, waiting for Gabby to appear any second. She'd gone in there nearly forty minutes ago to get ready for shift, the two passing ships as they moved around the room this morning. But she had yet to emerge, and he knew she'd need to leave soon to get to work on time.

After lacing up his boots, he pushed himself up from the bed and walked towards the bathroom, knowing he might need to prompt Gabby into getting ready a little quicker. But when he stepped into the doorway, he froze in his spot at the image in front of him. Gabby was standing still looking at herself in the mirror, her damp hair wrapped up on top of her head. But what caused him to stop was her stance, Gabby loosely holding the towel with her left hand resting on her chest, the material open across her front as she stood still, her right hand placed lightly over her stomach, barely pressing into the smooth skin. She hadn't moved since he'd been standing there, seemingly fixated on her flat stomach, her fingers ghosting over the area.

Clearing his throat, her head snapped over to look at him, a look of surprise crossing her face before it settled into one he couldn't read, Gabby closing the towel and holding it over her body. "Sorry, I just don't want you to be late for work." He murmured, Gabby's eyes flickering towards the clock on the wall, seeing she had less than fifteen minutes before she needed to leave.

With a slow nod, she plastered a small smile onto her face, one that didn't reach her eyes. "Okay, thank you."

She began quickly going through her routine, Matt watching her intently from the doorway as she haphazardly got ready for work.

This wasn't the first time Matt had seen her like this since they'd gotten the news a few days ago. The morning after he found out, he'd woken up to find the bed empty and cold, his sore eyes adjusting to the light in the room as he sat up on his elbows, needing a few seconds for his vision to come into focus. But what he found made his stomach sink, a frown forming on his lips as he saw Gabby standing in front of their mirror, her shirt lifted up under her breasts as she stared at her stomach. When he made his presence known, she immediately burst into tears, the magnitude of everything hitting her all over again. He'd instantly gotten out of bed, grabbing ahold of her and letting her cry, eventually leading her back to bed and holding onto her until she fell back asleep.

There had been a lot of that the past two days, both of them unable to control their emotions, albeit Matt did everything he could to stay strong for her. One minute they'd be okay, and the next they'd be in tears, thankful the other was there to help them through it. Matt had suggested her calling into work yesterday, to which she quickly agreed and spent the day at home with him, both of them knowing she wasn't in the right mindset to go to shift.

But now it was a new day, and both of them had to work. He just wasn't sure if it was the best idea.

"You sure you don't need to call in sick again?" He spoke quietly, Gabby walking towards the doorway and slipping past him. "I can talk to Boden, let him know I can't come in."

"No, I'm fine." She replied, Matt turning around to see her moving towards the dresser, pulling out her clothes for shift.

"Gabby…" He started, Gabby rubbing her hand over her temple before looking up at him.

"I'm okay enough to go to work." She rephrased, Matt's gaze softening. "I promise, I am. There's not much we can do until my appointment, but I can't just stop living my life until then. I need to do something, I have to-" She cut herself off, Matt approaching her slowly as he nodded. "I need the distraction. I know I can't run away from this, but until we go see Dr. Tanner, we have no idea what this means." Her free hand moved back to her stomach, Matt's eyes following her movement as he stopped in front of her. "I need to keep busy or I'm gonna go insane…" Her voice had dropped to a whisper, Matt's hands coming up to rest on her bare arms, squeezing lightly.

"I get it, I do." He assured her. "I just wanted to check." Placing a soft kiss to her forehead, he stepped away from her and began to gather his things. Gabby watched him intently as he moved through the room, unable to get a read on him before he disappeared out of the room. Blowing out a heavy sigh, she glanced up at the clock once more, cursing under her breath as she realized how late she was going to be if she didn't leave soon.

Over the next few minutes, the two silently moved throughout the apartment, Matt waiting for her even though he was probably going to be late. He made their coffee, and got her coat and gloves set out while she quickly got dressed. By the time she emerged from the bedroom, it was five minutes past when they normally leave, Gabby rushing around quickly as she finished getting ready, Matt waiting for her by the back door.

After locking up the apartment, they both rushed to their cars, their usual routine forgotten as Matt gave her a quick kiss, muttering a goodbye and be safe before hurrying to his truck, pulling out into the road before Gabby even got the chance to get her car turned on.

Taking a steadying breath, Gabby blinked back the tears in her eyes as she headed for work. She knew things would be hard, and the uncertainty around them would be almost suffocating until they knew more. But she couldn't let herself get overtaken by this. She couldn't stop her entire life waiting for what options they had for this pregnancy. No matter how much she wants to, she can't just shut down and wait. But it was hard. Every breath she took felt heavy, like every time she breathed it was expending every ounce of energy she had.

She knew she had to keep herself together for the time being, but it felt impossible.

* * *

Gabby closed her locker shut, jumping slightly as Jemma's body came into view beside her, Norris placing a soft hand on her shoulder.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." She apologized, Gabby waving her off.

"It's fine." Gabby responded quietly, locking the door and heading towards the exit, feeling Jemma following closely behind her.

"So… I'm glad to see you back." She commented, Gabby stopping in the bunkroom and turning to face Jemma. Dawson merely nodded, her arms crossing over her chest as she looked to the ground. "Are you feeling better?"

Shrugging, Gabby spared at glance at her friend, seeing the worried expression resting over her face. "Yeah, I'm good."

Jemma nodded, clearly not convinced by the words Gabby said. She'd been worried about her friend since the day at the hospital three days ago, having called Gabby once but never getting a call back. She knew it wasn't personal, having seen the breakdown up close and personal she knew Gabby was going through more than she'd ever admit, but she needed to know her friend was okay.

"Look, I'm not gonna ask you to talk about this." Norris started, Gabby breathing deeply as she finally looked up from the ground. After Gabby confided that this pregnancy wasn't a good thing at the hospital, she hadn't said much else, leaving Jemma confused and concerned until Gabby got sent home. And not wanting to force her to open up before she was ready, Norris never pushed for more details. "Whatever this all means, that's between you and Matt. I'm here if you need me, but this doesn't concern me so we can drop it after this if you want." Jemma told her, Gabby nodding slowly. "But I just need to know you're okay to work, that you're able to work. I don't want to let Chief send you out there if you can't, or shouldn't, be working."

"I'm okay." Gabby firmly spoke, forcing the emotion away from her voice as she answered her friend.

"Okay." Jemma responded with an understanding nod, knowing not to push anymore. Bells ringing throughout the house shifted their focus, calling them to a patient across town who needed their help. "Well, let's do it."

Gabby nodded, letting Jemma take the lead towards the ambulance, following after her quietly, hoping being here would serve as the distraction she so desperately needed.

* * *

Matt moved swiftly through the garage, intent on heading back towards his office now that they'd gotten back from their first call of the day.

Things in the firehouse had turned tense, the mood having shifted the second truck's Captain stomped into the firehouse this morning, ignoring any and all attempts at his friends talking to him as he immediately went to the locker room. He'd spent all of thirty seconds in there, conversation coming to a halt as he threw his bag into the small space and slamming the door shut, the loud noise echoing through the house before he exited quickly. No one in the locker room knew what to say, not having seen Matt act like this since Gabby left. It had gone quiet around the house, until they heard the unmistakable sound of his office door slamming.

The first few hours of shift, everyone knew better than to try and talk to him. Whatever this about, although they assumed to have a pretty good idea of the source of his anger, they didn't want to go to him when he was in such a bad mood. It wouldn't end well for any of them, knowing they would most likely get put on bathroom duty if they crossed him.

In the past, when Casey had gotten like this for whatever the reason, Gabby would be the person to go to him, everyone else knowing well enough to leave him alone until given the all clear. Then after everything, that role had been filled by Kelly. But even today, Severide seemed to want to keep his distance, sensing whatever had happened was not anything good.

When the first call came in, they saw Casey running towards the rig as they made their way out of the common room, Matt falling into his Captain's role seamlessly, giving the orders he needed while they were out saving lives. But as soon as they'd packed up, he fell back into that quiet, distant headspace, the man not saying one word the entire trip back.

"Casey, wait up." Herrmann called as he jumped down from the rig, Matt's shoulder's tensing as he stopped his path, his eyes falling closed, listening to the boots approaching him.

"What Herrmann." He spoke shortly, seeing the older man come to stand in front of him.

"Yeah, it's just uh- are you okay?" He lowered his voice substantially, but Matt could feel every pair of eyes on him, the entire house aside from ambo out in the garage.

"I'm fine, Herrmann." He bit out, Herrmann taking a slight step back.

"Okay, well if you need anything let me know." He gave in, not wanting to make the situation worse. Matt merely nodded, side stepping the man before continuing his path towards the double doors, everyone watching in silence as he quickly disappeared through the doors.

Blowing out a sigh, Herrmann ran his hand over his mouth before shifting his gaze to Kelly, the younger firefighter wearing the same look of concern.

"You know what's causing that?" Herrmann asked him, Kelly shrugging.

"No idea."

"You think something happened between…" His voice trailed off, a flash of something flickering in Kelly's eyes, but Herrmann couldn't read it.

"I don't know, Herrmann." He replied, Kelly seeing the concerned eyes flashing around the room. "Alright, show's over people. Go do something useful." He ordered before heading for the same double doors Matt disappeared through.

Following the familiar path towards the bunkroom, Kelly wasn't surprised to see Casey in his office with the door shut. But he was surprised to see the man pacing, his head resting in his hand as he moved back and forth through the small space. Taking a deep breath, Kelly walked past his own office towards Matt's, bringing his hand up to knock softly against the door.

Matt's pacing stopped immediately, Kelly frowning when he saw the devastated look covering Casey's face, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Despite not being invited in, Kelly opened the door, leaning against its frame as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"What's going on, Matt?" His worried voice filled the space, Casey shifting towards his desk, leaning his body weight against it.

"It's nothing." He commented dryly, clearing his throat.

"Bullshit. What happened?"

"Nothing." Matt replied harshly, knowing he was in no place to talk to anyone here about this. Even though it was only Kelly, he and Gabby hadn't talked about what to do in terms of telling anyone, or in a few weeks if there'd even be a pregnancy to tell people about. He knew he couldn't talk about it right now.

"Okay, well you wanna go out there and tell everyone you've been brooding around here all morning over nothing?" He shot back, Matt deflating slightly. "This isn't nothing, you look like you're about to cry. That's not nothing. What happened between you and Gabby?"

Matt's eyes narrowed at the tone of Severide's voice, feeling defensive after the insinuation. "And what exactly is that supposed to mean? Why do you just assume something happened?"

"Well, am I wrong?" He questioned, getting his answer when Matt went silent. "Exactly. And she's the only person who can get you acting like this. Now what happened?"

Casey watched him for a moment, his guard dropping as a hand came up to rub across his forehead, willing the pounding headache that had formed to go away.

"Severide, please just drop it." Matt pleaded, his voice unsteady as he forced the forming tears away. "Nothing happened between us, it's not like that it's just- please leave it alone. I can't- I can't talk about it right now." His voice cracked as every emotion he'd been holding onto reached the surface.

"Okay, okay." Kelly gave in, his voice soft as he watched his friend breaking right in front of him. "If you can't tell me right now, don't. But just know that whatever this is, whatever is going on with you… with both of you, you're not alone here."

Matt nodded, a lone tear sliding down his cheek as his head fell into his hands, his hard exterior cracking, forcing himself to take a long steady breath.

He'd done everything he could to stay strong for Gabby the last few days, seeing first hand what this news had done to her. He'd forced himself to be a rock for her, and even though he had wavered a few times over the past 48 hours he'd done what he could to focus all his energy on making sure Gabby was okay. But now that she wasn't here, he'd let go of that facade he had been clinging to, and all that was left was pain and devastation. Since the night she first told him, he hadn't let himself feel it. He forced it away as much as he could, refusing to think about what this might do to them.

But now he had nothing left. He couldn't pretend anymore, he couldn't keep being strong despite feeling like everything was falling apart. He couldn't do it anymore.

That single tear morphed into dozens that began continuously rolling down his cheeks, Matt's body shaking as he collapsed down into his desk chair, hunching over onto his knees.

A deep frown formed across Severide's face, his eyes shining with worry as he walked towards Casey, his friend's silent cries feeling like a punch to the gut. Placing a firm hand on his shoulder, he remained a strong, silent source of comfort as Matt broke. Whatever this was, whatever had happened had completely destroyed him. And if this is how Matt, the usually calm and level-headed Captain, was handling whatever this was, Kelly could only imagine what was going on with Dawson.

"I can't lose her." Matt's shaky voice broke through the silence, the frown on Severide's deepening, his eyes widening as the words hit him. "I can't lose her, Kelly." He spoke again, his voice laced in hurt.

Kelly didn't know what to say, he didn't know how to help him. How to help either of them. He didn't know what Matt meant, and before he could ask the bells rang out, signaling truck to help with an accident across town.

Just as quickly as the tears started, they stopped, Matt plastered a hard look on his face, wiping his eyes as he stood up, Kelly's hand falling from his shoulder. Without another word, Matt hurried from the office and left the bunkroom, leaving Kelly standing there confused and worried, wondering what the hell that meant.

* * *

Gabby was pulled into consciousness as she felt strong arms wrap around her waist under the covers, feeling a familiar warmth pressed against her back, her hands moving to rest over his.

"Matt?" She questioned softly, feeling him squeeze her gently.

"Go back to sleep, I didn't mean to wake you." His hoarse and tired voice spoke into her ear, Gabby turning her body slowly to face him, Matt giving her room and loosening his grip so she could adjust her position. When she eventually settled, she met his eyes, a small frown forming on her lips seeing his red eyes, clear evidence of tears and exhaustion written into his skin. Their faces were inches apart, Gabby bringing her hand up to rest against his cheek, her thumb moving softly across his skin as his eyes fell closed.

"Are you okay?" She questioned softly, but she already knew the answer. He clearly wasn't, and she was sure he could tell by the look on her face she wasn't either.

"I'm... no." He answered honestly, his eyes opening to find her again. "This is just- I'm so worried Gabby. And I'm scared." He admitted, tears clouding her eyes as she listened to his vulnerable words. "I'm trying not to be, until we go see the doctor, but this is killing me." His voice faltered, Gabby continuing to rub her hand over his cheek.

"I know." She responded softly, Matt moving his hand over her side lightly.

"I never thought finding out we're pregnant would make me feel like this, but I just don't know what to do. And I guess, when I woke up that morning after you told me, I focused all my attention on you and made sure you were alright. I stopped letting myself deal with it, and it came back to bite me in the ass." He spoke, an understanding smile falling onto her face.

"I'd kind of noticed that, yeah. You seemed to shut down a little bit, from yourself at least." She responded softly, Matt leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers.

"Yeah I know. And then at work yesterday, I lost it. I'd kept to myself, but you know how everyone is, they knew something was wrong." He spoke, Gabby nodding slightly. "And then Kelly came to talk to me and I just… I broke down. He was kind of worried about us already, but after what happened yesterday now he definitely is." His voice was low, Gabby continuing her method of comfort as he ran her thumb over his cheek. "I didn't tell him what was wrong, but he knows there's something going on. I didn't know what I could and couldn't tell him- we haven't really talked about what we're doing, if we're letting people know or not. So I have no clue what he thinks is going on."

"Yeah, I meant to bring that up before you went back to work but I just- it's been hard to focus on anything, I kept forgetting." She told him, Matt moving his lips a few inches forward to place a soft kiss against hers, Gabby reciprocating lightly before they pulled back.

"I know it has. These past few days have been a lot."

"Yeah." She agreed, clearing her throat. "But, uh, I don't know if we should tell anyone right now." Gabby's voice came out in a near whisper, Matt's eyes flickering over her face. "Or I guess… I would rather not tell anyone, if it's okay with you."

"I'm fine with whatever you want to do." He murmured, Gabby's hand sliding down to his neck.

"Okay, thank you." She replied, swallowing thickly. "I know we'll eventually have to tell them, if we end up keeping-" She cut herself off, her eyes falling closed as a lone tear slid down the side of her face. "Until we know exactly what we're doing…" She rephrased, "but I don't want to tell anyone until then."

"That's fine, Gabby." He assured her, pulling her body closer to his.

"Because I know that whatever we end up deciding to do, we're gonna have to tell everyone. Tell them everything," she explained, stopping to take a slow breath. "But I don't think I can handle explaining more than we need to. I'd rather wait until we know what we're doing."

"I agree." He spoke quietly. "We need to figure out what we're doing first, give ourselves time to process that, whatever it is. And then we can decide what we'll tell everyone." He told her gently, Gabby nodding slowly, their foreheads connecting again as they closed their eyes, listening intently to each other's breathing.

They laid there connected for a few moments, both needing the comfort this simple contact gave them. It was harder than they anticipated, being away from each other for the first time since finding out about the pregnancy. Despite them both being very independent people, sometimes to a fault, they both found it hard to not have the other to immediately turn to when things got bleak. And Gabby couldn't help but feel guilty, knowing in all the times he'd asked her if she was okay to work, she never asked him.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you yesterday." She murmured, breaking their prolonged silence, opening her eyes slowly to find him already watching her.

"You don't have to apologize…"

"I know. But I also know how awful it feels when all of that hits you at once, and I know how much it helps to have you there for me when it happens. I'm just sorry I couldn't be there." She explained, Matt nodding understandingly.

"I get what you mean, I'd feel the same way if the roles were reversed." He spoke, eyeing her curiously. "Speaking of, how did your shift go? I should've asked sooner, but were you okay?"

Releasing a soft sigh, she caught his line of sight, sliding her hand down his side to his lower back. "I was okay as I could be. I held it together, but we were pretty busy. That helped. Jemma kept asking me over and over if I was alright, can't say I blame her. But nothing happened while I was there." She told him quietly, Matt adjusting the comforter over them. "I had a moment last night, when I was alone. Everything kind of hit me again, but I'm okay." She assured him, being met by a sad smile from Matt.

"I'm sorry, you could've called me." He nearly whispered, Gabby leaning to place a soft kiss against his lips.

"It's okay. I was going to, but then I fell asleep. And then, well, you came home." Before she spoke again, she shifted in his grip slightly, moving down so her head fit in the crook of his neck, their bodies overlapping as they clung to one another in the comfort of their bed. "I'll just feel better once we can see Dr. Tanner. At least then we'll have some answers, no matter what they are, and there won't be any of this waiting around."

"I know." He agreed, slipping his hand under the comfortable shirt she was wearing, his palm covering the skin on her side.

Matt methodically ran circles over her skin, knowing how much that had always calmed her down in the past, the two falling back into a comfortable silence as they held one another. The longer they laid there, the more he felt his tense body relax. His exhaustion was getting the best of him, Matt having not gotten a lot of rest the night before, and from the way Gabby's body weight had collapsed into him and her slow breaths, she was close to falling asleep too.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt brought his free hand up to hold onto her arm, feeling her snuggle deeper into him. Within minutes, she was fast asleep, her legs tangled with his as he let that same desire to rest take over him as well.

* * *

Kelly pulled open the heavy door leading into the bar, not at all surprised to see the vacancy in the building. It was early, just a little after nine in the morning, and this was definitely not a place that would be getting more business for at least twelve more hours. But he knew the one man he was looking for was here somewhere, and he needed to talk to him.

Severide padded through the empty bar, heading for the stock room silently. He was certain the man was here, overhearing him telling Stella about having to come in and sign for a shipment that morning after they got off shift.

Pushing open the swinging door, he found who he was looking for instantly, seeing Herrmann holding a clipboard in his hands as he sat on a barstool against the wall.

"Hey Herrmann." He called, the older man jumping slightly, surprise covering his face as he turned to find Kelly standing there.

"Oh man, Severide, you scared me.. What are you doing here?"

"Sorry, but we, uh, we need to talk." The seriousness in Kelly's tone caused Herrmann to stop, the man placing the board down on the desk and turning to face his friend.

With raised eyebrows, Herrmann responded. "Okay, shoot."

"I know this isn't my place, hell I don't even know what it is, but something's going on-"

"This is about Casey." Herrmann stated, Kelly eyeing him curiously. "Clearly something's going on there."

"Yeah… I don't know if you know anything, but I know how close you and Dawson are."

Herrmann's eyebrows furrowed at Kelly's words, the older man responding. "So this does have to do with Gabby." He spoke. "I figured that was the reason, Casey never gets that upset unless something's happened there. But I don't know anything, I haven't spoken to her in a few days."

"Yeah, Matt didn't say much but it has something to do with them."

"I wonder what happened, you think it was another fight?"

Blowing out a sigh, Kelly shrugged. "That was my first thought, but he swore up and down it was nothing like that, but he-"

"What?"

"Look, I have no idea what is going on, but the way Matt's acting, and what he said, I just…"

"You just what, Severide?" Herrmann asked, growing impatient.

"I think something's wrong with Gabby." Kelly breathed out, Herrmann's face immediately covered by a look of confusion.

"What, like because of something between her and Casey?"

"No, not like that. I think something's _wrong_ with her, like medically there's something wrong."

Herrmann froze momentarily, his breath hitching for a split second as Kelly's words sunk in. "Why would you say that?"

"Matt kept saying that nothing happened between them, and he kept begging me to drop it. But he looked so upset, almost defeated. I don't know if I've ever seen him look like that before. And he was crying." Kelly told him, Herrmann listening intently. "Then he said 'I can't lose her'." Severide spoke, the older man's spine straightening at the words hit his ears.

"... Did he say anything else?" Herrmann asked quietly after a few moments, his brain trying to determine if there could be any truth to what Severide was saying.

Shrugging lightly, Kelly blew out a breath. "Not really. Matt seemed adamant about not being able to talk about it right now, he wouldn't saying anything."

Herrmann nodded slowly, neither man saying anything for a few seconds.

"But I just don't know… I've got a bad feeling about this, Herrmann."

Rubbing his hand over his mouth, Herrmann thought over everything he'd just heard. Even though he didn't want to jump to conclusions, it was hard not to with everything Kelly told him. He wanted to believe this was all a misunderstanding, that something else was going on and everything had just gotten twisted into more than it was. But deep down, he knew that wasn't likely.

"What should we do? Should we even do anything?" Herrmann asked softly.

"Honestly, I don't know. All I know is that whatever's going on, they're gonna need people around them. Because something is wrong, I just don't know what it is." Severide spoke surely. "I reminded Matt that everyone at 51 was here for them, but I just- I thought you should know about this. I know you know what happened to Gabby in Puerto Rico, and with everything she's going through already, I don't want them thinking they're alone in this."

"But we don't even know what this is, how are we supposed to help them?"

"I… I don't know, Herrmann. But seeing Matt yesterday… he's broken. Whatever this is, it's completely destroyed him. And I can only imagine how Gabby's handling it." He replied, Herrmann eyeing him cautiously. "If you would've seen him, Herrmann, you wouldn't be looking at me like that right now." Kelly told him firmly, the man's gaze softening. "Look, I came to you because I know how much Gabby means to you. She's like a daughter to you, Herrmann, and I just… I think something bad is going on here."

Sighing deeply, Herrmann brought his hand up to rub over the side of his face, a thick silence filling the room as Kelly's words hung tightly around them. Both men knew something was wrong, and they both wanted nothing more than to help their friends, their family. But they didn't know how.

* * *

**Well, there it is. I know this chapter was pretty heavy from start to finish, but this definitely isn't an easy thing for them to deal with. Thank you for being patient and waiting a little longer on this one. Unfortunately for me, I spent the first couple days of my vacation sick, but fortunately for you I was able to get you guys this chapter quicker than I thought. I'm still here for a few more days but once I get home I'm hoping to get back to my regular updating pace.**

**I would love to tell you Dawsey has gotten through the worst of it, but I can't. There are some difficult things coming for them, but I think you all will enjoy it nonetheless.**

**Thanks for reading. I'm excited to see what you all thought of this one!**


	29. Chapter Twenty Nine

_**Hello hello hello. I hope you all enjoy this one. Settle in, it's officially the longest chapter yet by far, like over 2k words longer than my longest chapter before this. So yeah, maybe get a snack. Enjoy!**_

* * *

_**Chapter Twenty Nine**_

* * *

"So, anything new to report?" Herrmann's usually vocal tone was quiet as he came up from behind Severide, the man turning away from his open locker to find the firefighter a few steps away from him.

Blowing out a sigh, Kelly spared a glance around the locker room before responding. "No, nothing really." He spoke, almost defeated. "I keep talking to him, seeing if he wants to open up anymore about it but he usually just ignores me."

Furrowing his eyebrows, Herrmann crossed his arms over his chest as he racked his brain for answers.

It felt like they'd had this same exact conversation a dozen times over the past week, both of them so desperately wanting to help their friends, but neither Dawson nor Casey had been very receptive to it. Since the day of Matt's breakdown in his office, Severide swore the man had been avoiding him. They'd seen each other on shift, but Kelly hadn't seen the man once outside of the firehouse. And anytime Severide would try to find some time to speak privately with the Captain, Matt would make some excuse and dodge any prying questions. Aside from one conversation the shift after that moment in his office, Matt had said nothing of what happened that day. He just kept reassuring Severide that both he and Gabby were fine, any conversation Severide hoped to have effectively coming to an end.

And Dawson wasn't much better.

Multiple times over the past days, Herrmann had reached out to 51's former paramedic, trying to get ahold of her and check in, but more often than not, he'd get her voicemail. There was once he managed to get her to pick up the phone, but the older man was pretty sure that was only because he called her while on shift and she'd thought something might've happened to Matt. Once they were speaking and she was given assurances that everything was okay, their conversation didn't last very long. He'd ask her questions and be given vague answers, any attempt at the two of them meeting up being put off by the woman. Despite her less than helpful words, just by that one phone call he knew something was wrong. Her voice sounded tired, and any of that Gabby-enthusiasm usually present was long gone. He found himself more concerned after their brief conversation than he'd been when she was leaving his calls unreturned. His short talk with her confirmed what Severide had been so worried about. Something was wrong with Dawson, he just didn't know what.

"Have you talked to Dawson again?" Severide questioned lowly.

"No, I called her two days ago. Left a message, but never heard back."

"I don't know, Herrmann… Maybe it's time to back off a bit." Kelly spoke, Herrmann eyeing him curiously.

"But you're the one who started all this, and something is wrong with her. We both know that, we can't just forget it."

"I know we can't, but what we've been doing hasn't exactly seemed to be helping. We might be pushing them too hard… the constant reaching out, we're not even giving them the chance to come to us. I know we're trying to help, but if anything maybe we've done the opposite." Severide reasoned quietly, Herrmann releasing a soft sigh. "We haven't meant to, but we're practically breathing down their necks. Maybe we just need to give them space, and let them come to us when they're ready."

"But what if they don't? You know how both of them are, they try and handle everything on their own. If this is something as bad as we think it is, they're gonna need support Severide."

"I know. And they know they have it. I'm just saying we might be overwhelming them a bit. Our intentions are good, but maybe we should back off."

"Yeah… maybe you're right. I just feel so bad not knowing how to help-"

Severide coughing suddenly effectively cut him off, Kelly's eyes widening slightly as he looked past the older firefighter. Following his gaze, Herrmann turned around and saw a tired looking Matt Casey walk into the locker room, his bag slung over his shoulder.

"Good morning, Captain." Herrmann greeted softly, Casey looking up at the pair of them and giving a slight nod before returning his attention to getting his locker open. None of them said much as Casey went through his routine, the exhaustion and worry rolling off his tense body like it had been for over a week. It wasn't a secret around the firehouse, everyone knew there was something bothering their highest ranking firefighter. He'd been reserved since that day, only speaking to everyone when necessary. He'd keep himself holed up in his office, some days not even appearing for meals. He was quiet and barely present, but when he was around it was hard to miss the tension he held in his shoulders, and the unshed tears shining in his eyes contrasting with the hard, blank look covering his face. Like he was bound to break at any moment, but aside from Herrmann and Severide, no one had the slightest idea why. And no one had the courage to ask.

Matt could feel eyes on him as he put away his things, but he didn't have the strength to call them on it. And speaking to them was sure to lead to an interrogation, so he stayed quiet, breathing out a breath of relief as he secured his locker and managed to escape the room without another word.

As they watched his retreating form, neither man said anything for a few moments, both wanting to make sure he was long gone before speaking.

"You really think we should just leave that alone?" Herrmann asked skeptically, nodding towards the direction Casey went.

"I… I don't know, Herrmann. I don't know what to do here." Kelly replied helplessly, hating that his best friend was so obviously hurting, and there was nothing he could for him.

* * *

Matt slowly brought his fist up to the door, tapping lightly against the glass as he looked into the office, seeing Chief diligently working through some paperwork. He watched the older man place his pen down, looking up towards his Captain, nodding the firefighter into the small room. Moving his hand from the door down towards the handle, he pushed open the heavy wood, poking his head in.

"You got a minute, Chief?" He asked softly, Boden nodding and waving him in, Matt taking the invitation and sliding into the room, closing the door against its frame behind him. He took the few steps towards Boden's desk, sitting down in the chair opposite him, wiping his clammy hands over his pants.

"What can I do for you, Casey?" Wallace asked, watching his Captain carefully. He saw Casey's tired eyes, the bags residing under them dark and prominent. He seemingly had a permanent frown etched into his skin, and there was a redness blotched over his face that if Boden had to guess, would mean the man hadn't been getting a lot of rest.

Boden wasn't blind, he'd seen the sharp change in the demeanor of Casey last week, and it hadn't gotten much better since. He'd noticed how reserved and absent the man had become during shift. But instead of the harsh and rigid behavior that was present at first, now he just looked defeated. He'd quickly gone from angry to completely closed off, and everyone in the house had noticed, including their Chief. It was clear whatever was weighing down the mind of Matt Casey was taking its toll on him.

"I, um, I need to leave for a few hours next shift." He responded quietly, Boden's eyebrows furrowing in question. "I know it's last minute, and I'm sorry. I meant to tell you last week, but it just- it kept slipping my mind." Matt further explained, Boden's concerns only deepening. That wasn't like Casey at all, to leave something like this till the last minute, and the Chief couldn't help but wonder exactly what was going through his friend's mind.

"What for?" Boden asked, keeping his voice neutral. Despite the concern he held for his Captain's wellbeing, he didn't want to pry into whatever the reason was behind Matt being so distant. But as his boss, he needed to know what would be causing his absence.

"Gabby has an appointment and I need to be there with her." Matt spoke unsteadily, swallowing thickly as he averted his eyes away from Boden.

Wallace tried to hide his immediate worry from showing over his face, but he knew he wasn't doing a great job. Thankfully Matt hadn't looked back up at him, and it gave him a second to compose himself.

Logically, he knew Gabby having an appointment could mean a million different things and there was no reason to automatically assume it was something bad. But with how Matt's been acting recently, and the way his voice faltered when he spoke, it raised some red flags in Boden's mind that something was in fact wrong with his former paramedic.

Taking a slow breath, Boden simply nodded as Matt found his gaze again. Even though he was curious, it wasn't his place to know the specifics, and if Matt didn't want to offer the details Wallace wouldn't force him.

"Alright. I would've rather had more warning, but I appreciate you letting me know. That'll be fine, what time do you need to leave?"

"Uh, around 10. No later than that. I'm not sure how long it'll be, I would say maybe two hours but I'm not sure. I can keep you updated while I'm gone."

"Please do." Boden responded, his eyes flickering over the exhausted face of the man across from him. "Is that all?"

Clearing his throat, Matt nodded, pushing his body up from the seat. "Yeah, that's all. Thank you, Chief. We really appreciate it." He spoke, referencing him and Gabby as he began moving towards the door.

"Of course. I hope everything goes well." Boden offered, not knowing what else to say. Matt flashed a soft smile, one that was gone as quickly as it appeared.

"Thank you." He replied softly, opening the door to leave.

"But Casey-" Boden's voice stopped him, Matt turning around in the doorway. "Can you please let Herrmann know he'll be acting Lieutenant on 81 while you're gone." Matt only nodded as an answer, walking out once he was sure he'd been excused.

Closing the door against the frame as he'd found it, he began his walk towards the common room, wanting to get this conversation with Herrmann done sooner rather than later. When he made it out by the main entrance into the firehouse, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked around for the man in question, surprised to not see him in his permanent spot next to Mouch.

"Uh, anyone seen Herrmann?" He questioned the room, seeing some of the surprised faces of his coworkers as they registered he was talking to them. Matt knew he'd cut himself off from them since finding out about the pregnancy, but he didn't have the energy to try and pretend everything was okay while he was at work, so he settled for keeping to himself. But he couldn't blame them for being caught off guard by him speaking to them for the first time in nearly a week, aside from them being out on calls and his grunting, short responses whenever someone bothered to ask him a question.

"I think he went out into the garage, Captain." Otis answered, Matt nodding and turning to leave, not feeling the need to say anything else to the group. He pushed open the door and moved into the garage, spotting Herrmann instantly, the man laughing and joking with some of the squad guys.

"Herrmann." Matt called, all conversation halting as heads shot up towards the voice, Herrmann glancing towards Severide who was sitting at the end of the table, before focusing in on Casey.

"Hey Captain." He replied, Matt coming to a stop beside him by the squad table.

"Hey, I was looking for you." Casey started, Herrmann's eyebrows raising in interest, sparing another quick glance to Severide before looking back towards Matt. "I have somewhere to be next shift, I'm leaving at 10 and I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, but you're covering for me until I get back. Boden wanted me to let you know." He explained, confusion covering his face as he watched Herrmann and Severide exchange a pensive look. "Is that okay?"

"Yeah, of course. Everything alright?" Herrmann asked, Matt regaining his posture as his eyes flashed towards Kelly, seeing his friend watching him expectantly.

"Everything's fine." He answered lamely, turning to head for the double doors. "Thank you."

"You got it, Casey." Herrmann responded, watching the man disappear into the firehouse, no doubt heading for the confines of his office. Blowing out a soft sigh, he turned his head towards Kelly, seeing the squad Lieutenant wearing a look of hesitation. Moving closer to him, Herrmann leaned forward slightly before speaking. "You still think we should just wait this out?" He asked softly, trying not to gain the attention of the other firefighters.

Knowing this wasn't the place for this conversation, Severide nodded towards the rig, pushing himself up from the chair and walking with Herrmann towards the front of the squad truck. He knew his men would be watching them, but he didn't care so much as long as he knew their conversation couldn't be heard.

"We both want to help, I know we do. But we've tried. They don't want it, at least not right now. I know I'm the one who brought you into all this, but all I know to do now is leave them alone and let them deal with whatever it is, until they want to talk about it."

"So you're not gonna try and figure out what that's about?" Herrmann asked, referring to the conversation Casey just had with him.

"If I go to Matt's office and try and ask him, I doubt I'll get an answer. He's made it clear he doesn't want to talk, I'm not gonna make him." Kelly answered, Herrmann releasing a sigh. "I know you're worried. Hell, so I am. So is the entire house. But we both know Matt, if it's something we need to know, he'll tell us."

"I know… I just really wish we could help them."

"I think all we can do to help is give them space. Us being overbearing hasn't helped anything. So all we can do now is wait." He spoke softly, Herrmann nodding reluctantly. With a sad smile, Severide patted the older man on the shoulder, moving back towards the table, leaving Herrmann to ponder their conversation.

* * *

Gabby looked through her windshield up at the large firehouse in front of her, light snowflakes falling down onto her car as she sat there for a few moments. She had just finished up her shift, the long day proving to be quite taxing on her, and before she even registered what she'd done, she found herself outside of 51. She didn't remember driving here, but she'd been moving on autopilot most of the day, her mind making the decision to come here without her consciously realizing it.

But it didn't take her long to understand why she'd come here. All day, she'd been missing Matt more than she usually did on shift. She couldn't necessarily understand why, she saw him just this morning, but for some reason as soon as they'd gone their separate ways, she missed him. All day during her shift, all she wanted was to come and be with him. She'd even called him twice just to talk to him, the first call being missed because truck was out. Matt had returned the call as soon as he could, the two only able to talk for a few minutes before Gabby got called out. But as soon as she could, she called him a second time, content to just hear his voice.

She was sure Matt could see through her lame excuses as to why she was calling him multiple times, but she herself didn't even understand the need to hear from him, so she couldn't begin to explain it to him. All she knew was that she wanted to talk to him, to see him, that she didn't want to be alone at their apartment, and she ended up here.

Taking a soft breath, she pulled her phone from her pocket, calling Matt and putting the phone up to her ear. She wanted to call him before arriving out of the blue, but soon enough she reached his voicemail, Gabby sighing as she hung up the call. Despite all the times Matt said it was okay that she show up whenever she pleased, she still felt a little weird about it. So she always tried to call and check if it was alright, but tonight she wasn't able to get ahold of him, and getting inside the warm firehouse was a lot more desirable than waiting for him to call her back in this cold car.

Gabby unlocked her doors, grabbing her bag and pushing herself up from the car, snow falling onto her as she gathered her belongings for the night. Making sure to lock her car, she began the walk up the driveway, it only taking seconds for her to see the reason for Matt not responding to her call. All three rigs were gone from the garage, the large room completely empty as Gabby stepped inside, shielding herself from the cold weather.

Not knowing how long they'd been gone, or how much longer they'd be out, Gabby decided to head inside the warmth of the firehouse, dragging her feet towards the double doors. She padded her way across the apparatus floor, pulling open the door and quickly sliding inside. She stopped in her tracks a few feet inside the hallway, being met by a man standing by the coffee pot, his back to her.

The sound of the door closing into place caught his attention, Boden turning around with a mug in his hand, surprise covering his features as she saw Gabby in the doorway.

"Dawson, hey. I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight." He responded lightly, a small smile landing on his face as he walked towards her.

"Hey Chief. Yeah, it was kind of a last minute thing, I just got off shift and was stopping by to see Matt."

Nodding with a knowing smile, he responded. "Well, they've been gone for a few hours now… car accident. I'd imagine they won't be gone too much longer." Boden informed her, Gabby nodding. "So, how is it going over at the SAS?" He asked, stopping in the entrance to the common room, leaning against the frame.

"It's good, I'm really enjoying it there." Gabby spoke with a soft smile. "My partner is great, and the pace and everything, it's a good fit for me."

"I'm glad. It sounds like things are going well."

"They are." She replied, averting her eyes towards the ground.

"So, uh-" Boden started, clearing his throat, Gabby forcing her eyes back towards him, "Casey told me he needs to duck out for a few hours next shift."

"Yeah, he told me he talked to you. Thank you… for letting him leave."

There was a clear shift in the air around them, Boden sensing how uneasy this topic was making her. In the few minutes he'd spent with her, Chief had seen the same look in Dawson's eyes that he'd seen in Casey's. She looked spent, like she was emotionally exhausted. If her body language wasn't enough to tell him how tired she was, the bags under her eyes were. Her and Casey were perfect mirrors of each other, both of them wearing a look of defeat. Boden didn't know what was going on, but if he wasn't worried enough from Matt's behavior recently, seeing Gabby in person had only increased that concern.

"Of course. Anything you guys need." He spoke vaguely, his comment causing a look to flash in Gabby's eyes. He picked up on a hint of confusion, as well as worry, but the look disappeared as quickly as it came.

"Thank you, Chief." She found her voice, her words coming out in a whisper, an uncomfortable silence filling the room. Thankfully, Gabby heard the garage doors open before any more words were spoken, the familiar sound of fire trucks pulling into their spot hitting her ears. "I'm gonna…" She trailed off, nodding out towards the garage.

Nodding slowly, Boden stood up straight, giving her a small smile. "It was good to see you, Gabby."

"You too." She responded softly, turning on her heels and heading out through the double doors. The trucks came into view, squad having just finished parking, truck completing the same task seconds later. She slowly walked around the back of squad's rig, standing back as the firefighters began to pile out.

Severide saw her first, surprise crossing his face as he made eye contact with Gabby, the woman offering him a small smile. Gabby's gaze moved from him to Matt, who was oblivious to her presence as she stood a few yards from him, Casey climbing down from his spot in the passenger seat.

"Dawson, hey." Herrmann's voice filled the space, all heads snapping over towards her. Matt looked up quickly, stopping his movements as he found Gabby's gaze waiting for him, her smile warming him as they locked eyes.

"Hey guys." She responded, her eyes moving around to look at everyone before she focused back in on Matt.

"What brought you by?" Herrmann asked as he walks towards her, hugging her lightly. Matt was watching her intently, Gabby giving him a reassuring smile before she pulled back from Herrmann.

"Got off work, I just wanted to stop by." She replied softly, Herrmann's eyes flashing over her face, trying to get a read on her. This was the first time he'd seen her since the day of the elevator accident, the once large cut across her cheek now nothing but a small scratch that would probably be healed in a few more days, the stitches having presumably done their job. But what worried him was her demeanor. Her actions, and the look in her eye, it reminded him of Casey, and he couldn't help but be flooded with concern.

"It's good to see you, kid." He responded lightly, Gabby smiling softly. A smile Herrmann noticed didn't reach her eyes.

"You too, Herrmann." She patted him on the shoulder, before sliding past him and walking towards Matt. He hung up his turnout coat as she approached, a smile falling onto his face as she got closer. Everyone was surprised, seeing the genuine smile across his lips. No one in the house had seen him look anything other than distraught or angry for well over a week, and even though they were sure the look wouldn't last once Gabby left, they were glad to see him happy for at least a moment.

"Hey." She spoke softly as she got to him, Matt's smile widening as her voice filled his ears.

"Hi." He responded, working on getting out of the rest of his gear, slinging the suspenders off his shoulders and stepping out of his turnout pants. "How was your shift?"

"It was alright." Gabby's eyes looked around, seeing everyone staring at the two of them. She knew their intentions were in the right place, but all the glances made her uncomfortable. "I, uh, I actually need to talk to you," She started, Matt's spine straightening. "Can we…" She nodded off towards the double doors, signaling she wanted some privacy for whatever it was.

"Of course." He replied instantly, shutting the door before turning back to her, placing his hand on her lower back. "Come on." He began to lead her through the maze of bodies that had crowded around them, Gabby saying a quick goodbye to the group.

"It was good to see you guys." She spoke softly, earning a few nods and soft responses from her former coworkers before the two of them disappeared around the rig.

Matt kept his hand on her back as he led her through the door and down the hallway, Gabby able to feel the warmth of his hand through the thick layers she was wearing. They quietly moved through the bunk room, Gabby sensing the nerves radiating off his body, feeling a rush of guilt move through her for how she worded her request to be alone, knowing she'd worried him.

Once they got to his office, Matt dropped his hand from her back, letting her walk in first then following behind her, shutting the door closed against the frame as she dropped her bag onto the floor by the foot of his bed.

"Is everything okay?" He questioned immediately, his eyes subconsciously flashing from her eyes to her stomach. Seeing his gaze, her hand moved to ghost over her abdomen, waiting until he met her eyes before answering.

"Everything's fine, I didn't mean to make you worry, I could just feel everyone staring at us and I wanted to get out of there." She responded, Matt's muscles relaxing as he nodded at her with a small smile. She moved towards him, wrapping her arms around his back as their bodies were flush together, Gabby leaned back enough to be able to see his face. "I know they don't know what's going on, but standing out there it felt like they did and I don't know- it made me a little anxious." She explained, Matt moving one hand to rest on her waist, the other coming up to her head, placing his palm against the side of her face.

"All the staring, I think that's my fault." He began, stroking his thumb softly back and forth over her skin. "Ever since we found out about the baby, and then that day with Kelly, I've been kind of distant towards everyone." A slight frown formed across her face, Matt using his thumb to wipe it away. "I'm alright, or as okay as I can be, I just don't feel like doing all the small talk and everything. It's easier to keep to myself right now. But I don't think they were so much staring at you as they were staring at me."

Gabby nodded in understanding, leaning forward to place her entire body against his, resting her head in the crook of his neck. She placed a soft kiss against his covered collarbone, Matt wrapping his arms around her shoulders, holding her tightly against him.

"What brought you by?" He asked after a few moments of quiet between the two, feeling her hand moving lightly up and down his back. "Not that I don't love having you here, but I wasn't expecting it."

"Honestly, I don't know. I finished at work, got into the car and just ended up here. Guess I was missing you." She murmured against his neck.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" He nearly whispered, Gabby pulling back from his chest. "Just with the calls today, you seemed a little off."

Blowing out a soft sigh, she escaped his hold completely, moving to sit down on his bunk, Matt mirroring her movements, sitting down beside her. "I'm alright, I am, I just- I'm feeling a little anxious, with my appointment in a few days." She admitted, Matt grabbing onto her hand and placing them in her lap. "I know it's felt like we've just been holding our breath, waiting for this day, but now that it's getting closer I'm nervous. I'm scared of what she might tell us, and then us trying to figure out what to do, it's a lot and the closer we get to the appointment, the harder it gets." She rambled out, Matt squeezing her hand gently, sadness shining in his eyes. "I don't even know if that makes sense…"

"It does." He assured her immediately, Gabby turning to look at him. "I feel the same way. Yeah, it's been impossible with all of this hanging over us, when we don't really know what it means… but now that we're getting close to an answer, it almost feels worse."

Gabby released a grateful breath she hadn't even realized she was holding, feeling more thankful than ever at Matt's ability to understand her, sometimes better than she understood herself.

"But whatever happens, we'll get through it together. It'll be fine." He told her firmly, but kept his voice gentle. She nodded, Matt seeing the exhaustive haze present in her eyes. He glanced to the clock on his desk, seeing it was only a little after eight, but he could feel how tired she was, emotionally and mentally. Slowly standing up, he pulled her up as well, Gabby furrowing her eyebrows at him. Wordlessly, he pulled back the covers, Matt slipping off his boots as Gabby understood the meaning of his actions. While she removed her thick jacket, Matt began closing the blinds, effectively shutting them off from the outside world. Once he finished the last blind, Gabby picked up her bag from the floor, placing it on his bed and beginning to search through its contents. He watched as she pulled out a pair of leggings and one of Matt's old, faded CFD t-shirts, a small smile falling onto his face over her choice of sleepwear.

She began changing out of her work clothes, folding the worn clothes neatly in a pile before beginning to slip on her new ones.

"So I take it you're staying the night?" He spoke lightly, even though both of them already knew she wasn't going anywhere.

Releasing a soft chuckle, she pulled the t-shirt over her head as she turned to him. "If you'll have me."

"Always." He murmured, turning off the light and walking back to the bed. He got in first, settling down into the semi-comfortable bunk, Gabby crawling over him and tucking herself into his side, Matt adjusting the covers on top of them as she placed her bent arm on his chest, her hand resting over his heart. With his arm wrapped around her, he placed his hand low on her hip, his other arm up behind his head.

"I'm glad you came here." He whispered into the dark room, Gabby's thumb moving softly over his chest.

"Me too. I really didn't feel like being alone." She confided, Matt's grip tightening on her even more.

"I'm right here." He promised, placing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Now try and get some sleep." Gabby nodded against him, relaxing her body into him as a slow breath escaped through her lips. Matt moved his hand in soothing circles over her hip, wide awake as he listened to her breathing slow down. Only a few minutes passed before Matt realized she was out, her exhaustion taking hold of her and not letting go as she fell asleep easily in his arms.

Continuing the calming movements over her side, Matt's mind ran rampant as he laid there in the dark, feeling her breath tickling his skin every few seconds. Despite the surprise he initially felt seeing her standing in the garage, he couldn't help but feel content knowing that she came to him, that she sought him out. Things between them had been difficult since the news of her pregnancy, the uncertainty around them wreaking havoc on them individually and together.

They'd gone through a lot of ups and downs over the almost two weeks since she told him of her pregnancy, everything becoming too much and overwhelming them more than he was willing to admit. Things around them had become tense, at times, but not because of each other, only because of this child growing inside of her that they weren't sure how to handle. No fights had happened between them, but there was an uneasiness that had settled in their home at times, neither wanting to say something that might upset the other, neither wanting to talk about what they should do when they didn't have all the information. So it had quickly become them tiptoeing around the other. There were some days when all they wanted was each other, but there were other days when they barely spoke, both needing space. It was hard on both of them, the uncertainty around everything with this pregnancy, but Matt could only hope that when they knew more of what they were dealing with, they would at least begin to feel like themselves again.

For as hard as the wait was on him, he knew it was destroying her. He could see her slowly cracking, and Matt could only hope the appointment would at least halt that. No matter the outcome, it would give them answers they both needed. Everyday was getting harder and harder on them, on _her_. And he couldn't wait for it to stop. He'd done what he could to help her, but the days when she wanted space he felt helpless, knowing all he could do was let her be. Thankfully those days were few and far between, but that helpless feeling remained even when she'd reach out. As nervous as he felt for the appointment with the doctor, he was beyond ready to know exactly what they were up against. He knew both of them would feel better once they had all the information.

Matt cursed under his breath as the bells rang loudly throughout the house, Gabby groaning at the noise as she dug her head deeper into his neck. Hearing truck's services were needed, he placed a quick kiss to her head before sliding out from under her, Gabby groaning again once she was left alone in the bed.

"I'm sorry, I'll be back as soon as I can." He told her while sliding on his boots. "I love you, go back to sleep." He leaned over the bunk, placing one last kiss to the side of her head before heading for the door.

"Be safe." Her half-conscious voice mumbled, Matt smiling softly before slipping out of his office, shutting the door behind him. As soon as he left, Gabby curled herself up under the covers as tightly as possible, trying to get back some of the warmth she'd lost from Matt's departure.

* * *

Gabby fidgeted in her seat in the nearly empty waiting room, her eyes glancing up to the clock every few seconds, her eyes bouncing from the time to the door continuously, her nerves rising as she waited for him to show up.

_10:23_

Huffing out a breath, her leg continued to shake as she held onto the clipboard in her lap. Gabby had arrived promptly at 10:15 this morning, wanting to get a jumpstart on any paperwork she needed to complete before meeting with the doctor. And sitting at home waiting had nearly made her go insane, so as soon as she possibly could she left for the doctor's office. She'd finished filling out everything a few minutes ago, and she was all ready to get back there and get this started.

Except for that Matt wasn't here.

She knew it'd be hard, him leaving at the beginning of a shift, and despite Boden knowing he needed to leave, if he was stuck at a call there wasn't much that couldn't be done, but she needed him here. Whatever news they got, she wanted him by her side when they got it. But with every minute ticking by, she wasn't sure if he'd be able to get here.

_10:27_

Clasping her hands in her lap, she slowly started to accept the fact she might be doing this appointment alone, at least the beginning of it.

The door pushing open caused her head to snap up, seeing a heaving Matt rush in, still strapped in his turnout gear, black smoke marks covering parts of his exposed skin, his sweaty hair sticking up in different directions.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized profusely, coming over to her and falling down into the chair beside her, placing his hand on her arm. "We were at a house fire, it took forever. I had to have the guys drop me off." He rushed out, taking a deep breath before continuing. "But I had them drop me off a block away, because I know we're not telling them anything yet and I didn't know if this was like, the only practice in the building or if there were a lot of offices. I didn't know what I was walking into so I just had them drop me off down the street, but then when I saw the time and realized I was late, I ran here. I'm sorry, I-"

"Matt." She called softly, effectively stopping his rambling. Her eyes looked past Matt towards Debbie, the receptionist here, seeing an amused smile on her lips as she pretended not to listen, clearly enjoying the story Matt was telling.

"I'm sorry." He said again, Gabby shaking her head.

"It's fine, you're here. No apologies necessary." She assured him, rubbing her hand over his cheek. He flashed her a smile, leaning over and placing a kiss to the side of her side, Gabby's nostrils filled with the harsh smell of smoke as he got close to her. "Was the call okay? Looks like it was a rough one." She commented, his appearance looking a little worse for wear.

"It was. We were having a hard time getting it under control, there was an explosion in the building while we were in there, it wasn't easy."

"But everyone's okay?"

"Yeah, everyone's fine." He assured her, squeezing her arm gently.

"Gabriela Dawson?" A woman in scrubs called from the open doorway, both of them looking towards the small woman. "My name's Amanda, I'll be your nurse today. Are you ready?" She nodded, both her and Matt standing up and walking towards the door, following the nurse further inside the practice. "We're gonna get your weight, if you could step over here."

Matt had reached for her things before Gabby even turned to ask, holding onto her coat and purse while they got her weight, the nurse putting it into the system before leading the couple back to a room.

"Okay, I'm gonna step out for a few minutes. I need you to remove everything, and put on that gown." She spoke, nodding towards the paper material lying on the examination table. "When I get back, we're gonna draw some more blood. From your file, I know you just had some blood work done, but we like to have everything checked by our lab here, just for reassurance. And I'll get your other vitals and then we'll go from there. That sound alright?" Gabby nodded, Matt placing her things down on the chair beside the table. "Alright, well I'll be back in a few minutes."

As soon as the door shut, Gabby turned towards the bed, beginning the process of removing her clothes. Each item of clothing she removed, Matt took them from her and folded it, placing it on top of her things. Once bare, Matt picked up the gown, holding it up for her to step in to, Gabby sliding her arms through it before turning around, letting him tie the back of it before she climbed up onto the bed.

Once she was comfortable, he removed his turnout coat, placing that and the radio across the back of the chair before turning his attention back to her.

"You sure you don't want to go clean up a bit or anything?" She questioned, Matt shaking his head as he ran his hand through his disheveled hair.

"I'm good, don't want to miss anything." He replied with a small smile, Gabby reciprocating the action as they heard a knock on the door, Amanda poking her head in.

"Ready?" Gabby responded with a nod, Amanda walking in completely, pulling a machine along with her, shutting the door behind her. "Alright, first I'm gonna get your temperature, blood pressure, heart rate, all that fun stuff. Then I'll draw some blood." She informed her, Gabby nodding again before they began the process.

Matt stood by her side, moving out of the way when necessary as the nurse did her job. The process went by quickly, the blood draw taking the longest, Matt not missing her small grimace as she got stuck by the needle.

"Alright, I'm gonna get all this stuff put into your file. Our ultrasound technician will be in here shortly, so we can get a good look at your baby. Then after we finish up all that, we'll get you into Dr. Tanner's office."

"Thank you." Gabby responded, Matt nodding as well before Amanda slipped out of the room, leaving the two alone once more.

"You good?" Matt asked, watching her place her palm over the inside of her elbow, covering where her arm had just been wrapped up.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just nervous." He gave her a sympathetic smile, rubbing up and down over her back.

"Me too, but everything will be fine." He responded softly, both of them needing to hear those words.

Gabby nodded at him, the two falling into a comfortable silence as they waited for the technician to come in. Thankfully they weren't left waiting long as there was a knock on the door, an older woman stepping inside pulling along a cart with a lot of different machines on it.

"Hello, my name's Julie, I'm your ultrasound technician, I'll be performing your ultrasound today."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Gabby, this is Matt." She introduced, the woman nodding.

"So, I've spoken to Dr. Tanner, and with regards to your medical history; the complications with your first pregnancy and then the aneurysm, she requested that I perform a transvaginal ultrasound." Julie explained, Gabby nodding in response. "Have you ever had one before?"

"No." Gabby answered softly, although she had a pretty good idea of what was coming.

"Alright, well I won't lie to you, it isn't the most pleasant feeling in the world, but it won't hurt. How this works is I'll insert the transducer and began getting all the images the doctor needs. Hopefully I can get it done in about 15 to 30 minutes, but sometimes it takes longer. It just depends, person to person. It can be uncomfortable, and I'm sorry for that, but it shouldn't hurt. If it hurts at all, you need to tell me." She spoke, Gabby nodding. "Okay, well let's get this started. Have you had a previous ultrasound for this pregnancy?" Julie asked, while motioning Gabby to lean back.

"No, no I haven't." Gabby answered, placing her feet in the stirrups. Julie placed a sheet over the lower half of her body, getting her machine set up and prepped. Matt moved closer to Gabby, placing one hand on top of her head and the other grasping her hand within his. It only took a few minutes for Julie to get ready, adjusting the sheet and Gabby's gown so she could perform the exam.

"Alright, we're gonna get started. Like I said, if anything hurts let me know."

Gabby nodded, breathing slowly as she felt the slick object against her. She immediately grimaced once the exam started, her eyes closing momentarily as she adjusted to the feeling.

"You okay?" Matt asked quietly, rubbing his thumb over her forehead. He couldn't even imagine how uncomfortable this had to have been for her. Gabby nodded slowly, the look of discomfort staying on her face as Julie moved the wand around carefully.

"Still good, Gabby?" Julie asked her, pausing her movements.

"Yeah, I would love for this to be over sooner rather than later though." She spoke through gritted teeth, hating the feeling.

"I know, I'm sorry. I'll go as fast as I can." Julie assured her, Matt squeezing her hand.

After a few moments her discomfort lessened, getting used to the unwelcome object inside of her, Gabby focusing on Matt's hand moving back and forth over her head instead of the movements down at the other end of the table.

"Now, before I start getting the images I need, there was a reason I asked you if you've had an ultrasound done yet." Julie spoke vaguely, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing.

Wordlessly, Julie turned the screen towards the couple, giving them a view of what she was seeing. A slight gasp escaped Gabby's lips as she made out the image of their baby.

"What?" Matt asked, confusion laced in his voice, focusing more on her reaction than on what was being shown to him.

"It's our baby." She whispered softly, Matt's eyes moving back towards the screen, Julie pointing to what had Gabby so captivated.

"There's your child." Julie spoke softly, Matt's eyes glued to the screen as he focused on the small picture in front of him. It had taken him a minute, but now he could see it clearly. It was small, but he could make out the image of their child. Here he was staring at the life that he and Gabby had created, and he'd never felt so many conflicting emotions before in his life. His immediate reaction was pride, knowing here was the life he and Gabby had made, something they always wanted. But then guilt swept over him, knowing that this child could be detrimental to Gabby's health, and he felt awful that a part of him wanted this. He didn't know if he could stand to want this child.

"And now…" Julie started, adjusting a few of the buttons on her machine. No more words were said before a loud, rhythmic thud filled the room, Gabby's mouth falling open in wonder as both her and Matt listened to the sound of their baby's heartbeat for the first time. It was fast, the strong beat pumping through the room loudly, stunning both of them into silence.

Gabby felt tears well in her eyes as she heard the loud beating, a shaky breath releasing from her chest as she moved her attention completely to the screen in front of her. She'd never felt so happy in her life, unable to focus on anything other than the image of the child her and Matt had created.

Matt, on the other hand, had no idea which of his emotions to follow. The second the sound of that heartbeat filled his ears, he fell in love. He fell in love with the life they'd created and he knew in that moment he wanted to do everything in his power to protect their child. But then he came crashing back down to reality, the circumstances punching him in the gut as he stood at Gabby's bedside, clutching onto her hand. He didn't know how to feel, as tears clouded his eyes at the sound of their baby's heartbeat. He was fighting his every instinct, knowing this should be the happiest moment of his life, but it couldn't be. All he knew in this moment was he'd never felt so lost before.

Gabby paid no mind to the discomfort she was feeling from the exam, only caring about the heartbeat that continuously filled the room. She'd never got to experience it the first time, her and Matt never got to hear it when she was pregnant a few years ago. Like everything else with that pregnancy, that experience had been stripped away from them. But this, this was real. This was her child, it was Matt's child, and their heartbeat was the most beautiful sound Gabby had ever heard in the world. She couldn't stop the tears from pouring over as she listened to the strong beating, her heart filled with nothing but warmth and happiness for the first time since finding out about this pregnancy.

The exam finished quicker than Gabby realized, immediately missing the sound of their child's steady heartbeat when Julie removed the wand from her. She wished she could listen to that sound for the rest of her life.

"Alright, we're all done. I'll let you get cleaned up. There's a bathroom right there if you need it, and you can go ahead and get dressed. Once you're ready, I'll take you to Dr. Tanner's office. She'll need some time to look over these images, but I just got them sent to her, you shouldn't be waiting too long." Julie explained softly, Gabby nodding as the woman covered her with the sheet again. "Okay, whenever you're ready just come on out."

"Thank you, Julie." Gabby said with a watery smile.

"Yeah, thanks." Matt spoke softly.

The technician smiled at the two of them, then exited the room, closing the door behind her to give them privacy.

Basking in the glow of what they'd just experienced, Gabby turned to look at Matt, a fear tears strolling down her face.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, clearing the emotion from his throat.

He was met by an enthusiastic nod, a wide smile gracing her face. "I am." She spoke lightly, wiping the happy tears away. "That was our baby, Matt." Her voice was near a whisper, but he could hear her clearly. He could hear the excitement in her voice, and he felt a part of himself break knowing he didn't share that same level of elation. He wished more than anything he could be as happy as she was about this, and for a moment he had been, but now he couldn't. Not with so many unknowns still hanging over them. He could only hope their meeting with the doctor in the next few minutes would allow him that same level of enthusiasm Gabby currently had.

Swallowing thickly, he nodded at her, tears welling in his own eyes. She brought her hand up to cup his cheek, her smile widening. Clearly she had mistaken his tears of worry for tears of joy, as she leaned up and placed a hard kiss against his lips. Pulling back, he mustered up as bright of a smile as possible, Gabby stroking her thumb over his cheek. "Yeah…" He forced out, "our baby." His words were broken as they escaped his lips, Gabby giving him another sweet kiss before moving to get down off the table, Matt helping her until her feet were on the ground.

"I'm gonna get changed, then we can go see what the doctor says." She spoke, Matt seeing her genuinely content for the first time in two weeks. And part of him didn't understand it. Of course seeing their baby stirred emotions deep within him, but he still knew the risks. He still understood they might not be able to keep this baby, but Gabby had seemingly lost all sight of that. All he knew to do was pray that Dr. Tanner had good news for them so that look of happiness could remain on her face.

"Alright, you need help with anything?" He offered, reaching down to grab her neatly folded clothes.

"Just untie this for me." She responded, Matt handing off the items before she turned around, undoing the loose knot he'd made earlier. "Thank you, I'll be right back."

He watched her until she disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Blowing out a harsh breath, he rested his palms on the table, knowing he had to compose himself before leaving this room. He knew he had to not let his emotions take control of him, not until they'd heard everything the doctor has to say. And especially now that Gabby was so entranced by what she saw on the monitor, he knew he had to keep a level head.

Clenching his neck tightly, he willed the tears in his eyes away as he pushed his body up to stand straight, forcing his conflicting emotions away as he bent over to grab their things, hanging his coat and her jacket off his arm, her bag clutched in his hand as he waited. It only took a few minutes for her to reappear, the same smile still plastered on her face, although it had dulled somewhat.

"Ready?" He asked her as they headed for the door, Gabby nodding in response. They left the room, Matt holding the door open for her until she exited, following behind her as he saw Julie waiting for them.

"Alright, let's get you in with Dr. Tanner." She spoke, leading them further into the practice, Gabby and Matt following her through the deceptively large building until they got to the back, going into a room that seemed to be a small waiting room. Julie bypassed that, walking them through that room to another door, them finally reaching the doctor's office. "You two can have a seat in here," Julie spoke, holding her arm out towards the two chairs in front of a desk. "Dr. Tanner should be in here shortly."

"Thank you." Gabby spoke softly, Julie nodding before leaving the room. Matt nodded towards Gabby, gesturing for her to sit first, the woman sitting in the chair closest to her before Matt took his seat next to her, placing their belongings on the ground.

As they sat and waited, he could feel the nervous energy bouncing off of Gabby. He imagined that whatever high she'd been feeling during the ultrasound had faded somewhat, and the reality of why they were here might've set back in. But he said nothing, not wanting to upset her.

"You think she'll have good news?" The hopeful tone in her voice nearly broke his heart, Matt turning to look at her. Her bottom lip was tucked in between her teeth, a clear look of apprehension settling across her face.

Flashing her a supportive smile, he reached for her hand. "I hope so." He knew he couldn't offer much more, not wanting to build her hopes up anymore than they already were, in fear of the crash back down to earth being all the worse. But he wouldn't crush her spirit either, especially not when they had next to no information yet.

The door opening behind them pulled them from their conversation, their heads turning to find a woman walking in. She was maybe only a little older than Gabby, but Matt knew from the white coat she was who they'd been waiting for.

"Hello, I'm Dr. Linda Tanner." The blonde spoke lightly as she came around to her desk, placing a tablet down in front of her before sitting in her chair. "You must be Gabriela."

Even from the few words she'd said, the tone in her voice relaxed both of them, Gabby nodding. "Yeah, that's me. But Gabby is fine."

"Gabby, then." She spoke with a smile. "I saw in your file you're a paramedic? How's that job?"

"I love it, it's hard but it's rewarding." She replied, Dr. Tanner nodding before turning her attention to the man across from her.

"And you're a firefighter, by the looks of it." She commented, Matt nodding.

"I am."

"Oh, sorry, this is Matt Casey," Gabby introduced, "he's my- well, he's…"

"He's the father." Dr. Tanner supplemented as Gabby began to stumble over her words.

"Yeah, but he's not only that." Gabby spoke, glancing towards Matt. "It's complicated."

"There's no need to explain anything, Miss Dawson."

"No, I know. It's just- we were married, but then some things happened and we got divorced. But we got back together, and then found out about me being pregnant and… yeah." She rambled on. Gabby didn't know why it was so important to her for Dr. Tanner to know the details of what they were, but she felt compelled to tell her. It bothered her, the thought of her doctor thinking her and Matt were just some random relationship that ended up in a pregnancy. She wasn't even sure why it mattered so much, but she didn't want any confusion as to how important their relationship was.

Dr. Tanner gave her a sympathetic smile, responding once she'd stopped rambling. "There's no judgement here, Gabby. I don't need to know the inner workings of your relationship, that's between you two. But both of you are here, and that tells me all I need to know about how committed you are to figuring out this situation."

"We are." Matt spoke for the first time, Gabby squeezing his hand as Dr. Tanner smiled at him softly.

"Now, before we begin, I do want to apologize to you Gabby, for how long it took to get you in here. I wish I'd had your medical history when you were put on the list, because I would've found a way to get you in here a lot sooner." She spoke, Gabby and Matt both nodding, waiting for her to continue. "Now, as I understand it, you were not aware of your pregnancy when you spoke to our receptionist while setting up your appointment?"

"No, I wasn't. I found out later that day, but at the time I didn't know. It was something I definitely would have mentioned." Gabby spoke lightly.

"That's what I assumed." She responded, picking up the tablet. "I've spent a lot of time looking over your medical history since we got your files in, and I've got to say you've been through the ringer it seems like, with trying to have a child."

"Yeah… it's been a lot."

"I'm not sure how much was explained to you, but your past medical history is why I wanted to do the transvaginal ultrasound. With the miscarriage you suffered, and the surgeries surrounding that, and then this aneurysm, I wanted to know exactly what we were dealing with. But before we get into all that, I do have some questions for you. What exactly sent you to the doctor, when you found out about the aneurysm? Was something wrong?." Dr. Tanner questioned, looking back and forth between the two.

"Well, back in May, we'd been trying to have a baby and I was having a hard time getting pregnant, so I suggested we go see my doctor, make sure everything checked out. And then during that visit is when they found it."

"Yeah, her doctor told us that she has an aneurysm, from her first pregnancy. And that with the aneurysm, it puts a lot of stress on her system and there was a chance it could rupture and that it could be fatal for her, if it did." Matt spoke, both women listening to him intently.

"She told us that there was a 10% chance of something going wrong, but a 90% chance that everything would be fine." Gabby finished, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"Well, some of those things are true, yes. But first, let me tell you what all I am seeing from our scans, then we can get into our options and everything, does that sound okay?" Both of them nodded, neither saying a word as they eagerly waited for her to talk. "Alright, well to start, based off our tests and when your last period was, you are roughly six weeks pregnant as of today, so we're still early on. I had my concerns, knowing the issues with your first pregnancy, about implantation and everything, but everything looks normal with this pregnancy. Everything is exactly where it should be, your baby looks healthy and is growing like they should."

A sigh of relief escaped her lips, Dr. Tanner having eased one of her fears already. "But there is still the aneurysm. That is our main concern at this time. But from our scan today, we did have it measuring at slightly smaller than what your first doctor had. It might have been from us doing the more invasive ultrasound, but while they had it measured at 2.1 centimeters, our test today only has it as 1.8 centimeters in size. I know it might not sound like a lot, but trust me in cases like this, that could make all the difference. The smaller the aneurysm is, the easier it is to get control of should something go wrong. It's not a foolproof plan, it's not a guaranteed fix. There is still the risk, but your aneurysm being on the smaller side definitely works in your favor." She explained to them, seeing the almost deer in headlights look covering their faces.

"So when you said some of what her other doctor told her is true, the risk to her life is still there. That hasn't changed." Matt questioned, Dr. Tanner releasing a soft breath as she leaned forward.

"No matter the size, an aneurysm could always be fatal. There is still a chance that if Gabby were to carry this baby to term, the pregnancy could be fatal for her should her aneurysm rupture. I can't lie to you and say it's not, because it is. There is a chance that this could kill not only you, Gabby, but also your child."

"Wait- what?" Matt breathed out, both of them stunned at the new information. "Her doctor didn't mention anything about it being fatal to the baby."

"It's rare, but it happens." Dr. Tanner spoke, seeing Gabby's eyes shining with unshed tears, the woman clutching on to Matt's hand as tightly as she could. "Look, I'm not trying to scare you guys. But I need you to have all the information. While the risk is higher for Gabby, the exact percentage is around 9% that something could go wrong and end badly, but the risk for your child is much lower." She assured them, but she knew she wasn't doing much to soothe the fears of the couple. "I know this is terrifying, I know it is. But Gabby, we have an advantage in your case that most women don't. And that's us knowing about it ahead of time. An aneurysm on the right iliac artery, that is very rare. You are a very rare case, which means that when women have it, they usually don't know until it's too late. But with you, we are aware of it. We know what to watch for, we'll know what the problem is immediately, should something happen. Those 9% of women who had this condition and didn't make it, a lot of them didn't have the warning you do."

"So it helps you, knowing about it now?"

"Absolutely. Because there's none of that wasted time trying to figure out what's wrong, should something happen. I'll immediately have my answer and work on fixing it. We know about this aneurysm now, and a lot of the time that isn't the case. It's something that often gets misdiagnosed, and causes a lot of issues during labor. But being aware of it, we know the precautions to take. I'm not saying it's a guarantee, but if you choose to continue this pregnancy, it only helps us that we know about it now."

Dr. Tanner watched the two people across from her, able to see how overwhelmed she'd made them. She hoped she was able to help them somewhat, but if anything they looked more lost than when she first came in here. "I know this is information overload right now, and I know you're scared. It's a lot to process, but we have options here." She spoke, regaining their attention. "Obviously, there's the choice to have an abortion. That way there is no risk to Gabby, if that's what you all choose. And I'd be able to help you look into other ways to have children. But there's also the option of Gabby carrying this child to term, and you all having your baby."

"But she could die." Matt spoke softly, feeling Gabby's grip on his hand loosen.

"She could." Dr. Tanner responded, taking a deep breath. "But Mr. Casey I'm very good at what I do. And while I can't guarantee a completely risk-less pregnancy, I can tell you I will do everything in my power to make sure you have a healthy, full term pregnancy if that's the direction you two choose. I know there's a risk, but the odds are in your favor, Gabby." She spoke, seeing the glimmer of hope in Gabby's eyes, and the look of doubt in Matt's. "I know I can't tell you two what to do, I would never try and sway you one way or the other. This decision is yours and yours alone. But I have all the confidence in my abilities to do whatever I can to make sure both you and your child come out of this just fine, if you all wish to continue this pregnancy."

Both Gabby and Matt nodded, neither sure exactly what to say, their minds racing.

"So, do either of you have any questions for me?"

A few moments of silence passed, the couple gathering themselves for a minute before Gabby spoke up first. "Is it okay for me to keep working?"

"Right now, yes. As long as you avoid burning buildings, obviously smoke inhalation isn't good for anyone, let alone a pregnant woman. And do you work with other people?"

"I have a partner, yeah."

"Good. I'd let them handle the heavy lifting, just to be safe. But for right now, it's fine for you to continue working. With you being a high-risk pregnancy, the further into your pregnancy we get, the more cautious we'd need to be. But that'll be determined as we go." She explained, Gabby nodding. "Anything else?"

"Yeah, uh, it should be in my file, but I've been on anxiety medication recently… is that okay for me to keep taking? Or should I stop?"

"Yes, I did see that in your chart. I checked the medication you're on and the amount, and it's completely fine to continue taking while pregnant, as long as you don't go over your correct dosage it's safe for your baby."

Gabby once again nodded, glancing over to Matt who had yet to say anything over the past few minutes. She could tell his head was spinning, Gabby squeezing his hand to pull him back with them. She knew he'd been listening, he wouldn't check out during something this important, but he'd mentally stepped back from them for a few minutes and she wanted to make sure he didn't miss out on the chance to ask her any questions. "You have anything?" Gabby asked him softly, Matt breathing deeply as he looked from Gabby to the doctor.

"Have you treated patients with this condition before?" His voice was thick as he spoke, his tone a touch deeper than normal.

"I have." She assured him. "My colleagues have seen this and dealt with it before, and I myself have had two women with this exact same condition. I have seen patients with this before." He nodded, Gabby responding with a nod as well. "Anything else?" She prompted, Gabby and Matt turning to each other, looking to see if either of them had another question. But they were coming up blank. "Well, if something else comes to mind, Gabby you have my number. Feel free to call me whenever you need to and I'll do my best to answer whatever it is. I'm not sure if you all have come to a decision yet about whether or not you want to keep this baby…" She started, eyeing them bother carefully.

"We haven't, not yet. We were waiting for today, so we had all the information." Gabby explained softly.

"That's smart." She responded, glancing down to her calendar. "Well, we'll tentatively schedule you for another appointment in two weeks, and if you all have come to a decision at that point then we'll go from there. If not, we'll just have you do an ultrasound, make sure everything is still looking like it should and figure out the rest as it comes." She told them, Gabby nodding slowly as Matt remained unmoving. "But this is not something to be rushed. Don't think you have to have everything figured out by your next appointment. This is a big decision, take your time. Weigh all the options, and do what's best for you."

"Thank you, Dr. Tanner. Really." Gabby offered, the woman smiling graciously as she stood up from her seat, Gabby and Matt mimicking her actions.

"Of course. I can't imagine how hard this has been on you all, but we'll figure it out. No matter what you two decide to do."

"Thank you." Gabby spoke again, Matt leaning down to grab their things from the floor.

"I'll see you in two weeks." Dr. Tanner said as the couple headed for the door, Gabby nodding as Matt followed behind her. She had just opened the door to leave when Matt's voice stopped her.

"What happened to them?" He asked, Dr. Tanner's eyebrows furrowing in confusion as Gabby turned back around to face them. "Your two other patients that had this aneurysm, what happened to them?"

"One mother and baby did just fine; both happy and healthy."

"And the other one?" He practically whispered, almost afraid of the answer.

"The baby was perfectly healthy."

"...And the mother?"

"She didn't make it."

His heart sank to his stomach, that familiar feeling of dread that had consumed him lately coming back in waves. He couldn't do much else but nod, turning towards the exit prompting Gabby to leave as well, not missing the similar look of fear on her face.

He'd spent the last two weeks hoping and praying that this appointment would give him answers. There was a small part of him that hoped this problem would magically be solved as soon as they saw the doctor, but that was naive of him. If anything, all he had was more concern and worry, knowing that his worst fears were likely coming true, and he wasn't sure if there was anything he could do to stop it.

* * *

**Phew, well there it is. Seems like Gabby and Matt might kind of be in two different places about this baby. And there's still a lot of unknown around this pregnancy, and if they'll even keep the baby. As I'm sure you can imagine, there's a storm coming...**

**Also, I'm back home now and as much as I enjoyed my vacation, it's good to be back. I want to thank everyone who sent me such sweet messages, especially the well wishes for being sick. You all are the absolute kindest people in the world, seriously.**

**I had to do so much research for this chapter, it was kind of ridiculous but also kinda interesting. I tried so hard to get the details right, but never having been pregnant myself, I was going solely off the internet. I apologize if some things are wrong, I tried my best. But the overwhelming thing I found when researching this aneurysm is how rare it is. Which honestly makes me just side-eye the writers even more for doing that to Gabby like cmon she'd already been through enough, then you give her this super rare medical condition so she shouldn't have children? And while I was researching, it became glaringly obvious how half-assed this storyline was done on the show. It was done so poorly. I'll always just be annoyed at how Dawsey's storyline/Gabby's exit storyline was written, is the point of this.**

**But anyway, I didn't mean to rant haha. I hope you all enjoyed this one, if you can please leave me a review and let me know what you thought! Thanks so much for reading! Wish I could say things are going to get easier for them, but I can't. Until the next one.**


	30. Chapter Thirty

**Hello hello. Here's another long chapter for you guys. Fair warning, it's a rough one. Remember how I said there's a storm coming…**

**Side note, I can't believe we're at chapter thirty already. That's crazy to me, thank you all for the continued support!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty**_

* * *

Gabby pulled up in front of the firehouse, the windshield wipers pushing snow from the glass and the heat blowing through the vents having been the only sound in the car during the twenty minute drive from Dr. Tanner's office. Matt hadn't said a word since they were told of the outcome from Tanner's previous patients, and Gabby knew better than to push him to talk right now.

He was silent as they checked out at the office and set her next appointment, he was silent during the walk to her car, and all he did was give Gabby a nod when she asked if he'd like a ride back to the firehouse. A million different thoughts and emotions were running through her head, their meeting with Dr. Tanner giving her little peace about the situation. And she knew Matt felt the same. If anything, the reality of this was even more damning than it had been before today. But hearing that heartbeat, the heartbeat of their child, it had put things into perspective for her. Though she was sure she couldn't say the same for Matt.

Clearing his throat, Matt spoke up for the first time in over half an hour. "Thanks for the ride." His voice was soft, Gabby looking over at him to see his eyes plastered out the passenger side window.

"Yeah, of course." She responded, wearing a light smile even though Matt couldn't see it.

"Well, uh- I gotta get back." He peeled his eyes from the window, turning to find her watching him. "You still working your shift tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'm planning on it. I'm gonna talk to my Chief, but Jemma already knows about the pregnancy. And you heard Dr. Tanner, she said right now it was okay to keep working."

"So we're telling people?" He questioned, trying to mask the panic in his voice. They'd agreed to only start telling others their situation when they'd come to a decision, and as far as he knew, they were nowhere close to being on the same page.

"No, no we're not." She tried to ease his fears, Gabby hearing the change in his tone of voice immediately. "I'm only telling my Chief because he needs to know, for my safety. But we're not telling anyone until we've decided what we're doing." Gabby tried to assure him, but she was sure she hadn't done a good job of that.

Matt nodded slowly, flashing a small, forced smile before putting his hand on the door handle. "Okay... well I'll see you tomorrow night." He leaned forward, placing a quick, barely-there kiss on her cheek as he pushed the door open. "Love you." Matt said as a goodbye as he moved to get out.

"Wait- Matt." The combination of Gabby's voice and her hand reaching out for his covered arm stopped him, Matt turning to look at her with raised eyebrows.

"Yeah?"

"We need to talk."

Releasing a heavy sigh, his glance flashed back towards the firehouse. "I know we do, but I've gotta get back to work."

"Yeah, but you and I both know 81's out on a call right now." She told him firmly, removing her hand from his arm. It was true, they had both heard the call come through his radio as they were leaving the doctor's office, and the empty garage they saw when they pulled up confirmed the truck company was still out.

Closing his eyes momentarily, Matt put his foot back inside the car, closing the door to shield himself from the heavy snow. Adjusting his body in the seat, he turned to look at Gabby with expectant eyes. "What do you wanna talk about?"

Gabby's tongue ran over her bottom lip as she raised her eyebrows at him. "Well, I mean, about what just happened. Everything the doctor said…"

Forcing air out between his clenched teeth, he moved his head to stare straight out the windshield. "We can't really figure all this out in a few minutes, Gabby."

"I know, that's not what I meant. I just mean… how are you feeling about all this?" She asked softly.

Matt bit the inside of his cheek harshly, trying to keep his emotions in check as the hard exterior he'd placed around himself began to crack. He knew he was being difficult, but it wasn't because of Gabby. It was because he knew if he broke down now, he'd never be able to pull himself together enough to walk into that firehouse.

Seeing him clenching his jaw tightly, she reached up to softly grab his chin, turning him to face her hoping to stop him before he drew blood. "Matt…" She whispered softly, moving her thumb over his jaw.

"I'm- I'm scared, Gabby." Her frown deepened as she saw the tears shining in his eyes, his emotions betraying him as the fear he felt covered his face. "I kept telling myself that we just needed to make it to the appointment and everything would be solved, and I know that wasn't realistic but… now we have the information and I don't know what to do."

"I'm scared too, Matt." She admitted softly, his eyes finally meeting hers as he saw the same exact fear in her. "This is terrifying, but our baby-" She cut herself off when she saw Matt's immediate reaction, his eyes closing tightly, a slight grimace covering his face. "We saw our baby. Our healthy baby, and I didn't feel as scared anymore." Gabby voiced honestly, waiting until he opened his eyes before continuing, seeing a lone tear escape down his cheek. "And I know it was stupid, but I had the same hope you did. I was hoping maybe my first doctor was wrong, or that the aneurysm had magically disappeared, but that's not the case. It's still there and there's still a chance something could happen to me... I know we have an important decision to make, and there's a lot we have to talk about once I get off work tomorrow, but all that matters right now is that I know you're okay to go out and run into burning buildings." She spoke, Matt releasing a soft breath. "Because if you're not, I'll walk in there right now and tell Boden you need the rest of shift off." She spoke firmly.

"No, no I'm okay." He responded, Gabby moving her hand down from his jaw to rest on his chest. "I'm a little overwhelmed, but I'm fine to work."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure." He promised, a small smile appearing on her face, Gabby nodding in response. "Okay, well I'm gonna get in there." Matt said softly.

"Be safe, I'll see you tomorrow night and we can… we can try and figure out what we're gonna do."

Nodding slowly, Matt turned to face the front again, his hand landing on the door handle to get out, but he stopped, the nagging feeling in the back of his mind pausing his movements. His head turned back to her, his eyes running over her face as she looked at him quizzically.

"What's wrong?"

"I-... how are you okay with this?" He blurted out, his voice a bit rougher than he intended. Gabby's eyebrows furrowed, a small frown forming over her lips as his words hit her. "I'm sorry, but I just don't get it." Matt breathed out, his hand clenching at his side.

"Get what?" She questioned, holding her hands together in her lap.

"You could die, Gabby. This could kill you. And you seem fine with it." He knew it wasn't the time or place to get into this, not when he needed to get back to work and they didn't have time to fully discuss it, but he couldn't help it. It had been bothering him from the moment they had gotten the ultrasound, how she'd completely disregarded herself in this, and he couldn't walk into the firehouse without knowing why.

"I'm not fine with it." She replied almost defensively, Matt's eyes snapping to her. "There's no part of me that's okay with this situation, knowing there's a chance I might not get to live to see our child grow up. Knowing that I might leave you to raise this baby alone, I'm not fine with that at all. It's killing me." She told him, her voice strong despite the tears in her eyes threatening to fall.

"Then why is this even a discussion?" He bit back firmly, his frustration getting the best of him. "This child could kill you, why is this something that's up for debate?"

"Because it's _our_ child, Matt!" Gabby replied immediately, emotion present in her voice. "Our child who didn't choose to be in this position, they didn't choose to risk my life. They have done nothing to deserve us terminating this pregnancy, it's not a black and white decision!" She fought back, Matt having to take a steadying breath trying to calm himself down. Gabby wasn't the person to be mad at in this situation, she didn't ask for this, and he knew it. But he found himself getting more upset the longer she tried to reason with him. "If we do this, we are choosing to kill our child. Our healthy, beautiful baby… we would be killing them. I don't know how you're so willing to do that without even talking about it first."

"Because we could lose them, anyway!" He nearly shouted, Gabby's eyes widening in surprise at the anger in his words. "Don't you understand that? There's a chance this could kill our baby, too!" His voice was getting louder as he continued to speak, unable to reign himself in as Gabby sat there stunned. "And I could lose you! Then what? Would this really have been worth it? Me, alone; no you, no baby. I'd lose everything, _you _would lose everything. How is that worth it?!" His words were bitter as they left his mouth, surprising even himself at the way he'd just spoken to her.

Gabby's eyes closed as she tried to hide the tears desperate to fall, her head turning forward to look away from him. Matt forced himself to take slow breaths, needing to calm his heaving chest before speaking again. The second he stopped talking, he knew he messed up, taking out his anger on the last person who deserved it. He knew she didn't ask for this, but he almost felt blindsided by how she was handling this situation. She seemingly had no care for herself or for him in this, and he couldn't understand it.

Glancing towards her, he saw her trying to keep her composure, her gaze focused straight ahead, not daring to look at him. "I'm… I'm sorry." He apologized after a few tense moments, the weight of his words sinking in.

"You need to get to work." She bit out, moving her hands up to the steering wheel.

"Gabby-"

"I'll see you tomorrow night." Her words were forced, Gabby still refusing to look at him as she clenched the steering wheel tightly, Matt able to feel the hurt and anger rolling off her body.

"Please look at me." He nearly pleaded, Gabby pursing her lips together before turning her head towards him, a blank stare covering her face. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought it up here and I shouldn't have yelled at you like that."

Her face remained unchanged as she nodded towards the firehouse. "You need to get to work, Matt." He opened his mouth to say something else but she cut him off. "It's fine, today was a lot. Our emotions are all over the place… we'll talk about it tomorrow." The tone in her voice left no room for Matt to try and respond, for him to try and apologize again. She didn't want to hear it, he could tell all she needed from him right now was space. And he couldn't blame her.

"Okay." He replied softly, releasing a heavy breath before maneuvering out of the car. Once on his feet, he turned to face the vehicle, his movements halting when he heard the familiar sound of a fire truck approaching. Looking down the street, he saw 81 and squad 3 driving slowly down the slick road, turning into the driveway of 51. Knowing he really was running out of time, he leaned down, finding Gabby's eyes already waiting for him. "I am sorry, Gabby." He promised, seeing her nod slowly. "If you need me, please call me. I love you."

"You too." She murmured, peeling her eyes from him as quickly as possible, putting the car in drive as she waited for him to leave. Sighing heavily, he whispered another goodbye before shutting the car door, Matt having no time to move before Gabby peeled away from the curb.

Taking a steadying breath, Matt began walking up the driveway, not surprised to see the members of truck and squad hanging back by their respective rigs, clearly waiting on him to come in.

"Hey Captain." Herrmann addressed him first, Matt giving the man a slight nod as he walked towards the truck. "Dawson didn't wanna stop by?"

Clearing his throat, Matt shook his head as he slid off his turnout coat. "She couldn't, had somewhere to be." He lied easily, opening up the passenger side door to the truck to place his radio inside, hoisting his body onto the first step for easier access.

"Ah, okay." Herrmann accepted his answer, knowing better than to push for explanations. The fact that Casey was even having a conversation with him was progress.

Matt quickly stepped out of his turnout pants, making sure his gear was in order before lifting his head up, finding a few stares on him from the firefighters around him. The ones that had been caught quickly averted their eyes, aside from Severide, who didn't care to hide the fact he'd been watching Casey. He was worried about his friend, he wasn't going to hide that.

Uncomfortable with the obvious glances from everyone, Matt had every intention of hurrying to his office, away from the prying eyes of his concerned coworkers. But he only made it a few steps before stopping himself, turning back around to face Herrmann. "Oh, and uh, Herrmann, thanks for covering for me. I know I was gone longer than I planned," That Matt was sure of, knowing the last time he looked at the clock it had been well over three hours since he'd left, and he had no idea how much time had passed since then. "But I appreciate you filling in." He spoke sincerely, the older firefighter nodding.

"Of course, Casey. Happy to help." He responded, Matt nodding with a grateful look on his face before continuing his original path towards the firehouse. Thankfully, he was able to make it to his office without running into anyone else, the few minutes he'd spent back here proving to be taxing. With his emotions already running high from the appointment, and the fight, if you could call it that, with Gabby afterwards, he was exhausted. As he got into the safe confines of his office, he shut the door behind him, stepping towards his desk as he leaned his body weight against it, his legs crossing at the ankles as he relaxed against the wood. He felt tired, beyond exhausted, and standing here he couldn't help but think maybe Gabby had a point questioning whether or not he should return to shift. Blowing out a frustrated sigh, he rested his head down in his palm, taking a few minutes to recuperate and mentally prepare himself for the rest of his shift.

His moment of quiet was interrupted shortly after it began by a knock on his office door, the person not waiting for approval before coming in. Lifting his head up from his hand, his spine straightened as he saw Boden standing there in the doorway, his arms crossed over his chest. "So, I see you're back."

"Chief, I'm sorry." He spoke with a sigh. "I know I said I'd keep you updated and tell you when I got back, but everything just got so…" Matt trailed off, feeling the beginnings of a pounding headache coursing through his skull. "I meant to let you know, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, Casey." He responded once the man was done, Matt looking at him curiously, unsure as to why he wasn't getting chewed out right now. Had anyone under his command gone as radio silent as he had during his duck out from shift, they'd be getting an earful right about now. But Chief looked nowhere near angry at him; his eyes held nothing but concern. "Look, we've all been beating around the bush with you here the last few weeks, no one has wanted to come to you because clearly something's bothering you. Something's been going on with you and Dawson." The Chief spoke bluntly, Matt remaining silent. "And I don't know what's happening, or what's going on with Gabby, but you have to know you two aren't alone here." Matt swallowed thickly at the Chief's statement, his eyes finding the ground. "You have a family at this firehouse who loves the both of you, and would willingly help you with whatever you need. Just… please don't forget that."

Matt brought his hand up to run over his mouth, drawing in as deep of a breath as his heavy chest would allow. "I know…" He responded quietly, his soft words barely audible. "It's just… Gabby and I- we've got things we need to figure out before we can do anything else. But thank you, Chief."

With a slight nod, Boden sighed softly, slowly backing out of the room. "Whenever you're ready, we're here for you." Chief spoke surely, facing away from Casey and making his way towards the exit without another word, leaving the broken man alone in his office.

* * *

Gabby gnawed on her bottom lip as she walked up the steps into the district, her palms sweaty as she pulled open the door. She wasn't entirely sure what brought her here, she had no plans of visiting her brother today. But after everything this morning, and the fight her and Matt had, she felt compelled to go see him. She was frustrated and upset, and needed her big brother to help her make sense of it all.

Stepping inside the always busy building, her eyes fell on the front desk finding Platt in her normal spot, typing away on her computer. Taking long strides towards the woman, Gabby flashed her a smile when Trudy became aware of her presence.

"Well, would you look who's here, my favorite Dawson." Platt spoke, a chuckle escaping Gabby's lips. "What brings you by our neck of the woods?"

"I'm here to see my brother, he up there?" She questioned, eyeing the locked door.

"Sure is, he has been all morning. Maybe after your visit see if you can get him to actually work some, that's what the fine people of Chicago pay him for." Platt spoke with a smug grin, pressing the button behind her desk to unlock the door to Intelligence.

"I'll see what I can do. Thanks, Trudy."

"Of course. Happy to see you, Dawson." She responded, Gabby flashing her a smile before heading for the stairs and beginning her climb towards her brother, making sure to shut the door firmly against it's frame once she entered.

Taking the rest of the steps quickly, Gabby soon got to the top, her brother coming into view, his focused stare zeroed in on the computer in front of him. With her eyes quickly bouncing around the room, she saw most of Intelligence working diligently at their desks, with the exception of their boss who was nowhere to be found.

Clearing her throat, she got the attention of the room as she walked towards Antonio's desk, the man tilting his head to the side in slight confusion at his sister's presence.

"Hey Gabs," He greeted, pushing away from his desk as she came to stand by him. "What brings you by?" Just from first glance, he could tell something was off with his baby sister. He didn't know exactly what was wrong, but based on the look on her face something had made her upset. He racked his brain trying to think of anything that could be causing her pain, but he was coming up empty. Regretfully, he hadn't seen her much over the past couple weeks. He was away on an undercover assignment during her accident in the elevator, which she swore to him up and down that she was fine, and by the time he came back she assured him he didn't need to come check up on her, days having passed since the accident occurred. And whenever he did try and see her, their schedules never lined up and he could never catch her. A part of him thought she was ignoring him purposefully, which at the time he thought to be just his imagination, but now he wasn't so sure.

"Just, uh…" Her demeanor shifted into one of nervousness, Antonio watching curiously as her eyes moved around the room. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure. Don't tell me you and Casey got into it?" He joked, trying to lighten the mood. But the look that flashed in her eyes told him he'd hit at least part of the problem, the smug grin on his face falling as he realized his joke was probably not so far from the truth. "Let's go in the break room." He offered, Gabby nodding as her arms crossed over her chest, letting Antonio lead the way. She gave small smiles to the members of the unit she passed, but couldn't muster up much more than that, Antonio letting her walk into the confined room first before following in after her, shutting the door behind him. "Alright, what did he do?" Antonio asked, crossing his arms tightly across his chest as Gabby stood opposite of him.

"I wish it were that simple, Antonio." She breathed out, worry filling him as he heard the defeated tone in her voice.

"What's going on?" He asked softly, Gabby shifting on the balls of her feet.

"Can we sit?" She asked, anxiety rising within him at her request. Nodding slowly, Antonio moved to the table, taking a seat next to her, his eyes locked on her face as she fiddled with her hands.

The brother and sister sat there for a few moments, Antonio knowing better than to try and pry information from her. She'd talk when she could, there was no point in forcing it out of her before she was ready; something he'd learned many years ago. But her actions were making him nervous. Having the chance to get a closer look at her, he could tell she'd been crying, and she hadn't been getting much sleep recently. Her entire body reeked of exhaustion, and he felt his stomach sink at the thought of something causing his baby sister so much distress.

"I'm pregnant." The words slipped from her lips so softly he barely heard them, and once he did it took a few seconds for them to register, that being the last thing he expected her to say.

His mouth parted in surprise, his eyes widening as Gabby locked in on his gaze. "That's- wow, congratulations Gabs." He spoke excitedly, his initial reaction of shock and elation diminishing when he saw her not anywhere near his level of enthusiasm. "That's great news, isn't it? I mean, you and Matt have always wanted kids." Antonio spoke lightly, hoping to gain insight as to where her head was at.

"Yeah, we have… it would've been great news. It should've been, but it's not."

"What does that mean?" He asked her, his confusion only growing. "What aren't you telling me?"

Sucking in a deep breath, Gabby reached out for his hand before speaking. "Having this baby could kill me, Antonio."

His body went numb momentarily, as every function he had seemingly stopped working as her words sunk in, his confusion mounting into fear as a thousand emotions played out on his face. Before he could even find his voice, Gabby continued to explain.

"I have an aneurysm, in an artery in my abdomen. It happened from my first pregnancy, after the miscarriage." Gabby spoke softly, seeing the hurt and worry shining in her brother's eyes. "This pregnancy will put a lot of stress on my system, and it could cause the aneurysm to rupture. If that happens it could kill me... and maybe the baby." She explained, trying to stay as level-headed as she could.

"When did you find out?" He questioned softly, trying to wrap his mind around everything.

"About the pregnancy or the aneurysm?" She questioned back, Antonio raising his eyebrows in response, telling her he wanted the answer to both. "The pregnancy, I found out the day of the elevator accident. When I was at med, Dr. Rhodes did some blood work to make sure everything was okay and he found out I was pregnant. The aneurysm… Matt and I found out back in May." She answered with a slight grimace, Antonio's eyes widening.

"You've known all this time? Why did you never tell me?"

"I don't know… Matt and I were trying to have a baby, and, me being me, I got impatient so we went to my doctor and that's when we found out. After that, everything between Matt and I fell apart so quickly and everything became this huge mess… we hadn't told anyone we were even trying to get pregnant and eventually we had more problems that just that. Everything was becoming too much, and I was in denial about it, so I just never said anything." She explained, Antonio squeezing her hand comfortingly, sadness displayed over his face. "And once I left for good, I didn't think it mattered anymore… at least it wouldn't for a very long time. I didn't want to think about it, so I chose to forget about it."

"But you can't forget about it now." He spoke sadly, Gabby shaking her head side to side.

"No… I can't."

"What are you and Matt gonna do?"

"I don't know. I honestly- I have no clue. We're not on the same page about this at all." Gabby replied, a deep frown settling in over her face. "I had a doctor's appointment today, to get all the information of what we were up against and what our options were, and after everything she told us, Matt and I are in completely different places now with what we want to do." She vented. "I have no idea what the best decision is, but Matt… he won't even consider anything other than an abortion." Gabby spoke, the word stabbing her like a knife as it left her mouth. "He can't get past the chance of something happening to me."

"But you don't know what you want?"

"I don't… at least I didn't." She replied, Antonio giving her a curious stare. "We heard the heartbeat." She spoke with watery eyes, his gaze softening. "We saw our baby, and we heard their little heartbeat and I just… I can't hurt them, Antonio. Matt and I, we created this perfect little life, and I can't do anything to jeopardize that. But Matt, I know he's conflicted about this, but it's like he doesn't even understand how I could be considering keeping our child."

"He's scared to lose you, Gabby." Antonio replied softly. "I mean, I wasn't there, and I don't know what all's been said, but I know Matt. I know if there's even a chance of something happening to you, he's not willing to take that risk."

"... So you think we should terminate the pregnancy?"

"That's not what I'm saying." Antonio clarified, squeezing her hand. "This decision is completely up to you, and Matt. I'll be by your side and support you no matter what you choose. All I'm saying is I can understand why he's freaked out."

Nodding slowly, more tears sprung to her eyes as she fought them off. "It's just… I feel so lost, Antonio. This is something that should've been the best thing to ever happen to us, but instead it could tear us apart. Again." She spoke painfully, Antonio's heart breaking for his sister.

"So the big fight you and Matt had before you left, that you refused to really give me details about, that's what it was about?"

"It's what started it, yeah." She replied, wiping under her eyes.

Blowing out a sigh, Antonio leaned back in his seat. "And Matt is completely against this? It's not just that he'd rather you have an abortion, it's that he's completely set on it?" He asked for clarification, Gabby shrugging softly.

"As far as I can tell, yes. We haven't had a chance to really sit down and talk it out. We had kind of a… fight, I guess, about it today after the appointment, but with everything he's saying, he basically said he doesn't understand how I could want this kid and that he didn't understand why it was even a discussion." She confided to her brother, her voice wobbly.

"Gabs," Antonio started, taking a deep breath. "I'm not Matt, I don't know what he's thinking, but if I were to guess I'd say he's having a hard time because as much as he wants this baby, he won't let it be the thing that takes you from him." He started, Gabby watching him closely. "I mean, this is the guy that has always wanted kids. He's always wanted a family with you. I think he's just scared of losing you. And maybe I'm wrong here but I'd say there's a huge part of him that wants this baby. A part of him that loves this baby just as much as you do, but he'd rather have you than this kid."

With tears welling in her eyes, Gabby dropped her hold on his hand and brought hers up to cradle her head, her body hunched over the table. "I don't know what to do, Tonio." She helplessly whispered, feeling Antonio begin to run his hand up and down over her back.

"You gotta talk to him, and go from there." He instructed, seeing her nod slightly against her hands. "And you know whatever happens, I'm right here. I'm here for you sis, always." He assured her, leaning down and pulling her body against his, holding her tightly as he felt her begin to tremble in his grasp, her pent up emotions boiling over as she stayed in the safety of her brother's embrace.

* * *

Gabby stretched out the kinks in her neck as she stood at her locker, hoping to expel some of the exhaustion that seemed ever-present in her body lately. It had been a long day yesterday and an even longer night, her and Matt's large bed feeling all the larger as she laid there alone, her difficult day manifesting into a night of restless sleep.

She hadn't heard from Matt since their argument yesterday, and while part of her was glad for the space, the bigger part of her couldn't help but be consumed with worry. She'd been long gone before his shift finished this morning, Matt only having gotten off work a few minutes ago as she stood here in the locker room, and neither of them had made any attempt to reach out to the other. It had crossed her mind multiple times, and while she couldn't be certain she assumed the same could be said for Matt, but she always ended up stopping herself. They were both emotional and their every feeling was dialed to ten, so she figured it best to just let them both cool off, and they'd talk when she got home. But that's what was worrying her the most, that she had no idea what would be waiting for her after shift.

She knew they were in a vulnerable place, that this was something that couldn't be decided quickly and then everything would just be fine. But if their future discussions were to be anything like what happened in the car yesterday, they would get nowhere fast. She just hoped Matt understood that, too. She knew it was coming from a good place, that he was only so harsh because he's scared, but he was so quick to jump on her yesterday, she found herself still a little irritated at that. She understood his fear, hell she had the same fears he did, and if the roles were reversed and Matt was in a situation that could take him from her, she has no idea what kind of reaction she'd be having. But he had to be willing to talk about it. They'd never figure this out if they both couldn't look at all the options, and his inability to look past what he wanted was frustrating.

"Hey Dawson." Jemma's friendly voice greeted as the younger woman walked into the locker room.

"Hey Norris." Gabby replied back, giving her a small, friendly smile as her partner maneuvered to her own locker.

"How are you doing today?" She questioned, Gabby turning to face her as she shut her locker.

"I'm okay." She responded vaguely, waiting until Jemma glanced her way before continuing. "I actually need to talk to you and Chief, if you've got a minute?"

"Yeah, of course." Jemma replied instantly, shutting her locker before she was even finished with her routine. "Is everything alright?" The concern was clear in her voice as she stepped towards Gabby, her eyes shining with worry.

"Yeah, yeah." Gabby waved off her concerns, beginning to walk out of the locker room, Jemma hot on her trail. "I'm just telling him about the pregnancy, and what I can and can't do. I had my uh, doctor's appointment yesterday so I just wanted to let him know."

Jemma simply nodded, not knowing how she was supposed to react. Since finding out about Gabby's apparent unwelcome pregnancy, Jemma made sure to steer clear of the topic. It was obvious Dawson didn't want to discuss it, and that despite her and Matt both wanting to expand their family, something about having this baby was troublesome. She couldn't even begin to understand what the problem was, but she wouldn't pry. She'd only take what information Gabby offered, and try and support her friend as much as she could.

"Alright, sounds good." Norris responded lightly, the two women falling into a comfortable silence as they walked across the building towards the Chief's office, saying simple greetings to any of their coworkers they passed along the way.

They soon got to their boss' door, Gabby tapping lightly on the glass, waiting to get the signal it was alright to enter.

"Come in." His gravelly voice could be heard through the door, Gabby pushing it open and sticking her head in.

"Chief Walters? Can I speak with you a second?"

Her words captured his attention, the man putting his pen down and clasping his hands together in front of him as he nodded, Gabby stepping inside with Jemma following close behind her, the younger woman shutting the door to give them some privacy.

"Is everything alright?" He questioned carefully, seeing the hesitation crossing his newest paramedic's face. Though he hadn't known her very long, he'd noticed the slight change in her over the past few weeks, but he'd been on the job long enough to know to leave it alone unless it began affecting her work. Which, to his knowledge, it hadn't.

"Uh, yeah." She cleared her throat, fiddling with her hands as she continued. "I recently found out that I'm pregnant." His eyes widened at the news, a small, genuine smile gracing his face.

"That's great news, congratulations Dawson." He spoke excitedly, a small smile falling onto her face as well.

"Thank you, Chief." She replied simply, knowing she was not going to go into any details right now. "But I, uh, had my first doctor's appointment yesterday and for right now, I am still cleared to work. My doctor just wants me to lay off the more physically demanding aspects of the job, if that's alright." She began, Chief Walters nodding. "And I know it's not really something we deal with here, but she gave specific instructions to stay away from any dangerous environments, like burning buildings and stuff like that."

"Of course. That all sounds fine, Dawson. As long as Norris doesn't mind pulling some extra weight." Chief Walters spoke, both his glance and Gabby's turning to the young woman.

"Not at all, sir." She spoke surely, a grin resting on her face.

"Very well. Thank you for telling me, Dawson."

Gabby nodded, taking that as her cue that her and Jemma were free to leave. "Oh, and uh, I'm not really announcing my pregnancy yet." She spoke softly, her gaze flickering out of the office windows.

"Understood." Walters replied, Gabby giving him a grateful smile.

"Thank you, sir."

The three exchanged nods as Gabby and Jemma headed for the exit, the deep voice of their boss stopping them as Gabby stood in the doorway.

"Congratulations again, Dawson. Having children, it's the greatest gift." He spoke sincerely, warmth flooding through her at his words, her hand subconsciously moving over her stomach. "I'm very happy for you. Make sure to stay safe out there."

"Of course, Chief. I will. Thank you." She spoke softly, feeling Jemma wrap an arm around her shoulders.

"I got her, Chief." She said with a wide smile, Walters releasing a chuckle as he turned his attention back towards the paperwork on his desk.

"Yeah, I don't doubt that." He replied with a laugh, both women smiling as Jemma led them from the office. They only got a few feet when Jemma stopped them, Gabby turning to look at her quizzically as Norris dropped her arm from her shoulders.

"You're gonna be an amazing mom, Dawson." Her voice was firm, Gabby biting the side of her cheek as her eyes flickered away from her friend. "I don't know what's going on, but what I do know is this little baby is gonna be so loved. Especially by me." She added on the end, keeping her voice light hoping to ease some of Gabby's fears. When a small laugh and smile came from her friend, Jemma's smile widened, moving her hand to rest on Gabby's back.

"Thanks Jemma." Gabby nearly whispered, wiping away some of the tears that had formed in her eyes.

"Of course. I'm here for you, whatever you and Casey need. And whatever little baby Casey needs." She reminded her, Gabby nodding slowly, even though she wasn't sure if there would even be a baby Casey. Dawson quickly pushed the thought from her mind as the bells rang out, signaling them and one other ambo to help with a car accident on the freeway. "Alright, time to get to work." Norris sighed, rubbing over Gabby's back before dropping her hand, the two hurrying from the warmth of the house out into the garage, the chill in the air hitting them as soon as they got through the double doors. "But remember Dawson, I'm in charge now." Jemma spoke with a gleam in her eye, Gabby scoffing lightly as the women climbed into the rig.

"Whatever you say." She joked back, relaxing into her seat as Jemma pulled out of the garage. Only seconds had passed since they turned onto the road when her phone began ringing in her pocket, Gabby pulling it out quickly to see who was calling her. Seeing the all too familiar name and photo pop up on her screen, Gabby blew out a heavy sigh, silencing the ringing and shoving the object back into her pocket.

When she looked back up, she felt Jemma's confused glance on her every few seconds, turning to see her partner wearing a pensive look. "You have time to talk to him, we still have a few minutes until we get there."

Shaking her head, Gabby forced a smile before responding. "No, no it's okay. I'll call him back later." She responded, turning to look out the window, effectively ending all conversation about why she just ignored a phone call from Matt.

Less than thirty seconds later, the sound of her phone dinging filled the rig, Gabby pulling it back out of her pocket and seeing the notification of a missed call and voicemail. Drawing in a steady breath, she opened her phone and clicked on the voicemail, putting the device up to her ear to listen.

"_Hey Gabby, uh, I was hoping to reach you before you got busy but I guess I didn't. I just got home from shift… I know that we have a lot to talk about and discuss, but I just want you to know that I want to figure this out, baby. I know I messed up, taking this out on you earlier. I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do that I'm just- I'm going crazy. But this isn't your fault and I'm sorry for how I spoke to you, you didn't deserve that. This is happening to you, of course it's affecting you. I just- I'm sorry. We'll talk more tonight, but I love you. Please be safe out there. Bye._"

Her eyes fell closed as he finished his message, Gabby hearing the remorse laced in his words. Despite how they left things, she found herself comforted by the sound of his voice, especially after not speaking to him in almost a day. She wasn't sure how their conversation tonight would go, but hearing how he sounded just now, it gave her hope that they would manage to find a way through this together.

* * *

Gabby stepped into the dimly lit apartment a little after eight, beginning to shed her coat from her body as she simultaneously locked their back door. During her first once over, she saw the lights in the kitchen and living room on, as well as in the bedroom, but she couldn't see Matt anywhere. She heard the soft rumbling of their TV coming from the living room, Gabby guessing he was sitting just on the other side of that wall.

Discarding her boots and coat to their rightful place, she put her keys on the counter next to his before walking further into their home, Matt coming into view as she walked past their kitchen table, seeing him sitting on the couch nursing a beer, his eyes glued to the TV screen.

"Hey." She called softly, snapping him from his headspace as he looked towards her.

"Hey, sorry I didn't hear you come in." He replied, reaching to turn down the volume.

"It's fine. Have you eaten?" She asked softly, her arms crossed over her chest.

With a slight shake of his head, he responded. "No, not yet. Your shift go okay?"

"It was good." She replied, an uncomfortable feeling settling in the air. "I'm gonna go take a shower and then we can talk?" She phrased it as a question, letting him take the lead on whether they actually hash this out tonight or not. Even though they both needed answers, and for as sure as she'd been that they needed to figure this out sooner rather than later, now that the time had come, she found herself not minding if they put it off for another night. The last thing she wanted was to fight with him, especially when she wasn't sure how many beers he'd enjoyed tonight.

"Okay, yeah, sounds good, I'll be here when you're done." He told her, nodding towards the hockey game he was watching.

"Okay." Without another word, Gabby turned back to walk towards the kitchen, Matt seeing her disappear then reappear within seconds before she went through the bedroom door.

Taking her time, Gabby began to go through her routine, stripping from her uniform and putting it in the hamper, moving through the bedroom towards the dresser to grab what she planned on sleeping in that night. Choosing a pair of sweatpants and one of Matt's shirts, she placed the items on the bed before heading for the bathroom.

By the time she washed herself and her hair, and then doing another round of soap to kill some time, over half an hour had passed and she knew she'd wasted as long as she could. It was time for her and Matt to confront this head on and try and figure it out. Gaining the courage she needed, she turned the water off, stepping out of the shower and wrapping the towel around herself, continuing through her mental list of things to do before bed.

Out in the living room, Matt sat nervously as he waited for Gabby to reappear. Since she'd gotten home, he hadn't been able to focus on much except for listening to her move around their room, waiting for the moment she'd reappear again. Aside from getting up to grab a snack, he hadn't moved from his spot, knowing he had a perfect view of the doorway to the bedroom.

When nearly twenty minutes had passed since he heard the shower turn off and she still hadn't appeared, Matt took a deep breath before pushing himself off the couch, placing his barely touched beer on the coffee table before walking towards the bedroom. He turned the corner, halting in his tracks at the sight in front of him. Gabby was standing in front of the mirror, holding her shirt, or _his_ shirt up just under her breasts, the waistband of her sweatpants pulled down below her stomach, her wet hair pulled up into a bun, water dripping down onto the material covering her body as her hand pressing firmly against her abdomen. Her gaze was locked in the mirror, Matt able to see part of the fascinated smile resting on her face.

Forcing himself to keep moving, his presence caught her attention, Gabby's head turning to look at him as he met her watery eyes, the bright smile on her face widening. "I can feel it." The words left her mouth in a whisper as she turned her body towards him completely, her hand still placed firmly on her stomach. "The first time we were pregnant, I never-" She cleared her throat, regaining control of her emotions before speaking. "I could never feel anything different but I feel it." She spoke in amazement, Matt's eyes following her gaze as she looked down to her stomach. He couldn't notice any difference from here, her body still looking the same as it had before they knew. If there was any change at all, maybe her breasts had gotten a little larger, but not enough for it to be a complete change. She still looked like Gabby, but whatever she was feeling was definitely something out of the ordinary.

"Come here." She prompted, her eyes shining with happiness as she removed her hand from her skin and reached out for him. Swallowing the lump in his throat, he cautiously moved towards her, stopping with some space in between them, Gabby grabbing his hand. "Feel." She spoke, placing his large palm over her lower stomach, putting her smaller hand on top of his and putting pressure on it.

He felt it. At first he felt nothing, not until she pressed his hand down but then he understood what she was talking about. He could feel the slight firmness under his touch, there was resistance as Gabby pressed his hand into her skin. It was different than anything he'd experienced before. There was definitely a child growing inside of her, and that was something they didn't get to experience the first time. The changes Gabby's body would go through, they never got to see that. This small, round firmness under her skin, that hadn't happened with their first child. But this time, it was even more proof that this was happening. Their baby was alive and healthy, Gabby's body telling him what he couldn't force himself to believe.

"That's our baby." She whispered, her eyes watery as she placed her other hand on top of his. Gabby saw the look of amazement flash in his eyes, tears clouding his vision as he stared, mesmerized by what he was feeling. But it was all over just as quickly as it started, Matt yanking his hand back roughly, like he'd been burned. "Matt?" Her voice was laced in confusion and concern, pulling the shirt back down over her stomach, adjusting her clothes as he turned away from her. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?!" His voice boomed throughout the room as he hastily turned back towards her. "This can't be happening, Gabby. We can't be having this child!" He saw a tear slide down her cheek at his words, her arms wrapping around herself protectively. "That baby, it can't- it can't be real to me."

"Of course they're real, Matt." She whispered, his broken gaze landing on her. "You felt them, you saw them yesterday, you heard their heartbeat. Our baby is just as real as you and I are right now." She tried to reason, Matt shaking his head. She took a step towards him, reaching out for his hand and holding it tightly within hers. "This child is what we've always wanted, it's what you've always wanted. I know we don't know what we're gonna do, but they're real Matt. They're right here." She responded, her voice wavering as she placed her free hand over her stomach.

"But it's not something I want when it could cost me you." He replied bluntly as tears shone in his eyes, Gabby dropping his hand in shock. Hearing him say those words out loud felt like a punch to the gut.

"You can't actually mean that." She spoke harshly, regaining distance between them.

"Gabby…"

"I want you to look me in the eye right now and tell me you don't want our baby." Her voice was rough, her glare focusing in on him as he looked down, avoiding eye contact with her. He couldn't make himself say those words, and she knew it. "That's what I thought." She murmured, but her voice wasn't accusatory. It was filled with sadness, and a little bit of hurt. "I know a part of you wants this baby, Matt. And I know you're scared, but-"

"This could kill you, Gabby." he interjected, knowing where this was leading.

"And if we do this, we'd be killing our baby." She shot back, Matt's eyes falling closed as the words left her mouth. Taking a steadying breath, she continued. "Matt, I'm terrified. And I know you are too. I'm so scared of what could happen to me, but this is our baby. We saw our baby, our baby that's growing and thriving. I know this isn't an easy decision, but you're all ready to just have me go and get an abortion, like our child means nothing. How are you able to do that so willingly?" Her voice was breaking as she spoke softly, Matt's hand coming up to rub over his mouth.

"The last thing I ever thought we'd be discussing when finding out you're pregnant would be if you should get an abortion or not, but that's where we are." He replied hastily. "You could die, that's the end of it. This isn't easy for me, but no matter how hard it would be to lose our child, it's better than the alternative. I told you I just want you, that hasn't changed. No matter what, I choose you. I'd rather lose this baby than lose you." He spoke firmly, forcing himself to take steady breaths.

"But it's not that easy, Matt. I don't know if I could live with myself if we terminate this pregnancy. Seeing that ultrasound, it put everything into perspective. That's our baby, our child that deserves the chance to live. And I know there's a chance something could happen to them, but you heard Dr. Tanner, that chance is so small. As far as our child is concerned, there's no reason we can't have a healthy baby."

Drawing in a slow breath, Matt took a minute to calm himself down, his chest heaving as he focused his gaze on the floor below them. Neither of them said anything for a few moments, their words hanging in the air as they stood a few feet apart.

"Matt…" Gabby prompted, needing to know where his head was at.

"I'm just- I don't understand it, Gabby. I don't understand how this baby's life is more important than yours."

"Because it's _our_ baby." She tried to make him understand, Matt huffing out a breath. "I know you don't want to get rid of this baby, Matt. I know you don't-"

"Of course I don't!" He nearly shouted, "I'd give anything for you to be able to carry this child without the chance of it killing you, but you can't. God, I wish I could be as excited as you are but I can't. I can't do it, Gabby, because I know what's at stake. I know how dangerous this is, and even though you know you don't care. And if you're not gonna care about your own life, then I will." His voice got lower with each word, fresh tears filling his eyes as his emotions took hold of him. "I can't do this without you, Gabby. I can't."

"And there's a good chance you won't have to." She replied, tears falling freely down her face. "You heard her, my aneurysm is small. That even if it does rupture, she'll immediately begin to work on fixing it. Even if something does happen, it doesn't mean it'll be fatal."

"But she also said it wasn't a guarantee…" Matt interjected, Gabby breathing deeply.

"I know she did. I know it's still dangerous. But she's dealt with this before, and we know about the aneurysm beforehand. Everything is in our favor here, Matt. There's a great chance that nothing will go wrong."

He went silent for a moment, the fear covering his face morphing into a cold, distant look, his eyes darkening.

"Well, it sounds like you've already made up your mind."

"Matt, don't do that."

"No, you've made your decision. You're keeping this baby whether I'm okay with it or not."

"I haven't decided anything." She fought back, frustration coursing through her. "You said you wanted to figure this out, that we could have an actual conversation about this. But that's not what you want. I'm trying to get you to be open to the idea of us having this baby, but you don't wanna hear it. You just want to make the choice for us and have me go along with it. If anyone's already made up their mind here, it's you." She bit back, his eyes narrowing.

"That's not fair-"

"And yesterday when you said how our child wasn't worth it," she continued, ignoring his words. "I don't understand how you could say that after we saw our baby. After we heard their heartbeat, how could bringing our child into this world not be worth it? We've both always wanted this, Matt. You could at least try being open to the idea of us going forward with this pregnancy."

"As much as I want a kid, Gabby, I'd rather have you. I don't know how you don't get that." He spoke forcefully, their heated stares zeroed in on each other. "Look, I don't want to fight with you. I really don't. But how you can be so okay with this? You don't care about anything other than this baby!"

"And I don't understand how you don't care about this baby!" She fired back, their anger taking control, all rational thought going out the window.

"God dammit, Gabby, you don't get it! Of course I care about this baby, this is killing me! The thought of terminating this pregnancy is tearing me up inside, but I'm willing to go through that knowing it would keep you safe!" He shouted, his chest heaving. "How are you so okay with keeping this baby, knowing what could happen? I don't understand how you can be so selfish, you can never see past what you want and-" Her eyes widening in shock cut him off, his words registering in his head after they left his lips.

"Is that honestly what you think?" Her voice was low, her tone unforgiving. "You think I'm doing this to be selfish?"

"Gabby-" He tried to take a step towards her but she shook her head, taking a step back to replace the distance he took away.

"No, don't go back on it now. If that's what you think, fine. But let's make one thing clear. The last person I'm considering in all this is me. I know what this could do to me, but I'm willing to risk it for this baby. I'm willing to risk my life for the safety of our child, and to give you our child. I'm willing to do this so our baby has a chance to live. I know this could kill me, but it doesn't matter. Not if that means our child can survive."

"It doesn't matter?" He asked incredulously, her arms wrapping across her chest. "Your life doesn't matter? Are you kidding me?" He was in disbelief, unable to accept what he was hearing.

"That's not what I meant," She blew out in frustration, "all I'm saying is that a small risk to me isn't worth more than our child's life."

A thick silence filled the room, their tense gazes focused on each other as they stood a few feet apart, neither one wanting to give in first. But after a few minutes, he caved.

"Fine." Matt spoke bitterly, Gabby's narrowed gaze morphing into a look of confusion.

"What?"

"You're set on keeping this baby, fine. Clearly nothing I say is going to change your mind."

"Matt-"

"You know, you said you're open to discussing this and coming to a decision together, but you're not. You said that _I_ was the one who wouldn't listen, but you're just as set in your decision as I am. You've made up your mind, you've had your mind made up since the ultrasound. You don't care if this kills you, you don't care what losing you would do to me."

"That's not true." She fought back, tears brimming in her eyes, her anger turning into hurt as she listened to his harsh words.

"Yes it is. You've made the decision for us. You were dead-set on getting pregnant back when we first started trying, and now you got what you wanted." Her breath caught in her throat as he spoke. "So fine, we'll do what you want. I'm done fighting with you."

"Matt…"

"Something's gotta give, right?" He questioned softly, tears shining in his eyes as he turned around and headed for the bedroom door.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"I need time to think about this." He told her, moving into the living room as she followed him, watching him gather his wallet and phone from the table.

"You can't just run away." She spoke firmly, willing the tears away as she followed close behind him while he moved from the living room towards the back door.

"I'm not." He huffed out, sliding into his boots. "I'm not running away from anything, but I need a minute to think."

"I can give you space, I'll back off and give you time, just... don't go." She nearly pleaded, Matt sighing as he grabbed his keys.

"I have to come to terms with this, Gabby, and I can't do it here." He explained, roughly pulling his coat from the hook. "You and I both know where this is headed. Ultimately it's your decision, you're going to keep this baby and I just have to be okay with it."

"Matt, no-"

He shook his head sadly, "You're not going to change your mind and I'm not either, so I… I need time to think." He moved the short distance towards the back door, Gabby standing a few feet away from him, knowing he was about to walk out and there was nothing she could do to stop him.

"Please don't do this." She tried one last time, Matt stopping briefly in the doorway as he heard her words, his tense shoulders falling momentarily. But his second of doubt was gone, Matt pushing his way outside, closing the door sharply behind him as he was met with the harsh Chicago night, leaving a broken Gabby inside as he stomped towards his truck, needing the space to clear his head.

* * *

**I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. I hope you don't hate me for this. **

**I went back and forth so many times on how I wanted to have their last scene play out. And as much as I just wanted to end it with sweet Dawsey, I couldn't. With where they're both at right now, it felt wrong to have them suddenly be okay. Especially Matt, like it would've felt cheap to me to just have them forget it and move on. Despite the progress they've made in talking things out, they're still Matt and Gabby. Both stubborn as hell, and with something like this, I couldn't see either of them giving in so easily and everything being fine. Even though it physically pained me to write their fight, I'm happy with the way it turned out. Hopefully, you all aren't too mad at me for this. **

**In more not so great news, I've been sick off and on since I left for vacation, I was hoping once I got back home it would go away but that wasn't the case. On the upside, it's been giving me a lot of time to write/plan out things. I still am working on that new Dawsey story I wanna publish, I'm just trying to decide on some last minute details before I start writing, and then I just have all these random ideas floating around in my head that never seem to leave me alone. So who knows, I might start jotting them down and see if it turns into anything. Why not. **

**I can't wait to hear what you thought of this one. If you can, please leave me a review. It helps me so much hearing your alls thoughts on each chapter, and keeps me motivated. Thank you to everyone taking the time to ready my work, I appreciate it so much.**


	31. Chapter Thirty One

**Back with another chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty One**_

* * *

Matt sat hunched over at the bar, staring at the full beer glass in front of him, his hands clenched together on top of the old wood, tuning out the sounds of the TV's around him. His surroundings were new, Matt having never been here before, the distraught firefighter having driven aimlessly for nearly half an hour before winding up outside of this old bar. He was on the complete opposite side of the city, in fact he was sure he was outside the limits of Chicago; he could count on one hand the amount of times he'd been in this part of town. But right now that was exactly what he needed. A place where no one knew him, where there was no chance of him running into people he'd recognize. A place where he could gather his thoughts.

After parking and walking in, he found the building barely occupied aside from a few patrons and a man behind the bar, Matt thankful for the quiet as he moved himself towards an open stool, collapsing his tired body down onto it as the man came over to him. Matt had insisted he didn't want anything, that he was just here to clear his head, but despite his words the worker put out a large glass of beer in front of him, making a comment about how he looked like he could use it.

That had been over two hours ago, and Casey hadn't moved since. The glass remained untouched, the once cold beer now room temperature as Matt stared straight straight ahead, unable to focus on much of anything except the look on Gabby's face when he walked out the back door.

Since the moment he walked out, Matt knew he messed up. No matter what was said between them, he shouldn't have left. But his heart overwhelmed his head, and he knew he had to get out of there before he said something he could never take back, before words were said that could do irreparable damage to everything they'd fixed. Though the longer he sat here, he was beginning to wonder if his actions had already done that.

No matter how bad things got, he never intended to walk out. But he just couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't stand there and listen to her be so careless with her own life. The idea of losing her forever was unbearable, the thought alone making him sick to his stomach. But there she was, encouraging it all for a life that didn't even really exist yet. He couldn't deal with it, so he ran.

"I hope that's the first one." A voice from beside him snapped Matt from his train of thought, a voice that Matt knew well.

Blowing out a sigh, Matt nudged the full glass towards the back of the bar, turning his head towards the man. "How'd you know where I was?"

Antonio pulled out the bar stool next to him, placing himself comfortably in the seat. "I'm a detective, Casey." He spoke, catching Matt's gaze. "I found you two hours ago."

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Matt responded. "If you knew where I was, why'd you wait so long to come?"

"Gabby said you left to get space, so I was giving you space. And, no offense, but I was more concerned about making sure my sister was alright then coming here to knock some sense into you." Antonio's tone shifted halfway through his sentence, his voice becoming hard, his narrowed gaze focused in on his former brother in-law.

"So that's why you're here, to beat my ass for leaving?"

"Depends." Antonio responded shortly, Matt looking at him with a raised eyebrow. "Are you planning on going back?"

Casey's eyes widened in surprise, anger sweeping through him at Antonio's implication. "You can't be serious, of course I am. Why would you even ask me that?"

Unfazed by his reaction, Antonio simply shrugged his shoulders. "Gabby didn't seem so sure."

Matt swallowed thickly, trying to push away the feeling of guilt filling his stomach, dropping his guard momentarily. "How is she?" He asked softly.

"Not great." Antonio replied harshly, his tough exterior never faltering. "She called me as soon as you left, she was pissed… at first." He explained, clipping his words as they left his mouth. "But by the time I got there, she was in tears. She was getting really worked up, she started having a hard time breathing… but I was able to calm her down before she spiraled into a full blown panic attack." Antonio's words sliced through Matt like a knife, the firefighter closing his eyes as he heard of the damage his decision had caused. "After she'd settled down, she told me what happened; she started crying again because she didn't know if you were coming back."

"Antonio-"

"I comforted her the best I could, but I'm not the person she needs right now." He spoke bitterly, Matt sighing deeply as Antonio's words washed over him.

"I just- I needed a minute."

"You've been gone for nearly three hours." The detective interjected, an unimpressed look covering his face.

"I needed time." Matt clarified with a slight glare. "Everything with this- this _baby _and what it means for Gabby, it's all too much. I needed a second to figure it out.

"You couldn't have figured it out at home?" He questioned, continuing before Matt had a chance to speak. "Instead, I had to go try and comfort my baby sister because you left. You walked out on her and your baby. I hope you at least 'figured it out'." Antonio spoke, using air quotes to emphasize his point.

Matt felt anger begin to creep back up into his system at Antonio's words, his emotions from the day still ever present in his body.

"So," Antonio spoke again when Casey remained silent, "did this space help you at all? Or should I just go back to your apartment, that way my pregnant sister isn't left waiting up all night to see if you'll be coming home."

"Back off, Antonio." Matt spoke through gritted teeth.

Knowing he'd gotten through to him, at least to an extent, Antonio released a soft sigh, rubbing his hand over the side of his head. "I just need to know what you're doing."

"I don't know." Matt replied in frustration. "She's… she's willing to kill herself, so I'm sorry if I need more than a few hours to come to terms with that." He spoke angrily, his voice low.

"And you're willing to kill your child."

"Don't tell me you're okay with this?" Matt asked in near disbelief. He knew the man sitting beside him would always have his sister's back, but Matt couldn't fathom the idea of Antonio actually being on board with this decision.

"It doesn't matter what I think."

"She could die, Antonio!" Matt spoke loudly, no doubt drawing the attention of the other patrons inside the bar. "I know it doesn't matter to her, but doesn't it matter to you?"

"Watch it, Casey." He replied sharply, his narrowed gaze returning. "Of course it matters to me. She's my baby sister, I'm terrified of what could happen to her. And I know you are too, or you'd be sitting at home right now. So don't give me that bullshit." Antonio spoke firmly. "I wish this never happened to her, to the both of you, but don't you think for as scared as we are right now, she's even more afraid than the both of us?" He questioned, seeing the cold look on Matt's face soften. "She's willing to do this for this child. She's doing this to give you guys the child you've both always wanted, but that doesn't mean she's not scared. This is happening to _her_. It's her life, she knows she's risking everything for this… but she's willing to risk it for you."

"But I don't want her to." Matt nearly whispered, his facade breaking as Antonio caught a glimpse of how much pain Casey was carrying. "I'd never ask her to do that, I don't want her to do that."

"I know you don't." Antonio replied softly, placing a supportive hand on Matt's shoulder. "And you have to know this isn't an easy decision for her. She's not doing this to hurt you, she's not doing this to be _selfish_." A look of remorse flashed in Matt's eyes as Antonio spoke, the firefighter understanding the man beside him knew exactly what all had been said between the couple earlier in the evening. "She wants to have this baby for you all, she wants to be able to give you a child."

Taking a steadying breath, Matt broke their eye contact as he looked straight ahead, his hands coming up to cradle his head. "I just… I can't think of this baby as my child right now, Antonio. I can't think of it as something that's real, not when I know the risks." He muttered. "I know Gabby sees it as us killing our child, and I know, technically, that's true, but I can't think of it like that. Knowing that terminating this pregnancy is the safest option for her is killing me, if I let myself think like that's my kid- I don't know how I could live with myself. The thought of doing this is eating me upside, but I just- I can't lose her." Matt sucked back his tears as emotions swept through him, Antonio frowning as he saw Matt's body trembling slightly.

"But this baby is real, Matt. It's part of you and part of Gabby; they're real. I know it's easier to pretend otherwise, but if you two do end up aborting this baby, you have to be able to accept that you'd be losing another child." Casey quickly wiped away the single tear that fell down his cheek as Antonio spoke solemnly. "No matter what you two decide, you can't pretend like this baby doesn't exist. That'll ruin you, Matt. You have to be able to accept it."

Drawing in a shaky breath, Matt nodded, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes before lifting his head up again. "I know." He whispered. "Deep down, I know that this is our child. Our healthy, perfect child that we'd be..." Matt trailed off before he could finish his sentence, unable to say the last word out loud. "But if I have to make a choice between this unborn baby and Gabby, I'd choose Gabby every time."

"I know… but you need to realize that choosing Gabby might also mean choosing this baby, Matt." Antonio spoke softly, letting his words sink in before speaking up again. "I'm not saying I agree with her decision here, but ultimately it is her decision to make. And we both know that." Matt's glistening eyes landed on Antonio, the older Dawson looking back at him with the same sadness shining in his gaze. "Now it's up to you to make yours."

* * *

Matt slowly slid his key into the front door of their apartment, not knowing what he'd be walking into as it neared one in the morning. Once unlocked, he carefully pushed open the door, surprised to be met with practically every light in their home on, their TV still on the same channel it had been before their fight, the volume turned down low. At first glance from the doorway, everything appeared to look the same as he'd left it.

Not seeing Gabby anywhere, he quietly shut the door back against its frame, turning the lock as carefully as possible, grimacing when the harsh click of the deadbolt rang throughout the apartment, his every movement seemingly ten times louder than normal.

He walked a few steps into their home, waiting a couple of seconds as his eyes locked on their dark bedroom from across the apartment, Matt waiting to see if any of the noise he'd made had woken Gabby. After nearly a minute, he figured himself to be in the clear, knowing had he woken her up she would've come out to check by now.

Matt began slowly walking further into the apartment, intent on heading to the back door to discard his coat and boots, as well as to make sure everything was locked up before he settled in for a long night on the couch. But his movements were stopped instantly as he caught sight of the back of Gabby's head, a frown forming on his face as he saw her curled up on the couch fast asleep. She had a blanket pulled over top of her, her body contorted into a position he imagined was nowhere near comfortable. He regained his footing, coming around to the front of the piece of furniture, his frown deepening when he saw the redness on her face and the tracks of tears down her skin. He knew she'd fallen asleep out here waiting for him to come home, and by the looks of it she'd fallen asleep crying.

Releasing a heavy sigh, he reached for the remote, turning off the TV and placing the item back down on the table before he quietly walked out of the living room, wanting to finish his intended routine before trying to get Gabby to bed. Being as quiet as possible, he shed his coat and his shoes, putting his keys in their rightful place alongside his wallet, checking to make sure the back door was secured before turning off the lights in the kitchen. Once he completed all that, he walked back into the living room, Gabby still in the same position he'd left her in moments ago, her chest rising and falling slowly with each breath.

Moving aside his beer from earlier, Matt sat down on the edge of the coffee table, his eyes locked on her resting form. He didn't want to wake her. After everything that happened between them the past few days and how difficult it all had been, he wanted to let her rest. But the couch was no place for anyone to sleep, especially not when pregnant. He knew she'd have some serious aches and pains tomorrow if he let her stay out here. And if either of them deserved to be the one banished to the couch, it was him.

Matt carefully brought his hand up to the side of her face, brushing the hair from her eyes as he put his palm against her skin. "Gabby." He whispered, not wanting to startle her. It took a few seconds of him running his hand over her head but finally her eyes began to flutter open, her immediate confusion evident as her eyes fell closed again. "Hey."

"What time is it?" She murmured, leaning into his touch, her eyes squinting as she opened them again, needing time to adjust to the light in the room.

"Around one." He told her softly, Gabby pushing herself up with her hands, her body sideways as the blanket fell and bunched at her waist. He removed his hand from her as she moved, seeing her regain a sense of her surroundings. And he knew the exact moment she remembered the events of the evening, her body subconsciously leaning a few inches away from him as her vision refocused.

"I didn't think you'd be coming back." She whispered, adjusting the angle of her body on the couch, crossing her legs in front of her.

"I'm sorry." Were the first words out of his mouth, Matt tentatively reaching out and placing a hand on her knee, grateful that she didn't shy away from him. "I never should've walked out. I just… I knew if I didn't, we would only keep fighting and it would've gotten worse and I was trying to avoid that." As soon as the words left his mouth, she looked unimpressed, her arms crossed over her chest protectively. "And I needed time. I needed to think through what you were asking me to do, by us keeping this baby."

"I would've rather us fought instead of you running away." She spoke bitterly, avoiding his eye contact. "And I told you I'd back off, give you the space to think. But you still left anyway."

"I know." He responded guiltily, swallowing the lump forming in his throat. "It was stupid-"

"You told me over and over that we were in this together." Gabby cut him off, meeting his gaze again, Matt able to see the anger and pain she held in her eyes. "You swore up and down that no matter what, we'd get through this together. And then the second we actually start talking about it, you run."

"In my defense, it wasn't exactly talking. And from where I'm standing it doesn't really feel like we're in this together." He spoke quickly, regretting the words the second they left his mouth. He wasn't helping, and if he didn't already know that on his own, the look that flashed in her eyes would've told him. "Sorry…" Matt breathed out, removing his hand from her knee and placing it on his own, squeezing tightly as his hands ran up and down his thighs. "I didn't come back here to fight, I really didn't. And if I could go back, I would've never left, I just- God, I don't know how to handle this, Gabby."

"You don't handle it by calling me selfish, saying I did this on purpose, and then running away." She forced out.

"I never said you did this on purpose." He challenged, being met with an eye roll from Gabby.

"It's what you meant." She fought back. "Saying that 'I got what I wanted', it pretty much means the same thing."

Blowing out an exasperated sigh, he shook his head. "That's not how I meant it, I was just frustrated because you weren't listening."

"Oh, I was listening. I heard every word you said." She snapped back, Matt groaning as his head fell down into his hands in frustration. They were getting nowhere, and this was exactly what he didn't want.

"I really don't want to fight with you, Gabby." He murmured, his head still facing the ground.

Dropping her guard slightly, she looked over him for a moment, seeing his trembling hands holding his head up, and the exhaustion that consumed him. She knew how hard this was on him, how the weight of this was slowly crushing him, and she understood it because she was feeling the same way. But he's the one who ran, and she couldn't help but feel some lingering resentment towards him for it.

"Did you figure anything out?" She questioned softly after a few silent moments, Matt barely able to hear her as he lifted his head. "You said you needed space to think, did you get what you needed?" Gabby clarified, trying to keep her emotions in check.

"It didn't really help, no." He admitted, Gabby's bottom lip falling in between her teeth as she held back on commenting. "I was hoping if I could just step away from everything it would give me some clarity, that it would help me know what to do. But it didn't." His words were filled with defeat as he spoke. "I feel so conflicted here, Gabby. And I know you don't- or if you do, it's not enough to keep you from completely wanting this baby, but I… I don't know how to do that." Tears filled his eyes as they locked gazes, Gabby's heart breaking for him despite her anger. "Believe me when I say there's a huge part of me that wants this baby, or that wants to want this baby. Having a child with you is everything I ever dreamed of, and now that you're pregnant, I hate myself for not being able to be excited about this." The emotions he'd been holding onto released as tears flowed down his cheeks, Gabby willing herself to stay composed as he bared his heart to her. "I truly do, I hate that I'm not completely in love with our child. I hate that I'm feeling like this. I would do anything to be able to want this baby, but I can't Gabby. I can't because if I let myself do that, that means I'm allowing myself to be okay with losing you." His breath caught in his throat as he finished speaking, Matt frantically wiping under his eyes to try and save some shred of his demeanor, but it was useless.

"Matt…"

"And I'm not okay with that." He continued, laying it all out on the table. "Every time I feel even the smallest bit happy about the possibility of our child, I'm immediately overwhelmed with guilt. How can I be happy about this when I know what it could do to you? What kind of person does that make me? Me choosing to want this child is the same as me choosing to be okay with losing you, and I can't do it." Matt's words were shaky as they left his lips, the tears in Gabby's eyes having spilled over as he spoke.

Placing her feet on the ground, Gabby scooted forward in her seat, placing a leg in between his as she leaned towards him, grabbing ahold of his forearms. "Matt, you do not need to feel guilty about wanting our child." Her voice was soft, their watery eyes locked as their faces were inches apart.

"But-"

"No, listen to me." She cut him off firmly. "It is okay for you to want this. It is okay to allow yourself to be excited. This is what you have wanted for as long as I've known you." She whispered, watching the tears roll down his skin. "You're allowed to be happy about this."

"But I can't, Gabby." He replied, watching her sigh deeply. "No matter how slim the chance is, I don't think I could ever be okay with this knowing what could happen. And if we do keep this baby and God forbid something happens to you, I could never live with myself." Matt choked out, feeling her squeeze his arm lightly as a source of comfort. "And I do want kids, you're right I've always wanted that. I've dreamed of our child, Gabby. Of seeing them born, and being there for all the milestones. When they say their first word, when they walk for the first time, when they have their first day of school. I've imagined who they'd take after more, and how if they're gonna stand a chance hopefully they look more like you." He spoke lightly, a chuckle escaping Gabby's lips despite the pain filling her heart as she heard his words. "I've dreamed of all that, but in those dreams you're always right there by my side. I don't want any of that if you're not there to experience it with me." Matt voiced sadly, shaking his head. "I don't want to lose this baby. The thought of us getting an abortion kills me. But I don't know how to be okay with the possibility of losing you."

"I wish I didn't have to ask you to be okay with this." Gabby started, her voice barely above a whisper. "I wish this aneurysm didn't exist, and that we were just finding out about this pregnancy and everything was fine. I wish that was the case, but it's not. And I know you're scared of what could happen to me, but I know you Matt. It would be just as hard on you to lose this baby as it would be to lose me."

"But if I had to choose, I'd choose you. I'll always choose you. Every time, I'd put your safety over anything else."

"Until we do have a child." She replied, Matt's eyebrows raising in question. "Oh, come on." She spoke lightly, Matt confused by the small smile on her face, breaking through the tears. "The second our child comes into this world, I'm no longer the most important person in your life. I'd be the second, but our child would become the most important thing to you. You'd choose them, first and foremost. Their safety would come first, and that's the way it should be." She spoke, Matt releasing a deep breath. "Can you honestly sit here and tell me that the second you saw our baby, you wouldn't be completely in love with them?" She asked him, but he didn't need to answer. They both already knew what the true answer would be. "No matter what happened to me, there isn't anything in this world that could keep you from loving our child."

Sucking in a deep breath, Matt straightened his back, effectively breaking their contact as Gabby sat back as well. "I don't want to be left to raise our child alone, Gabby."

"And there's a good chance you won't be." She replied quickly, knowing they weren't nearly as close to an agreement as she hoped. Blowing out a sigh, she reached for him again, grabbing ahold of his hand. "Can you do something for me?" She questioned, Matt tilting his head in confusion but nodding nonetheless. "Leaving what could happen to me out of it, is there any way we could go to the doctor and you'd be able to go through with aborting this baby?"

Matt's eyes fell closed as her words hit him, unable to stop from picturing himself in that scenario. The mere thought of it sprung more tears to his eyes, imagining what going through with this would do to them. But he forced the images away, shaking his head slowly. "It would be hard. It would be damn near impossible, but if it was the only way to keep you safe, I'd do it." He responded, Gabby pursing her lips together.

"I said for you to leave me out of it." She whispered, Matt shaking his head.

"I can't do that, Gabby. You're asking me to ignore the reason this is even a discussion, I can't sit here and pretend this couldn't hurt you."

"There's only a small chance something could go wrong if I have this baby, but getting an abortion? Choosing to get rid of our child? _That _would kill me, Matt." She replied, tears filling her eyes. "If I knew that you were one hundred percent sure you wanted me to get rid of this baby, I would think about it. I would. But you're not, and this isn't something I can realistically consider." A grimace covered his face at hearing her say for the first time that she wouldn't get an abortion. He knew it had been the case, even before they had their fight a part of him knew she wouldn't actually consider it, but hearing her say it out loud made it all the more real. She was going to risk her life for this child, and there was nothing he could do to change her mind. "I can't do it, not after hearing that heartbeat and seeing them. They're alive and they're healthy, and they're you and they're me… It's _our _child." She spoke softly, her watery eyes shining up at him. "I can't get rid of this baby, not when we've lost two babies already." Her voice began to wobble at the thought of their first child and Louie, and the pain both those losses still caused them, fresh tears welling in both of their eyes. "There is nothing wrong with our baby, there is no reason based on their health for me to terminate this pregnancy. I won't lose another child, Matt." Gabby kept her words as strong as possible, despite her emotions wearing her down. Through her tears, she saw a flash of something in Matt's eyes that she couldn't read, but he said nothing. "I'll do whatever I have to, to protect them and keep them safe, even if that means something happens to me."

Her words hung in the air between them, Gabby watching to try and gauge any sort of response from him, hoping that he had some bit of understanding and realization as to why she couldn't consider an abortion. But when nearly a minute passed and he'd said nothing, she spoke up again.

"I don't want this to break us, Matt." The vulnerability in her voice tore through him, a tear sliding down his cheek. "I can't do this without you. But I don't know what to do." She confided, Matt hearing the fear in her voice. "You were right, neither of us are going to change our minds… I couldn't live with myself if we get rid of this baby, and you can't live with yourself if you lose me." She spoke sadly, Matt nodding slightly.

"Yeah…" He breathed out, his voice barely audible. Silence had settled around them again, neither one knowing what to say.

"Where does that leave us?"

Gabby was afraid of the question as soon as it left her mouth, but even more so she was afraid of his answer. She meant what she said about not being able to do this without him, but if they couldn't come to an agreement she wasn't sure where they could go from here.

"I… I don't know." He answered honestly, Gabby swallowing down a sob that so desperately wanted to escape her throat. Not trusting her voice, she merely nodded, wiping away the continuous tears that were falling down her face.

The uncertainty around everything they'd worked so hard to repair felt like a crushing weight on top of them, Gabby not wanting to open her mouth in fear of breaking down and Matt not knowing what to say to make this better. They'd promised each other they would get through this together, but they never imagined there would be a time in which they couldn't. They didn't anticipate the two of them being so far apart on coming to an agreement with this pregnancy. As they sat in the heavy silence, Matt kept his eyes on Gabby as she kept hers anywhere but him. She couldn't look at him, not when she feared that their entire relationship was about to come crumbling down around them, all because of the one thing the both of them had always wanted. It was cruel, and she had no idea what either of them had ever done to deserve this. But now all she could think about was how the one thing that had never been up for debate in their relationship was now the sole thing that could ruin it.

"I need time… to accept this and be okay with this, I need time." Matt broke the silence, Gabby snapping from her heavy thoughts as she finally looked to him again, confusion written across her face.

"What does that mean?" She questioned, fear evident in her voice.

"I don't know, I just- I'm not okay with this yet. And I don't know if I ever can be, but if we're gonna make it through this, I have to be able to accept you going through with this pregnancy. I have to be okay with what you're asking me to do, and right now I'm not."

Gabby nodded hesitantly, not missing his phrasing, hearing the uncertainty in his words as he spoke of 'if' they could get past this. "Where are you gonna go?" Her voice was soft, Gabby fighting every urge in her body to breakdown.

Matt's face mirrored the same look of confusion she had moments ago, his eyebrows raising in question. "What do you mean?"

"You said you needed time to figure everything out… and that's okay, I get it. But I just need to know where you'll be."

Realization dawned on him as she spoke, Matt shaking his head back and forth. "I'll be right here, I'm not going anywhere… unless you'd rather I did."

"No, no." She spoke immediately, Matt seeing the relief in her eyes when he said he was staying. He couldn't help but be overcome with guilt, knowing his running out earlier put so much fear and doubt within her. "I want you here, I just thought you meant you needed to be, I don't know, somewhere else, while you process this."

"I'm not going anywhere." He assured her softly, pushing himself up from the coffee table and moving to sit down beside her, leaving a few inches of space between them. "I don't know if I can be okay with this Gabby, I really don't. But I promise you, I'm gonna try."

"Okay." She responded quietly, her voice hoarse. It wasn't the strong reassurance she was hoping for, but it was a promise to try, and she knew she couldn't ask for much more than that. She knew she was already asking him to disregard what he wants and do this for her and their baby, so if he needed some space and time to come to terms with it, she would give it to him.

She just wished she understood what the hell that meant.

"I'm, uh, gonna go to bed. It's late." She told him, not really sure what else to say.

"Okay." He replied as she stood up from the couch, glancing down to him for a few seconds trying to figure out if he was coming or not. When she realized he wasn't going to follow her lead, she gave a slight nod and slid past him.

"Are you coming to bed soon?" She asked as she stood on the other side of him, Matt shrugging.

"Yeah, probably."

"Okay." She responded, glancing to him one last time before moving towards the dark bedroom. Their entire exchange left a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, their awkwardness around one another and the lack of contact between them hanging over her head.

Stopping in the doorway, she turned back towards him, seeing his eyes on her but it was almost as if he was looking through her. Softly placing her hand on her stomach, she gave him a sad smile. "I am sorry, Matt." She whispered, seeing his eyes flicker to meet hers. "You were right, about me having made up my mind before we even had a chance to talk about it. I wish I didn't have to ask you to be okay with this, but I just- I can't willingly lose our baby." Her voice was unstable as it hung in the air, Matt nodding slowly. "But I really am sorry. I never meant for it to turn into this, I wanted this to be a decision we made together so badly, I really did."

"I know." He responded quietly, wearing a similar sad smile. "Get some sleep, Gabby." He voiced softly, Gabby reluctantly nodding before turning away from him, entering the pitch black room. She left the door open behind her, hoping that would prompt Matt into coming to bed sooner rather than later. She blindly found her way around the bed, pulling back the covers and climbing in between the cold sheets, turning her body to face the middle of the bed, her eyes peeled to the door as she waited for his entrance.

Seconds turned into minutes, which turned into nearly half an hour and Matt had yet to come to bed, and she couldn't help but think he was waiting until he was sure she was asleep. Despite the unsettling feeling in her gut, she let herself succumb to the exhaustion she'd been fighting, knowing that her and their baby needed rest.

She knew both her and Matt wanted this to work, that they wanted to come to terms with this together and have everything work out as it should. But as she started to drift off to sleep, she couldn't push the thought from her mind that everything between them would only get worse before it could get better.

* * *

Gabby woke up with an immediate grimace covering her face as she felt a wave of nausea hit her, the feeling having pulled her from her slumber as she slowly turned on her back and pressed against her stomach, trying to settle the uneasiness within her. After a few slow, deep breaths she managed to get the feeling to pass, Gabby finally opening her eyes.

Confusion settled over her as she saw the room bathed in darkness, Gabby checking the time to see it was barely past five. With the late night her and Matt had, only getting a few hours of sleep wasn't ideal. But her confusion only grew when she reached over and her hand was met by the cold comforter, her eyes adjusting to the dark as she saw Matt's side of the bed still tucked in, obviously un-slept in. Clearly he'd never come to bed like he promised, a heavy sigh falling from her lips as the previous night's events replayed in her mind.

Part of her wanted to get up and go find him, wondering if he'd stayed out on the couch or taken up for the night in the guest bedroom. In that moment, she couldn't decide which one would be worse. But she also didn't feel like getting up, not wanting to risk upsetting her stomach again. And the longer she stayed in bed, the greater chance of her being able to fall back asleep.

Deciding on the second choice, she began shifting under the warmth of the covers, trying to find the best position to try and sleep. But the second she got comfortable and closed her eyes, her mind started running rampant, her thoughts consumed with Matt and the possible fallout of their relationship looming over their heads.

Gabby understood him needing time to be okay with her decision. Even though it hadn't been her intention, she did leave him with no choice. By her not being able to cope with the pain of willingly losing another child, she ended up forcing him to deal with the possibility of losing her. She knew this wasn't fair to him; she was asking him to be okay with her decision while openly dismissing what he wanted. That wasn't anywhere near how they agreed to deal with this, and it wasn't fair to him at all. She hated that this is where they ended up, but she refused to harm their child's life. No matter what it meant for her, she wouldn't risk hurting them. She could only hope Matt would be able to eventually feel the same way.

But this was never what she wanted. She never wanted to force him into something he clearly was against, but it felt as if she had no choice. Terminating this pregnancy wasn't an option for her, and deep down she didn't believe it was an option for him either. But he was struggling with the reality of this, and she couldn't help but wonder what this meant for them. She left him with few options; either he could accept her putting her life on the line for their child, or he could walk away. For now, it seemed like he chose the first, but she couldn't imagine what this situation might do to them. She hoped once he came to terms with it, he would be able to look past how they got here. That once he was okay with this pregnancy, he'd be able to be excited about their child and this new chapter of their life together. But that could only happen _if_ he was able to come to terms with it, and Gabby was very much aware of the other direction this could take.

He could end up resenting her, and part of her wouldn't be able to blame him. If Matt wasn't able to come to grips with this, he could end up hating her for it. Despite what he says, there's no doubt in her mind he wouldn't be completely won over by their child. That wasn't what she was worried about; but her? That could be a different story. There was a small part of her that wondered if, no matter the outcome, he would resent her for putting him in this position.

Deep down, she was sure there was no way Matt could actually ever hate her… but resent her? That was definitely in the realm of possibility if he wasn't able to accept this. And honestly, she felt like that might be worse.

Understanding she wouldn't be able to get any more sleep right now, Gabby pushed the covers from her body, slowly easing herself up out of bed. She carefully walked around the room to the open door, being met by more darkness as she stepped through the doorway. The streetlights flooding in through the window illuminated the room enough for her to catch a glimpse of Matt, darkness surrounding them both as she saw him sleeping on the couch, like she had been hours prior. But this wasn't him sleeping out here waiting for her return, this was him choosing to sleep here on the uncomfortable furniture so he wouldn't have to be next to her.

Guilt continued to sweep through her body as the reality of everything came crashing down around her. Her decision had caused this. This was the very thing she swore up and down she wouldn't do; they promised to not make decisions without the other being on board. And that's exactly what she did. It's exactly what caused their fight in the first place. Before Puerto Rico, before this baby, before all of this, this was the problem that Matt had so forcefully reminded her of. Her making decisions without him and expecting him to follow along.

_This is one decision you can't leave me out of._

His words rang through her head as tears began clouding in her eyes, her breathing becoming shallow as the memory of that day hit her like a ton of bricks. Her eyes moved from him towards the kitchen, landing on the exact spot where her world came crashing down around her all those months ago.

_Either we're in it together, or we're not in it at all._

She bit back a sob as her hand came up to cover her mouth, her emotions grabbing ahold of her and refusing to let go. Swallowing thickly, she tried her hardest to contain the tears streaming down her face, but she couldn't.

How could she do this to him again? The exact thing that had torn them apart so terribly, she was so willingly doing it again. Even though she had the best reason, she was still putting him through this. Again. The one thing he's asked of her was for them to decide on things together, and the first time a choice had to be made, she disregarded him.

She didn't regret her choice, she couldn't. She would never do anything to harm this baby. But she regretted what her decision had done to him. She regretted that she, yet again, had made a choice that affected both of them. But this time, it wasn't just that she didn't involve him. She knowingly went against what he wanted.

If there was ever a situation that would excuse her making the decision for them, it'd be this set of circumstances. But that didn't stop the guilt from swarming her system, knowing she was doing the exact thing she promised him she wouldn't.

Tears continued to fall down her skin, her muffled cries getting louder as the weight of everything hit her at once, overwhelming her. She felt like she couldn't breathe, like it was impossible to even try as more tears clouded her vision.

She didn't notice the rustling from the couch, or her name being called frantically. She didn't notice him hurrying the short distance towards her. She didn't notice him until she felt his hand on her arm, his other lifting her chin to try and get her to look at him.

"Gabby, breathe. Breathe, it's okay." Matt spoke firmly, stroking his thumb over his jaw as she blinked away tears, his face becoming clearer as he stood in front of her. "Just breathe." He told her, seeing her struggling for every breath.

He took slow, deep breaths, Gabby focusing her attention on the rise and fall of his chest, mimicking his actions as she tried to calm down. It took a few minutes, but she managed to get her breathing under control, tears still continuously rolling down her cheeks as they stood there, Matt rubbing his hand up and down her arm slowly.

"There you go." He whispered comfortingly, tapping his thumb against her skin. "You're okay."

The gentle tone to his voice only stirred more emotions within her, knowing he'd once again dropped everything to make sure she was okay. His genuine concern for her overruled however he may be feeling about her right now and his instincts took over. She was still his main priority, and all she did in return was break her promises to him.

Seeing more tears welling in her eyes, he frowned, brushing her hair behind her ear. "What happened?" He questioned softly, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Matt." Realization set in as he began to understand what caused this episode, his eyebrows furrowing as his tongue ran over his bottom lip. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry for going against what you want, but I just- I can't do it." Her hands were shaking, her voice quivering as the desperate words left her lips.

"Gabby-"

"I know you're mad at me." She interjected. "And you have every right to be, I'm doing this to you again. I'm making decisions for us again, and I wish we weren't in this position. I wish this was easy." She continued, unable to stop the tears falling from her eyes. "I'm so sorry, Matt."

"I'm not mad at you." He was quick to assure her, Matt ducking his head to meet her teary gaze. "I promise you, I'm not. I just need time." His words were soft, hoping she believed him. But he could tell she was unconvinced. "Is that what caused this?" He questioned, alluding to the state he found her in when he woke up. "You thought I was mad at you?"

"It was a lot of things…" She answered, her eyes darting away from him. "You never came to bed, and I started worrying about what that meant. And then it spiraled into… well, about everything." She told him shyly, hating that she had such little control over her own emotions.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Matt moved his hand to her waist, gently nudging her back towards the bedroom. "C'mon." He spoke softly, Gabby turning around and slowly walking towards the room, feeling Matt's warmth close behind her. She maneuvered around the bed, seeing him pull back the covers.

She stood on her side of the bed, watching as he climbed in under the sheets, holding his arm out across her pillow, silently inviting her to lay down next to him. Gabby needed no more prompting as she climbed in next to him, the couple cuddled towards his side of the bed as she put her head against his chest. He kept a tight grip on her, feeling her body instantly relax in his arms. "Try and get some sleep." He murmured, pressing a light kiss to her forehead, Gabby nodding against him in response.

"I love you." She whispered into the darkness, rubbing her thumb back and forth against his side.

His response was delayed, Gabby tensing at the continued silence coming from him, until eventually he replied. "I love you, too."

His voice was barely audible, the time it took him to respond springing thoughts of doubt in her mind. Because despite the quiet volume of his words, she was able to pick up on one thing in his voice.

Hesitation.

And she didn't know what that meant.

* * *

Gabby woke up for the second time that morning alone, the natural light peeking in through the sheer curtains blinding her as she pushed herself up into a sitting position, looking around the room. Matt was gone, and based on how cold the sheets felt when she ran her hand over them, he'd left a while ago. Rubbing her eyes tiredly, she reached for her phone, seeing it was only barely after eight. She hadn't gotten nearly as much sleep as she wanted, knowing a contributing factor to that was her spending most of the night alone.

If she had to guess, she'd say Matt left soon after she fell back asleep. For whatever reason, he hadn't wanted to come to bed. He did that solely for her, because he knew she needed him after her breakdown early this morning. But it seemed like the minute he could, he left. And while she couldn't be sure the reason without talking to him, she guessed that was something he needed to do for himself.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Gabby rubbed her hands over the sides of her face, putting pressure on her temples, willing the pounding headache she'd evidently woken up with to go away, unable to keep her thoughts from drifting to Matt.

She was more than willing to go at his pace. Whatever kind of space he needed, she'd give him. God knows had the roles been reversed, she'd expect the same kind of grace. But it was the uncertainty of it all that left her feeling in limbo. Matt's inability to give her a solid answer as to what him 'needing time' meant, or if her going through with this pregnancy was actually something he could come to terms with left her feeling like she was hanging by a thread.

Gabby knew she'd feel a whole lot better about all of this if she could get some definite answers. But the problem was even if she asked Matt, she knew he wouldn't be able to tell her anything either. Because he didn't know. All he did know was that, whatever it meant, he needed time.

As frustrated as she was, she knew she couldn't push him. She was in no position to demand anything from him, and she wouldn't. All she did know was that she needed him, and she could only hope he figured things out sooner rather than later, because less than one night of this and she was already breaking.

Nothing about this was how she envisioned her and Matt's first viable pregnancy going. She never imagined this much heartache and pain looming between the two of them. Matt could hardly stand to touch her, to be in the same bed as her; she didn't even know if he was home, but based on the silence coming from the apartment she imagined he wasn't. Nothing was going according to plan. Instead of Matt being by her side every moment, eager to be there for any new development during her pregnancy, he didn't seem to even want to be around her right now. He needed space from her and their baby, where in a perfect world he would hate to be away from them for even a second. Nothing was working out the way it was supposed to.

But all she could do was hold onto hope that things would fall into place. That, as unfair as it may be, Matt will come around, and when he's ready, he'll let himself be excited for this baby. That things between them will get back to normal.

She had to cling to that hope, or she would fall apart.

Hearing the padding of footsteps out in the living room confused her, Gabby turning her head just in time to see Matt push the cracked door open, his cautious movements telling her he was trying his hardest to be quiet, Matt carefully closing the door back before turning around. He stopped in his tracks when he saw her sitting up in bed, his wide eyes returning to normal after a moment, Matt clearing his throat before stepping further into the room. "Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"You didn't." She responded softly, Matt giving her a nod before walking towards the dresser. "I didn't even realize you were still here." If Matt knew what she was alluding to, he didn't let it show, the man just flashing her a small smile through the mirror.

"Yeah, I'm about to head out."

Furrowing her eyebrows, Gabby checked the time once more. _8:15_. "Where are you headed off to this early?" Their days off usually never entailed many errands done before the late morning, this was definitely out of the ordinary.

"Got a construction job." He replied vaguely, pulling out a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, opening the top drawer to get a new pair of boxers before closing the drawers on the dresser. "I gotta get going soon, I'm just gonna hop in the shower real quick." He explained, moving towards their bathroom.

"Oh, okay. Will you be home for lunch? I was thinking I could make us something." She questioned softly, Matt turning to find a small, hopeful smile on her face.

"Uh, I'm not sure. Probably not." He replied with a grimace, Gabby opening her mouth to reply but before she could get the words out he spoke up again. "Sorry, I'm gonna be late if I don't-" He nodded towards the bathroom, Gabby simply giving him a nod watching as he slipped through the doorway, closing the door behind him, a frown forming on her face as he closed himself off from her.

Falling back against the pillows, she let her body relax as she listened to him turn on the shower, her emotions pulling her in a hundred different directions as she silently prayed that this shift in his demeanor around her wasn't anything permanent.

_Just give him time, Gabby. That's all you can do._

* * *

Gabby huffed out a frustrated breath as she looked to her phone, seeing her earlier text to Matt asking him how his job was going was still left unread, nearly two hours having passed since she sent it. Stepping out of the elevator at the correct floor, Gabby felt relieved to be out of the enclosed space as she walked down the familiar hallway she hadn't been down in months, making her way to the end of the hall.

It was well into the afternoon now, Matt's morning construction gig having turned into an all day one, by the looks of it. It was either that, or there was no construction job and he'd spent the entire day avoiding her. For the sake of her heart, she was choosing to believe it was the first one.

Stopping in front of the closed door to her destination, she brought her glove-covered hand up, knocking a few times on the hard steel, instantly hearing shuffling from inside. After only a few moments, the door opened, Gabby being met by the surprised look of the firefighter standing across from her.

"Hey Gabby." He greeted, confusion evident across his face but he offered her a smile nonetheless.

"Hey Kelly." She responded, Severide stepping out of the way to let her inside, Gabby taking him up on his offer and walking in, Kelly looking out into the empty hallway before shutting the door.

"Casey not with you?"

"No, he's working." She replied softly, Severide nodding.

"So, uh what brings you by?" He questioned, bracing himself for whatever could possibly have Gabby here to see him, alone.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, she nodded towards his table before glancing back to him.

"We need to talk."

* * *

**So, things are getting better. Kinda? Slowly? Maybe a little? Matt's still really having a hard time, and Gabby's still struggling as well. Not just with this baby thing, but she's still having trouble dealing with her anxiety and everything with that, it seems. But things can only go up from here, right?**

**I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I can't wait to hear what you think! Thanks for reading.**


	32. Chapter Thirty Two

**Hello hello! Here's another one for you guys. Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Two**_

* * *

"_So, uh what brings you by?" He questioned, bracing himself for whatever could possibly have Gabby here to see him, alone. _

_Blowing out a heavy sigh, she nodded towards his table before glancing back to him. _

"_We need to talk."_

"Okay, yeah, of course." Kelly responded, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion at the serious tone in her voice, watching as she moved towards his kitchen table, Kelly following her lead as she sat down in the chair closest to her. "Is everything okay?" He asked cautiously, his curious eyes on her as she glanced down to her folded hands in her lap. Kelly had no idea what this was about, or if he'd finally be getting answers to what had been causing Casey's distress the last few weeks, but whatever had Gabby here was weighing heavily on her; he could see it in her demeanor.

"Yes, well no- I don't know." She sputtered out, fiddling with her fingers as she refused to look up at him.

"Gabby," He spoke surely, finally getting her to look at him, surprised by the unshed tears hiding in her eyes. "What's going on?" Kelly questioned, keeping his voice calm and steady.

He saw her hesitation, a look of doubt flashing in her eyes as she opened her mouth, before closing it slowly. Severide sat in silence, giving her the time she needed to voice whatever had brought her here.

But when the words finally did leave her lips, he couldn't quite believe what he was hearing.

"I'm pregnant."

His lips parted in shock, Kelly's eyes widening as his gaze moved to her stomach and then back to her face, Gabby watching him closely as the two words sunk in.

"Wow… pregnant? That's- congratulations, Dawson." He spoke with a wide smile, Gabby nodding at him slowly, flashing a quick, sad smile.

"Yeah, it's… it was definitely unexpected." She replied softly.

Kelly couldn't help but be confused by her behavior; the news that should elicit such joy from her seemingly weighing her down. He knew how much both she and Matt had wanted kids, and after everything they've gone through in that department, he couldn't imagine them being anything less than thrilled. But based on what he was seeing right now, he knew there was something Gabby wasn't telling him.

"Casey must be so excited." Severide commented after a few seconds, seeing a look of something flash in her eyes. It was gone as quickly as it came, but it looked like something along the lines of fear.

"He, uh… he wants to be, but he's not." She nearly whispered, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"I don't understand."

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Gabby rested her forearms on the table, leaning her weight into them before responding, avoiding eye contact with the man next to her. "There's a lot that you don't know; that no one knows… about what happened before I left." Her voice came out quietly, afraid of her own words as Kelly watched her intently, sadness shining in his eyes. "Things that were going on between Matt and I, that we never told anyone."

Remaining a comforting presence by her side, Kelly reached out and patted her arm gently, silently assuring her that he was here to listen to whatever she felt comfortable sharing with him.

He imagined wherever this was going, it wasn't good. That it was most likely painful, and despite the confusion he felt being the person she reached out to, he wouldn't turn her away. She came to him for a reason, he wouldn't make her doubt that decision. In the past, Matt had usually been the one to seek him out whenever things were going on between the couple. Even though he and Gabby were close, she rarely sought him out for the heartfelt talks; those usually reserved for her and Herrmann, and in the past, Shay. But this time she came to him, so whatever she was here to tell him, he was determined to help her however he could.

"A couple weeks before I originally left for Puerto Rico, Matt and I decided we wanted to start trying to have a baby." She whispered, her eyes focused on the table, unable to look him in the eye. "We'd only been trying for, I don't know, maybe a month, when I suggested going to see my doctor. We, obviously, hadn't gotten pregnant yet and I wanted to make sure everything was okay. If I'm being honest, it was mostly out of impatience on my part, but we made an appointment and went." Gabby had taken to picking at a scratch on the table as a distraction while she spoke, finding it easier to get the words out when she wasn't focused on Kelly or his reaction. "But when we went, they, uh- we found out I have an aneurysm." Gabby heard his breath catch as soon as the words left her mouth, but she refused to look up at him. "It's in my abdomen, from my first pregnancy… long story short, it makes this a high-risk pregnancy. For me, at least."

"What does that mean?" He asked softly, a deep frown etched into his skin as Gabby finally looked back up at him.

"I could die if I could keep this baby." She replied bluntly, Kelly's eyes falling closed. "And there's a small chance of something happening to the baby as well, but most of the risk is to me."

Forcing himself to take a deep breath, Kelly opened his eyes, finding her gaze waiting for him as she spoke up again. "But, uh- this aneurysm is what started the huge fight between me and Matt before I left." She told him, Severide nodding softly. "I don't know how much you know about that…"

"Casey never told me much."

"Yeah, I didn't think so." She murmured, running a hand over her forehead. "Well, basically what it came down to was Matt wasn't willing to risk me getting pregnant, and I wasn't willing to adopt. And, looking back on it, we were both acting a little crazy. Clearly those aren't the only two options, but we were running on our emotions and everything just became so screwed up… We both said some terrible things to each other," Her voice faltered momentarily, Gabby clearing her throat. "And during our big fight, Matt said this wasn't something I could leave him out of. That this was something that had to be decided together. And, well, you know the rest. I went to Puerto Rico, he didn't…" She trailed off, Kelly nodding sadly as he heard the pain she carried in her voice.

"I'm sorry, Gabby. I never knew anything like that had happened." He apologized, Gabby waving him off.

"It's okay, it just- that fight was a big reason why I didn't come back. I didn't think there was anything to come back to. But then, uh- the attack happened." Her voice fell to a whisper, her eyes darting away from him as tears clouded her vision. Severide rubbed his hand over her arm softly, giving her the time she needed to continue. "It put things in perspective. And I came home."

"Well, I know everyone, especially Casey, is glad you did." He replied gently, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, I am too. This is my home… Matt is my home." She mused quietly, her head shaking lightly. "But this pregnancy- that wasn't part of the plan. This wasn't supposed to happen. We had just started talking about this, about how we wanted to try and have children when we found out I was pregnant. We never decided on anything, and now suddenly there's this baby and we can't make the decision that's best for us." Kelly nodded sadly, having more insight into some of his past conversations with Casey. All the times Matt mentioned there were things that he and Gabby hadn't talked about, things they'd avoided, the thing that broke her; Kelly finally knew what it was. And somehow it was worse than he'd anticipated.

And now he understood what had Matt so hesitant to give her that ring, the ring Gabby had no idea about. Kelly now realized what Matt had been so worried about. But now with this, Kelly wasn't sure when or if that ring would wind up on her finger.

"Do you guys know what you're gonna do?"

"We're keeping it." She replied instantly, her hand moving to her stomach. Kelly nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat as realization set in of what that could mean for Gabby. "But that's the problem, is Matt's still in the same place he was when we were just trying to figure out how to have a family. He doesn't want me carrying our child. But now that I'm pregnant, he's set on me having an abortion. He doesn't want to keep this baby." Kelly's eyes widened slightly in surprise hearing those words come from her mouth, Severide never having imagined a scenario where that would even be an option for them. But he never imagined a pregnancy would put Gabby's life in danger, either. "He's afraid of something happening to me. But we had a huge fight about what we would do, he walked out-"

"Where'd he go?" Kelly interjected.

"A bar, I think is what Antonio said. He came back late last night, and we talked some more… Having an abortion is not an option for me. I can't do it, and I told him that."

"And what'd he say?"

"He said he needs time." She replied, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing in question. "That he needs time to be okay with this pregnancy and what it means for me, time to accept what I'm asking of him. And I understand it, I do… I feel awful for putting him in this position, especially when we promised we'd come to a decision together." Gabby spoke softly. "So I'm gonna give him time, and space. Whatever he needs from me, I'll give him. But, uh, that's really the reason why I'm here…" She said, Kelly's head tilting in confusion. "I'm not gonna push him. He's made it clear already he wants some space from me, and from all of this, but I need to know he's okay. So if you could just look out for him, during shift. Make sure he's alright… I would really appreciate it."

"Of course I can, Gabby. But, I mean, I don't really know what to do. He hasn't really been receptive to talking to me the last few weeks."

"Maybe now that you know, he'll want to talk about it. I don't know, maybe he won't. I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable position, I just need to know someone's there for him… because he won't really let me right now." She spoke with a sad smile. "And I'm not asking for you to tell me what he says or what you all talk about, that's not what this is- I just need to know he has someone he can talk to. To try and help him, until he's ready to let me back in."

Kelly nodded slowly, drawing in a slow breath. "I'll do what I can, Gabby."

"Thank you, Kelly. I mean I know he's not reckless, and he's always done a pretty good job of compartmentalizing… but this, I don't know, I don't want him dealing with this alone. It'd give me peace of mind, knowing he has you looking out for him."

Severide nodded once more, neither of them able to get another word in as Gabby's phone dinged in her pocket. She flashed him an apologetic smile before pulling it out, seeing a message from Matt.

'_Hey, sorry. The job lasted longer than I thought it would, but I'm headed home now. See you soon.'_

Blowing out a sigh, she looked back up to Kelly, seeing him watching her carefully. "I should get going, Matt's on his way home. But, I uh- thank you Kelly." She told him, standing up from her seat. Severide followed her actions, nodding slightly.

"Yeah, of course. Whatever I can do, for either of you." He spoke, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "But, um, how are you doing with all this?" He questioned, Gabby breathing deeply. "I know we talked about how Matt was handling everything, but how are you?"

"I'm… I'm terrified." She admitted softly, releasing a breath. "I am. But… this kid deserves a chance." She replied with a hopeful smile. "I just wish it was easier."

With a sad smile, Kelly nodded, wrapping his arms around her shoulders tightly, bringing her in for a quick hug. "I can't imagine how scary this is for you all, but if either of you need anything, I'm here."

"Thanks Severide." She responded as they pulled back, the pair heading for the door.

"So… how dangerous is it really? You having this baby?" He asked as he pulled the door open, Gabby stopping in her path as she got through the doorway.

"There's about a nine percent chance it could be fatal for me." She told him.

It took him a minute to process the number. Nine percent didn't seem all that high. In the grand scheme of things, it was a low percentage. But when dealing with Gabby's life, he could see why Matt wasn't on board with this. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he wanted Gabby putting herself through this. But it wasn't his place to question her. All he'd do is what she asked of him, and be there for both of them, no matter the outcome.

"You think I'm crazy for keeping this baby, don't you?" She asked after he'd gone silent, her voice pulling him from his thoughts.

"No, no, I don't." He promised, rubbing his hand over his mouth. "But it makes sense now."

"What does?" She questioned in confusion.

"The way Matt was acting… it must of been the shift after you all found out, Matt was a wreck." He spoke sadly, seeing the same sadness shining in her eyes. "He was crying in his office."

"Yeah, he told me about that." She murmured.

"He kept saying 'I can't lose her', and I never knew what he meant." He saw a flash of what looked to be guilt flash in her eyes, Gabby swallowing thickly. "I just wish there was something I could do to make this better for you two."

"Me too." She whispered, stepping further into the hallway. "Thank you again, Kelly. For everything." She told him one last time, waving a small goodbye before heading for the exit, nerves filling her stomach as she wondered what kind of reception would be waiting for her when she got home.

* * *

Gabby pushed open the back door, walking into the warmth of their apartment desperate to escape the harsh winter winds blowing through Chicago. She barely got a step inside before movement caught her attention, Gabby looking up to see Matt standing in the kitchen, his tired eyes on her as he brought a bottle of water up to his lips.

"Hey." She spoke softly, turning the deadbolt before stepping further inside their home, beginning the process of shedding the extra layers necessary for facing the outside.

"Hi." He responded after he swallowed, placing his drink back onto the counter.

"How was your job?" Gabby walked towards the kitchen, coming to a standstill on the opposite side of the counter, wanting to be near him but trying to keep a few feet of space between them.

"Long." He replied, Gabby's eyes flickering over his features. He looked exhausted, his face was still red from being outside for a prolonged period of time, the color in his cheeks telling her he'd only beaten her home by maybe a few minutes.

She nodded slowly, her eyes moving down from his face towards the counter, her gaze stopping on something unusual. Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she noticed his haphazardly bandaged finger, the wrapping around his left index finger loose, the creases in her forehead deepening as she saw a small stain of red bleeding through the gauze.

"What happened?" She asked nervously, stepping around the counter separating them and coming to stand by his side, Matt turning towards her as she moved.

"Oh, I uh, wasn't paying attention and hammered my finger a little bit." He shrugged it off, Gabby frowning as she gently lifted his hand from the counter, inspecting the unfortunate wrap job before beginning to remove the dressing from his finger. "Oh, you don't have to, it's just a little sore."

The look she shot him told him she wasn't going to let this go, Matt simply nodding as he let her continue to assess the situation, a grimace covering his face as she got down to the last of the gauze, Matt sucking in air between his clenched teeth as she had to pull on his finger slightly to get the wrapping off.

"Sorry." She murmured, balling up the gauze and placing it on the counter, her eyebrows furrowing as she looked at his injury. His finger was definitely swollen, Gabby finding the source of the bleeding as she saw blood coming from around his fingernail. It wasn't a substantial amount, but it didn't look pretty either. There was already some bruising under his nail, and around the area she assumed to be where he'd made contact, Gabby pressing gently on his skin. "Jeez, Matt." She breathed out, shaking her head slightly.

"Yeah, I know." He responded, her eyes flashing up to meet his. "I should've been paying closer attention, I was just distracted…" Matt trailed off, Gabby pursing her lips together, knowing full well what had caused his mind to be elsewhere. "I smashed it pretty hard, might've broken something if not for the gloves." He mused, Gabby nodding in agreement. "I was gonna have you look at it, but since I beat you here I just patched it up myself." He told her, nodding his head back to the table, Gabby looking over his shoulder to see a box of her supplies; the first-aid kit of her own creation, sitting out on the table, some of its contents broken in to and left out.

"Let me get you actually patched up." She spoke with a slight smile, a similar one gracing his face. "You gave it a good effort, but you can definitely tell a firefighter fixed you up." She teased, Gabby feeling thankful when a light chuckle escaped his lips. She led him over to the table, nodding for him to sit down before she came to stand in front of him, standing in between his legs as she kept one hand holding up his own, the other searching through her things to find the antibiotic ointment she knew he hadn't used.

"Where were you, anyway?" He asked as she began applying the cream over his broken skin, her eyes glancing to him before focusing back on her task.

"Just needed to get out of the house." She responded vaguely, her tongue poking out between her teeth as she began wrapping his finger. He gave her a nod, deciding not to press the issue as he watched her movements. "All done." She spoke, dropping the hold on his hand, giving him the chance to inspect her work as she began putting her supplies away.

"Thank you." He murmured, his eyes following her as she began to move around the apartment, throwing away her trash and the remains of his first attempt at wrapping his wound in the kitchen.

He watched as she pressed her palms into the counter, her body tensing momentarily as she drew in a deep breath, Matt pushing himself up from his seat and beginning the walk towards her.

"So, uh, I've been thinking about going to see the Chaplain again." She spoke softly after they'd been quiet for a few moments, Matt stopping about a foot away from her. Gabby looked up to him, seeing his eyes on her. "I haven't seen him in awhile, I didn't even realize but it's been about a month since I've been over there." She mused, Matt nodding softly. "He doesn't know about the baby or anything…" She saw Matt's body involuntarily tense at the mention of their child, Gabby trying to mask the pain on her face.

"Okay." He responded softly.

"I'm gonna call and see if I can see him the day after tomorrow, I think it'll help me, to talk through everything with him." She explained, Matt giving her a sad smile.

Despite how he was feeling right now, he knew how hard this was on her. He knew how much she was struggling with the decision she made, her near panic attack early this morning telling him all he needed to know about how much this was affecting her.

"I think that'll be good. I know how much talking with him helps you." He responded softly.

"Yeah…" She spoke, her hands clenching the counter underneath her grasp, Matt knowing there was something else on her mind, something she was trying to say. "Would you, uh- would you wanna go with me? We'll both be off shift." His eyebrows raised in surprise, not expecting the question.

"Oh…"

"I just thought that it might help us." She began, seeing his initial reaction. "I know you need time, and I'll give you however much space you need. But, I don't know, maybe if we could just go and lay it all out there, with someone who could make sure we don't get sidetracked… It could at least help knowing where we stand." She spoke hopefully, Matt taking a deep breath, knowing she wasn't going to like his answer.

"I don't know… I think we both know exactly where the other stands." He responded quietly, glancing down to the ground, missing the look of hurt that flashed over her face. "That's the problem."

His eyes moved back up towards her, guilt flooding through him as he saw the unshed tears shining in her eyes. "Sorry, I just- us going there now is only going to end in a fight, and I don't want that."

"Okay." She responded quietly, blinking furiously to wash away the water gathering in her eyes.

"I'm still in the same place, nothing has changed for me yet. And going to talk with Chaplain, I don't know, I just think it'll be the same fight we've already had. If it's just you, at least then you'll be able to work through whatever you need to." He explained quietly, Gabby nodding as she looked forward.

"Yeah, no that's fine. It was just an idea." She told him, flashing him an unconvincing smile.

His eyes fell closed, Matt taking the last few steps towards her, stopping just inches from her, Gabby turning her head back to look at him.

"I'm not trying to make this difficult, I'm really not. I know how much this is affecting you and it's not my intention to make this harder than it already is…" He spoke, reaching out to place his hand over hers.

"I know." She whispered, Matt bringing his free hand up to cradle the side of her face. "This isn't fair to you, and I don't want to push you. I just thought it might help us." Her voice was timid, Matt knowing the uncertainty of everything was weighing heavily on her, as it was him.

"Maybe once I have a better grip on this, we can go see him together. But right now I just- I don't think I can." He spoke honestly, squeezing her hand. "But you should go. There's a lot that's happened, it'll be good for you to talk to him." He ran his thumb over her cheek one last time before dropping his hand, repositioning it at his side.

"Yeah." She responded quietly, glancing down to their conjoined hands. Bringing her free one to rest on top of theirs, she looked back up at him. "I know I keep saying it, but I am so sorry for this, Matt. I swear, I never intended for any of this to happen."

"I know you didn't." He whispered with a sad smile. "You don't need to keep apologizing. It is what it is, now it's up to me to be okay with it."

"Matt…"

"It's fine. And I'm trying, I am. It's just gonna take time." He saw her falter at the word, Matt sighing heavily. "I wish I could give you more than that, I wish I knew how long it was gonna take for me to accept this. I know things with us are… up in the air, right now. And I don't want them to be. But I have to be able to come to terms with this pregnancy, and I haven't. And until I do, I don't know where that leaves us." He explained, Gabby unable to hide the sadness in her eyes. "I would give anything to have a better answer than that for you, but I don't."

She nodded slowly, dropping the hold she hand on his hand, hearing Matt sigh at her side.

"I am trying, Gabby."

"I know you are. I do." She assured him. "And I'll give you whatever time you need. I know you don't want to keep hearing my apologies, but I need you to know I do wish I never had to ask you to be okay with this. I'd give anything for this not to be our situation right now… but I just can't get rid of this baby. I'm sorry me choosing that means going against what you want, I wish it wasn't like this."

Nodding slowly, Matt remained quiet, not sure how to respond to her words. He didn't want this to turn into another blow up between them, and he knew if they kept talking about this baby that's exactly where they'd end up. So he didn't say anything, all he did was lean forward, placing a gentle kiss to her forehead, knowing how calming she found the simple action in the past.

He didn't know what to do to fix this, he didn't know how to make himself be okay with the situation they've found themselves in. He didn't know how to deal with the growing feeling of anger in the pit of his stomach. But he knew he had to try, or it would destroy them.

* * *

Kelly walked through the halls of 51, cigars in hand as he followed the familiar path to the bunkroom. Walking into the vacant room, he looked over to see Casey exactly where he knew he'd be, holed up in his office behind a closed door. Matt's demeanor hadn't changed much from last shift, the man still keeping to himself, locked up away in his office except for on calls. But now that Kelly knew the reason behind it, he was determined to help his friend through this. He planned on keeping his word to Gabby, wanting Matt to know he had someone he could turn to. Someone who didn't need the explanations of what happened; a person he could vent to about anything weighing on his mind.

Tapping on the glass gently, he opened the door as Casey turned his head around, Severide pushing the door all the way open.

"Need something, Sev?"

Wordlessly, Kelly held up his hand holding the two cigars, a small grin covering his features as he nodded towards the exit.

"It's like twenty degrees outside." Matt commented with raised eyebrows.

"Exactly, so no one will bother us. Come on." He prompted, leaving before Matt could say no. The firefighter sitting at his desk huffed out a breath, reluctantly pushing himself up and following the direction Kelly just took, catching up with him quickly as they walked towards the exit.

The two men quickly found themselves perched on the front of squad's rig, the cold air blowing in from the open garage door as they leaned their weight against the truck, the brisk temperature ensuring they were alone as Kelly lit their cigars

"So, what is it?" Matt asked after a few puffs, Kelly turning to look at him with a confused glance. "You brought me out here for a reason, what do you want to talk about?"

"Gabby told me what's been going on… everything that's happened to you guys." He spoke hesitantly, seeing the immediate shift in demeanor from his friend. Casey's body tensed, Matt shaking his head slowly as he pulled the cigar from between his lips.

"Of course she did." He muttered, crossing his legs as his defeated form sulked against the cold metal.

"You're mad at her for telling me?" Kelly questioned, surprised by Matt's reaction.

"I'm not mad, but it's just another thing she's leaving me out of." He breathed out. "She made this decision without me, after we promised each other we wouldn't. She went and started telling people without me; you and her Chief, after we decided we weren't going to. She's doing all of this without me, without taking what I want or what we agreed on into consideration." He explained frustratedly, his hand clenched in a fist at his side.

"Okay, the decision about keeping the baby aside, you can't be mad she told her boss. It's for her own safety, man. He needs to know if she's gonna be out working." He reasoned.

"I'm not mad." Matt reiterated, but Severide ignored him.

"And her telling me, she was desperate Matt." Kelly explained, Casey glancing over to him. "When she was telling me everything you all have gone through with this, she looked so broken. This is really messing with her, and I know it is with you too. But she only told me because she's worried about you." Kelly spoke, Matt's hard gaze faltering. "She wanted to know someone was looking out for you, because she doesn't think you want her to right now."

"What do you mean?"

Sighing deeply, Kelly took another drag of his cigar before responding. "From what I could tell, she doesn't really know where she stands with you right now. She seemed lost, like she wants to help you but doesn't know how. She doesn't know if you want her to." He clarified, Matt frowning as he turned his head to look out the garage. "She said you want space from her, so she's trying to give it to you. But she's worried, so she came to me."

Matt merely nodded, refusing to look towards his friend as he brought the cigar up to his lips, a thick silence settling around them for a few moments, Kelly knowing he just needed to wait for Matt to get his thoughts together.

"It's not that I want space from her, it's that I _need_ it. I need space from all of it. Because right now, all I feel when I look at her is pain." He admitted softly, his eyes focused on the icy driveway. "And it's not just because of her making this decision, it's not because she wants to keep the baby... it's because I know there's a very real possibility I might lose her. And I'm not okay with that."

"But you're okay with losing your child?" Kelly questioned, Matt's head snapping towards him, his narrowed glare landing on Severide.

"Don't tell me, you too?" Matt asked exasperatedly, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're completely fine with this, too, aren't you?"

"Matt-"

"No. You, Gabby, Antonio- all of you think I'm crazy for how I'm feeling right now. You all are so damn shocked that I'm choosing Gabby's life over this baby." He was getting worked up, hints of anger coming through in his words. But Kelly remained calm, simply shaking his head.

"No, I don't think your crazy Matt. And, I can't speak for Antonio, but I know Gabby doesn't either. All of us understand why you feel the way you do."

"Gabby doesn't." He muttered bitterly, his gaze falling to the ground. "She doesn't understand me putting her above this baby that isn't even born yet. She doesn't get it."

"Get what?" Kelly prompted, knowing Matt needed to get this off his chest before he spiraled even further.

But Matt sidestepped the question, sighing as his shoulders deflated. "I know she's afraid. And after everything that happened with our first baby, and then Louie- she's terrified of something happening to this baby. But she doesn't understand that without her, I have nothing." He admitted quietly, Kelly's heart breaking as he heard the pain in Matt's voice. "She's my everything. She's my family, she's the most important person to me and I can't risk losing her. As much as I want this baby, I'm not willing to jeopardize her life for it."

"And you've told her that?"

"Yup." Matt replied in defeat. "She knows where I stand, that this isn't what I want. But she's made her choice and I have to be okay with it."

Kelly let the air settle around them for a few moments, giving Matt the chance to calm his nerves before speaking up again. "When her and I were talking, she sounded like she wasn't sure if this is actually what you wanted. That you don't really want her to get this abortion."

"Of course I don't _want_ her to get an abortion. She is right, I don't want any of this, I wish this wasn't the situation we're in. But it is. To me, there's no other option... And maybe she has a point, who knows what terminating this pregnancy would do to us… But at least there still would be an us." He breathed out in frustration. "But she doesn't think I'd actually be able to go through with us getting an abortion, if we even decided on that. She doesn't see my side of this, or she's refusing to, and she's using the idea that I don't actually want this as an excuse for her making this choice for us." He muttered bitterly. "I'm not sure how I'm the crazy one here, because I actually value her life, but it doesn't matter. I have no choice but to be okay with this."

"Do you really think she doesn't see where you're coming from? Because the way she was talking, she knows exactly why you're not okay with this..."

"But does that really make it any better? Whether she actually doesn't understand, or she's choosing to disregard it, it doesn't change anything."

"You and I both know that's not true." Kelly responded, adjusting himself on the ledge. "She understands why this is hard for you, she knows why you need time to be okay with this. She knows what's at risk here, she's not disregarding it on purpose. It just seems that she feels like she doesn't have any other choice."

Matt didn't respond to his friend's statement, choosing to take another puff of his cigar and focus his attention to the snow starting to fall in front of them.

"Did she tell you we could lose the baby, too?" Matt asked suddenly, looking over in time to see Kelly nodding sadly, Matt huffing out a heavy breath.

"She did."

"And then what? What would've been the point of this? She would've done all this for absolutely nothing." He spoke sadly, shaking his head. "Actually it would be worse than nothing because my entire world would get ripped away from me. And she doesn't care."

"Matt, you can't be serious. Of course she cares." Kelly interjected, but Matt just shrugged.

"I want to believe that, but it doesn't really feel like it. She was never going to take what I wanted into consideration, no matter what losing her would do to me. She made this decision without me. She's not able to look past her wanting this baby, and I just have to be okay with it. All I can do is hope and pray that nothing goes wrong, even though there's a ticking time bomb in her stomach."

"But this is more than her just wanting this kid, you have to know that." Kelly tried to reason, Matt sighing softly. "She can't lose another child, Matt. You can't hold that against her."

"That's the problem." Casey muttered, Severide turning his head to look at him. "I don't hold any of this against her. I'm not mad at her for any of it. I understand why she doesn't feel like she can get an abortion, I get why she's so attached to this baby. But she's never even considered what I want in all this. She's knowingly going against what I want, she made up her mind before we even had a chance to talk about it. Gabby's making all the decisions for us, and we're falling right back into the same mess that tore us apart in the first place. Her deciding everything and me being forced to follow along. But now it's affecting her life, and I can't sit back and be okay with that."

"Have you talked to her about it?"

Nodding, Matt answered softly. "We have. She keeps saying how sorry she is, that she never meant for this to happen. That she didn't want this to be a decision she made for us. But it still happened. And I know she feels guilty, but she still willingly jumped into this with no regard for what I wanted. And here I was, thinking we had actually been making progress..."

"You don't believe her? That she didn't mean for it to be like this?" Kelly asked, Matt shaking his head sadly.

"No, I do. I believe her. I know she never meant for this to happen. And I don't blame her, it's not her fault we got pregnant… but it doesn't change the fact that this is exactly the problem we had last year. She still made this decision by herself, even though she knows it impacts both of us. And now I have to force myself to be okay with the possibility of this killing her."

Blowing out a sigh, Kelly's tongue ran over his bottom lip, clearing his throat before responding. "You're holding onto a lot of anger, Casey." He spoke, Matt finding his gaze. "And I'm not saying you're wrong for feeling it. This is a terrible situation to be in. But all this anger you have, whether it's directed towards Gabby or not, it's affecting her. It's affecting you all." He stated, Matt's mouth opening as if he was going to respond but he quickly closed it. "You have to accept that this is the situation. You have to be able to accept her apology, and accept that she never meant for this to happen. You can't keep coming back to it, it'll only make this harder. It'll make you resent her, if you can't find a way to let it go." Kelly's words filled his ears, Matt trying to process exactly what was being told to him as they sat there. "You need to be able to let go of all of it. All this anger you have, it's going to destroy you guys if you can't find a way to be okay with this. I'm not saying it's fair to you, that you have to be the one to give in and accept the decision she's made, but if you can't it's going to ruin you guys."

"But what if I'm not able to?" Matt voiced quietly, Kelly hearing the fear in his voice. "I want to not be angry about this. I want to want this baby, and accept this is the situation. But what if I can't?"

Taking a deep breath, Kelly responded. "You're struggling with this because you can't accept the possibility of losing her. You're upset and you're angry because you know there's a chance you might… but if you don't figure out your place in this, if you're not able to come to terms with it, you could lose her anyway." He spoke bluntly, knowing those words were some of the last Matt wanted to hear, but he needed to hear them.

Casey fell silent, not knowing how to respond to what Kelly had just told him. He needed time to wrap his mind around everything, to try and figure out himself in all this. But deep down he knew Kelly was right.

"She needs you, man." Kelly voiced quietly after a few quiet moments. "But if this isn't something you're able to come to terms with, you need to tell her. Because dragging it out will only make it worse."

Before either man could respond, the bells rang throughout the house, calling squad and ambo to a rescue downtown. Their conversation was immediately halted, Matt pushing himself off the front of the rig and moving to the side, tuning out the hustle and bustle around him, unable to focus on anything other than what Kelly had told him.

* * *

"So, it's been awhile." the Chaplain spoke with a small smile, looking at the woman across from him. At first glance, he knew something was on her mind; that it had been for awhile. With her timid posture, her hands clasped tightly together in her lap, the almost apprehensive look covering her face. Something had happened to have her come back here, he just didn't know what.

"Yeah… I didn't even realize it had been this long. There's just been a lot going on." She mused, the Chaplain nodding as he crossed his legs, leaning back into his chair, figuring they were in for a long talk.

"Like what?"

Blowing out a heavy sigh, she shrugged lightly, her eyes focused on her hands. "I don't even know where to start."

"The beginning would probably be best." He encouraged, Gabby lifting her eyes to find a gentle smile waiting for her.

"Well, I guess that would be after I left you last time?" She began, her voice soft. "And you were right, by the way." His interest piqued, trying to remember exactly what he'd told her when she was last here. "Us not having dealt with the baby situation, that's what was bothering Matt."

"So you all talked about it?" He questioned, Gabby nodding slowly. "And how did that go?"

"At the time, it went okay." She responded, her wording confusing him. But she gave him no time to question it as she continued speaking. "But then a few weeks ago, I was involved in an accident at work."

"What happened?" He asked with furrowed brows.

"My partner and I got trapped in an elevator while on a call, a cable had snapped and we fell a few floors, and I started having a panic attack while we were trapped. None of us were hurt; well, I needed some stitches on my face, but everyone was okay. It was just… being trapped in there, it freaked me out and made me panic."

"That's understandable. Especially considering everything you've been through, there's no shame in that."

"I know, that's what Matt said." She replied, her words eliciting a small smile from the older man across from her. "Thankfully, 51 is who responded to the call to get us out. Matt was able to calm me down while I was in there, so it didn't get any worse."

"And you're okay from that?" He questioned, Gabby nodding.

"I am… I didn't have any flashbacks to my attack or anything like that when I was trapped in there. And I haven't had any nightmares since." She explained, the Chaplain giving her a warm smile.

"That's great, Gabby." He praised. "For you to be able to get through that, I'm proud of you."

"Thank you." She murmured, clenching her hands together tightly. "But, uh, after that happened Matt wanted me to go to the hospital to get checked out, make sure everything was okay." Gabby saw the way the Chaplain's jaw tightened, the man understanding by the tone in her voice that there was more to this story. "And, uh- I'm pregnant."

Chaplain Orlovsky's eyes widened in surprise, his eyebrows rising as he watched her closely. Under any other circumstances, he knew how exciting this would be for the couple, how they've always wanted a family together. But he also knew the situation, and that this was not as easy as being thrilled at the idea of bringing a child into this world.

"Oh, Gabby." He murmured softly, seeing the tears in her eyes. "I'm sorry. I know this isn't what you or Matt had planned on." He told her, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, it's not." She voiced softly, the sound barely audible.

"Have you two decided what you're gonna do?"

"We decided- or I guess _I_ decided that we'd be keeping the baby." She responded, the Chaplain's head tilting to the side slightly.

"I take it Matt doesn't want to." He replied knowingly, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, he doesn't. He doesn't want to risk something happening to me." She explained, the Chaplain nodding sadly. "When we first found out, we agreed we wouldn't decide on anything until after I had my appointment with a new doctor I'd found. We wanted to come to a decision together, wait until we had all the information until trying to figure out what to do."

"But the appointment didn't clear up much, did it?"

"No, it didn't. I still have the aneurysm. It's smaller than I was originally told, but it's still there and still dangerous. I could still die if I have this baby, and Matt can't accept that."

"What happened?"

"I had every intention of us deciding this together, I really did. But then I heard our baby's heartbeat." She whispered, a lone tear falling down her cheek. "I saw mine and Matt's child, and as soon as I did I just knew I had to do anything I could to protect them. But Matt, he can't get past the chance of something happening to me. He's afraid, and I don't blame him. I'm so scared, but our child is healthy. They're growing, and everything is as it should be; I can't be the reason something happens to them. I can't choose to end their life just to save mine. Not after losing two children already."

"What did Matt say?"

Blowing out a heavy sigh, one of her hands subconsciously moved to her stomach, the other resting on her leg as she responded. "We got into a huge fight, we're even farther apart of what to do now than we were before seeing my doctor. But we were going back and forth, and then he just gave up. He said that I'd made up my mind and he just had to be okay with it. That I didn't care what he wanted, I had already made my decision. Then he walked out." The surprise was evident on the Chaplain's face, Gabby continuing before he could ask for more details. "He came back a while later, and said he needed time to accept this pregnancy and everything it means. Because he's not okay with what I'm asking of him, and he needs time to deal with it. He needs space if we're gonna make it through this, so I'm giving it to him."

Sighing softly, the Chaplain spoke. "Has he been at home?"

"Physically, yeah. But mentally, it's like he's somewhere else all the time. I try not to push him, but it's like he can't be around me. He won't even sleep in the same bed as me. And anytime we are together, it feels like he's forcing himself to. That he's doing it for my sake, because I already kind of had a breakdown over what this meant for us… so he's trying to be there for me when he sees I need it. But other than that, it's like he's a million miles away."

"So you two haven't been spending much time together?"

"No, not really. I mean, it's only been four days since the appointment and all this started and we haven't really been together much. And if we are, we'd been fighting. Or tiptoeing around each other to avoid a fight. We've only had one real conversation that didn't result in tears or a fight. But even then, I could tell he was holding back, like he wanted to say more but didn't want it to end in a fight. And then we both were on shift yesterday, and once he got done this morning I got a text from him saying that he had to run a few errands, so I wasn't even able to see him before I came here. But even when we are together, it feels like we might as well not be because he's checked out. And I know I can't pressure him. He's trying, he told me himself he's trying to be okay with this. All of this, it isn't fair to him and I have no right to dictate how he deals with this, but it feels like part of him is mad at me. That he blames me for this entire thing."

"Did he say that?"

"No. He said he wasn't mad. That it was just the situation, but it feels like he's angry with me. And he made a comment about how 'I got what I wanted'." She nearly whispered. "He said he didn't mean it as him blaming me or thinking I did this on purpose, but I can't help but think he does, at least partially." She spoke helplessly, shaking her head.

"I know this is an impossible situation, but you have to trust what he says, Gabby." He chastised softly, Gabby sniffling before intaking a sharp breath.

"It just feels like I'm losing him, and I don't know what to do."

"Gabby," He started, breathing deeply. "I know this probably isn't what you want to hear, but all you can do is continue what you've been doing. You have to give him the time and space he's asking for." The Chaplain spoke. "You said yourself, you made this decision for the both of you. After you promised each other you'd do it together, you didn't. And I'm not saying you didn't have a good reason, because you did. But it still happened. You have to let him come to terms with it on his own. You're asking him to accept something he's obviously against, he's gonna need time." Gabby nodded slowly at him. She had known all along there wasn't much else she could do, but hearing it from someone else just cemented the knowledge that all she could do was wait. "You can't ask for more than that. You've got to let him accept this in his own time, if you want this to work."

"I know… I have to just let him be. But it's hard. This is something that we should be so happy about, that we should be experiencing together. But it's like he wants no part of it. And I know it's because of the situation, but it hurts." She whispered, another tear escaping down her cheek.

"I can't imagine what this is like for you two. I wish this never happened, and that this was something you two could be happy about together. But all you can do is give it time, Gabby. And hopefully he'll come around."

Gabby nodded, more tears falling down her skin as she sat there in the comfort of his office. She knew all she could do was wait this out. She had to let Matt set the pace, and she had to be the one to follow his lead. But she could only hope he came around sooner rather than later, and that their child wouldn't be the thing to send their relationship crashing to the ground.

* * *

**Well, how are we feeling? Things don't seem to be getting much better for Matt and Gabby. Gabby's barely holding it together, Matt's angry even though he's trying not to be. We'll see where it goes from here...**

**I know a lot of you were looking forward to the Gabby/Kelly part and honestly so was I. I always loved Gabby and Kelly's friendship on the show, it's something I wish we could've seen more of (on the long, long list of things I wish would've happened on the show). So I was really excited to write a scene with them, it was definitely a little self-serving for me.**

**One thing that I do love is that in your reviews, I've seen a lot of people not knowing who they think is more in right here, and how they feel for both of them. And that's exactly how I wanted it to come across. It's like you don't know who to feel worse for, and that was my exact intention. So I'm glad to know it's coming across how I meant it to. This is a terrible situation to be in, neither Matt nor Gabby are wrong for how they're feeling or what they want and they both have the right to feel how they are. I'm glad, for the most part, that everything's coming across as I meant. I was a little worried of some thinking that Gabby was being selfish (especially because for some reason that was always the go-to whenever anything happened on the show, is that Gabby was automatically labeled as selfish but that's another issue altogether), so it just makes me glad that my intentions are coming across as I mean for them to. I don't know if this even makes sense, but seeing your alls reviews, it makes me feel like I'm doing a good job.**

**Real quick, I also just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who leaves me such sweet comments in their reviews, about my writing and this story. It truly means the world to me, and makes it so much easier for me to keep this going. And to those who have mentioned how appreciative they are for my updates, that means a lot as well. For as much as I love writing, sometimes it's kind of difficult to keep up the pace I've been updating, but hearing how appreciative you all are means so much. I write this story for you all, and to know how many of you value not only this story, but the work I put into it, I can't even put into words how important that is to me. You all are truly the best, most supportive humans and I cannot thank you enough for reading my work, and the constant encouragement you all give me. It means everything.**

**Thank you for reading! I can't wait to hear what you thought of this one! Until next time.**


	33. Chapter Thirty Three

**Hello my lovely readers. Here's another chapter for you guys, I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Three**_

* * *

Gabby quietly sat tucked into the corner of the couch, a blanket loosely thrown over her lap. The sound of the TV softly filled the room, but if someone were to ask her what she was watching, she'd have no idea. Because she hadn't been focused on the screen, she was focused on Matt, watching as he moved back and forth through the apartment gathering up the supplies needed to fix the problem he and Severide had created a few days prior.

Although no serious damage had been caused, Gabby was less than impressed the night she came home from shift to find Severide mentioning how Matt could "_...just put up a picture over it, Dawson will never know_.", the two men looking guilty as she entered the room. After some explaining, Gabby had found out that Severide had come over an hour prior, the two hanging out before Kelly had the genius idea to start throwing around a football in the house. As it went on, their simple game of catch turned into a competitive one that resulted in Kelly's shoulder slamming into the wall that separated the kitchen and living room, leaving a sizable dent and some cracked paint. It wasn't anything too damaging, and it did nothing to hurt the structural integrity of the place, Gabby admittedly finding the whole thing funny as they sheepishly stood there explaining the incident. No harm had been caused, and truthfully it made her happy to know Matt was able to let loose and have fun, even if it was just a short game of catch with his friend. That hadn't really been the case around here lately, and Gabby couldn't be mad at him for having a good time, not when it was the first time she'd seen a genuine smile on his face in nearly two weeks. If anything, had she come home to damage done to their home, she would've expected it been done out of anger, not joy. So in the end, she found herself feeling grateful for the little dent in their wall.

A dent that Matt had made it his mission to fix. Despite the reasoning behind Kelly's suggestion to just cover it, his idea hadn't been a bad one. It was nothing that needed to be repaired right now, and Gabby wouldn't have cared to just throw up some art to hide it for the time being. But Matt brushed off those ideas, saying it was a simple fix and he could have it repaired in no time.

And now here he was a few days later, his tools set out systematically across the apartment, Matt completely focused on the task at hand. So focused that he hadn't noticed Gabby's eyes on him for the better part of the last half hour. She was grateful for the moment to just watch him, to see him totally immersed in something that he enjoyed. It was a nice change of pace, one that she didn't want to take for granted.

In the almost two weeks that had passed since their appointment with Dr. Tanner, the only way Gabby knew how to describe everything with her and Matt right now would be stagnant. There had been no major fights or disagreements, but there hadn't been many happy moments either. There hadn't been much of anything happening between them. There had been some highs and lows, both individually and together, but for the most part, they were two passing ships. It almost felt as if they were two strangers living together.

And Gabby was slowly losing her mind.

She missed him. She missed him like crazy. She missed the quiet moments, the happy moments, the moments of anger; she missed all of it. She wanted Matt back, and right now her Matt wasn't here. At this point, she'd take the yelling and fighting over what their lives had become. He'd shut down, from her at least, and that had resulted in some of the longest and most stressful days of her life.

He only spoke to her when it was necessary, or when the silence had become too much for her and she needed to talk to him, but even then their conversations were superficial at best. He'd started sleeping in their room again, but he would come to bed late at night and be gone by the time she woke up. And that was where their physical contact started and ended. There'd been a few kisses, maybe a hug or two, but nothing anywhere near the level of passion and comfort they'd grown accustomed to. In fact, Gabby was sure the couple of times Matt had initiated those moments, it was out of sheer force of habit instead of actual want. It was nothing substantial, nothing that gave Gabby any hope that they were making progress. They were becoming two people living two different lives. And she couldn't stand it.

Looking back on it, since that day Gabby came home to find him in the kitchen with his injured hand, she could only recall one conversation between them that held any significance, albeit it wasn't the most pleasant of memories.

_Gabby pushed open the door to their apartment, unable to see much as she walked in the front door, but based on the sound coming from the TV she figured Matt had made it home. Her talk with the Chaplain had worn her out, Gabby feeling like right now all she needed was a nap. Preferably, a nap with Matt by her side, but she knew the chances of that were slim._

_Locking their front door behind her, she placed her purse down on the small table in their entryway before walking further inside, seeing Matt perched in the middle of the couch, his focus on the screen in front of him. _

"_Hey." She called softly, coming to stand beside the couch, glancing down to him as he looked up at her, Gabby swallowing thickly as she saw the blank look on his face. "How was your shift?" She asked, choosing to sit in the chair instead of beside him on the couch, his rigid demeanor telling her to keep her distance._

"_Fine." He responded shortly, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing. She knew he was mad, or at the very least, annoyed, but she didn't know why. Before they'd gone to their shifts, they'd been relatively okay. Okay as in nothing had happened between them. So she wasn't sure what had happened to make him look at her like he was._

_Sensing her confusion, Matt blew out a sigh. "So, we're telling people about your pregnancy?"_

_It only took her mere moments to understand where his frustration was coming from, Gabby bringing her hand up to rub over her forehead, sighing heavily. "Matt…"_

"_Guess I must've missed that decision, too." He bit out, running his teeth over his bottom lip. "So, Kelly knows. Are we telling the firehouse next?"_

"_Matt, please stop." She pleaded, already exhausted from this conversation and it had barely started. "I told Kelly because I'm worried about you. I wanted to know you had someone to turn to, someone you wouldn't have to explain everything to... I was trying to help." She spoke defeatedly, pressing firmly against her forehead. "I'm sorry, I should've asked you first."_

_Watching her closely, he felt a rush of guilt settle in his stomach, knowing he was being an ass. She meant well, she always did. And he couldn't help but hear Severide's words ringing in his head. "No, I'm sorry." He breathed out, causing her to look at him. "I should've just asked you about it, instead of being a dick." He apologized softly. "I'm just…"_

"_You're angry." She supplemented, Matt's eyebrows furrowing at her. Either her and Kelly had been talking, or he really was just that transparent. Although she always had been able to read him better than anyone else, and he knew he wasn't exactly keeping his feelings a secret._

"_Not at you." He clarified, knowing she was worried about that. If her breakdown a few mornings ago was any indication, she still held onto that fear. "Just at, well everything." He admitted, seeing a sad smile come to her face._

"_I know." She whispered, her voice barely audible._

_Silence had filled the air around them, neither knowing what to say. They sat there uncomfortably for a few moments, Gabby finding herself wishing she'd stayed away a little longer._

"_So, uh, how do you want to handle that?" He questioned, trying to move past the uneasy feeling in the room. "We said we'd wait until we came to a decision, and we're, uh, keeping this baby…" It was the first time she'd heard him say those words out loud when it wasn't done in anger, Matt clearing his throat before continuing. "So I didn't know if you wanted to start telling people."_

"_I'd rather wait until I'm through my first trimester, if that's okay with you." She replied, Matt nodding softly. "Just to make sure everything goes okay. I know Dr. Tanner said everything was fine, and there's no reason to think anything will happen… but just in case something does." Her voice lowered to a whisper, the thought sending shivers through her spine._

"_Okay."_

"_But, uh, also if you're still needing time, when we get there, I'm fine with waiting… I know I won't be able to hide it forever, but I'm okay with waiting until you've figured everything out, if that's what you want to do. We'll have some time, so it's up to you."_

_Shrugging lightly, he responded. "It doesn't really matter, whatever you wanna do is fine."_

"_It does matter." She spoke, folding her hands in her lap. "I want this to be what you want to do, too." _

_Matt knew she was trying. That she was trying to involve him in whatever she could, in what he seemed interested in being apart of, because of how they ended up here. He could see how hard she was trying to make up for the choice she made for them._

_Breathing deeply, he caught her gaze again. "How about we plan on letting people know once you're past the first trimester, then. And if for some reason, we get there and change our minds, we'll talk about it." He offered, seeing a smile fall onto her face._

"_That works for me." _

_Matt simply nodded, giving her a weak smile before pushing himself up from the couch, muttering something about getting something to eat, the man soon disappearing from her view._

And they hadn't had a conversation of any importance since.

She felt like they'd hit a wall, and every day the outcome of how this was going to play out felt a little bleaker. In the back of her mind, a voice kept telling her that they wouldn't survive this. That what they were now, that's how their relationship would always be. Or worse, there'd be no relationship at all. Despite her best efforts to push those draining thoughts away, with every passing day it became harder and harder for her to see any bright side in all of this.

But if there was an upside at all, it would be that, with others at least, Matt's old self was starting to come back. It wasn't all the time, and it wasn't for very long, but according to Kelly, Matt had stopped hiding away in his office during shift. He'd actually started spending some time with the other firefighters again, and although Kelly said he wouldn't engage in conversation often, it was a start. And when he'd be alone with his coworkers, or Kelly, there'd be flashes of the old Matt. Like his night at the apartment with Severide, Gabby hadn't seen him that happy since before telling him she was pregnant. Granted, as soon as Kelly left, the light seemed to fade in his eyes and that genuine smile she missed so much disappeared, not to be seen since. But it was a start. It was a sign that he was able to be himself again, to be carefree and not in a constant state of worry and quiet.

The only problem was, he hadn't managed to break out of that with her yet. With her, it was all distance and apprehension. They'd tip toe around each other, Gabby afraid of saying something that would upset him, Matt practically unreadable to her now. But she refused to pressure him. No matter how much it was breaking her heart, she wouldn't push him. Not when she knew he still hadn't come to terms with this. And with their lack of communication lately, she wasn't sure if he was anywhere closer to being alright with her choice or not. But she didn't think she should ask, not when he was so adamant about what he needed from her. So she sat back and waited. Something she was admittedly terrible at. But it was the least she could do for him.

Although this 'giving him space' thing had been a thousand times harder than she could've ever imagined. She never knew what was okay and what wasn't, every day becoming more stressful than the last. There were some days Matt seemed a little more receptive to her, and others where it seemed like the last thing he wanted was to be around her. She knew part of her problem was all the hormones flooding her system, it had set her every emotion on edge as of late. It made her read into every move he made, whether there was intent behind it or not. But even disregarding that, it was clear Matt's definition of space meant avoiding her most of the time.

Still, she said nothing. She assured him she'd given him time to work this out, and she refused to break another promise to him. Even though every day it felt like another part of her was breaking, she did her best to give him what he wanted.

But, mentally, she was paying the price for that. On top of the normal stress of pregnancy, the circumstances around this baby made it all the worse. And adding everything with Matt to that, Gabby felt like she was comprised of nothing but stress, like she was about to snap at any moment. Which had resulted in frequent trips and calls to the Chaplain. In the past week alone, she knew she'd sought him out at least four times. It was the only thing she knew to do to keep herself grounded while Matt fought this internal battle. She was slowly crumbling, and the Chaplain had become the lifeline she needed to hold on until Matt was ready. He'd become the person she'd go to, because right now it seemed like she was out of options. Antonio had enough on his plate, and even though she knew he'd drop anything to help her, she didn't want to burden him. And while in the past, Brett had been one of the first people she'd turn to, that was far from the case now. And Matt, for obvious reasons, wasn't an option either. Jemma briefly crossed her mind, but there was so much her new friend didn't know about the situation, and the thought of having to explain everything right now sent her running in the other direction. So she turned to the Chaplain, him being a nonjudgmental ear for her to talk to, allowing her to get everything off her chest before it completely destroyed her.

The noise of metal on hardwood broke her from her trance, Gabby's eyes focusing to see Matt bend down to retrieve whatever he'd dropped, muttering a few choice words as he did so, before going back to his task like nothing had happened.

And even something as simple as that, Gabby couldn't help but read into. He hadn't even looked her way, making some joke as he picked up the lost tool, saying something that was sure to be met by a teasing response from her. There was none of that. It was as if there was no difference between her being here and her not; it was all the same to him. And maybe that's the tactic he'd chosen, pretending to be by himself even with her here. That thought alone felt like a sharp, stabbing pain slicing through her chest, Gabby forcing her thoughts elsewhere.

She knew there was no quick fix to what they were going through, that this situation was hard. Maybe the hardest thing they've ever faced together. But, selfishly, she just wished that whatever his decision was, he came to it quickly. She didn't know how much longer she could take the tense air around them. She couldn't bear the thought of this being what their relationship was for much longer, it was killing her.

She missed Matt more than she could put into words. She missed talking to him. She missed kissing him. She missed feeling him. She missed everything with him, and she couldn't help but wonder if he felt the same. She hoped he did. She hoped he was feeling the same way, but he just needed the time to accept everything. But she had no way of knowing, and even if she could find the courage to ask, she wasn't completely sure she wanted the answer.

Logically, she knew there was no reason to assume that any part of Matt was happy with where they were right now. That this was killing him just as much as it was her. She knew that. The only reason this was where they were was because of his inability to accept something happening to her. He wouldn't be fighting this hard if he didn't feel as if he had everything to lose. But emotionally, Gabby couldn't help the nagging thought away that this distance and space was Matt preparing himself for his decision. That he wouldn't be able to accept this and there would be no _them_ anymore. That the reason he was still just as distant as he was two weeks ago, if not more so, was because he was getting ready for the inevitable. She couldn't push away the small voice in her head telling her that he'd gotten by without her before, and he'd be able to do it again.

The thought alone sprung tears to her eyes, a wave of nausea hitting her like a truck as she closed her eyes tightly, pressing her palms into her knees as she willed her stomach to settle. She wasn't sure if this feeling had been caused by the painful thoughts creeping into her mind, or the poorly-named morning sickness that had hit Gabby full force the past week. If she were to guess, she'd say it was a little of both. But as the minutes ticked by and the unsettling feeling in her stomach only worsened, she was understanding it was more the second one.

Over the last ten days, Gabby's morning sickness had proved to test her will as it crept up and refused to leave. Luckily, she hadn't been experiencing all the symptoms that sometimes came with this part of pregnancy, but the two most prominent ones were the fatigue and vomiting. It didn't even seem to be connected to smells or certain foods setting her off, it just happened at a moments notice and was relentless.

She felt the familiar feeling rising in her throat, stifling a gag as she hurriedly pushed the blanket off of her, practically heaving herself up from the couch as she rushed towards their bedroom.

"Gabby? You okay?" Matt asked as her movements caught his attention, causing him to stop what he'd been doing. But she wasn't able to explain as she brushed past him, her hand covering her mouth as she moved. Though she knew she didn't need to explain, Matt having seen this happen on more than one occasion, always coming to her aid if she needed. Despite however he felt about her, he was still Matt, still concerned as always for her well-being. Still needing to know she was physically alright.

She barely made it to the bathroom in time as she released the contents of her stomach into the toilet, her body expelling the dinner she'd eaten only an hour ago. She felt movement behind her, Matt pulling back her hair and keeping his other hand on her back as she hung over the toilet, her body heaving as it felt compelled to continue, even though there was nothing left in her stomach.

Once the worst of it had passed, she reached out for a piece of toilet paper, wiping the edges of her mouth before tossing it in and flushing the toilet, drawing in a shaky breath as she sat back on her heels.

"You okay?" Matt questioned softly from behind her, carefully dropping the hold he had on her hair.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." She responded, her voice hoarse from the retching. Matt nodded, although she couldn't see it, stepping back as she began to slowly push herself up from the ground, his hand dropping from her back as she moved.

He stood there and watched as she stepped towards the sink, pulling out her toothbrush and toothpaste, clearly needing to get the taste out of her mouth.

"Are you sure this is normal?" Matt voiced suddenly, drawing her attention away from the items in her hands, looking at him through the mirror. "I mean, I know morning sickness is… but you've been getting sick a lot, just from what I've seen. And I'm sure it's happened more than that. But I just- I want to make sure it isn't anything we need to be concerned about." He rambled, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. Gabby couldn't stop the small smile that fell to her lips as he spoke, feeling the comforting sense of normalcy as she listened to him.

"I think it is." She replied, clearing her throat after she spoke, grimacing slightly. "But I'm gonna talk to Dr. Tanner about it, just to be sure." Gabby continued, Matt nodding slowly.

To her surprise, he never moved from his spot while she quickly brushed her teeth, his feet firmly planted on the ground as he kept his eyes on her. She wasn't sure the reasoning, but she wasn't complaining, having missed his presence more than she would ever admit to him.

"Speaking of," She said after rinsing out her mouth, turning around to face him, leaning her body into the counter. "My appointment's the day after tomorrow." She spoke, Matt nodding in response, telling her he remembered. "And I know you'll just be getting off shift, you don't have to go if you don't want to, I don't want you to feel forced but I, uh, I would like you to be there, if you can." Her voice was timid, hoping his answer wouldn't be rejection.

"I'll go." He responded almost instantly, his response surprising her slightly.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I'll be there. It's at nine, right?" She simply nodded, not trusting her voice at the moment. "Okay, well I'll just stop by here and pick you up after shift, and we'll go over there."

"Alright." She replied softly, Matt flashing her a slight smile before nodding out the door.

"Well, I'm gonna try and finish up that wall before it gets too late. I'm gonna wait to paint though until you go to sleep, or maybe just do it a day you're on shift. Just to be safe." Matt commented softly, his eyes tracing her face. "You need anything?" He questioned, moving towards her to get to the door.

Shaking her head, she responded. "No, I'm okay."

Matt nodded in response, slowing his steps as he got in front of her, his smile growing slightly before he continued on. But he didn't get very far, Gabby instinctively reaching out to grab hold of his arm, Matt turning back towards her with his eyebrows raised. Before he could question her, she reached out, wrapping her arms around his back, holding herself to him tightly. His body was tense, at first, clearly not expecting her actions, but her body filled with relief the moment his muscles relaxed, his arms coming up to wrap around her. She wasn't sure if he was only doing this for her benefit or if he needed to contact as much as she did, but right now she didn't care. It was the closest they'd been in weeks. When she felt him press a soft kiss to the top of her head, her eyes fell closed, a content sigh leaving her lips as she tightened her hold on him.

For the first time in two weeks, she felt hopeful. She finally felt like maybe she had a reason to believe they were going to be okay.

* * *

Gabby bounced her leg up and down frantically as they sat in Dr. Tanner's office, her impatient nature getting the better of her as she and Matt waited. They'd arrived at their appointment nearly half an hour early, Matt still dressed in his shift clothes, not bothering to change as he'd made the decision to wait in the car for Gabby to come out when he picked her up. Their prompt arrival worked in their favor as they got back with the nurse fifteen minutes ahead of schedule, going through the same routine as last time. They'd taken her weight, checked her vitals, asked of her symptoms, and then left her and Matt in the exam room. It took barely ten minutes for their ultrasound technician to arrive, Gabby grateful to have Julie performing the test again. But she was even more thankful when she found out that she was having just a regular abdominal ultrasound today.

They saw their baby, the moment far too fleeting for Gabby's liking, but even in the few short minutes during the ultrasound she couldn't believe how much their child had grown in just two weeks. Although it wasn't a drastic difference, to Gabby it was everything, giving her the assurance she needed that their baby was thriving. The image combined with the comforting thud of the heartbeat brought tears to her eyes, Gabby continuously squeezing on the hand Matt surprisingly offered her before the exam. And once it was all over, they were brought back to Dr. Tanner's office, where they'd been waiting for almost forty five minutes.

And during that time, Matt hadn't said a word. He'd remained a quiet presence by her side, giving her reassuring touches of contact throughout the morning, but he'd gone silent. She did notice the unshed tears in his eyes during the ultrasound, but neither of them had commented on it, and now she was just waiting for him to speak up first.

Despite the small steps of progress that had been made over the last day or so; Matt initiating more contact between them, the couple having more conversations that weren't awkward or hard, Gabby still wasn't sure where she stood with him. She didn't know where his head was at, so until she was given the all clear, she still tried to give him what space she could.

Dr. Tanner rushing in with her tablet in hand snapped Gabby from her nervous headspace, the couple looking over as she came around her desk. "I'm sorry for the delay, I had an emergency with another patient."

"It's fine." Gabby replied with a soft smile, her hand resting over her still flat stomach.

"So, Gabby, Matt, it's good to see you again." She began. "You're around eight weeks along now, and according to your ultrasound baby is growing just as they should be." She spoke with a smile, looking up at the couple. "How have you been? You been feeling okay?" She questioned, turning her attention to Gabby.

"I've been feeling alright, just a little stressed." Gabby replied, Dr. Tanner nodding understandingly.

"Yes. I noticed your blood pressure was a little higher than I'd like," She spoke while tapping her screen, pulling up Gabby's file, "and you've actually lost half a pound since your last appointment, which is not what we like to see." Dr. Tanner glanced back towards Gabby, seeing a small frown resting on her face. "Have you been eating enough?"

"I have, it's just been hard to keep anything down. Between that and the stress, it's just been..." She trailed off with a grimace, Dr. Tanner flashing her a compassionate smile.

"Yeah, I saw where you said your morning sickness has been pretty rough. You've been getting sick frequently?" She asked for clarification, wanting to hear exactly what's been happening.

"Yeah, I have been. Probably at least four times a day during the last week."

"Any other symptoms along with that?"

"Mostly just fatigue. I'm really tired all the time. Sometimes I have headaches, but nothing too bad."

"It seems like you might have severe morning sickness. It usually starts showing a little earlier, but with the amount of times you're sick, and with how run-down you feel, I think that might be what it is. Normally, I'd assume you probably just caught a bug, I'd ask if you'd been in contact with anyone who's been sick, but with the nature of your job I know that's automatically a yes. But with how persistent this seems, I think you're just one of the unlucky ones who gets more severe morning sickness."

"Is that bad?" Matt asked, his voice rough from lack of use. "The severe morning sickness, is that something we need to be worried about?"

"As long as it doesn't progress too far into the pregnancy, it's of no harm to the baby. If we get well into your second trimester and it hasn't eased up, then there might be some cause for concern. But right now, it's fine. It's just not very fun on mom, though. And we need to try and find a way to help you keep your food down. I want you to try and stick to a more bland diet, see it that helps at all." Dr. Tanner replied, looking to Gabby. "And I know it's hard with your job, but you need to be getting as much rest as you can. Whenever you're not working, I want you sitting. And, again, with your job it's hard, but I need you to reduce the stressors in your life. It's not the cause, and I know with your situation, that's stressful enough, but any stress you can reduce, you need to. For you and your baby." She instructed, Gabby's head turning to look at Matt, seeing his gaze focused on the doctor.

"Speaking of," Dr. Tanner started, clearing her throat. "Have you two decided what you're going to do?"

Taking a deep breath, Gabby reached for Matt's hand that was resting in his lap, him giving it willingly. "We're keeping the baby."

Dr. Tanner's eyes flickered back and forth between the couple, seeing the cautious optimism shining across Gabby's face, and the complete and utter fear in Matt's. Nodding slowly, she smiled at both of them, trying to ease their worries. "Okay. Well, now that you've made your decision, it's up to me to keep both mom and baby healthy." She spoke lightly, Gabby squeezing his hand. "But I'm gonna need your help, the both of you. I'm serious about keeping the stress to a minimum. And resting as much as humanly possible. You need to make sure you're eating enough, and drinking enough water. And Matt, keep an eye on her, and make sure she's sticking to that." Dr. Tanner firmly spoke, the pair nodding.

"Now, I do believe I can get both you and baby through this pregnancy, but the further we get along, the more dangerous it becomes." She warned them, Matt's grip loosening on Gabby's hand, his spine straightening. "With the pressure your growing baby puts on your system, the later we get into this pregnancy is when we need to start actively watching your aneurysm."

"Will you still be watching it until then?" Matt questioned, dropping Gabby's hand and placing his back in his lap.

"Of course, yes. That is our biggest concern with this pregnancy, so we'll be keeping an eye on it." She assured him. "Luckily, Gabby, you're young and you're healthy, so that cuts down on a lot of the normal risks with pregnancy. Our main focus throughout this will be that aneurysm, and making sure nothing changes." Matt nodded, blowing out a soft sigh.

"Since this is your first pregnancy that you'll be carrying to term, we're gonna have to play it by ear, take it a week at a time. We don't know how your body is going to react to pregnancy yet, and the changes it'll go through. So we'll have to keep an eye on you. When we get further into your pregnancy, and your body starts adjusting, that's when we'll start measuring the aneurysm at the beginning of each appointment, to make sure it hasn't changed."

"How often do you need to see me?" Gabby asked, missing the comfort Matt's grasp had given her.

"Right now I want you to come back here every two weeks. I know it's not the most convenient thing, and it's a little unusual, but with the situation I want to see you frequently, and have consistently updated scans. Then the further along we get, it'll probably go to once a week. I'd feel most comfortable having you here as often as possible, and I'm sure it'll give you two peace of mind as well." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby glancing to Matt, seeing him nodding.

"And I'm still okay to work?"

"For now, yes. That is another thing we'll have to decide visit to visit. As long as you're feeling alright, I'm fine with it. But we'll probably have put you on leave earlier than normal, so your body can stay rested. We'll just have to see. But for now, as long as you continue to avoid the heavy lifting, it's fine."

"Alright."

"Do you have any more questions right now?" Dr. Tanner asked, glancing back and forth between the mentally exhausted looking couple. They exchanged looks, neither saying a word. She could see in their demeanor that despite their decision, they were worried. Matt especially, Dr. Tanner could see how hard he was taking this. "I know it's scary, and that there might be some days you're not so sure you're doing the right thing. But I promised you this before, and I'll do it again; I will do everything I can to get the three of you through this happy and healthy." Matt was the first to react, giving her a small appreciative smile, Gabby soon giving her a similar one. "But you've gotta help me out with that, and you can start by resting."

"I will." Gabby assured her.

"Good. Now, before you go, I do want to prescribe you some medication for the nausea. I know how terrible that can be, and with how frequently you've been getting sick, I think it'll help you, at least a little." Dr. Tanner spoke, pulling out her prescription pad. "And I know you're also on that medication for your anxiety, but I've looked at both the medications and they won't affect the other, so you don't need to worry about scheduling when you take them. But I recommend not using the nausea medicine unless you really need it."

"Okay, thank you." Gabby responded, Matt reaching out to grab the prescription as Dr. Tanner held it out, holding it in his grasp.

"Yeah, thanks doctor." Matt said softly, the woman nodding at both of them as they started to stand up.

"Of course. Don't be afraid to call if you have any more questions, or if something comes up. And make sure you schedule that appointment before you leave."

With another nod, Gabby said her goodbyes to Dr. Tanner, Matt following behind her as they walked through the maze that was this office, soon finding themselves back out at the front, Gabby moving towards the desk.

"Hey Debbie." Gabby greeted with a soft smile, the woman's grin widening.

"Hi Ms. Dawson, Mr. Casey." She replied back, reaching out to take Gabby's paper. "Back in two weeks again?"

Blowing out a sigh, Gabby nodded. "Yeah, seems like I'll be around here a lot until I have this baby." She responded, feeling Matt tense at her side.

Debbie nodded understandingly, the woman having heard bits and pieces about the couple's situation through her coworkers. And while she didn't have the whole story, she didn't need it to know how sad it was. "Well, two weeks from now looks to be about the 26th of February. I have an opening at 11:30, will that work?"

"Yes. And if not, we'll make it work." Gabby told her, Debbie nodding as she put her on the schedule, giving her a card with her appointment on it.

"Alright, well I'll see you then."

The two women exchanged goodbyes, Matt merely nodding as they left the office. They walked quietly out of the building, Matt keeping a firm hand on her back as they found their way outside, the chill in the air hitting them instantly.

"So, if you don't care, I figured I'd drop this off at the pharmacy before we go home, then I can run out and pick it up when it's ready." Matt voiced as they walked to the truck, his hand sliding from her back to her arm to keep her balanced as they maneuvered some patches of ice left over from the last storm.

"That's fine, but I don't care to wait if you'd rather stay until it's ready. I don't want to have you go all the way back over there."

"I don't mind." He replied with a shrug, opening the truck door for her, standing there until she got situated before jogging to his side.

Once they were ready, Matt pulled away from the curb, driving through the busy streets of Chicago as he followed the familiars roads to their pharmacy, a quiet having settled over them. But Gabby wouldn't have labeled it as one of the tense quiets they'd so frequently found themselves in the last few weeks, this one was more calm. And she didn't really understand it. With how distant Matt had been this morning, especially towards the end of her appointment, she didn't know why he suddenly seemed to be okay. Granted, she understood little of how Matt reacted to things these days. She was confused more often than not when it came to him, his back and forth demeanor doing a number on her. But when the less tense moments did come, she tried to cherish them, never knowing how long they'd last.

"Alright, I'll be right back. You need anything?" Matt asked, Gabby looking up to see them parked outside the pharmacy. She shook her head, Matt nodding in response, reaching for the prescription that sat on the seat in between them. "I'll make this quick." He told her, sliding out of the truck, shutting the door before hurrying across the street.

Casey was proud of himself for how efficiently he got in and out of the pharmacy, clocking himself at just over five minutes as he completed his task, grabbing a bottle of water for her while he was in there as well. Light snow had started to fall across the city as he stepped outside, checking the road before jogging back towards the truck, seeing Gabby still where he left her.

Finding the door locked, he tapped lightly on the window, pulling Gabby's attention from whatever had her so zoned out, seeing her glance towards him before unlocking the doors, Matt quickly seeking the warmth the car provided him.

"So, they said it would be about two hours. I got you some water, cause I wasn't sure if you had any with you." He told her, holding out the bottle to her, his eyebrows furrowing as he realized she hadn't heard a word he said. "Gabby?"

"Oh- sorry." Her head moved back up, Matt adjusting to see what had caught her attention so intensely, every muscle in his body tensing as he saw what she'd been holding in her lap. "I was just looking at these again… I'm so glad Julie printed them off for us." Gabby spoke, a cheerful tone to her voice, despite knowing she was treading into murky waters as she held up the scans from her ultrasound. "She printed off doubles, do you want this one?" She asked softly, holding out the black and white image towards him, his eyes fixated on the blurry photo of their baby in front of his face. He didn't say a word, not giving any sort of response to what she'd said. All he did was stare blankly at the picture, his face hard, not noticing the photo begin to tremble in her grasp. He suddenly forced his eyes away, his jaw clenching as he looked anywhere but at the image of their child. Seeing his reaction, Gabby put her unsteady hand down, shaking her head softly. "Matt…" She sighed sadly, placing the pictures of their child on the seat between them.

"I guess I was wrong about this." She murmured after a few painfully silent moments, Matt finally looking towards her, seeing unshed tears in her eyes. "You really don't want this baby, do you?" Her voice was shaky, but she refused to let the tears fall.

"Gabby…"

"I really believed that, deep down, you were only pushing so hard because you were scared to lose me. But I don't know anymore." She continued, swallowing the lump in her throat. "If you have made up your mind, and this is true, that you really don't want this, please just tell me."

"That's not true, Gabby." Matt replied immediately. "If I had figured out anything, good or bad, I would've told you." He defended, willing himself to remain level-headed. "I still feel so lost with everything."

"I know you do, and I understand that. But all of this, it's confusing Matt. I know how hard this is for you, and you need your space, but I don't understand why there's some times it's like everything's getting better, and then minutes later you'll go back to barely being able to look at me. I don't understand, and it hurts." She whispered, blinking back the tears threatening to fall.

"I… I'm sorry, Gabby, I'm not meaning to hurt you. But I really don't have an answer for you. This is confusing for me, too."

Releasing a heavy sigh, she shook her head. "I get that, but all this back and forth is almost unbearable. If you're gonna be mad, be mad. If you think you're finally able to start accepting this, great. But please just pick however you feel about me before I lose my mind." She rambled out in a hurry, her words forceful, holding more pent-up frustration than she realized.

Matt drew in a deep breath, turning his body towards hers. "I'm trying, Gabby. I really am-"

"But what does that even mean?! All I keep hearing from you is that you're trying, and then we go days without speaking."

"I'm trying to accept the possibility of losing you! I'm trying to force myself to be okay with it, even though there is no scenario in which I am." He responded, Gabby's eyes falling closed. "But that doesn't mean I don't want our child. Because I do, but it's hard for me, okay? This isn't something I ever thought I'd have to come to terms with, having to choose between you or our baby. But believe me when I tell you, I'm trying."

"I do believe you, I just never know where we stand. I never know how you're going to act around me, if you're angry or okay, and it's exhausting. This entire thing is stressful."

"Where we stand is that I love you." He spoke strongly, Gabby's eyes snapping towards him. It had been too long since she'd heard those words come from his lips. "I wish I could explain to you why there are some times I seem okay and then other times I'm not, but I don't understand it either." He said, stuttering over his words, Gabby able to hear the frustration in his voice. Frustration aimed at himself. "But anytime I feel like I'm starting to accept all of this, all I can think about is losing you, and it makes me-" His hands clenched together, his gaze moving down to avoid eye contact. "It makes me so angry. And I'm trying not to be, it's not anger towards you," He clarified once more, looking back up to find her teary eyes staring at him. "It's just… the situation. Every time I think about this, it makes me upset. And I'm trying to figure out how to stop feeling like that, I promise you I am, but it's hard." He told her softly, unshed tears filling his eyes. "I wish I knew how to be okay with this, God I would give anything to be completely excited about everything. But I don't know what else to do to try and make myself okay with this. I've tried to reason it with the odds. I've tried looking at it like we have the best doctor we can, who's confident that everything will be okay. And that despite the risk, there's a good chance the both of you will be fine. But then as soon as I start to think I'm coming to terms with it, the thought of having to do this without you hits me all over again. And it's like I'm back at square one."

He tried his best to explain what was going on in his head, that it wasn't as simple as him just being upset over her decision. "And I feel guilty, for the way I'm feeling. I wish I didn't feel like this. I know I'm making this so much harder on you, and that's the last thing I want. I really am trying to work through this, I need you to know that."

A thick silence filled the small space, Gabby's arms crossed over her stomach in a protective manner, her eyes flashing down from Matt's face, landing on the pictures of their baby. Sucking in a deep breath, she willed all emotion from her voice. "I know you are…" She replied, her eyes glued to the images of their child. "But you keep saying you're not angry with me… and I think at least part of you is."

"Gabby…"

"You're angry at the situation, the situation that _I_ put us in. There's no way at least a part of you isn't mad at me for that. There's some moments you can hardly look at me, you shut down, and that isn't just anger towards the situation…" She spoke, trying to mask how upset this was making her, but she knew she wasn't doing a very good job. Gabby forced herself to look back up at him, finding his pained gaze on her. "I'm not faulting you for how you're feeling. I wish this was easy, and that I never put you in this position. But it's where we're at, that's not gonna change." She spoke firmly, clearing the emotion from her throat. "And I need to know you're in this with me, Matt. I need to know that you will be okay with this, however long that takes. This," She paused, pointing back and forth between the two of them, "can't be what our relationship becomes. You shutting down when we're together… I can't live like this anymore. I feel like I can't even have a conversation with you because I'm afraid of saying or doing something that's gonna upset you, and cause you to shut me out. It's like we're not even together anymore and I can't do it." She was nearly pleading at this point, but she didn't care. "I said I would give you time, and I will. But I can't deal with the back and forth of this anymore. I need to know it won't be like this forever."

Her words hung in the air, Matt's mouth opening then closing multiple times, clearly trying to find something to say, anything to assure her that things would get better. But he couldn't. He couldn't find the words to say, to express exactly what was going through his head at this moment. He knew he needed to say something. But he didn't.

After prolonged moments of silence, Gabby's eyes fell closed, shaking her head slowly back and forth as she moved her gaze forward.

"Can we go home now?" She asked quietly, her voice barely audible, afraid that if she spoke any louder she'd break.

"Gabby, I..."

"I'm tired, can we please just go." She responded, turning her body towards the window, curling up into herself as she leaned her head against the side of the truck. She heard Matt sigh heavily, before carefully pulling out into the street, a lone tear sliding down her cheek as they silently drove home.

* * *

Norris watched her partner closely as they climbed out of the rig, the pair having just returned from their third call of the day. It had been tiring back to back shifts for the paramedics, Jemma not able to stop the growing concern she felt for the woman that had become one of her closest friends.

When Gabby showed up to work yesterday morning, it was clear something was wrong. Dawson came in with her head down, heading straight for the locker room without a word. Jemma had given her space, but the first time she saw Dawson's face, she saw the exhaustion, the sorrow, the redness in her tired eyes that were obvious signs of crying.

Jemma didn't press for details, knowing if it was anything Gabby wanted to share, she would. But that didn't stop her from keeping a watchful eye on her friend and partner. Gabby had chosen to keep to herself all of yesterday, staying in the bunkroom aside from calls and meals. It was unusual, everyone in the small house knew something was wrong. But they all left her alone.

And it had been more of the same this morning. Gabby came in with the same broken look on her face, keeping to herself all morning. But this time she hadn't been around when they ate breakfast, and she didn't appear for lunch either. Jemma was the only one who'd spent more than a few minutes with her the last two days, but even when they were together it was like Gabby was somewhere else.

Gabby remained professional and focused on calls, getting the job done as efficiently as possible. But Jemma saw how it was wearing her down, how after every call she seemed more tired. And Norris couldn't help but worry, because it wasn't just her friend she was concerned for. It was the little life inside of her, too.

"Man, I'm tired." Jemma spoke casually as Gabby walked around the back of the rig, the older paramedic glancing to her, nodding slowly.

"Yeah, it's been a long few days." Gabby replied softly, swallowing thickly as a wave of nausea passed through her. But she forced the feeling away. She couldn't figure out why she was still feeling nauseous, having taken one of the pills Dr. Tanner prescribed her earlier in the day, but it didn't seem to be working.

Jemma opened her mouth to reply, seeing that as an opportunity to check in, make sure Gabby knew she was here if she needed anything, but Norris didn't have a chance to get the words out when the bells rung, signaling their ambo to help with a car accident.

"Good lord, what is with today." Norris muttered, the partners turning around and walking back to their respective seats. As Gabby pulled the door open, she stopped short as her mind became fuzzy, a feeling of dizziness spreading through her body, her eyes falling closed as she willed it to pass. "Dawson?" Jemma called, looking over to see a grimace covering her friends face. "Gabby, you okay?"

"I'm fine." She finally responded, opening her eyes and climbing into her seat, pushing through the unsteady feeling.

"Are you sure? We can transfer the call."

"I'm good, let's go."

Norris sighed heavily before nodding, knowing there was no use to put up a fight. She pulled out of the garage, heading towards the accident that thankfully wasn't very far away from them. They got there in a matter of minutes, soon both women hopping down from the rig, Jemma not missing how Gabby stood still by the door for a few extra seconds before coming around to the back, helping to unload the gurney and grab the bag.

Norris couldn't help but worry that something was going on, something that Gabby wasn't telling her, that was causing her unusual physical actions. But they didn't have time for Jemma to question her; there was a person who needed help and that was all they could focus on right now.

When they got to the car, they saw a rescue unit working on getting the door off, two other ambulances having left as they arrived.

"We've got one more victim, the father. He's pinned in there pretty good, I need one of you to get a collar on him." The older firefighter informed them, Jemma nodding as she reached for the collar, but Gabby grabbed it first. "Be careful though, it's pretty tight in there."

Norris grimaced as she already knew what Dawson was thinking. Although it seemed harmless enough, it wasn't something Gabby should be doing. From the contorting alone that would be needed to get in and out of this vehicle, Jemma knew this is exactly what Gabby's doctor had meant by staying away from the more difficult aspects of the job. So as Gabby began walking towards the vehicle, Jemma stopped her.

"Dawson, I got it." She said, putting her hand on her shoulder, holding her other one out to take the collar.

"No, it's fine. It's easy, I can do it." She replied back, turning out of Jemma's grip.

"No, you can't." Jemma fought back, moving to stand in front of her. "This isn't something you should be doing, I got it." Norris' words were a little more firm, hoping to coerce her friend into giving up. But her methods only had the opposite effect.

"Jemma, I'm not made of glass. This is simple, I can do it." Gabby bit back, stepping to the side to move around her.

"Dawson!" Jemma ordered loudly, everyone stopping their actions around them as they heard the hostile tone in her voice. "Stand down."

The two women stared at one another for a few seconds, neither wanting to give in. But Gabby was tired; mentally and physically she was exhausted. So without another word, she handed over the collar and stepped back, watching on as Jemma went to work.

Once secure, the firefighters managed to get the guy out and onto the awaiting gurney, Norris and Dawson taking over as they began to work.

In under an hour, they had gotten the patient to med, filled out the needed paperwork, and gotten back to the house, Gabby having remained quiet for most of that time. There was an uncomfortable feeling in the air, Jemma feeling guilty for shouting at her friend. They'd been partners for two months now, and in all that time they'd never come close to having a disagreement, on shift or off. But Gabby was all ready to put herself into a situation they both knew she wasn't supposed to be in, and Jemma couldn't let it slide. Yes, it was an easy recovery and Gabby probably would've been fine, but even in her short time on the job, Jemma knew how easily things could go south. Every call was unpredictable, there was no way to completely guarantee Gabby's safety, especially when she was not just looking out for herself. And if something had gone wrong when Dawson was in there, or something had happened to her baby because of it, Jemma would never forgive herself. Norris just hoped Gabby would understand that.

"Hey, Dawson, wait up." Jemma called, seeing her partner heading for the entrance. Gabby turned around as Norris jogged towards her, Jemma thankful to see that her friend didn't look mad. But she did look exhausted. "I'm sorry about that back there, I am, but we both know you're not supposed to be putting yourself in those situations. And I could tell you weren't backing down and it worried me. But I shouldn't have yelled at you like that, I'm sorry."

To her surprise, Dawson merely flashed her an understanding smile, shaking her head. "No, you were right to do what you did. I had no business getting in that car, I wasn't even really thinking, I just…" She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders as she looked to the ground. "My mind was somewhere else and I went onto autopilot. But I appreciate you stopping me, I know I'm not supposed to be doing those things."

Giving her an understanding nod, Jemma placed her hand on Gabby's arm, rubbing softly. "That's what partners are for. I've always got your back. With anything." Norris spoke firmly, Gabby's eyes glancing up to her after she spoke, both of them knowing there was a much deeper meaning to her words.

But Gabby didn't take the opening, instead she just nodded, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know. I appreciate it." She replied softly before turning to leave.

Gabby didn't make it very far before she had to stop walking, the same dizziness and nausea sweeping through again, this time at full force, halting her steps completely.

"Gabby? You okay?" Jemma asked, concern filling her words as she took the few steps towards her partner.

"Yeah, yeah, it's just-" Gabby stopped talking as a sharp pain moved through her head, leaving a pounding headache in its wake as her hand came up to cover her forehead.

"Just what? What's wrong?" Norris was nearing full panic as Gabby pressed firmly against her head, a soft groan leaving her lips as the pain in her skull increased, the nausea debilitating. "Gabby?" Jemma asked again, getting no response as Dawson's eyes slammed shut, a weird sensation of numbness filling her entire body. "Let's go sit down, okay?"

Gabby barely felt Jemma grabbing her arm, her friend's words sounding distant, like she was yards away. She didn't know what was happening, opening her eyes again only to find her surroundings blurry and unfocused, before her vision went black completely. Her mind was in a haze, unable to feel anything other than the tingling numbness covering her, her legs feeling weak.

The last thing she remembered was wanting to take a step forward, but it was as if every muscle in her body gave out, hearing Jemma yell out her name when her body collapsed, slamming against the cold, unforgiving ground as her world went dark.

* * *

**Well, how are you guys feeling? I know these last couple of chapters have been hard, and with that ending it doesn't appear things are getting much better. I don't wanna spoil anything for you guys, but just hold on. Things can't be bad forever, right? I know some of you mention how reading these last few chapters have been hard to get through, and trust me, I feel the same way writing it. I wish it could be all happy Dawsey all the time, but that's not realistic. However, unlike the show, I believe there should be an actual reason for any drama around a relationship, and that there should be a payoff at the end. Drama just for drama's sake is obnoxious and unnecessary...**

**Also, I hadn't thought of this before, but someone mentioned it in their review and I figured I might as well ask. Would you all be interested in me giving you a little snippet of my new story? I'd just add it at the end of a chapter here or something. Someone said something about wanting a sneak peek of it, and I wouldn't mind posting a little bit of it at the end of one of these chapters, if you all would want that. Just let me know! **

**The new story I'm working on is kind of a big undertaking for me. I've had it in my head/partially written for well over a year, I just never did anything with it. It was in my head way before this story was even a thing. I believe I first started writing it back when season six was first airing. But there's so many things I want to do in it, it's been hard to focus and get everything in order, especially with so much of my attention on this story. That's why it's been taking so long for me to get it going. I'm not trying to drag you all along or anything, I am working on it. I just want it to be good, and it takes a little extra focusing on my part. But when I finish up the first chapter, I'd be happy to give you guys a little sneak peek of it, if you're interested.**

**Thank you all so much for reading! I can't wait to hear what you thought of this one!**


	34. Chapter Thirty Four

**Hello! Here's another chapter for you all. I know you all are eager to see what happens. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Four**_

* * *

"Let's go sit down, okay?" Jemma suggested, trying to mask the clear panic in her voice, reaching out and grabbing a hold of Gabby's arm. Norris wasn't even sure her words had been heard by Gabby, the woman giving no sign of response. Noticing Dawson's pale complexion, Jemma tightened her grip, her eyebrows furrowing as she saw Gabby's legs begin to tremor.

And the next thing she knew, Gabby was on the floor.

"Gabby!" Jemma yelled as she saw Dawson's body make painful contact with the ground, Norris kneeling down beside her immediately, placing her fingers against Gabby's neck as she checked for a pulse. She released a breath she didn't realize she'd be holding when she felt the rapid thumping beneath her fingertips. Gabby's heart was racing, but she was alive.

"Help!" Jemma screamed as loud as she could. "Help!" It took only seconds for the double doors to fly open, Blevins being the first one who came running, quickly followed by the three other paramedics, Chief Walters not far behind.

"What happened?" Blevins asked frantically, his eyes widening as he registered the scene in front of him.

"We were talking and she just collapsed. I've got a pulse and she's breathing, but her heart is racing. I need someone to get the gurney." She ordered, Turner running towards the closest ambulance, unloading the bed as quickly as he could. "Decker, Murray, can you help me turn her?" With close precision, the three paramedics carefully moved Gabby from her side to her back as Turner arrived next to them with the gurney.

"Did she mention anything that was wrong?" Chief Walters asked, his face stoic despite the situation, Jemma catching the true meaning behind his words. They were still the only two in the house who knew of Gabby's pregnancy, but Norris was sure that wouldn't be the case for much longer.

"No, she didn't. Before our call, she was acting a little off. But I just thought she was tired." Jemma spoke as she continued to further access Dawson's condition. "We were walking and she just stopped, put her hand on her head and collapsed." She explained while keeping focus on her friend. "She's still unresponsive Chief, we need to get her to med."

The five paramedics began working seamlessly as they transferred her onto the backboard, no one wanting to take any risks. Although Jemma was almost certain it wasn't necessary, she didn't know if Gabby had hit her head, or done any damage to her neck, and they weren't about to take the chance.

On Norris' count, they got her lifted onto the bed, Murray and Turner loading her into the ambulance, Jemma waiting to get in.

"Turner, Murray, you all go with them. I'll take both ambos out of service for now."

"Got it, Chief." Murray spoke, Turner hopping into the back and beginning to pull out the wires to get her on the monitor.

Jemma pushed herself up into the back of the ambulance, sitting down beside the gurney, beginning to unzip Gabby's jacket, needing to get it out of the way.

"Norris." Walters called, the woman looking up quickly. "Let us know what's going on." She simply nodded before turning her attention back to Gabby, carefully attaching the wires to her. Murray shut the back doors before hurrying to the driver's seat, pulling out from the garage as quickly as possible, sirens blaring.

"So she just passed out?" Turner asked as Jemma got the last wire attached, Norris frowning as she saw the numbers appear on the screen.

"We need to get her on oxygen, she's not getting enough air." Norris spoke, Turner reaching for the supplies, handing the mask to Jemma as he got the air going. Norris carefully placed the oxygen mask over her face, strapping it behind her head before moving to continue her assessment.

"Norris?"

"What?" She asked, trying to calm the nerves coursing through her system.

"Gabby- she just passed out? Nothing happened?" He asked again, Norris sighing heavily.

"No, nothing happened. She- she's… no." She stumbled over her words, her mind running frantically as she tried to figure out what could've caused this.

"She's what?"

"She's pregnant." Jemma spoke, Turner's eyes widening in surprise. "And I don't know if something with that caused this, or if it was unrelated, but we need to get her to med."

Jemma had never been one to panic. She was level-headed and focused, always able to look at things rationally. She was never one to act on emotion alone. But right now, she was scared. She was scared of what caused this to happen, scared of what it might mean for Gabby and her baby. But she couldn't let herself get lost in that fear, not when Dawson needed her to do her job.

"We're almost there, Norris." Elizabeth called from the front seat, Jemma nodding as she kept glancing to Gabby's vitals. Her heart was still racing, and she had yet to regain consciousness, neither of which were good signs.

Taking a steadying breath, Jemma's eyes widened as a sudden realization hit her, the woman fishing through her pockets trying to find her phone. Once in her grasp, she all but threw it at Turner, Nick looking at her in confusion. "Go to my contacts, look for Matt Casey."

The same realization soon showed on Turner's face as well, him beginning to fumble with her phone, searching for the man's name. "Ah shit, her husband. I completely forgot." He muttered, putting the device up to his ear.

"Tell him what happened, and that we're taking her to med." As the words left Jemma's mouth, the ambulance came to a stop, Murray practically throwing herself from the driver's seat before coming around to get the back doors open.

"He's not answering." Turner spoke as they unloaded Gabby, the woman still unconscious on the bed.

"Keep trying. I'm not sure if he's on shift or not." She responded, the three paramedics rushing inside, Norris and Murray on either side of the bed while Turner followed behind, trying to get ahold of Casey.

"What do we got- Dawson?" Maggie's eyes widened as he saw who was on the bed. "What happened?"

"She collapsed at work. She, uh, she hasn't regained consciousness since." Jemma explained quickly, her mind running rampant as Maggie lead them to a room. They got her moved onto the hospital bed quickly, Murray moving the gurney from the room to give them space.

"We got her." Maggie spoke strongly, as nurses began to crowd around Gabby. "We'll come get you when we know something." She led Jemma towards the door, Jemma glancing back to Gabby. "Norris, I promise. She's in good hands."

"I know, it's just- she's pregnant."

A look of shock flashed over Maggie's face before she regained control of her reaction, breathing deeply. "How far along?"

"I… I don't know. I'm not sure, you'd have to ask Casey. She found out about a month ago, Dr. Rhodes told her, but uh- I don't know." Jemma was blurting out any information she had, trying to get her mind to focus.

"I'll talk to Dr. Rhodes. Have you called Casey?"

"We're trying."

Nodding understandingly, Maggie had to practically push the paramedic from the room. "Okay. I'll let you know as soon as we know anything."

Jemma stood just outside the door, watching as Maggie slid it closed, her eyes on Gabby until the curtain closed, her friend now out of her sight.

Forcing herself to take a deep breath, Jemma stepped away from the room, shoving her trembling hands into her pockets as she looked around, finding Turner standing a few feet away by the nurses station.

"Were you able to reach him?" Norris asked, leaning her weight against the counter.

"No, voicemail every time. I'm guessing he's on shift, maybe out on a call." Turner commented softly, handing the phone back to Jemma. "Murray went to move the ambo, she'll be back."

Nodding in response, Jemma called Matt again, blowing out a frustrated sigh as it went to voicemail again. She didn't want to leave this kind of news for him in a message, but if she couldn't get ahold of him soon, she'd have to. He needed to know what was going on.

Norris kept her phone in her grasp, frantic movement catching her attention as she looked up, seeing both Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Manning rushing to Gabby's room, quickly disappearing behind the curtain.

Every minute that ticked by felt like an eternity, Jemma unable to pull her attention from Gabby's room, afraid she might miss something if she looked away. She didn't even realize Murray had gotten back, not until she spoke up.

"Should we go wait out front?" She suggested, not wanting the three of them to be in the way. She was as worried about Dawson as anyone, but the ER was hectic, and all they were doing now was taking up space.

"Uh, you all can. I'm gonna stay here." Norris replied, Murray and Turner sharing a knowing glance before nodding.

"Alright, I'll call Chief, let him know we got here. Keep us updated." Murray said, patting Jemma's arm before the two paramedics walked away, heading for the waiting room.

Positioning herself where Turner had been standing, Jemma now had a clear view of Gabby's room, her gaze focused intently on it. Every few moments she would glance down to her phone, just to make sure she hadn't missed anything from Matt.

She wasn't even sure how much time had passed when there was movement from Gabby's room, seeing a few nurses go in and out, clearly on a mission. It could've been two minutes, it could've been fifteen minutes, she had no idea. But as far as Jemma knew, Maggie hadn't left the room, and neither had Dr. Rhodes or Dr. Manning, which Norris could only assume to be a bad sign. The doctors being in there this long was one thing, but Maggie? That woman ran this place, and for her to be focusing all her attention on Dawson, it was worrisome.

Norris' head snapped to the entrance as she heard a vaguely familiar voice, immediately seeing Gabby's old partner bringing in a patient, the blonde rattling off the details of her transport as they got sent to a room. Glancing back to Gabby's room quickly, she focused her full attention on the paramedics, her fingers tapping anxiously against the counter.

When the woman and her partner came out of the room with their gurney, Jemma took the opening to get her attention. "Brett!" She called across the busy room, her voice sounding half like a question, not completely certain if that was the woman's name or not. Aside from meeting her once, she'd had no contact with the woman, and the paramedic wasn't really a topic of conversation between her and Dawson. But thankfully the blonde looked over, realization setting in her face after a few seconds, the look morphing into confusion. Norris saw her signal something to her partner- Jemma not even able to recall if they'd been introduced before, watching as the blonde made her way over.

"Hey, Jemma." Brett greeted, Norris glancing back over to Gabby's room once more, needing to know she wasn't missing something, before looking back to the woman Dawson used to work with.

"Hey, is Casey on shift today?" Brett picked up on the frantic tone in Norris' voice, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion but nodding nonetheless.

"He is, we were all at a fire. Foster and I just dropped off our patient, why?" She asked, her eyes moving around the room. "Where's Gabby?"

"Can I use your radio?" Norris asked, ignoring her questions, Brett's confusion only growing. "I need to talk to Matt, and I can't reach him."

"Yeah, of course." Brett put up zero resistance, seeing the young woman in front of her in near panic. "What happened, Jemma?" She asked as she unclipped her radio from her jacket, the cord stretching as she held it out to her.

"Gabby collapsed at work. I don't know why, but as far as I know she hasn't regained consciousness." She rambled out.

"Oh my God." Brett murmured, turning to look towards Foster, waving the woman over.

"This will get me through to his truck?" She asked for clarification as she held the device in her hand, seeing Brett's partner come up to them.

"Yeah, it'll get you through to the whole firehouse, but Casey will hear it."

* * *

Matt stood by the passenger side of Truck 81, watching as his firefighters put their equipment away, all of them exhausted after battling this fire for the better part of the afternoon. Luckily no one had gotten seriously hurt, but the scene was a rough one. He knew the entire house was looking forward to getting back and hopefully having a few moments to rest.

"_Casey?_"

Matt furrowed his eyebrows as a static-y voice came through the radio, everyone halting what they were doing as they heard his name.

"_Casey? Can you hear me?_"

There was a clarity in the voice this time, Matt's heart rate speeding up as he immediately recognized it, bringing his hand up to his radio to respond.

"Jemma?"

"_Matt! I need you to get to med, right now!_" Her voice was panicked, Casey signaling his firefighters with his free hand to hurry getting the rig packed up, all of them beginning to move at lightning speed, not caring if it was done correctly. It could be fixed later. "_Gabby… she collapsed at work, I don't know what happened. But we got her here as soon as we could._"

"Otis, get us to med, now!" Matt ordered, jumping into the rig, returning his attention back to Jemma. "So, she just collapsed? Is she okay?! Do they know what caused it?" His words were rushed, Otis barely waiting for the last door to shut before he pulled away from the curb, the sirens blaring on the rig as the firefighter rushed to the hospital.

"_She never regained consciousness,_" Jemma spoke, Matt choking out a breath. "_I'm not sure if she's woken up, Dr. Rhodes and Dr. Manning are in there with her right now. I… I don't know anything._"

Blowing out a shaky breath, Matt slammed his hand down against the dashboard in frustration, everyone in the truck watching him closely. "I'll be there soon." He responded, dropping his hand from the radio, bringing it up to rub roughly over his face, forcing himself to stay as composed as possible until he knew for sure what was going on.

* * *

Jemma and Brett stood at the nurses station, neither woman saying anything as they both stared at Dawson's room. There had been a lot of the nurses going in and out, but no one had come to speak to Jemma yet. They had no idea what was going on, every member of the staff making sure to shut the curtain each and every time they came and went.

After Norris finished talking to Casey, Foster went to get the gurney into the ambo and move the rig, knowing they couldn't keep it blocking the entrance. When Brett had instructed her partner to do that, it was then Jemma realized the women weren't going anywhere, the young paramedic feeling grateful that Gabby would have more people here for her.

"Norris!" Jemma moved her gaze towards the sound, seeing Casey running towards her frantically, Foster behind him. The woman had been on her way back in when 81 pulled up, practically pulling Casey through the entrance and pointing Jemma and Brett out to him.

"She's still in there, I haven't heard anything." Jemma replied as he got to her, seeing the worry and panic he held in his demeanor.

"What happened?" His voice was unsteady, unshed tears shining in his eyes.

"We were at the house, we'd just gotten back from a call. She seemed okay, she was exhausted, but we were walking and she stopped. She grabbed her head, and then she just passed out. We got her here as soon as we could, but I don't know what's going on."

Closing his eyes, he ran a hand over his mouth. "...And the baby?" Matt knew who else was standing with them, but he didn't care.

"I… I don't know, Matt. I'm sorry."

"Where is she?" He asked, looking around at the different rooms.

"Right there." Jemma pointed towards her room, Matt taking off in that direction as soon as his eyes found it. "But I don't think they're letting anyone in right now." Her words fell on deaf ears, Matt continuing his path towards the room Gabby was in.

"...Baby?" Jemma turned her head towards Brett, the look of shock still present across her face. "Gabby's pregnant?"

Jemma's bottom lip fell in between her teeth, now understanding that when Gabby had said they weren't telling people about the pregnancy, that meant they weren't telling _anyone_, Firehouse 51 included.

"She is… I don't think they were wanting to tell people yet, but yeah, Gabby's pregnant." Glancing between Brett and Foster, Jemma saw the stunned looks on both of their faces, the blonde clearly more thrown by the news than the other.

Norris had always been curious about the relationship between Gabby and her former partner, getting the sense that something had happened there, but never wanting to ask. But she couldn't focus on that right now, all she was worried about was Gabby, Norris hoping and praying that her friend and that little baby would be just fine.

* * *

"But I don't think they're letting anyone in right now."

Matt ignored Jemma's words as he marched towards Gabby's room, seeing members of truck in his peripheral vision, them and squad having made their way into the ER, but he couldn't focus on them right now. He needed to get to Gabby. He needed to see her, and make sure she was okay.

As soon as he got to the door, he slid it open forcefully, roughly pushing back the curtain, his eyes fixated on the bed. Gabby was lying there, her jacket pulled off and her shirt cut open, monitors attached all over her chest. She was connected to oxygen, tears filling his eyes as he took in her appearance. Dr. Manning was currently performing an ultrasound, Dr. Rhodes standing by her head as he held his stethoscope over her chest. Seeing all the machines and chaos around her was frightening enough, but it was made all the worse by the fact that her eyes were still closed.

As far as he could tell, she hadn't woken up yet, and he was terrified of what that meant.

"Gabby…" He whispered, his eyes fixated on her.

"Casey-"

When Dr. Rhodes said his name, Gabby's eyes snapped open, Matt releasing a grateful breath as it sunk in that she was conscious, her eyes had just been closed. A tear slid down his cheek, Gabby's soft cries turning into sobs when she saw him standing there.

"Matt!" She cried out, reaching out for his hand. He ran to the bed, squeezing himself in between a nurse and one of her machines, grabbing her hand immediately.

"I'm here, I'm right here." He assured her, leaning over the bed and placing a kiss on her forehead, his own tears hitting her skin.

Maggie moved to close the curtain that had been left open by Matt's entrance, Dr. Rhodes frowning as he saw Gabby's heart rate increasing again on the monitor.

"I don't know what happened, I just got really dizzy and everything went black. I don't remember... I don't-" She started choking on her own breaths as she cried, the fear and panic hitting her all over again, Matt cradling her head with his free hand.

"Gabby, you need to try and breathe, okay? We need to get you calmed down." Dr. Rhodes spoke firmly, Matt rubbing his thumb over her temple as her eyes locked with his.

"Just breathe, okay. You're fine. Just watch me." Matt said gently, beginning to take deep breaths, Gabby mimicking his actions, effectively getting her heart rate to settle a little.

"Matt… the baby." Tears escaped down her cheeks, Matt's head snapping towards Dr. Manning, who was still moving the wand over Gabby's stomach, searching for different positions.

"Is the baby okay?" He asked, nerves filling his body.

"Just give me one second here." Natalie murmured, Matt feeling Gabby's grip on his hand tighten. He stroked the side of her face, trying to keep her calm despite the overwhelming fear he was feeling.

"Matt, what if something's-"

Gabby's pained words were cut off by the loud, rhythmic thumping of their baby's heartbeat. A cry escaped her lips as her head fell back against the pillow, Gabby filled with comfort as the sound filled her ears.

"The heartbeat is a little fast, but from what I'm seeing baby looks good." Dr. Manning told them, tears continuously streaming down Gabby's face.

Matt's gaze was glued to her stomach, tears welling in his eyes as he continued to listen to the heartbeat. The sound he'd heard twice before, that had previously created a mixture of emotions within him. But today, when hearing that sound, he was overwhelmed with just one.

Relief.

Relief that this baby, _their_ baby, was okay. Relief that Gabby, as far as he could tell, was going to be fine. Relief that he wasn't losing the two most important things in his life.

He just wished it didn't have to come to this for him to realize it.

Gabby squeezing his hand snapped his focus back to her, seeing the pensive look on her face, clearly weary of his reaction. But when he broke out into a grateful smile, she felt relieved, Matt leaning down to place another kiss on her forehead. "God, baby, I'm so glad you're okay." He whispered against her skin, "that the both of you are okay." When he pulled back, he saw the understanding in her face, realizing the meaning behind his words, more tears filling her eyes.

"I paged your doctor, Gabby." Dr. Manning spoke, breaking up the moment between the couple. "She'll be here soon, but we're gonna go ahead and get you admitted. Even if she gives the all clear, I want to keep you here for at least a night, just to keep an eye on you and the baby." Natalie told them, Gabby nodding understandingly, turning her attention to the ceiling.

As she laid there on the bed, she forced herself to continue taking steady breaths, trying to get the lingering terror to leave her system, but it wasn't easy. Today had scared her, and the fact that she didn't know what had caused it was making it worse.

She had her guesses, knowing the amount of stress she'd been under wasn't good for her or the baby. That stress had only gotten worse since her appointment a few days ago, her and Matt barely speaking at all. And that combined with her inability to keep food down, mixed with her lack of appetite the last few days, it was a recipe for disaster.

And a disaster it had been.

But she was okay. Her baby was okay. And she had to hold onto that. Although she'd feel much better once she had some reassurance from Dr. Tanner. But she trusted Natalie, knowing the woman wouldn't have told her everything was okay if there was even the slightest possibility of something being wrong.

"Hey." Matt whispered, Gabby's eyes blinking furiously as she was pulled back into the present, registering the feeling of Matt's hand moving softly over the top of her head. "You okay?"

He'd seen her check out momentarily, his eyes staying focused on her despite the number of people coming in and out of the room. But now it was just them, Dr. Rhodes, and two other nurses, things in the small space calming considerably.

"I am… I'm just- I'm tired."

"I know. We're gonna get you upstairs soon and you can rest." He assured her, leaning down to place a soft yet emotion filled kiss to her lips, the short action giving them both some comfort that they desperately needed.

"So, Dawson," Dr. Rhodes spoke, tablet in hand as he captured the attention of the pair, Matt standing up straight for the first time since he got to her bedside, his joints cracking at the change in position. "I'll wait and let Dr. Tanner give you your official diagnosis once she sees you, but based on everything I'm seeing and what you've told me, this was stress induced. We couldn't find anything medically wrong with you, so that's a good thing." He spoke, Matt continuing to rub over the top of her head as Connor talked to them. "It's a good thing, because we know how to fix it. And as long as you take care of yourself, there's no reason for it to happen again."

"Okay." She replied quietly.

"How much have you had to eat today?" He asked, a look of guilt flashing in her eyes.

"I, uh- not much. I only had a granola bar this morning."

"And to drink?"

Clearing her throat, she blinked back the tears sitting in her eyes. "Nothing really."

Nodding understandingly, Connor put the tablet down. "You have to take care of yourself, Gabby. It seems like your body shut down, from the combination of stress and a lack of nutrients. That's what caused the numbness and the problems with your vision." He explained, Matt's eyebrows furrowing, not knowing either of those things had happened. "But, for you and your baby, you have to make sure you're eating and drinking."

"I know, I'm sorry." She whimpered, tears falling down her cheeks. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I'm so sorry."

"Gabby, hey, listen to me." Matt spoke, placing his hand under her chin to get her to look at him. "It's okay. You're okay, our baby's okay. Everything's fine." He hated that she was blaming herself for this, when in fact if anyone was to blame here, it was him.

"Casey's right, Gabby. I know you didn't mean for this to happen, you just have to be more mindful of making sure you're eating enough. Once we get you upstairs, we'll get some food sent to your room. But everything's fine." He reassured her, wanting to keep her calm. They had only just managed to get her heart rate and blood pressure to return to normal, she didn't need to get worked up again. "We're gonna get you moved here soon, alright? Just try and rest." He spoke, giving her a sympathetic smile before heading for the exit.

The next few minutes went by quickly, Matt being forced to move away from the bed as a few nurses got Gabby changed into a gown. Casey was put in charge of her clothing, folding the items as they were handed to him and putting them in the bag he'd been given, having to toss her shirt into the trash, the cut fabric not salvageable. Once she was adjusted under the blanket, two transport nurses came in and began the process of getting her upstairs, Matt staying out of the way as he followed behind her bed. He wanted to go give the house and Jemma an update, to tell them that Gabby was awake and she was okay, but he couldn't leave her. Not when every few seconds she'd glance backwards, checking to make sure he was still within reach.

When they got to her room for the night, they locked her bed in place, adjusting her machines and her IV as Matt placed her belongings down beside the chair, shrugging his turnout jacket off and placing it over the back of the furniture before turning to look at Gabby. It was only the two of them in here now, the nurses having just left, closing the door behind them, Matt watching her with a look of sadness covering his face. She looked so small in that bed, her watery eyes staring off blankly, the woman occasionally sniffling every few moments.

"Baby…" He called gently, moving to sit carefully on the edge of her bed by her waist, Gabby's head turning towards him as he reached for her hand that was cradling her stomach. The second their eyes locked, more tears escaped down her already stained cheeks, his heart shattering in his chest.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized, squeezing his hand tightly. "I should've never-"

"Gabby, stop." He interrupted, shaking his head as tears welled in his own eyes. "This is not your fault, please stop blaming yourself." He pleaded. "Everything that happened today, that's on me. Not you."

"Matt…"

"No, this, today- that was my fault. The way I've been acting, the way I've been treating you… I caused this. You did nothing wrong, okay?." He spoke, clearing his throat as a lone tear fell down his cheek. "I was stressing you out to the point where you couldn't even eat. This is on me. I hurt you… I hurt our child. If something had happened to either of you, I would've never forgiven myself." He whispered, Gabby's free hand coming up to cradle his cheek.

"But I still should've taken better care of myself." She spoke sadly.

"Maybe so. But it would've never been an issue if not for me. _I'm_ the one who was making this hard. I was pushing you away because I was angry, and I didn't even stop to realize what this was doing to you. That's on me, okay? So please, don't blame yourself for this."

Gabby ran her thumb over his skin, Matt leaning into her touch as he released a heavy sigh, knowing he had a lot of apologizing to do.

"I love you, Gabby. I love you so much. The thought of losing you, or something happening to you because of this pregnancy, it was making me crazy. But I handled it all wrong. Instead of actually trying to come to terms with it, I was just angry, and then I shut down. You were right." He breathed out. "I kept telling myself that I was just trying to figure everything out, but I wasn't. At first I was trying to come to terms with all this, but I couldn't and it was making me angry. So I just tried to ignore it instead, and I shut you out. And that's not fair to you. You didn't deserve that." He spoke quietly, their teary eyes locked on one another. "I'm sorry my actions caused this. I'm sorry for the way I've been treating you. This is hard, this entire situation isn't what I ever imagined for us, but you never deserved me shutting you out."

She slowly nodded at him, Matt continuing. "You are what's important here, your safety, your life, is why this was so hard for me in the first place. But instead of focusing on that, I got angry. I lost sight of what was important, and I hurt you in the process."

"I know you never meant for any of this to happen." She murmured. "And despite what you're saying, this is on the both of us. It's not just on you."

He shrugged slightly, not really believing her statement but the last thing he was going to do was fight her on it.

"But nothing excuses the way I've been handling this. I was so scared of losing you, but instead of working through that I pushed you away. I pushed away our child, because it was easier than accepting something happening to you." His voice was shaky, tears streaming down both their faces. "But I can't do that anymore, I don't want to. I love you, and I love this baby. When we heard the heartbeat today and Dr. Manning told us our baby was okay, I've never felt so relieved in my life." He admitted, Gabby stroking his cheek. "And honestly, I'm still not okay with the possibility of losing you, truthfully I probably never will be. I don't want to lie to you and tell you I'm fine with what this might mean, but I'm in this. A few days ago when you said you needed to know we're in this together, I promise you we are." He assured her, seeing a small, hopeful smile fall onto her face. "We always are. And I should've let you know that then, instead of causing all this. I wish it never got to this point, that it didn't take something like this for me to get my priorities straight. I am so sorry, Gabby. I just hope you can forgive me for everything I've put you through."

She nodded softly at him, using the hand on his cheek to guide him towards her, Matt ducking his head to meet her lips, the two connecting in a soft, longing kiss. After a few moments, Gabby pulled back first, sliding her hand down from his cheek to his neck, rubbing her thumb softly over his skin.

"It hurt. I can't say it didn't, the way you were acting hurt. But I know why this is so hard for you." She told him, Matt clasping his hand around her wrist, guilt shining in his eyes. "I know I'm not blameless here. Just, the next time you're feeling like this, please talk to me. Or talk to someone. Please don't shut down like this again." She pleaded, Matt shaking his head.

"I won't. I promise you, I won't." He nearly whispered, rubbing his thumb gently on the outside of her wrist. "I know everything with us has been hard, and I know there's a lot of uncertainty with this pregnancy, but whatever happens, it's you and me. We're in this together, I'm sorry I made you believe otherwise. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize what's important. But all that matters is you and our baby." His words brought a soft smile to her face, Matt bringing his free hand to rest on her leg. "It's still going to be difficult for me to accept something might happen to you. But I'm done being angry. Being angry almost cost me everything." His voice faltered, Gabby rubbing her thumb in a soothing motion over his skin. "I wish I could take it all back. But I love you so much, and I am in this. Completely. I need you to know that."

"I do." She whispered, pulling him back towards her as they connected in a gentle kiss, Matt's hand moving from her leg to her side as he inched closer to her, their actions slow and purposeful.

They pulled back from one another, their foreheads touching as their eyes were closed, the two enjoying each other's touch, finding comfort in one another for the first time in weeks.

The two pulled apart when they heard the door slide open, Matt turning around to see Dr. Tanner standing in the doorway. "I'm sorry to interrupt, can I come in?" She asked, both Gabby and Matt nodding as Matt stood up from the bed. Dr. Tanner walked into the room, closing the door behind her before making her way to the couple, a calm smile on her face. "So, how are you feeling?" She asked softly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath.

"I feel alright now. Nothing is hurting or anything, it just scared me."

"I'm sure it did. What exactly happened?" Dr. Tanner asked, her eyes bouncing from Gabby to the tablet in her hands.

"I was on shift, and I had been feeling a little dizzy and nauseous throughout the day. But when I'd gotten back from my last call, I was walking and then it all hit me at once. I got really lightheaded, my head started killing me, my vision started to go black. And my entire body felt numb." She explained, blinking back the tears as she relived the fear she'd felt in the moment.

Dr. Tanner nodded understandingly, sighing softly as she put the tablet down on the table, holding her arms down in front of her. "I know this scared you, Gabby. And I think this experience does more than a lecture from me ever could, but you have to take better care of yourself. This can't happen again." She spoke firmly, Gabby nodding as a lone tear escaped down her face. "I know you didn't mean for this to happen, and that you have a lot going on, but you have to be paying attention to how much you're eating and drinking."

"I know."

"This is really my fault." Matt spoke up, Dr. Tanner glancing towards him. "Gabby and I, we've been kind of in a rough spot with this pregnancy and I wasn't making things easy on her. I added a lot of unnecessary stress to her, but it won't happen again. I won't let it." He spoke strongly.

"I know this is a hard situation for you all, but Matt I meant what I said about needing your help just as much as I need Gabby's. I don't want either of you to go through this again, and I certainly don't want your baby going through it. We don't need to be making things any harder." She spoke firmly, both Gabby and Matt nodding. "But I do know this wasn't intentional, on either of you. But hopefully now you won't put your health on the back burner, Gabby. You see how easily things can go wrong."

"I won't." Gabby assured her, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"Good. Now that that's out of the way, I am glad to see you and the baby are okay. When I got the page that you were here, it worried me. But, luckily, this is nothing that can't be fixed with some fluids, a few meals, and some rest." She spoke, the gentle smile returning to her face. "I spoke with Dr. Rhodes before coming in here, and from everything I saw I've come to the same conclusion that he did, that this was your body going into survival mode, from the stress, exhaustion, and lack of food. Everything it did have, it was giving to your baby. And I got a look at all your vitals," She glanced towards the screen that was monitoring her, before looking back to Gabby, "I'm glad to see your blood pressure and heart rate are back to where they should be. They were dangerously high when you were brought in and in the ER."

"Yeah, that's what Dr. Rhodes said. When I woke up, I panicked." Gabby explained, Matt grabbing a hold of her hand. "At first I didn't remember what happened and I was scared. But then when I did realize what was going on, I was worried about the baby, and it was hard to calm down."

"That's understandable. I'm just glad to see the numbers back to normal. I know they were a little high during our appointment, too. So I'm happy to see that those look pretty good. But as for what's next, I'm having you take off work for the next two weeks, until our next appointment. It's a little less than two weeks, but I don't want you doing anything except resting. I mean it, you're not allowed to do anything except get food or go to the bathroom." She spoke, seeing the slight grimace on Gabby's face. "I know it's against your nature, but this is important Gabby. Your body needs rest. And I also want you to call the office in a week, so I can check in and see how you're feeling."

"Okay, and what about after those two weeks?" She questioned, Dr. Tanner pursing her lips together. "Will I be able to get back to work?"

"Tentatively, I'm going to say yes." She replied wearily. "But, when you do get back to work, you are now on light duty until the end of this pregnancy. And by light duty I mean you're more an observer than anything else. No lifting, no jumping into cars, no doing anything too strenuous. I know it's pretty early on in your pregnancy, but there's a lot of risk here and we need to control what we can."

"I understand." She responded, tightening the grip on Matt's hand.

"But, first I want to see how you're feeling in two weeks before I send you back to work. Like I told you, we're doing everything on a week to week basis here, Gabby. But, as long as you're feeling alright, I'd be fine letting you work. As long as you don't overdo it."

"Okay."

"Now, before I go, I'd like to do my own ultrasound on you, just so I can see everything for myself." Gabby nodded, Dr. Tanner excusing herself from the room, only gone for a few moments before she returned with the machine, shutting the door behind her.

Gabby got adjusted on the bed, Dr. Tanner pulling the curtain closed around them, giving them privacy as Gabby lifted up her gown, Matt placing himself on the edge of the bed, wrapping his arm around her. Gabby leaned into his side, the two waiting patiently as Dr. Tanner got set up, both their eyes focused on the screen.

It took only seconds for them to make out their baby, similar smiles lighting up their faces as they held onto one another.

"And just as I suspected, everything looks good." She commented, moving the wand around her stomach. Gabby and Matt were both content to sit there and watch the screen while Dr. Tanner double checked everything, Gabby relaxing into his hold, Matt leaning down to place a kiss against the top of her head.

"I love you." He murmured into her hair, Gabby turning her head up to look at him, a wide smile on her face. Leaning forward, she placed a soft kiss to his lips, pulling back seconds later.

"I love you, too." She whispered, Matt grinning as they turned their attention back towards the ultrasound, both of them relishing in the feeling of this moment.

* * *

Kelly and Jemma stepped out of the elevator, walking through the halls of Chicago Med as they searched for Gabby's room.

It had been about two hours since all of 51 arrived, and after a little sweet talking from Kelly, Severide was able to get the location of Dawson's room out of Maggie, swearing to the woman that he owed her one before going back towards the waiting room and grabbing Jemma. Admittedly, Kelly didn't know Jemma very well, having only met her once. But he'd heard about her from both Matt and Gabby, and he could tell that even in just a short time, she'd become an important person in Gabby's life. And he knew the feeling was mutual, seeing how tense and worried she'd been from the moment squad got here. He knew she'd want to be able to check on her friend, and seeing as how Matt and Gabby were unaware of their impending visit, he knew Jemma would be a face Gabby would be comfortable seeing right now.

"Ah, there it is." Severide spoke, the two walking up to the closed door. Through the glass they were able to see the couple sitting on the bed, Gabby eating some food as Matt sat next to her. Before even entering, he could tell they were in surprisingly good spirits, which Kelly was grateful for. From their demeanor alone, he knew nothing too bad could've happened. Knocking on the door, he watched as both their heads snapped over towards the noise, Matt waving them in. "Hey there." Kelly said lightly as he poked his head in.

"Hey guys." Gabby replied with a smile, Matt pushing himself up off the bed to greet his friends. He went to Kelly first, giving him a quick hug before turning his attention to Jemma. To her surprise, he pulled her into a tight embrace, Norris feeling how grateful he was in his actions alone.

"Thank you, for looking out for her and taking care of her. I can never repay you for that." He spoke softly, Jemma smiling as they separated.

"Of course. I'm just glad she's okay." She responded, before the three made their way towards the bed.

"So Dawson, how are you feeling?" Kelly asked, stopping at the bottom of the bed as Matt came to reclaim his spot beside her, resting his arm behind her head.

"I'm okay. Exhausted, and a little on edge, but okay."

"And the baby's okay?" Jemma asked quietly, relief flooding her system as Gabby nodded.

"The baby's fine."

"That's great." Jemma murmured, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. "You had me worried there for awhile."

"Yeah, you had us all worried Dawson." Kelly spoke, her eyebrows furrowing.

"All?"

"Everyone from 51 is here, they're downstairs in the waiting room."

"Oh, wow- I didn't know."

"Yeah, we all heard Jemma's call to Matt over the radio and came here as soon as we could. They'll be glad to know you're alright."

"I appreciate all you guys being here, but you really didn't have to." She replied, resting her head on Matt's shoulder. He could feel the exhaustion radiating off her body, and truthfully he wasn't sure how she was still awake. After Dr. Tanner had left, she had almost dozed off, until she'd been woken up by her food coming. But he could tell she was desperate for some rest.

"Of course we did." Kelly answered with a grin, Gabby returning the gesture.

"So, do they, uh- do they all know about the baby?"

Shrugging softly, Kelly glanced to Jemma before turning back towards the couple. "I didn't hear anyone saying anything about it, which, knowing that group, if they knew they'd be talking about it constantly."

"Brett and Foster know." Matt replied, Gabby lifting her head to look at him. "They heard me talking to Jemma when I first got here, so I assume they know."

"They do." Jemma confirmed, Gabby nodding as she relaxed back into Matt's side.

"Speaking of… I think I need to tell Boden." Matt started. "With how frequent your appointments are gonna be, there's no telling how many times I'll need to duck out of shift to go with you. I think he needs to know why I'll be needing to leave so much. And after everything today, I'm not sure if that'll mean more frequent doctor's visits down the road. I just want to be able to leave shift if I need to."

"That's fine." She whispered, Matt able to tell she was half asleep.

"Are you sure? Cause I know you said you wanted to wait."

"It is. I know you'd feel better with him knowing, and I'm not sure how much longer it'll be until everyone finds out anyway, I don't mind, Matt." She murmured, her eyes drooping as she spoke. He simply nodded, placing a kiss to the top of her head.

"We're gonna get out of here, let her get some rest. We just wanted to make sure she was okay." Kelly spoke quietly, Matt feeling more and more of Gabby's weight fall into him.

"Thanks for coming, you guys. Really." Matt replied, flashing them a thankful smile as they left the room, closing the door behind them.

* * *

Matt sat quietly on Gabby's bed, weary of moving even a muscle as the woman in his arms slept peacefully. It had been about half an hour since Kelly and Jemma left, and the minute they were gone, she was out. Matt had managed to make them a little more comfortable, shifting Gabby from the center of the bed to give him more space, his legs crossed as Gabby was tucked into his side, her head resting on his chest as she slept soundly.

He'd taken to listening to the rhythmic sound of her heart monitor beeping as he sat there with his eyes closed, the dim lights partnered with Gabby's steady breathing making it hard for him to fight off his own exhaustion.

About ten minutes ago a nurse had been in to replace her bag of fluids, Matt grimacing as they messed with her IV. Thankfully, she slept right through it, Matt surprised but grateful that her much needed rest hadn't been disturbed. On the way out, the nurse had turned down the lights, Matt giving her a grateful smile before she disappeared out the door.

And now here he sat, forcing himself to stay awake just in case Gabby woke up and needed something, his mind unable to keep from all the thoughts surrounding why they were here today. He knew how terribly things could've gone, how something could have happened to their baby. And if that had been the case, not only would he have never forgiven himself, he was sure Gabby wouldn't have either. But thankfully, they didn't have to worry about that. Gabby was fine, and their baby was fine. He just had to hold onto that.

The sound of the door sliding open caught his attention, Matt assuming it was another nurse coming to check up on Gabby. But when he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see Antonio standing in the doorway, his eyes glued to his baby sister.

"Hey." The detective whispered, Matt nodding. He held up his hand, silently signaling him to wait a moment as he began to slowly move out from under Gabby, holding her head with his hand until he could place it on the pillow, readjusting her blanket before walking towards Antonio, his limbs needing a moment to wake back up.

The two men wordlessly walked into the hallway, closing the door shut behind them, Matt looking at Gabby one last time before turning to Antonio.

"Is she okay?" Antonio asked, his hand coming up to run over his mouth, his eyes bouncing back and forth between Matt and his sister's sleeping form.

"She is." Matt spoke, Antonio releasing a sigh of relief. "She and the baby are fine."

"Thank God." Antonio spoke under his breath, his eyes moving back to Gabby, staying focused on her this time. "What happened?"

"She, uh- it was a combination of stress, exhaustion, and she hadn't been eating… and she just collapsed and- God, Antonio this is all my fault." He replied, distress filling his voice.

Antonio blew out a heavy sigh, forcing his gaze away from his sister towards the distraught man in front of him. While he didn't know the details about what all had been going on between the two of them since that night he had to go drag Matt from the bar, he knew things hadn't gotten any better. And, if he had to guess, he'd say they might've gotten worse. "Matt…"

"I treated her terribly. I made everything so much more difficult than it already was, and for what? All I did was make her life harder. God, why did I do this? Why did I let myself take this out on her?" Antonio saw the tears forming in the firefighter's eyes, able to see the guilt he was holding onto. "I pushed her away because I was mad, because I'm so scared to lose her, but I could've lost her anyway. I stressed her out to the point where she couldn't even eat. This is all my fault, Antonio. I did this to them!" He nearly cried, cupping his hand over his mouth as he blinked back the tears in his eyes. "What if something terrible happened? What if we lost the baby? What if Gabby-"

"Matt, stop." Antonio interjected firmly, causing Casey to look at him. "What happened, whatever the cause, it's done. You can't sit here and go over the what ifs, that doesn't help anything. All that matters is that they're okay."

"But it could've been so much worse…" He whispered.

"Yeah, it could've been. But it wasn't." Antonio replied, clasping his hand over Casey's shoulder. "I know how guilty you feel because of this, and hopefully, after all this, you won't let things get so bad between you two again. But you can't keep focusing on what might've and could've happened. That won't help you or Gabby. That won't help your baby. The health of my sister and that little kid are all that matters right now."

"I know. I just wish I would've realized that sooner."

"You can't go back and change what happened, all you can do is not let it happen again... It better not happen again." The older brother spoke roughly, Matt shaking his head.

"Trust me, Antonio. It won't. It shouldn't have taken this happening for me to see what I was doing to her, but I refuse to ever let this happen again."

"Good. Because I won't hesitate to kick your ass if it does."

"I know. And you'd have every right to." Matt breathed out, Antonio giving his shoulder a squeeze before dropping his hand.

"But seriously, Matt, I know you never meant for this. You love my sister, and despite how you feel about what could happen to Gabby, I know you love this baby. Just next time, talk to her. Instead of letting this turn into something that causes Gabby to be rushed to the hospital, you all have to work this stuff out. And I know you know that."

Nodding softly, Matt brought Antonio into a quick hug, patting the man's back. "Thanks Antonio."

"Of course." He replied as they pulled away. "I'm gonna go sit with her for a bit." Antonio spoke, nodding towards the door. The two split ways, Matt staying outside to gather himself as Antonio quietly went in the room.

"Hey."

Antonio's eyes snapped up as he heard the groggy voice coming from the bed, watching as Gabby slowly shifted herself into a sitting position, Antonio walking closer.

"Hey sis, I didn't mean to wake you. How are you feeling?" He questioned, leaning down and placing a quick kiss to her forehead.

"You didn't. And tired, but okay." She responded, a yawn escaping her mouth.

"I bet." He replied, sitting down on the edge of the chair. "I know you've probably been told this ten times already, but you gotta talk better care of yourself, Gabs."

"I know, I was stupid."

"Well, it wasn't all your fault." Antonio replied, seeing Gabby release a heavy sigh, her eyes moving towards the glass door. Antonio followed her gaze, seeing Matt pacing back and forth slowly, his hand up on the back of his neck as his head hung towards the ground.

"How is he?" Gabby asked quietly, Antonio looking back towards her.

"Feeling guilty. As he should."

"Antonio-"

"Don't worry, I didn't yell at him. I barely even lectured him, the way he's feeling right now, that's more than enough." He replied, raising his eyebrows at her. "So, speaking of… is all forgiven between you two? Because I'd understand if you're not exactly happy with him at the moment."

Sighing softly, Gabby shook her head. "I'm not gonna hold a grudge against him for this. Yeah, he was making things more difficult, but I'm still the one who didn't take care of myself. And we've spent enough time at odds with one another, I'm not gonna prolong this. Not when we should be enjoying this pregnancy and our child." She explained, Antonio nodding understandingly. "I know the reason he was acting the way he was, it came from a good place. It doesn't excuse it, but I'm not gonna punish him because he was struggling with what I was asking him to do."

Gabby finished her statement, taking a deep breath as she looked at Antonio, her eyebrows raising in confusion as he just stared at her. "...What?" She asked after a few moments.

"Nothing, it's just… I already knew this, but you're gonna be a great mom to this baby, Gabs." He spoke sincerely, a gentle smile finding its way to her face. "This is one lucky kid."

"Thanks Tonio." She whispered, tears clouding her vision.

"Alright, alright don't go crying on me now." He joked, Gabby chuckling as she wiped under her eyes.

"Yeah, well sorry. This kid has made my emotions go all over the place." She replied lightly.

"Oh yes, I remember the mood swings from Laura's pregnancies well." He told her, Gabby rolling her eyes but refraining from commenting, not wanting to push the topic any further, knowing it was a bit of a sore spot for her brother.

"Thank you for coming, Antonio."

"Of course." He replied, reaching out and grabbing her hand. "I get a call saying you've been rushed to the hospital, I'm not gonna be anywhere else." She nodded with a soft smile, squeezing his hand. "I'm just so glad you're okay."

"Me too."

* * *

Matt methodically stroked the side of Gabby's head as they laid in her bed, the top of his hand moving back and forth over her hair, their attention fixated on the screen in front of them. It was getting a little late in the evening, nearing eight, Matt surprised that Gabby was still awake after the day she'd had. There were a few times he thought she'd fallen asleep, her breathing evening out, but a few seconds later she'd shift and he knew she was still up. She was tucked up into him, facing away from him to get a better angle on the TV, her side pressed up against his chest. They'd been sitting in a comfortable silence, both needing the moment to decompress after the events of today, as well as how things had been for them as of late.

"Matt." Her soft voice spoke, his movement against her head stopping as she moved to mute the TV.

"Yeah?" He asked, watching as she shifted her body to face him, her hand resting on top of his own that was on his chest.

"Are you really okay?" She asked softly, his eyebrows furrowing.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" He responded back, seeing her eyebrows raise, clearly wanting an actual answer. "I'm okay Gabby, I promise."

"But you're okay with _everything_? I mean, until today you were still feeling the same way about this baby, and I don't want this to be just because of what happened. I need to know you're actually okay with this."

Taking a deep breath, he responded. "I'm not just saying I'm okay because of what happened, I promise you. But this, today- it put everything into perspective, made me realize how awful I've been acting. How I've been hurting you." He spoke softly, Gabby rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand. "I'm still scared of something happening to you. That'll never go away. But I meant what I said, I'm in this. Whatever happens, I'm here for you and our baby. When Jemma called me over the radio, there was a split second where I thought I'd lost you and I just-" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "I would've never forgiven myself if something worse had happened. God forbid, if something happens to you… I don't want to be wasting time with us like we have been. I'll never be okay with the possibility of losing you, and I know this pregnancy will be hard on us, but I'm just gonna hold onto the hope that the both of you will be fine. I have to… but I promise, I'm done being angry. I'm done putting space between us. You never deserved that in the first place."

"Okay." She whispered. "But just know that whenever you have those days that are harder than others, where you're really struggling with this, you can talk to me. I want you to come to me. Because I have those days, too. Where everything is just too much." Gabby spoke, Matt nodding in response. "We're gonna need each other to get through this."

"I know." He murmured, leaning down and placing a soft, sweet kiss against the side of her face. "I'm sorry that up until now I've made you feel like you're in this alone, but I promise you you're not."

Gabby nodded, capturing his lips with hers, the two moving at a steady pace, her hand moving up from his chest to his neck, holding him to her.

They pulled away after a few tender moments, Gabby noticing the thoughtful look on Matt's face, the two of them catching their breath.

"You know, I realized something today." He spoke quietly, Gabby raising her eyebrows in question, silently urging him to continue. "Remember when I told you that you were my miracle?" Gabby's body involuntarily tensed at the memory; she would _never_ be able to forget that day. But she nodded nonetheless. "Well, maybe this child… _our_ child, will be ours."

A soft grin appeared on her face at his words, tears clouding in her eyes as he smiled, Gabby collapsing her body into his, nuzzling her face into his neck as he wrapped his arms around her.

They were going to be okay. There was no longer any doubt in her mind that, whatever happened, Matt would be there by her side.

* * *

**So, hopefully this was worth the few chapters of heartbreak? It's looking like Gabby and baby Casey are okay, and things with Dawsey are getting better. Even though they're not 100%, Matt has finally snapped out of that place of anger. Which, as a writer, I'm kind of glad for because it was hard to keep writing them at odds. Matt just needed to get his priorities in order, and it's looking like he has. Things are looking up for them, I promise.**

**I can't wait to hear what you all thought of this one. Thanks for sticking with me through the hard chapters. Thanks for reading!**


	35. Chapter Thirty Five

**Hello hello! I loved seeing your responses to the last chapter, I'm glad you all liked it. I hope you all enjoy this one as well!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Five**_

* * *

Matt grunted into consciousness as he heard rustling around him, his eyes blinking furiously while he adjusted to the dim lights in the room, confusion settling on his face as he tried to recognize his surroundings. It took only seconds for him to remember where he was, the feeling of Gabby's weight on him bringing him back into reality as he looked towards the noise, seeing a nurse standing beside the bed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you Mr. Casey." She spoke in a hushed tone, Matt shaking his head.

"It's fine. What time is it?" He replied hoarsely, glancing down to see Gabby still sleeping peacefully, her body tucked into his side, her arms curled against his chest.

"Around 9:30." She responded, Matt nodding softly as he moved his gaze from Gabby towards the nurse, watching her curiously for a few moments as she was fiddling with all the monitors and the IV, typing things into the tablet in her hands.

"Is everything alright? Is Gabby okay?" He questioned, his curiosity turning into worry the longer the woman stood there.

"She's fine, Mr. Casey." She assured him with a gentle smile. "I'm just updating her chart, but everything still looks good."

"Good." He responded, feeling Gabby subconsciously nuzzle her head further into his neck, Matt remaining still to ensure she didn't wake up.

It only took a few more minutes for the nurse to finish updating Gabby's chart, flashing Matt a small, reassuring smile before leaving the room, closing the door as softly as she could.

Blowing out a soft breath, Matt glanced around the room, still trying to gather his bearings after being woken up. He knew he hadn't slept long, even though he never intended to sleep at all, but he couldn't have been asleep for more than twenty minutes. Though in that time, half his body had gone numb, Matt feeling the familiar tingling sensation telling him his limbs had fallen asleep. He knew that was a sign he needed to get up and move around some, and get his blood flowing through his tired legs.

Glancing back towards Gabby's sleeping form one last time, Matt began the slow and careful process of getting out of bed, moving only a few inches at a time to be sure he wasn't waking her up. After a few moments, he'd managed to get out from under her, gently adjusting her body on the bed, covering her with the blanket. He stood up, gaining his footing as he took a step forward, looking back towards her to check that she was still resting before heading for the door.

Matt stepped out into the bright hallway, carefully closing her door behind him, checking on Gabby one last time before turning away from her room. He stood there for a few seconds, stretching out his extremities and rolling his neck, trying to shake some of the tightness from his muscles. Once he had full feeling back in his legs, he began walking down the hallway, not really having a destination in mind but knowing he needed to be up and moving around for a little bit. He passed a few nurses during his walk down the hallway, flashing them soft smiles as they passed, Matt enjoying the quiet that this time of night at the hospital provided.

He walked down the hallway towards the waiting room on this floor, figuring once he got there he'd lap back to Gabby's room, not wanting to be away from her too long despite wanting to be up and moving around. The last thing he wanted was for her to wake up alone.

Matt got to the entrance of the waiting room, intent on turning around as soon as he got there, but a large mass of bodies stopped him in his tracks, his eyebrows raising in surprise as he saw all of 51 in the room, along with Jemma, some seated and some standing, no one having noticed his presence yet.

"Hey guys." He spoke, unable to hide the confusion in his voice as many heads turned towards him.

"There he is." Cruz responded as Matt walked in, coming to stand in the middle of the group.

"What are you guys still doing here? It's late." He questioned.

"You really think we'd be anywhere else when Dawson's here? She's family. How's she doing, Captain?" Herrmann asked.

"She's okay, she's doing alright. She's sleeping right now." He told them, seeing a few heads nod around him. "I didn't know you guys were still here or I would've come out earlier. I appreciate you all staying for her."

"We're glad she's okay." Otis said.

"Do they know what caused it?" Herrmann spoke up again, Matt's eyes flashing to Kelly who was standing across from him.

"Uh, they think it was just exhaustion." Matt replied vaguely, his eyes looking around at all of them, catching the knowing look on Brett's face. "They've been giving her fluids and making sure she's been eating. With a little rest, she'll be good as new."

"Good, that's good." Herrmann murmured, Matt nodding.

He could feel everyone's eyes on him, Matt ignoring their stares as he turned to Boden. "Can we talk for a second?" He asked, Chief nodding immediately as they started walking away from the group, Matt taking him out of the room and down the hallway, making sure to put enough distance between them and the rest of the house.

"Everything okay?" Boden asked, his arms crossing over his chest as Matt leaned against the wall.

Matt nodded slowly, his tongue running over his bottom lip as he looked towards the ground, his body weight shifting on the balls of his feet. "...Gabby's pregnant." He spoke, looking up as the words left his mouth.

He saw Boden's lips press together, the man's tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in realization. "You knew." He commented, Boden nodding.

"I did."

"Does everyone else?" He asked, looking past Boden back towards the waiting room, the older man shaking his head.

"No, I don't think so."

Matt simply nodded, clenching his hands together. "How'd you find out?"

"Just a feeling. Maybe it was intuition, but I had an idea after you asked to leave shift for an appointment, and then when I heard what happened today… I figured that's what was going on." He explained. "But the baby's okay?"

"Yeah, baby's fine. Dr. Manning and Gabby's doctor both did an ultrasound, everything looks good."

"Good, that's great. I'm glad they're both okay."

"Me too." Matt breathed out, Boden eyeing him carefully. "But uh, speaking of that appointment, those are going to continue. She has to have frequent appointments for the rest of this pregnancy, and I need to be able to be there for them." He explained softly.

"Because of what happened today?" The Chief questioned, Matt shaking his head.

"No, uh- I can't really get into it right now, but this is a high risk pregnancy for Gabby," He responded, a look of worry shining in the Chief's eyes. "And she has to have a lot of appointments and stuff, to make sure everything's okay." Matt could tell Boden wanted to know more, but he didn't have the energy to get into everything right now. "I uh, won't need the entire shift off, I'll just need to be able to duck out for a few hours to go with her, like I did for the first one, if that's okay. I know it's a lot to ask, but I wouldn't if it wasn't important."

"Of course it's okay." Boden responded almost immediately, unable to mask his concern. "I know you wouldn't be asking if it wasn't necessary. Just as long as you let me know the shift before, it's fine."

"Thank you Chief." Matt breathed out, Boden seeing the look of relief flash over his face. "Really. We both appreciate it."

"Anything to help you guys. You two are family, who are now growing their family." He replied with a soft smile, watching a small one appear on Matt's face.

"Yeah… yeah we are." He spoke, almost in disbelief.

"I know you all have to be excited about this. When you two were pregnant the first time-" Boden cut himself off, shaking his head. "I know how hard that was on the both of you. And then everything that happened with Louie…" Matt swallowed thickly as Boden spoke. "You two deserve this. I know you both have been through a lot, but I'm glad this is happening for you guys." He spoke sincerely, Matt nodding graciously.

"Thanks Chief. Me too." He replied softly. "For awhile there, I thought it was something that just wasn't meant to be for us. Despite how much we both wanted it, it never seemed to work out. Then there wasn't even an us…" Matt trailed off, clearing his throat as Boden put a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I just never thought it would happen."

Smiling sympathetically, Boden squeezed Matt's shoulder gently. "Well, you got here. I know it wasn't easy, but pretty soon you'll have your child and nothing else will matter. You two were meant to be parents, that child is going to be so loved. And not just by you two." He added, Matt releasing a soft chuckle. "I am sorry to hear about some of the circumstances with this pregnancy, though. She'll be okay, right?" The older man questioned, Matt hearing the nervousness in his words.

Not wanting to lie to the man he's always considered a friend, he skirted around the question. "She'll have to take it easy for the rest of her pregnancy. She's already been taken off duty for the next two weeks, and if she is cleared to work again, which we're still not even sure she will be, it'll mostly be in a 'stand back and observe' capacity. We have to be careful." He responded, pressing his tongue to the roof of his mouth.

"Knowing Dawson, I bet she's not thrilled at that." He joked, trying to lift some of the heaviness that had settled around them. But it wasn't lost on Boden the way he avoided the question.

"Definitely not. But if it means protecting the baby, she'll do it." Matt replied, Boden nodding knowingly.

Matt glanced down to his watch, blowing out a sigh as he realized he'd been gone much longer than he planned. "I need to get back to Gabby," He started, pushing himself off the wall, "but I really appreciate you being here." Matt began moving back towards the waiting room, Chief following him.

"Of course, but Casey…" Boden spoke, effectively stopping Matt, the Captain turning around to face him. "Are you two planning on tell everyone about the pregnancy?"

"Uh, right now, no. I haven't talked to Gabby about it." He replied. "We agreed to wait until she was through her first trimester, but that's still over four weeks from now. After everything today, though, I'm not sure." Matt explained. "Kelly knows. And Brett and Foster know, they found out by accident when I was talking to Jemma. But other than that, I don't think anyone else knows."

"Alright."

"Gabby and I will talk about it again, once she's home. But right now, if you could not say anything."

"Of course."

Matt smiled appreciatively, the two firefighters walking back towards the waiting room, seeing everyone right where they'd left them.

"Hey guys." Casey greeted, gaining the rooms attention once more. "I really appreciate that you all stayed here all day, and I know Gabby does too. I wish I could let you see her, but she's under strict orders to get some rest. But I'll be sure to tell her you all were here the next time she's awake."

"We understand, Captain. She just had us worried, we didn't wanna go anywhere till we knew for sure she was alright." Herrmann responded, the group nodding.

"She's okay." He reassured them one last time.

"Alright 51, we've done about all we can do. Let's give them some space. Keep us updated, okay?" Boden requested.

"I will." He responded.

"Chief Boden?" Jemma's voice broke through the chatter, everyone turning to look at her. "Would it be possible for someone to give me a ride back to my house? Murray and Turner had to get back to shift a while ago, and they were how I got here."

"Brett and Foster can drop you off, it's not a problem."

"Thank you sir." She responded, glancing towards the paramedics, the blonde offering her a smile.

"You ready to go?" Brett asked, Jemma nodding.

"Yeah, just give me a sec." She replied, the young paramedic standing up and walking the few steps towards Matt.

"Thank you again, for everything you did for her." Casey spoke before she even got to him.

"No need to thank me, I'm just so glad she's okay." Matt pulled her in for a quick hug, rubbing her back up and down lightly as they embraced. "That both of them are okay." She dropped her voice when she spoke, ensuring only Casey heard her words. He instinctively squeezed her a bit tighter, Matt smiling softly as they pulled apart.

"I'm glad she has you, Jemma." He responded, a wide grin appearing on her face, the woman patting his arm before they separated completely. Matt could feel all eyes on the both of them, and as he glanced around the room he was met by a bunch of stares. He wasn't sure what all the looks were for, he just hoped they didn't make Norris uncomfortable. Matt knew the bond of a firehouse was intense, that it was a close-knit circle that wasn't broken into easily. But Matt considered Jemma family just as much as he did everyone in this room, and, aside from himself, she was definitely the person Gabby was closest to. So he didn't understand the intrigued looks from his coworkers, but he chose not to dwell on it. "I'll keep you updated, let you know how she's doing. She'll be off shift for at least the next two weeks, but you should definitely stop by once I get her home. She'll love to see you." Matt told her.

"Are you sure? I know she needs to be resting."

"Trust me, after a few days she'll be bored out of her mind. She'll appreciate your company."

"Alright, that sounds good. I'll talk to you later." She replied, flashing the rest of the group small smiles as she headed for the exit behind Brett and Foster, saying goodbye to Severide as she passed him.

The rest of 51 slowly filtered out, stopping by Matt to say goodbye before leaving. Soon it was just Severide and Boden left in the room with him, Chief speaking up first.

"Obviously, I'm not expecting you to return to shift right now. And if you need some more time off, just let me know."

"Thanks Chief. It'll probably just depend, day by day. But I definitely don't think I'll be able to come in next shift. Gabby will say she's fine, but…" Matt trailed off, Boden nodding understandably.

"I get it. I'll go ahead and get the paperwork in for you missing next shift."

"Thank you." Matt replied, shaking Boden's hand before the man left the room, Matt turning his attention to Severide.

"Boden and I talked, when I get back I'm gonna get your truck and stuff, have squad follow me over here so you don't have to worry about getting back to the firehouse. That way you can just get Gabby home, whenever she's allowed to leave."

"Thanks Kel." Matt replied.

"And I know that turnout gear isn't the most comfortable. Can I just come back to her room once I have your stuff?"

"Yeah, that's fine. I appreciate you doing this."

"It's no problem, anything to help you guys." He replied with a shrug, his eyes flashing over Matt's face. "So, are you really okay?"

Blowing out a sigh, Matt shook his head. "I'm… I'm just glad that they're both okay."

"Me too, man." Severide responded, patting Casey's back before walking towards the hallway, Matt following him. "I know you have tons of people you're having to keep updated, but just let me know if there's anything you need me to do."

"I will. And honestly, I'll probably take you up on that." He replied with a chuckle, Kelly smiling as they stopped at the nurses station.

"I'll be back in a bit." Severide spoke as they began to part ways, Kelly heading for the elevator while Matt started in the direction of Gabby's room.

"Okay." He responded, nodding at his friend before turning around, walking down the hallway towards Gabby. When he got to her room, he looked inside, releasing a thankful breath that she was still sound asleep. He'd been hoping she wouldn't wake up while he was gone, and luckily it appeared she hadn't.

Slowly sliding the door open enough for him to pass through, he grimaced at the noise filling the otherwise silent room. Normally, it wouldn't be a sound that was too loud. But with no other noise, it sounded like the loudest door in the world. When he finally got it back in place, he glanced towards her bed, seeing that she was still seemingly dead to the world. He knew she had to have been exhausted, seeing as how she usually wasn't a very heavy sleeper. But right now it seemed like nothing could wake her, and for that he was grateful. She needed all the rest she could get.

Stepping further into her room, he made a split second decision to take up position in the chair by her bed, not wanting to risk waking her by trying to lay back down with her. Despite his overwhelming need to hold onto her, he refused to be the thing that disturbed her sleep. So he slowly sat down in the chair, bringing his leg up to rest on his knee, relaxing into the stiff furniture.

He knew he couldn't fall asleep, not until Severide got back, the darkness in the room making that task challenging. But he took to focusing on Gabby's sleeping form, her head resting softly on the pillow, her face turned towards him as she slept soundly, bundled up under the blankets.

* * *

Matt's head fell forward for the umpteenth time before he snapped it back up, trying to fight off the exhaustion he was feeling. Kelly had come and gone a while ago, Matt exchanging his turnout gear for his shift bag, boots, and car keys. In all the noise of Kelly's entrance, Matt changing out of his turnout pants, Matt getting his belongings, and Kelly leaving, Gabby had yet to wake up.

Now it was nearing midnight, and Gabby had been asleep since after their talk earlier in the evening. He would've been worried had he not known she needed the rest.

But sitting here for most of the evening left him beyond tired, and he was trying to ignore the feeling. He wasn't even sure why he didn't want to fall asleep, but something was keeping him from letting himself drift off. He didn't want to be asleep when she eventually woke up, but it was getting harder and harder for him to keep his eyes open.

"Hey." Gabby's soft voice filled his ears, Matt's eyes snapping open as he lifted his head, seeing her lying in the same position she had been for hours, her eyes on him.

"Hey sleepyhead." He responded, clearing the sleep from his throat. He watched her smile softly, Gabby beginning to adjust her position in the bed.

"What time is it?" She asked, Matt glancing down to his watch.

"A few minutes before twelve. How are you feeling?"

"Somehow still tired." She spoke softly, turning her head to look at something on the other side of her bed. "Can you hand me my water?" She asked, her voice thick. Matt looked over, realizing her small table was out of reach, one of the nurses probably having moved it when they came to check up on her.

"Sure." He responded, pushing himself up from the chair, his body slowly waking up as he went around her bed, pushing the table back towards her, filling her a fresh cup of water. She reached out to take the glass from him, giving him a tired, appreciative smile.

"Thank you." Gabby took a few sips of water, the liquid coating her dry throat before she sat it back down, Matt watching her closely. The only light in the room came from light shining in through the door, but it was enough for her to make out the look on his face. "You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good." He responded, cupping her cheek as he leaned down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. Once he pulled away, he began walking back around to his seat, feeling Gabby's eyes on him as he moved.

"I see you ditched the gear."

"Kelly went and got my stuff for me. Everyone was here until about ten, then Kelly brought back my truck and my bag." He explained softly, Gabby nodding in understanding. She watched him as he settled down into the chair, crossing his legs at his ankles as he folded his hands together over his stomach. "You need anything?" Matt asked, glancing back towards her.

"No, no. I'm okay. You can go ahead and get going, if you want." She spoke, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "I'm just gonna try and sleep."

"Go for it, I'll be right here." He responded, Gabby unable to hide the small grin on her face. The last thing she wanted was for him to leave, but she'd spent her fair share of time sitting in those chairs; whether with Matt as the patient or someone else, and she knew how uncomfortable they were.

"Are you sure?" She questioned, Matt nodding without hesitation.

"As long as you're here, so am I." He assured her, flashing her the smile she knew he reserved for her, warmth filling her body.

"Well, in that case…" She spoke softly, sliding over from the middle of the bed, "will you join me?" Wordlessly, Matt stood from his seat and placed himself on the bed, Gabby moving out of the way as much as she could so he could get comfortable. When settled, Gabby leaned into his side, her arm resting across his waist as they relaxed into each other. From her place on his shoulder, Gabby released a soft sigh, feeling his hand slid down under the blanket to rest on her waist. His hand paused there for a few moments, before he slowly slid further down to rest over her stomach, cradling her still-flat abdomen. A content smile fell onto her face at his actions, Gabby snuggling further into him, Matt placing a light kiss on her forehead.

"I love you." He murmured against her skin, Gabby rubbing her thumb lightly over his side.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Matt sat perched on the edge of Gabby's bed, one leg hanging off the side as he waited for her to come out of the bathroom. She'd gone in there almost ten minutes ago now to change, and she had yet to surface.

After a visit from Dr. Manning this morning, Gabby had been cleared to go home, with strict orders to rest. As soon as they found out, Gabby was itching to get out of this hospital room. Despite only having been here for a little over twelve hours, she couldn't wait to get home. Even though they still needed to wait for Dr. Tanner to come and check Gabby one more time, she wanted to at least get ready to go. So as soon as she finished all the routine testing and got her discharge paperwork, she practically lunged out of the bed.

They quickly ran into a small hitch in their plan, realizing Gabby didn't have any clothes to wear home. With her shirt having been cut off her when she arrived, she only had her pants and jacket. But the issue was quickly solved as Matt remembered his spare clothes that he kept in his shift bag, Matt barely having been able to place the bag on the bed before Gabby was searching through its contents, pulling out a pair of sweatpants and an old t-shirt he kept in there for emergencies. With a quick thank you, Gabby disappeared into the bathroom, and she hadn't come out since.

Aside from a chuckle and a soft 'you wish' after a teasing comment he made about five minutes ago, asking her if she needed his help changing, she'd been quiet. And while he knew there was no reason to assume anything was wrong, her prolonged silence was worrisome.

"Gabby?" He called out softly, getting nothing but silence as a response. Blowing out a breath, he got up from the hospital bed, walking towards the bathroom. Just as he made it to the door and was about to knock, he stopped when he heard the glass door slide open, his head turning to find Dr. Tanner standing in the doorway.

"Hey, just here to get one last look at Gabby. Is she here?" The doctor asked, Matt nodding.

"Yeah, one minute." He responded, Dr. Tanner nodding as she stepped inside the room, dragging in the ultrasound machine behind her. "Gabby?" He asked again, tapping lightly on the bathroom door. His eyebrows furrowed as he was met with silence again, Matt reaching for the handle and twisting it, finding it unlocked. He debated on whether to go in or not, knowing if she was going to the bathroom or changing he was bound to get an earful. But her lack of response is what kept him from stopping, Matt pulling open the door slightly, Gabby jumping as she was alerted to his presence. But her being startled isn't what caught his attention, it was the deep bruising on her shoulder and side, the marks apparent as she stood there in his sweatpants and her bra. "Hey, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you. You okay?" He asked softly, Gabby nodding slowly, wrapping her arms over her chest. Turning back to look at Dr. Tanner, he gave her an apologetic smile, holding up his hand to signal he needed a minute before he slipped into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. "Is that from yesterday?"

"I'm okay, just didn't hear you. And yeah, it is. I must've hit the ground hard." She replied, Matt frowning softly at her comment, giving him yet another reminder of how she didn't really remember much from the day before.

"That's what Jemma said." He murmured, unable to peel his eyes from the bruising on her body.

Gabby watched him closely as he stared at her. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable under his gaze, but they hadn't exactly seen each other sans clothing a lot over the last few weeks, and she knew the bruising wasn't pretty. But, knowing Matt, she was sure that was the last thing on his mind right now.

When his eyes met hers, he flashed her a sad smile. "Sorry." He spoke quietly, Gabby shaking her head, reaching for the shirt that was on the counter.

"It's fine… just feels like I've been banged up more often than not here lately." She responded quietly, her voice barely audible.

"Yeah, I know." He spoke just as softly, placing his hands gently on her arms, stopping her movements as was trying to put her shirt on. Her head tilted in confusion, Matt ignoring the look as he dropped his head, placing a soft kiss to her discolored shoulder, keeping his lips against her skin for a few extra seconds, feeling her body relax under his touch. "I love you." He whispered against her shoulder, Gabby smiling softly as she leaned forward, placing a kiss against his neck.

"I love you too." She replied, Matt placing another kiss to her skin before pulling back, his hand coming up to cradle the side of her face.

"Dr. Tanner's waiting for us, so how about we check on the little guy one more time and then get out of here?" He questioned, Gabby's face lighting up at his words. This was the first time he'd referred to their child as anything other than 'baby'. Hearing him speak of their child as an actual person filled her with a feeling she couldn't really explain. But it felt good. It felt right. It reassured her that they were moving in the right direction.

"You're gonna give her a complex." She responded teasingly, Matt letting out a soft chuckle as Gabby pulled his shirt over her head, both items of clothing swallowing her. "Let's go see our kid."

Matt nodded, placing another kiss on her forehead before moving for the door, opening it and letting her walk out before him.

"Hey Dr. Tanner, sorry to keep you waiting." Gabby spoke as soon as she saw the woman, Dr. Tanner waving her off.

"It's fine. Everything okay?" She questioned as Gabby came to sit on the bed, settling herself down on it as Matt came to her side.

"Yeah, I'm fine. A little sore, but okay." Gabby answered, Dr. Tanner giving her a knowing nod as she moved towards the curtain, pulling it around the bed to block them from view.

"Understandable. But after we get a quick look at your little one, you can get out of here and get to resting." She replied, Gabby lifting up her shirt and moving down the waistband of her sweatpants, reaching out for Matt's hand as Dr. Tanner got the machine set up.

When Tanner turned around, she frowned slightly seeing the bruising over Gabby's side. "That's definitely gotten worse since yesterday. It doesn't hurt, does it?"

"No, it's just a little tender. But nothing hurts." She assured her doctor, the woman nodding.

Dr. Tanner barely got the chance to begin the ultrasound when there was a knock on the door, the three hearing the sound of the glass sliding as it was being opened.

"Hello?"

Recognizing the voice instantly, Gabby responded. "Hey Antonio, you can come in." It only took seconds for him to appear around the curtain, a soft smile coming to his face as he saw the scene in front of him.

"Didn't mean to interrupt, I just came to get Casey's keys so I could bring the truck around." He explained, Gabby shaking her head.

"It's fine. Dr. Tanner, this is my brother Antonio." She introduced, the woman smiling softly.

"It's nice to meet you. Are you staying for this?" She asked, Antonio looking towards his sister. He'd love to stay, but he didn't want to overstep and insert himself in this personal moment for her and Matt. But Gabby just smiled, giving him a nod.

"Stay." She encouraged, Antonio glancing to Matt.

"Yeah, man. You can get the first look at your niece or nephew." He spoke with a smile, Antonio nodding as he settled in beside Matt.

The next hour went by swiftly, the ultrasound finishing too quickly for Gabby's liking, Antonio leaving to bring the truck around to the entrance once the exam was finished. Dr. Tanner had reminded Gabby of her instructions for the next two weeks once again before leaving, Gabby's nurse coming in maybe thirty seconds later, pushing a wheelchair into the room. Despite multiple protests, Gabby ended up in the wheelchair, Matt's shift bag sitting in her lap, her discharge paperwork in hand as Matt pushed her through the hallways, slowly getting her to the main exit. By the time they'd gotten there, Antonio was waiting by the truck, the passenger door open, Gabby using her free hand to tighten her jacket around her as the chilly air hit her skin.

After reluctant help into the vehicle, Matt hurried to return the wheelchair, Antonio relaying his plans to his sister, letting her know he'd be by the apartment later in the afternoon to check up on her, as long as she didn't need him before then. With multiple assurances that she'd be fine, Antonio left once Matt got back, Casey climbing into the truck and beginning the drive to their place.

And now they had just pulled up outside the apartment, Gabby ready to get inside and rest. Even though part of her thought two weeks off from work was a little excessive, right now all she wanted was to lie down and sleep. Although the more she thought of it, the more she realized there was something else she wanted to do first.

"Ready to get inside?" Matt asked, Gabby nodding as he stepped down from the truck, grabbing his bag before shutting the door and heading to Gabby's side, standing there to help if she needed.

The couple made their way inside, Matt locking the door as soon as they got in, Gabby releasing a breath of relief now that they were finally home. Matt placed his bag and Gabby's hospital bag on the ground near the door, knowing that all could be dealt with later.

"You wanna go lay down?" He asked, seeing her leaning against the counter.

"I was actually thinking about taking a bath, I feel disgusting." She responded, Matt nodding.

"Want me to get it ready for you?"

"If you don't mind."

The soft smile on his face gave her her answer, Matt shaking his head as he walked towards her. "Of course not. Give me a few minutes." He answered, placing a kiss to the back of her head as he walked past her, disappearing into the bedroom, set on completing his task.

Matt was sitting on the edge of the tub, watching the bubbles slowly rise, checking the temperature every so often to make sure it wasn't too hot. Gabby entered the bathroom, having ditched her shoes and jacket, a soft yawn escaping her lips as she came through the doorway.

"Water's almost ready, you need anything else?"

Her eyes flashed to the almost full tub before moving back to Matt, Gabby pulling the shirt over her head. "You?"

Understanding her one-word request, Matt grinned, his hands moving towards his belt as he began the process of removing his clothes, Gabby continuing as well, the two looking forward to the quiet, comforting moments some time in the bath together would provide them.

* * *

Gabby groaned as she mindlessly flipped through the channels, the woman sprawled out on the couch in desperate need of something to watch. From the chair beside her, she heard Antonio chuckle, Gabby shooting him a death glare, his laughing increasing at her reaction.

"You've only been stuck at home for one day, sis. You can't be this bored, already." He spoke with a gleam in his eye.

"This is torture, Tonio. I'm losing my mind." She huffed, turning off the TV and pushing herself to sit up on the couch.

In the couple of days that had passed since Gabby's collapse that landed her in the hospital, she'd done nothing more than sleep and eat. Which, luckily, both of which were on her list of careful instructions she had to follow. But that didn't mean she wasn't slowly going insane. She'd never been one to enjoy sitting around for hours on end, and now that she was being ordered to do so, it was proving to be harder than she envisioned. Yesterday when she'd come home hadn't been too bad, Gabby's body still in major need of rest and recovery, so after her impromptu bath with Matt, that sleep admittedly fell asleep during, she ended up sleeping off and on most of the afternoon. But towards the end of the day, she'd started to become antsy. She felt like she needed to get out and do something. And knowing she couldn't was only making it worse.

"You're gonna be fine, Gabby. Even though you don't think so, your body needs the rest." He replied sternly, Gabby narrowing her gaze at him. "And I don't think you sitting here, stressing over the fact that you can't go anywhere is exactly what Dr. Tanner meant."

Knowing he was right, she gave in, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned back into the couch. "I know, I just hate not being able to do anything."

"I know you do. But really, it's what? Only a week and a half until you go back to visit Dr. Tanner, and then hopefully you'll be able to get back to work. Even though it's light duty, at least it'll get you out of the house." He spoke, Gabby's eyebrows raising. She knew Antonio hadn't been around when they found all that out, and she hadn't spoken to him about it. "What?" He asked, seeing the look on her face.

"You and Matt been chatting?" She asked with a smirk, Antonio chuckling softly.

"Well, what else are we supposed to do when you've been passed out for hours." He teased, the man referring to when he showed up yesterday and Gabby had been sound asleep. Clearly, she'd been the topic of conversation while she rested.

Before she could respond, there was a knock on the back door, Gabby throwing the blanket off her, preparing to get up and answer it.

"Uh uh, nope." Antonio spoke, standing up before she could.

"I'm not disabled." She spoke under her breath, Antonio hearing her comment but ignoring it as he stepped around the coffee table.

"I got it." Matt's voice filled the room, the man emerging from the bedroom, freshly showered and changed from his pajamas into clothes that told Gabby he was planning on going out. She watched him curiously for the few seconds he was in her sight, wondering where he'd be going this early. And why he was leaving the apartment at all.

Craning her neck, she tried to see the back door from her spot on the edge of the couch, but she couldn't get a view on Matt or the person at the door, so she settled for listening instead, ignoring Antonio's movements as her brother sat back down in his seat.

She heard the back door open, hearing Matt's greeting to the unknown person. "Hey man, thanks for doing this."

Immediately, Gabby had a pretty good idea of who was here, her guess proven correct when she heard the squad lieutenant's voice. "It's not a problem. How's Gabby doing?"

"She's alright, hating having to take it easy." Matt responded.

"I can hear you, you know." Gabby called from her seat on the couch, hearing both firefighters chuckle at her expense, the sound of the door closing reaching her ears.

"And I could hear you complaining to Antonio about how bored you are, babe." Matt responded, being met by Gabby's narrowed gaze as she came into view, Kelly following behind him.

"Hey Dawsons." Severide greeted the siblings, coming over to stand across from the couch. "So you're still feeling alright?" He asked, Gabby nodding.

"I am, I'm tired of sleeping all the time though."

"Doctor's orders, Gabby." Matt responded, the woman shooting another glare at him as he walked towards her. "I know you hate it, but it's for your own good. I'll be back soon and you can complain to me about it all you want, okay?" He informed her, leaning down and capturing her lips in a quick kiss, seeing the questioning look on her face as he pulled back.

"Where are you guys going?"

"To go get your car and stuff from your house. When you brought it up last night over dinner, I figured I'd go ahead and go get it this morning, cause Kelly's free today and I knew Antonio would be here to keep you company."

Gabby nodded in understanding, glancing towards Kelly. "I appreciate you helping him."

"Of course." Severide responded, Gabby turning her attention back to Matt, seeing a small frown resting on his lips.

"Do I not get a thank you?"

Rolling her eyes, Gabby reached for his arm, pulling him back down towards her and giving him another kiss, keeping it relatively tame knowing they had an audience.

"Much better." He responded as they pulled back, Gabby smirking at him. She couldn't help but bask in the moment, loving to see him carefree and playful again. It had been too long since he'd been like this, and she wanted to savor every moment she could. "You want anything while I'm out?"

"Well, I wouldn't turn down a bagel." She responded, Matt nodding.

"The usual?" He asked, quickly getting confirmation from Gabby. "You want anything, Antonio?"

"No, I'm good, thanks though."

"Alright, well I shouldn't be gone too long. Try and at least get a little bit of rest while I'm out, if you can." He spoke, Kelly giving his goodbyes to the siblings before him and Matt headed for the door, intent on getting this done quickly.

* * *

"Thanks for driving me." Matt spoke as Kelly pulled up outside Gabby's work, both of them taking in the building for the first time.

"It's no problem, you need anything else?"

"No man, I'm good." Matt replied, opening the door and climbing from Kelly's car, snow falling down on him as he stood on the sidewalk. "I'm not working tomorrow, I'm not sure if I'll be there the next shift or not. But I'll let you know." Kelly nodded in response, the two men saying their goodbyes before Kelly peeled away from the curb, Matt pulling up the zipper on his jacket as he began the walk up the short driveway, walking in through the open garage door.

The room was small, only needing room for the three ambulances, but just from his first impression, it looked nice. All three rigs were parked in their spots, Matt thankful for that because that meant Jemma would be here. He hadn't really had the chance to meet any of Gabby's other coworkers, he'd only heard them by name, so he felt better knowing there was a familiar face inside.

Getting to the double doors, Matt walked in, seeing six paramedics sitting in the common room across from him, their heads looking up at the sound of the door.

"Hey Matt." Jemma spoke, pushing herself up from her seat at the table and walking towards him.

"Hey."

"How's Gabby?"

"She's alright, taking it easy. But she's feeling okay." He told her, the woman nodding. "I just came by to get her stuff."

Jemma nodded understandingly, turning around to meet the eyes of her coworkers. "Guys, this is Matt, Gabby's husband."

The paramedics introduced themselves, Matt glad to be able to finally put some faces with the names he'd been hearing about, aside from the one name he didn't recognize, figuring that was Gabby's replacement for the time being.

"Thank you all for taking such good care of her, Gabby and I, we really appreciate it."

"Of course, we're just glad she's okay." Blevins spoke up, Matt flashing him a smile.

"I can show you to the locker room." Jemma told him, Matt agreeing, following her down the hallway. The layout was pretty similar to that of 51, just on a smaller scale. But he could see why Gabby liked it here. "Gabby's is right there." She pointed as they got into the room, Matt seeing her last name scribbled out onto the tape marking her locker.

Matt moved to it, putting in the combination Gabby had given him before pulling the door open, a soft smile coming to his face as he was met with photos of them.

"Do you know when you're thinking of stopping by yet?" Matt asked as he pulled Gabby's bag from her locker, reaching for the coat he knew she'd worn the morning of her last shift.

"No, not yet. I was trying to let her get settled. I figured I'd come on a day where I don't work, so I'm not there too late." She explained, Matt nodding. He slung the bag over his shoulder, hanging her coat off his arm, reaching for her car keys that she kept on the top shelf, holding them in his grasp as he shut her locker, securing the door before turning to face Jemma.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. The earlier she gets to bed, the better." He responded, the two heading out of the locker room. "But whenever you're free, just let one of us know. Gabby will be there any time, and I'm not sure what I'm doing yet but I most likely will be there too. I'm taking it a day at a time, for when I decide to go back to work." He told her, Jemma responding with a nod.

The two turned the corner to walk back towards the exit, Matt's step slowing as he saw an older man standing in the doorway of the common room, having a conversation with some of the paramedics. Based on appearance alone, Matt was able to figure out that this was Gabby's Chief.

"I heard we had a guest in the house." The older man spoke lightly as he caught a glimpse of Matt and Jemma, Casey smiling softly.

"Matt Casey, sir." He introduced himself, holding out his hand towards the Chief as he came to stop in front of him, the man shaking his hand firmly.

"Ah yes, the Captain. We've heard a lot about you around here. I'm Chief Walters, it's nice to finally meet you." He spoke kindly, the smile on Matt's face widening.

"I'm glad I was able to come and meet everyone, too. I wish it were under better circumstances, but it was nice to come see where Gabby works." Matt replied.

"How is she doing? She gave us all quite a scare the other day." He spoke, shaking his head.

"Yeah, she scared herself, too. But she's doing well. Resting a lot. But she's feeling okay."

"Good, I'm glad to hear it. Let her know we're all thinking about her, and are excited to have her back."

"I will, I know she's looking forward to getting back, too."

After making small talk for a few more minutes, Matt excused himself, knowing he still had another stop to make and he didn't want to be away from Gabby much longer. He said his goodbyes, making his way back out into the garage, seeing the city blanketed in white as snow was continuously falling down.

Once Matt had gotten himself and Gabby's things in her car, he sent a quick text to Antonio, not wanting to risk waking Gabby just in case she was sleeping, telling him that he was leaving Gabby's work and would be back soon. He placed his phone down on the seat beside him, buckling up before carefully pulling out into the road, Matt making sure to use extra caution as he drove through the streets of Chicago, ready to be back at home with his girl.

* * *

Matt maneuvered his way into the apartment as he held Gabby's coat, her bag, and her food all in one hand, his other being used to open the back door. The first thing he noticed when he stepped inside was how dark it was, the only source of light coming from the few open curtains in the living room, the snow covered ground shining dimly in through the windows. He heard the TV on, but nothing else as he quietly closed the door behind him. Matt kicked off his boots before walking towards the counter, sitting Gabby's stuff down, looking up as he heard movement coming from the other room. Antonio came around the corner a few seconds later, nodding to Matt as he came to stop on the other side of the counter.

"Hey man."

"Hey, how's she doing?" Matt spoke in a hushed tone, mimicking the softness of Antonio's voice.

"Good, she passed out not long after you left. I turned all the lights off, put in a movie, and she was out."

"That's good." Matt mused, moving to go hang up Gabby's coat on the hook by the door.

"So, I actually need to get going." Antonio spoke as Matt turned back to face him. "We had a case come in about an hour ago, Voight said I didn't have to come in, but I figured I'd go, try and help them out as long as you guys don't need anything."

"Yeah, no, that's fine. Thanks for staying with her this morning."

"It's no problem. Can you text me in a bit, let me know how she's feeling?"

"Of course, yeah."

"Thanks. I might be back later tonight, but if I can't get away then I'll definitely stop by tomorrow. Even though I know she's sick of me." He joked softly, heading towards the back door.

"She's already sick of all of us." Matt responded with a chuckle, saying a goodbye to Antonio as the man went out the door, closing it behind him.

Matt walked the few steps towards the door, locking it in place before picking up the bag of her clothes and his shift bag that still sat there. He hadn't managed to get them put away yet, Matt grabbing Gabby's bag as well before walking towards the bedroom, stopping to get a glimpse of her. She was dead asleep, Matt seeing her curled up under the blanket they kept on the back of the couch, Gabby having pulled it until it was tucked up under her chin, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

Getting the affirmation he needed that she was alright, he continued into the bedroom, placing the bags on the bed. He emptied Gabby's bag from the hospital first, putting those clothes in a pile to put into the hamper before tossing the plastic aside. Next he moved onto her shift bag, Matt emptying it so the clothes in there could get washed as well, seeing as how they weren't really sure when she'd be working again. Once completing that task, he turned around, moving towards the dresser. Matt pulled out two pairs of sweatpants and two t-shirts, one set to replace the ones Gabby had taken from his bag, and the other to wear now. Even though it was still relatively early in the day, he had no plans to leave again, and he preferred to be comfortable, knowing today was bound to be spent lounging around with Gabby.

Once he quickly changed and put the extra sweats into his bag, he dumped the pile of dirty clothes that had formed into the hamper, putting his and Gabby's bags on the ground by the dresser before leaving the room, happy to see Gabby still resting just as she had been moments prior.

Going into the kitchen, he made his movements as quiet as possible as he got himself a drink, stopping to pick up the bag of Gabby's food from the counter before walking into the living room. He only got a few steps into the room when he saw Gabby start to shift on the couch, Matt grimacing the second her eyes opened. But the smile that appeared across her lips caused him to lose the sour look on his face, a smile of his own appearing.

"Hi." Her voice was groggy, clear evidence of sleep in her speech as she cleared her throat.

"Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." He responded, Gabby sitting up on the couch slowly.

"It's alright." She spoke, glancing around the room. "Is it just us?"

"Yeah, your brother left a few minutes ago. Got called in for a case." Matt explained, Gabby nodding as her gaze moved towards the bag in his hand. "I got your favorite. Well, two of your favorites. I wasn't sure how hungry you'd be." He told her, seeing her attention on the food. He placed the bag on the coffee table in front of her, leaning down to place a quick kiss to her lips.

"You're the best." She whispered against him, giving him another quick peck before reaching for the bag, hurriedly pulling out her food. Matt took up residence on the couch beside her, leaning his weight into the back of the couch as she sat there and ate. While her attention was on the movie she'd missed the better part of, he couldn't help but watch her, his smiling growing as she dug into her second bagel. Although she'd been eating more since her trip to the hospital, he hadn't seen her eat very much. She'd pick at her food, eating whatever she could stomach, which usually wasn't a lot. It had been a struggle for her to feel hungry enough to finish anything, but it seemed she was getting her appetite back, which Matt was thankful for. She'd always been able to eat, Gabby never shying away from whatever food she wanted. But recently, between the stress he'd been putting on her, and then everything that had happened the last few days, she hadn't been eating enough. He was just glad to see that changing.

After downing a bagel and a half, Gabby settled back into the couch, her body falling into his as she leaned against him, Matt's arm wrapping around her shoulders as she dug her head into his neck. She threw the blanket over both of them, Matt's feet coming to rest on the table, Gabby stretching her legs out over his lap, the two curled together in the middle of the sofa, a content sigh leaving her lips once they finally got settled.

"Let me know if you need to move or switch sides or something," Matt murmured against her temple, "I don't want to hurt your shoulder." He finished, referring to her bruised shoulder tucked under his arm. He knew it was still sore and tender to the touch, Matt making the effort to not put much pressure on it, knowing that even if it was bothering her, she likely wouldn't say anything.

"I will. But I'm okay."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm perfect." She whispered, placing a kiss to his chest before snuggling deeper into him, Matt grinning as he moved his hand slowly up and down her arm.

They were sitting in a comfortable silence, Matt focused on the TV in front of him, feeling Gabby's even breaths against his neck. It wasn't until she spoke up again that he realized she was awake.

"So… you're back on shift tomorrow." She murmured, his eyebrows furrowing at his words. He knew that, on multiple occasions, he'd spoken about how he didn't know when he'd be going back to work, but it quickly occurred to him that Gabby hadn't been present for any of those conversations. Whether she wasn't physically there, or she had been asleep, it hit him that she had no idea he was taking time off.

"No, I'm not." He responded, Gabby lifting her head up to look at him. "I talked to Boden at the hospital, told him I'm taking some time off."

"Matt, you don't need to do that. I'm fine."

"I know I don't need to, but I want to." He responded, bringing his free hand up to push some hair away from her face. "You're okay, and I know that. But you also aren't supposed to be exerting yourself. If I can be here to help you with anything, I'm gonna do it. I haven't exactly been there for you here lately," He spoke regretfully, Gabby swallowing thickly as a frown formed on his face. "So, whatever I can do for you, even if it's just running out to get whatever food you want, I want to be able to do that."

Knowing she wouldn't be able to change his mind, she simply nodded, placing a soft kiss on the side of his mouth. "Okay. But promise me you're not gonna be taking the next week and a half off. I don't want you to miss that much work because of me."

"I told Boden I was taking it day by day." He responded, dodging the question. "So that's what we'll do."

Gabby nodded in response, placing her head back against his shoulder, relaxing her body into him as she adjusted her legs over his lap.

"Well, I appreciate you taking time off for me." She spoke softly.

"There's nothing I wouldn't do for you." He whispered back, feeling Gabby place a soft kiss against his neck, Matt sliding his hand under the blanket, resting it against her thigh.

"I missed this." Her voice was barely audible, Matt only able to hear it because of her proximity to him. "I missed you. Us."

Matt's eyes fell closed momentarily at her words, involuntarily tightening his grip on her. "Me too. But I'm right here." He promised, squeezing her leg gently.

No more words were said between the couple as they enjoyed their quiet afternoon, Gabby dozing in and out of consciousness as he held onto her, Matt keeping his grip secure to assure her that he wasn't going anywhere.

* * *

**And there's another one. Man, I've enjoyed getting back into the sweet-dawsey. Writing all that angst was making me sad honestly. And I think you all are enjoying more of the cute dawsey as well.**

**I do want to clear something up, though. Matt's reaction last chapter, it wasn't an 'oh suddenly everything's fine now, and I'm okay with this'. It was him realizing that the way he'd been handling himself and dealing with it was hurting Gabby, and his worry and concern for her took over. He's still struggling with this, he and Gabby both will still continue to struggle with this. But the anger is gone. I should've done a better job of making that clear. I'm not a big fan of the "suddenly everything is fine now!", especially when Matt has valid reasons for worrying about this pregnancy. But the incident with Gabby just made him realize he was taking it out on the wrong person, and that being angry won't help anything. It was a wake-up call for him. I hope this clears up any confusion.**

**Also, I really love how much you guys are liking Jemma. Truthfully, I've become a little attached to her and she's my favorite secondary character to write. So I'm glad you all are enjoying her as well.**

**Oh, and, before you go, here's a little snippet of the first chapter for my new story. I can't wait to hear what you think. I'm hoping to get the first chapter up soon!**

* * *

She never imagined this is where her life would end up. In fact, she envisioned quite the opposite. Though she never pictured marriage this soon, she did like to think she would've found her soulmate by now, the one person she was destined to be with forever. The person who'd love her unconditionally, someone who would always be by her side. She figured she would've met that person already. And she did.

Or she was led to believe she had.

_He_ made her think she had.

For years, she thought he loved her. For three years, he filled her head with lies. He assured her he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her, his words being solidified by the ring that had been on her finger for the last seven months.

The ring that, up until a few hours ago, hadn't ever come off.

Two hours ago, she'd been sitting at home with the love of her life. Two hours ago, Gabby had that ring prominently displayed on her finger. Two hours ago, she had a fiance. But now, that was nothing but a memory. She'd not only lost the man she thought she'd be spending the rest of her life with, she lost a life that could've been. All the plans they'd made, all the late nights spent talking about their future, it was all a lie. He never wanted that with her, he strung her along for three years, letting her believe their love had been real.

And she didn't know why. She didn't know why he had done this to her. She didn't know what she did to cause all this. It wasn't as if they'd been perfect. God no, they were far from it. They had their problems; they were both too stubborn for their own good, neither could listen to reason when they got their heart set on something, neither would ever want to back down first. And she knew the last few months had been hard on them, that both of them were struggling. But they were in love. She thought he loved her. But he didn't. And she couldn't help but wonder how long that had been the case.

Gabby needed to know how long he'd been planning on ending things. Was it sudden? Did he just wake up one day and realize he wasn't in love with her anymore? Or had their life together been a temporary thing for him all along. Gabby had no idea how long he'd been thinking of calling off their engagement, of how long he'd been wanting to break up with her. She could only hope he hadn't been feeling like this for long, that he hadn't spent God knows how long dragging her along in a relationship he was planning on ending.

But a part of her knew, deep down, this wasn't a sudden realization. She knew he'd been thinking about this for awhile. His behavior the last few months, how distant he'd been; the coming home late, or not coming home at all. How he'd leave the room whenever he got a phone call. Not only did she think he'd been planning this for awhile, she had a pretty good feeling he'd been finding comfort in the arms of other women while she struggled to keep their relationship together. But still, she believed him. Every time he said he loved her, that he couldn't wait to get married to her, she believed him. Maybe because it was easier than facing the truth. Maybe because, deep down, she hoped things would change once they got married.

But he never meant any of it. For years, she believed every stupid, blatant lie he filled her head with, only for her to be tossed aside like their relationship meant nothing.

And that's how she found herself in this unfamiliar bar, her gaze focusing back on the shot glass sitting in front of her. Gabby picked it up and downed the drink quickly, grimacing as the liquid burned her throat, silently praying for it to numb the pain she was feeling. She'd never been one to turn to alcohol for relief, but after her sure future had been turned upside down, Gabby figured she deserved it. She deserved the moment to not have to feel this particular pain, knowing that this feeling would only get worse the second she walked into work tomorrow and had to face him. She would have to force herself to keep her head high, and not let him see how much his choice had broken her. Even though all she wanted to do was fall apart, she knew she couldn't. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he destroyed her life. In less than twelve hours, she'd have to walk into that firehouse and pretend that she was fine, that her heart hadn't just been ripped out of her chest and shattered. She would have to deal with all that tomorrow, so right now she figured she deserved a little relief.

If she was being honest with herself, she would gladly never have to face him again. She would put in a transfer, start over at a new house, and begin a new chapter of her life away from him. But she knew she couldn't do that. She refused to let him win, and her transferring houses would be the ultimate victory. She wouldn't leave behind her entire life just because of him. He made this choice, if either of them should have to leave, it should be him. But she knew that would never happen. So her only choice was to face it, walk into work like she was unbothered by what he put her through.

But for now, she knew she didn't have to pretend. She didn't have to deal with him yet, Gabby having stumbled across a bar neither of them had ever been to in hopes that he wouldn't find her here, not that she was expecting him to come look for her after she walked out. Her desire to find a new place was more so the fear of her going somewhere they frequented, only to see him picking up other women to take home, Gabby knowing they'd be going back to the bed that _they_ once shared. The thought was bad enough, having to see it in person was something she didn't think she could handle. She didn't need to see him leaving to go hook up with another woman hours after he ended things, although the unsettling feeling in her gut told her their engagement hadn't really stopped him from doing that in the past, it was just now he had the option of taking them home.

A loud cheer jolted Gabby from her thoughts, turning her head to look down the bar, finding the source of the sound as she saw a few older men cheering on their buddy as he chugged a beer, Gabby quickly tuning out the noise around her again as she stifled an eye roll. Since she showed up to the surprisingly busy pub, she'd effectively ignored the chaos around her, choosing to focus on the alcohol in front of her instead of the people near her. She found herself back in the midst of her own thoughts, not hearing the sound of the bar door opening, or the sound of the heavy boots against the wood floor as the new patron came up to the bar, stopping beside her. She didn't notice any of that, her eyes fixated on the now empty shot glass in front of her. It wasn't until she heard a greeting did her head snap up.

"Casey."

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**So, I'm eager to hear what you all think! Hopefully you're intrigued! Just a reminder that the story is AU, but I've really enjoyed writing it so far. I hope you guys will like it.**

**Thanks for reading this new chapter! For those of you still sticking with me and this story, I hope you all enjoyed this one. I can't wait to hear what you think.**

**Until the next..**


	36. Chapter Thirty Six

**Back with another chapter for you guys. I hope you enjoy!**

**But, real quick, I wanted to let you all know that the first chapter of my new Dawsey story has been posted! It's called "Whatever Comes Next" and I'm really excited about it. I hope you all like it as well.**

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_**Chapter Thirty Six**_

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"Yeah, I promise, I've been taking it easy. Matt has made sure of that."

Casey overheard Gabby talking on the phone as he prepared their lunch, a soft chuckle escaping his lips as he cut her sandwich in half. It had been one week since Gabby's trip to the hospital, and she was currently on the phone with Dr. Tanner's office, following up as promised.

The past week had gone relatively well for the couple, the only sources of tension coming from Matt's refusal to let Gabby do much of anything. Any time she tried to even go and do the smallest thing, Matt would usher her back to bed or the couch, and complete whatever task she'd wanted to do. He'd become somewhat overbearing, and that mixed with Gabby's own frustrations of not being able to do anything caused her to become a little snappy, at times. But Matt took it in stride, knowing anytime she bit out a remark at him, it wasn't personal. He knew he'd be just as frustrated as she was if he was in her position, if not more so.

Her frustrations hadn't been helped by the fact that Matt still had not gone back to work yet. He got close to going to shift yesterday, but backed out at the last minute, not wanting to leave her alone. It wasn't that he didn't trust her to be by herself, he just knew she sometimes got ahead of herself and acted on impulse. He needed to see with his own eyes that she was okay, and being away from her for over 24 hours wasn't exactly conducive to that. So he decided to stay home another shift, even though he knew he was driving Gabby insane.

But he would take the moments of anger, because it meant she was okay. She was acting like Gabby. She'd always been a little hotheaded, at times, and part of him actually found it comforting to know she wasn't afraid to snap at him. It meant they were getting back to being themselves. They were acting like the couple they'd always been. So he would take that any day, because it meant they were just being them. And the times she did get frustrated with him were few and far between, Matt able to tell she didn't really mean it by her apologies that would follow almost immediately.

Aside from Gabby being forced to stay at home, this week had provided a sense of normalcy to them that had been missing lately. They had gotten back into the rhythm of being a couple again, which was something that had fallen to the wayside during the last few weeks. It was nice to just be Matt and Gabby again, neither of them taking that for granted.

"Yeah, the 26th, we'll be there." Gabby's voice broke through again, Matt grabbing both of their plates and heading for the living room, seeing her perched on the couch, her legs tucked under her as she held the phone up to her ear. He placed their food down on the coffee table, Gabby flashing him a thankful smile before speaking again. "Alright, thank you. See you next week."

Matt sat down on the couch as she hung up the phone, Gabby placing it down on the end table before turning her attention to him.

"Thanks for lunch." She spoke, leaning forward and grabbing one of the plates, settling in as she placed it on her lap.

"No problem." He responded, reaching for his own meal, leaning back into the couch.

They sat in a comfortable silence as they ate their food, both of their attentions focused on the show on TV. Matt had finished about half his food when he looked to her, his movements gaining her attention.

"So, I think I'm gonna go back to shift in a couple of days." He spoke, Gabby swallowing the bite she'd just taken, raising her eyebrow at him curiously. "I know you've been getting sick of me, and I know you're okay enough to be by yourself for a little bit. But that doesn't mean I still won't be checking up on you constantly." He spoke, Gabby smiling softly at him.

"I'm not sick of you, but yeah I could do without so much of the overbearing Matt that's been here recently." She spoke with a gleam in her eye.

"I haven't been that bad." He defended, Gabby looking at him unimpressed.

"You wouldn't even let me start my own shower." She replied, Matt blowing out a heavy breath.

"Okay, maybe you have a point. But I'm just worried about you."

"I know you are." She responded, bringing her hand up to caress over his cheek. "But you don't need to put your entire life on hold, especially when I'm fine. And if something were to happen while you were at work, you know I'd call you."

Matt nodded, taking another bite of his lunch, Gabby moving her hand down from his face towards his neck, playing with the short hairs there.

"And you can't stop avoiding your construction, too." She spoke, Matt turning towards her, a curious look on his face. "I've seen you ignore call after call, you can go and work Matt. I'm fine."

"Yeah, I know." He breathed out, "I just… I wasn't there for you when you needed me, I refuse to let that happen again." Matt admitted softly, a frown forming on her face. Gabby moved her plate from her lap, placing it on the table before leaning towards him.

"Matt, I promise you I'm okay. If I weren't, you'd be the first to know." She spoke, watching as his gaze flickered down, avoiding her eye contact. "And you need to let go of this guilt you've been holding onto." Gabby whispered, grabbing his chin to get her to look at him. "I know that's why you've been so overprotective. I mean, you always have been to an extent, but not like this. And I get it, I know I scared you and you feel responsible for what happened, but you've gotta let that go."

Matt nodded, releasing a soft sigh. "I haven't been meaning to smother you, it just makes me feel better when I'm here." He responded softly.

"I know. But you have to trust that I'm okay. I know everything could've been worse, but it wasn't. Both of us are alright." She murmured, running her thumb over his jaw. "I love you, I love how protective you are, but I'm okay to shower by myself, alright?" She spoke with a teasing tone to her voice, trying to lighten some of the heaviness in the room.

Her smile widened when she saw a soft grin appear over his face, Matt raising an eyebrow. "But that's not nearly as fun." He joked, Gabby smirking as she leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his lips.

"We can talk more about that when I've been cleared to return to normal activities." She spoke against his lips, kissing him again quickly before pulling back. "But until then, please promise me you'll get back into your life again. I mean, one of us should at least."

"I'll go back next shift." He assured her softly. "And I'll see if there's any small jobs I can do, like I normally would."

"Good."

"But if you're intent on kicking me out of the house, then expect constant texts and phone calls so I know you're alright." He responded, Gabby huffing out a breath.

"I can deal with that." She spoke, patting his chest before going back to her sandwich, Matt watching her for a few more moments before continuing his lunch as well.

* * *

Matt ran his hands through his shampooed hair quickly as he massaged out the product under the stream of water, steam filling the room as he showered. He continued going through his routine, lathering his body as he let the hot water fall down over his skin. He'd been caught up in his thoughts until he heard the shower door open, a cold rush of air hitting his skin as he turned to find Gabby standing there, Matt noticing she'd changed from her pajamas to a pair of leggings and a baggy t-shirt, her hair pulled up into a bun.

"I thought you weren't gonna join me?" He questioned with a cocked eyebrow, continuing to clean his body while she stood there.

"Don't get your hopes up, I just came to tell you that Jemma's here. I didn't want you walking out there without being decent." She spoke with a grin.

"Thanks for the heads up. I'll definitely try to make sure I have clothes on before coming out." He responded, washing the soap off his body, trying to ignore how cold he was feeling from the change in temperature. But Gabby saw him involuntarily shiver, a slight frown forming on her face.

"Sorry, I tried getting your attention but you didn't hear me."

"No, it's fine. I'm glad you're here actually, I got a call from Mr. Johnson before I got in, I guess some of his grandkids were messing around and they broke the two bottom steps on his deck that I fixed a few months ago. I told him I'd come over there and fix them."

"Well, hopefully you fix them better this time, if a couple of kids could break some stairs." She teased him, Matt putting his head under the shower head one last time.

"Funny. Except his grandkids are in their twenties." He defended lightly, turning off the water and spinning to face her. "But do you mind? I know this morning you were all ready to kick me out, but I wasn't planning on leaving today."

"No, I don't mind at all." She responded, handing Matt his towel and giving him room to step out. "I have Jemma to keep me company. And you can't feel nervous leaving, not when I have a trained paramedic with me."

"That's a good point." He muttered, drying his body before wrapping the towel around his waist. "I shouldn't be gone too long, but if you could just text me every so often, so I know you're alright."

"I will. Tell the Johnson's I said hi." She responded, Matt nodding before she placed a quick kiss to his lips. "I'm gonna get back to Jemma." Gabby moved to the doorway as she spoke, Matt following her.

"I hope you two have fun." He replied, Gabby flashing him a smile as she moved to the bedroom door, slipping out of the room and closing the door behind her.

When she turned to face the apartment, she found Jemma where she'd left her, the woman still standing at the counter in the kitchen. "Sorry about that." Gabby spoke, Jemma waving her off. "You want anything to drink?"

"Water's fine." Norris responded, Gabby nodding as she moved to the fridge, pulling out two bottles of water. After handing one to Jemma, she led her friend towards the living room, the two sitting down on either side of the couch. "You and Matt have such a nice home, Gabby." She spoke, taking a sip of her water.

"Thank you, we like it here."

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner, I was just wanting to make sure you had time to get settled and everything."

"Oh, it's fine. I appreciate you stopping by. Aside from Matt, Severide, and my brother, I haven't had much company." Gabby responded offhandedly, Jemma furrowing her eyebrows at the statement. Seeing as how everyone from 51 had been glued to the hospital when Gabby was there, she found it odd no one else had come to visit, but she didn't dwell on her words.

"So how are you feeling? I've been checking in with Matt, he says you've been doing alright."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good. Both of us are good." She spoke, placing her hand over her stomach. Jemma nodded with a soft smile, patting Gabby on the arm before taking another drink. Noise caught their attention as they looked towards the bedroom door as it opened, Matt coming out dressed in some thicker clothes, having planned for his afternoon outside.

"Hey Jemma." He greeted with a smile, walking towards the living room.

"Hey Matt, you headed out?"

"Yeah, I have a construction job this afternoon." He replied, moving towards Gabby, leaning down and placing a quick kiss to her lips. "I'll be back later, I hope you all have fun." He spoke, waving goodbye to Norris before heading for the back door.

"Be safe, I love you." She called after him.

"I love you too." He responded, grabbing his wallet and keys before disappearing through the door. Once she heard the door shut, she turned her attention back to Jemma, heat rising to her cheeks as she saw her friend watching her with a soft grin.

"Yeah?"

"Nothing, it's just you guys are cute." She responded, Gabby biting on her bottom lip as she looked down towards her lap. "I don't know that many married couples, but from my experience I haven't seen a lot of happy ones. Especially ones that have been together for as long as you and Matt have. It's just refreshing, seeing that there are happy couples out there."

Gabby's tongue poked out between her teeth, running over her lips as she thought over Jemma's words. "Well, I mean it definitely isn't easy. We've had a lot of ups and downs."

"I know you have, but you two are still together. I know you said you all went through a rough patch when you were doing your relief work, but it's not like you all broke up or anything. Whatever it was, you two got through it." She spoke, guilt flooding Gabby's body at her words.

When she first made the decision to refer to Matt as her husband at work, she did it because it was easier. In that moment, it was easier to just call him her husband rather than explaining the lengthy and painful situation to people she'd just met. But now, Jemma was one of her closest friends, if not her best friend, and she hated lying to her.

"It's just nice to see a couple like you two. It gives me hope for mine. My parents didn't exactly set a good example growing up, they hated each other. They only stayed together because of me, and ended up getting divorced when I was a kid anyway. Growing up, I didn't even realize that couples were supposed to be happy and in love, you know?"

Gabby's eyes fell closed momentarily, unable to shake the unsettling feeling in her gut. She didn't want to keep Jemma in the dark anymore. She didn't want to be afraid of saying the wrong thing, and have Jemma find out she's been lying to her since the first day they met. She didn't want her to be blindsided by it. It might not even be a big deal, in fact Gabby prayed it wouldn't be, but she wanted Jemma to know. And she didn't want Jemma to find out from someone other than herself.

"I need to tell you something." Gabby spoke up, breaking through Jemma's words, the young brunette looking to her curiously.

"What's up?"

"Matt and I… we aren't married." Jemma's face morphed into a look of confusion as the words sunk in, Jemma's eyes flickering around the room.

"Why did you tell everyone you were?" She asked, Gabby hearing nothing but uncertainty laced in her voice. Thankfully, she didn't sound angry.

Sucking in a deep breath, Gabby looked forward, avoiding her friend's gaze. "We were married, we used to be, before I left. We had been for over a year and a half. But then a lot of things happened, I went to Puerto Rico and, at the time, decided not to come back, so we got a divorce." She explained quietly, Jemma only more confused by her explanation. Before her friend could say anything, Gabby continued. "I'm sorry I lied, I just- when you asked me, I didn't know any of you. And Matt and I were back together, so I just figured it was easier than explaining everything that had happened to someone I didn't know."

"You don't owe me an explanation, I just don't get why you still called him your husband? I mean, you could've just said he was your boyfriend. It's none of my business, I know, I just don't understand, I guess." Jemma spoke, working through her thoughts out loud.

"I know, but he's so much more to me than that. It felt wrong, to refer to him as just my boyfriend. After everything we've gone through together, he's always been more to me. I don't know, it felt weird calling him that." Gabby explained the best she could, Jemma nodding. "But I should've told you sooner, you're my best friend and I should've told you the truth."

"It's okay, Gabby." She responded, wearing a soft smile. "Like you said, you didn't know any of us when you first got there, you had no obligation to share your life story when we'd just met you." Gabby released a breath of relief, Jemma furrowing her eyebrows, realizing how worried Gabby had been about this conversation. "You okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just glad you're not mad at me."

"Why would I be mad? I mean, yeah, I don't really understand it, but I don't have to. And I'm sorry you all got a divorce, but as long as you two are happy, that's what matters. I don't know what went on, why you two ended things or why you got back together, it's none of my business. You had your reasons for what you did, there's nothing to be mad at you for." Jemma explained, hating that Gabby had been worried about her reaction. Sure, she would've liked to know that they weren't actually married, but when it came down to it, it really made no difference to her. She hadn't known them when they were married, or when they got divorced. In her eyes, Gabby had nothing to apologize for.

"Thank you, Jemma." Gabby responded, Jemma furrowing her eyebrows, her words only causing more questions to form in her mind.

"You don't have to thank me… but, uh, I do have one question, it's not really about you and Matt, well I don't think it is, it might be..." She started, Gabby nodding at her to continue. "You don't have to answer if you don't want to, but I've been kind of curious about it for awhile."

"What is it?"

"Did something happen between you and everyone from your old house?" Jemma asked, watching as something flickered in Gabby's eyes, something Jemma read to be a flash of hurt. "I just… there's a weird vibe there, anytime we see them, and it's always made me a little curious. But you don't have to tell me if you don't want to, or it could be nothing at all, I don't know." She rambled, shaking her head. "But hearing the way you talk about them sometimes, and you said no one's really been to see you… I've just wondered what happened there."

Both women sat in silence for a few seconds, Jemma watching as Gabby began fiddling with her hands in her lap, looking anywhere but towards her as she took deep breaths.

"You know what, forget I asked. I shouldn't have said anything. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, no it's fine. It's just… well it's a lot. There's a lot that happened, between everything with Matt and I and the fallout there, it kind of left things in a weird place between me and them." She spoke quietly, Jemma watching her with sad eyes. Gabby finally looked towards her friend again, flashing her a weak smile. "This is a pretty long story, you sure you don't have anywhere to be?" Gabby asked, Jemma shaking her head.

"I'm good. As long as you don't mind telling me."

"No, I don't. I just- no one knows the full story aside from Matt, and he experienced half of it, so you'll have to bear with me. I've never really told anyone the whole thing."

"That's fine, take your time."

"Well, uh, I guess the best place to start would be what happened that caused me to leave." She started, settling back into the couch, Jemma turning her body to face her. "About a month before I went to Puerto Rico, Matt and I decided we were gonna start trying to have a baby. We'd had some, uh, issues in the past when it came to expanding our family, so it was a big decision for us." Gabby spoke, taking to messing with the edge of her shirt as a distraction. "I was getting a little impatient, and decided we should go see my doctor, to make sure everything was alright. But when we went, I found out I had an aneurysm, and it- it makes it dangerous for me to go through a full term pregnancy." A frown formed on Jemma's face as she heard the news, her eyes flashing down to Gabby's stomach before moving back to her face. "That news really threw us, and it led to one of the worst fights Matt and I have ever had. We both said terrible things to each other, I was determined to still carry our baby, Matt didn't want me to, and we both just kind of blew up. After that, it left a lot of uncertainty between us. Things weren't good... I, uh, I wasn't sure if he still loved me, or if we could get past it, so I decided to go to Puerto Rico to get some space."

"Gabby… I'm so sorry." Jemma whispered, Gabby shaking her head.

"It's okay. When I left, it wasn't supposed to be a permanent thing. But once it was time for me to come back home... Matt and I, we weren't in any better place than we were when I left, and I got scared. We were both scared, we didn't know how to fix things, and it tore us apart. I got offered a permanent position, and decided to take it. I came back, asked him to go with me, but he didn't. So we ended things, and got a divorce because we felt like we had no other choice. Both of us were afraid that our problems weren't fixable, so we kind of just gave in. It was stupid, and both of us regret it because we still wanted to be together. But it felt like everything was too much for us to handle, so we just..." Gabby trailed off, trying to stop herself from rambling.

"Is that what caused problems between you and the rest of the house? The divorce?"

"I don't know, really. I kind of cut myself off from everyone here, not because of them but because everything was just too much, and I wasn't really dealing with it. I found it easier to forget about everything going on at home while I was there, and they never reached out to me after I first left either. When I told them what I was leaving to do, none of them seemed interested, and it kind of felt like I'd already left even before I had. I hadn't spoken to anyone except Matt and my brother while I was gone, and then after the divorce, it was just my brother. Matt and I, we weren't in a good place. He was angry at me, and I'm sure people at 51 picked up on that. I think they resent me for leaving, and for what it did to Matt." Gabby explained with a shrug. "And Brett and I, we got into this huge fight right before I left because of a call. I wasn't handling myself well, she said some things, and we never really talked before or after I left. We've smoothed things over, I guess, but it's still weird." She spoke, Jemma nodding in understanding. "I love everyone at the house, they were my family for so long, and I think things are definitely better. When I worked that shift, everyone was great. Well, aside from Foster, but that's another story. But once that was done… it's like they only know how to act around me when I seek them out. They're still hesitant to come to me. And I get it, I left and never reached out, but things are still just a little off. Especially between Brett and I. I'm not surprised you picked up on it."

"But you came back, shouldn't they be happy you're here?"

"They are, I think. But when I came back to Chicago and then decided not to come back to 51, I think they took that as just something else I'd done to them. How I came home, but chose not to come back to work there, I think that upset them."

"But hadn't your spot been filled?"

"Yeah, it had. I don't think they saw it that way, though. And it didn't help that when I first came back, I refused to really see anyone." She spoke, taking a steadying breath as she prepared herself for the topic that was coming.

"Why?" Jemma asked carefully, sensing Gabby's hesitation.

"I, uh... I never had any intention of coming back home. Even though I wanted to, and I missed Matt so much, I didn't come back because I didn't want to ruin anything else. I'd hurt Matt enough, I didn't want to come back just to throw a wrench into his life again. I thought he hated me, though when I came back I found out he never did. But at the time, I didn't know that. So even though I was unhappy, I wasn't planning on leaving."

"So why did you?"

"I… I was attacked, in my home." She admitted quietly, hearing Jemma's breath catch in her throat. "They broke in, destroyed the place, they threw me around." Tears welled in Jemma's eyes as she listened to Gabby, hating that her friend had gone through something so terrible. "I was pretty beat up, I had some injuries to my ribs and my shoulder, all the swelling, bruising, and cuts weren't pretty either. That's how I got this scar," She continued, tapping her finger against the mark on her forehead, "and I have a few other ones. They definitely did damage."

"Gabby, I-" Jemma was at a loss for words, unable to find the right thing to say to her friend. Instead, she leaned forward, wrapping her arms around Gabby tightly, holding on to her for a few moments as Gabby relaxed into her. "I'm so sorry that happened to you."

"It's okay, really it is." She whispered, Jemma wiping under her eyes as they separated. "But it's what made me decide to come home. I came back here, and Matt and I… we found our footing again, were able to work through the things that drove us apart." Gabby spoke, crossing her arms over her lap. "But, uh, the attack- I've had a lot of problems dealing with my anxiety since that happened. That's why I've had those panic attacks. Those guys who broke in, they did a lot more than physical damage." Jemma just nodded, not wanting to interrupt while Gabby was working her way through the story. But she placed her hand on Gabby's arm, rubbing softly over her skin, hoping to give her friend some comfort.

"Things are getting better though, for me and for Matt. I've gotten a better handle on dealing with my anxiety. And Matt and I, we're in a much better place than we were even before our fight. The last year, before I left, had been hard on us, but since I got back, we've been doing really well. The pregnancy kind of threw us though, it's made things difficult." Gabby spoke quietly. "I still have the aneurysm, there's a chance this baby could kill me…" Jemma forced herself to take a deep breath as Gabby continued. "And I'm struggling with coming to terms with that, but I couldn't get rid of this child. Not when Matt and I have lost two children already." Jemma's brows furrowed at the new information, Gabby not even realizing what she'd said until she saw her friend's reaction. Releasing a heavy sigh, she spoke. "I had a miscarriage, a few years back. And then about a year after that, Matt and I were fostering this boy, Louie. We were planning on adopting him, but… it didn't work out." Gabby shook her head softly as she thought of her lost children, forcing that hurt down as she continued telling her story. "So I made the decision to keep this baby. And Matt wasn't happy about it. He couldn't risk losing me, and before I collapsed, things had been really hard between us. Matt had been avoiding me, we were falling back into old patterns that had ruined us in the past, that's why I was kind of a mess every time you saw me. And that's why I freaked out when I found out I was pregnant. But we're okay now, we're better. It's not easy, but Matt's not angry anymore. We're getting through it."

"Wow… I- I don't even know what to say."

"Yeah, it's a lot. But that's everything. Everything that happened to make me leave, everything that's happened since. But, uh- no one from 51 knows about that. They don't know about the attack, or the aneurysm, we never told them." Gabby said, Jemma nodding in understanding. "Well, Kelly and Herrmann know about the attack, and, well, Foster does too, I guess. But that was an accident. And Kelly knows about the aneurysm, but other than that, they don't know anything. And I think that hasn't helped things, either. They know something happened to me, but they don't know what. So they don't know how to help."

"Have you ever thought about telling them? Obviously, it's up to you, but maybe it would help things."

"Yeah, that's what Matt and the Chaplain have said." Gabby mused, Jemma raising her eyebrows in question. "I've been seeing a Chaplain, Chaplain Orlovsky, since I started struggling with panic attacks. He's been helping me since I've been back. But both him and Matt have talked about me telling everyone, and I've thought about it. When I told Herrmann, I did find myself feeling better that someone else knew. But the thought of telling all of them is still kind of daunting."

"I get it. Well, actually, I don't. I can't imagine what all this has been like for you. But all that matters is that you're doing what's best for you. I'm just glad you trusted me enough to tell me."

"Of course I trust you, you're one of my closest friends." Gabby spoke, a soft smile falling onto Jemma's face. "You actually remind me a lot of my best friend, Shay."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you do. I mean, you're a lot more composed than she was. She was just- she was crazy. But you couldn't help but love her."

"She's sounds great." Jemma replied sadly, not missing how Gabby spoke of this woman in the past tense.

"She was. She- she was killed during a call, we all got caught in a building during an explosion, she didn't make it."

"I'm so sorry." Gabby just smiled sadly, taking a deep breath.

"Me too. But you two are a lot alike. She would've absolutely loved you."

"I wish I could've met her."

"You would've gotten along great, as long as you could get past her intrusive questions and brazen personality." Gabby joked, Jemma chuckling. "But enough about me." Gabby spoke, Jemma understanding she needed to change the subject from her fallen friend. "With everything going on, I really haven't been able to check in with you. How are you and Marcus doing?" She asked, watching as Jemma's face lit up, Gabby unable to stop the smile appearing on her face at seeing her friend so happy.

"We're great, he's great." She spoke lightly. "He's been busy working, but we're doing good. He actually stopped by the house earlier this week, I hate you weren't there to meet him."

"Maybe you two and Matt and I could go out to dinner sometime, you know once I'm cleared to leave the house." Gabby responded with a smile, Jemma's eyes lighting up at the idea. "It would be fun."

"That would be so much fun." Jemma agreed, perching herself on the edge of the couch in excitement.

"My appointment is on Tuesday, and hopefully I'll get cleared by Dr. Tanner to actually be able to be a person again. But once I get the all clear, we can set something up." Gabby spoke, Jemma nodding in agreement.

Both women settled into the couch, moving onto lighter topics of conversation as they caught up, having missed each other more than they realized over the last week.

* * *

Matt walked into their quiet home a little after eight, muttering curse words under his breath as the back door shut louder than he intended. There were no other sounds in the apartment, and all the lights were off except for the one above the stove, that one that Gabby always kept on for him if he was coming home late.

After locking up, Matt went through his normal routine, discarding his keys and wallet in the bowl, cutting through the kitchen to get to their bedroom. He stopped to get himself a glass of water before heading towards the room, turning off the remaining light as he went. Stepping inside the room, Matt smiled as he saw Gabby sound asleep in the middle of their bed, tucked under the covers, her body facing away from him. He had a pretty good idea she'd been asleep for awhile, Gabby having not answered the text he sent checking in on her an hour ago, and the one telling her he was on the way home.

Matt had been gone way longer than planned, and if not for the constant reassurances from Gabby all afternoon that she was fine, he would've left the job unfinished. But thankfully, he managed to complete his work, and he'd be able to spend all day with her tomorrow.

Placing his glass down on the nightstand, Matt turned on the lamp, Gabby still deep in her unconscious state as he began getting ready for bed. It was still early, way earlier than he'd normally sleep, but he was exhausted. And the only thing that sounded good right now was laying in bed with Gabby in his arms.

Within ten minutes, Matt had gotten ready to sleep, stripped down to his boxers as he moved back towards the bed, sliding under the covers and laying behind Gabby as he got himself situated. Turning off the lamp, he got comfortable as he slipped his hand under the sheets, sliding it over her waist and resting on her stomach, his other arm bent under his head. Holding onto her, Matt could feel the firmness of their child underneath his touch. She wasn't really showing yet, but he could feel the difference whenever he held her. Her abdomen had gotten maybe the slightest bit fuller over the last few weeks, but it wasn't anywhere near noticeable. The only people who could notice any physical difference at all were him and Gabby. But changes were definitely happening, Matt being reminded of that every time he touched her stomach.

"Hey." Gabby's raspy voice pulled him from his thoughts, Matt pressing his body into her as he leaned forward, placing a kiss on the back of her head.

"Hey. Sorry I was gone so long." He whispered into the darkness, Gabby relaxing her body into his.

"It's fine, did your job go okay?" She murmured, exhaustion still evident in her voice.

"It did. Took longer than I thought it would, but it was good. I didn't get snowed on, so I'll call that a success." He felt Gabby nod against him, placing her hand over his on her stomach. "I told Mr. and Mrs. Johnson about the baby." He whispered, Gabby humming in response. "They're really excited for us, said if we needed anything to let them know." She nodded at his words, Matt tapping his fingers lightly over her stomach. "And Mrs. Johnson wants to make you this little basket of, what she called, baby essentials. I told her she didn't have to, but I guess she did it for each of their kids when they were expecting, and she said she wants to do it for you, too."

"That's so sweet." Gabby mused, Matt able to hear how grateful she was despite her fatigue. "They're really nice people."

"Yeah, they are." He agreed, leaning to rest his head on her shoulder. "Did everything go okay here?"

"Mhmm." She hummed, a yawn escaping her lips. "Jemma and I hung out for awhile. I, uh, I told her everything."

"About the aneurysm?"

"Well, yeah. But I meant _everything_. Like everything that's happened to us, and me." She explained tiredly, realization soon hitting him.

"And how'd that go?" He asked softly.

"Surprisingly well. I'm glad she knows now. I hated feeling like I was lying to her." Matt placed a kiss on her shoulder as a silent response. "But after that we just sat and talked, and then she left after a while. It was good though, I'm glad I could see her."

"Me too."

"So, did you manage alright? Being away for so long?"

Releasing a soft chuckle, his rubbed his thumb over her stomach. "I did okay. I couldn't stop thinking about you, but that's not unusual."

"Such a sweet talker." She murmured, fighting off her exhaustion.

"But no, it was fine. I was worried, but I managed to get through the day with only calling you once."

"You texted me like ten times." She countered, Matt sighing.

"Baby steps." He responded, Gabby laughing before another yawn escaped her mouth. "But you should get back to sleep, we can talk more in the morning. I love you."

"Love you too." She whispered sleepily, it only taking a few minutes before he felt her body completely relax into his, her even breaths telling him she'd fallen asleep.

It took him awhile, his body not used to sleeping this early, but soon enough Matt was able to succumb to his own exhaustion, falling asleep to the steady rise and fall of her chest.

* * *

Matt tucked his white Captain's shirt into his pants, feeling Gabby's eyes on him as he moved around the room, turning to face her as he zipped up the blue material, clasping the button in place before beginning to work on his belt.

"And you're sure you don't need me to stay?" He asked for the fourth time this morning, glancing down quickly towards his belt, not seeing Gabby chuck a pillow at his head until it smacked him in the chest. "Hey!"

"If you ask me one more time I'm gonna strangle you with it." She replied, Matt sure she was only half-joking. "I love you, but you're driving me insane. I promise I'm gonna be fine. Antonio is stopping by later, Jemma's off today so she's gonna come by and have dinner with me tonight, I'll be in good hands." She assured him for what felt like the millionth time.

Picking up the pillow, he walked it back over to the bed, sitting down on the edge in front of Gabby, who'd been sitting up, her arms crossed over her bent knees. "You know I'm never gonna stop checking in on you, right?"

"Of course I do, but you gotta believe me when I tell you I'm alright." She said, reaching out to brush her fingers over his forehead. "I know you're gonna check up on me, I've given you every right to be worried. But when I tell you I'm okay, you can trust that."

"I do, I'm just feeling a bit… anxious, I guess, about leaving you. But I know you'd tell me if something was wrong. And pretty soon you're gonna be able to get back to work and everything, so I gotta get used to being away from you again. Just promise me you'll make sure to eat enough."

"I promise." She assured him, although her food and liquid intake hadn't been a problem since she came home from the hospital. But she knew he needed to hear assurance out loud.

Matt nodded, leaning forward to capture her lips in a surprisingly heated kiss, one much more intense than anything they'd shared since being home from med, really since before finding out about the baby. But Gabby welcomed it, urging him on as she leaned into him. When they pulled back, she was panting, her head cocked to the side as she saw the smug look covering his face.

"Trying to remind me of what I'll be missing?" She asked teasingly, Matt shrugging as he pushed himself up from the bed.

"Maybe. But before you get any more ideas, I'm gonna get out of here. Wouldn't want me to be late on my first day back, now would we?" He asked, leaning down to give her a much more tame kiss, Gabby smiling against him before he pulled back. "I love you, I'll talk to you later. I hope you have a good day with your brother and Jemma."

"I will, stay safe out there. You've got two people who need you and are waiting on your safe return home." She spoke with a gleam in her eye, Matt's eyes flickering down to her stomach, a light smile falling onto his face.

"That's true. I've got two very important people waiting for me." He responded softly, placing one last kiss against her forehead, lingering there for an extra second before he pulled back, being met by a soft smile from Gabby. The smile that made him fall in love with her. "Alright, I really need to go or I'm gonna be late. I'll see you tomorrow morning." Matt told her, heading towards the bedroom door, knowing if he didn't he'd be calling into work for a very different reason.

"See you then." She called, watching him until he disappeared, Gabby collapsing back into the bed with a content smile on her face.

* * *

"Hey, would you look who it is. Casey's back!" Matt heard as soon as he stepped foot inside the garage, his delay with Gabby this morning getting him here later than he planned. Looking up, he saw scattered members of 51 around the garage, his eyes finding Herrmann first, nodding towards the man after his greeting.

"Yeah, it's good to be back." He said as firefighters began to crowd around him. He did mean what he said, he missed being here. But, still, part of him would much rather be at home with Gabby.

"How's Dawson doing?" Otis asked, eager ears listening intently as all eyes were on Casey.

"She's doing good, feeling a lot better. You all could've stopped by, or called her. She would've loved to hear from you guys." He spoke, clearing his throat. He'd been surprised by the lack of contact people from 51 had with her since her stint in the hospital. For as worried and concerned as they'd been while she was there, it didn't seem to translate into them reaching out. Aside from Severide's frequent visits, Gabby's few phone calls with Herrmann, and him and Boden keeping constant contact, as far as he knew, no one else had checked in with her. There was still apprehension on their end, and he hated it, because of how it affected Gabby.

Although she hadn't come out and said it, he knew it was bothering her. She'd asked him a few times over the last week if he'd heard from anyone, and the other day when Jemma was there, he heard her comment about no one having stopped by to visit her. She'd never say it directly, but he knew the radio silence from members of 51 was upsetting her.

A thick silence filled the large room, Matt glancing around at his coworkers, seeing unsure looks on their faces. Thankfully, Severide quickly spoke up, breaking through the uncomfortable feeling that had settled around them.

"Whenever I saw her, she looked like she was feeling better. I'm kind of surprised you lasted this long without Gabby kicking you out, though. Especially the last few days, she'd had about enough of you." Kelly joked, Matt letting out a dry chuckle, earning similar reactions from the firefighters around them.

"Yeah, well, she'd been trying for days and I finally gave in." He replied.

"But really, we're all glad she's okay. She had us worried." Severide responded, earning agreeing nods from those around him.

"Yeah, me too." Matt spoke quietly, blowing out a heavy breath as his eyes met Boden's, the older man hanging back behind the group. Excusing himself, Matt stepped in between Brett and Foster, taking the quickest path towards the Chief as he walked towards him.

"Glad to have you back, Casey." He spoke, Matt shaking his hand.

"Thanks Chief. And thank you, for being so flexible with my schedule here lately. You don't know how much I appreciate it."

Boden nodded, his eyes flashing back towards the group that had since gone their separate ways, returning to the tasks they'd been doing before Casey came in. "Have you all decided anything? About when you're going to tell people?"

Clearing his throat, Matt nodded. "Gabby and I talked, we're still going to wait like we planned. I mean, I know there's a lot of people who know already, so there's a chance people will find out before, but Gabby still wants to wait." He explained quietly, knowing there were prying ears everywhere.

"Understood. But, for peace of mind, I did pull Brett and Foster aside after we got back from the hospital. I know you said they found out on accident, so I went ahead and made it clear that it wasn't common knowledge, and it wasn't meant to be."

"Thank you, Chief." Matt spoke gratefully, glad that Gabby had one less thing to worry about. He adjusted his bag on his shoulder, glancing down to his watch, realizing it was already a few minutes past shift change. "I need to get ready for shift, but I appreciate everything you've done for me and Gabby. And I know she does, too."

"Anytime. Like I said, you two are family." Boden replied, patting his Captain on the shoulder before the two men separated, Matt heading for the locker room to prepare for the next twenty four hours.

* * *

**And there was another one. I know this one is a little shorter than normal, but this chapter was kind of a stepping stone into my next few storylines, and I didn't want to add more filler just to make it longer, you know? I'm looking forward to a few of the things I have planned for this, it definitely gets interesting. (Don't worry, there's no more Dawsey fighting. I think we've all had enough of that.) But there are some, challenges, let's say, that are gonna be popping up soon for one of them in particular.**

**But now, Jemma knows everything. Which is good. Gabby needs people in her corner who know what all she's been through. **

**Also, as I mentioned before, my new story is up, I got chapter one posted yesterday. It's on my profile if you want to check it out! It's very different from this one, but I'm enjoying it so far. I really hope you all are interested in it.**

**As always, thank you all so much for the continued support on this story, and the support I've already gotten on my new one. You all are seriously the most amazing people, I appreciate you all so much. You all keep me inspired to continue writing. Everyone who takes time out of their day to read my work, it means so much to me. I'm looking forward to hearing what you thought of this one! **


	37. Chapter Thirty Seven

**Hello everyone! Here's another chapter for you all. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Seven**_

* * *

Gabby sat perched on the table as Amanda took her blood pressure, Matt planted close by her side as they made small talk with the nurse. They had just finished up going through the routine questions that happened at the beginning of each of Gabby's appointments, Amanda beginning the process of taking her vitals.

"We're all glad you're feeling better. You've been the talk around here for the last couple weeks." She spoke with a soft smile, Gabby raising her eyebrows in surprise.

"Really? Well, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing." Gabby joked.

"It's nothing bad. We're all just worried." Amanda assured her, removing the cuff from Gabby's arm. She pulled the monitor from Gabby's finger, looking over the numbers on the screen. "Well, everything is looking good, Gabby. We do need to get some blood drawn today, so I'm gonna do that then they'll be in to do your ultrasound, alright?"

Gabby nodded, flashing the woman a soft smile. "Thanks Amanda."

The nurse began the quick process of drawing Gabby's blood, Matt keeping his hand placed firmly on her thigh while Amanda worked. Within minutes, she was done, putting the labels on the samples and gathering her things, heading for the door. "They'll be in shortly. I'll see you in two weeks."

They exchanged goodbyes with the nurse, Matt watching until she was out of the room before turning to Gabby. She had her arms crossed over her lap, her finger tapping against her leg as she sat and waited.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, Gabby turning to look at him, a small smirk playing on her lips.

"That's the first time you've asked me that today, I think that's a new record." She teased, Matt scoffing as he shook his head. "I mean, it's not even noon, but still."

"Well, you can blame the two calls I had this morning." He responded, placing his hand on her arm. "But you're feeling alright?"

"Yeah, still cramping a little, but I'm gonna talk to her about it." Matt nodded, giving her a small smile. He leaned forward, placing a soft kiss to the side of her head, moving his hand from her arm to her stomach, his large palm covering the area as he cradled the forming bump. It wasn't even so much a bump yet, but her body was definitely changing. Over the last few days, her lower stomach had started rounding out the slightest bit. It was a small change, but Matt was enamored the first time he noticed it. To anyone else, she still didn't look pregnant at all, and probably wouldn't for at least a couple more weeks, but to them, it was an everyday reminder that their child was growing. The changes to her body weren't noticeable unless she was bare, and even then Matt could only tell if he looked at her from the side, but they found themselves fascinated by it the last few days since her stomach began to fill out.

"It's still weird, isn't it?" She asked him, breaking him from his trance. "Seeing my body change like this. We never got to experience that the first time, it's kind of surreal."

"Yeah, it is. That's a good word for it." He murmured, his eyes flickering up from her stomach to meet hers, seeing the flash of hesitation. "It's a good surreal." Matt assured her, knowing she was still sometimes weary of his reactions to things surrounding this pregnancy. And he'd given her every reason to be. "I know we can never replace what we lost, but having the constant reminder that our baby is growing… I don't even know what I'm trying to say, I can't really explain it, but it's comforting." Gabby's smile widened as he stumbled over his words, placing her hand over his on her stomach.

"No, I know what you mean. But I'm not sure you'll be saying that when I'm the size of a whale and can't see my feet."

Matt let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head before placing another kiss on her forehead. "You'll still be beautiful." He whispered, rubbing his thumb over her abdomen.

Their moment was interrupted by the sound of the door opening, the expectant parents surprised to see Dr. Tanner walk in. In their previous visits, they never saw her during the exam portion of Gabby's appointment, so to have her in here now left both Matt and Gabby a little unsettled.

"Hello Gabby, Matt." She greeted, shutting the door behind her.

"Hi." Gabby spoke unsurely, feeling her heart begin to beat a little quicker in her chest.

"Are you doing Gabby's ultrasound?" Matt questioned, both Dr. Tanner and Gabby turning to look at him, able to hear the nervousness in his voice.

"Yes, I am-"

"Is something wrong?" He cut her off, his hand moving from Gabby's stomach to her leg.

Understanding the man's fear, Dr. Tanner quickly shook her head. "No, no everything's fine. I didn't mean to worry you, but with everything that's happened the last few weeks, I wanted to be the one to do your exam." She clarified, Matt releasing a relieved breath. "I'm sorry, I know that must've freaked you out. I should've had Amanda warn you."

"No, it's fine. We're still just a little on edge, I think." Gabby replied, gripping Matt's hand tightly.

"That's understandable. But going forward, there may be more times where I come to do the exam, just to see everything with my own eyes. I don't want you all panicking when that happens." She informed them, Matt nodding in response. "I know you're already aware that your situation isn't the most ordinary. With the number of visits alone, and us performing ultrasounds at every appointment, that's not our usual practice. But we have to take precautions, that way if a problem does arise we know as soon as possible. So there will be a few of your exams over the next few months that I perform instead of Julie, especially the closer we get to your due date. But that isn't a reason to be alarmed, alright? If anything were to be wrong, you would know the second I do. I promise." She assured them gently, the couple feeling their nerves lessen at her words.

Pulling the stool closer to the bed, Dr. Tanner sat down, putting the tablet in her lap. "I know this pregnancy has you both nervous, reasonably so. But try not to worry before knowing if there's anything to worry about." Gabby nodded, squeezing Matt's hand before Dr. Tanner spoke up again. "Now, I've looked over your vitals and everything is looking good. A lot better than the last time I saw you, which is what we want. It looks like all that resting did some good."

"It did. It was torture, but it helped." Gabby responded with a grin.

"I'm sure it was, but it was needed. You are still a little under the target weight I'd like you to be at right now. You're 10 weeks along right now, and even though I'd like to see a little more weight gain, you've definitely improved on that since being in the hospital. Just keep doing what you're doing, food wise, and I know that'll even out. But all your numbers look great, especially for everything you went through." She informed them, glancing up from the file in her hands. "How's the morning sickness been?"

"It's eased up a little bit." Gabby responded. "It's still not fun, but it's not as severe as it had been before. There's been some days I haven't gotten sick at all, but I don't think I've gotten sick more than three times."

"It's usually just once or twice a day, now." Matt interjected, Dr. Tanner nodding with a small smile on her face.

"Good, that's good. After having to go to hospital, I figured part of your issues with that were related to your lack of food and water intake, as well as the stress. So I'm glad to see that's calmed down. How have you been feeling overall? Anything else been going on?"

"I feel okay, I'm still get really exhausted sometimes. But I feel like that's normal." Dr. Tanner nodded, encouraging her to continue. "And, uh, I have been having some cramping, I guess? Over the last few days."

"Is it painful?"

"No, it's not. More so just uncomfortable. It almost feels like cramps I get during my period, but a little different. I don't know if that makes sense, but it just feels like pressure in my lower stomach."

"Are you having any bleeding or spotting?"

"No." Gabby responded as Dr. Tanner typed out Gabby's words into her notes. "I probably should've called when it started, but it wasn't painful and wasn't happening all the time, so I figured it was normal, but I don't know… I just want to make sure it's nothing, since we're here."

"You're fine, Gabby. I think what you're experiencing is just some pressure from your uterus expanding, it's called round ligament pain. It can be uncomfortable, but it's perfectly normal. That cramping feeling is probably a combination of that, and the fact you'd been dehydrated." She explained. "Now, it is a little early on for this to be starting, it usually begins any time after the second trimester starts, because that's when you'll really begin to start growing. But it could be the beginning stages of it, that's why it's only pressure right now, not so much pain." Dr. Tanner told them. "I imagine it's nothing to worry about, but let's go ahead and take a look, alright?" Gabby nodded, dropping Matt's hand as she slid back on the table, leaning against the seat while Matt came to stand by her head. She pulled her shirt up and unzipped her pants, moving the material out of the way so they could do the ultrasound.

"Did the cramping start when you noticed your stomach growing?" Dr. Tanner asked, seeing the slight roundness to her abdomen now that her shirt was up.

"Uh, maybe. I think so."

"It was a couple days before." Matt replied, Gabby turning to look at him with a raised brow. "She started mentioning the cramping, then a few days later was when we noticed her stomach had filled out a little."

"Glad one of us is paying attention." Gabby spoke under her breath, Matt smirking as he placed his hand on the top of her head, rubbing his thumb over her hair.

Grinning at their banter, Dr. Tanner began getting the machine ready. "Well, based on Matt's memory, and what I've heard, I'd imagine it's just the beginning stages of round ligament pain. Your body is preparing itself for the adjustments needed to carry another human. But we'll double check everything." She spoke, turning towards Gabby, her eyes landing on some faded bruising covering her side. "Is that the same bruising from you fainting?" She asked with furrowed brows.

"Yeah, it is. It hasn't completely gone away yet."

"Is that normal?" Matt questioned, Dr. Tanner glancing towards him. "I know you saw how it was at the hospital, but is it normal that Gabby bruises so easily?"

"I'm not sure. It's probably nothing. When we ran your blood work a month ago, nothing raised any red flags, but a lot of women do develop anemia while they're pregnant, which is normal. If you do have it, it's something we'll monitor but usually it's fine. The blood we got today was to check on baby, to do the NIPT screening." Gabby nodded, remembering Dr. Tanner telling her and Matt about that during their last appointment. "But I'll go ahead and have them check to see if you're anemic, just to be sure."

"Alright, thank you." She responded.

"Now, let's get a look at your baby." Dr. Tanner spoke, angling the screen so all three could see it as she began moving the wand around Gabby's stomach. Within moments, the image of their child appeared, Gabby's smile widening.

No matter how many times she saw it, it amazed her every time.

Glancing up towards Matt, she saw his eyes shining as he watched the screen, mesmerized.

"They're starting to look like a person." He whispered, Gabby releasing a watery chuckle as he peeled his eyes from their child to look at her. "What's so funny?" He questioned lightly, tapping his thumb over her forehead.

"Nothing, I just love you."

"I love you too." He replied with a grin, leaning down to kiss her quickly before turning his attention back to their child, Dr. Tanner watching the interaction with a soft smile.

"Does everything look okay?" Gabby asked, reaching out for Matt's free hand.

"Everything I'm seeing looks good. Your baby is measuring just like they should. Everything looks healthy."

"Good." Gabby replied, squeezing Matt's hand tightly in relief. She'd been more worried than she let on about the cramping she'd been experiencing, even though she knew Matt had seen right through it. She was just glad to know nothing was wrong.

"I'm not seeing anything that would be a cause for concern. Everything looks as it should. But, because of your history and our concerns with this pregnancy, if it would make you feel better, I can do a pelvic exam to double check. Make sure there is nothing going on that the ultrasound might've missed, or can't tell us. I don't like to do them too much throughout the pregnancy, not until we get closer to your due date, but you're only 10 weeks right now. I'd be fine performing one, if it would help give you some reassurance." She offered, Gabby glancing up to Matt.

"It's whatever you wanna do, babe. I know you've been worried."

"But you need to get back to work." She responded, Matt shaking his head.

"This comes first. If you want the extra reassurance, we'll stay here as long as we need to." He spoke quickly, a gentle smile forming on his face as he spoke.

"Alright, yeah. I'd like to do it. Just cause I know it'll bother me if I don't."

"Okay. Once we finish up here, we'll do that. I just want to get a few more images really quick." Gabby and Matt both nodded, returning their attention to the screen as they got a few more glimpses of their child.

The moment was fleeting, Dr. Tanner soon getting the images she needed and turning off the machine, wiping the gel from Gabby's stomach.

"Alright, you know the drill. This will be a little uncomfortable, but it shouldn't hurt and won't take too long." Dr. Tanner spoke, pulling out a sheet from a drawer under the table. "Remove everything from the waist down, I'm gonna go run this out there real quick and then we'll get started."

Gabby nodded, sliding down off the exam table as Dr. Tanner left the room. She kicked off her shoes, Matt using his foot to push them out of the way while Gabby began to undress. She folded the two pieces of clothing, handing them to Matt so he could place them on the chair. Gabby sat herself down on the table, sliding back until she was comfortable, Matt unfolding the sheet and placing it over her.

"Thank you." She murmured.

"For what?"

"I don't know. Just everything, I guess." She responded, Matt taking a step closer to her, grabbing ahold of her hand that rested over her stomach. Silently, he put his free hand back on the top of her head, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips. When he pulled back, he was met by a small grin resting on her face, the smile causing one to appear on his face as he ran his hand over the top of her head in a soothing motion.

Knocking on the door grabbed their attention as Dr. Tanner stepped inside, getting the confirmation she needed that Gabby was ready. She got herself prepped for the exam, Gabby putting her feet in the stirrups as Dr. Tanner sat down on her stool.

"Remember, you gotta let me know if anything hurts."

"I will."

"Alright, let's get started."

Gabby grimaced at the feeling as Dr. Tanner began the examination, tightening her grip on Matt's hand while the doctor worked. He kept his hand moving in a steady motion over the top of her head, his focus on her as he ran his thumb over the back of her hand.

Within fifteen minutes, the exam was done, Dr. Tanner excusing herself so Gabby could get cleaned up and back into her clothes, Matt noticing her moving slowly as she came from the bathroom.

"You alright?"

"Yeah, just a little sore. That is not fun." She spoke with a wince, Matt grabbing her hand to help her balance as she climbed back up onto the table.

"I can't even imagine." He replied, rubbing his hand over her lower back.

Dr. Tanner soon came back in, coming to stand in front of the two, a soft smile on her face. "Well, everything from the exam looked great. As far as I can tell, everything is going just as it should. Also, so you know, don't be surprised when that pressure you're feeling does start to turn into a more painful sensation. Your ligaments will be stretching, to support your uterus, and it can be painful at times. You'll feel kind of achy, you'll likely experience cramping, sometimes you'll feel a few sharp jolts of pain in your lower abdomen. So don't be alarmed when that happens. It's completely normal. I don't imagine it should really start being a problem for a few more weeks, so we can discuss it more at your next appointment if you'd like." Dr. Tanner offered, Gabby giving her a nod. "Well as long as nothing changes, I'll see you again in two weeks." She spoke, the paramedic watching her expectantly.

"But, before you go, I know this is the part you've been waiting for. After what you've told me and everything today, I feel comfortable clearing you to return to work." A wide grin fell onto Gabby's face, Matt smiling as he tapped his fingers against her back, knowing how much she was looking forward to this. "But, you have to promise me you'll take it easy. When I say you can return to work, I mean the lightest duty possible." She spoke sternly, Gabby nodding in understanding. "We can't have another scare like we did two weeks ago. You have to take care of yourself. No heavy lifting, no lifting at all really. No putting yourself in dangerous situations. The most important thing right now is keeping both you and baby healthy, you have to listen to what your body is telling you. If you feel like you need to sit down, do it. If you don't feel like you can go out on a call, don't push yourself. You can't afford to overexert yourself, Gabby."

"I won't, I promise." She replied.

"Okay, good. This pregnancy is all about controlling what we can, and you working is one variable we have control over. Don't push your limits." Gabby nodded, leaning her shoulder into Matt's side. "Alright, well you have permission to return to your daily life. Just be careful. And drink plenty of water."

"Thank you Dr. Tanner." Gabby spoke, Matt following up with a thanks of his own.

The woman nodded as she walked towards the door. "I'll see you both in two weeks." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby nodding in response.

By the time they got their things together, got Gabby's next appointment scheduled, and made their way out of the office, another half hour had passed, Matt glancing down to his watch as they walked outside.

"You heading home?" He questioned as he walked her to her car.

"Yeah, I'm gonna try and go take a nap. I'm exhausted." She responded, holding his hand tightly in hers as they moved down the sidewalk, the cold wind whipping against their faces. She saw a weary look pass over his face, Gabby stopping her path, causing him to stop as well. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." He assured her, squeezing her hand. "I just wish there was something I could do."

Her head tilted to the side slightly, confusion filling her features. "What do you mean?"

"Something I could do to help you more. You have to go through all of these uncomfortable tests and exams, not to mention all the stuff that's still coming, and all I can do is stand there."

A gentle smile fell to her face, Gabby shaking her head. "Trust me, Matt, you being here with me is more than enough. You've done whatever you could for me these last few weeks, and I know that'll only continue through this pregnancy. Not to mention how attentive you'll be once our child is actually here. You don't need to worry, I just need you to be here with me."

"I always will be." He promised, taking a step towards her, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss, the two only pulling apart when they remembered they were in the middle of the sidewalk.

Biting on her bottom lip sheepishly, Gabby continued walking, Matt following in step beside her as they came to her car.

"Well, I guess I'm gonna head home. I'll let you know when I'm back."

"Yeah I gotta get back to shift, you sure you're feeling okay?" He checked again, Gabby nodding.

"Mhmm." She hummed, her eyes flickering over his face. "I was actually thinking that I might stop by the house tonight, if you're up for it."

"I'm always up for spending time with you." He replied softly, wrapping his arms around her waist as they stood next to her car.

Heat rose to her cheeks despite the cold temperature, Gabby placing a hand on his chest. "I was considering cooking dinner for you all tonight, if you think everyone would be up for it."

Matt raised his eyebrows in question, a pensive look covering his face.

"What, Matt?" She asked when he had yet to respond.

"It's nothing, just- are you sure you don't want to take it easy before you go back to shift in a few days?"

"It's only dinner. I'm not gonna overdo it or anything, I promise. I just thought it would be nice."

"It would be nice, as long as you feel up for it. I'd love for you to come by, and I know the guys will be excited to see you."

"Yeah, I hope so…" Her voice got quiet, Gabby moving her gaze towards his chest, focusing her attention on his jacket's zipper as she fiddled with it, avoiding his gaze. Matt sighed heavily, understanding more of what this was about.

"So that's why you want to come by. Because of how they've been acting." He stated, Gabby still focusing on his chest.

"I'm just trying to remind them that they don't have to be afraid to reach out to me, cause I know they still are. I thought if I started to come around the house more, maybe they'd feel more comfortable with me again. It's stupid, I know, but I'm just trying to make an effort."

"It's not stupid." Matt replied, Gabby finally looking back up at him. "I don't know why they still are apprehensive to reach out, they have no reason to be. And I know it upsets you."

She nodded, feeling his hold on her waist tighten. "I just hate how everything is now. When they're around me, for the most part everything is fine, but if I don't initiate things, aside from Kelly and Herrmann, no one ever really talks to me. And who knows, maybe things will be like this forever. But I feel like I should try."

Matt flashed her a sympathetic smile, leaning forward to place a soft kiss between her eyebrows. "I think coming for dinner is a great idea. But I think I'm gonna keep it a surprise."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to feel pressured to come by tonight if you're not feeling up for it."

"Matt…"

"I know you, and if everyone knows you're coming, you'll come even if you know you should stay home and rest. Just in case, that way you have an out if you're too tired. And plus, it'll be a nice surprise for them."

"Alright." She gave in, Matt smiling.

"Just text me, let me know when you're coming."

"I will." She responded, giving him a quick kiss before they separated, Matt walking around the back of her car with her. "Stay safe, I'll see you tonight."

Matt nodded, watching as moved to the driver's side door. "Love you."

"I love you too." She spoke, sending him a wink before sliding into the car. He waited on the sidewalk until she safely pulled away, staying rooted in his spot for a few more seconds before turning to head towards his truck, knowing he needed to get back to shift.

* * *

Gabby pulled up to the curb outside 51, putting her car in park before reaching for her phone that was sitting on the passenger seat. The time read a little after five as she went to her calls, clicking on Matt's name before putting the device up to her ear.

"_Hey there._" He answered within two rings, Gabby practically able to hear the smile on his face.

"Hi, just letting you know I'm outside. Are you all here?"

"_Yeah, we are._" She could hear him walking as he talked, Gabby opening her car door and getting out.

"Alright, well I stopped to get groceries."

"_You didn't have to do that._" Gabby saw him walking out through the open garage door, Matt waving to her as he approached her car.

"Yes I did. Me offering to cook doesn't mean making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. If you all wanted a real meal, I knew I needed to go get food."

"_You have little faith_." He spoke, pulling the phone away from his ear as he got close enough to her, Gabby ending the call, sliding her phone into her jacket pocket. "Everyone's gonna be glad to see you. They'll be even happier when they find out you have food."

"Well, no one in that house can say no to food." She responded, placing a soft kiss on him as he stopped by her before moving towards the backseat, opening the door and getting the groceries. "Do they know I'm here?"

"No, not yet." He answered, kicking the door shut with his foot, the pair beginning their walk up the driveway. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alright, got a few hours of sleep once I got home." She said as they walked into the garage, navigating their way through the maze of rigs. "Would've enjoyed it a lot more had you been with me though." She spoke teasingly, bumping her hip into his lightly as the came around the front of the squad truck, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, his eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Hey Dawson, I didn't know you were stopping by." Severide spoke up from the squad table, the man coming up to greet her.

"Hey Kelly." She responded, giving him a quick hug before continuing her path, the Lieutenant walking with them towards the double doors. Severide opened the door, Gabby walking in first with Matt following behind her, hands full of groceries.

"Dawson's here!" Herrmann shouted excitedly as he saw her walk towards the common room, the older man standing up from the couch. "What are you doing here, kid?" He asked, meeting her at the entrance of the common room. The firefighter brought her in for a hug, Gabby silently grateful for the cushion her jacket provided around her stomach.

"Thought I'd stop by and make dinner for everyone." She responded as Matt walked around the pair, going to place the bags on the counter.

"Oh thank God." Stella breathed in relief. "Finally some good food around here."

"Well this just keeps getting better. I'm so glad you stopped by. How you been feeling?" Herrmann asked, following Gabby towards the kitchen.

"I've been doing good." She answered, flashing a smile towards Brett, Kidd, and Foster as she passed by them, walking around the counter to stand next to Matt.

"What are you making us, Dawson?" Severide asked as she began unpacking the ingredients.

"Locrio de Pollo." She responded, earning a few raised eyebrows from some of the firefighters, glancing towards Matt to see him smirking at her side. Herrmann's eyes shifted back and forth between the couple, Gabby biting back a chuckle. "Basically chicken and rice." She clarified, the man's smile growing.

"Oh, delicious. I can't wait."

"Thanks for doing this, Dawson." Otis called from the table, Gabby nodding.

"Of course. I wanted to come by and see you guys, thought I could at least make you all some food while I was here." She explained, going in search of the big pot she'd used a lot over the years. Opening up the cabinet where she expected it to be, she was surprised to find a bunch of mixing bowls there instead. She opened the few around it, her frustration growing as she was unable to find what she was looking for. Everything that had been kept in the same spot for years was now moved around, Gabby not able to find anything. Huffing out a breath, she turned back around, walking the few steps towards the counter, coming to stand at Matt's side. "Hey." She spoke quietly, getting his attention.

"Hmm?"

"Can you find that big pot for me, the one I used to use when I made that tortilla soup you love? I can't find it." Matt nodded, taking one step the side and bending down, pulling the pot out from its new home in the bottom cabinet. "Thanks." She murmured, turning back around to place it on the stove top. She heard rustling behind her, feeling Matt's body practically pressed into hers as he came up behind her.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, and for the first time in weeks, Gabby knew he wasn't asking her about physical health.

"Yeah, just can't find anything in here." She turned around to face him, Matt bringing his hand up to brush a few strands of hair from her face.

"Kidd and Foster decided to reorganize everything a few months back. Don't worry, it took me forever to find everything too." He spoke lightly, trying to ease some of her nerves. Gabby nodded, her eyes flickering past Matt towards everyone in the room, seeing them all chatting amongst themselves, before she looked back towards him.

"You wanna stay and help me?" She asked, Matt nodding immediately. He had been planning to stay by her side regardless, but now he had a reason to. "I won't be able to test the food, the spice and everything won't sit well." Her voice dropped as she spoke, her words barely audible.

"I'd be happy to help." He replied with a grin, Matt turning to look back at the rest of the firehouse before returning his attention to Gabby. "What are you gonna eat?"

"I'm gonna set some plain chicken aside and I'll have that. I know my stomach couldn't handle everything in this recipe right now." Matt nodded sympathetically, placing a kiss on her forehead before stepping away.

"Let's get to cooking, ma'am." He spoke, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully at him as they began to work.

They moved in tandem throughout the kitchen as they got the dish prepared, their movements second nature to each other now, years of cooking together coming in handy as Matt helped her prepare 51's meal. She was constantly having him sample the food, needing to make sure it tasted alright. Although she hadn't made this dish often, and he didn't know exactly what it was supposed to taste like, he'd know if it tastes good or not. And when feeding a house full of firefighters, you didn't need much more than that.

The two were in their own little world as they prepared dinner, Matt sneaking more than his fair share of samples as they were nearly done, Gabby letting the chicken and rice simmer together in the sauce.

"Matt, stop it." She chastised with a chuckle, smacking his stomach as he snuck another bite of food. "You're gonna eat it all."

"Fine, fine." He gave in, placing his used spoon in the sink. "How much longer?"

"Just a few minutes. I'm not sure how you're even still hungry." She teased, resting her hand over his stomach, patting his abdomen.

"I barely had any, and your food is good." He spoke, flashing her a grin while she stirred the food.

"Mhmm." She responded, unimpressed.

Glancing towards the clock, Matt saw it was well after six. He hadn't even realized that much time had passed since Gabby got here, and even more so, he couldn't believe no one had been called out in the hour that she'd been here. But he wasn't about to voice that out loud.

"Do you wanna go ahead and eat? I don't want you to wait too long." He asked, glancing towards the foil covered plate placed by the stove, Matt having portioned out some plain food for her earlier.

"No, I'm okay. I can wait and eat with you all."

"You sure?"

"Mhm. I had a snack before I came, I'm good Matt. Promise." She assured him, reaching for a new spoon and dipping it in the pot, getting a small bit for him to try. "Okay, last time. This taste okay?" Gabby held the spoon up to his mouth, Matt taking a bite, groaning from satisfaction.

"It tastes amazing."

"Alright, well you wanna gather everyone?" Gabby asked, Matt nodding as he picked up the pot, moving it towards the opposite counter by the plates. While Matt went around rounding everyone up, Gabby pulled the salad they'd prepared from the fridge, placing that and a few dressings off to the side. As everyone filtered into the common room, Gabby stood back by the fridge, her hands clasped in front of herself as she waited for everyone.

Boden and Matt were the last two to enter, the Chief smiling as he saw her. "I knew that smell was too good for anyone here to be cooking." He joked as Matt came to stand beside her. "Thanks for coming and cooking for us, Dawson."

"It's no problem." She responded softly. "I hope you guys like it." She spoke to the group, all of them giving her thankful smiles before they began to form a line, Matt staying by her side as everyone got their food.

"You wanna go sit down? I can bring you yours." He spoke into her ear.

"I can get my own food, Matt."

"I know you can. But you forget that this is something I do for you all the time, not just because of little baby Casey." He whispered, a soft smile forming on her face at his words.

"Fair point."

"I know. Now go sit. You want some water?" He asked, gently pushing Gabby towards the table.

"Yes please." She responded, Matt tapping her side before walking back into the kitchen, heading for her plate sitting on the counter.

Gabby took up residence in the chair to the right of Matt's spot at the head of the table. The chair had that been unofficially hers for years, Gabby settling down into it as firefighters filled in around her. Her eyes found Foster's, the woman sitting further down the table with Brett.

"Hi." Gabby greeted, Foster smiling softly.

"Hey. It's good to see you doing well." Emily spoke, Gabby knowing her words held a deeper meaning seeing as how the paramedic knew of her pregnancy.

"Thank you, I'm glad to be feeling better. How have you guys been?" She asked, her eyes bouncing between Emily and Brett.

"We've been good, super busy, but good." Brett answered. "How's life at the SAS treating you?"

"It's been great." Gabby said carefully, knowing a lot of ears were listening. She didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable by talking about her new job, but she didn't want to not respond. "I'm really enjoying it there."

"Yeah, I know we'd met Jemma before, but we got to meet Murray and Turner while we were at the hospital." Herrmann interjected after swallowing a mouthful of food. "They all seem like great people."

"They are, everyone there has been amazing since I started." She spoke, feeling a bunch of eyes on her. "It's kind of the same there as it is here, a big family, you know." Her voice trailed off at the end of her sentence, earning a knowing nod from Herrmann.

An uncomfortable silence had fallen over them, no one sure what else to say, but thankfully Matt appeared, juggling both plates and two glasses of water pressed between his arm and his chest.

"Matt, you're gonna make a mess." She spoke, standing up to grab the cups from him.

"I got it, I got it." He responded, Gabby placing their drinks down as Matt did the same with the plates, the two settling into their seats.

"Dawson, this is so good." Severide called from the round table across the room, his words encouraging more calls of praise from everyone in the room, Gabby ducking her head.

"Thanks guys, I'm just glad you like it. Maybe I could come by and do it more often, if you all want me to."

"Oh definitely." Herrmann replied almost immediately, Gabby feeling Matt place his hand on her thigh under the table.

"That would be great, Dawson." Boden spoke, Gabby smiling softly at the group as they all enjoyed their meals.

While they were eating, the topic of conversation bounced around to a variety of different topics, but then settled on them reliving a recent call, Gabby listening quietly as she heard them all laugh and joke about a drunk man on the scene, a man who'd tried to get a little handsy with Foster. It was the fourth conversation about a call so far during their dinner, and each time Gabby just sat there silently, being the only one in the room who didn't know the details of what they were talking about. The story made Gabby think back to the time that happened with her and Shay, and had this been a few months ago, she would've joined in and shared her similar experience. But she felt weird doing so now. In her head all she could picture was the looks she'd receive when mentioning a story from so long ago, a story that only Shay had been there to witness, and only Matt and maybe Kelly would really remember all the details of. She couldn't help but think if she opened her mouth and tried to speak up, all conversation would come to a halt.

Looking around the room, a heavy feeling settled in her gut. This didn't really feel like her home anymore, and it hadn't for awhile. She didn't fit in with them, she didn't feel like she belonged here. Gabby wasn't apart of this family anymore, not in the way she had been. She was a guest in this house now, and she couldn't help but feel a little naive for thinking that could ever change. She'd damaged her relationships with most everyone here, and too much time had passed for things to ever completely return to normal. If any of them had any interest in repairing what had been broken, she couldn't help but think things would've been fixed already.

The longer she sat here, the more uncomfortable she became. It was unsettling, to be back in this house but feeling like this is the last place she should be right now. She felt like an outsider, like someone who was just passing through, and she hated it. Even though it was technically true, it didn't make it hurt any less.

Maybe if she had reached out sooner, or told everyone what had been going on between her and Matt, she wouldn't be feeling like this right now. But she also couldn't understand why it felt like she was the only one trying to mend things. Because from where she was standing, it felt like none of them had any issues with how things were right now.

She knew this pregnancy had been messing with her emotions, and every feeling she had was magnified because of her hormones. She couldn't be sure this would be affecting her so much had she not been pregnant, but a part of her knew this would be upsetting no matter the situation. Everyone here had been her family for so long, and most of them felt like strangers now.

Gabby felt water gathering in her eyes, her overwhelming emotions putting her head through the ringer as she quietly sat there. And then she felt that familiar feeling begin to crawl up her throat, her stomach turning, her body beginning to reject the food she'd eaten.

Looking up to Matt, she placed her hand on his arm, trying to subtly gain his attention. When he turned towards her, his smile fell as he saw the look on her face and the tears hiding in her eyes.

"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He tried to keep his voice low, but he gained the attention of the firefighters near them, Herrmann and Boden glancing towards Gabby with concerned looks on their faces.

"I'll be right back." She whispered, swallowing thickly as she slid her chair back, walking behind Matt and heading for the door to the conference room, picking up her pace as she took the quickest path to the bathroom.

"Is she okay?" Herrmann asked immediately, gaining the attention of the entire room.

"Yeah, she's fine." Matt answered lamely, his eyes finding Kelly's, the squad Lieutenant wearing a knowing look on his face. Pushing his chair back, Matt put his napkin on the table, silently following after her, leaving the common room in a dead quiet.

He picked up his pace as he got into the hallway, practically jogging towards the bathroom. Pushing open the door, he grimaced as he heard her retching into the toilet, Matt turning the corner and finding her hunched over in the first stall. He knew she must've barely made it because she hadn't even bothered to close the door. Stepping inside the small space, Matt placed his feet on either side of her legs, pulling her hair back as she threw up, rubbing over her back to try and keep her calm. It had become common practice for them whenever she got sick, even if Gabby insisted she didn't need to be fussed over. Matt would always go and make sure she was okay.

"I'm sorry, Gabby." He murmured, frowning as he listened to her gagging. He could tell she wasn't even throwing up anymore, but her body was still trying.

Eventually, she started to lean back, Matt backing up to give her room as she flushed the toilet, slowly beginning to push herself up from the ground. Matt aided the process, helping her up before backing out of the stall, not wanting to overcrowd her.

"Was it the food?"

"I don't know." She responded, turning to face him, his frown deepening as he saw the tears shining in her eyes. "I think it might've been the smell of everyone's food, but it just hit me out of nowhere." She explained, her voice hoarse. Matt followed her over to the sink, standing close by as she cleaned up, washing her face and rinsing her mouth out with water.

"But you're feeling okay? Nothing's hurting you or anything?"

"No, no. I'm fine. I just haven't felt that sick in awhile." She told him, wiping under her eyes.

"You need anything?" Gabby shook her head, Matt placing his hand on her arm.

"No, I'm okay. I think I'm gonna get out of here, though. I just wanna shower and go to sleep."

"You sure you don't want to stay here? I'll give you my bed." He spoke with a small smile, Gabby chuckling softly.

"That's okay. As much as I'd love to stay with you, I think I need to sleep in an actual bed."

"I understand. Want me to go get your stuff, then I can walk you out?" Gabby nodded as she leaned her weight into the counter, Matt placing a soft kiss to the side of her head. "Alright, I'll go let them know you're heading out. I'm sorry this made you sick. We should've stuck to the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches." He joked, Gabby shaking her head as she laughed.

"Next time." She responded, Matt squeezing her arm before heading for the door, leaving her alone in the bathroom.

Casey quickly made his way back to the common room, hearing the quiet murmurs as he approached.

"Is she alright, Casey?" Mouch questioned, being the first one to see him enter.

"She's fine. She's been feeling a little under the weather lately, and the food didn't agree with her." He spoke through his teeth, making his way towards the counter to grab her purse and jacket.

"Anything we can do for her?" Boden asked, Matt catching his gaze.

"No, she's alright. But she's gonna head home, try and sleep it off."

"Well, tell her we appreciate her stopping by. I'm sorry she's sick." Kidd spoke, Matt giving the room a nod.

"I'll let her know." Matt responded, glancing to Kelly as he walked past the table, his friend giving him a supportive smile.

Casey barely made it out of the common room when he heard footsteps approaching behind him, Matt feeling someone reach out to grab his arm.

"Hey, you sure she's feeling okay?" Herrmann asked quietly, Matt turning to face him.

"Yeah, she's fine. Just needs to rest." Matt continued walking down the hallway, only making it a few yards before he was stopped again.

"Gabby's got me worried, Captain." Herrmann spoke, concern shining in his eyes.

Matt released a soft breath, shaking his head. "Herrmann…"

"I know you keep saying she's fine, ever since she was in the hospital that's all I've heard, but she's acting different. Something's going on." He said firmly, Matt keeping his face neutral. "I saw the bruising on her arm today, looked like she had an IV or something. And you ducking out for a few hours again today. You know I never really bought that her whole hospital visit was just exhaustion… something doesn't seem right here, Casey." Herrmann continued, crossing his arms over his chest. "She's not sick is she?"

From the tone in his voice, Matt knew Herrmann wasn't just referring to having a cold or the flu. He was asking if she was ill, if it was something serious.

Shaking his head side to side, Casey spoke up. "No, she's not." He answered quickly, Herrmann eyeing him skeptically. "I promise you, she's not. It's nothing like that. She just doesn't feel well right now, and she wants to go home."

"Alright." Herrmann replied, still unsure if he believed his Captain or not. "But I'm gonna call and check up on her tomorrow."

"She'd appreciate that." Matt replied, his words catching the older firefighter off guard. "Really Herrmann, you have no idea how much your calls meant to her while she was stuck at home. She was glad you reached out."

"Well, I needed to know she was doing alright. She really scared me…" He trailed off, shaking his head before changing the subject. "I'll let you get that stuff to her so she can get home, just let her know she'll be hearing from me tomorrow."

"I will. Thanks Herrmann." Matt replied before continuing his path towards the bathroom, the other man going back to the common room.

* * *

Gabby held her head in her hand as she rested her weight against the counter top, focusing on her breathing as she tried to get her nausea to pass, hoping that Matt would be back soon. It had been a few minutes since he'd left, and all she really wanted right now was to get home.

Hearing the door open, Gabby released a grateful breath. "Thank you for going to get that, I-" She cut herself off as she looked up, her spine straightening when she saw the blonde paramedic standing in the doorway.

"Sorry." Brett spoke, stepping in completely, letting the door swing closed behind her.

"It's fine, I was just expecting Matt." Gabby spoke, crossing her arms over her stomach. Brett nodded, the woman taking a deep breath.

"You feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I am. It was just…"

"Morning sickness." Brett supplemented, Gabby's tongue poking out between her teeth as she nodded. "Casey was telling everyone you're heading home, I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

"I'm alright, I've just had some pretty bad morning sickness so far. It's been rough." Gabby spoke lightly, a sympathetic smile falling onto Brett's face.

"How far along are you?"

"Ten weeks."

Brett nodded, taking a few steps closer towards her former partner. "I never got the chance to tell you, and I know you weren't really wanting anyone to find out yet, but congratulations." Sylvie spoke, hesitantly bringing Gabby into a quick hug. She reciprocated, the two pulling apart after a few seconds. "I'm so happy for you guys, I know how long you all have wanted this. This is great news."

"Thank you, Brett. Really, I appreciate it." Gabby responded, smiling softly.

"Hey babe, I got your stuff, are you- oh, sorry." Matt stopped himself as he got in the bathroom, not expecting to see Brett. He hadn't noticed her leave the common room while he was in there. "I didn't mean to interrupt."

"You're fine. Brett was just congratulating us."

"Yeah, I was telling Gabby how happy I am for you guys." Brett spoke, turning back towards her. "I'm really glad you're okay, Dawson. You had all of us worried. I'm glad the both of you are okay." She spoke sincerely.

"Thanks Brett. Me too."

"Alright, well I'll let you go. I am glad you stopped by, it was really good to see you." The blonde spoke, heading for the door. Gabby nodded in response, watching her former partner until she disappeared through the door.

She turned her attention to Matt, blowing out a heavy breath.

"You ready to go home?"

"More than ready." Gabby responded softly, Matt walking towards her, holding open her jacket for Gabby to slip into, her bag hanging off his elbow.

"I just told them you'd been feeling sick the last few days, and the food didn't agree with you. That you were gonna go home and get some rest."

"Thank you." She murmured, turning back around to face Matt. "For everything, thank you."

His eyebrows furrowed as Gabby wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, holding herself to his chest. "You know, this is the second time you've thanked me today." He murmured, bringing his arms around her and cradling her head against him, holding onto her for as long as she needed. "But you don't have to thank me for anything."

As he stood there holding her, he could tell there was something weighing on her mind, something he definitely wanted to discuss with her. And he wanted to talk to her about his conversation with Herrmann. But now wasn't the time, not when she needed to rest.

After nearly a minute, Gabby pulled away, stepping out of his arms but reaching out for his hand. "You ready?" Matt asked her softly, lacing his fingers with hers.

"Yeah." She replied, letting Matt lead the way as they left the bathroom, beginning the walk out of the firehouse.

* * *

Matt walked into the apartment, surprised to find it relatively quiet as he shut the door behind him.

"Gabby?" He called out softly, sliding off his boats and hanging up his coat, depositing his wallet and keys in the bowl next to Gabby's. When she didn't answer, Matt decided not to try again, figuring she was either asleep or distracted. Despite her exhaustion, he wasn't expecting her to be asleep already, with it only being a little after six. But he also knew she needed all the sleep she could get. Stopping in the kitchen to get some water, Matt walked further into the apartment, glancing into the living room to find it unoccupied. Turning left, Matt walked through their bedroom door, smiling softly as he saw her sprawled out across the bed, her body lying diagonally as her head rested on his pillow, her body tucked under the warmth of the covers.

After their relatively quiet morning together at the apartment once he'd gotten home from shift, he was a little surprised to see her napping so late into the afternoon, but he planned on letting her be. No matter how long she slept, he knew she'd sleep through the night with no issues, so he wasn't worried about needing to wake her. Placing his water down on the nightstand, he carefully leaning down to place a soft kiss to the top of her head.

He pulled back turning to head towards the dresser, but was stopped when he heard rustling behind him.

"Matt?" Her soft voice called him, Matt turning to face her, seeing her eyes blinking as she tried to adjust to the light, stretching her arms above her head. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her, finding her incredibly adorable in moments like this.

"Hey, sorry I didn't mean to wake you." He responded, sitting down on the edge of the bed, facing her as she smiled up at him.

"It's alright. How'd your job go?" She questioned, regaining her voice as she adjusted to lie on her back.

"It was fine, just had to fix a few shelves. Looks like you had a good nap while I was gone."

"I sure did." She spoke, placing her hand on his arm.

"Well, whatever sleep you can get before going back to work tomorrow is a good thing." He told her, Gabby sliding her hand up and down his arm, rubbing the skin softly.

"Mhmm." She responded, Gabby tucking her bottom lip in between her teeth, her hand sliding up towards his neck. Matt watched her closely, his eyebrows raised in question. Without a word, Gabby guided him down towards her, capturing his lips in a gentle kiss.

But that pace only lasted for a moment, Gabby quickly deepening their movements, opening her mouth as she held him against her. With each passing moment, the tension continued to build between them, Gabby's free hand sliding up his leg, Matt moaning into her mouth.

"Gabby…" He groaned as she pulled away, wearing a proud look on her face as his eyes fluttered open. She brought her hand down from his neck to join her other one, beginning work on his belt, Matt forcing himself to take a deep breath as she brushed her hands over him. "You're killing me." He mumbled under his breath, Gabby smirking as she pulled the belt off of him, tossing it to the floor.

Reaching for his shirt, she bunched it in her grip, pulling him back down towards her, kissing him feverishly as Matt's hand fell against the mattress behind her, holding himself up. He hovered over her, only pulling back when her hands moved towards his jeans, beginning to work on his zipper.

"Are you sure?" He questioned between his panting breaths, Gabby nodding immediately.

"It's been too long." She responded, Matt knowing better than anyone that was the truth. It had been way too long, the two of them not having been together since before finding out about her pregnancy. Neither of them were in a good place, between the uncertainty around this baby, the weeks they weren't even speaking, and then Gabby's stint in the hospital. It hadn't given them much of an opportunity to enjoy one another, the couple never having the moment to celebrate this pregnancy properly. But now there was nothing standing in their way. "I want you." She whispered, Matt needing no more convincing as he pushed himself up from the bed, beginning to shed his clothes. He slid his already open pants down his legs, kicking out of them as he pulled the t-shirt from his body.

While he moved, Gabby tossed the covers off of her, Matt's eyes darkening as he saw her in only her underwear and a thin tank top, neither piece of material doing much to hide her from him.

Stripped down to his boxers, he climbed onto the bed, hovering over her body as he captured her lips with his, taking special care to keep his weight off her. Their kisses started slow, but soon picked up pace, Matt tracing kisses down her neck as his hand moved up under her tank top, cupping her skin gently. Gabby's soft moans in his ear urged him on, continuing his kisses down to her upper chest, kissing any exposed skin he could find.

"You've gotta tell me if you need me to stop." He whispered against her collarbone, his hand sliding out from under her tank top before gently peeling the material from her body, tossing it aside aimlessly. "I don't want to hurt you." He spoke, placing gentle kisses over her chest.

"You won't hurt me." She assured him, her hand moving to grab ahold of his short hair, Matt kissing his way down her breast bone as he discarded his boxers. He continued moving his lips further down, hooking his fingers under the waistband of her underwear. But his kisses stopped as he removed the last item of clothing between them, taking in her bare form for a few moments before attaching his lips to hers again, Gabby sighing against him. "Don't make me beg." She whispered, Matt chuckling softly as she wrapped her legs around his waist.

"I won't… at least not this time." He teased, kissing her again. "Although that does sound like fun."

Gabby silenced him with a heated kiss, holding his bare body against hers as they began to move as one, relishing in the feeling of being together again, soft moans filling the otherwise quiet room as they held onto one another like their lives depended on it.

* * *

**It felt right to end the chapter with some sweet Dawsey. Based on your reviews, I know how many of you enjoy reading their soft moments, and I definitely enjoy writing them.**

**I've noticed that I've been getting a lot of mixed reactions to everything with 51, and I understand it, I do. I know some people are surprised that things between Gabby and 51 aren't okay yet, and if this was being done on the show I know things between them would've been fixed in like an episode, but I have my reasons for why things are still not 100%. I'm not saying it's going to be like that forever, but I'm not doing it just because. There's a reason Gabby's still nervous around them, why she feels the way she does, and why they're still apprehensive around her (minus Herrmann and Kelly). I'm not saying things will never be repaired, but there's a lot of things that haven't been dealt with, and Gabby's already dealing with a lot. I know a lot of you are waiting for when 51 will find out about what happened to Gabby and why she left. I don't want to give too much away around the how or why, but it's coming. **

**Also, I want to let you guys know I posted the second chapter of Whatever Comes Next earlier today if you would like to go read it! It would mean the world to me if you all would check it out. I know AU's aren't everyone's favorite thing, but if you are interested, I would appreciate you all giving it a chance! The support I've gotten on that story already has been incredible, I am so thankful for you all.**

**As always, thank you for reading, I can't wait to hear what you all thought of this one. The fact that so many people continue to read this story and continue to review every chapter this far into it is mind blowing, I never imagined we'd get this far. I never expected so many people to enjoy this, and I'm so grateful for all of you.**


	38. Chapter Thirty Eight

**Hello hello! I'm back with another chapter for you all.**

**Remember how I said there were some challenges coming up for one character in particular… well, here we go.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Eight**_

* * *

Gabby walked up the short driveway towards the house, her shift bag thrown over her shoulder as the chilly winter air hit her. It felt like forever since she'd been here, and she couldn't wait to get back into the swing of things, to be able to work with Jemma again and start to get a sense of normalcy back after being cooped up the last two weeks.

Stepping into the garage, she walked between the rigs, heading for the door. She had barely gotten inside when she was tackled by a body coming from her right, Gabby wrapping her arms tightly around the woman who had attached herself to her. Dawson released a chuckle as Jemma held onto her tightly, Norris' arms wrapped around her neck.

"Dawson's back!" She spoke excitedly, having to refrain from rocking back and forth, not wanting to make her pregnant friend woozy.

"I'm back." Gabby spoke into her ear, giving Jemma one last squeeze before they pulled back, Norris staying on her hip as they turned to face the common room.

"Glad to see you again, Dawson. We missed you around here." Turner spoke, coming up to give her a hug, Jemma reluctantly letting go so Gabby could be greeted by her other friends.

"Bobby Miller, what are you doing here?" Gabby asked, seeing the older man positioned at the stove, cooking up some breakfast.

"Got the call yesterday, said they needed me back on this shift so here I am."

"Ah, I guess you're gonna be the one helping Jemma and I out." Gabby mused, Jemma wrapping her arm over her shoulders.

"Yeah, I heard about the baby. Congratulations, Dawson." He spoke, flashing her a soft smile before returning his attention to the eggs he was frying up.

"Thanks Miller. Gotta say, I'm glad it's you working with us. It's always good to have another familiar face."

"Oh, well I'm excited, too. You and Norris sure keep things interesting." He spoke, earning a few chuckles from around the room.

"Someone's got to." Norris replied, turning Gabby as they began walking down the hall towards the locker room. "So, how are you feeling? How's baby Casey? How's big Casey?" She asked with a smile, Gabby smirking as they made their way to her locker.

"I'm doing good. Got a few aches and pains, but I imagine those will only get worse as this baby keeps on growing. And the baby is good, the boy is good, everything's good." Gabby responded, getting her belongings placed in her locker.

"Speaking of the boy," Jemma started, glancing around the room before looking back towards Dawson. "Do you, uh, think you two will ever get married again?" She asked, Gabby's eyes widening slightly in shock, not having anticipated the question.

"Um, we've talked about it. We both want to. We both see each other as husband and wife, so I'm sure someday, yeah we will." Gabby responded, watching Jemma nod softly. "Why do you ask?"

"I don't know, I've just been thinking about it since you told me everything… I know I wasn't there to see you all when you were married, or for most of your relationship really, but I think it would be awesome to see you guys get married again. I mean, I don't know what you all are planning on doing, but I can't imagine how perfect your all's wedding would be."

Gabby released a chuckle, shaking her head as she shut her locker. "Well, when we first got married, it was at the courthouse, in all our gear. With Louie, and everyone from 51. I don't know… part of me has always pictured having a big wedding, with the dress and the cake and everything, but on the other hand, it doesn't really feel like me and Matt." She continued, scrunching her nose while she spoke. "I'm not sure if a big wedding is really for us. Honestly, who knows what we'll end up doing. It's not really something we're talking about right now." Gabby responded, a grin forming across her face. "But, whatever we do, you'll be there."

"Really?" Jemma asked, her face widening into a smile.

"Of course. You'd have to be there. It wouldn't feel right if you weren't." Dawson replied, warmth spreading through her as she saw how happy her simple comment had made Jemma.

"It really is so good to have you back, Gabby." She spoke, wrapping her arms around Dawson again, this hug shorter than the last. "I've missed you so much. It's felt so weird without you here."

"I missed you too."

The partners exited the locker room, walking side by side through the house as they headed for the kitchen, intent on enjoying the breakfast Miller had prepared for them.

"Dawson!" Gabby's steps were halted as she turned the corner to the common room, Jemma stopping as well as they looked down the hallway, finding Chief Walters standing in the doorway of his office, waving her over.

"Go ahead, I'll be back." Gabby told Norris, the young paramedic nodding before continuing into the room, Gabby changing her direction to head for the Chief's office. Once he saw her coming, he stepped inside, Gabby finding him sitting at his desk by the time she got there. "You need something, Chief?"

He nodded her in, waving his hand. "Shut the door."

Gabby hesitantly stepped inside, confusion filling her body as she closed the door, the tone in his voice making her nervous. She had no idea what this was about, but she sensed it wasn't anything she was going to like.

She sat down opposite of him, crossing her hands over her lap as she watched him gather some papers in his hands, her confusion growing by the second.

Clearing her throat, she got his attention, Chief Walters glancing up from the documents in front of him. "Is something wrong, Chief?" She asked, trying to hide any hint of nerves flooding her system.

"Well, I'm not sure." He responded, her eyebrows furrowing as her palm hovered over her stomach, Gabby finding the movement comforting in this moment of uncertainty.

"What's going on?"

"Headquarters got the paperwork from your doctor's office, about in what capacity you'll be allowed to work, and we've got a little bit of a problem." He started, Gabby's neck clenching as she waited for him to continue. "You're essentially only cleared to do the basics; hook up patients to monitors, IV's, cleaning wounds, etc. So, for the safety of our patients and you all, we need another medic on shift with you and Norris." Gabby nodded, unsure of why this was a problem. It hadn't been a secret that she was going to need extra help earlier along in this pregnancy. "Well, after getting the parameters from your doctor, headquarters has come to a decision. They won't approve paying three full time paramedics for one ambo, when one of them isn't able to perform their full duties." He spoke regretfully, Gabby's eyes narrowing in confusion.

"But you all knew I would need to be on light duty, I've been on lighter duty already for weeks."

"Yes, but you were still able to perform other tasks necessary of a paramedic. Now, there's no way for you to safely work on an ambo with just one other paramedic. It's a necessity to have three of you."

"I don't understand, I thought that had been clear early on." She responded, trying to comprehend what was being told to her.

"Apparently it wasn't. Not to headquarters, at least. They didn't know the… length of needing three medics on one ambo."

"Okay, so what does this mean?" She asked, frustration evident in her voice.

"Headquarters has made the decision to cut back your hours, to make you a part-time paramedic."

Dawson's eyes widened, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her as his words sunk in. "What?" She questioned in disbelief.

"They're cutting you back to working one shift a week."

Gabby's mouth parted open in shock, unable to form a sentence as she sat there. "I-... I don't-"

"I wish I had better news for you, Dawson. I do. But there's no policy in place for this type of situation, and-"

"Situation? Are you kidding me? I'm pregnant, and apparently that's a 'situation' you all don't know how to deal with?" She responded bitterly, unable to stop herself. "You're telling me that in all the time the SAS has been around, you all haven't had another pregnant woman who needs to be on light duty?"

"Dawson, I'm not saying it's fair. But it's the solution they've come up with."

Gabby let out a dry chuckle, shaking her head. "This isn't a solution. You all aren't fixing anything, this is you all firing me."

"No we're not." He clarified quickly.

"You basically are. You might as well be. I can't live off of only working once a week, how is this even legal?"

"I hate this, Dawson. I do. But this is a private company, and they've made you a part-time employee. Headquarters has already been having to make cuts across the board, and this is the only way they could keep you on. There's nothing that I or anything else can do about it." He responded softly, clasping his hands together in front of him. "If I had any warning to this at all, I would've told you. I didn't get the call until just a few minutes ago. But it's the only way they've been able to figure out how to keep you here while hiring another full-time paramedic, who would essentially be covering for you."

"So this is their great plan?" Gabby questioned sarcastically. "The wonderful solution they've come up with? Basically forcing me out of this job, only allowing me to work once a week up until I go on maternity leave, which is unpaid already." She spoke sharply, the Chief sighing heavily. "All this is, is headquarters covering their ass. They don't want to pay me, even though I'm still here to work. I'm here to do my job, but since they have to pay another paramedic, they're punishing me because I'm pregnant. They've found some loophole to where they can force me out without firing me."

"Dawson." He spoke firmly, stopping her ranting. "You have no idea how terrible I feel about this. I know it doesn't fix anything, or make this any easier for you. I wish there was something I could do for you. But my hands are tied."

Nodding slowly, Gabby ran her hands up and down her thighs, glancing down towards the ground, trying to get control of the anger flowing through her. "So that's starting this shift? From now on, I'll only be working once a week?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Biting the inside of her cheek, she nodded again, shifting to sit on the edge of her seat. "Am I excused?"

When she got the nod of approval, Gabby pushed herself up, heading for the door without another word, slipping out into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind her. Her eyes fell closed as she stood there, trying to take the moment to gather herself, but it wasn't working.

Gabby took off down the hallway, shoving her hands in her pockets as she walked straight past the common room, not even glancing in their direction as she hurried past her coworkers, needing time to wrap her head around what this meant. She needed a second to breathe, and she couldn't do that in there.

Gabby found herself in the locker room, straddling the bench as she placed a hand on her stomach, trying to settle some of the uneasiness she was feeling. She was hunched over, her head resting against her palm as forced herself to take slow, steady breaths. She was upset, beyond it actually, but she knew she needed to keep herself as calm as she could. The last thing that would help her baby right now was her getting worked up, even though all she wanted to do was scream.

"Gabby?" She heard Jemma's voice call softly, Dawson looking up just as Norris rounded the corner, a worried look covering her face. "What's going on?"

Taking a slow breath, Gabby wiped away some of the unshed tears sitting in her eyes, shaking her head as her anger turned into devastation. "I don't know if I can keep working here…"

"What? What are you talking about?" Jemma asked immediately, sitting down on the bench, facing her distraught friend. "What happened with Chief?"

Looking up towards Jemma, she began explaining everything Walters had just told to her, having to force herself to keep her voice steady, watching as the anger and confusion Jemma was feeling played out across her face.

"He said that he feels bad, but there's nothing he can do." She finished her story, Jemma shaking her head furiously.

"This isn't fair, they can't be allowed to do this." Anger was dripping from her voice, her arms crossed over her chest tightly.

"Apparently, they can."

Jemma pursed her lips together, sadness overtaking her as she looked at Gabby, Norris able to see how visibly upset she was. "What are you gonna do?" She asked softly.

"Honestly? I don't know." Gabby whispered, holding back the tears desperate to fall. "I can't only be working one shift a week, not with the baby."

Jemma nodded understandingly, trying to keep her emotions at bay as she reached out and grabbed Gabby's hand. "I don't want you to go… but I understand if you have to. They didn't really leave you many options... I just- I can't believe they're able to get away with this."

"I don't want to go either." Dawson spoke quietly, her eyes falling closed. "But I don't think I have a choice."

* * *

Matt moved around the kitchen swiftly, checking the timer on the stove before walking towards the cabinets, pulling out two sets of dinnerware, Casey beginning to set the table as he waited for their food to finish. After getting the plates and silverware set out, he went to grab two wine glasses, both of which would be filled with water. Just like he'd done during their brief first pregnancy, Matt decided to refrain from drinking alcohol, especially around Gabby. If she couldn't have it, he didn't want it either. Despite her lack of faith in him last time, he was more than ready to shelve the drinking for the rest of this pregnancy. It was a simple thing, he knew it was, and it was something that she would never ask him to do. But he wanted to continue to show her that he was in this, completely. He was in solidarity with her, and any opportunity he got to remind her of that, no matter how small, he was going to take it.

The buzzing of the timer pulled his attention from the table, Matt moving towards the stove to pull out their dinner, the smell of lasagna overwhelming his senses as he removed it from the oven. It wasn't anything special, but it was something he knew how to make, and make well. And Gabby loved it.

He wasn't hopeless in the kitchen, there were many things he could get by making, although Gabby was usually the one to take charge when they ate at home. But tonight, he wanted to do something special for her. It was her first day back at work, and he wanted her to come home to a nice meal and a clean home. And both of those had been accomplished, Matt glancing around the nearly spotless apartment as he placed their dinner on the table.

While cooking, he'd taken special care to leave out certain ingredients, especially some of the spices, knowing how sensitive Gabby's stomach was right now. He hoped once she got through the first trimester, that would start to settle down, but right now she wasn't able to handle much. So he'd made sure to adjust the recipe, leaving out a lot of things that Gabby would usually encourage him to add more of. When he tasted the sauce, it had been quite bland, and under any other circumstances Matt knew he'd be chastised for it. But right now he was sure she would appreciate it. And he couldn't wait for her to get home so they could enjoy this meal and their night together.

The sound of the front door opening brought a smile to his face, Matt wiping his hands on his jeans as he listened to her lock the door, hearing her walk further into the apartment, a soft thud sounding throughout the otherwise silent room as she dropped her shift bag on the ground. "Matt?" He heard her call softly.

"In here, babe." He replied, standing at the fully set kitchen table with a smile on his face. But that smile soon fell as she turned the corner, Matt seeing the distress in her features; her red and tired eyes, her demeanor showing signs of defeat as she came towards the kitchen table. She was clearly upset, and it worried him.

"What's wrong?" He asked, trying to hide the panic in his voice as he stepped towards her, reaching for her hand and holding it softly in his. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"I think I have to find another job."

His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, a million different emotions flooding his system as he let her words sink in, Matt trying to understand what she could possibly mean. But he was coming up blank. That had been the last thing he expected her to say, and he didn't know what to make of it.

"What?" He responded quickly, his surprise evident in his tone. "Wait- what do you mean?"

"Headquarters solution to me needing light duty is them pushing me out."

Matt was only more confused by her words, knowing he had to have been missing key parts of the story. "I… Okay, let's just sit down, we'll eat and you can walk me through this, alright?" He offered, Gabby looking towards the table, clearly having just noticed the dinner he'd prepared. Nodding, she squeezed his hand, unable to stop the tears forming in her eyes. "Whatever it is, we'll figure it out. It'll be okay." He assured her, placing a soft kiss on her head before leading her to the table, pulling out her chair for her to sit down.

"Did you do all this for me?" She asked quietly as he sat down, Matt nodding.

"Yeah, I thought it would be nice, to celebrate you going back to work. But now, this doesn't really matter, what happened today?" He asked as he put a serving on her plate. "Why are they trying to push you out?"

Picking up her glass, she took a sip of water, trying to calm herself down before she spoke. "When I got to shift today, Chief called me into his office. He told me that headquarters got the guidelines, I guess, from Dr. Tanner about what I can and can't do, and clearly, there has to be another paramedic on shift with me and Jemma." She explained, Matt nodding as he reached for her hand that was resting on the table, grasping it within his. "I didn't think it would be an issue, I thought it was known that was the situation, but I guess not. Basically, headquarters doesn't want to pay for three medics on one ambulance, when one of us isn't able to perform all of their duties. So they're cutting my hours. Their reasoning, how they're covering their asses I guess, is that Miller, the guy I shadowed when I first started, is basically having to cover for me."

"But your reasons are medical, they can't just fire you for being pregnant." He responded, feeling anger flood his system as he listened to her. But he tried to not let it show, not wanting to upset her anymore than she already was.

"They're not, technically. They've made me a part-time employee, essentially forcing me to go on leave. They're only letting me work one shift a week, because they don't want to pay for three full time paramedics when they could only be paying for two."

"That's such bullshit." He bit out, his face hardened in anger. "How is that even allowed? They're cutting your hours because you're pregnant, there's no way this is even legal. And you're the best medic they've got. You on light duty is still worth more than anyone they could get to cover you." He vented, shaking his head in frustration. "You don't deserve this, Gabby."

"I could fight it." She responded softly. "And I could probably win, because I have a feeling they didn't really disclose the true reason for making me part-time, and if they did I'd bet it's not the whole story. Walker blamed it on budget cuts, but they're only doing this to me because I'm pregnant. Whatever loophole they've found, I doubt it would hold up if I made a huge deal out of this, but…"

"But what?" He questioned, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I don't know if I would even want to keep working for a company that treats people like this." She murmured, a small frown forming on his face. "What I've always heard about private companies is that they're a business first, that they care about money more than they do their employees. That's why I never even considered it when they first approached me last year, but then after everything happened and I decided to give it a shot… I thought maybe I'd just judged them too harshly. Because I started working there and everything was great. Everything still is great, at least at the house. I love Jemma, and my coworkers. Chief Walters was upset this was happening, he told me he had no say in it... but it still happened. I guess things are only great if you don't need a little extra help. The second you need any leeway, they treat you like this."

"I'm so sorry, Gabby." He whispered, Gabby releasing a slow breath before taking a bite of her food, Matt patiently waiting for her to finish.

"I'm not saying I think I deserve special treatment," She spoke softly, "but Walters even told me they don't have policies in place for this stuff. I can't imagine how many other women they might've done this to… When it comes down to it, they don't care about their employees. And I don't know if I want to keep working at a place like that. Or even if I decide that I want to stay there, I don't think I could."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't afford to have me barely getting paid, Matt." She responded, his face falling at her words.

"Don't make this decision based solely on money. We'd figure it out."

"Baby, that's not realistic. Of course I have to consider that." Gabby breathed out. "We're still paying on my car, we've got all those appointments at Dr. Tanner's, along with all our other bills. And that's not even including everything we're gonna need for the baby. Kids aren't cheap, I can't not be working."

"I can take on more construction jobs." He offered, Gabby sighing softly. "I've turned down a few since you've been back, and then since the pregnancy, but I can take on more. Give us a little more of that cushion back."

"I won't ask you to do that, Matt."

"You're not asking, I'm offering. I don't want you to be unhappy." He responded almost immediately. "Despite what's happened, I know how much you love working there. I know you love being with Jemma, and if you decide you'd like to stay there, we'll make it work."

"I won't let you do that." She responded, shaking her head. "I'm not gonna have you kill yourself just so we can make ends meet. That's not fair to you."

Taking a deep breath, he leaned forward on the table, squeezing her hand. "So what do you wanna do?"

"I think I'm gonna have to look for another job… I don't have much of a choice. The last thing I want to do is quit working there, and leave Jemma. But I can't be barely getting paid, and I won't let you take on our financial responsibility all on your own."

"Do you know where you'd wanna work?" He asked softly, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, I never thought I'd be in this position. The possibility of needing to find another job never crossed my mind." She responded, glancing up at him as she took another bite of her food. She watched him nod, seeing a look she couldn't read flash over his face, Matt turning his attention to his plate. "What is it?"

"Well, uh- I know you might not want to do this, but it could at least be an option…"

"What?"

"I could talk to Boden."

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she placed her fork down on her plate. "What would he be able to do?"

"We could see if let you work on 61, with Foster and Brett." Realization spread over her face as she understood what he meant. He wanted her to come back to 51. "I mean, you're on light duty anyway, there's already two paramedics there. You were apart of the CFD for a long time, I'm sure they'd be willing to figure something out. And you know if there's anything at all Boden can do to help, he will." He breathed out quickly, Gabby sensing his nervousness at this topic. Matt knew 51 was still a hard subject for her, and he didn't want to make things worse. But he wanted to see if it was an option.

"Oh…" She responded softly, Matt feeling her grip on his hand loosen.

"If it's not something you think you could do, then that's okay. We don't have to look into it. But, if you think you can, we could at least see if it's an option for you." He continued, seeing her deep in thought.

"Would the CFD even allow a third paramedic on shift?"

"I don't know, but it couldn't hurt to ask." Matt replied, watching as she nodded slightly, her eyes moving down to the table. She pulled her hand back, placing them in her lap as she avoided his gaze. "Gabby…" He spoke, reaching out to gently grab her chin, getting her to look at him. "Where's your head at?"

"I… I don't know. I don't know what to do here." She whispered, Matt sighing deeply as he saw the tears in her eyes. Dropping his light grip on her face, he pushed himself up from his seat, moving to crouch down beside her, Gabby turning towards him as he placed his hands on her knees.

"Is going back to 51 something you think you might be able to do?" He questioned softly, watching her shrug her shoulders, Gabby tracing her fingers over the top of his hand as a distraction.

"I don't know. I'd like to think I could, but I'm not sure."

"Because of them, right?" He asked, waiting a few seconds to see if she was going to say anything before continuing. "Is it because of the pace, or because of how they've been acting?"

Feeling him squeeze her leg, she looked to him, running her tongue over her bottom lip. "It's… everything, I guess. So much has happened, and 51 really doesn't feel like home to me anymore. I wish it did, but being there the other night, I just felt out of place. I was hoping if I started coming around more, it would help. But it didn't. Everyone there is your family, and I'm so glad you still have that, but they're not so much mine anymore."

"That's not true, Gabby. They love you."

Shaking her head, she bit down on her lip, trying to keep her tears at bay. "It's not the same as it used to be, though. They're happy to see me, sure. They don't mind me coming around, but the relationship I have with most of them now is nowhere near how things used to be, and I don't know if that'll ever change. They never reach out to me, I have to be the one to initiate everything. It feels like there's no difference to me being there and not being there, and it hurts. Knowing how close I used to be with everyone there, they're like strangers now."

Tears gathered in his own eyes as he listened to her speak, hating that she felt like this. Hating that he hadn't done more to help. "That's why you were so upset when you were there… why you were crying." He mused as he thought back to that night, guilt spreading through him at the realization of just how much this had been affecting her. He knew she'd been having a hard time with things at 51, but he had no idea she was feeling like this, that she felt so out of place there. And it broke his heart.

"I mean, I was sick, but yeah. I was listening to stories and hearing them talk about all these things I had no idea about, and it hit me how different things are now. How I don't really belong there anymore, I don't even know if they'd want me there."

"I know they would love to have you back." He replied immediately, seeing the doubt in her eyes. "You've gotta believe me. I know they're acting weird, but you see how they are when you're there. They love having you back." Matt tried, but he could tell she was not convinced. "Let me talk to them again."

"Matt, it's been months." She replied quietly. "I've been back for almost four months, and aside from Kelly and Herrmann, nothing with them has changed. It's not going to. You've already talked to them, multiple times, and nothing has changed."

"Yeah, but I don't think they realize how much they're hurting you. I didn't even realize how much they were hurting you..." He murmured, Gabby ducking her head as he rubbed his thumb on the inside of her thigh. "Regardless of what you decide to do, I'm talking to them. Because whatever their issue is, it's gotta stop. I should've done something about it sooner. I know things have still been weird for you, but I didn't realize it was making you feel like this. I'm so sorry for that, but they need to know how much they're hurting you. Even though things are different with you guys, I know they'd never want that."

"I know they don't. And I know I caused all this…"

"Gabby, this isn't your fault." He interjected, but she shook her head.

"I left them, and didn't tell them why. I understand why they're nervous around me. I was just hoping that would change and it hasn't."

"You don't owe them an explanation. I told them you left because we got some awful news, and everything here became too much for you. That should've been enough for them to understand you weren't trying to hurt anyone, but it wasn't. And that's on them."

Blowing out a breath, she moved her hand towards his head, stroking her fingers against his cheek before resting her hand on his neck. "I don't want to cause any problems, Matt. With Brett, or Foster, or anyone. I don't want to go work there just to make things worse."

"I don't think it would." He responded. "I know you don't feel like that, and I understand why. And this decision is entirely up to you, but I think you working there again could help this feeling you have, it could help things between you guys. They love it when you stop by, they'd love having you back. And I know I need to talk to them, knock some sense into them and make them realize what they're doing, but everyone would love for you to come back to 51. I truly believe that." He spoke firmly, Matt squeezing her thigh. "But if you don't feel like you can work there, then we'll figure something else out. I'm not trying to force you into anything here, I'm fine with whatever you decide. If you want to stay at the SAS, we'd find a way to make it work. I know we have to be realistic, but we have savings. And the CFD has been on me to guest lecture for a few courses in the spring. That would bring some extra money in, too. We'd figure it out. Whatever you decide, we'll be okay. But if you want me to, I can talk to Boden." Matt told her gently, their eyes locked on one another. "This is entirely up to you. Whatever you think is best for you, that's what we'll do."

A soft silence fell around them as Gabby thought for a moment, her fingers rubbing across his neck as she tried to decide what to do. This was never something she thought she'd be having to figure out, but now that it was here, she knew what she had to do. She just wasn't sure if she could.

"I guess… I guess let's see what Boden says."

Matt's eyebrows raised in surprise, clearly not expecting that response despite the speech he'd given her.

"Are you sure?" He asked immediately, adjusting his balance as he rested on the balls of his feet.

"I don't know, but I feel like that's my only option. I can't not be working, I won't let you wear yourself out taking on job after job just to try and supplement my income. And with the baby, we need money coming in. From both of us."

Matt shook his head, swallowing thickly before responded. "I don't want you going back to 51 if it's not the right thing for you. I don't want you to feel pressured into doing that. If it's just going to cause you more stress, that won't help anything. I want you to do what's best for you."

"Me going back to 51 is what's best for us." She replied, her free hand moving to cradle her stomach. "51 is better than me trying to go find another job, or staying at my job and barely getting paid. And it might not even be a possibility, there might not be anything for me there. But I want you to talk to Boden."

Matt searched her eyes for any sign of hesitation, for any look that might tell him she really didn't want this. He knew she was nervous, rightfully so, and he didn't want her doing this just for him. He had to know this is what she wanted.

"Are you positive? Because I promise you, Gabby, if you really don't think you can go back, we'll find another solution. I wasn't trying to push you into this, and I feel like that's what I did... I was just trying to see if it was something you'd be open to, but please don't do this if it's not something you want." He pleaded.

She flashed him a small smile, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she shook her head. "You're not pressuring me, I promise." She whispered. "Talk to Boden, see what he says. I'm not saying I'm sure I can go back there, but we at least should know if it's an option. Once we have an answer from him, we'll go from there."

"Okay. I'll talk to him on shift tomorrow, let him know what happened and see if there's anything he can do."

Gabby nodded, quickly wiping away the tears welling under her eyes, Matt flashing her a sympathetic smile as he pushed himself up, capturing her lips with his.

"I love you, whatever we have to do, we'll figure it out together, alright?" He reassured her, kissing her again quickly. "This isn't fair to you, at all. But I'm right here with you every step of the way. Once we know what our options are, whatever's best for you, that's what we'll do."

"Thank you." She whispered as Matt cradled the side of her face, running his thumb over her cheek. He nodded in response, placing another kiss to the top of her head before pulling back, reaching for her plate.

"Let me heat this up so you can eat." He murmured, Gabby's eyes following him as he moved into the kitchen, placing her plate in the microwave.

After heating up their food, they'd managed to enjoy their dinner together, Matt doing his best to keep her mind off everything with work. He knew it was hard to not think about, but he didn't want this consuming her, at least not for tonight. So Matt had made it his mission to steer clear of work related topics, feeling internally grateful when he saw her spirits begin to lift as the night went on.

After dinner, Gabby had made the decision to take a bath, it only taking seconds for her to convince Matt to join her. Now he sat on the edge of the tub, waiting for the water to fill up as he put in some bubble bath, the kind he knew she loved, while Gabby was in the bedroom.

Matt began shedding his clothes, pulling his t-shirt from his body and tossing it to the floor, moving his hands down to unbutton his jeans. He stood up long enough to slide them down his legs, kicking the material off to the side, resting his body back down on the tub as he glanced up in time to see Gabby come through the door, clad in only her underwear as she walked towards him. A soft smile fell onto his face as his eyes raked up and down her nearly bare form, his gaze stopping on her stomach.

"God, you're beautiful." He murmured, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks as he kept her under his watchful gaze. She walked the short distance towards him, Matt wrapping his arm around her waist, his palm snaking around her front to rest on her abdomen.

Despite his worries for this pregnancy, he'd never get tired of feeling her changing body beneath his fingertips. Her stomach hadn't gotten much bigger over the few days since her appointment, but it had grown slightly, enough for him to notice a difference whenever he got the opportunity to hold her. Although it was nothing substantial, it was reassurance that their baby was still growing. It was an indescribable feeling, Matt flooded with warmth each time he caught a glimpse of her exposed stomach. Every time he noticed the changes in her body, and saw their baby on the ultrasound, it eased some of the fear that had settled in his gut. He knew it would never go away, that until both Gabby and their baby had gotten safely through this pregnancy, the fear in the pit of his stomach would never fully disappear. But standing here, with his arms wrapped around her, feeling the small, firm bump underneath his palm, it helped.

He was pulled from his headspace when he felt tapping against his temple, Matt focusing his gaze as he looked up, finding Gabby's warm eyes waiting for him.

"Unless you want to go swimming, you might want to turn the water off." She teased him softly, Matt turning away from her to look at the bathtub, quickly dropping his hold on her to turn off the faucets. But as he leaned back up, he wrapped his arm around her again, moving his thumb up and down over her lower stomach.

Ducking his head down, he placed a light kiss against her stomach, resting his lips there as he heard Gabby release a content sigh, running her fingers through his hair. "I love you, you know that?" He whispered, glancing up to meet her eyes.

"I had some idea." She responded lightly, scratching her fingers over his scalp as he let himself relax into her touch for a few seconds.

Wanting to enjoy the maximum amount of time in their warm bath that they could, Matt ran his hand from her stomach to her back, moving up towards her bra, skillfully unclasping it and sliding the clothing down her arms, seeing her wince slightly at the movement.

"Still sore?" He asked sympathetically, tossing the material into the pile he'd formed, being met by a nod from Gabby.

"Incredibly." She responded, Matt frowning slightly. When Gabby had woken up for shift this morning, she'd complained about how sore her chest was, Matt knowing she'd been feeling a few aches for a couple weeks now, but it seemed to have worsened overnight. Despite Matt thoroughly enjoying how her chest had filled out, he knew it was uncomfortable for her, and he wished there was something he could do to help. He could only hope he hadn't made things worse last night, knowing he'd spent more than his fair share of time appreciating that part of her.

"I'm sorry, hopefully the bath can help." He told her, the two beginning to shed the last layers of clothing on their bodies.

"As long as you can keep your hands off, it should." She spoke with a chuckle, Matt holding onto her arms as he helped her into the tub, Gabby gripping his forearms as she sat down.

"I didn't hear any complaints last night." He mumbled, waiting until Gabby slid forward to give him room to climb in behind her, Matt carefully placing his body against the back of the tub.

"You never would." She responded softly, easing herself in between his legs until she was resting against his chest, Matt carefully wrapping his arms around her stomach, the two relaxing into the warm water. She placed her hand on his knee, tracing random patterns on the inside of his thigh as they sat there, her head resting against his shoulder.

"You really think it would be okay?" Gabby questioned after a few silent moments.

"Hmm?" He hummed in question.

"Me, working at 51 again." She explained, Matt pursing his lips together. He hadn't been expecting her to bring it up again. They'd all but avoided the subject since dinner, and he didn't think they'd be discussing it anymore tonight. But clearly it had been on her mind. "You seem sure that everyone would be fine with it. You really think they'd be okay with having me back?"

Matt tapped his fingers against her stomach, releasing a deep breath. "They'd be more than okay. I think they'd be glad to have you back at 51." He told her honestly. "I'm not just saying that, because I know how hard it would be for you to feel comfortable working there again. This isn't a decision to take lightly, and I'd never suggest it if I didn't think they'd be excited." He spoke quietly in her ear. "I know you're worried, and I'm not trying to downplay what you're feeling…"

"You're not."

"But I do think it would be a good thing. I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't."

Nodding slowly, Gabby cuddled herself back into him, turning her head to place a kiss on his jaw, feeling Matt's hold on her tighten.

"Like you said, we'll see what Boden says and go from there. This is completely up to you." He reminded her, the two falling into a comfortable quiet as they enjoyed their bath together, intent on making the most out of the time they had.

* * *

Light tapping on the doorframe pulled Boden from his paperwork, the firefighter looking up to find Casey standing in his open doorway. "You got a minute, Chief?" His Captain asked, Boden nodding and waving him in, watching as Matt stepped inside, closing the door behind him.

It was only a few minutes into shift, and they had just finished up their morning meeting in the conference room. Boden wasn't sure why Casey hadn't just talked to him out there, but he figured whatever had the man in here this early in the morning, it was something he wanted to keep between them.

"What can I do for you, Casey?"

"Do you, uh, remember when Gabby first came back, and you said how if she wanted to come back here, you would find a way to make it work?" Matt questioned, Boden's tongue poking through his teeth to run over his bottom lip, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Mhmm."

"Well, is there any way for that to still be a possibility?" Casey asked, Boden stunned into silence for a split second. Out of all the possible topics of conversation he'd expected them to have, this was not one of them.

"Does she want to come back?" Boden questioned once he gained his bearings.

"Well, there's kind of a story there…" Casey spoke, his voice trailing off towards the end of his sentence. "The SAS, they've screwed Gabby over, to put it lightly." He started, shaking his head, trying to keep his anger at the situation under control. Boden's eyebrows raised in curiosity, patiently waiting for the agitated man to continue. "Essentially, they don't want to pay her, because she has to be on light duty. They see it as them having to pay for a replacement for her, so they decided their solution to this was making Gabby a part-time employee, only letting her work one shift a week." Matt explained, Boden unable to hide the shock showing across his face. "I told her we could make it work, that I'd take on more jobs, maybe give in to some of those lectures headquarters has been hounding me for, if she wanted to stay there, but she doesn't want me to do that. With the baby coming and everything, she wants to still work. So I brought up her coming back here… I'm not even sure if it's possible, but I thought maybe, since she'd have to be on light duty anyway, she could work on 61. With Brett and Foster."

The Chief nodded thoughtfully, straightening his back as he leaned forward, resting against his desk. "Is that something Dawson would be up for?"

"Honestly, I don't know. I think she wishes it was something she could be excited about, but she's scared." He replied, catching the flash of sadness in Boden's gaze. "Things here for her, they're not what they used to be. She's not sure if they can ever be the same, and I think she's afraid to jump back into that."

"Dawson always has a home here, Casey."

"I know she does, and that's what I told her. But she's nervous, and I can't say I blame her. Everyone here hasn't exactly made it easy on her." Matt spoke, Boden not having time to question what he meant before Matt continued. "But she decided she wanted to know if her coming back was even an option. We're trying to figure out what to do here, and she wanted all the possibilities."

"Truthfully, I'm not sure what the protocol is. I know that it's been done in the past, having three paramedics on an ambo in situations like these, but I'm not sure if they'll go for it since she's not currently in the department. But let me make some calls." Boden told him, reaching for his phone. "If there's anything I can do, I'll do it."

"Thank you, Chief." Matt responded, taking that as his cue to leave, giving the man some privacy to make his calls.

As he walked out of the office, Matt pulled out his phone, wanting to let Gabby know about his conversation with Boden, and what was going on. But before he could finish typing it out, the bells rang, signaling the house to an apartment fire.

Luckily, no one had been injured. By the time they got there, got everyone out safely, and got the fire under control, a few hours had passed, 81 and squad 3 heading back to the house once their job had been completed, knowing they'd be returning to their cold, unfinished breakfast.

It took Casey only seconds to change from his turnout gear once they got to the firehouse, Matt following the quiet bunch back inside the house.

"Casey." Boden's voice called, Matt stopping in the hallway as members of truck kept walking.

"Yeah, Chief?" He asked as Boden waved him over, Matt walking towards the man, gaining some distance from the rest of the house.

"I'm heading over to HQ, to talk to them about Dawson. I just wanted to let you know."

"Do you know anything yet?" Matt questioned, Boden shaking his head.

"No, not yet. But the second I do, I'll let you know."

Matt nodded as Boden patted him on the arm. "Thank you for doing this, Chief."

"Of course. Anything for Dawson."

With a quick handshake, Boden walked past Casey, heading out into the garage. Matt stayed rooted in his spot momentarily, sighing heavily before heading towards the kitchen, silently praying that Chief would come back with some good news.

* * *

Gabby walked through the apartment, clad in one of Matt's sweatshirts and a pair of leggings, as she made her way back into the living room. It had been a quiet day for her here, Gabby having woken up when Matt got ready for shift this morning, the expectant mom unable to fall back asleep.

She'd been trying to keep herself busy, but it was proving to be difficult. She felt like she was back to being stuck at home, and it was driving her insane. Even though she knew she was allowed to go out, there wasn't anything that really needed to be done. So she'd stayed put, trying to keep away that antsy feeling that came around when she'd gone too long without moving.

Placing her tea down on the coffee table, she grabbed the blanket off the back of the couch, intent on cuddling up and watching a movie to pass the time, but her movements were halted when she heard her phone ringing from the bedroom. Tossing the blanket back down, she headed towards the sound, her eyebrows furrowing as she saw Matt's contact photo on her screen, Gabby pulling the device from the charger and answering it.

"Hey babe."

"_Hey, how are you doing?_"

"I'm alright. What's up? Everyone okay?" She asked as she sat down on the mattress.

"_Yeah, we're all good over here. I was actually calling to tell you that Boden asked for you to come by the house, if you can. He wants to talk to you._"

"Did he hear something about a job for me?" She asked him. Matt had kept her updated throughout the morning on what was going on, and it had been a few hours since she last heard anything, but clearly there had been some kind of resolution, one way or the other.

"_I think so, but he wouldn't tell me much. Just asked to see if you can come by._"

"Yeah, sure. I'll be over there soon."

"_Okay. Drive safe. Love you._"

"I love you, too." She replied before hanging up, releasing a sigh as she glanced down to her outfit. Knowing she needed to change, she headed for the dresser, looking through her options. Despite not looking it, she felt huge today, she had from the moment she woke up, and the last thing she wanted to do was put on tight clothes.

Settling on a pair of thicker leggings and an oversized sweater, Gabby quickly changed, getting ready in record time as she pulled her hair back into a messy bun. Once presentable, she moved towards the back door, making sure to pick up her phone and her purse as she went, grabbing her coat from the hook before exiting the apartment.

Traffic was surprisingly light as she made her way to the firehouse, Gabby pulling up to the curb outside the big building, quickly grabbing her belongings before making her way inside. Her nerves had only increased during the drive, Gabby wondering what exactly Boden wanted to talk to her about. She was sure he wouldn't have called her all the way here had he not had a job to offer her. But she couldn't help but think that was the root of her worries, that he had been able to get her back on second shift, and now it was up to her to decide whether or not she wanted to accept.

Sucking in a deep breath, Gabby opened the double doors, walking into the firehouse. It took a few seconds for them to notice her presence, her eyes bouncing around the room, unable to locate Matt.

"Hey Dawson! This is a surprise, two visits in one week." Herrmann called from the couch, Gabby flashing the group a small smile.

"You feeling better?" Brett asked from the table, Gabby glancing to her before nodding.

"I am, thanks." The blonde nodded, giving her a warm smile before Gabby looked around the room once more. "Is Matt around here somewhere?"

"He's in with the Chief, has been in and out of there most of the day." Herrmann responded curiously, clearly looking for some information. But Gabby gave him nothing, simply nodding and giving a quick thanks before heading towards Boden's office.

The walk was quick, Gabby noticing the closed office door as she moved down the hallway. In mere seconds she got to the door, seeing Boden and the back of Matt's head, Gabby lifting her hand to knock on the frame.

"Come on in." She heard, Gabby pushing open the door, being met by smiles from both men.

"Hi." She greeted, shutting the door behind her before walking towards the desk, Matt standing up to give her a quick kiss before they both sat down, Gabby glancing in between the two men anxiously.

"Hi Dawson. Casey filled me in on the situation with your current job, and first can I just say, I'm sorry that's happening to you. I know how much you love your job, and it's not my place to comment, but I hate that this has been allowed to happen. You deserve to be treated better than that, and I wish there was something I could do to help you keep your job there." He told her, Gabby nodding appreciatively. "But, as Casey's told you, I've been in contact with headquarters all day, trying to figure out if we have a place for you back at 51." He spoke, Gabby's eyes glancing towards Matt as she swallowed thickly.

"Yeah, he's been letting me know what's going on."

"Well, the reason I asked you to come down here was because I wanted to tell you this is person…" He started, a soft smile falling onto his face. "There's a job for you here back on ambo, if you want it."

* * *

**So… how are we feeling about this. This chapter definitely had a lot going on, and it looks like Gabby has a decision to make. I'm interested to hear what you all think of everything.**

**I know I keep talking about it, but I wanted to let you know I uploaded chapter three of my other story, Whatever Comes Next, earlier today. I hope I'm not annoying anyone since I keep mentioning it, but I'm just so proud of that story, and I hope you all are enjoying it too. If you'd like to check it out, I'd greatly appreciate it.**

**Speaking of, I'm trying to figure out how I want to schedule my chapter uploads. It's just worked out that I've gotten them both finished in time to upload on the same day, but I'm not sure how sustainable that is. I've been updating both stories every Monday and Thursday, and I love it, but that's got me writing more than 20k words of fic about every three days, which is a lot. I love doing it, and enjoy writing both of these stories so much, but I'm not sure if it's something I'll be able to keep up. Between actually sitting down and writing it, and then revising it, it takes some time. I'll be doing my best to keep my uploads consistent, but it might take some time for me to figure out the best way to update my stories. I know you all appreciate my quick updates, and I want to continue that, and I'm gonna do my best to do so. But I'm not exactly sure how I'm gonna decide when to update each story, and I apologize in advance if my updates for either story are later than usual. It might take me some time to figure out the best way to get both stories updated regularly. I hope you all understand. **

**Also, a little fun side note, today is my birthday! So I figured I'd get both stories updated as little birthday treat from me to you all. I can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter, and what you think Gabby's gonna do. To those of you who are still with me and this story, thank you so much for reading! It means the world to me.**


	39. Chapter Thirty Nine

**Hello hello! Here's another chapter for you all.**

**The reactions to the last chapter were about half and half on Gabby potentially going back to 51, which is what I expected. Some of you were super excited, others not so much. But just bear with me. I have a feeling that you all will be satisfied with what happens, or at least I'm hoping you will be.**

**But I am a little nervous about this chapter, so I hope you like it. Enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Thirty Nine**_

* * *

Matt laid quietly in bed, the room bathed in darkness as he felt the woman next to him breathing steadily. His arm was wrapped firmly around her waist, his hand having slipped under his shirt that she wore to bed sometime during the night, his palm cradling her stomach. Her back was pressed against his chest, her hand clasped in his free one that was poking out under her pillow. He didn't remember falling asleep like this, but when he'd woken up a while ago and found her resting in his arms, he was too comfortable to move. And the last thing he wanted to do was risk waking her up before it was necessary.

When Matt first woke up about an hour ago, he'd tried his hardest to fall back asleep, but he couldn't. His brain was forcing him into consciousness, not letting sleep overtake him as his mind ran rampant.

Today they were both back on shift, Matt going to 51 while Gabby would be reporting to the SAS for the first time since they broke the news of her new schedule over a week ago. Admittedly, Casey was a little anxious to have her go back there. He knew she was more than capable of doing her job, with the extra help, but a part of him was nervous at the idea of her going back there after what they'd done to her.

But he knew her continuing to work there wasn't his choice. It was solely her decision, one she had yet to make.

Gabby hadn't been able to come to a decision over her future. Every time Matt felt like they were getting close, she'd step back and they ended up right where they started. He was trying not to push her, this wasn't something to take lightly and he wanted her to be sure, but what Boden had managed to get headquarters to agree to was nothing short of astounding. And despite what the Chief had said about Gabby taking her time, Matt didn't want this opportunity to fall through the cracks.

"_There's a job for you here back on ambo, if you want it."_

"_Oh, wow." Gabby breathed out in surprise, glancing towards Matt, the man wearing a relieved smile._

"_I have all the paperwork here, ready to get started, if this is what you want." She gave him a slight nod in understanding, biting on her bottom lip roughly as he continued. "You would be a full-time paramedic on 61 until your maternity leave. I explained the situation and what happened over at the SAS, reminded them that you were our PIC here for years. And I also made a point to refresh their memories of how the only reason you weren't still working here is because you left to do relief work, something that Chief Hatcher had requested you to do." He spoke, the man wearing a proud smile._

_Gabby was in shock, to say the least. Despite her belief in Boden, knowing the man was always true to his word, she also knew this entire thing was out of his control. So for him to be able to get the higher-ups to agree with this, in less than a day no less, was essentially a miracle._

_But now she was stuck on the same reservations she had when she got here. She wasn't sure if she wanted this job, or if everyone would want her to come back. There were too many variables to consider, and it made her head spin._

"_Now, the status of your position here is still unclear for after you have the baby. I wasn't sure if being back here permanently was something you were wanting. I know you love your work at the SAS, and I didn't want to tell them you'd be back indefinitely if those weren't your plans. So, as of now, you're only on this job until your maternity leave. But I know if you do want to come back for good, we'd figure something out."_

_Gabby merely nodded again, fiddling with her hands in her lap as she thought over Boden's words. When Matt had suggested her to come back to work here, part of her didn't even think it would be a possibility. She had convinced herself it wasn't an option, so she told him yes. But now it was an option, it was seemingly her best option. And she was scared. She was nervous to come back here after everything that happened, and despite Matt doing his best to lessen those fears, she was still worried. She didn't know if this was something she could do._

"_What do you think, Gabby?" Matt's voice broke through her trance, turning her head to find him watching her closely. The smile that had been on his face when they first got the news was long gone, his excitement fading pretty quickly once he saw the apprehension in her demeanor._

"_I… I don't know, honestly I wasn't expecting there to be a job for me here." She stuttered out, Matt reaching over to grab her hand, Gabby holding onto it tightly as they rested in her lap._

"_When do they need to know?" Matt questioned, knowing Gabby was in no position to give him a firm answer right now._

"_You have time to decide, Dawson. It's already been approved, but that doesn't mean you have to rush this decision. You don't even have to take the position if you don't want to, but it is an option."_

_Nodding slowly, she turned back to Matt, her hesitant eyes locking with eyes, the man able to read her with one look._

"_We're gonna need some time." Casey spoke, giving her hand a supportive squeeze as he turned back to Boden, Gabby nodding in agreement._

"_It's a big decision." She spoke up, grazing her teeth over her bottom lip. "I appreciate you doing this for me, you didn't have to do that. But I can't just jump into this, I need time to figure out what I want to do."_

"_That's fine, Dawson. Take all the time you need. I, of course, would love for you to come back. Everyone would. But this is your choice. Just let me know what you decide."_

"_I will, Chief. Thank you." She murmured, dropping Matt's hand as they both stood up, taking their cue to leave. With a final wave goodbye, Gabby exited the office, Matt following close behind her as they walked towards the hallway._

"_So, no pressure," Matt spoke, stopping his steps as they got to the empty hallway, pushing a piece of hair behind her ear, "but do you know which way you're leaning?"_

"_Truthfully?" She questioned, Matt giving her a reassuring nod. "No, I don't. I know this would be the best thing for us, financially. And also for you and I. Being back on the same shift again, like we used to, that would be great." She mused, Matt showing a content smile. "But I'm not sure what I want to do here."_

"_There's no rush. Like I told you, whatever you end up choosing to do, we'll be fine. You don't even have to choose the SAS, or 51. You could do something completely different. As long as you're happy and healthy, that is all that's important." He responded, running his thumb over her cheek gently. "As much as I would love to work with you again, I'd never ask you to say yes to this just for me. I want you to be sure of your decision, that it's what's best for you. This isn't about what I want, or what Boden wants. This is about you." Matt reminded her, his grin widening as he saw her gentle smile. "Whatever you decide to do, you have my full support, babe."_

_Nodding softly, she turned her head to kiss the inside of his palm, bringing her hand up to grasp his wrist._

"_No one can make this decision but you. But I'm right here if you need a little help." He assured her._

"_I know. We'll talk tomorrow once you get home, this isn't really something we can discuss here…"_

_Matt nodded, pulling her into his arms, feeling her relax into him. "We'll do that. Maybe if you sleep on it, it'll help clear some things up. But as soon as I'm home, we'll talk it out."_

And they had talked about it. At length, over many days. But Gabby had still not been able to come to a decision. They weighed the pros and cons of her options, but it always came back to the same thing; Gabby had to make this decision on her own. He wouldn't choose for her, and even though he'd love for her to be back at 51 with him, it wasn't his decision. All he could do was support her with whatever choice she made.

Feeling her begin to stir in his grasp, Matt lifted his head up, glancing over her tired body towards the clock, seeing they had only minutes before the alarm went off. The movement of Matt's body pulled her completely from her slumber, Gabby groaning as she pushed her body back against his, squeezing the hand latched in hers.

"What time is it?" She murmured, Matt blindly placing a soft kiss on her shoulder.

"Five till six." His response earned another groan from her, Gabby relaxing into his hold, feeling Matt rub his thumb over her bare stomach. "We should probably get going." Matt whispered, Gabby sighing heavily before nodding. She let go of his hand, shifting to lie on her back as Matt slid his arm out from under her pillow, keeping his hand on her stomach. "Did you sleep alright?"

"Yeah, I did. Wish I was still asleep." She responded, Matt pulling back from her, moving to turn the lamp on, both of them blinking furiously to adjust to the harsh light in the room.

Turning back towards her, Matt smiled as he took her in, Gabby watching him as he leaned down, placing a kiss to her lips. It was soft and gentle, the gesture lasting a few seconds before he pulled back, Matt scooting down the bed, moving the covers out of the way as he went. He grabbed the hem of the t-shirt covering her body, lifting it up to expose her abdomen, Matt placing a soft kiss over her slightly rounded stomach. He lingered there for a few seconds, feeling Gabby's hand come up to caress over the back of his head, Matt pressing another kiss to her skin before pulling back and glancing up to her.

It had become a ritual of sorts over the last week, Matt going through the same routine every morning they woke up together. He'd give her a kiss, then move down to their child, greeting them the same way. The first time he'd done it, it nearly brought Gabby to tears. And now, it was the best part of her mornings. There had always been something that Gabby loved about Matt in the mornings. She couldn't really place it, but there was something so endearing about seeing him just after he'd woken up. But now, witnessing his tender demeanor while interacting with their growing child, it filled her with a warmth she'd never experienced. It was like she was still finding new ways to fall deeper in love with him, which she didn't think possible.

"You alright?" Matt asked her, pulling her from her thoughts, a soft smile falling onto her face.

"I'm good, was just thinking." She responded, scratching his head lightly, Matt's eyes falling closed in contentment.

"About what?"

"You, mostly." His grin widened as he opened his eyes, Matt sliding back up the bed as his head hovered over hers.

"Is that so?" He whispered, Gabby's eyes flickering to his lips before meeting his gaze.

"Mhmm." She responded, Matt leaning forward a few inches to capture her lips with his, their movements slow and deliberate.

She pulled back first, her bottom lip tucked in between her teeth as Matt caught his breath.

"So, you wanna shower first, or should I?" She questioned, Matt glancing to the clock before looking back towards her.

"You can shower first if you let me join you." He responded with a grin, Gabby chuckling softly as she sat up in bed.

"I guess I can agree to that." She spoke, grabbing his chin and kissing him again quickly before she slid out of bed, his shirt resting just past her hips as she began the walk towards the bathroom, Matt quickly following after her.

* * *

Gabby held onto her bag tightly as she walked into the house, seeing a few of her coworkers already seated in the common room, waiting for their shift to start. At the sound of the door, they looked up, Turner and Decker flashing her sympathetic smiles once they saw her. She wasn't too surprised by the looks on their faces, or that word had spread about what happened, seeing as how she hadn't been able to come to work for over a week. She'd kept in contact with Jemma, her partner frequently checking in, wanting to know how she was doing. But aside from Norris, Gabby hadn't had any contact with the house. She could only hope they'd been given the version of events from Jemma, and not through Walters. Even though she knew it wasn't the Chief's fault, he'd be obligated to give headquarter's versions of things, whereas Jemma could be much more transparent.

Even though it was clear they'd been told something of what happened, Gabby prayed they wouldn't mob her with questions. She hadn't come to any decisions yet, at least not completely, and the last thing she wanted to do was sit here an answer question after question about what she was going to do.

Because despite everything, she still found herself wanting to stay here. She couldn't explain it, and the Dawson before Puerto Rico would've probably stomped out of here the day Walters told her what had been decided, and never looked back. But even with everything that happened, she found it hard to leave. Gabby was pissed at what they'd done to her, of course she was. But it wasn't the people at this house who had screwed her over. These people were her friends, and she didn't want to leave them. She felt safe here, she felt secure in her job and with her coworkers. There was nothing hard about being around the people here, and the same could not be said for how she felt walking into 51.

In a perfect world, she'd be able to stay here only working her one shift a week, while Matt continued working at 51 and picking up some construction jobs here and there. But that was nowhere near realistic. With everything surrounding this pregnancy, the last thing they needed was another thing to worry about. She had to make the decision that was best for both her and Matt, and their child. And that was going back to 51.

But she didn't want to face that yet. She knew she couldn't hold out much longer, that today would probably be one of her last shifts here with Jemma. She had fought the inevitable for over a week now, and she wouldn't be able to get away with it much longer.

And she didn't want to keep dragging Boden along, either, knowing how much he had done to get her this job. She was appreciative that he jumped through all those hoops for her, and the fact that she wouldn't have to go actively searching for a new job was nice. But there were still a lot of undealt with issues between her and most of the firehouse, and the thought of going back there on a more permanent basis was daunting.

"Dawson." Gabby was stopped in her path as she neared her locker, turning around at the sound of her name being called. She found Chief Walters walking towards her, Gabby crossing her arms over her chest as the man approached. "Sorry, I didn't mean to chase you down. I called your name in the hallway, but I don't think you heard me."

"Oh, yeah I didn't. Sorry." She responded, her eyes darting uncomfortably around the room.

"It's alright, I just wanted to check in… see how you were doing."

"You're wanting to know if I'm staying here or not." She responded bluntly, Walters drawing in a deep breath.

"Dawson…"

"No, it's fine. I know this is headquarters, not you. But to answer your question, no, I don't know yet." Gabby spoke, the Chief nodding. "Why? Are they expecting me to quit or something?"

"No." He answered quickly. "I know it doesn't feel like it, but no one, not even anyone at headquarters wants you to quit. This was completely budgetary, Dawson. I'm not saying it's fair, because God knows it's not. But I promise you, there is not a soul in this department who wants you gone."

Nodding slowly, Gabby shifted on the balls of her feet, glancing back up at her boss. "So my job will still be here waiting for me once I get back from maternity leave? My full time job?"

"As far as I know, yes."

Sighing heavily, she shook her head. "I'm sorry, Chief, but I'm gonna need better than that." She replied. "This is my livelihood, I can't decide to stay here based on you thinking that I'll still have my old job after I have my baby. And I got offered another job, so I'm trying to figure out what to do here. I don't want to leave this place, even after all this mess, I still want to stay. Though I don't even think it's possible right now, but it's completely off the table if I don't know whether or not I have my job to come back to."

"I understand, Dawson."

"So if you could check with headquarters, and make sure I would still have a job here, I'd appreciate it, sir." She spoke firmly, earning a deliberate nod from Walters.

"I'll call them right now, and get it figured out." He responded, Gabby blowing out a heavy breath.

"Thank you." She turned on her heels to continue into the locker room, only getting a few steps before Walters spoke up again.

"I know we might not have left you any choice, but I do hope you can stay here Dawson. Everyone loves you, and you're one hell of a paramedic. But they put you in a bad spot, so if you decide to take this other job, everyone will understand."

Unsure of what to say to him, Gabby merely nodded before continuing her path into the locker room, glancing up to see Jemma and Elizabeth standing at their lockers, clearly pretending to not have been listening. But seeing as how her and Walters were only feet away, she knew they heard the conversation.

"Hey Dawson." Murray spoke first, flashing the woman a soft smile. "It's good to see you back here."

"Thanks Murray." She replied as she stepped towards her locker, quietly fiddling with the lock until she got it open.

"I, uh… I just wanted to say how sorry I am for what headquarters is doing. Jemma filled us in on what happened, and that's terrible. I'm sorry they're doing this to you." She spoke sincerely, Gabby turning towards her to find a small frown on the young woman's face.

"I appreciate that, thanks Elizabeth. But it's not your all's fault. I don't even blame Walters for this, I just- I wish it wasn't happening." Gabby responded softly, earning nods from both Jemma and Murray.

"Whatever you decide to do, just know you'll always be apart of the family around here." Murray spoke as she shut her locker, Gabby flashing her a thankful smile as the girl came up to her and gave her a quick hug. Dawson reciprocated the action, rubbing Murray's back before they pulled apart.

"Thank you, Murray. That means a lot to me." Elizabeth flashed her another small smile before heading for the exit, leaving Gabby alone with Jemma, the girl sitting down on the bench in front of her friend while Gabby put her things away.

"So, still haven't decided yet?"

"Unfortunately, I think I actually have…" She trailed off, Jemma's tongue poking out through her teeth to run over her bottom lip.

"You're going back to 51." She stated, Gabby turning to face her, nodding slowly.

"I think I have to. I mean, I want to wait and see what Walter's is gonna hear back from headquarters, but even if I do still have my old job waiting for me, I don't think it's an option for me to stay here. And it's not like I could work both places… I want to be here, but I refuse to have Matt killing himself, working all these extra jobs just to try and keep us comfortable. I won't let him do it."

Jemma nodded sadly, a supportive smile falling onto her face. "I understand why you have to do this. I'm just gonna miss you so much." Her voice faltered towards the end of her sentence, Gabby blinking back the tears welling in her eyes, her emotions overwhelming her.

"I know it won't be the same, but you're never getting rid of me Jemma. I can promise you that." Gabby spoke softly, afraid that if she spoke any louder, her voice would betray her.

Wordlessly, Norris pushed herself up from the bench, wrapping her arms tightly around Gabby, the two embracing in a long hug, both having to accept the fact they wouldn't be partners for much longer

* * *

Casey walked through the bunk room having just changed out of his shift clothes, his bag in hand as he headed for the exit. It had been a long, busy twenty-four hours for 51, and all he really wanted to do was get home to Gabby. Even though he had a construction job scheduled later this morning, he wanted at least a little time with her before being gone for most of the afternoon.

With this near nonstop shift, he hadn't had much time to check in with her. They kept missing each other's texts, only able to respond hours later, and by the time he'd had a moment to call her, it was well past nine last night, which meant she was surely asleep. The baby had changed a lot for them, but Gabby's tiredness and energy level had to be one of the biggest adjustments. He knew from her experience that the first trimester was rough, but he hoped now that she was almost through it, she'd start feeling a little more like her old self. But knowing how she usually hit a wall around eight, the last thing he wanted to do was risk waking her up.

Luckily, 51 hadn't been too busy through the night and he'd managed to get some decent rest. Aside from a few ambo calls, and one squad call, the house had been quiet, and Matt had woken up to a few texts from Gabby, responding to his messages she hadn't seen the night before. He hadn't been able to get much out of her, just that her shift had been okay, and she wanted to talk once he got home. Normally, out of context, those words would scare him, but he had a pretty good feeling of what she wanted to talk about.

"Casey." Boden's voice stopped him as he walked down the hallway, Matt seeing the Chief coming towards him as he approached the double doors.

"Hey Chief." He greeted, Boden coming to stop beside him.

"Headed home?"

"Yeah, for a little bit. Got a construction job later, so I'm gonna try and see Gabby for a bit before I have to head out." He spoke, earning a nod from the older man. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine. Just wondering if she's come to any decisions yet."

Sighing softly, Matt shook his head. "She's trying to figure it out, but… she's having a hard time." He spoke, Boden crossing his arms over his chest as he nodded understandingly. "She's not trying to drag you along with all this, she just doesn't know what to do."

"No, I know she's not." Boden assured his Captain. "I just wish she didn't feel so unsure about coming back here."

"Me too, but she has her reasons. And I know she really wants to stay at the SAS, and despite me telling her over and over that we'd make it work, she refuses to stay at a job where she's only working once every ten days." Matt replied, shaking his head. "I just wish this never happened. Her being there has been so good for her, it's helped her more than I ever thought it could…" He spoke, Boden's eyebrows furrowing at his words. "And Jemma, she's helped Gabby so much... Gabby's afraid to lose that, she doesn't want to let that go and I can't blame her." Casey mused. The Captain's cryptic words caused a million questions to run through Boden's mind, but he pushed them all aside, focusing on one in particular.

"Has she officially resigned yet?"

"No."

"Let me see what I can do." Boden replied, Matt's head tilting in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"Just… I'm gonna go to headquarters, I'll call you later, alright?" Without another word, Boden left, leaving Casey alone in the hallway, wondering what he could possibly mean.

* * *

Matt stepped into the quiet apartment, closing the back door as he entered, glancing around for any sign of Gabby. It took a few seconds, but he was able to hear the soft murmur of the television in the living room, disclosing her location as Matt shed his jacket, hanging it up on the hook. Placing his belongings down by the counter, Matt walked towards the living room, a soft smile coming to his face as he saw Gabby curled up on the couch, her gaze focused on the TV as she ate her breakfast.

"Good morning." He spoke, catching her attention as she glanced to him mid-bite.

"Morning." She spoke, chewing her food before continuing. "How was shift?"

"Busy. How was yours?" He asked, coming over to place a kiss on the top of her head before sitting down next to her.

"It was fine, kind of a long one."

"Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's just… I think I've made my decision." She replied, putting her plate down on the coffee table, angling her body towards him.

"Alright." He replied softly, bringing his arm up to rest on the back of the couch, placing his hand on her shoulder.

"I've decided to go back to 51."

Matt tried to hide his initial excitement at the news, knowing this was a difficult decision for her. Despite how happy he was at her choice, his feelings were completely selfish, and he knew that. He wanted her back because he missed working with her, and he hated having to spend more than 24 hours apart. He'd feel more comfortable having her close, where he could keep an eye on her and know she was alright. But he knew this was hard for her, and he had to make sure she wasn't doing this for the wrong reasons.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

"It's what I have to do." She responded, Matt squeezing her shoulder gently. "And, eventually, I think it'll be okay. It'll be an adjustment, definitely. There's a lot I'll have to get used to again, and there's a lot of explanations that will need to happen, but I know I've at least got you, Herrmann, and Kelly. And maybe you're right, maybe being there will help things."

Matt nodded, sliding his body closer to hers, placing his free hand on her thigh.

"You know I'll support you with whatever you choose, and if you think this is what's best for you, I'm on board completely."

"You can stop pretending you're not excited about this." She spoke with a grin, Matt's eyebrows raising. "I know you want me back there."

"Of course I do, and of course I'm happy that you'll be back on shift with me. But what I want isn't important here, this is about you. I don't want you making this decision for anyone other than yourself, especially not me." He responded, Gabby shaking her head.

"If I was making this decision for you, I would've just said yes when Boden offered it to me. I've thought through everything, and even though I still wish I could stay at the SAS, I know this is what I need to do for our family."

"Okay. If you're sure, then we can talk to Boden."

"I'm sure." She responded, wiping under her eyes, a frown forming on his face. He knew she was upset, having to let her new family go, and he wasn't completely convinced she was okay with this decision.

"Gabby…"

"I'm fine, Matt. Really, I am. I'm just sad to have to leave there. But I wasn't given much of a choice. The tears aren't about me going back to 51, I promise. I mean, I'm nervous. But I'm holding onto everything you've told me, that it will be okay in time… I just wish this never happened." She murmured, Matt wiping away the stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. "And I'm a hormonal pregnant woman, so that doesn't help." She spoke lightly, earning a soft chuckle from him as he pulled her into his arms, Gabby adjusting her body to relax against him.

"I'll only ask you this one last time, then I'll let it go, but are you sure you just don't want to stay where you are? Because I don't care what I have to do, we'll make it work. I don't want you to be unhappy." He whispered, running his hand through her hair as they sat on the couch.

"I don't want you to do that. I promise, I'll be okay. I'm just gonna miss Jemma and everyone, but I know this is what's best for us." She assured him, lifting her head up to look at him. "And no matter what happens at 51, I'll have you there with me… so it can't be all bad." She teased, a small smile falling onto his face.

"You've always got me." He responded, tapping his thumb against the side of her head. "I know you're worried about being back there, and I'm not trying to downplay that, you have every reason to be apprehensive, but I'm really not expecting there to be any problems from anyone. And if there is, you tell me and I'll deal with it." He told her, Gabby breathing in deeply.

"Matt…"

"No, if something does happen, if someone says something or they're doing anything to make you feel like you don't belong there, I want you to tell me. I know you can handle yourself, and you don't need me to fight your battles for you, but this has gone on long enough, them making you feel like this. You're gonna be there to do your job, you're coming back to your house. If any of them have a problem with it, that's on them." He responded, earning a soft nod from her. "But I'm not even anticipating anyone having any issues. I mean it, Gabby, they love you and they're gonna be so excited to have you back. But you're the most important thing here; you and our baby. So if something does happen, I wanna know."

"Alright." She gave in, placing a quick kiss to his lips. "But let's just hope you're right, and they'll all be fine with having me back."

"Oh, I would bet on it. I'm usually right." He joked, Gabby rolling her eyes before resting her head against his shoulder, feeling his grip tighten around her back, his other hand coming down to cradle her stomach. "But in all seriousness, I know this will be hard for you. I know you don't want to leave your job, and I know you're nervous about working at 51 again, but I'm right here with you. You can do this... But if there is any time where it gets to be too much, you know you can always come to me."

"I know." She murmured, placing a gentle kiss on his neck, draping her leg over his lap.

Matt knew there was no more that needed to be said as they relaxed into the couch, leaning his head down to rest over hers as they watched television. Gabby had come to a decision, one that Matt was excited for, and there were no more discussions that needed to be had, at least not right now. Now all he had to focus on was holding her in his arms, Matt content to just sit there with her as they cuddled on the couch, intent on enjoying the little time they had before he needed to get to work.

* * *

Matt stood in the kitchen, rising off their dinner plates while Gabby put their leftovers in the fridge, the two working in a quiet harmony, both of them moving around with ease as they got their meal cleaned up. It was a little after eight, Matt knowing now was usually when Gabby began to wind down. His job had taken longer than anticipated, the young couple he's working for deciding last minute they wanted some changes done to the original plan. Although he liked the extra money, he came home exhausted and a little frustrated at being away from the apartment all day. But when he got home and saw Gabby waiting for him with a simple dinner prepared, all his frustrations had gone away. He didn't expect her to wait for him to eat, knowing she'd been eating her dinners pretty early these days, but he appreciated it nonetheless.

A knock on the front door pulled them from their rhythm, Gabby beginning the walk across the apartment as Matt was still working on the dishes. Getting to the front door, she glanced through the peephole, her body filling with a bit of confusion and worry as she saw the man standing on the other side, Gabby hesitantly pulling open the door.

"Chief, hi." She responded, stepping aside so he could enter. "Come in."

"Hi Dawson, sorry to bother you so late, but I wanted to come by and talk to you. Is Casey here?" Boden asked, Gabby shutting the door behind him and leading him into the apartment.

"Yeah, we just finished up dinner. Is everything okay?" She asked, walking through the living room back towards the kitchen, Matt turning around to see Boden following in after Gabby.

"Hey Chief." He greeted, unable to hide his confusion as well.

"Casey." He responded, pulling his hands from his pockets. "I was telling Dawson, I'm sorry for stopping by so late, but I wanted to talk to you guys about something and I didn't want to wait. Can we?" He asked, nodding towards the kitchen table. Gabby nodded, the pair sitting down while Matt dried off his hands, coming over to join them. He took the seat beside Gabby, Boden across from them, the couple eager to hear what had brought him here this evening. "So, I've spent the better part of the day at headquarters, trying to figure all this out." He started, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing.

"But I thought I already had the job if I wanted it? Did they change their mind? Because I already decided what I want to do..."

"No, no, nothing like that." He assured her, Gabby releasing relieved breath as Boden continued. "But before you tell me what you decided, there's something you should know. Casey and I were speaking this morning, and he was telling me how you really did not want to leave your job at the private company. That you were having a hard time moving on from there, and it was making it hard for you to come to a decision." Chief spoke, Gabby glancing to Matt who had a sheepish look on his face. "But I think I may have come up with a solution to all of this." Boden told them, both of them waiting impatiently to hear what he had to say. "Dawson, I know how much you love your job, and you don't want to leave it… So what if you don't."

Her eyes narrowed in confusion, Gabby glancing to Matt who looked equally as uncertain. "But we can't afford for me to stay there, that's why I'm leaving."

"No, I know. I'm saying you could stay there, working your part-time schedule, while also coming back to 51 part-time."

"What?"

"I've spoken to my bosses, and they've spoken to their bosses, and I explained more of the situation… you know how the CFD is, they're kind of set in their ways, and this is an unconventional solution. But I think the set of circumstances warrants it. There's a part-time job for you on 61 if you want it."

"I… I don't even know what to say." Gabby responded, flustered. She glanced to Matt, unable to get a read on what he was thinking.

"What we've decided on is you'd be working two shifts out of every three. So, technically, hours-wise, you're not exactly part time, but you'd be getting paid for all the hours you're there."

"How did you get them to agree to this?" She questioned, Boden glancing to Casey.

"I, uh… well, I had to call in a few favors."

"Chief, you didn't have to do that for me."

"Of course I did." Boden responded quickly. "I know you love your job at the SAS and despite what happened, you want the ability to stay there, and this gives you that option. You can stay there but also come back to 51, and be able to safely work at both places." He told her, Gabby smiling softly. "I meant what I said about doing whatever I could to help you, and this is the best way I know how."

"And the CFD doesn't care that I'd still be working for another company?" Gabby was still trying to wrap her mind around this even being a possibility, but she was trying to break through the shock she was feeling and get all the information she could.

"What you do after shift is your business." Boden replied. "I told them that if you were to accept the part-time job at 51, that meant you'd still be working at the SAS. But plenty of firefighters and paramedics have second jobs outside of the department, like Casey and his construction. And you owning Molly's. It just so happens that your other job is working for another ambulance company. But what you do off shift is not something they have any say in, as long as it doesn't affect your work at 51.." Chief explained, Gabby nodding as she glanced to Matt, seeing him give her a small, supportive smile. "There will be a little more logistical work involved, on my end, for scheduling you around your days at the SAS, but I'm more than willing to do that for you. That responsibility is on me. If this is something you want, it's an option." Boden finished.

"I… I'm honestly still a little shocked, I never thought this would be possible." She murmured, feeling Matt place his hand on her back. "Can, uh, we have some time to talk about it?" She questioned softly. "I'm so grateful for you doing this for me, I am, but there's more to consider than just me."

"Yes, Casey filled me in on some of that, about you needing to take it easy during your pregnancy. And, even though it's light duty, having two jobs is kind of the opposite of that. So take your time, think it over. This is a big decision, I just wanted you to know it's an option for you."

"Thank you, Chief." She whispered, Boden smiling as he stood up.

"I'll walk you out." Matt offered, pushing himself up from his seat, placing a kiss to the top of Gabby's head as he walked past her, showing Boden to the door.

"Thank you for doing all this for her, Chief." Matt spoke as he opened the door, Boden nodding, clasping Casey over the shoulder.

"I don't want her feeling pressured into doing anything. Just because I had to pull some strings, that doesn't mean she has to accept. Make sure she knows that." He reminded the Captain, Boden stepping out into the hallway.

"I will. Thanks Chief."

The two men said their goodbyes, Matt locking up the door before moving back into the apartment, finding Gabby waiting for him on the couch. Coming around to face her, Matt sat down on the edge of the coffee table, placing his hands on her knees, his movements causing her to look up at him.

"Hi." He murmured, rubbing his thumb along the inside of her thigh.

"Hey." She responded quietly.

"Where's your head at?"

"I don't know, I just- this is crazy. Me working two jobs is insane, right?"

"Well, it's not what I was expecting, but I think it's something to consider." He replied gently, leaning forward. "Is this something you want to do?"

"I don't know… I think so? Maybe-" She stuttered, shaking her head. "It sounds like the best case scenario, in fact it's honestly better than I thought, I'd get to keep my job. And I talked to Walters yesterday, he made sure that my full-time job would still be there waiting for me after maternity leave if I choose to stay at the SAS... I don't know, Matt. I think I want to do this." She spoke, a hesitant smile falling onto her face. "I was having a hard time saying goodbye to my job, and I know the SAS did this, but it's not like it was Jemma, or Chief Walters, or any of my friends are who caused this to happen." Her voice was soft as she spoke, her head turning to the ground before continuing. "And I know the old Gabby would've just left that place the second this happened, without even a thought, but I don't know… I don't want to, I feel like I belong there."

"What do you mean 'old Gabby'?" He asked curiously, watching her take a deep, shaky breath.

"I mean the Gabby I used to be before I left… before the attack, before I had all these problems dealing with what happened to me…" His face softened at her words, Matt gently grabbing her chin, getting her to look up at him.

"Baby, you're still you. What happened in Puerto Rico didn't change that." He murmured, rubbing his thumb along her jaw. "It was awful, and there's not a day that goes by where I don't wish you never went through that. But you're still you, you're still the Gabby I fell in love with."

Shrugging softly, her eyes darted away from him, Matt releasing the light grip he had on her face, returning his hand to her leg. "It doesn't feel like it sometimes. I know I've gotten better, but I don't feel like the same person I used to be. I feel like if I had been in this position before the attack, then I would've either left for good, or I would've fought them until they gave me my job back. It feels like it's wrong for me to want to stay there, because I know in the past, I would've never let anyone walk all over me like this."

"Gabby, it's not a bad thing for you to want to stay where you are." He assured her, Gabby's gaze flashing to him. "And despite what you're saying, I feel like you would still be having a hard time letting go of Jemma and everyone there even if the attack never happened, because they're your friends and you love them. Maybe in the past you would've been more self-assured with your decision... maybe," He reiterated, "but I think you still would've been struggling with the idea of leaving." Matt tried to get through to her, but he wasn't sure if his words were helping. "I can't imagine how hard this all is, and I don't understand what it's like to go through what you did, but from where I'm at, you're still the same person. You're still Gabby."

She nodded, taking a moment to think before responding. "I just feel like I shouldn't want to stay, because of what they did. And I know I told you I wasn't sure if I wanted to stay there at all, but I do Matt. It's probably stupid of me, with how headquarters decided to handle this, but even after all that, I still don't want to go."

She was deflecting, trying to get away from the topic of her attack and how she was feeling, and right now he'd let her. He wanted to talk about it, to reassure her that she hadn't changed nearly as much as she thought, but pushing her to talk about what happened to her was not something he would ever do. It was a discussion for another time, but right now he was letting her lead.

"It's not stupid." He whispered gently. "You have every right to be upset about how they've handled this, but that doesn't mean you can't stay there if that's what you want."

"I just… I feel safe there, and I don't want to lose that."

"I don't want you to either, and if you take up Boden's offer, it doesn't seem like you'll have to." He told her, Gabby nodding slowly.

"What do you think about all this?" She asked after a beat of silence, realizing he hadn't really shared his opinion on the situation.

"I won't lie and say it doesn't concern me, you working two jobs." He responded, Gabby's bottom lip falling in between her teeth. "But I also know that you'll be well taken care of both places. I trust Jemma, and although I don't know Miller, from what I've heard, I know you'll be fine working with them. And at 51, Foster and Brett both know about your pregnancy already, they know you need to take it easy, and I know they'll watch out for you." Matt continued, earning a nod from Gabby. "And I guess you working one shift at the SAS and two for 51 is less hours than you working full-time at 51, but I don't know, it still has me worried."

"If you don't think I should do this, I won't."

"No, that's not what I'm saying." He was quick to clarify, squeezing her knee gently. "I'm just worried about you all the time regardless, but knowing I get to spend two more days a week with you than I normally do makes me feel better. I'll be able to see with my own eyes that you're doing okay." Matt explained. "And this isn't my decision. All that matters to me is that you're safe, and that this won't be too much stress for you. If this is what you want to do, you have my full support."

"I think I want to do it." She replied, Matt seeing a gleam in her eye that hadn't been there up until now. "I think it's the best possible solution to what's happened, and as long as the SAS doesn't have a problem with it, this is what I want." She replied confidently. "What feels right to me is working part-time at both the SAS and 51, and then once I have this baby, going back to work at the SAS. I feel like that's the best option for me right now."

"Then that's what we'll do." He spoke firmly, a light smile falling onto her face.

"That's what we'll do… as long as Dr. Tanner lets me." She responded, Matt nodding as he tapped her knees with his fingers lightly.

"Yes, we'll definitely need her approval. But we have our check up tomorrow, we can ask her then, make sure she's on board. And if she thinks it's okay, we'll let Boden know." He replied, Gabby nodding before pushing herself forward to place a soft kiss on his lips.

"You sure you're okay with this?" She whispered against him, Matt placing another quick kiss against her before pulling back.

"Of course I am. The only thing that's important is that you're happy, and that you and the baby are okay... And at least this way, I get to spend two extra days a week with you."

"I do like the sound of that." She replied, a yawn escaping through her lips.

"Tired?"

"I always am. Your kid really takes it out of me."

"Oh, so it's just my kid now?"

"When they're making me throw up every day, and taking all my energy, yes, it's your kid." She replied with a giggle, Matt shaking his head as he stood up, holding out his hand for her to take.

"Let's get you to bed."

Gabby obliged, letting him help her up even though it wasn't necessary, the two of them walking towards the bedroom.

"So, I'm gonna text Boden and let him know you want to take the part-time job, that we're just waiting for the clearance from your doctor. Is that okay?"

"Mhmm." She responded, moving towards the dresser, pulling out one of his t-shirts and beginning the process of stripping out of her clothes. Matt followed suit as they got ready for bed, both looking forward to their night of rest after the eventful day they'd had.

* * *

"So, Gabby you're almost through your twelfth week of pregnancy, how have you been feeling?" Dr. Tanner asked as she sat down at her desk, looking between the expectant parents across from her.

"I've been alright, the nausea is starting to go away. I've just been very tired, and other than a few aches and some soreness, and feeling like I have to pee every ten minutes, I'm alright." She spoke with a grin, earning a matching one from Dr. Tanner.

"Yeah, now that you're about to move into your second trimester, some of those things should start to taper out. I mean, your body is growing and changing so aches are normal, and the fatigue is normal. But hopefully your morning sickness should ease up in the next few weeks. I know last time you were concerned about the round ligament pain you were experiencing, have you felt that anymore?"

"Some. Hasn't been anything too painful yet, but I can still feel it."

Dr. Tanner nodded, glancing down to Gabby's chart. "Yes, well remember what I said, you will probably start to feel some more of those pains in the coming weeks, but don't worry. As long as it's not a prolonged pain, there's nothing to be concerned about." She told her, Gabby nodding. "I looked over your numbers and the ultrasound and everything is looking good, with you and with the baby. You've put on a little less than two pounds since I've last seen you, which isn't bad. But your blood pressure, heart rate, everything is looking good."

"Good." Gabby responded softly.

"And Amanda did call you, didn't she?" Dr. Tanner questioned, earning a nod from Gabby.

"She did, late last week."

"That's what I thought. But, as she told you, when we checked you for anemia, your red blood cell count was a little low, but it's nothing to be concerned about. It's nothing drastic, just try and add a little more iron into your diet and you'll be fine." She told her, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "The problem with anemia is that a lot of the symptoms are the same as symptoms of being pregnant, so it's hard to pinpoint if it's you being anemic that's causing the fatigue, or just your pregnancy. It's something we'll keep an eye on, but it's nothing to be concerned about." She told them, looking back and forth between them as she spoke, knowing how worried Matt had been last time. "And then we also did the NIPT blood test last time, and everything came back clear with that as well. There were no abnormalities, nothing that raised any red flags. So far, you are having a very healthy pregnancy, Gabby."

Gabby rested her hand over her stomach, moving her thumb in soothing motions as Dr. Tanner spoke.

"So, how has work been going?" She asked, her eyebrows furrowing as she watched Gabby sigh deeply, the woman turning to look to Matt before responding.

"Well, there's actually something we want to talk to you about… or I guess get your approval to do, really." She prefaced, Dr. Tanner resting back in her chair, waiting for her to continue. "It's a long story, but essentially my hours at my job got cut, by like a lot. They've made me a part-time employee there, and I only work one shift about every seven to ten days."

Shaking her head softly, Dr. Tanner pursed her lips together. "Because of the pregnancy?"

"They said it was budgetary, but yes. They used my pregnancy and needing extra help as an excuse to cut my hours."

"I'm so sorry, Gabby. Are you going to continue to work there?"

"Well, that's where I kind of need your permission. I am going to keep working there, but I also got offered to work part-time back at Firehouse 51, where I used to work." Gabby saw the look of trepidation that flashed over Dr. Tanner's face, the paramedic quickly speaking again. "Boden, my former Chief, he's willing to work with me, and he got me approved to work two shifts a week there. So it would still be three shifts a week like normal, just at different places."

Taking a deep breath, Dr. Tanner leaned forward, clasping her hands together on top of her desk. "How long are the shifts at the firehouse?"

"Twenty four hours." Gabby answered, searching Dr. Tanner's face for any sort of reaction, but she gave nothing away. "But I have two paramedics working with me at all times, and I promise to abide by whatever rules you give me. I just… I don't want to leave my current job, but we can't afford for me to only work part time."

Dr. Tanner had yet to say anything, the quiet causing Gabby's nerves to rise as the doctor looked back and forth between her and Matt.

"If you don't think it's a good idea, I won't do it. But I was considering going back to 51 full-time, because I can't stay at my current job if that's my only source of income." Gabby explained. "Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it. I know keeping this baby safe is our biggest priority, but I promise to take it easy. I won't overdo it."

Drawing in a deep breath, Dr. Tanner zeroed in on Matt before responding. "You'll be working with her during all of her shifts at the firehouse?"

"Yes, I will be." He confirmed, Dr. Tanner tapping her clasped hands against the desk.

"Alright… I'm okay with it." Dr. Tanner replied, a relieved smile falling onto Gabby's face. "But, Gabby, you have to put yourself first. You have to pay attention to what your body is telling you. If you need to sit out on a call, do it. I know I already told you this, but it's even more important now. If you even have the slightest feeling that you need to sit out, do it. We can't take chances here."

"I promise, I won't do anything I don't feel completely up for."

Dr. Tanner nodded before returning her attention to Casey. "And Matt, I need you to keep an eye on her. Gabby, I know you're a grown woman and can take care of yourself, but Matt, just make sure she's doing okay. I'm sure I don't even need to tell you this, but I feel more comfortable knowing that you're there."

"Of course, yeah." Matt responded without question. He had already planned on keeping a watchful eye on her while she was working at the firehouse, but now that it was part of doctor's orders, Gabby couldn't fuss at him for being too overprotective; although he was sure to hear that anyway. "And the paramedics she'll be working with on both shifts, all of them know about her pregnancy. They'll be watching out for her, too."

"That's good to hear." Dr. Tanner mused, releasing a soft sigh. "Alright... Well, as long as you promise me you'll take it easy, I'm okay with you working both places. In fact, this seems like the better option than you going back to the firehouse full time, because at least now one of your shifts is only twelve hours." She spoke, earning a nod from Gabby. "The last thing I want to do is keep you from working, as long as you're feeling up to it. But that's the key here, Gabby. If you're not feeling up to it, you need to be able to take a step back. If you're too tired, or you feel like you shouldn't do something, don't push yourself."

"I won't."

"Good. Now I know your current job has the information from my office, but I'll need to send that over to the firehouse as well, so if you could leave that information with Debbie before you leave, I'll get everything sent over so they know exactly what's allowed and what's not."

"Okay." Matt spoke up, Dr. Tanner giving him a nod.

Over the next half hour, they finished up with their appointment, Dr. Tanner going over her blood work in more detail, as well as preparing them for things upcoming in her pregnancy and what they should expect over the next few weeks until her next visit. Their remaining time with Dr. Tanner had gone by quickly, them finishing up and getting her next appointment scheduled before Matt and Gabby left the office, the pair walking hand in hand back towards his truck.

"Alright, well I'll talk to Boden, let him know he can get the paperwork started if you're positive this is what you want."

"It is." She responded, earning a nod from Matt as they continued towards his truck. They had fallen into a gentle silence, Gabby not wanting to disturb that, but she knew there was something else they needed to talk about, something that had been on her mind. "So, uh, we're almost through the first trimester." She spoke softly, feeling Matt squeeze her hand in response. "Are you ready to start telling people?... I know we agreed on waiting until now, but I also know we said if we weren't ready, we could wait a little longer, I just didn't know what you were wanting." She rambled, Matt glancing towards her with a soft grin covering his face, the look easing some of her nerves.

"I'm ready to start telling people." He responded quickly. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I am." She spoke, matching his grin as he walked with her to the passenger side of the truck. Matt pulled the door open for her, standing back, there to help her if needed, although she wasn't even close to the point of struggling with everyday movements. She still didn't even look pregnant, let alone did she need help moving around. He had been kind of surprised that she wasn't showing yet, but if all of these appointments told him anything, it's that he knew practically nothing about the ins and outs of pregnancy. And even if he did, every single pregnancy was different, and there was no way to know how and when Gabby's body would react to the changes.

What he did know was that he couldn't wait for her to start looking pregnant. When she was unclothed, he was able to tell. He could see it, and feel it, and he loved it. But when she was covered, she still looked the same. Although it was a definite change to the weight she had been when she first came back, compared to how she looked before going to Puerto Rico, there was hardly any difference. To anyone that knew her, it might just look like she was putting back on the pounds she lost while she was gone, but that was the extent of it.

But he couldn't wait for her to actually start showing, and to see her walking around visibly pregnant. Matt couldn't explain it, but there was something about the thought of seeing her body changing as she carried their growing child that made his heart swell. He couldn't wait for that, but at the same time he just wanted this all to slow down. He felt like it had been flying by, the fact they were already almost at her second trimester was insane to him. Despite not being able to contain his excitement at the thought of meeting their child, he also wanted to soak up every moment of this pregnancy, especially seeing as how he wasted so many weeks being angry. He could never get that time back, he wanted to take in all he could and enjoy every moment. And there was another factor in all this as well, Matt knowing that this was likely the first and only pregnancy Gabby would ever experience. He kept telling himself she would come out of this okay, he had to believe that to keep himself sane, but once she did, he refused to go through this again. Neither of them could go through this uncertainty and the stress of Gabby being pregnant, not when they had other options, so he wanted to enjoy this as much as he could. Seeing Gabby pregnant was unlike anything he had ever experienced, it filled him with a contentment he couldn't describe, and he was determined to enjoy as much of it as he could.

"Do you know who you want to tell first?" Gabby questioned as Matt climbed into the truck, starting the engine before glancing towards her.

"Well, we're gonna have to tell the house sooner or later, even though some of them know already."

"Yeah… We also need to tell my parents." Matt bit the inside of his cheek, knowing the last time he'd been in the same room as her father, it hadn't exactly been pleasant. "Do you want to tell your family?" She asked hesitantly, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Honestly… sending them a birth announcement would probably be enough. I'm not exactly sure where my mom even is." He replied, Gabby nodding understandingly, reaching up to brush over the side of his head.

"Alright." She replied, knowing better than to push the topic. "How about we start with my dad and 51. Maybe we could have my dad over for dinner. I know I'll have to give my mom the news over the phone, but I'd like to tell my dad in person."

"We can do that. How do you want to handle 51?"

"I haven't exactly figured that out yet… I'm not sure how much longer I'm even gonna be able to hide it, but maybe let's get me back there first before dropping that on them."

"Whatever you wanna do." He murmured, leaning into her hand for a moment, enjoying the contact, before focusing his attention to the road in front of him, preparing for the drive home knowing that they'd be plenty of time for them to enjoy one another once they got there.

* * *

**So, there it is. How are we feeling about Gabby's decision? I went back and forth so many times on what I wanted her to do, and I actually had two different versions of this going because even I couldn't decide. But I ended up just going with the one that felt more right, and that was this. I do know while a lot of you were excited for her to potentially go back to 51, there were people who didn't want her going back as well. I know I can't please everyone, but hopefully this is a nice compromise. This is what I felt did justice to Gabby and her situation, and what she would want right now. So it's what I chose.**

**I want to say a quick thank you to everyone who left me such kind words about my worries on when to update both of my stories. I was able to get both updated today, we'll see if I can keep that going. But I appreciate the feedback and understanding. You all are seriously the best.**

**As always, thank you all so much for reading. The constant support you all continue to give me on my work has been beyond what I could've ever imagined. I can't thank you enough for keeping me motivated. I can't wait to hear what you thought of this one.**

**Until the next.**


	40. Chapter Forty

**Hello! Before we get into it, let me just say… forty chapters?! Wow, I truly never thought I'd still be continuing this story this long, or that there'd be so many people still liking it. It's mind blowing to me, the support you have all given me. Thank you so much for that.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this one. Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty**_

* * *

"You're sure you don't want Antonio here?" Gabby questioned teasingly as she placed three plates down onto the table, earning a scoff from the man standing in the kitchen.

"I don't need your brother here for protection." Matt replied with raised eyebrows, Gabby matching his look.

"I was thinking more of a buffer, but the fact that protection was the first thing to come to mind…" She trailed off, a smirk resting on her lips.

"Ha ha." He responded dryly, shaking his head as he opened the oven, checking on their dinner. "I don't need your brother here, it's not like that really helped much last time." He mumbled.

Seeing his obvious hesitation, she decided against continuing to tease him, releasing a soft sigh as she walked back into the kitchen, standing far enough away from him so he could place the hot pan on top of the stove. "You know this is going to be fine, right?"

"Are you sure about that?" He questioned back, tossing the over mitt down on the counter, Gabby closing the distance between them as he turned off the stove. Wrapping her arms around his waist, she looked up at him, feeling his hands come to rest on her arms.

"Matt, I know things between you and him were… hard at Christmas, but it's my dad. You know he loves you, he was just worried after everything that happened between us."

"I don't blame him for him being worried, I just wish he trusted me a little more." He admitted softly, Gabby rubbing her thumb against his lower back.

"He does trust you. But when we spent Christmas with him, he didn't even know we were back together. We just showed up, and it threw him. I'm not excusing his behavior, but he wasn't expecting that. Especially considering the last time you were a topic of conversation, it wasn't really a happy one."

"I can only imagine." He responded, shaking his head gently.

"He was just trying to look out for me, and after everything that happened, he was a little hesitant of us getting back together."

"I understand him wanting to look out for you, trust me I get that." Matt murmured, Gabby tightening her grip on him. "But this is happy news, and I feel like he'd be more receptive to it if I weren't here."

"You mean he'd be receptive to us having a baby if I was the only one here to tell him? You realize how that would look right?" She questioned, scrunching her nose in amusement.

"Yeah, hearing you say it out loud, that does look bad." He mused with a chuckle. "The last thing I need is him thinking I'm not in this."

"Matt, it's going to be fine. I know you two haven't really spoken since Christmas, but every time I see him and talk to him, he asks how you are. He knows we're still together, that we're staying together. I truly think he just needs to see that we're okay."

"Alright, hopefully you're right. I know things between Ramon and I have always been… interesting, but he is family. I don't want him hating me for the rest of our lives."

"As if anyone could ever hate this face." She teased, bringing her hand up to tap his cheek gently, Matt rolling his eyes as he pulled from her grip. "But really, it'll be fine. You two will be fine. He's gonna be happy about this. And it's been over a week since we talked about telling people, we can't really wait much longer. I don't think I'll be able to hide it much longer." She spoke, Matt glancing down towards her stomach, knowing she was right. With the large sweater she was wearing, it was hidden, but her bump was definitely forming. She was starting to look pregnant, her stomach beginning to round out more over the last week.

"Yeah, you're right." He responded, earning a satisfied smile from Gabby, the couple interrupted by a firm knock on the front door.

"It's time."

"Wait, he does know I'll be here right?" Matt questioned as she walked out of the kitchen, Gabby shooting him a playful glare before heading towards the door.

"Gabriela!" Ramon spoke excitedly as she pulled the door open, bringing his daughter into a hug, Gabby careful to not press herself into him, not wanting to spoil the surprise. "How have you been, mija?"

"I'm good, work has been keeping me busy." She responded, shutting the door once they both got inside. "But everything's going well, for both of us." Ramon looked over at Gabby's words, seeing Matt standing in between the kitchen and living room, a small smile on his face.

"Hi Ramon." He greeted as the two Dawson's walked further into the apartment, Gabby stopping to hang up his jacket while her father kept moving towards Casey.

"Matt, it's good to see you." He responded with a tight-lipped smile, extending his hand towards the firefighter. Matt shook it quickly, Gabby coming to stand by his side.

"We're glad you could make it." Matt spoke, the three of them heading for the kitchen.

"Well, I was a little surprised when I got the invitation, but I'll never pass up the opportunity to see my Gabriela." He replied, tapping her cheek before they moved to the table, Gabby and Ramon sitting down while Matt began to bring the food over.

"Beer, Ramon?"

Earning a nod from the man, Matt went to the fridge, grabbing a beer and some water for him and Gabby before heading for the table, sitting in the seat next to Gabby. They began filling their plates with food, Ramon watching the two with a cautious gaze as they started to enjoy their dinner.

"So, things with you two are still going well?"

"They are. We're doing good." Gabby replied instantly, placing her hand on Matt's leg under the table, giving her dad a knowing look. Ramon nodded, releasing a heavy breath as he turned his attention towards his former son-in-law.

"Matt, I, uh- I think I owe you an apology." He spoke. "When you showed up with Gabriela at Christmas, it surprised me. I didn't know you two had fixed things, and I'll be honest, I was worried about it. I know I only heard Gabriela's side of things, but I was hesitant, at you two just jumping back into everything. I know how much you love my daughter, but I was worried and just trying to look out for her. But you two are adults, and I shouldn't have been so cold to you."

"I understand it, I do. I'm sure whatever Gabby told you, it's what happened. I don't blame you for being hesitant... I treated Gabby terribly, the things I said to her, nothing can ever excuse that. You'll never know how sorry I am for all of it, it never should've gotten as bad as it did, I should've handled things better-"

"We both should've." Gabby interjected, Matt glancing to her. "It was on both of us, dad. We both messed up, we both caused problems between us. It wasn't just Matt's fault." He flashed her an appreciative smile before continuing, placing his hand over hers.

"I want you to know that I never stopped loving Gabby, and I should've done a better job at making sure she knew that. I messed up and made things harder than they ever needed to be. But I can't go back and change any of it, all I can do is make sure you know how much I regret it. I love your daughter, I always have and I always will. You don't need to worry about that." Matt finished, Ramon nodding with a small smile.

"I know you do, Matthew." Gabby's lips turned up into a grin at her father's use of his full name, knowing Matt never cared for it, but she knew her dad did it as a term of endearment. "And I know things are never black and white, that what happened between you two affected you just as much as it did her. I'm sorry for the way I've handled you two getting back together, I just… she's my little girl, and I hate to see her hurt."

"I hate that I was the thing that hurt her." Matt responded softly, earning a knowing nod from the man.

"I just want her to be happy, and I know you make her happy. If you two were able to fix what happened, there's no reason for me to hold this against you... I'm sorry, Matthew."

"It's fine, really. We were able to fix things, but it wasn't easy. We hurt each other, a lot, and there was a lot to work through. But, truthfully, I think this is the best we've ever been." Matt spoke honestly, a teary smile forming on Gabby's face.

"I'm glad, really I am. As long as she's happy, that's all that matters."

"I am, dad." Gabby assured her father, Ramon nodding as they continued eating, Matt feeling like a weight had been lifted off his chest. He was grateful to clear the air with the man, knowing that him being at odds with Ramon had been causing Gabby stress, and that was the last thing any of them needed.

"So, honey how's your job going?" Ramon shifted topics, catching the quick glance between Matt and Gabby.

"Well, that's actually part of why we asked you to come over for dinner." Gabby prefaced, earning a confused look from her father. "I, uh, I'm actually starting back at 51 later this week."

Ramon glanced back and forth between the couple across from him curiously, knowing in all his talks with his daughter, she never mentioned anything about wanting to return to the firehouse. "But what about your other job? I thought you loved it."

"I do, and I'm staying there as well. I'm working part-time at both."

"What made you decide this? I didn't think you really wanted to return to 51."

"Well, I never planned on it, but there were some outside circumstances that affected my schedule at the SAS, my hours got cut and Chief Boden made it work to where I'm able to return to my shift at the firehouse."

"I don't understand, Gabriela, what's going on?"

Glancing towards Matt, he flashed her a supportive smile, lacing his fingers with hers as they both turned to look back at Ramon, the man watching them curiously.

"I'm pregnant." She responded, tears welling in her eyes as she kept her gaze on her father.

He was initially stunned, Gabby seeing his shock transform into joy, a wide smile forming on his face. "Oh, mija." He whispered, tears filling his own eyes as he stood up, coming around to her side of the table, wrapping her up in a tight hug. Gabby's tears escaped down her cheeks as she held onto her father, Ramon placing kisses on top of her head. "This is wonderful news." He murmured, giving her another squeeze before pulling back. He moved to Matt, giving him a tight hug as well, joy radiating off the older man. "Does your mother know? Or your brother?"

"I'm gonna call mom tomorrow and let her know. I would rather tell her in person, but I don't think she has any visits to Chicago planned anytime soon. And, yeah, Antonio knows. I told him pretty early on, I was a little freaked out. This pregnancy definitely wasn't planned." She admitted, her father nodding understandingly.

"I know you two might've not been expecting this, but this is a great thing." He murmured, earning a teary nod from his daughter. "When did you find out?" He asked as he moved back to his seat, the smile never leaving his face.

"Um, awhile ago, we found out about two months ago now."

"How far along are you?"

"Thirteen weeks."

"And the baby's healthy? Everything's okay?" Ramon questioned, worry filling his voice. He'd never forget the pain they went through losing their first child, and he couldn't imagine them having to go through that again.

"The baby is healthy." She responded, Ramon breathing out a sigh of relief. "Everything with them is perfect."

"And you? How are you feeling?" Ramon's question caused Matt to tense momentarily at Gabby's side, Casey glancing towards her as he waited for how she wanted to approach this topic. Seeing the firefighter's reaction, Ramon's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes moving back towards his daughter. "Is something wrong?"

"Dad, there's uh… there's something I need to tell you." She spoke, worry filling Ramon's body as he leaned forward against the table.

"What's going on? Are you okay?"

"Um...this pregnancy, it's dangerous for me." She breathed out quietly, keeping her eyes locked on her father.

"What does that mean?"

"I have an aneurysm in my abdomen, from my miscarriage a few years ago. And it makes this a high-risk pregnancy. If it ruptures towards the end of my pregnancy, or during labor, it could kill me."

The smile that had been plastered on her father's face was long gone, concern flooding his features as he watched his daughter with sad eyes.

"Gabriela, I- did you know before this pregnancy?" He murmured, his voice unsteady.

"We found out right before I left. That's what started our big fight, we'd been trying to have a baby then and when we got the news… we didn't handle it well, and everything else just spiraled from there."

Ramon gave her a slight nod, leaning back defeatedly in his seat as he let the information sink in, a thick silence filling the air around them for a few moments, before the older Dawson spoke up again.

"How dangerous is it?"

"There's about a ten percent chance of something going wrong." She told him, watching him take a deep breath, shaking his head slightly. "But we have an amazing doctor. She's been helping us through all of this. I see her every two weeks, so if anything changes she knows immediately. She thinks my chances are good, great even."

"But if something were to go wrong, would she be able to stop it?"

"She said she'd do everything in her power to try." Gabby knew those words weren't what her father was wanting to hear, but she couldn't lie to him. "My aneurysm is small, which makes it easier for her to control if it ruptures. And they know about it beforehand, which helps. I guess a lot of times, it's misdiagnosed and the doctors don't know until it's too late, that's what Dr. Tanner said. But we know, which only helps us." Gabby was trying to ease his worries, but she knew it was a lot to digest.

Ramon gave her another nod, taking a long sip of his beer as he sat there, needing a second to work up the nerve to ask his next question. "Did you all- did you consider not having this baby?" He asked quietly. "I know it's not something you normally would've ever considered, but this is your life..."

"We did think about it. But, uh, I decided it wasn't an option." She swallowed thickly after she spoke, Ramon picking up on the wording of her sentence. He glanced towards Matt, seeing the firefighter's eyes solely on Gabby.

"What do you think about all this?" Ramon asked him, watching Matt look towards him, his eyes shining.

"Honestly… when I first found out, I didn't take it very well. It's not that I didn't want this baby, but I just- I couldn't prioritize their life over Gabby's. So when she made the decision to keep it, I panicked." He admitted, Ramon nodding understandingly. Gabby reached up to place her hand on the back of Matt's neck, rubbing her fingers gently against his skin, knowing the action calmed him. "I didn't want to risk losing her, I still don't, but I was consumed by fear and instead of dealing with it, I shut down, and shut her out. I wasn't handling it well. It took me some time to come around, not because of the baby or Gabby, but because the thought of losing her kills me."

"But you're okay with it now?"

"I'll never be okay with losing her, never." Matt clarified. "But I couldn't spend the rest of this pregnancy being angry. Not with what it was doing to her, and the fact that there is a chance something could happen to her. God forbid something does go wrong, and I had spent all that time resenting her… I would never forgive myself." He breathed out, glancing down towards the table. "But I can't even think of the possibility of losing her, so I'm choosing to believe she'll be okay. That Dr. Tanner can get her and our baby through this, and the both of them will be fine. I'm holding onto that."

Ramon nodded, looking back towards his daughter, seeing a few tears stream down her face as she looked between him and Matt. Reaching across the table, Ramon grabbed her hand, Gabby smiling sadly at her father.

"Matt's right." He murmured. "You're gonna be just fine. Both you and your beautiful baby. Both of you are gonna be perfectly fine."

Everyone in the room knew there was no way for him to know that, that there was a very real possibility that something could go wrong. But despite his overwhelming fear for his daughter, he knew he needed to do anything he could to comfort her. She needed to hear those words, and have that belief. His feelings didn't matter, all he could do was be there to support her, and do everything in his power to give her any comfort he could.

Ramon watched as Matt leaned over, placing a soft kiss to Gabby's head, seeing her lean into him momentarily. For as worried as Ramon was, he knew this scared her the most. That this pregnancy terrified her. This was her life she was putting on the line, and that had to be a horrible decision to make.

"Do you have any ultrasound pictures?" He asked after a few quiet moments, smiling when he saw a bright grin break through the tears rolling down her cheeks, Gabby nodding excitedly.

"We have a lot, yeah." She replied, Matt moving to stand up and retrieve the photos, Ramon giving his daughter's hand a tight squeeze.

This hadn't been what he expected this night to be when he arrived earlier, in fact this was the last thing he expected. Learning that he's going to become a grandfather then hearing right after that there is the possibility his child could die, it was jarring, and he wasn't sure he'd even fully comprehended the magnitude of this yet. But it wasn't about him. This was about Gabriela, and that little baby, and all he knew to do was be there when she needed him.

* * *

Casey adjusted his tucked in shirt as he walked from the locker room, making sure his appearance was up to code as he made his way through the firehouse, flashing soft smiles and greetings to those he passed on the way to Boden's office. The second he walked in the house this morning, he'd been told Boden needed to see him, causing Matt to hurry through his routine in the locker room.

Stepping towards Boden's closed door, he tapped gently on the wood, waiting until he heard confirmation from the man before he entered. "You wanted to see me, Chief?" Casey asked, Boden nodding him in.

"Yes. I was thinking it might be time to tell everyone about Dawson."

Matt nodded in agreement as the Chief stood up from his chair. "Yeah, I guess we are kind of running out of time. You wanna do it now?"

"Figured roll call would be best, yeah. That way we know we get them all at the same time." Boden answered, leading Casey from his office, the two walking down the hallway towards the conference room. "Is she feeling any better about coming back here?"

"A little. I think her being able to stay at the SAS is helping, but she's still nervous."

"Well, we'll make sure she has no reason to be." Boden replied, Matt nodding firmly as he followed Chief into the room. Everyone quieted down when Boden entered, Casey earning a few confused looks as he stood beside their Chief, knowing that wasn't common practice unless something was going on.

"Good morning everyone." Boden greeted, Matt crossing his arms over his chest. He listened quietly as Boden went through the normal, everyday things, Casey able to feel multiple pairs of eyes on him while he stood there. But he gave away nothing, keeping his face neutral while Boden addressed the group.

"Now, before you all go, there is an announcement Casey has to share." Boden turned towards his Captain, Matt taking a step forward, clearing his throat.

"Yes, well, I just wanted to let you all know that Dawson will be returning to 51, on a part-time basis." The second the words left his lips, Matt felt the confusion in the room. "She'll be working on 61 with Brett and Foster, but she'll only be here two out of every three shifts."

Casey saw the clear looks of uncertainty covering Brett's and Foster's faces, and in hindsight, he and Boden probably should've told them before anyone else, but it was too late now.

"Why only part-time?" Herrmann questioned, gaining the attention of the room. "Why not just come back full-time?"

"She'll still be working at the SAS, part-time as well."

"Why?" Cruz asked.

"Did something happen at her job?" Otis echoed, Matt glancing towards the Chief.

Boden stepped forward, taking control of the conversation before Matt had a chance to answer. "The reason behind Dawson's work is none of your concern. She'll share if she wants, all you need to know is that she'll be back here, starting next shift."

"Alright Chief." Herrmann replied, clearly still confused but knowing better than to press the issue.

"And, uh, there is one thing I need to address before she comes back." Matt started, earning the focus of the room once more. "Honestly, I didn't think I'd still be needing to have this conversation again, months later, but Gabby's a little nervous to be coming back here."

"Why?"

"Did something happen while she was here?"

"I thought everything was fine..."

"Why is she worried, it'll be great having her back."

Matt heard the chorus of confused responses filling the room, taking a deep breath before speaking up. "She's worried about how her coming back will be received by you all. She doesn't really know where she stands with most of you, and I can't say I blame her."

"What do you mean, Captain?" Kidd questioned.

"Aside from a few of you, no one has really made an effort with her unless she comes to you. It's made her a little apprehensive... So just please, make her feel welcome, alright?"

"Of course, Captain. We didn't realize she was feeling that way." Herrmann replied, even though he and Matt both knew he wasn't who Casey was talking about.

"I didn't either, at least I didn't realize the extent of it. But right now, she doesn't feel like she's apart of this family anymore, and that has to change. She doesn't need to deal with that, so if for some reason there are any of you who have an issue with her, talk to her about it. Don't freeze her out, or make her feel unwelcome. I know you all love her, but she doesn't think it's a good idea to come back here. I don't want her having any reason to think she was right." Matt knew Gabby would probably kill him for this, but he didn't care. He didn't want them doing anything to upset her, whether it was inadvertent or not; she had enough going on already.

By the looks on the faces of the men and women around him, Matt knew he was right in his assumption that the house had no idea Gabby felt so out of place here. And part of him felt bad, not wanting to place blame on them when they had no idea, but regardless, their actions caused Gabby to worry about how her homecoming would be received, and he would rather have this conversation now than have to have it again after Gabby got here.

"We wouldn't, Captain. This is great news, her deciding to come back. Even if it's just part-time."

"Yeah, we didn't think she wanted to come back, but we never meant to make her feel like she couldn't." Kidd spoke up, earning a few nods from around the room. "I really don't think anyone here realized that's what was going on."

"No, I know you didn't. And trust me, it's not just you all. There were other factors involved in Gabby deciding not to come back here. But things have changed, and she'll be back here for the foreseeable future. But it wasn't an easy decision for her to make, and I just wanted you all to be aware of that."

"Does she even want to come back?" Cruz asked after a beat of silence, voicing the question Matt was sure everyone else was thinking. "Because it doesn't sound like she wants to be here, and I don't really understand why. I mean, she left without a word, and then came back months later without really saying why, but then she didn't want to come back here. I don't understand what changed? Why is she coming back now?"

"Cruz…" Boden started.

"It's okay, Chief." Matt interrupted, looking back to Joe.

"It's not that we don't want her here, of course we do. We never meant to make her feel like she didn't belong at 51, and I'm sorry she's feeling like that. I wish we knew so we could've fixed it, but from what you're telling me, it doesn't sound like she wants to come back here, and her taking that other job made that pretty clear as well. So I'm just confused as to why this is all happening now."

Matt ran his hand over his mouth, drawing in a deep, slow breath before responding. "I know this seems like it's coming out of nowhere, and that you guys have been left in the dark about a lot of things with Gabby and her coming home. And I'm sorry about that, really I am. I know it's not usually like that around here, but it isn't my information to share." He spoke softly, finding Severide's knowing gaze. "I know this is confusing, and Gabby's behavior since she's been back probably isn't the Gabby you're used to… but there's a lot going on, a lot that's happened to her that you all don't know about, and all she needs from you right now is your support. She'll be back here, working with Brett and Foster, and all I ask if that you treat her like you always did. She just needs normalcy."

A silence fell over the room, Casey's words hanging in the air. It took a few moments for anyone to react, but soon Matt earned a nod from Herrmann, the man speaking up.

"Okay Captain."

Herrmann's words were met with agreeing nods from around the room, Matt releasing a soft breath.

"Thank you." He murmured, taking a step back.

"Now, as Casey said, she'll only be here about two shifts a week. It will be business as usual for everyone else here. Nothing is changing for anyone, except Dawson will be working with Brett and Foster when she's here. I'm assuming that won't be a problem?" He questioned, looking towards the paramedics.

"Of course not." Brett spoke.

"We're glad to have her." Foster agreed, earning a thankful smile from Casey.

"Alright. Well, that's all for today. Have a good shift, everyone." Boden spoke, the man turning towards his paramedics. "Foster, Brett, a word." The two women nodded, Matt following Boden out into the hallway, Brett and Foster exiting behind them.

Herrmann watched Casey's retreating figure go through the door until he was out of sight, before turning around towards the back of the room, finding Severide still leaned against the wall. Seeing the room clearing out, Herrmann began walking back to him, Kelly glancing up as Herrmann came to a halt in front of him.

He was quiet for a moment, Kelly raising an eyebrow in question, watching Herrmann glance around the room.

"What's up, Herrmann?" Severide finally asked, the older man waiting until the last firefighter exited the room before looking back to Kelly.

"Do you know what this is about?" Kelly glanced down, drawing in a deep breath, running his hand over his mouth. From his reaction alone, Herrmann got the answer to his question. "Why is she coming back only part-time? What's going on, Kelly?"

"Herrmann…"

"I know you know. Why is she still staying at the SAS, but coming back here to work on an ambulance that's never had more than two paramedics?"

"Herrmann, you just heard Casey talk about how it wasn't his information to share, even if I did know something, I-"

"You do know something." He stated. "You came to me, saying how worried you were about Casey and Dawson, how you thought something was wrong with Gabby. And then suddenly, you weren't worried anymore. You were telling me that we should back off, then it was never discussed again. You know what's been going on with her. What's been causing Casey to duck out of shift randomly, why Gabby was in the hospital, why she's working part-time at both jobs…"

"I didn't know she was coming to work here." He clarified, Herrmann blowing out air between his teeth.

"But you know what's going on."

"Herrmann… I don't..." Kelly trailed off uncomfortably, Herrmann releasing a heavy sigh, shifting his weight between his feet.

"Just tell me she's okay."

"She is. Her and Matt both are." Severide could see the man was still agitated, not knowing what was going on with Dawson, but he seemed to accept Kelly's answer, Herrmann nodding before leaving the room without another word.

Out in the hallway, Matt followed Boden down towards the entrance of the bunk room, the man stopping and turning around, Matt standing beside him as Foster and Brett came to a stop across from them.

"I do apologize for just dropping that on you two, but Gabby will be returning to 61 to work with you all. Brett, you're still the PIC. Foster, nothing about your job changes. You'll just have an extra set of hands." Boden explained, the women nodding.

"I know you two know about the pregnancy." Matt spoke lowly. "Well, Gabby has to be on light duty for the rest of the time she's working. What she's allowed to do, it's very restrictive. She knows what all she can and can't do, but she's basically limited to the basics. She's not allowed to do any heavy lifting, or anything strenuous."

"Okay." Foster responded.

"I trust that you two will look out for her, make sure she doesn't get too caught up in the moment, and do something she shouldn't."

"Of course, Casey." Brett responded. "We'll watch out for her."

"Thank you." He spoke, looking towards Boden.

"So, are we good here?" The Chief asked, earning nods from around the small circle.

"We're good." Brett replied, Boden nodding before moving away from the group. "We're excited to have her back."

Matt gave her a small nod, flashing a smile to the two women as they turned around to leave.

"Uh, Foster," He started, his words getting both of their attention, "can we talk for a sec?"

Emily nodded, Brett eyeing the two curiously before continuing to walk back towards the common room, Foster stepping towards Casey.

"I know that you understand more than most about what Gabby's been dealing with…" He spoke quietly, Foster nodding slowly. "With the attack, and the pregnancy, it's been a lot on her. And she still struggles from time to time dealing with what happened to her in Puerto Rico." Foster nodded again, waiting for him to finish his statement. "I just need to know that I can trust her with you, that you've got her back."

"I got her, Captain. You don't need to worry about that."

"Thank you." Matt responded, giving her a small appreciative smile before heading towards his office.

* * *

Gabby pulled into her parking spot outside their apartment, putting the car in park before leaning back into her seat, giving herself a moment to decompress. It had been a long day at the SAS, and she needed a second to collect herself before going inside. She hadn't been able to see Matt this morning, him not getting off shift before she had to leave for hers, but she needed a second to herself before going inside.

It was her first shift there in eight days, Gabby not having been back since she decided to also take the job at 51 over a week ago. She got there early, her first order of business being to inform Chief Walters of the situation, to let him know what she'd be doing and assure him it wouldn't affect her work there. Needless to say the man was thrilled she wouldn't be leaving, and that feeling trickled down through the house. She'd been a little worried they'd have a problem with her returning to her old job, but when it came down to it, there was nothing they could do. They put her in this position, the SAS had no say in how she chose to supplement her income.

Gabby had decided to leave it a surprise, even to Jemma, that she'd be staying at the SAS. And the look of pure joy and elation on Norris' face when she found out the good news just confirmed what Gabby already knew, that she was making the right choice by keeping this job. It made the week of secrecy worth it, seeing the shock and feeling the excitement radiating off of her friend. Everyone there was delighted that she'd be staying on, and even though she wouldn't be around as frequently, it made them excited to know she'd be coming back. That they wouldn't have to permanently say goodbye to their coworker and friend.

But it was the work itself that had left her exhausted. It had been a busy shift, with seemingly non-stop calls. Calls that were draining, emotionally and mentally, and it started with her first of the day.

The entire house had been called as backup to an apartment fire across town, the first responders on scene needing extra help with transports. From what little information they'd been given, it sounded like a bad one. And that had been proven true as soon as they pulled up. There was chaos everywhere, tarps laid out in the streets lined with the bodies of those who didn't make it, Gabby seeing an endless cycle of firefighters coming from the building. When she first got there, for a split second she couldn't help but feel thankful that Matt was already off shift as she saw third shift for truck 81 apart of those coming and going from the burning building. She could already tell this was the type of call that would stick with a first responder, and she didn't want that for Matt.

Before they even started working, they knew it would be a tough call for all of them. Dawson, Norris, and Miller had been handed a woman they just brought from the building, her body covered in burns, barely recognizable. But she was alive.

Or she had been.

By the time they got her to them, she was gone. She wasn't able to survive through her injuries, and there was nothing they could do.

It had quickly passed through her mind that this was her first fatality since joining the SAS. She hadn't even thought about it, that she had yet to lose anyone since starting back in December. But standing here over the body of this woman, it hit her that this was the first person they hadn't been able to help.

She knew it wasn't her fault, that this woman was gone before she even got to them, but still, she couldn't help but feel like maybe she could've done something.

Gabby was used to losing people on the job. It was nearly a daily occurrence back when she worked at 51. Some of the gruesome things she'd seen while on 61, there was no forgetting that. And she knew how to handle it. She was able to compartmentalize, you had to on this job or you wouldn't survive it. But it had been so long since she'd had to experience the feeling of helplessness that came with losing a patient, she'd almost forgotten what it was like.

Almost.

Unfortunately for Dawson, the day of her first fatality since joining this company came with her second as well.

And this one she was having a harder time letting go of.

Shortly after the woman had been pronounced dead, they'd been brought a little boy. He couldn't have been more than five or six, the left side of his body burned, his clothes charred from the heat as they placed him on the stretcher. He'd been unresponsive, but he was alive. His little heart was nearly pounding out of his chest, but he was still with them.

She'd seen these injuries before, multiple times. She knew they were usually fatal, especially on a body this small. But he was fighting. While they got him loaded up and began the drive to the hospital, he held on.

But quickly after they left, things started to go south.

His body was trying to overcompensate for the burns, his heart running on overdrive before things began shutting down. His blood pressure bottomed out, his heart started to give out, and despite trying everything they could to save him, the boy died before they were able to get him to the hospital.

Realistically, she knew as soon as they got him that it would probably end badly. But still, she held onto the hope that if they just got him to the hospital, he'd be okay. That somehow, if they could get him there, he'd make it. But they weren't able to. They weren't able to give him the help he needed. And she was having a hard time letting it go.

After they'd gotten the boy inside and he was pronounced dead, they'd gone back to the scene. They had to, they continued on with their work like nothing happened. But Gabby wasn't able to forget it.

She couldn't pinpoint the exact reason she wasn't able to shake this one, although she had a few ideas, but it stuck with her for the rest of shift. When she saw that little boy, all she could picture was what if it had been her son lying on that stretcher, clinging to life as people tried their hardest to save him, that what if it had been her son fighting for a chance to see another day.

It was a fight that little boy had lost.

And Gabby wasn't able to get him out of her head. The loss of that little boy was a hard pill to swallow, especially now that she had a child of her own growing inside her. He was somebody's son, he had his entire life ahead of him, and they weren't able to save him. They fought like hell to give him a chance, but he'd been too injured. He'd been too badly burned, he'd been inside too long to have any real shot at all. Despite her knowing she'd done all she could, she wasn't able to shake the guilt she felt for not being able to save him.

That call left her reeling a little bit, Gabby keeping to herself most of the day after that. There was a somber mood throughout the house, no one able to forget the horrific things they saw that morning. Throughout the day, she'd debated calling Matt. She wanted to hear his voice, to talk to him about it, but every time she worked up the nerve she got called out, or someone had distracted her. And before she knew it, shift was over and it was time to go home.

And now that she was away from it, the last thing she wanted to do was talk about it. She knew Matt would be able to tell something was wrong, and she wouldn't hide that from him anyway. But she didn't want to talk about it, she just wanted to be distracted for the night. Hopefully, she'd find a way to do so.

Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby reached over the console to grab her shift bag from the floor, her movements halting when she felt her phone buzz in her pocket. Placing the bag on her passenger seat, she pulled her phone out, glancing down to see a text from Matt.

'_Hey, let me know when you get home. I'm gonna come out to meet you._'

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed at his message, confusion filling her features as she sent him a reply.

'_Just got here. Is everything okay?_'

She waited for a few seconds, seeing him read the message and immediately begin typing his response.

'_See you in a sec._'

The confused look never left her face as she climbed from her car, sliding her phone back into her pocket as she locked up the vehicle, beginning the walk towards their back door. It only took a few minutes for her to get to the path that led her to the apartment, her head tilting up to find Matt standing outside their door, a wide grin resting on his face as he came to meet her halfway down the sidewalk.

"Hey." She greeted cautiously, Matt kissing the small, confused frown off her face.

"Hi. How was your day?"

Seeing her blow out a heavy sigh, worry filled Matt's features before she could even respond. "It was…"

"What happened? They didn't give you a hard time about working for the CFD, did they?" He asked quickly, placing his hands over her arms, rubbing up and down in a comforting motion.

"No, nothing like that. Everyone there was so excited to hear I'm staying. It was the calls, there were some rough ones."

Matt's look of concern morphed into one of sympathy, giving her a soft, supportive smile as he squeezed her arms gently.

"You wanna talk about it?"

"Not tonight…" She responded, earning an understanding nod from Matt before he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "But I am curious as to why you're out here waiting for me. I'm not really sure why we're out here." She spoke with a raised eyebrow, smiling as she saw a goofy grin appear on his face. "What's going on, Matt?"

"I have a surprise for you." He replied, his voice almost giddy. And while she found his excitement adorable, she had no idea what was going on.

"What is it?"

"You'll have to come with me to find out." He spoke lightly, moving from his spot in front of her to stand behind her, bringing his hands up to cover her eyes.

"Seriously? Is this necessary, I can just keep my eyes closed." She responded, feeling Matt slowly ease them forward, Gabby hearing him chuckle softly behind her.

"Just bear with me, alright? You'll see soon enough." He promised, his voice low as he spoke into her ear, Gabby releasing a soft sigh as she let him lead her inside. She could vaguely make out where they were as she trusted him to get her into the apartment, Matt making her promise to keep her eyes closed while he got the door shut, a promise which she kept. Despite wanting to know what he had waiting for her, his excitement was too cute for her to ruin the surprise. "Okay, we're in. Let me take that." He muttered, taking the shift bag from her hands, Gabby hearing it hit the ground as he brought his hands back up to cover her eyes, carefully leading them further into the apartment.

"I'm not gonna look." She chuckled, hearing him huff out a breath as they came to a stop.

"No, we're here. Just… before you open your eyes, let me remind you that I'm not really the overly romantic type. I mean, I do okay, but hopefully you like this."

"Matt, just show me." She whined, practically able to feel the smile he had resting on his face.

"Alright." He responded, dropping his hands to her shoulders. "You can look."

Gabby opened her eyes, expecting to have to adjust to the harsh lights in the room, but she was surprised to find the apartment dimly lit, two candles sitting on the coffee table. Along with the candles were two plates sitting there, accompanied by a stack of something Gabby couldn't make out. While it was a sweet gesture, she wasn't sure what had him acting so different.

"You made me dinner?" She questioned, Matt chuckling softly as he came to stand beside her, reaching for her hand.

"Well, yes. But that's not the surprise." He replied, leading her towards the couch where their meal was waiting for them. They sat down beside each other, Gabby inspecting the stack of what she realized to be photos sitting in between their food. Upon closer look, she realized it was a photo of them. It was an old picture, from a night a long time ago. It was from a night out at Molly's, the two far too intoxicated for their own good, Shay having come up to them and taken a photo out of nowhere. Despite the alcohol, Gabby remembered that night clearly. How they'd been attached at the hip all evening, how they were hanging off one another as they drank. And the photo documented it clearly, Gabby seeing two people laughing, holding onto each other tightly. Too tightly for two people who were only friends.

The photo brought a gentle smile to her face, but she was confused as to why it was here, why the stack of at least fifty photos sitting in front of her was here.

"Matt, what is this?" She questioned, turning to look at him, finding him watching her with a soft smile on his face.

"Well, uh…" He cleared his throat, Gabby sensing his nerves as she angled her body towards him. "I couldn't stop thinking about what you said, how you don't feel like you're yourself anymore… ever since what happened in Puerto Rico. And, I don't know, I thought maybe if we went through and looked at these pictures, and we could be reminded of those moments, it would help you see that you're still that same person. That you're still the same woman you've always been."

Tears were welling in her eyes by the time he finished speaking, Gabby fighting to hold them back as Matt looked from the stack of photos towards her, a frown forming over his face.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you sad, I thought it would help. I-"

Matt got cut off by Gabby slamming her lips into his, kissing him heatedly as she gripped his face in her hands. It took a few moments for his brain to catch up, Matt putting his hand on her expanding waist as he deepened the kiss, the two battling until air became a priority.

Breathing heavily as they pulled back, a smile found its way to Matt's face, Gabby rubbing her thumb over his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered, a wide smile resting on her face despite the tears sitting in her eyes, Matt leaning forward to place a much more chaste kiss against her lips.

"You wanna look at them?" Wordlessly, Gabby nodded, picking up the stack as they began to flip through them while slowly eating their dinner, each picture bringing up a fond memory.

There were pictures of them before they got together, and after. Pictures of them at the firehouse, at Molly's, some of them here. There were photos of them in their gear back when she was a firefighter. Photos from their wedding, from the evening at Molly's when he'd given her her wedding ring. There were even photos of them with Louie.

Their entire life together was laid out in front of her, Gabby not able to stop the tears escaping down her cheeks as she was reminded of past memories, each one filling her with nothing but warmth.

She spent several moments on each picture, letting herself go back to each day, wanting to relish in the memories these photos elicited, their dinner soon forgotten as they were curled up on the couch, Matt letting her flip through the pictures at her own speed.

"I don't remember this one." Gabby spoke suddenly. She'd been staring at the photo for a few seconds, trying to work out where it had come from, but she was coming up empty. "Man, we look rough." She commented, referring to their bruised bodies in the candid picture.

"Shay took that." Matt replied, Gabby forcing her eyes away from the photo to look at him. "It was after the bombing the day of the race, at the hospital. Once we were both feeling a little better, we went to visit Shay in the hospital. The second we walked in, she took that. Said she wanted the reminder that we all made it out okay." He spoke carefully, seeing realization wash over her. He knew it was a touchy subject, considering it was only a few short weeks later that Shay had been so cruelly taken from them.

"Oh yeah, I had completely forgotten about that." She mused quietly, looking back towards the picture.

"Yeah, she was taking them of everyone who came to visit her."

"I never really thought about it, but I guess I never saw this picture."

"She sent it to me about a week later." He told her, Gabby nodding as her eyes stayed focused on the image.

Glancing to the picture, Matt could clearly make out the damage done to her body that day. And his own memory of her injuries was permanently ingrained in him, Matt remembering how awful he felt seeing her bruised and battered body for the first time. How her being thrown around and trapped under a building had left its fair share of marks. But sitting here, looking at this photo, there was only one thing he was thinking about right now, and it was something he knew she needed to hear.

"You said you don't feel like yourself." His voice was quiet, Gabby turning back to look at him as his words hit her ears. "That you feel like you're not the same person you were before you left… but you know how I know you're still the same person? Because you got through it." Gabby kept her eyes focused on him as he spoke, listening intently as he tightened his grip on her. "You fought like hell to get away, you fought like hell to get back here. And you came out the other side stronger despite it. You haven't let it control you. And I know there's times when you feel like everything has changed, that _you_ have changed, but you're still Gabby. Change doesn't mean you're not you anymore." He cleared the emotion from his throat, pausing to take a breath before continuing. "You're not the exact same person you were when you left, but that doesn't mean you're not still you. Both of us have changed a lot since then, neither of us are the same people we were before this happened... I know you think that you're an entirely different person because of this, but you're not. You're still the same strong, determined, self-assured woman that I fell in love with and nothing will ever change that."

Silent tears rolled down her cheeks as he spoke, the conviction in his voice filling her body with warmth as he brought his hand up to cradle the side of her face.

"I know there are some things that are different. I know you feel like you're not as confident in yourself as you used to be, that what happened took a part of you and you'll never be able to get it back." Her bottom lip quivered as the words left his lips, Matt rubbing his thumb over her cheek. "You went through something terrible, and I can't even pretend to know what that feels like. And maybe there are parts of you that will never go back to exactly how they used to be, but you're still my Gabby. What you went through, what you're still dealing with… you are the strongest person I know. You always have been. You're a fighter, what happened to you doesn't change that." He kept his voice strong, forcing back the tears in his eyes. "When I look at you, I don't see the Gabby that came home after being attacked. All I see is Gabby. I see the woman I fell in love with years ago. I see the same amazing woman that I've known for a decade. I see you. You're still you."

Endless tears were rolling down her cheeks, Gabby losing the battle with her emotions as Matt tried to wipe away some of the water resting on her skin.

"Thank you." She whispered, her voice barely audible as she moved to place the photos down on the coffee table, turning back towards him.

"Do you wanna look at the rest of them?" He questioned, taken by surprise when Gabby slowly straddled him, Matt putting his hands on her hips to help guide her movements, feeling her small bump resting against his stomach.

"Later." She whispered, capturing his lips within hers in a passionate kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck as she pushed herself down against him, Matt groaning into her mouth. He kept a firm grip on her hips as Gabby deepened the kiss, her hands sliding from his neck down his chest, grasping at the material of his shirt, desperate to get it off his body. Understanding her actions, he lifted up from the back of the couch, giving Gabby the chance to remove the material, only disconnecting long enough to pull the shirt over his head, Gabby tossing it aimlessly aside as their lips found each others once more.

Their movements became frantic, Matt untucking her shirt from her pants and pulling it over her head, throwing it elsewhere as he placed kisses on her exposed skin, hearing her gasp in his ear. She ducked her head to find his lips again, kissing him desperately before pulling back, standing up from the couch, looking down to see Matt staring up at her with wanting eyes, panting heavily.

"I'll meet you in the bedroom." She whispered, turning around and walking towards the room, Matt sucking in a deep breath as he watched her go. He quickly blew out the candles, knowing everything else could be cleaned up later as he pushed himself up from the couch, heading towards the bedroom, following the trail of clothes she'd left in her path.

* * *

**So, what do we think? I know some of you have said how you miss the feisty Gabby, and while we've seen flashes of her, she's still having a hard time getting back to who she was. But maybe now after that last conversation with Matt, we'll start seeing more of the old Gabby again.**

**Also, I know there were some of you that didn't like Gabby's plans to stay with the SAS permanently. Trust me, that decision was probably the one I second guessed the most throughout this story. I know a few of you don't agree with it, and that's fine. I'm sorry for that, I know I can't please everyone but still, I am sorry to those of you who don't like my choice there. All I'm gonna say is that even though she feels that way now, there's no telling what she'll want months from now. Right now she's still nervous about returning to 51, so it's understandable that she'd still feel more comfortable also staying in her new job. But, things are always changing and who knows, maybe she'll change her mind once she gets back into the swing of things at 51. We'll have to wait and see what happens.**

**Thank you all so much for reading. I appreciate all the love and support you all have given me. It's been kind of a rough week, personally, for me, and reading all the reviews you guys have left me on both my stories has seriously lifted my mood so much. It's helped a lot, so thank you. I hope you guys enjoyed this one. Next chapter, Gabby's back at 51, I know you all are excited for that. **

**I can't wait to hear what you thought of this chapter. I appreciate any feedback you have, whether it's positive or you think there's some things I can do better, I'm just thankful there's still people reading and reviewing this story. **

**Until next time.**


	41. Chapter Forty One

**Here's the next chapter for you guys. It's Gabby's first day back at 51. I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty One**_

* * *

Gabby felt the steady rise and fall of Matt's chest under her head as she lay there wide awake, darkness covering their room. Today was the day, she was returning to 51. And she hadn't been able to get much sleep because of it.

With the combination of her nerves and her feeling the urge to use the bathroom every hour, she hadn't gotten much rest. But despite her being up most of the night, Matt had slept like a baby. He'd come to bed a little later than she had, but aside from waking up a couple times when she'd gone to the bathroom, he was out.

When she came back to bed for the last time, she rolled into his side, Matt subconsciously pulling her closer in his sleep, his arm hooking under her and coming to rest on her stomach, his palm covering her small bump. When he first pulled her close, she assumed he'd woken up, but one quick glance to him told her he was still deep within his slumber, his free hand resting over his own stomach.

That had been over an hour ago now, and other than a few minutes of rest here and there, she'd been wide awake. She felt butterflies in her stomach, knowing today was either going to be a great day, or she'd find out she'd been right all along, that her returning to 51 was a bad idea. She was hoping for the first one, though, Gabby choosing to believe everything that Matt told her was true. That everyone wanted her back. For the sake of her stress level, she had to believe him.

But that didn't stop her from being nervous, and she knew her nerves would only grow until she got settled in at the house. She was just glad her anxiousness wasn't disrupting Matt's sleep. She worried about him every time he ran into a burning building, but the thought of him running into one of those buildings on little to no sleep, that only made her worry more.

"Quit thinking so loud." He mumbled under his breath, a small smile falling onto her face as she lifted her cheek from his bare chest, looking up towards him to find his eyes still closed, a slight smirk resting on his lips.

Blindly moving his hand from her stomach to her head, Matt stroked her hair as he released a content sigh, his eyes slowly fluttering open. "Did you get any rest?" He questioned, his voice thick with sleep.

"Some. Not as much as you, though." She responded, tracing her fingertips over his chest.

"Yeah, I heard you keep getting up. You feeling okay?" Matt asked, clearing his throat as he stilled his hand's movements, resting his palm on the side of her head.

"I'm fine, just kept feeling like I had to pee." She answered, earning a knowing nod from him. Gabby placed a soft kiss over his breastbone before returning her head to its previous position, cuddling into him.

"And how's baby feeling?" He asked softly, his fingers tracing random patterns over her back, the action causing a chill to run through her spine.

"Baby's good. Ready for our big day." She murmured, Matt suddenly adjusting their positions, carefully turning them so she was resting on her back, moving slowly to not upset her stomach. With curious eyes, she watched him as he partially hovered over her, keeping his weight off of her as he gave her a gentle kiss. His hand slid under her oversized shirt, coming to rest on her bump as they kissed, Gabby welcoming his movements. They stayed connected for a few moments, their actions soft and chaste, his warm palm cradling their child protectively.

Pulling back, Matt caught her hazy gaze, a warm smile finding his face as he placed another quick kiss to her lips. "Good morning."

"Yes, it is." She responded breathily, Matt chuckling as he slid down the bed, lifting her shirt as he went, Gabby's hand running through his hair.

"And good morning to you." He whispered against her stomach, placing a few gentle kisses against her belly, his thumb stroking her skin as he admired her slightly rounded stomach. "Today's an exciting day, little one." Matt murmured, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she listened to him talk to their child. "You're gonna be good for your Momma, aren't you?" He questioned, moving his warm palm over her skin. "I know she's a little nervous, but hopefully once we get there, she'll realize that Daddy was right, and she had nothing to be nervous about. And you know, she never likes to admit this, but Daddy's right most of the time." He spoke softly, earning a swat on the back of the head from Gabby.

"Quit turning our child against me."

"I'm just having a conversation with our baby, baby." He replied with a sheepish grin, placing another kiss against her stomach before crawling back up towards her, resting his hand on the side of her face. "But really, you know there's no reason to be nervous, right? Everyone is very excited to have you back."

"Yes, well, that's what you keep telling me." She responded, placing her hand on his chest. "I think I'll feel better once I'm there and can get through the first few calls. Once I'm settled, I'm hoping some of these nerves will go away."

"I'm sure they will. Everything's gonna be fine." He reassured her once more, placing a soft kiss to her lips before he sat up, tossing the sheets off of him as got out of bed, beginning to move around the room. "Have you thought anymore about how you want to tell them?" He asked as he got to the dresser.

"I don't know, really." She responded, stretching her arms over her head. "I know we need to tell them soon, if anything just for my own safety." Her words earned a nod from Matt as he disappeared into the closet, going in search of his shift clothes. "But I haven't actually thought of how I want to tell them, or how much I want to tell them... I feel like they should know about the aneurysm, I don't want to leave them in the dark about that."

"It's up to you." He spoke as he came back into her view, holding his pants and Captain's shirt, his belt hanging over his shoulder. "Whatever details you want to share, that's your call. I'm just excited to show off the ultrasound pictures." He said with a grin, Gabby shaking her head as she climbed out of their bed, Matt having just finished laying out his clothes for the day. "I know there's a lot to this, and a lot of it's difficult for you to talk about." He spoke gently, wrapping his arms around her waist as she came to stand beside him. "So, however much you feel comfortable telling them, it's completely up to you."

"Thank you." She whispered, pecking his lips gently before pulling out of his grasp, beginning her routine to get ready for the day.

In under an hour, both of them had gotten showered and dressed, Matt finishing packing up his shift bag while Gabby stood in front of the mirror, staring at her appearance. It felt weird for her to be in this uniform again, the dark grey material a little tighter than the last time she'd worn it.

"I think I'm gonna need some bigger shirts." She commented, Matt turning around to find her looking at herself, a soft grin resting on his face as he saw her place her hand over her stomach. Every day it was getting harder and harder for her to hide her expanding stomach, and the uniform she hadn't worn with any regularity in over ten months was a little snug against her growing body. He knew with her jacket on, no one would be able to tell, but their little baby definitely wasn't something they'd be able to hide for long, not if Gabby's body had anything to say about it.

"How you doing?" He asked her, coming up to stand behind her, holding up her blue jacket for her to slip her arms into.

"Feels weird. Good, but weird. I know I wore this a few months ago when I covered for Brett, but that was different... I never thought I'd be back in these clothes again." She mused, zipping up the clothing halfway, assessing herself in the mirror. Matt figured she must've been happy with what she saw once she turned away from her reflection, continuing to get ready for the long day ahead.

"Remember what we talked about," Matt spoke up after a few minutes of silence, the two having been in their own heads while they got ready, "if you're not feeling up for something, don't do it. And expect at least hourly check-ins from me."

"Only hourly?" She teased, picking up her bag from the bed, Matt grabbing it out of her hands before she could hoist it over her shoulder.

"Watch it, or I won't leave you alone all day."

"Sounds more like a reward than a punishment." She replied suggestively, Matt raising his eyebrows at her bluntness, a wide grin forming on his face.

"Easy there, Dawson." Her last name fell from his mouth lightly, Gabby biting her bottom lip. "You're gonna need to be a little more professional when we get to the firehouse."

"Understood, Casey." She responded with a smirk, tapping his cheek gently before sliding past him, Matt's eyes following her body as she moved towards the door, soon disappearing from his sight.

Shaking his head, Matt took a few deep breaths, steadying himself as he stood beside their bed. During her first trimester, and the last few weeks in particular, Gabby had been kind of all over the place in terms of feeling in the mood for some extracurricular fun. There had been days where it seemed like all she wanted was him, and others where the last thing she wanted was his hands on her. He knew it was normal, that there were days she didn't exactly feel like herself and the constant throwing up, fatigue, and aches and pains didn't really make her feel sexy. But despite all that, he always did his best to make sure she knew how beautiful she was, and whenever the moment presented itself, Matt surely did enjoy when Gabby felt up for some fun. Since the trip to the hospital and her orders afterward had also halted their activities for a couple weeks, Matt always made sure to let her take the lead. He knew her body was sore more often than not, and despite his needs, he left the pace of things up to her.

But over the last few days, he had definitely noticed a shift in her attitude towards herself. It wasn't even just the passionate activities they'd taken part in over the past couple days, he could tell she was beginning to feel like herself again. He knew with her moving into her second trimester, that was typically when women began feeling better than they had throughout the first, but he also knew every woman was different. There was no way to tell how her body or her mind would react to the changes happening to her, but he was more than thankful to see her starting to regain some of her spark. And he was especially grateful for her increase in energy, the two having taken advance of that more often than not the past couple mornings. In fact, he knew they would've made it three mornings in a row if not for the time constraints of getting ready for shift. That if they didn't need to leave soon, they would've started their day by falling back into bed. But with their limited time, that would have to wait.

"C'mon Captain," Gabby called from the kitchen, breaking him from his thoughts, "wouldn't want me being late on my first day." Her voice echoed through the otherwise silent apartment, Matt releasing a soft chuckle before heading towards the door, turning off the light as he went.

* * *

Casey held their shift bags in one hand and Gabby's in his other as they walked up the driveway, matching each other's stride as they headed into work together. Matt was trying his best to contain his excitement, but he wasn't doing a very good job, the wide grin plastered on his face showing exactly how thrilled he was to have her back at 51.

"Dawson!"

Matt gave Gabby's hand a reassuring squeeze as Herrmann approached them, a few members of 51 following as they formed a circle beside 81.

"It's good to have you back, kid." Herrmann spoke, Gabby placing her other hand on top of her and Matt's conjoined ones, leaning into his side slightly as she flashed them a smile, gaining strength through his presence.

"It's good to be back." She responded. "I know it was all kind of last minute, but I'm glad to be here." She told them, earning smiles from around the growing circle of firefighters.

"This is gonna be fun, Dawson back at 51. Can't wait to see what kind of trouble you're gonna get us into, girl." Kidd spoke with a grin, coming up to hug Gabby from the side, the paramedic reciprocating the action.

Gabby got passed around the group after Stella let go of her, greeting the ones who came up to her while staying close to Matt's side, mindful not to hug anyone too tight.

It didn't take long for the group to start dispersing after a few more welcoming words, Matt and Gabby walking towards the locker room, needing to put their things away before the day got started.

"Guess I'll have to find myself a new locker." She commented, her eyes glancing towards her old locker before she looked around the room, finding an empty one down at the end of the row.

"Yeah, although I'm not opposed to sharing." He responded with a grin, pulling his locker door open and hanging up his bag.

Before she could reply, the bells rang throughout the house, signaling 61 to a car accident.

"Looks like that'll have to do for now." She spoke, handing her bag to Matt as he leaned down to give her a quick kiss.

"Be safe out there." He called as she headed for the exit, earning a nod from her before she disappeared around the corner.

Gabby quickly made her way through the firehouse, tightening her ponytail as she went through the double doors, finding Brett and Foster walking towards the rig. Brett went straight for the driver's seat, Gabby deciding to head for the back, but she didn't get very far before her path was impeded.

"Sit up front with Brett." Foster spoke with a soft smile.

"You sure?"

Emily nodded, her eyes flashing towards Dawson's stomach, Gabby soon remembering both her and Brett knew about her baby. For some reason, that had completely slipped her mind when she walked in this morning, Gabby forgetting that her partners knew of her pregnancy. "I'm sure, go ahead."

Silently, Gabby gave a slight nod and a soft smile, moving towards the passenger seat, both her and Foster climbing in before Brett pulled from the garage.

The drive was comfortably quiet, Gabby focusing on the city passing them by as Brett drove them to the scene. While it felt strange being back in this ambo, something about it felt normal. It felt like no time had passed, even though it had been almost a year since she worked here with any regularity. It was a weird feeling that she couldn't really explain, but she was just thankful to not be feeling those nerves and the apprehension that had been settling in her stomach since she made the decision to return to 51.

"You ready, Dawson?" Brett asked as she put the rig in park, Gabby nodding in response before they got out to get to work.

Dawson made the decision to stay back during the first call, letting Brett and Foster take the lead, doing what was asked of her as they assessed the victims in the car. This was her first time officially working with both of them, and she was content just getting a feel for things. She didn't want to assert herself too soon, especially when she wasn't able to physically do much, so she hung back, handing them supplies as the two women maneuvered through the crushed car.

In under an hour, they had gotten the victim out and in the rig, Dawson working with Foster in the back while Brett drove them to med. The man was unconscious but stable, the handoff at the hospital going smoothly, Dawson helping Brett restock their supplies while Foster completed the paperwork.

To Gabby's surprise, the three of them had worked quite well together during their first call. The days leading up to her return, she hadn't known what to expect from working with both Brett and Foster, but so far everything was good. And she wasn't sure who had informed them, but it was clear both paramedics knew of her limitations, neither of them asking her to do things she wouldn't be able to. Her first call had gone better than expected, and even just sitting in the back of the ambo with Brett, the calmness she felt in this moment gave her confidence in her choice to come back. Things weren't one hundred percent with her and Brett, or with her and most of the house really, but it made her realize that they might be able to get there one day. Gabby would've expected being around Brett to be uncomfortable and awkward for the both of them, but there was none of that. It was a peaceful, and it reminded her of how they used to be. It gave her hope that in time, things could possibly return to how they were before everything happened. And that's all she wanted. She wanted to feel at home here again, and for the first time since coming back, she had the slightest bit of faith that it might be a real possibility.

"_61?_"

"Yeah, we're here." Brett responded back through the radio, shoving the drawer closed before stepping down from the rig.

"_Truck 81 was called to an accident on the Wells Street Bridge, they're requesting backup._"

"Alright, we're on it. We just finished up at med, we'll be there soon." She responded, seeing Foster coming through the sliding glass doors, the woman having heard Main's request through her own radio.

Quickly packing up, the three paramedics hurried to the scene, finding Truck 81 there as well as a few other ambulances. The second they pulled up and began unloading, they heard a loud explosion, Gabby ducking slightly at the noise, looking over to find a car burning in the middle of the bridge.

"You alright, Dawson?" Foster asked softly, placing a hand over her arm.

"Yeah, yeah I'm okay." She assured her new partner, her eyes searching the area as Brett and Foster grabbed the supplies from the back. She saw members of 81 working on getting the fire out, but she couldn't find Matt.

It felt like an eternity had passed as they walked closer to the scene, but soon she found him, seeing Matt coming from behind the fiery vehicle, cradling a small boy in his arms. She released a heavy breath, one she didn't realize she'd been holding, getting the confirmation she needed that he was alright as Matt approached their stretcher.

The small boy clung to his neck as Casey put him down, Matt having to coax him to release his tight little grip. "You're alright, I promise. These paramedics are my friends and they're gonna take great care of you." Matt assured him, the boy releasing his grip as he cautiously looked towards the three new faces.

"What's your name, little man?" Gabby asked, coming around to stand beside Matt, Brett and Foster on the opposite side of the bed.

"Michael." He coughed out, Foster preparing the oxygen mask.

"My name's Gabby." She responded gently, Matt watching with a small smile as Gabby comforted the boy. "I know this is all scary, but you're gonna be fine. We're gonna get you to the hospital where they can check you out, everything's alright."

"Are my moms okay?" He nearly whimpered, Gabby looking to Matt for guidance, not knowing the status of his parents.

"Both of them are fine, Michael." Casey assured him, seeing the little boy relax at his words. "Our other friends are getting them to the hospital, and you can see them there."

"We're gonna give you some air to help you breathe a little better, alright?" Foster prepared him gently, holding up the oxygen mask towards him. But Michael quickly shied away from it, his small hand reaching for Matt's that hung by the bed.

"Hey, there's nothing to be scared of." Casey assured him, grabbing the mask from Emily's hand. "See, look." Matt began demonstrating how it worked, keeping it far enough away from his face to keep it sterile, but close enough so Michael could understand. Casey took a few deep breaths, Michael's eyes focused on him as Matt held the mask up. "There's nothing to be scared of, buddy."

Slowly, Michael nodded, Casey handing the mask to Gabby so she could gently put it over his face.

"See it's not so bad, right? And plus it'll help you stay big and strong." Matt spoke with a smile, seeing a small one peak out from behind the Michael's mask. "Now, I have to stay here with my firefighters, but you're in the best hands okay? All of these paramedics are gonna take great care of you, alright? And if you get scared, just hold onto Gabby's hand." Matt spoke, Michael's eyes moving from Casey towards Gabby. "She's really good at keeping me calm when I'm scared, so I know she can help you too." At Matt's words, Michael dropped his grip on Casey's hand, but quickly picked up Gabby's, his anxiety still high. "See? She'll be with you the whole time you're in the ambulance. Everything's fine." Matt soothed, earning a nod from the boy.

"Alright, let's get him to med." Brett spoke.

"Are you okay?" Gabby asked Matt quietly as they walked towards the ambulance, feeling the tight grip Michael still had on her hand. She could see soot over Matt's face, his appearance telling her he'd been close to the fire in the car, and most likely close to the explosion.

"I'm fine." He assured her, rubbing her back as Brett and Foster loaded Michael into the ambulance.

"Gabby?" Michael's muffled voice called through the mask, Dawson having to drop his hand while they got him in the back.

"I'm right here buddy." She responded, Matt keeping his hand on her back while she climbed into the ambulance, Gabby taking up residence by Michael's head, the small boy reaching for her hand when she came into view.

"I'll see you back at the house." Matt told her, Gabby nodding with a small grin before he shut the back doors, Brett pulling away to get them to med.

* * *

Matt sat focused at his desk in his office, trying to get a head start on the paperwork from the last call when he heard soft tapping on his closed door. Turning around, a soft smile fell onto his face when he saw Gabby standing on there, Matt nodding her in as he dropped his pen on the desk, turning his chair completely to face her as she came into his office.

"Hey." She greeted softly from the doorway.

"There's my two favorite people." He responded, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks at his words, taking a few steps further inside the small room, closing the door behind her. "How are you?"

"I'm good. We're both good." She replied, coming to a stop beside him, Matt wrapping his arm around her waist, resting his head against her chest.

"How is it being back? Now that you got your feet wet a little bit." He spoke, feeling Gabby's hand come up to run through his hair, gentle scratching his head.

"It feels good, honestly. It wasn't nearly as weird as I was expecting… the work part, at least. I haven't had a lot of time to spend with everyone, but working with Brett and Foster has gone pretty well so far."

"Good." He responded, his free hand coming up to mess with the zipper on her jacket, Gabby watching him curiously as he slid the metal down, opening the material. Before she could question his actions, she watched him place his palm over her stomach, a warm smile falling onto her face as he cupped her bump.

The two stood like that for a moment, Matt resting against her while she continuously stroked her fingers through his hair, the two enjoying the quiet they'd found for themselves, Gabby focusing on the movement of his thumb over her abdomen.

"You know, I think the kid listened to you this morning." She voiced quietly, Matt pulling back to look up at her. "They haven't been giving me any problems so far. No nausea or fatigue or anything yet. I know it's still early, but so far so good."

"Of course they listened." He replied with a smug grin. "Because Daddy's their favorite." His voice dropped as he spoke to her stomach, Gabby scoffing playfully as Matt looked back up to her, tapping his fingers against her waist. "Speaking of kids, how'd Michael do?"

"He was good when we left." Gabby responded, seeing some of the tension leave his body. "He had some signs of smoke inhalation, and a sprained shoulder, but he'll be okay."

"Good, that's good." Matt responded, Gabby leaning down to place a quick kiss to the top of his head. "And his mothers?"

"They were both okay. Michael was scared, so I stayed in there with him until one of his moms could get there. I guess the other one, her name's Trisha, she had some pretty bad burns."

"Yeah, it didn't look pretty when we got her out of there."

"But she'll be okay." Gabby assured him. "There were no life-threatening injuries. Michael's going to be fine, they all will be."

"Good, I'm glad. I'm glad his parents are gonna be okay, he was so scared and I felt like I wasn't really able to help him… I'm just happy they'll be fine."

"Matt, you're the only reason he wasn't completely losing his mind." She responded quickly, catching his gaze. "You helped him so much, he was even talking about you at the hospital."

"Really?"

"Mhmm. He said that he was scared, but he knew it would be okay because Captain Matt said it would be." She replied gently. "You helped him, baby. Not only did you probably save his life, but you kept him calm, and reassured him. He got through today because of you, don't ever doubt that."

Matt nodded, feeling Gabby move her hand from his hair down to his cheek, stroking his skin softly as she gave him a warm smile.

"Our kid is so lucky, you know." She murmured thoughtfully after a few seconds, Matt's eyebrows furrowing at her words.

"What do you mean?"

"Our child will be the luckiest kid on the planet, having a father like you." She elaborated, causing a wide grin to fall onto his face. "You're gonna be an amazing father, Matt. And I already knew that, I've seen it, but I don't know… seeing how you are with our child already, and seeing you with Michael today, it just made me realize how excited I am to see you with our baby... Hopefully I get to see it."

The room in the mood turned somber, Matt shaking his head forcefully.

"Gabby…"

"No matter what happens to me, I know our child is going to be so loved. You're going to be the best father, Matt." She whispered, tears clouding her vision. Matt blinked back tears of his own, biting down on his tongue before clearing his throat.

"Nothing is going to happen to you." He spoke as sternly as he could manage, tightening his grip around her waist. "You're gonna be here to meet our beautiful son," Gabby couldn't stop the eye-roll at Matt's pronoun, tapping his cheek to knock the smirk away from his lips, "and you're gonna be here to watch me mess up, over and over again." He continued, earning a watery laugh from her. "And more importantly, I'm gonna get to see you be the most amazing mother in the world. Our kid is lucky because they have you, they're gonna need you to make sure I don't screw them up."

Gabby was thankful Matt had turned the tide of the conversation to a more lighthearted one. She hadn't meant to bring down the room, but it had been on her mind since seeing Matt with that boy and she hadn't been able to stop thinking about it. She hoped and prayed she'd be able to see him with their child, that she'd be around to see their child grow up. But if she couldn't, if something does end up happening to her, all she wants is just one moment to see her family together. Even if it's only for a second.

"You're gonna be fine, Gabby." Matt spoke again, like he'd been able to read her mind. Snapping back into focus, she nodded slowly, running her teeth over her bottom lip as she tried to get ahold of her emotions.

"Yeah, I know." She responded quietly. Even though they both knew that wasn't true; they didn't know what would happen, but they had to believe she'd be fine. "It's just that sometimes I forget… for just a minute I forget that something could happen to me. Like when we're having an ultrasound, or when you're talking to them in the morning, it's the last thing on my mind. But then when I do remember it's like it hits me all over again."

Matt gave her a supportive nod, knowing there was nothing he could do to fix this. Even though he knew how awful the idea of losing her was, he had no idea what she was going through, he couldn't pretend to know what this was like for her. But all he could do was be there for her, and remind her that everything would be okay. That their baby was fine, and she would be fine. All they could do was believe everything would turn out okay. So that's what he did.

Dropping his hands from her body, Matt stood up, pulling Gabby into his arms the second he could, feeling her wrap her arms around his waist tightly, digging her head into his neck. "Everything's gonna be fine… you just have to believe that. The both of us do." He spoke softly, rubbing his hands up and down her back.

"I know." She whispered, Matt barely able to hear her response.

The two stood holding onto each other for a few minutes, Gabby needing this moment more than she realized as Matt kept his grip firm, constantly reminding her of his presence, his actions doing more for her than words could in the moment.

After a few long, quiet minutes had passed, Gabby slowly pulled back, her arms still around him as she met his gaze.

"I think we should go tell everyone about the baby."

"Right now?" He questioned, brushing some loose hair behind her ear.

"Mhmm. They all need to know, and since I'm already thinking about it, might as well get all the aneurysm stuff out in the open." She responded.

"So you want to tell them about it?"

"I do." She replied quickly. "I think it'll help them understand why I left so quickly last summer, and-" Gabby cut herself off, swallowing the lump in her throat before continuing. "If something does happen to me, I don't want them to find out about it after the fact… I don't know, I feel like it's better if they know now. Not that it could make anything better, but at least they're aware."

"I'm fine with however much you want to tell them, you know that." He spoke, placing a gentle kiss on her forehead.

"I know." She responded, pulling out of his grasp, zipping back up her jacket before looking towards him. "You ready?"

Matt nodded, following her towards the door, the two walking out of his office, beginning to move towards the common room. As they approached the room, they saw the majority of the house in there, but there were a few people missing.

"I'm gonna go get Boden, can you get squad in here?" Gabby asked, Matt nodding as the two went their separate ways, Matt heading for the garage. Within seconds, he found who he was looking for, seeing all of squad residing at their table.

"Hey guys, can you all come inside for a second?" Casey asked, gaining their attention. "Dawson and I wanna talk to you about something."

"Sure thing, Captain." Cruz responded as all of the men got up, Matt hanging back to wait on Severide, the two walking behind the rest of the group.

"You guys telling everyone?" Kelly asked quietly.

"We are."

"Everything?"

"I don't know, I'm just gonna let Gabby take the lead on that one." Matt responded as they entered the house, Casey finding a lot of confused gazes on him.

"Everything alright, Captain? Capp said you wanted to talk to us?" Otis questioned, all eyes in the room on Matt.

"Uh, yeah. Gabby and I both do, actually." He answered just as Gabby came in through the side entrance, Boden following close behind her. She walked through the room to get back to Matt, everyone watching her closely as she came to stand by his side.

"Something going on?" Herrmann asked cautiously, Matt glancing to Gabby, giving her a warm, reassuring smile.

"Well, there's something we want to talk to you all about… some news we have to share." She prefaced, feeling Matt place his hand on the small of her back.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted out, catching the shocked reactions from nearly everyone in the room, from all except those who had already known. Her eyes landed on Herrmann, the man smiling widely, happy tears forming in his eyes as he pushed himself up from the couch, coming to hug her tightly before she could get another word out.

"That's amazing, Gabby." He whispered as he held onto her, his actions causing everyone else to gather round, taking turns giving her and Matt congratulatory hugs.

It had taken a few minutes for the room to die down, Gabby pulling out of her embrace with Severide as she looked over the room, knowing the next part of this conversation wouldn't be easy.

"So, uh, that's why I'm working part-time here and at the SAS. This pregnancy, it messed up some things with my hours over there, and long story short, Boden was able to pull some strings to get me back here with you guys."

A few claps were heard around the room, excitement filling the air.

"We're glad you're back, Gabby. And I'm so happy for you guys." Brett called from her seat at the table, a chorus of similar sentiments echoing around the common room.

"I'm glad to be back, really I am. And I'm so grateful to Boden for helping me find a way to come back here and be with you guys again. I know things have been a little… different, since I came back. And I know you guys were confused, and probably still are, about everything that's happened and what made me leave and all that…"

Gabby glanced back towards Matt, who in all the chaos had ended up a few feet behind her, silently asking him to come back to her side. He understood her request instantly, pushing himself off the wall and walking towards her, coming to a stop beside her, placing his hand over her back.

"This is kind of a lot to get through, but I want you guys to know what caused me to make the decisions I did, and what this pregnancy means for me."

Gabby's words earned a lot of confused and unsettled faces around the common room, knowing that aside from her and Matt, Kelly was the only other person in this room who knew everything she was about to say. And the thought of laying this all out in the open was daunting, but they needed to know. She wanted them to know.

"Whatever it is, kid, we're here for you." Herrmann responded, Gabby giving him a thankful smile. Although he knew of her attack, he didn't know about her aneurysm, and out of everyone here, she was worried about his reaction the most.

"So, uh, I guess I'll just start at the beginning." She spoke, taking a deep breath, clasping her hands together tightly in front of her before continuing. "About a month before I left last year, Matt and I had decided we wanted to start trying to have a baby. After losing our first child, and then everything with Louie… we finally felt like it was the right time for us. But the more time that passed and I still wasn't pregnant, I started to get nervous. And impatient. So I suggested we go see my doctor to make sure nothing was wrong. Matt didn't love the idea, but we went. And when we were there, we found out that I have an aneurysm, from my previous pregnancy." Gabby stopped to take a breath, catching the multiple pairs of sad, worried eyes staring back at her. "It's in my right iliac artery, and basically what it means, what we were told at the time, is that I shouldn't get pregnant. That it's dangerous for me to carry a child to term; it could kill me."

You could hear a pin drop in the room as the weight of her words filled the heavy air, no one knowing what to say.

"So, uh, obviously, neither of us took the news well, it really messed with us." Gabby spoke nervously, glancing towards Matt. "We both were in shock, and we weren't really handling it. I definitely wasn't, I wanted to ignore it, so I did. But Matt couldn't, and it led to a lot of problems between us. There'd been some things we'd been dealing with before all this, but this just… it made everything so much worse. And in the middle of all this is when Chief Hatcher came to me about Puerto Rico. I had just gotten back from a pretty rough call," Gabby's gaze flashed towards Brett, seeing the regret she held in her eyes. "But when he first offered it, I never thought about it. I wasn't gonna do it, not with everything going on, so I essentially forgot about it. But then everything here just… it kept getting harder." She admitted, focusing on the feeling of Matt's comforting hand on her back. "I had ruined some relationships with people here, and then everything with Matt… everything was just falling apart. The day I ended up deciding to leave, Matt and I, we had a terrible fight. One I didn't think we could come back from, so I decided to go to Puerto Rico, to get some space and to have some time to come to terms with everything. But I never intended it to be permanent. The thought never crossed my mind that I wouldn't be coming back."

Gabby paused for a second, shifting her weight between her feet as she thought about how to begin the next part of her story. "But then when I was over there, I had a lot of time to think. It was nearing the end of my time there, and Matt and I were in no better place than we were when I left. We hadn't dealt with anything, and I hadn't really either. I felt so displaced from my life here, it felt easier to just try and move on. To give myself completely to my job there, and forget about everything that had happened here. It wasn't fair to Matt, or to you guys, and I'm sorry for that. I really am. But I wasn't doing well, the thought of coming back here was too hard. I was scared to come back and find out my old life wasn't salvageable, that Matt and I couldn't fix what we'd broken, and that I'd come back home just to lose everything. So I decided to stay there. But I never meant to hurt you guys."

There was a heavy silence in the room, no one knowing how to react to everything that had just been told to them. Matt moved closer to Gabby, placing a lingering kiss against the side of her head, her eyes falling closed momentarily as she focused on the feeling of him beside her, pushing away the nerves the silence around her was creating.

"So, uh… that's why I left, and that's what happened with Matt and I. And the aneurysm is why I have so many limitations on what I'm allowed to do. This pregnancy is dangerous for me, having this baby could end up killing me… But I wanted you guys to know, I'm sorry you were left in the dark for so long. I was just scared to come back here and face all of it again, I was worried that things could never go back to how they were. But I never intended to hurt you all."

"It's not your fault, kid." Herrmann spoke up first, tears shining in his eyes. "We've known you long enough to know you don't do anything without a damn good reason. I'm sorry we didn't reach out and check in. I'm sorry we only focused on ourselves, we should've seen that something was going on."

"We're so sorry, Dawson. For everything." Cruz said, Gabby shaking her head lightly.

"I don't want you guys blaming yourselves. I could've reached out sooner, I should've, I just…" Gabby took a deep breath, her hand coming up to rub over the side of her face. "There's something else you guys should know." She murmured, blinking back the tears in her eyes.

"Gabby, you don't have to." Matt immediately spoke up from her side, earning curious stares from those around the room.

"It's okay." She responded, locking eyes with him. "Really, I'm fine."

Nodding slowly, Matt backed down, moving closer to her as she began speaking. "Kelly told me a lot of you were surprised when you found out I was back, and I can't say I blame you. Even though I had been wanting to come back for awhile, I didn't plan on coming home, not until-" Gabby cut herself off, needing to take a few deep breaths to steady herself before she could continue. "When I was in Puerto Rico, I was attacked." She spoke quickly, her eyes finding their way to the ground, unable to meet all the looks of pity she was surely receiving.

But what she didn't see were the looks of horror and shock that were covering the room, some near tears as her words sunk in.

"It happened at my home, these three men broke in and they… they ruined the place, they took turns beating me, left me with a bunch of injuries and some scars. That's where this came from." She pointed to the scar on her forehead, knowing everyone in the room had been curious to where that had come from, but no one ever had the nerve to ask. "I was able to get away, but they caused a lot of damage…" She trailed off, reaching for Matt's hand in search of comfort, Casey giving it willingly. "Physically, I've recovered. Mentally, I'm still getting there… I've been struggling a lot with handling my anxiety since it happened. It's better than it was, but sometimes I still have panic attacks." She spared a glance up to the room, seeing nothing but worry and concern staring back at her, a few lone tears slipping down Brett's cheeks, Boden's usually composed demeanor broken as he looked at her with tears in his eyes. "I was having a really hard time there for awhile, but I'm getting better. But, uh, I wanted you to know it had nothing to do with you guys." She spoke, earning a few confused looks from those in the room. "Why I was so distant when I first came back, it wasn't really because of everything here. I mean, I was nervous, but had the attack not happened, I don't think it would've taken me months to get back here… I needed time to deal with everything, and aside from Matt and my brother, I didn't really feel comfortable being alone with anyone when I first got back. I wish I could've talked to you all sooner, and I'm sorry for how it must've felt for you guys when I got back and didn't reach out to you... I just needed time."

No one knew what to say to her, or how to react to what they'd just learned. Before anyone could find the right words to say, the bells rang out, signaling 61 to help with a house fire across town.

Taking a deep breath, Gabby slid out from Matt's grasp, squeezing his hand before heading for the garage, Foster and an emotional Brett following after her, the sound of doors closing filling the otherwise silent room.

Matt wanted to give them time to process everything, knowing it was a lot to digest. Most of the people in this room knew of nothing that Gabby had been going through, and it wasn't easy information to stomach.

"I know this is a lot…" Casey started once no one had spoken up. "But hopefully that explains what's been going on, why Gabby's seemed a little different since she's been back. I know you guys knew something had happened, but you didn't know what, but that's what it was; what had Antonio freaking out, and had me losing my mind. She'd been attacked, and for awhile there we didn't know where she was... But since she's been back, we've been dealing with it."

"Jesus…" Capp muttered, shaking his head.

"We had no idea any of that was going on." Otis spoke up.

"I'm sorry we made it harder on her." Cruz said, Matt glancing towards him. "We didn't know why she was kind of pulling away from everyone, but God we never imagined it was anything like this."

"This isn't your fault. Gabby didn't tell you to make you feel guilty, she told you so you'd understand what's been going on. I know all of you were confused about how to act around her, and that most of you just thought she didn't want to come back here, but that wasn't the whole story. The main reason she started that new job was because she didn't think she could handle the pace of 51. She didn't feel comfortable being in this kind of environment, and the SAS had a much more manageable schedule for her. For awhile, she was struggling a lot with handling her anxiety and it was hard for her to be in tense situations, so she thought going to the private company was best for her. I know all you guys saw was her distancing herself, but she wasn't trying to hurt you. She was trying to figure everything out, figure out how to move past what happened to her… I know had we told you all this sooner, it probably would've helped things, but she needed to feel comfortable talking about it first. She'd told a few people, but telling everyone… it scared her."

"We should've handled things on our end a lot better, Captain." Kidd replied. "Like Herrmann said, Gabby always has a reason for what she does. We should've seen past our feelings and realized there was more going on there… but I'm just glad she's doing okay, considering."

"She is doing well, really she is." Matt assured them. "Everything that happened to her in Puerto Rico, she's gotten a lot better. The pregnancy hit us hard, though… it wasn't expected, or planned. We were starting to look into other ways to have a child when we found out, and it's been pretty up and down since then."

"What she said, about this killing her… is that true? She could really die?"

"She could." Matt responded, crossing his arms over his chest. "If the aneurysm ruptures, her doctor might not be able to do anything. It's dangerous for her, and for the baby… but we're taking all the precautions we can. She has her doctors appointments every two weeks; those times I've had to duck out for a few hours, that's where I've been going. But so far, aside from the aneurysm, Gabby's doing great. And the baby is perfect. Everything, from a pregnancy standpoint, is going according to plan."

"But there's no way to know if and when anything will happen?" Herrmann questioned with a frown, Matt shaking his head.

"No, there's not. Either nothing could happen, or it could rupture and kill her. There's no way to know." Matt explained, seeing the solemn faces of his coworkers. "There are a few things working in her favor, though… We know about it, and I guess a lot of times doctors don't find out about this type of aneurysm until it's too late. So Gabby's doctor knows to be watching out for it. And also her aneurysm is on the smaller side, which means it's easier to control should something go wrong. But these things are unpredictable, so we've had to come to terms with just accepting that something might happen to her."

"I'm sorry, Captain." Cruz responded sadly.

"That's awful." Otis echoed the sentiment, Matt flashing them sad smiles.

"It's the situation we're dealing with, but hopefully at the end of this Gabby will be fine, and so will our baby." He spoke softly, shaking his head before regaining his firm demeanor. "I'm sorry for throwing all of this at you guys, I know it wasn't really what you were expecting. But now you guys know what's been going on... I hope it helps you understand more of Gabby's decisions when she left, and since she's been back."

Matt earned nods from around the room, Casey turning to leave as he experienced what felt like a heavy weight crushing his chest, this conversation bringing up all the horrible thoughts he'd done his best to push away recently.

Call him naive, or ignorant, but Matt couldn't handle thinking about what might happen to Gabby. It was something he chose to ignore, because there was nothing he could do about it. The last time he focused on that, it overtook his entire life and nearly broke them, and sent Gabby to the hospital. He couldn't let that happen again. He hated thinking about it, and he did his best to avoid it. There were times he couldn't, moments like earlier when Gabby was having a hard time and needed reassurance, but even then, he chose to focus on her instead of the words he was saying. Instead of thinking about why Gabby was upset, he chose to focus on how to make her feel better.

He knew it wasn't healthy, that him ignoring it instead of accepting it would only make things worse for him if something did happen to her. But he couldn't do it, not yet. Foolish or not, he had to believe she'd be fine. The only way he's able to completely enjoy this pregnancy is if he ignores it, and, as selfish as it may be, he wants to be able to enjoy this. He can't do anything to change what might or might not happen, so he's put all his energy into focusing on what he can control. He can be there for her, he can be there for their child. He can be there for whatever either of them need, and he can immerse himself in the experience of her pregnancy.

But what he doesn't have a say in is what this pregnancy might do to her, so he's chosen to not think about it.

"Casey, hey wait up." Herrmann's voice stopped him in the hallway, Matt turning to find the older man jogging towards him. "How are you doing?" He asked as he came to a stop in front of the Captain, Matt drawing in a deep breath as his eyes bounced around the narrow walkway.

"I'm… I'm hanging in there. It's been hard, but I'm trying to stay positive." Matt responded, Herrmann nodding understandingly. "And, uh, I'm sorry we didn't tell you about the pregnancy and… everything. Gabby was just so panicked about this baby, she wanted to wait until she got through the first trimester before saying anything. But I know how worried you were about her, and I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Casey." He responded with a grin. "I'm just glad to know she's alright. And you all seem to be dealing with a lot. How far along is she?"

"About to be fourteen weeks."

Herrmann nodded, his smile growing. "Enjoy every minute you can, Casey. Cause let me tell you, once that baby comes, everything changes. In a good way, but I feel like I missed out on so much with Cindy's first pregnancy, and you can never get that time back. So just enjoy it. And before you know it, you'll have your little baby and suddenly everything is different."

"I can't even imagine… I'm honestly a little freaked out over the whole thing." Matt replied with a nervous chuckle, Herrmann patting his shoulder.

"You're gonna do great, the both of you will, I can't wait for you to experience it. I know you probably look at Gabby and think there's no way you can love anything more than you love her, but just wait until you hold that baby in your arms. I'm telling you, Captain, it's like your whole world changes. You're suddenly living your entire life for someone else, making sure you do everything in your power to keep them safe, to protect them. It's just an entirely different life, and I know you're ready for it. You and Gabby were meant to be parents, but make sure you stop and enjoy the pregnancy part too."

"Thanks Herrmann." Matt responded, giving the man a quick hug.

"You two are gonna be okay, I know it." Herrmann spoke softly as they pulled back. "Dawson's a fighter, she always has been. I can't imagine how scary this is, but just hold onto the thought of your little baby. That the both of them will be fine."

Matt nodded slowly, watching Herrmann turn to go back towards the common room, the man's words resonating in his head.

_Just hold onto that hope. That's all you can do._

* * *

Dawson stood at the nurses station filling out the papers from their last call, hurrying through the last few lines, eager to get back to the house. She felt bad for having to leave right as she'd finished explaining everything and she knew they'd all have questions. Although she was sure Matt had answered most of what they were curious about, she wanted them to hear from her that she was okay. As okay as she could be.

Handing the paperwork over to the nurse, Gabby began walking for the exit, slowing her steps when she saw Brett approaching her.

"Hey, just finished up. You guys ready to go?" Dawson asked, knowing Brett and Foster had been waiting for her in the rig.

"We are."

"Alright, well I'm good to go." Gabby responded, beginning to walk towards the double doors.

"Gabby, wait." Brett spoke up, the blonde coming to stand beside her. "I, uh… I need you to know how sorry I am."

"Brett-"

"No, I need to say this. I had no idea that's what you were dealing with on that call, I'm sorry I made things worse. I'm so sorry I hurt your feelings, and said those things to you. I never wanted to be apart of the reason you felt unwelcome here, but I was. And I'm sorry."

"I messed up too, Brett. I should've helped you, I knew you weren't handling things well after that call."

"You tried to talk to me and I shut you down. I know you feel like you should apologize, but this is on me. And I haven't exactly made any effort with you since, and for that I'm sorry. Then what you went through in Puerto Rico… I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you. Truly, I am. I wish I could go and take it all back, that I could change how I've acted since you came home. I never knew you were going through all that, and I'm sorry I wasn't there. That you felt like you couldn't come to me. I'm so sorry, Gabby." She spoke, shaking her head regretfully.

"It's okay, Brett. Really, it is. It's in the past. I know a lot has happened, and things might not ever be what they were, but I'd like us to be friends again. For us to try and work our way back to that, if that's what you want." Dawson replied with a hopeful smile, Brett nodding eagerly.

"I do, I'd love that." Her partner replied, Gabby bringing her in for a quick hug. "I've missed you, Gabby."

"I've missed you, too."

* * *

Herrmann stood leaned up against 81 as he watched Brett park the ambulance, his hands shoved in his pockets, waiting for the paramedics to exit the rig. He hadn't been waiting out here long, but he wanted to talk to Dawson as soon as he could.

"There's who I've been waiting for." Herrmann called as Gabby came around the front of the ambulance, flashing him a warm smile.

"Hey there, Herrmann." She replied, walking towards him while Brett and Foster began walking towards the house.

"You got a minute to talk, kid?" He asked as Gabby came up to his side, Dawson nodding in response. "So… you're having a baby."

"I am." The grin on her face widened, her hand resting securely over her stomach. "It's crazy to think about…"

"Yeah, I was telling Casey after you left to get ready, that everything's about to change." Herrmann spoke. "He seemed a little nervous, but I can't blame the guy. Becoming a parent might be the most nerve wracking thing in the world."

"Yeah, we're both a little on edge with everything." She replied, swallowing thickly. "But we're trying to enjoy it as much as we can."

"Everything's gonna be okay, Dawson." Herrmann told her, wrapping his arm over her shoulder. "I know this has got to be terrifying, for both of you, but it'll be fine. You're gonna get through this and have your amazing child. It'll all be okay." He comforted, Gabby leaning her head down on his shoulder.

"Thanks Herrmann." She whispered, settling into him as his presence eased her nerves. "You know, you're taking this a lot better than I expected."

"Well, I won't lie and say I'm not scared for you, kid. Because I am. But I know if anyone can get through this, it's you. Both you and Matt will be okay." He rubbed her arm as he spoke, Gabby lifting her head up, flashing him a small, thankful smile.

"Can you do me a favor?" She asked him after a few seconds.

"Name it."

"Can you help me look out for Matt?" She questioned softly. "He's doing a lot better, but he's still struggling with this, and I know he has Kelly, but it would make me feel better knowing someone else has his back."

"Of course." Herrmann responded instantly, Gabby flashing him a grateful smile. "I'll keep an eye on him just like I'm gonna keep an eye on you."

"Thank you."

The two stood together for a few more minutes, Gabby happy to enjoy the quiet moment with the man who's always been like a father to her. She felt like a weight had been lifted now that he knew everything, now that the entire house knew. There were no more secrets, no more stepping around questions. Everything was out in the open, and she felt relieved.

* * *

Gabby stood at Matt's locker, waiting for him to finish getting his things together as they prepared to leave. Her body weight was leaned into the metal, her bag strapped over her shoulder while her arms were crossed over her chest, staring at Matt as he fiddled with his bag.

"So, first shift back is in the books." He spoke, peeking his head out from his locker. "How do you feel?"

"I feel good. It wasn't too busy, and it's been nice to be back here with everyone, even if they were a little hesitant at first." When Gabby had walked in with Herrmann after getting back from the call, it was like none of them knew what to say to her. They didn't want to say something that might upset her. But once she made it known she was alright, that they could ask her questions and she'd do her best to answer them, it put them a little more at ease, and soon that apprehension had worn off. "It all went better than I expected."

"I told you so." He replied smugly from behind his locker door, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"And what about you? You don't mind me being back at work with you? You haven't gotten sick of me yet?" She asked teasingly as he shut his door, his eyebrows raising in question.

"I know you're messing with me, but we both know there's no possible way for me to ever get sick of you." He responded, placing a light kiss to her temple before grabbing her hand and leading her from the locker room. "But no, you know I'm thrilled to have you back. And I'm a little relieved, not having to be away from you for so long anymore." He spoke softly. "Plus us working together in the same house again is nice. I've missed it."

"Yeah, me too." She murmured in response, grabbing ahold of his arm with her hand as they walked through the halls.

"I know it's not a permanent thing, but having you back here has been great. I love getting the extra time with you and the baby." He continued as they got to the garage. "I always felt like I was missing stuff, being away from you for twenty four hours at a time. But now you're stuck with me. If either one of us is gonna get sick of the other, it'll definitely be you." He responded with a grin, Gabby resting her head against his shoulder as they walked towards his truck.

"Well, I haven't gotten sick of you yet." She replied quietly, leaning into his side as they moved down the driveway, both looking forward to the relaxing day they had planned.

* * *

**And another chapter in the books. I hoped you all liked Gabby's first shift back at 51. And finally, everyone knows about what happened to her and what her and Matt are dealing with, which I know a lot of you have been waiting for.**

**Also, I know most of you are probably tired of hearing about this, but I have been updating my other story regularly as well, if there's any of you who are interested in a Dawsey AU but haven't checked it out yet.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this one. If you can, I'd appreciate it if you left me a review so I know what you thought. Thanks so much for reading!**


	42. Chapter Forty Two

**Hello! Here's the next chapter for you guys, I hope you like this one!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Two**_

* * *

"So, Gabby how are you feeling?" Dr. Tanner asked as she sat down on the stool, smiling at the woman sitting on the exam table across from her. "It's hard to believe you're already sixteen weeks pregnant, it doesn't seem that long ago since you first came into my office."

"Yeah, it's been a little crazy, it's certainly going by quickly. And I'm doing alright, feeling pretty good overall." Gabby responded.

"That's good. Any concerns or anything, everything still going well?"

"It's not really a concern, so much, but I dunno, I am a little surprised my stomach hasn't gotten much bigger over the last couple of weeks. It feels a little thicker, I guess, but hasn't really rounded out much from what I can tell." She answered, Dr. Tanner nodding. "I mean, it's noticeable when I'm in tighter clothes, and I know I should just enjoy it while I can, but I'm kind of excited to start looking pregnant." She replied, holding over the bandage on her arm where Amanda had just drawn her blood.

"Yeah, you definitely aren't really showing yet, which is completely fine. That's nothing to worry about. I know you're aware of this, but every woman is different, there's nothing wrong with you still looking more bloated as opposed to pregnant, especially considering this is essentially your first pregnancy. Your body has never done this before, so we don't know how it'll react to everything happening. I know that you, and Matt, are able to notice the changes and can see your little bump, but trust me, soon enough your stomach will pop out and they'll be no clothing in the world that can hide it." She spoke calmly, seeing a small grin fall onto Gabby's face. "Everything looked great last time we were here, and when I do your ultrasound in a few minutes, we'll look and see how baby's doing today, I'll get measurements and everything. As long as they're still growing how they should, there's nothing to worry about." She assured them, her eyes moving towards where Gabby was still fiddling with the bandage covering her arm. "And I'm sorry about that by the way. I know we've taken a lot of blood from you recently." She spoke, Gabby following her eyes to look at her arm.

"Oh, it's okay. Amanda didn't really say what it was for, but I know you all need the blood work." Gabby replied, glancing towards Matt who shot her a supportive smile.

"We do, yes. But everything today was just routine, it's blood work we do around this time with all our patients." She responded. "I know neither of you have ever experienced a pregnancy before, and this definitely isn't a usual one, so you two don't know exactly which tests are routine and which ones aren't." Her words gained nods from both of the expectant parents. "But the testing today is normal, nothing to cause any alarm." She assured them, knowing the both of them always read into the smallest change of plan. They had good reason, Dr. Tanner couldn't blame them for their anxiousness, but she knew she had to take special care to remind them that a lot of testing was normal during any pregnancy. She was dealing with first-time parents under a very stressful set of circumstances, she knew she had to be mindful of that.

"Alright." Gabby responded with a small smile.

"So, how's work been going? I believe the last time you were here, you'd just started back at the firehouse?"

"Yeah, I had. It's only been about two and a half weeks, but it's going well. I'm glad to be back there. But I've been taking it easy, I had to sit out a call once or twice."

"I know that probably wasn't easy for you, but I'm glad you know your own limitations." Dr. Tanner replied.

"Yeah, I didn't really want to, but both of them were middle of the night calls and I wasn't feeling up for it. That round ligament pain you've been telling me about? I've definitely been feeling it lately." She spoke with a grimace, Dr. Tanner flashing her a sympathetic smile.

"I know it's not fun, but it's all part of the process. So work hasn't been too much for you?"

"No, not at all. I know it probably won't last, but I've had a lot of energy lately. I know not to overdo it, but I'm trying to do what I can while I have the ability."

"That's perfectly fine. It's good to stay active and moving during your pregnancy, I'm just glad it's not too much for you. And that you've been able to step back when needed."

"Yeah, it's all going well so far."

"All her partners have been really helpful, too." Matt interjected. "I've seen it at 51, and heard her talk about how it's been at her other job, but all of them have been great with helping her, making sure she's not doing something she shouldn't. And Gabby's been doing great, she's still the same badass paramedic she's always been, even though she's not able to do as much." Matt boasted, Gabby glancing towards her lap in embarrassment.

"I'm really not doing much, but it's nice to still be able to help a little." Gabby responded, Matt shaking his head, Dr. Tanner watching them with a smile.

"I'm glad it's going well for you, Gabby." She spoke, putting her tablet down and sliding towards the table. "So, are you ready to see your baby?"

"Definitely." She replied, leaning back on the exam table, adjusting her clothing while Dr. Tanner got the machine ready.

As always, the ultrasound went by too quickly for Gabby's liking, her hand grasped tightly in Matt's as they saw their child. It was something that was a new experience every time, Gabby unable to stop the tears welling in her eyes as Dr. Tanner showed them their baby. It never lasted long enough, as Gabby was soon wiping the gel off her stomach while Dr. Tanner looked over the scans.

"Everything's looking excellent, Gabby." The doctor spoke as Gabby buttoned back up her pants, knowing she'd need to fix her shirt before they got back to work. "Your baby is right on target. I know your stomach hasn't filled out as much as you'd expected, or wanted, but you're still gaining weight like you should, and your baby looks perfect."

"That's great." Gabby breathed out, Matt placing his hand on her back to help her sit up.

"Now, we'll finish up your appointment in my office, but I do want to go ahead and let you know that next time you're here is when we should be able to find out what you're having."

Her lips parted in surprise, Gabby quickly glancing towards Matt, seeing the look of amazement and shock settled over his face.

"Really?"

"Yes, really." She responded with a grin. "Sometimes you're able to tell earlier, around sixteen weeks like you are right now, but your little one wasn't cooperating. And I don't want to tell you anything before I'm sure. But in two weeks, as long as your baby complies, I should be able to tell you the gender of your baby, if you all would like to know."

"Yes, definitely." Gabby responded within a second, unable to stop the wide smile covering her face. But the feeling of Matt's hand moving over her back caused realization to wash over her, Gabby glancing up at him. "Well actually, now that I think about it, we haven't really talked about it." She spoke sheepishly, Matt releasing a soft chuckle, a look of amusement covering Dr. Tanner's face. "But if Matt's okay with it, I'd like to know."

Shaking his head with a smile covering his face, he leaned forward, placing a soft kiss against the side of her head. "We want to know." He answered, looking towards Dr. Tanner.

"Alright, well hopefully next time we'll see what you two are having." She responded with a smile, grabbing her tablet from the counter. "Once you're ready, just go ahead to my office. I'll meet you two in there in a few minutes."

Gabby nodded as she left the room, her attention turning towards Matt, placing her hand on his arm. "Two weeks from now, we're gonna know if we're having a boy or girl." She spoke with an excited grin, Matt matching her smile.

"It's amazing." He whispered, placing a gentle kiss to her lips. "You're amazing, and I can't wait to know what we're having." Matt placed his hand over her stomach as he gave her another kiss, Gabby resting her hand over his.

"I love you." She spoke against his lips, Matt moving back a few inches to find her gaze.

"I love you, too. And our baby." He replied, kissing her again, this one holding more passion than the first two. "I love you both so much."

* * *

Gabby and Matt walked hand in hand up the driveway of 51, returning from her doctor's appointment just as 81 had gotten back from a call. The couple moved in step as they entered the garage, seeing Herrmann hop down from Matt's seat, the man smiling once he saw them.

"There's the expectant parents." He called throughout the large room, Matt and Gabby walking towards him.

"I see the rig is still in one piece." Casey joked, earning a wide grin from the older firefighter.

"Yeah, we managed to keep her together." He responded, glancing towards Dawson. "So, how'd the appointment go? The kid still doing well?"

"Everything's great, Herrmann." Gabby responded with a bright smile. "Dr. Tanner says the baby is doing good, and I'm doing good. We're all good."

"That's great." He spoke, blowing out a sigh in relief. "Now, you can resume your duties Captain." Herrmann said, moving his jacket back towards its usual resting place.

"I'm gonna go let Boden know we're back, you good? Need anything?" Matt questioned as he turned to Gabby, the woman shaking her head as she dropped his hand.

"No, I'm fine."

Matt nodded, rubbing his hand over her arm before heading for the entrance to the firehouse, Gabby walking towards Herrmann, the man changing out from his turnout gear.

"So, I've been thinking about something…" She prefaced, the firefighter raising his eyebrow as he stood up straight.

"Oh boy, that's never good." He responded lightly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Alright, what is it?"

"I've been thinking about maybe trying to work a shift at Molly's." She told him, a clear look of hesitation instantly covering his face.

"I'm not sure, Dawson…"

"Oh come on, it's not like it's anything that strenuous. I'm still an owner there, and I definitely have not been pulling my weight recently. I want to work a shift, just try and get back into it a little bit."

"I don't want you overworking yourself, kid. You're already working two jobs, and you've gotta be careful."

"I know I do, but I think it would be nice to get back there. I'm feeling good, and I have been for a couple weeks. I'm not saying it'll be a permanent thing, not until well after I've had this baby, but I'd like to at least try a shift."

Herrmann eyed her curiously for a moment, seeing a small pout form across her lips, Gabby obviously trying to persuade him into saying yes. Both of them knew she didn't need his permission, that she could come in and work if she pleased and he couldn't stop her, but he still appreciated her asking.

"Alright, fine." He gave in, watching as a proud smile fell to her face. "But if Casey gets mad, I'm telling him you gave me no choice."

"Oh please, don't tell me you're scared of Matt." She chuckled, Herrmann shrugging as he blew out a breath between his teeth.

"The Captain has his moments."

"I can handle him, Herrmann." She responded lightheartedly.

"Yeah, well, I know Casey doesn't have the same soft spot for me like he does for you. You have much better luck getting him to agree to something." He replied, Gabby laughing as they headed for the entrance. "How about you come work a shift tomorrow night. Otis and I are both working already, so you'll have backup. That way if you need a break, or need to leave, you can."

"Deal." She agreed, the pair stopping in the middle of the garage as they heard the bells ring out.

Once hearing only 61's services were needed, Herrmann patted her shoulder before continuing towards the doors, Gabby turning to head back towards the ambulance, Brett and Foster soon running out to meet her.

"Hey, we didn't know you were back. The appointment go alright?" Brett asked softly as they climbed into the rig, Gabby giving her a nod.

"It did, everything's going well."

"I'm glad." Brett responded with a grin, the blonde pulling out of the garage, heading towards their call.

During the ride, Gabby began feeling the seemingly ever-present ache in her abdomen, wincing slightly as she pressed down against her hip. The round ligament pain she'd been warned about had definitely made its presence known recently. Usually moving around seemed to do the trick in helping to dull the ache, but considering she was unable to do that right now, massaging her muscles would have to do.

She dug her fingers into her muscle, trying to soothe the jabbing pain present there, but she wasn't having much luck.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good." Gabby replied, flashing Brett a small smile. "Just a little achy, but once I get up and move around a bit I'll be good."

"Are you sure? Foster and I can handle this if you need to hang back."

"I'm good, I promise. It helps me to be up and moving."

"Alright." Brett responded, coming to a stop in front of the accident they'd been called to. "But if you need to take a break, just let us know."

"I will." Gabby responded, hopping down from the rig, feeling her muscles release, the jabbing pain dulling to a slight ache. It was something she had grown accustomed to dealing with lately, knowing her body was making room for the baby growing inside of her. But that knowledge didn't make it any less uncomfortable, Gabby thankful that the pain stopped completely as she went around to the back of the rig to help Brett and Foster, the three paramedics getting to work.

* * *

Matt exited his office after an hour of pushing through some paperwork, walking down the hallway to get to the common room, intent on getting a snack as he tapped his fingers against the side of his leg while he moved.

"Hey Casey," Foster grabbed his attention as she came in through the first set of double doors, Matt slowing his path.

"Hey." He greeted, turning around to face her.

"Have you spoken to Dawson?"

Matt's eyebrows furrowed, his eyes looking out into the garage behind her. "No, I haven't. I didn't know you guys were back, is she alright?"

"Yeah, she is. She was just having some pain earlier. She was still able to work and she said it stopped once she started moving around, but I wasn't sure if she told you. It started happening again while we were at med, too."

"I haven't seen her, how long have you guys been back?"

"About half an hour, she came inside as soon as we got here, I thought she was with you. But I wanted you to know, I know you asked me to be looking out for her. Dawson's a big girl and can handle herself, but I dunno, I just wanted to make sure you knew." Emily spoke, shrugging slightly.

"No, I appreciate you telling me. That's been happening a lot recently, but I'll go find her, make sure it's nothing. Thanks Foster." Matt spoke, clasping his hand over her shoulder before going in search of her. According to Foster, Gabby wasn't in the garage, and after a quick glance, he found that she wasn't in the common room either. She hadn't been in the bunk room when he left his office, so there were few places left to search.

Moving towards the bathroom, Matt pushed open the door, finding her quickly as he saw her standing at the sink, brushing her teeth. Frowning softly, Casey stepped inside, catching her gaze through the mirror as he came up behind her, placing his hand on her back.

He stayed silent as she finished, Gabby rinsing her mouth out before turning off the water. "You get sick?"

"Yeah." She responded, flashing him a small smile before moving towards the lockers, Matt following her.

"You could've come and gotten me. Or had Brett or Foster get me." He spoke softly, standing to her side as she opened her locker, placing her toothbrush and toothpaste back inside.

"It's alright, I was in here already and it kind of just hit me. But I'm fine." She assured him, securing her locker door back in place.

"It was just morning sickness, right? Nothing out of the ordinary?" He questioned, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she took a step closer to him.

"Yeah. I know my morning sickness has gotten a lot better, but you know there's still days I have it." She responded, earning a nod from him. "Why?"

"Foster said you were having some pains, and then you got sick, I just want to make sure you're alright."

"Keeping tabs on me, huh?" She asked with a raised brow, Matt wearing a bashful look on his face.

"Maybe I am. That can't be surprising to you, though." He responded lightly, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her body closer to rest against him.

"Oh, it's not. You choosing Foster, that's a little surprising I guess, but the rest of it, not so much." She spoke, her nose scrunching as the words left her mouth.

"Well, I asked both of them to look out for you when I told them you'd be coming back here, but then I spoke to Foster individually." He explained, Gabby waiting for him to elaborate. "At the time, she knew about what happened to you in Puerto Rico, but Brett didn't. So I just asked her to keep a closer eye on you."

"Ahh." She replied, her palms resting against his chest.

"I know I'm being overprotective, and you've never really loved that, but it makes me feel better." He admitted with a shrug, Gabby rubbing her thumb over his chest. "I know I get to be with you more now that you're back, but I'm not able to be out on call with you sometimes. So it's nice to have the extra assurance that someone's checking in with you."

Gabby nodded, leaning forward to place a chaste kiss to his lips, Matt smiling into the kiss as he tightened his grip on her. After a few seconds, she pulled back, a sly grin covering her face. "I don't know, I've always found it sexy when you get all protective." She whispered teasingly, Matt smirking as he tapped his fingers against her lower back.

"Yeah, I know." He replied with a chuckle, placing another kiss against her lips before releasing his grip on her, knowing they weren't exactly in private. "So, the pain?" He asked, resting his shoulder against the lockers as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"The usual." She responded, Matt nodding understandingly. "It wasn't terrible or anything, pretty much the same as what I've been experiencing recently. It was a little worse because I wasn't able to get up and start moving around, but I'm good."

"Good. When Foster mentioned it, that's what I figured it was, but I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

"I am." She assured him, mimicking his stance against the lockers. "I'm feeling great, I have been feeling great. I have my energy back, everything's going well right now."

"Oh, I'm very much aware that you've gotten your energy back." He spoke teasingly, a proud smirk resting on his lips. "Yesterday morning especially, I'd say you were feeling very energetic."

Her body flushed in embarrassment as she bit down on her bottom lip, Gabby playfully punching his chest as he chuckled. Her mind went back to that moment, of how she'd surprised him by joining him in the shower, the two enjoying each other long after the water went cold. Then how once they'd finished, it didn't take much convincing for Gabby to pull him back into bed, Matt unable to deny her even though they were pressed for time. In the end, his first shower proved useless, Matt having to quickly take another one before he could head out to his construction job.

While he did have a point, and her high energy levels had definitely benefited him just as much as they had her, the firehouse wasn't the place to talk about it.

"Anyway," Gabby said, clearing her throat, Matt having not yet lost the proud look on his face. "Speaking of my energy, I talked to Herrmann about maybe covering a shift a Molly's."

The smile on his face fell, his look of amusement quickly morphing into one of hesitation as he drew in a deep breath. "Are you sure you feel up for it?"

"I do. I wouldn't try it if I didn't think I could." She responded, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "I already talked to Herrmann, he said I could work the shift tomorrow night, with him and Otis. He already said I could take a break whenever, and leave early if needed."

She watched him for a few moments, Gabby able to tell he was still clearly unconvinced, his eyes running over her face cautiously.

"I feel good, Matt. I want to try. Being back here the last two weeks, it's been nice. It has felt good, and comfortable even. I mean, things aren't perfect by any means, there's a lot that's happened with everyone here that can't just magically be fixed, but it's getting better. It feels good to be back on 61, and things with Brett and Foster are going better than I thought they would. Though I'm not sure Sylvie and I can ever get back to where we were, we're learning how to be friends again. Things are slowly improving with everyone. You were right, being here has helped me. It's made me feel like me again." She admitted, his gaze softening as he reached out to place his hand over her arm. "Me going back to work a shift at Molly's, it's just another thing I can do to get back into my old life. If I can't do it, if I need to stop I will and I'll take a break. I just want to try."

Matt nodded, rubbing his thumb over her arm gently. "If you feel like you can, I'm all for it. But I'm gonna be there with you, just to keep an eye on you."

"I figured you'd be coming anyway." She responded lightly, Matt nodding.

"Go ahead and tell Herrmann you'll be there." He spoke, a sheepish grin covering her face, Matt raising his eyebrows in amusement. "You already said you were doing it, didn't you?"

"Maybe." She responded softly, Matt chuckling as he shook his head.

"Alright, well then you can let Herrmann know that _we'll_ be there." He adjusted his words, Gabby nodding as she leaned forward, giving him another quick kiss.

Their moment was interrupted by the bells ringing through the house, breaking them apart as 81 and 61 got called to a house fire.

* * *

Matt watched as Gabby swiftly moved around behind the bar, a wide smile on her face as she interacted with customers, the loose sweater she was wearing protecting her from the chilly April night, as well as keeping her small bump hidden from view. They'd been here around an hour, Gabby showing no signs of fatigue as she worked with Otis and Herrmann, them all laughing and enjoying their night while Matt sat at the bar. Various members of 51 were strewn across the room, Kelly posted up beside Casey as the man sipped his beer, Matt settling for a club soda.

While keeping up a conversation with Kelly, Matt kept most of his attention on Gabby, glancing towards her every few minutes to make sure she was still doing alright. He knew he was being overprotective, but he couldn't help himself. He didn't love the idea of her working so much, even with it being a pretty slow evening at Mollys. But he wouldn't voice his concerns to her right now, not unless he felt it got to the point where he needed to. Even though so far throughout this pregnancy, she'd done a good job of knowing her limitations, he also knew who he was dealing with. This was Gabby; she got frustrated easily when told she couldn't do something, and he couldn't help but worry that the farther along they got, and the more she had to hold herself back, the harder it would be for her.

"So… dad." Kelly spoke, pulling Casey's attention from Gabby, the Captain's eyebrows raising at his friend's choice of greeting. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, Kelly."

"Really?" He pressed, Matt staring at him blankly. "Look, I know everyone's focused on Gabby in all this, as they should be. But I know you're struggling, too. I just wanted to check in." He elaborated, Matt's eyes narrowing slightly. "...And Gabby asked me to keep an eye on you." Kelly admitted, Matt nodding knowingly.

"Yeah, I figured. I'm pretty sure she asked Herrmann, too. He's been checking in a lot the last few weeks."

"Well, she's worried. After how this pregnancy started for you guys…" Kelly trailed off, Matt grimacing.

"I was an ass." Matt responded, taking a sip of his drink. "I'm honestly surprised she forgave me as quickly as she did, seeing as how I sent her to the hospital."

"I don't think that's what she was talking about, Casey." Severide responded, shaking his head. "She meant to make sure you were doing okay."

"No, I know. I just… I still feel guilty about that, I probably always will. I made everything so difficult, I missed out on so much of the beginning of this pregnancy. And not only that, Gabby couldn't even enjoy it because of me. I just wish I could go back and do it all over." Matt muttered.

"Well, you can't. But Gabby loves you, and knows how hard this all is. She just wants to know you're doing okay."

"I'm… I'm handling it. As much as I think I'm gonna be able to. I try not to think too much about what could happen, I'm just focusing on experiencing everything and it's… it's fucking crazy, Sev." Matt breathed out, breaking out into a grin. "Every time we see that kid, I get so excited thinking about meeting them. Of having the child I've always wanted with Gabby." Severide's smile widened as he listened to his friend, seeing the absolute joy covering his face. "I'm terrified, for a lot of reasons, but I'm so excited for this baby.

"I'm so happy for you guys, man." Kelly responded, clasping his hand over Matt's shoulder. "Let's just hope the kid looks like Gabby." He joked, Matt rolling his eyes at the comment as Severide took a drink.

"Well, we do get to find out what we're having at our next appointment." Matt spoke, Kelly's eyes widening slightly.

"Really?"

"Yeah. It's insane. I don't even know what to think, it's crazy to imagine us having a little boy or a little girl. I'm so excited, but like… nervous. I don't wanna screw this kid up."

"Nah, you won't." Severide assured. "You've got Dawson, you two were meant to have kids. You were like the best parents I've ever seen when you had Louie. This kid is lucky to have both of you."

The sound of Gabby's laugh grabbed his attention, Matt turning to find her down at the other end of the bar, standing beside Herrmann, the two laughing along with Foster and Kidd. The sight of her so carefree brought a smile to his face, his eyes staying locked on her. It made him happy to see her enjoying herself with her old friends. Every day he was seeing less and less hesitation from her when she was around everyone from 51, and he was thankful for that. He knew it had been a harder transition for her than she'd care to admit, that it took her a few shifts to really feel okay being back, despite what she said. Because he knew everything that happened between her and the firehouse had hurt her, it hurt her much more than she would ever voice out loud. That the way they handled her leaving and then her coming back, it left a lot of unresolved pain and apprehension between them. But things seemed to be moving in the right direction, Gabby was able to feel comfortable around them again, and that's all he wanted for her.

"Yeah, thank God I have her." He spoke softly, Kelly shaking his shoulder before bringing his arm back down to his side.

Even from across the bar, it was like Gabby could feel his eyes on her, Matt seeing her look towards him, a soft grin forming across her face. He saw her say something to the group before she walked towards him, stopping to grab another beer on the way.

"Hi." She greeted, placing the drink down in front of Kelly.

"This is why you're my favorite, Dawson." Kelly remarked, leaning his beer towards her before taking a sip. A light laugh left her lips before she turned back to Matt, finding his eyes still on her.

"You need anything?" She asked, Matt shaking his head, tapping his finger against his half-full glass.

"I'm fine, thank you though." He replied. "You still feeling okay?"

Gabby shrugged, Matt's spine straightening at her action. "I'm okay, hurting a little bit but nothing I can't handle."

Casey's eyes raked over her form, or what he could see from her position behind the bar, before nodding. "Alright, well if you need to leave, just let me know."

"I will." She leaned forward, Matt understanding her intentions as he leaned forward as well, moving closer to her to capture her lips in his in a quick kiss, his body hovered over the bar. "I'm gonna get back to work."

Gabby tapped his cheek before walking away, moving back down towards Herrmann, but she only got about halfway when a voice stopped her.

"Hello pretty lady. I haven't seen you before."

Biting her tongue, Gabby turned to look towards the voice, seeing a man leaning against the bar, a wide smirk on his face.

"What can I get you?" She asked, plastering a fake smile on her face.

"I'd take you." He spoke smugly, Gabby's eyes narrowing, glancing towards Matt, seeing him already watching the two of them, his hard stare focused on the man.

"Do you want something to drink or not?" She questioned roughly, the man letting out a chuckle.

"I'm just trying to make conversation with you, honey."

"I'm okay, thanks. Now if you want a drink, I can get you one. If not, I'm gonna get back to my other customers." She replied sharply, feeling a presence at her side, turning to see Herrmann beside her.

Seeing the older man's harsh stares, the nameless man just smiled, glancing back to Gabby.

"I'll take a beer, sweetheart. Whatever you have on tap."

"Great." She responded, Herrmann taking a few steps back to let her do her job, but staying close enough to keep an eye on the guy.

"You got a boyfriend, gorgeous?" He questioned, Gabby remaining silent as she placed his drink down, pulling her hand away quickly when he brushed his fingers over hers on the glass.

"You've got your drink, I hope you enjoy." She stated, her eyes narrow. Her response earned another laugh from him before he took a sip.

"I don't see a ring, I was just wondering."

"Hey babe." Gabby looked over to see Matt come up to stand beside the guy, flashing her a warm smile. She could tell based on his demeanor that Matt was annoyed, but his face didn't show it. "Can I get another drink when you have the chance?"

Nodding slowly, she felt her body relax as she moved to get him another club soda.

"Guess that answers that question." The guy breathed out, pushing himself away from the bar, Matt watching him with a harsh glare until he was far enough away for comfort.

"Herrmann, who is that guy? I haven't seen him before." Casey asked, turning back towards the two. Matt hadn't been to Molly's much lately, only a few times since Gabby's been back, so he wasn't sure if this guy was a regular or not.

Gabby placed the new drink in front of Matt as he spoke. She knew he didn't actually need it, that he'd only come over to get that guy to leave her alone, but she still decided to make him one regardless.

"He's been coming around for a few weeks, usually ends the night with me or Otis shoving him into a cab. Gets drunk off his ass more often than not, but as far as I know he's harmless. I think his name is Mark, maybe. I'm not sure."

Matt nodded, looking back to Gabby who gave him a small smile.

"So, you heard my conversation with Mark, I guess." She spoke with a laugh, Matt nodding.

"Yeah, thought I should come make sure he wasn't stealing you away from me." Matt joked, taking a quick sip of his drink. "I hope you don't mind my stepping in." He spoke, his voice turning serious. "I know you can handle yourself, but he didn't seem to get the memo you weren't interested."

"Well, we'll never know. I mean, if he kept using those lines on me, I might've been head over heels by the end of the night." She teased, Herrmann laughing beside her as he shook his head, walking away now that he had confirmation she was alright. "No, but really, it's fine. I mean I agree with Herrmann, he seemed pretty harmless, but I appreciate the help... And, like I said, you're hot when you're protective." She replied, her voice dropping towards the end of her sentence, Matt's tongue running over his bottom lip with an amused gleam in his eye.

"I'm gonna have to remind you of that next time you get mad at me." He responded, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully as he picked up his drink, stepping away from the bar. "I'm gonna get back to Kelly, just come get me when you're ready to head out."

Gabby gave him a nod, watching him walk back down to the end of the bar before moving back towards Herrmann, continuing on with her work.

As the night wore on, Matt could see more and more clearly how exhausted Gabby was getting. And he could tell the pains from her growing uterus were getting more and more difficult for her to work through, seeing her on multiple occasions stopping to press against her hip, trying to ease the discomfort. But still, he didn't jump in, knowing if he tried to get her to leave before she was ready, she wouldn't be happy with him. But if it got too much later without her giving him to signal she was ready to go, he knew he might have to force her home. He was glad she was having a good time and enjoying herself, but he knew they had to be mindful of her limitations.

His eyes followed her as she walked towards the far end of the bar, seeing her disappear into the back room. He waited it out for a few minutes, figuring she was just grabbing some glasses. But the more time that passed without her returning, his concern for her started to rise just a bit, Matt unable to stop himself from going to check on her.

Walking through the bar, he quickly got to his destination, pushing open the swinging door to find Gabby standing back against the wall, her eyes closed as she took deep breaths.

"Hey." He spoke carefully, not wanting to startle her as he walked further into the room, letting the door fall closed behind him. Gabby's eyes opened slowly, a soft smile coming to her face. "Everything okay?"

"I'm alright, just got a pain that wouldn't go away." She explained, Matt coming to stand in front of her, placing his hand over hers that was pressed in between her hip and her growing stomach, Matt applying more pressure against her muscle. Gabby hissed at his movement, wincing slightly as Matt glanced up at her.

"Too much?"

"No, no it's helping. It just hurts." She responded, taking her hand away to let Matt get better access. Nodding understanding, he continued his methods, sensing her body starting to relax the longer he massaged the area. This had become a common practice for them since her round ligament pain started, Matt having the ability to soothe the ache a lot more efficiently than she could. She wasn't sure if it was his larger hands, or him being able to get a better angle than she could, but he was always able to relieve the pain.

"Feeling better?" He questioned, earning a nod from her. "Do you wanna get out of here?" Matt asked, pulling his hand back. "It wasn't a full shift, but you worked for almost three hours. We could go home, get you in the bath to help with the soreness."

"Yeah, I'm ready to go." She admitted, Matt nodding before giving her a quick kiss.

"Alright, you get your stuff, I'll go let Herrmann know we're heading out." He responded, flashing her a grin before he left the room.

Gabby stayed rooted in her spot for a few more seconds, thankful that the jabbing pain had subsided. Once she regained herself, Gabby grabbed her things, slinging her purse over her shoulder before leaving through the door, her eyes finding Matt across the bar, speaking to Herrmann.

"I was waiting for you to come back." A voice slurred from beside her, Gabby grimacing as she turned to fine the man from earlier come up to her side, standing too close for comfort. Set on ignoring him, Gabby stepped around his slouched form, wordlessly walking past him. "Oh now don't play hard to get sweetheart." He spoke, grabbing her arm to stop her.

Gabby looked down to his hand gripped tightly over her arm, her eyes narrowing.

"Let go of me. Now." She bit out angrily, her voice showing no signs of fear as she spoke.

"I saw your boyfriend leave, we could have a good time honey." He replied, ignoring her statement.

"I'm only gonna tell you one more time. Let go of me."

"Do we have a problem here?"

Gabby turned to see Matt coming towards her swiftly, his face hardened in anger at the scene in front of him.

"No sir." The drunken man responded.

"I believe she asked you to let her go. So let her go." Gabby had heard that amount of anger in his voice before, but not often, and never towards her. Not even when he was at his angriest with her, did she ever hear it. It was a tone he used only when necessary. A tone that might've scared her if it ever was directed at her.

Matt stood strongly by Gabby's side, feeling her eyes on him, but his gaze was locked on the man who had yet to drop his hand from her arm. He didn't want to cause a scene, but he would if this guy didn't let go of her. And he would have no problem doing so.

Even through his drunken state, the man, Mark, knew this was a battle he couldn't win, as he released his grip from her arm, muttering something under his breath before walking away. Once free, Gabby stepped away from him, subconsciously moving into Matt's side, Casey not pulling his attention away from the man until he was long gone.

"You alright?" He asked softly, turning his body towards her, his eyes flickering over her face. From his first glance, she seemed to be fine, but he needed to be sure.

"Yeah, I'm okay." She responded, feeling the eyes of some of the patrons of them. "I'd just forgotten about having to deal with drunk jerks, I guess."

Matt nodded understandingly, lifting his gaze to find Herrmann standing a few feet from them.

"Herrmann, can you deal with that asshole. I'm gonna get her home."

The older man nodded, flashing Gabby a warm, apologetic smile. "Sure thing, Captain. I'm sorry about that guy, Dawson. I'll handle it."

"It's fine Herrmann, I'm good. Thanks for letting me work for the night."

"Of course kid. You're welcome to anytime, you know that."

Gabby nodded, feeling Matt's arm wrap around her shoulders protectively before moving them to the door, stepping out into the chilly night air.

"You sure you're alright?" He questioned softly as they walked down the sidewalk, Gabby glancing up to him.

"I'm good, I promise. He was just some jerk, nothing I haven't dealt with before."

"Alright. But you know you can talk to me if you need to."

"I know." She responded, leaning herself into his side as they walked, Matt's grip tightening around her. He believed her when she said she was fine, but he also knew that the last time Gabby would've been grabbed roughly like that was when she was attacked. He wasn't sure if the unexpected incident tonight brought back up those memories or not, but at the moment she seemed to be alright. He would just have to keep a close eye on her to make sure she stayed that way.

* * *

Matt laid quietly in bed as Gabby rested against his chest, the two enjoying their peaceful night together now that they were home from Mollys. When they arrived at the apartment nearly an hour ago, Matt began running Gabby's bath while she got something to eat before she came to get in. Normally, he would've joined her, but he knew her body was sore and he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible, so while she relaxed he took a quick shower, cleansing himself of the long day they'd had.

Now they were both curled up in bed, Gabby having chosen one of his t-shirts and a pair of his boxers to sleep in, Matt settling for the latter as they got comfortable. It was getting pretty late, and Matt figured Gabby would be asleep soon if she wasn't already. She hadn't made a noise in a few minutes, and she'd stopped tracing random patterns over his bare chest a few moments prior, her breathing evened out. Matt had taken to massaging her hip while she rested on her side, his hand slid underneath his boxers adorning her body, giving him better access to rub over her tight muscles.

"I can't believe we're gonna know what we're having soon." Gabby muttered against his chest, a gentle grin falling to his face.

"I know, it's crazy to think about." He responded quietly, Gabby turning her head, resting her chin on his chest. "I didn't think you were still awake." He murmured, bringing his free hand up to tap lightly against the side of her head.

"I can't stop thinking about our baby." She explained, releasing a content sigh. "I guess I hadn't really thought about it yet, thought about what we might be having. With everything else that's been going on, it kind of slipped my mind that we'd be able to find out soon. But ever since Dr. Tanner told us, I haven't been able to stop thinking about it."

"I know what you mean… I haven't really thought about it much, either. It's been hard to look ahead when we're having to take it week by week, but I'm so excited to find out." He spoke, tracing his thumb over her cheek.

Gabby relaxed into his touch momentarily, her head lulling to the side as she fought off exhaustion, her eyes slowly opening to find him watching her.

"What do you hope we have?" She questioned quietly, Matt relaxing his body into the bed, moving his gaze up towards the ceiling as he mulled over her question.

"Truthfully, I'm not sure." He answered, peeking down at her. "What about you?"

"I've always pictured us having a son." She responded, a wide grin spreading across Matt's face at the thought. "A little boy who takes after his father." She continued, rubbing her hand over his chest. "I mean, knowing Dawson genes the kid will probably look more like me, but personality wise, he'd be all you." She spoke with a smile, Matt's body filling with warmth at her words.

"That would be amazing." He breathed out, Gabby adjusting her position to get a better look at him. "There's been a lot of times I've imagined us with a baby girl." He spoke quietly. "A girl who is exactly like you… My two beautiful girls." Tears filled her eyes as he spoke, Gabby placing a delicate kiss to his chest. "Honestly? I don't know which I would rather have more, I don't even know if I have a preference. I just know they're going to be perfect." He whispered, Gabby nodding slowly, leaning forward to place a soft kiss to his lips.

"I'm so excited for this, for all of it…" Gabby spoke. "For the rest of this pregnancy, and then having our child, I sometimes can't even believe this is all happening." She admitted, Matt cupping her head with his hand. "Everything that's happened to us this last year has been… crazy is a good word for it. Sometimes it's hard to believe we got here, but I'm so glad we did."

"Me too." He murmured, Gabby adjusting her position, hooking her leg over his. "Obviously, there are some things I wish were different, and that I could go back and handle some things better. But there's not a day that goes by where I'm not thankful to have you here with me." Matt's voice trailed off towards the end of his sentence, his mind drifting off as he thought over his own words.

He was grateful to have her back, of course he was. They'd been given a second chance at their life together, and he was determined to not take that for granted. But there was that black cloud that had been looming over him for months now, and that was the fact that there might be a time very soon where she wouldn't be here with him.

He's done what he could to ignore it, to try and not let it consume him, but ever since they told the firehouse of risks, it was like it had been forced back to the forefront of his mind, Matt unable to push it away for long before it popped up again. Hearing it all laid out in front of him like that just drudged up the same feelings he'd had when they first were told of all the risks, and it left a heavy feeling in his gut. He was trying to not let worry overtake him again, he couldn't live like that for the rest of this pregnancy. But he was finding it harder and harder to not think about it.

"You okay?" Gabby's soft voice broke him from his trance, Matt's eyes snapping back into focus to see her watching him carefully. "Matt?"

Clearing his throat, he flashed her a small smile. "Yeah, sorry. I'm alright."

Gabby was less than convinced as she brought her hand up to stroke the side of his face, a clear look of concern covering her features. "Where'd you go just now?" She questioned, her voice barely above a whisper.

Matt's chest rose as he drew in a deep breath, focusing on the feeling of Gabby's fingers moving over his skin. "How, uh… how would you feel about us going back to see the Chaplain?"

Confusion covered her face at his words, Gabby not expecting him to answer her question with a question, and she definitely hadn't been expecting _that_.

"Is this about what happened earlier tonight at Mollys? Because Matt, I promise I'm okay. I'd tell you if I wasn't, it was just some drunk, stupid guy."

"No, no it's not about that." He assured her, closing his eyes momentarily. "I just, I've actually been thinking about it for a few weeks…"

Her eyebrows furrowed as he went quiet, Gabby trying to figure out what was going through his mind.

"Matt, what's going on?" She asked softly. "Are you okay?"

"I am, but I think it might be good for us, to go and talk to him…" He responded, Gabby knowing there was more to it, waiting patiently for him to feel comfortable saying whatever it was. "Ever since we told the house about the pregnancy, I haven't been able to stop thinking about something happening to you… And I know it's never gonna go away, that it's just something we have to live with, but us telling everyone, it brought it all up again and I can't stop thinking about it."

"If you want to go, of course I'll go with you. You know that. We could've gone a while ago, I had no idea you were feeling like this." She murmured, her lips forming into a frown, Matt shrugging slightly.

"I know you tried to get us to go a few months ago, and I said no. I kind of blew you off, and I'm sorry for that. But I think it would be good for me to talk to him, it'd be good for us… I guess I was hoping this feeling would pass by now but it hasn't."

"You weren't ready to talk about it when I asked you, that's understandable. But I definitely think we should go." Matt nodded, turning his head to the side to place a soft kiss against her palm, leaning into her touch for a moment.

"I'm not even sure if talking to him would help anything, but I don't know, I know he always makes things clearer for you. I figured it couldn't hurt."

"I'll call him tomorrow and set up an appointment." She responded.

"Thank you." He replied softly, Gabby leaning forward to place a gentle kiss against his lips.

"Of course. Thank you for telling me."

After another soft kiss, Gabby positioned herself on the bed, Matt reaching over to turn off the lamp as she got comfortable against him. He threw the comforter over them, Gabby nuzzling herself into his chest as they relaxed into the darkness, it only taking moments for them both to succumb to their exhaustion, Gabby falling asleep to the rhythmic rise and fall of Matt's chest beneath her head.

* * *

**So, looks like we'll be finding out the gender of baby Casey here soon! And on another note, Matt and Gabby have both been opening up more and not letting things boil up inside them, which is always good. **

**One thing I've found a little amusing is that I've gotten some reviews mentioning how you all are just waiting for something bad to happen. And it made me realize how the show really conditioned us for that, didn't they. Like any time things are going well, we're just waiting for something bad to happen. I dunno, I thought it was kind of funny how many people mentioned it. Like, the show really put us through the ringer didn't it. But, in response to that, I'm won't say it'll be all sunshine and roses here on out for Dawsey, but for now, things seem to be going pretty well for them.**

**Also, I did get a review asking if there was going to be any time jumping, and to answer that, yes there will be. This chapter already skipped ahead a few weeks, and that'll continue on throughout the pregnancy. We won't be skipping over important moments or anything like that, but if I were to keep going at the pace I am right now, this story would be well over 100 chapters before they even had the baby. So, yes, short answer, there will be some time jumping. Nothing too drastic or crazy, just enough to keep the story moving forward.**

**One last thing, I saw a lot of reviews mention that you all are missing Jemma, and believe me so am I. She'll be back very soon, I promise!**

**Can't wait to hear what you all thought of this one, thanks for reading!**


	43. Chapter Forty Three

**Here's the next chapter for you guys. It's time to find out what Matt and Gabby are having!**

**I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Three**_

* * *

"So, it's definitely been a while, Gabby." Chaplain spoke as he sat down in his chair, smiling at the couple across from him. "And even longer since I've seen you, Casey."

"Yeah, I know it has. There's a lot that's happened since I was last here, but things for us have been going well. It's been hectic, but good."

"That's good. And that's kind of the nature of my job, Gabby." He offered with a small smile. "I'm here when you need me, but when we don't see each other for awhile, it's usually a good thing." Gabby nodded softly, matching his grin. "But I do want to apologize for it taking so long to get you all scheduled, it's also been a little crazy around here as well."

"Oh, it's fine." She waved him off, the older man nodding, crossing his legs as he relaxed into his seat.

"So, how far along are you?" He questioned, his eyes moving towards her stomach. He could only really see the outline of her bump because she was cradling it through her sweater, but it was definitely there.

"Almost eighteen weeks." She replied with a bright grin.

"And how are you feeling?"

"Probably the best I've felt, so far. I had really bad morning sickness during my first trimester, thankfully that's eased up. I've started developing the usual pregnancy symptoms; swollen ankles, back pain, all that fun stuff, but energy-wise, I'm feeling great."

"That's good." He spoke, glancing towards Matt, the man seemingly a little lost in his own head. The Chaplain knew, vaguely, of why they were here, Gabby having given him some information when they'd spoken on the phone early last week, but he wanted to hear it from the man himself. He knew he needed to ease them into it, he wanted to spend a bit of time catching up with them, knowing that would help them feel a little more relaxed and more receptive to opening up about what brought them here. "And how's work been?"

"Well, I've actually started back at 51 since I was last here." Gabby saw his eyes widen in surprise, clearly shocked at the news.

"Oh, wow."

"Yeah. I've been back for about a month now."

"What brought that on?"

Taking a deep breath, Gabby began explaining the events that led to her decision, starting with her trip to the hospital and going from there, stopping to answer any questions he had along the way. While she spoke, she had her hand resting on Matt's thigh, Casey placing his hand over hers, occasionally giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said it's been hectic." The Chaplain spoke, blowing out breath. "How has it been being back at the firehouse?"

"It wasn't as much of an adjustment as I was expecting. There's definitely a change in the dynamic, things aren't like they used to be. My first few shifts were probably the hardest, after the excitement of the first few calls wore off, it took me some time to really get back into it. But I think I've found my new normal at 51, I've accepted things aren't gonna be like they were before with some of the people there. But overall, it's gone well." She explained, glancing towards Matt. "Just like he said it would." Her words earning a small smile from him, Gabby rubbing her thumb against his leg.

"And your other job?"

"It's been great." She spoke, her grin widening. "I love being there. I wish I could work there more than I do, but I'm glad to still have my friends there. Under the circumstances, I think I've made the best out of the situation. I'm thankful to be working both places. I didn't want to give up my job, and getting the extra time with Matt has been great."

"I'm glad it all worked out, and that things are going well at 51." He replied, tapping his pen against his notepad. "And how have _you_ been doing? Still managing alright?"

"I am." She answered, feeling Matt's grip on her hand tighten. "I haven't really had any problems dealing with my anxiety or anything. I mean, there's times I get nervous still, in situations where I probably wouldn't have before, but I'm not sure that will ever go away. I think that might just be part of who I am now. But I'm doing good." Her voice was soft as she spoke, Gabby sparing a quick glance to Matt before continuing. "There was an, uh, incident, I guess, at Molly's a couple of weeks ago. Some drunk guy grabbed me, wouldn't let go." The Chaplain's eyebrows furrowed in worry as he listened to her story, Gabby's eyes on her and Matt's joined hands. "I kind of expected it to bring all that up again, bring up the attack, but it really didn't. Even when it happened, I wasn't really scared. I was nervous, and had it gone on any longer than it did I might've gotten scared, but I knew Matt was there. I knew that nothing was gonna happen to me. I don't know, but it didn't affect me like I expected it to."

"I'm sorry that happened, but I'm proud of how you were able to handle it."

"Yeah, and I've been back there since. I worked another shift and everything was fine."

"That's great, Gabby. I mean, obviously not that it happened, but how you dealt with it. You've made great strides in getting past what happened to you. I know it's not something you can ever forget, but you're not letting it affect you and control your life. You've found a way to move on from it. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks Chaplain." She responded softly, his words bringing a smile to her face.

"And what about you, Casey?" The Chaplain asked, turning his attention to the Captain. "How have you been?"

"Well, uh," Matt cleared his throat, shifting in his seat as he caught the man's gaze. "I've been alright. Worried about Gabby, but it's been great getting to work with her again. I love having her back at the house. We've been doing well."

"And how's the pregnancy been for you?"

"It's been hard." He admitted, his voice soft. Gabby felt his grip on her hand tighten, almost like he was afraid his words would make her pull away. "Don't get me wrong, I've loved experiencing this pregnancy with her, it's been amazing. I've tried to enjoy as much as I can, because no matter what happens I know this is really our only chance at Gabby carrying our child, and I want to be able to enjoy that. But it's been hard."

Gabby brought her free hand up to rest against his arm, gripping him tightly as she scooted a bit closer to him, able to feel the nerves radiating off his body. She didn't want him worrying about how she'd react to his thoughts. They were here to help him feel better, for him to work through his feelings. The last thing she wanted to do was make him feel nervous to do that.

"What about it has been hard?" They all knew the Chaplain knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it in Matt's words. He wanted to hear from Casey exactly what he was struggling with.

"I'm afraid of losing her." He murmured after a few moments, his eyes plastered to the ground. "I was hoping that if I just completely focused on our child, that if I put all my energy into immersing myself in this pregnancy, that it would go away. Or I could at least get a better handle on it, but I haven't." Matt breathed out, shaking his head slightly. "I thought I was doing better... I know I have come to terms with this, that there's nothing I can change about the situation and I've accepted it. But I can't seem to get rid of this fear. It's all I can think about now, is how something might happen and she'd be taken from me." Casey took a deep breath, trying to regain some sense of his composure, despite his emotions wearing him down. "Ever since we told the house about this pregnancy and what could happen, it's like I haven't been able to think of anything else. It's always on my mind, and it's killing me."

Matt hesitantly glanced to Gabby, seeing her watching him with unshed tears in her eyes. She gave him a reassuring smile, needing him to know it was okay, that what he was feeling was alright.

"It's not because of the baby. I'm so excited for our child, and being able to experience this pregnancy has been incredible. But I'm scared."

"I'm scared too, Matt." She responded quietly, their eyes locking. "I'm so scared of what might happen. I'm terrified of not being able to be here to experience our child's life. That I might leave you to do that alone. I wish there was a way I could promise you it might not happen, but I can't. You know I can't. But for as scared as I am, you know what helps?" She waited for some sort of reaction from him before continuing, seeing him shake his head. "I start thinking of you with our child. I hope, more than anything, I'll be here to see it, but knowing our kid is gonna have you, I know they'll be alright."

"But I don't have that, Gabby." He whispered, emotion coating his voice. "I don't have the reassurance that you'll be there for them, and it kills me."

"I know." She replied softly. "I would do anything to change the circumstances around this pregnancy, but all I know to do is enjoy every moment I can. Because we don't know what's gonna happen. I'm trying not to worry about things we have no control over, because I know we're taking all the precautions we can. If these are some of the last moments I have, I won't regret it. I've already been able to see you take care of and love this child. No matter what happens to me, the both of you will be fine." She saw the pain that flashed in his eyes, Matt shaking his head.

"I can't be fine without you, Gabby. I can't raise this baby alone."

"Yes, you can." She assured him. "You will be fine, Matt. Maybe not at first, maybe not for awhile, but eventually, you will be okay. And you'll have our beautiful baby. You'll be their entire world, and they'll be yours. You're going to be an amazing father, I have no doubts about that."

He blinked furiously, a lone tear escaping down his cheek as he looked down to their hands, his breath shaky. "...I'm scared I might resent them."

"What do you mean?"

"If something happens to you, I just- I don't know how I could look at them and not think about how they're the thing that took you from me." He whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

"Matt, I know you don't believe that." She responded firmly, dropping his hand to reach for his chin, forcing him to look at her. "I know you're scared, but I know you, Matt. This baby is gonna be the most important person in your life, whether I'm here or not. I'm not worried about how much you'll love them. You could never resent our child, and I know you know that."

"I love them so much, Gabby. I do. But I'm terrified to do this alone… They need you, they need their mom. I can never be enough for them." He spoke shakily. "And I feel terrible for thinking that there's even the possibility of me resenting them if something happens to you, but I can't stop thinking about it and it's making everything harder."

"Casey, it's not wrong to feel the way you're feeling." The Chaplain spoke up, Gabby moving her hand down to his chest as he looked to the older man. "I know you're worried, and you have no idea how to fathom raising this child without Gabby. But she's right. The first time you see that baby, your entire world is going to change. You have to hold onto how much you love them, you don't have control over anything else."

"I understand why you're feeling like this, I do." Gabby continued, needing him to know she wasn't mad or upset with him for how he was feeling. "But I've seen how you are with our child already. I know you're already in love with them, that love is only going to grow when you meet them. Nothing will change that, not even something happening to me. I've known you for a long time, Matt, and I know you'll be the most amazing father, you'll love them more than life itself, whether I'm there or not. You are more than enough for them."

Matt gave her a soft nod, Gabby wiping the few tears from his cheeks as he leaned into her hand momentarily.

"I know there's nothing I can say to make this better, Casey." The Chaplain spoke after giving them a few moments. "There's nothing any of us can do to change this. All you can do is hold onto the hope that she'll be okay. That's the only way to get through this. And I know it's easier said than done, that this is something that will always be in the back of your mind. But you can't let it control you."

"I'm trying not to." He responded quietly, his voice shaky.

"Tell me this, when you think of something happening to Gabby, what does it feel like?" The Chaplain asked, Matt's eyes falling closed, grimacing at the thought.

"It feels like… like I can't breathe. Like my entire world has gotten ripped away from me, and that's not something I can handle."

"And when you think of your baby? What is that like?" The Chaplain continued, seeing Matt take a deep breath. "Without factoring in what might happen, or the thought of doing this alone. When you think of just your child, what does that feel like?"

Matt thought over his question for a few moments, trying to find the right words to use.

"Hopeful." He answered truthfully. "I feel hopeful that everything will be okay. That Gabby and I will be able to watch them grow up, and hopefully not screw them up too much in the process."

"And when you think of your child, every time you think of some milestone they'll have, is Gabby there?"

"Always." He responded without missing a beat.

"You have to hold onto that. That hopefulness, the feeling of experiencing your child growing up, you need to focus on that instead of worrying about something you can't control. This'll bury you, otherwise." The Chaplain spoke, Matt nodding slowly. "You do have to accept that something might happen to her, you can't pretend it's not happening. But I know you have. You wouldn't be here if you hadn't accepted the possibility that something could go wrong. But you can't let it take over your life. Regardless of what happens, you'll always have a piece of Gabby with you. You'll have your baby. That hope you feel when you think of them, that's how you'll get through this."

Matt looked towards Gabby, seeing a soft smile on her face, tears of her own falling down her cheeks. He reached for her hand again, holding it tightly in his, giving her a reassuring nod.

"You have to lean on each other, you have to rely on those around you. Everyone at 51 knows now, reach out to them if you need it. Lean on them. Come back to me, do whatever you need to do when you start feeling this way and it's too much. Don't try and take this on alone."

"I won't." Matt responded, his voice hoarse.

"We're gonna be okay, Matt." Gabby responded. "Whatever happens, I'll never stop loving you, or our baby. And I have no doubt in my mind that you will be the most amazing father. I know you two will be okay."

He nodded slowly, Gabby leaning over to wrap her arms around him, Matt relaxing into her embrace, their emotions overwhelming them both as they held onto each other for dear life.

* * *

Gabby laid quietly on her side in the dark room while she had her hand placed firmly against her stomach. She first noticed it when she had come back from the bathroom nearly ten minutes ago. At first she thought it was just her stomach rumbling, or maybe some gas. But the second time it happened, she knew it wasn't either of those things.

She had definitely felt her baby move.

And now she was waiting to feel it again.

As she was in her eighteenth week, she'd known for a few weeks it could be any day now when she'd feel her baby moving. She had tried to stay patient, knowing that while some mothers experienced movement quite early on, others couldn't feel anything until later. As each day passed, she was just waiting for the first time she'd feel her baby move, and now she had.

Gabby had lifted up Matt's shirt that covered her body, placing her palm over her bump, waiting to feel those movements again. She knew her hand wouldn't be able to feel anything, but she was hoping the warmth of her palm would elicit some type of movement from her child.

Twice she had almost dozed back off while waiting, the sound of Matt's steady breathing beside her nearly lulling her back into unconsciousness, but despite the early hour, each time she fought it off.

Her hazy eyes snapped open when she felt it again, a warm smile falling onto her face as she felt those flutters inside of her. This was her baby, and feeling them move for the first time brought tears to her eyes, Gabby being given just another reminder that they were safe and that they were healthy.

Leaning forward, she moved her free hand towards Matt's chest, poking her finger against his skin.

"Matt." She whispered, poking him again, hearing him grunt as his eyes slowly opened. "Matt." She whispered again, seeing him blink furiously, trying to figure out what was happening.

"What? What's wrong? Are you okay?" He questioned quickly, rubbing the sleep from his eyes as he turned onto his side to face her, resting on his elbow.

"I just felt the baby move." She spoke softly, her watery eyes shining.

His hand instantly flew to her stomach, Gabby frowning as she knew he was about to be disappointed. She hadn't really thought it through, the fact that he wouldn't be able to feel anything yet, and she felt a little bad for waking him now.

"I don't feel anything." He spoke after a few moments, Gabby bringing her hand up to run through his hair.

"I know, it'll be awhile before you can feel anything." She saw his face fall slightly, but his hand stayed against her stomach, his thumb rubbing over her skin. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have woken you up, I just got excited." She spoke with a sheepish grin, Matt shaking his head.

"No, I'm glad you did." He replied, tapping his pinky against her hand as they both rested over her expanding belly. Matt placed a quick kiss to her lips, feeling her smile against him, her hand rubbing over his scalp as he pulled back. "What does it feel like?"

"Almost like that feeling you get when you're nervous, like butterflies in your stomach. Kind of like that." She responded after a thoughtful moment, trying to figure out how to best describe it to him since he couldn't feel it.

"This is the first time you've felt it?"

"Yeah. I got up to go to the bathroom and when I came back, I felt it. At first I wasn't sure what it was, but they're definitely moving around in there." She spoke lightly, Matt's smile widening before he leaned in to kiss her again.

"Thank you for waking me." He spoke against her lips, pressing one last quick kiss to her lips before sliding down the bed, stopping when he was eye-level with her stomach. "Good morning, little one." He spoke, placing a soft kiss to her rounded abdomen. Gabby had definitely started to show, to the point where it was pretty difficult for her to hide her belly. While a large enough shirt could do the trick, in her usual clothes, there was no hiding it. Her stomach wasn't huge, but her bump had definitely formed and popped out a few days ago.

When he had first noticed it, it took him by surprise. She had looked pregnant to him for awhile, but now that she was noticeably pregnant, it elicited a feeling inside of him he couldn't explain. He couldn't get enough of seeing her and her bump, of holding it, of holding her. It's like he was continuing to fall even more in love with her and their child. It ignited something protective inside of him, Matt knowing he had to do whatever he could to keep the both of them safe. There was something about the rest of the world being able to see her bump that brought out this feeling in him. But seeing the woman he loved carrying the child he loved, it filled him with an indescribable warmth.

"You're up early this morning." He continued speaking to her stomach, Gabby relaxing against the bed as she listened to the sound of his soothing voice. "Although with Momma up and moving around, I'm sure that's what woke you." Matt continued stroking his thumb over her stomach, occasionally placing kisses to her skin before lightly resting his cheek against her. "I'm a little jealous that your Momma gets to feel you before I do, but she's earned it. You have kind of put her through the ringer." An amused smile graced Gabby's lips as she listened to him, Matt speaking as if he and their baby were the only two in the room. "But despite everything she's going through, she's taking it like a champ. She is so strong, and I know you will be too."

Gabby felt tears stinging her eyes as she listened to him, his soft words hitting her ears, filling her with a warmth and security that only he could provide her. Seeing Matt like this was something she never wanted to take for granted. Since she first met him, she'd always seen his tough and firm demeanor. In their line of work, that type of exterior was necessary for him to be able to lead his firefighters. But when they began their relationship all those years ago, she'd come to see the soft and loving side to him, Gabby witnessing first hand just how gentle and caring he could be, a side he usually didn't show except when it came to her. He'd always been a good person, she knew that before they got together, it was part of why she'd fallen for him, but she had no idea just how loving he could be, not until they got together.

But seeing how he was with their unborn child was something new altogether. His guard was completely down, there was a vulnerability in him, one that made her fall in love with him all over again. He wasn't the firm yet fair Captain she was so used to seeing, he was Matt. He was all love, and there was something so heartwarming about seeing him this way.

Seeing him as a dad.

She'd seen him take on that role in the past, both as a temporary guardian to the Darden boys, and then when they fostered Louie, but something about this was different. While he loved the Darden boys, they weren't his children. And with Louie, they would always cherish the short amount of time they spent being his parents, but they never got to experience life with him before he was born. This was something completely new to them.

"You know, in a few days we're gonna find out whether you're a boy or a girl, and I'm so excited." He murmured, Gabby stroking her hand over his head. "I think Momma believes you're a boy, but I'm not so sure." He continued softly, Matt picking up her hand from her belly, interlocking their fingers. Gabby felt his breath against her stomach, the sensation causing goosebumps to rise on her skin. "But it doesn't matter what you are, all that matters is you're happy and healthy. Even though I'm almost certain you're a girl." He spoke lowly, Gabby chuckling softly, seeing Matt glance up at her with a shy grin on his face. He gave her hand a squeeze before looking back towards her stomach.

"But you should try and get more sleep, little one. You have a big day with Momma and Aunt Jemma. They're gonna go spend all of Daddy's money while he's at work." He teased softly, tapping his fingers against her bump, earning a playful eye-roll from Gabby. "But even though you're gonna be spending the day with Momma, don't forget about me. Daddy loves you so much, alright? And I can't wait to meet you."

Matt placed another kiss against her stomach, lingering momentarily before he climbed his way back up the bed, laying beside her, resting his head in his palm. Gabby's hand came to rest on his cheek, stroking her thumb over his skin as she gave him a soft smile, tears shining in her eyes.

"You okay?" He questioned softly, using his free hand to fix her shirt, pulling it back down to cover her body.

She nodded slowly, her smile widening as she leaned forward, placing a soft, slow kiss to his lips.

"I just love you, that's all." She responded, Matt grinning as he adjusted their positions, falling down onto his back, pulling her into his side.

"I love you too."

The couple fell into a comfortable quiet, Gabby's head resting against his bare chest as they laid together, Matt moving his fingers in soothing circles over her hip, focusing on her breathing.

It was still early, but Matt was too wired to go back to sleep. He'd have to get up in a little less than an hour anyway to get ready for shift, so he figured he'd just stay up, spend a little more time with Gabby and their baby, whether she fell back asleep or not.

Today was his shift this week where Gabby wasn't working with him, and Matt found himself dreading it a little. Over the last month, he'd been a little less excited to go into work on the days where she didn't come with him. He knew she couldn't, and shouldn't, work every shift he does, Gabby having done her shift at the SAS yesterday, but that didn't mean he wouldn't miss her.

It came as no surprise to him that they had easily fallen back into the rhythm of working together again, and Matt absolutely loved it. Being able to spend that extra time together made him so happy, and it gave him peace of mind knowing he was close by if anything happened. He loved going into work with her, Matt much more excited to get to shift on the days when she was in the passenger seat riding along with him, as opposed to days he drove alone. He enjoyed getting to spend most of his days with her again, whether they'd be with everyone else out in the common room, or the times they'd hide away in his office. Whether they went there together, or she came and sought him out, he loved the quiet moments they shared when she would come and spend time with him, even though it usually ended with her taking a nap. And he very much enjoyed the few times she'd fallen asleep in his bunk instead of her own, Matt not having the heart or desire to move her as they made the small space work. Considering he knew that here shortly they wouldn't be able to share a bunk anymore, for the comfort of Gabby and safety of their baby, he wanted to enjoy it while he could.

He just loved everything about working with her again, it was something he'd missed more than he realized. Something he knew wasn't gonna last forever. He would never pressure her to return to the 51, but now that she was back, he wasn't looking forward to her leaving again.

They're here right now because they got placed at the same house. Had they not worked together, they probably never would've met. Or even if they did, it most likely would've been in passing, and might not have led to the same outcome. They fell in love gradually, seeing each other week after week, getting to know one another through the years of spending entire days together at a time.

He owed finding the greatest love of his life to this job, and he hadn't realized how much he'd missed that part of their life until she came back.

Matt knew she'd probably never return to 51 full-time, and he was okay with that. It wasn't his decision, and he knew how much she loved her new job, he'd never want to take that from her. But it didn't stop him from missing her when she wasn't there. He just knew he had to enjoy the time they had working together while he could, and he planned on doing just that.

Casey blew out a soft breath, glancing down to Gabby, seeing her already in a deep slumber, soft snores escaping through her lips as she clung to him, her bump pressed into his waist.

Smiling softly, he placed a light kiss against the top of her head, his eyes falling closed as he focused on the feeling of her body against his, his hand moving from her hip to her stomach, sliding under her shirt to rest against her stomach.

He would never get tired of these moments, and despite him being eager to meet their child, he wanted to make sure to soak in these special times between the two of them while he could, knowing they wouldn't last for long.

* * *

Gabby followed Jemma through the store as they searched for the maternity section, the expectant mother happy to let her friend lead as they walked around. Although most of her clothes still fit, Gabby knew they wouldn't for much longer. She'd already put in the request for bigger sizes of her shift clothes for both 51 and the SAS, and the next step was her everyday wear.

When she had mentioned yesterday on shift that she was thinking about going to buy some new clothes soon, Jemma all but jumped at the chance to go with her. Gabby knew how much of an adjustment her new work schedule was for her friend, and she'd be lying if she said she wasn't taking it just as hard. Gabby missed her partner, which led to her eagerly accepting Jemma's offer to help, wanting more time with her.

"So, do you know what all you're wanting?" Jemma asked as they found the clothing they were looking for.

"Honestly, I don't want much. I don't want to spend a lot of money on things I'll only be using a few times." She replied, Norris nodding. "Aside from a couple pairs of pants, maybe some leggings, and a few shirts, I don't want to get much more than that, not right now at least." Gabby spoke, Jemma shooting her an understanding smile.

"Sounds good. For the shirts, were you thinking more like nicer clothes, or comfy ones?"

"Mostly nicer stuff, shirts for when I leave the house. I'm not sure how much Matt loves it, but at home I usually just steal his clothes anyway." Gabby responded, earning a chuckle from her friend.

"Oh, I'm sure he has no problem with it." She replied, Gabby shaking her head with a grin as they moved around the section.

They had found a few things Gabby thought would work, the woman mostly interested in the leggings, knowing they'd grow with her throughout this pregnancy. She's gotten a few nicer shirts, all them loose and lightweight, considering she'd be heavily pregnant all through the summer, and the last thing she would want was heavy clothes weighing her down.

"How is Casey doing, by the way?" Jemma asked out of the blue, Gabby glancing back towards her. "I know you said he was still having a rough time."

"He's doing better... It's still hard for him, I know he has a difficult time not thinking about what might happen, but since our talk with the Chaplain, he's seemed to be feeling better about it." Gabby responded, resting her hand on her back. "I just wish I could do something to make it easier on him."

"I'm not sure if there's anything you can do, Gabby. There's no easy way to deal with this, for either of you."

"I know. I'm just holding onto hope that everything will be fine, and the worst case scenario won't happen. I know I can't control it, but I would give anything to not put him through that... I don't want to leave him, or our baby." She mused quietly, flipping through the stack of shorts in front of her. "I'm think I'm gonna get these." Gabby spoke, changing the subject as she held up a pair of navy shorts.

Knowing not to push the topic, Jemma simply nodded with a smile. "Yeah, you should. They'd look great on you."

They spent about ten more minutes looking around before Gabby decided she had enough items, Jemma carrying the clothes over her arm for her friend, despite Gabby's multiple protests. As they were walking back towards the front of the store, Gabby's steps slowed when they approached the baby section, her eyes roaming the tiny clothes as her hand instinctively went to her bump.

"You want to look?" Jemma asked with an encouraging grin, Gabby nodding slowly before they walked towards the clothes, Gabby's hands running over the material.

"It's crazy to think they're ever this small." She murmured, picking up a plain white onesie.

"Have you gotten anything for the baby yet?" Jemma asked, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, we haven't. Matt and I need to start talking about that, though."

"Well, it couldn't hurt to look around, maybe get a few things for the kid." She spoke. "I know you don't know what you're having yet, but that doesn't matter so much, your kid will look cute no matter what you put them in." Jemma told her, Gabby's smiling widening as she nodded, the two beginning to look around.

It was a little overwhelming, Gabby thinking of more and more things that needed to be done before they had this baby, especially because there's a chance she might not be here for that. She didn't want to leave Matt without things he'd need, just in case something happened. As they looked around, she kept making mental notes of things she needed to do and buy, Gabby knowing she'd need to actually write it down soon or she'd forget.

"Oh, Gabby you have to get this." Jemma said excitedly, holding up a onesie with distinct words written across the front, along with a large picture in the middle, Gabby chuckling as Jemma walked towards her. "It's perfect. And I know Casey will love it."

Gabby nodded, holding the clothing in her hands, running her thumb over the lettering. "Yeah, he will." Jemma was right, she had to get this, if for anything just to see the look on Matt's face.

After some more time looking around, Gabby found a few more items she wanted to get before they went to check out. It wasn't until the cashier had finished ringing up her things that she realized the onesie she wanted to show Matt wasn't here. She turned to Jemma to see if she knew where it went, but her question was answered when she saw it in her friend's hands, the woman holding it along with her wallet.

"I wanna get this for you guys."

"Jemma, you don't have to do that."

"I know, but I want to. In fact, you're gonna have to get used to a lot more gifts from me. As their self-appointed aunt, it's my duty to spoil little baby Casey." She spoke, an appreciative, small smile falling onto Gabby's face.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. It's the least I can do. Now hurry up and finish checking out, I want some lunch." She teasingly chastised, Gabby shaking her head before she paid for her things.

It didn't take long for them to finish up at the store, Jemma carrying the bags towards her car as Gabby followed behind her.

"So, uh, I know you're hungry, but how do you feel about having lunch at a firehouse?" Gabby asked quietly, Jemma turning towards her with a smile. "I want to go see Matt, if you don't mind. We could have lunch there."

"Of course I don't mind. You'll just have to tell me how to get there."

The two women climbed into Jemma's car, Gabby leading the way towards the firehouse, the drive taking around half an hour in the early afternoon traffic. But soon enough, they pulled up outside the house, Jemma finding a relatively close parking spot.

Before they went inside, Gabby grabbed the bag with the onesie from the trunk, a knowing smile falling onto Jemma's face. "I want Matt to see it." She explained with a sheepish grin, Jemma nodding before they began walking towards the house.

When they got close enough, Gabby could see the garage completely empty, Jemma following her closely as they walked into the large room. "I guess they're out. We can go in and see what we can find, maybe I can whip something up for lunch before they get back."

"Are you sure it's okay that I'm here?" Jemma asked hesitantly as she looked around her new surroundings, Gabby shooting her a confused glance as they entered through the double doors.

"Of course it is." She responded, the paramedics walking into the empty common room, Gabby heading towards the counter, placing the bag with the onesie down before moving into the kitchen to try and find something to make. Quickly scouring the fridge and pantry for a suitable lunch, Gabby decided on making turkey sandwiches. It wasn't anything special, but she knew it would be appreciated.

Jemma soon took up a position by her side, beginning to cut up some tomatoes while Gabby began tearing off some lettuce. They had just gotten started on building the sandwiches when the door opened, Gabby looking up to see Brett and Foster walking in.

"Hey guys." Gabby said, her presence clearly taking them by surprise.

"Hey Dawson." Emily responded first, her and Brett walking towards the two women.

"We didn't expect to see you here today. Hey Jemma." Brett greeted with a smile, the woman smiling back.

"Yeah, Jemma and I were out getting me some new clothes and we decided to stop by. You guys want a sandwich?"

The two paramedics nodded, Gabby putting two of her finished sandwiches on some plates, handing them to the women.

"Thanks for this, Dawson."

"Of course. Where is everyone else?"

"Finishing up at a call, we had a house fire." Foster explained. "We took our victim to the hospital, then were told they were almost done, that we could just head back." Gabby nodded understandingly, hearing the sound of rigs backing up just as Emily stopped talking.

It didn't take long for the firefighters to start piling in, Gabby waiting for one in particular who had yet to appear.

"Dawson! It's great to see you, kid." Herrmann spoke, coming up behind the counter, giving her a quick hug.

"Hey Herrmann." She responded, handing him a plate with his lunch on it, the older man smiling wide.

"You're the best." He placed a quick kiss on the side of her head, Gabby smiling as he headed for the table. Everyone had settled in, Jemma having taken up a seat by Brett, but Matt, along with Kelly, had yet to appear. Gabby knew he was unaware of her visit, but she didn't expect to have to go searching for him. She plated her and Matt's lunch, as well as one for Kelly, putting a few extra pickles on Matt's plate while she waited for him.

At the sound of the door opening, she looked up, seeing him walking in with Severide. The second Matt registered her presence, a wide smile broke out onto his face.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, his voice showing his confusion and excitement.

"Jemma and I decided to stop by. I made you some lunch." Matt patted Jemma's shoulder as he passed her, making his way around the counter.

"Thank you, baby." He whispered, placing a kiss on the back of her head as he stepped around her, coming to stand in front of the plates, his eyes searching for his. Gabby handed off a plate to Kelly, the Lieutenant smiling appreciatively before going to take up residence next to Kidd. Gabby slid Matt's plate in front of him, his smile widening as she took a bite of her sandwich.

"You wanna sit down?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, I'm good right now. How was the call?"

"It was good, no casualties or anything." He responded, taking a bite of his pickle. "Did you find some stuff?"

"I did. And I found some stuff for the baby." Matt's eyes widened, a smile forming on his face.

"Yeah?"

"Mhmm. Most of it's in the car, I can show you tomorrow. But there is one thing I wanted to show you today. Jemma bought it for us, and for the little guy."

"Little guy?" Herrmann's voice boomed through the room, the older man turning around on the couch with a wide smile covering his face. Clearly he'd been listening in on the conversation between the two as they stood in the kitchen, Gabby chuckling as she shook her head.

"Calm down, Herrmann." Matt spoke, earning laughs from around the room.

"We don't know what we're having yet. We should find out in a few days though." Gabby explained, Herrmann sighing.

"Dang it, I got all excited."

"Yeah, because you'd win some money." Gabby shot back, his eyes widening slightly, a sheepish look covering his face.

"You know about that, huh?"

"That you all placed bets on whether we're having a boy or a girl? Yeah, I know." She replied, her eyes narrowing at the older man.

"Severide started it!" He defended, putting his hands up before turning back around, Gabby scoffing lightly.

"Yeah, and I have bets on a girl. So help me out." Kelly called from the table before taking another bite.

"So, you were saying there's something you want me to see?" Matt changed the subject, Gabby's narrowed gaze moving towards him.

"You really think I don't know you're in on it, too?" She asked, her brows raising. Matt's eyes darted around the room, before flashing her the smile he reserved solely for her, his eyes softening.

"I love you." He responded, Gabby shaking her head as she laughed, tapping his cheek lightly.

"Uh huh. Anyway, yes, I do have something to show you. Jemma found it and got it for us."

"You didn't have to do that, Jemma." Matt spoke to her, raising his voice so she could hear him from her position at the table.

"That's what I told her."

"I wanted to." She responded softly. "Like I told Gabby, prepare for me to spoil that kid. This is only the beginning." She said with a grin, Matt flashing her a smile before turning back to Gabby.

"Can I see it?" He asked excitedly, Gabby's smile widening at his enthusiasm.

"Yeah, but finish your lunch first."

"But I want to see it now." He all but pouted, an amused look covering her face. Unable to resist his begging, she nodded, reaching across the counter to grab the small bag.

"Let's go in there." She nodded towards the conference room, Matt agreeing as they exited the room, Gabby shutting the door behind them. "Alright, close your eyes and hold out your hands."

Matt obliged eagerly, Gabby shaking her head as she pulled the onesie out of the bag, placing the small piece of clothing in his hands.

"Alright, you can look."

Her eyes stayed glued on him as he opened his, a huge smile breaking out across his face when he read the words in front of him, his eyes shining as he gripped the material tightly.

In the middle of the white onesie was a big red firetruck, with the words '_My Daddy is a Hero_' written boldly across the front.

Gabby watched as his features filled with joy, his eyes crinkling as he smiled down at the clothing. "I know those things are always kind of cheesy, but Jemma saw it and I couldn't resist. Plus, it's true." She explained, Matt tearing his eyes away from the material, shaking his head slightly.

"No, it's perfect. I love it." He stepped forward, wrapping his arm around her waist to bring her closer to him. "I love you."

He placed a gentle kiss to her lips, Gabby's hand coming up to rest behind his neck, holding them together for a few moments. "I love you, too."

* * *

Gabby's leg bounced up and down as she sat on the exam table, nerves flooding her body as they waited for Dr. Tanner.

"Babe, you're making me nervous." Matt chuckled from her side, Gabby's expression softening as she looked towards him.

"Sorry." She breathed out. "I'm just a little anxious. I'm ready to find out what we're having, and this waiting is killing me."

"I know, but she'll be in here soon enough. Don't start stressing yourself out." He warned gently, Gabby nodding as she reached for his hand.

"I'm not, I'm just excited. Pretty soon we can actually start referring to them as a girl or a boy, we're gonna know what we're having and it's just… it's crazy."

"I'm excited too. Hopefully Matt Junior will be cooperating." He spoke with a smirk, Gabby shaking her head.

"Baby, I love you but there's no way in hell we're naming him Matt Junior." She responded, scrunching her nose.

Before Matt could respond, the door opened, Dr. Tanner stepping inside with her tablet in her hands, closing the door behind her.

"Hi guys." She greeted, walking towards them.

"Hi." Gabby responded quickly.

"So, I can tell already that you all are anxious to get to the ultrasound." She started, Matt laughing lightly.

"Yeah, a little bit." Gabby replied, earning a knowing nod from the doctor.

"Well, I have to go through all the usual questions, but I don't want to keep you waiting. All that can be done when we get to my office. You ready to take a look at your baby?"

Gabby nodded eagerly, sliding back on the table, leaning herself back as she got comfortable. She dropped Matt's hand to adjust her clothes, lifting her shirt and moving down her pants so Dr. Tanner could work. As soon as she'd done her part, she reached for Matt's hand again, pulling him closer to her. He stood by her, placing his hand on the top of her head, leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead while Dr. Tanner got the machine ready.

"You still feeling alright, Gabby?" She asked, applying the gel to the doppler.

"I am, I've been feeling pretty good."

"Good, that's good. Alright, let's get started."

The ultrasound began, the screen hidden from their view as Dr. Tanner worked on getting the right images and measurements she needed, Gabby and Matt waiting as patiently as they could, which was proving to be harder than anticipated.

"Alright, well your baby is looking great, everything's right on target. And they're definitely showing off today." She responded with a chuckle.

"You can tell what we're having?" Gabby asked, her voice soft and hopeful, Dr. Tanner nodding with a bright smile. Gabby's gaze fell on Matt, seeing him looking towards the monitor despite them not being able to see it.

"I sure can. Are you guys ready to know?" She asked, Matt's eyes flickering back towards Gabby, their gazes locked on one another as smiles fell onto both of their faces.

"We are." Gabby responded as they turned back towards Dr. Tanner.

Wordlessly, Dr. Tanner moved the monitor, showing them the image of their child, Matt and Gabby staring at the screen in awe.

"Congratulations, you two are having a baby girl."

Gabby's breath caught in her throat as tears filled her eyes, her free hand coming up to cover her mouth while she stared at the image of their little girl. Tears fell freely down her cheeks as she looked up to Matt, seeing him completely focused on the picture, his mouth parted in shock, Gabby seeing his eyes shining. She squeezed his hand, gaining his attention as his eyes landed on her, a wide smile forming over his face.

"We're having a little girl." He whispered, tears streaming down his face. "That's our daughter."

A soft sob escaped Gabby's lips as she nodded, both of them overwhelmed with excitement and joy as he leaned down, kissing her deeply. His hand came up to cradle her cheek, wiping away the tears of they fell, Matt pulling back slightly.

"We're having a little girl." She repeated his words, her voice shaky as tears continuously slid down her cheeks, Matt's smile growing impossibly wider before he kissed her again.

"I love you." He whispered, Gabby's eyes shining. "I love you and our daughter so much."

She nodded slowly, running her hand over the side of his head, watching as a few more tears escaped down his skin.

"We love you, too."

* * *

**Well, Dawsey now knows what they're having! I've always pictured them having a baby girl, it just seems right for them. Actually, what I'd always hoped would happen on the show for them was a baby girl and Louie, but, you know, that never happened. But I know a lot of you were hoping for a girl, as well. So I hope you all liked this.**

**I'm excited to hear what you all thought of this one, it was definitely nice to have Jemma back for a bit, I know some of you were missing her. **

**Thank you so much for reading! Until the next.**


	44. Chapter Forty Four

**Hello hello! Here's the next chapter for you guys!**

**I absolutely loved seeing your reactions to the last chapter, you all are seriously the best. I hope you enjoy this one as well!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Four**_

* * *

"Are you sure I can't do anything to help?" Gabby called from the living room, Matt placing the lid back over the pot on the stove before walking towards her, coming into her view as he responded.

"All I need from you is to stay there until our guests get here." He replied, throwing the dish towel over his shoulder.

"But I'm feeling better, I can at least help you set the table." She tried to compromise, Matt shaking his head.

"I've already finished it. I just need you to stay put. I'm glad you're feeling better, I want you to stay that way." He spoke, earning a reluctant nod from Gabby before he moved back towards the kitchen.

It had been a few days since their last appointment with Dr. Tanner, and in those days Gabby had definitely started feeling a little worn down. She was still feeling better than she had earlier on in her pregnancy, but the fatigue was starting to set back in a little bit. That, combined with her back pain and leg cramps, left her a bit more irritable than normal, which led to Matt trying to take over more of her tasks around the house. He wanted her to take it easy and not have to worry about things, so he was doing what he could for her around the apartment. Starting with this dinner.

Checking on the food in the oven, Matt smiled in satisfaction at how it was coming along before continuing the process of getting ready for dinner. Soon after their appointment, they quickly began discussing who they wanted to share the news with first. They'd managed to avoid the questions about the gender during their most recent shift at the firehouse, the couple not wanting everyone to know just yet. They had come up with a small group of people they wanted to tell first, it just took some time to find a night that would work for all of them.

Antonio was the first person that came to Gabby's mind, she was set on him being one of the first to know about her and Matt's little girl. Him and her father, she wanted them to know first. Matt had chosen Severide to join their small dinner, and then Jemma had rounded out the group. They were beyond excited to tell everyone their wonderful news, but these four were who they wanted to share it with first.

"You think they're gonna be excited?" Gabby's voice flooded into the kitchen, a small smile falling onto Matt's face.

"They're gonna be thrilled. I can't wait for them all to know about our baby girl." He responded, stirring the sauce before turning the stovetop on low. "I just hope I can hold on and not blurt it out the second they get here." He mused, hearing her chuckle from the other room.

"Surely you can wait a few more hours. We've known for days already and you haven't said anything." A sharp knock interrupted their conversation, Matt walking towards the living room, seeing Gabby get up from the couch. "We're almost there, don't ruin the surprise now." She teased with a grin, heading for the front door.

"Gabriela!" Ramon's excited voice flooded through the apartment as she pulled the door open, bringing his daughter into a warm hug. "Oh my, honey, look at you." He spoke in awe, marveling at his daughter's growing baby bump, the tight shirt hugging Gabby's body making it stand out.

"Hi dad." She responded before moving her attention to her brother. "Hi Tonio." She spoke, pulling him in for a hug.

"Hey sis, how are you feeling?" He asked as they walked inside, Gabby closing the door behind them.

"I've been alright, just the usual pregnancy symptoms are kind of kicking my butt. But I'm excited to have you guys here tonight."

"Look who I found." Matt's voice filled the room as Gabby turned to look at him, seeing him and Severide walking into the living room.

"Hey Sev." She greeted, the firefighter coming to give her a hug, rubbing her back as they embraced.

"Hey, sorry I kind of snuck in the back. Hey Antonio." Severide greeted, earning a nod from the detective, the two shaking hands.

"Kelly, you remember my dad, Ramon." Kelly nodded, flashing the man a bright grin as they exchanged pleasantries, Gabby's attention moving towards the door as she heard knocking.

Silently, she walked towards the noise, pulling open the door to see Jemma on the other side.

"Hey, sorry, I know I'm late." She apologized, Gabby waving her off as she let her inside.

"You're fine, everyone else just got here." She assured her, the paramedics stepping into the busy living room. Matt had disappeared from the room, most likely putting the finishing touches on dinner, Severide in deep conversation with Ramon, the two men laughing. Gabby waited for a break in their discussion before stepping in, grabbing their attention. "Hey, sorry to interrupt. But dad, I want you to meet my partner, Jemma." Gabby introduced, the young girl smiling softly. "Jemma, I know you know my brother, Antonio."

"It's nice to see you again." Antonio spoke, smiling warmly at her.

"And this is my dad, Ramon."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Dawson." She greeted, the older man smiling.

"It's nice to meet you, too. I've heard nothing but great things about you. You seem like an amazing young woman, I'm glad my Gabriela has you looking out for her." Ramon spoke, rubbing Gabby's back, feeling his daughter lean into his side slightly.

"Oh, well Gabby's the amazing one. I swear, I've learned so much from her in such a short amount of time. You have have one incredible daughter."

Ramon nodded in agreement, leaning to place a soft kiss to the side of Gabby's head, holding onto her.

"Yes I do." He murmured, Gabby smiling up at her father as Matt reappeared.

"Well, it's definitely not anything as good as Gabby can make, but dinner's ready." Matt spoke with a grin, the guests beginning to file into the kitchen, finding their seats. Matt ended up at the head of the table, Gabby to his left, sandwiched between him and Antonio. Ramon was directly across from Casey, Jemma and Kelly claiming the spots on the other side, all ready to dig in.

Their night was full of laughter and fun, everyone enjoying themselves as they ate and talked, their conversations never stalling. While they sat there, Gabby had to force herself to sit back and take a moment to soak this in, spending this quality time with those closest to her, knowing there was a very real possibility that she wouldn't be able to do this for much longer.

She didn't want to dwell on it, not wanting to put a damper on what had been an incredible evening with her family and friends, who were practically family. But it was always in the back of her mind, almost like a reminder to enjoy her time while she could.

It took getting to dessert for Gabby to finally give Matt the signal that they could share the news, Matt placing his fork down as he glanced around the table.

"So, uh, there's something Gabby and I want to tell you guys." Matt's words caused the other conversations to halt, everyone looking towards him. "I know you all know this, but Gabby and I go to a lot of doctor's appointments. Well, at our last one, we were able to find out what we're having."

The room went quiet, everyone staring between Gabby and Matt expectantly, waiting for one of them to reveal the great news.

Matt glanced back towards her, their grins matching each others as he gave her a nod, silently telling her to tell them.

Taking a deep breath, Gabby reached for his hand, looking back towards her family, a few tears shining in her brown eyes.

"We're having a baby girl."

Elation filled the room, gasps of shock and joy being heard around the table as Gabby released a watery chuckle, feeling Matt squeeze her hand.

"Oh, mija." Ramon murmured, his hands coming up to cover his mouth, pure excitement radiating off of him.

"I knew it!" Severide responded, rubbing his hands together, a wide grin covering his face.

"I'm so happy for you guys." Jemma breathed out, tears of her own filling her eyes.

Antonio was the only one Gabby couldn't read. He hadn't said a word, he'd only stared at her as his eyes filled with tears.

"I know you've always wanted a nephew, hopefully a niece will be okay, though." She joked, trying to gauge his reaction.

Antonio shook his head, a light laugh escaping his lips as he turned towards her, wrapping his arms tightly around her back. Gabby dropped Matt's hand, holding onto her brother securely.

"I'm so happy for you, sis." He breathed out, placing a kiss to the side of her head, Gabby having a hard time fighting off the tears in her eyes threatening to fall, her grip on him tightening. "This kid is so lucky."

A few tears escaped down her cheeks, Antonio rubbing her back before they pulled away, Gabby wiping away the water under her eyes.

"Thank you." She murmured, glancing towards Matt when she felt his hand on her thigh, rubbing soothing motions over her leg, a warm smile on his face.

"You all wanna see our last ultrasound?" Matt asked, knowing Gabby would want the attention shifted away from her while she was more emotional than normal, Casey earning nods from everyone in the room. He pushed himself up from his seat, placing a quick kiss to the top of Gabby's head before moving towards the kitchen, going in search of images.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter, excitement, and the occasional tears, Gabby feeling a sense of warmth and comfort being in the presence of some of the most important people in her life.

* * *

Matt's eyebrows furrowed as he was slowly pulled from his slumber, the tired man keeping his eyes closed in hopes of falling back asleep. He wasn't sure what had woken him, something had disturbed his rest but he couldn't pinpoint it. It wasn't until he heard the noise again that he opened his eyes, blinking to try and adjust to the dark room.

His eyes moved to the source of the sound, looking towards Gabby, seeing her resting on her side facing away from him, occasional hisses and groans escaping through her lips as Matt watched her press her hand into her hip.

"Gabby?" He questioned softly, leaning over to turn on the lamp before sitting up in bed, trying to get a better view of her in the dimly lit room.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up." She murmured, Matt frowning as his eyes ran over her face, seeing the grimace covering her features.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly, placing his hand on her bare thigh, rubbing gently across her skin.

"Just the ligament pain again." She breathed out, Matt nodding slowly. He moved his hand up her thigh to her waist, gently nudging her hand away from her hip.

"Let me." He spoke softly, Gabby moving her hand to her stomach as Matt began pressing down in between her belly and her hip, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek roughly. It hurt, but it was a good pain. It was a pain that told her he was helping the problem. "That's not too much, is it?" He questioned, Gabby shaking her head.

Gabby laid there as he massaged her hip, releasing a few involuntary groans as he used long strokes against her muscle, slowly relieving the ache.

"Is this worse than usual?" He questioned after nearly ten minutes of helping her. How this routine had usually gone was Matt would massage her hip for a couple minutes, get the confirmation that Gabby was feeling better and he could stop, or he'd continue anyway, just because she enjoyed it. But he had yet to see a physical response that her pain was gone, and he could feel under his fingertips that her muscle was still tight.

"Yeah, I've never had them this bad before. It's definitely feeling better, but it's like it stops and then comes back." She explained, Matt glancing from her face to her hip.

"And you're sure that's normal?" She nodded in response as Matt continued his movements. He didn't care to continue massaging her muscles, he'd give her as many massages as she asked for. It was the pain that was concerning him; he didn't want her to be in pain, and he didn't know what this prolonged pain meant for the baby.

"It's not a constant pain. It comes and goes, which is normal. Dr. Tanner said as long as it's not continuous then it's fine. It just hurts like a bitch." She gritted out between clenched teeth, Matt feeling her muscles tighten under his touch again.

He would do anything for her not to have to go through this, Matt hating to ever see her in any amount of pain. Unfortunately, that had been a common occurrence as of late, her ligament pain coming in waves. But she handled it like a pro, Matt helping whenever he could.

"Let me call Boden, I can tell him you can't come in today." He spoke quietly, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, no I'm okay. The pain will go away soon."

"Yeah, but I know even once it does, you always feel achy and sore for awhile afterwards. It won't be a problem, everyone knows you have to take it easy." He tried again, Gabby sighing softly as she gently pushed his hand away, slowly beginning to sit up, Matt placing his hand on her back to help the process.

"Matt, I love you, but I don't need to stay home. I'm fine. Plus, we're supposed to tell everyone what we're having today. I can't let you have all the fun alone." She responded, turning her body so her legs were hanging off the side of the bed. Matt threw the covers off himself, standing up and walking over to her side of the bed, crouching down in front of her, resting his palms over her knees.

"We can tell them next shift. You're what's important here, I don't want you working if you shouldn't."

"I promise you, I would tell you if I didn't feel up to going in. But I'm good." She assured him, her hand coming out to rest over his cheek, rubbing her thumb against his skin. "Now, I'm gonna go get in the shower. Would you like to join me?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow, Matt sucking in a deep breath before his eyes moved towards her stomach, reaching his hand out to rest over her bump.

"Your Momma can be quite persuasive, kid." He murmured, caressing her stomach for a few moments before ultimately giving in. "Fine." He spoke, lifting his head up to look at Gabby. "But no funny business." Matt warned, standing back up, holding out his hands for her to take, helping her up off the bed.

"Not even just a little?" She questioned, trying to hide her amusement as she flashed him a challenging smirk, Matt feeling his mouth go dry as he swallowed thickly. Her hands let go of his, reaching and pulling the large t-shirt from her body, dropping it casually on the floor as she left herself exposed to him, his eyes roaming from her face down to her filled out chest and stomach. Matt forced himself to take a deep breath, his action proving useless at steadying himself as her hands moved to his waist, toying with the edge of his boxers.

"You're not playing fair." He replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Gabby's smirk grew as she snapped the elastic waistband against his skin, teasing her fingertips over his hips. "I have a feeling you don't mind." She spoke softly, leaning up to place a kiss against his lips, Matt groaning as he felt her bare chest against his. "I'll see you in there." She whispered against his mouth, sliding past him as she moved for the bathroom.

Matt sucked in a deep breath, discarding his boxers as he glanced towards the time. His smile grew as he followed after her, their early morning giving them all the time they needed and more to enjoy their shower together.

* * *

"So, I believe before we finish up today, Casey told me he and Dawson have something they wanted to share." Boden spoke from the front of the conference room, Matt nodding as he pushed himself up from his seat beside Gabby, waiting until she got up as well, following behind her as she walked up towards the front of the room.

"Well, we have some exciting news." Matt spoke, placing his hand on Gabby's lower back, rubbing over her t-shirt.

"Exciting for some of you, others might be disappointed depending on how much money they lost." She replied, her narrowed gaze shifting between Herrmann and Severide, her look earning snickers from around the room.

"Oh yeah, Dawson's got the scary mom look down." Cruz joked, Gabby scoffing lightly as Matt chuckled at her side.

"But, anyway, we wanted to tell you guys that… we're having a baby girl."

Cheers erupted around the conference room, Herrmann being the first one up to come and hug Gabby, rubbing her back as they held onto one another.

"Oh my God, this amazing." He spoke excitedly as he pulled back, stepping out of the way so others could get a turn to hug her, Herrmann moving to Matt, patting his back. "You're gonna have a little carbon copy of Dawson, I already know it."

"I know." Matt breathed out, unable to stop the wide grin forming on his face. "It's surreal, I'm so excited."

He looked towards her as Boden brought her in for a hug, Brett patiently waiting for her turn as Gabby got passed around through the firehouse.

"That's great news, congrats Dawson." Foster spoke, bringing Gabby in for a quick hug before Severide got to her.

"Congratulations again." He told her, kissing her cheek before hugging her tightly "I'm so happy for you guys."

"Thanks Kelly." She spoke quietly, giving him an extra squeeze before pulling back.

A crowd had settled around the expectant parents, Gabby finding her way back to Matt's side, her eyes bouncing around the group.

"Okay well now I'm just curious, in this baby gender pool you all had going, who picked girl?" She asked with a raised eyebrow, Kelly unapologetically shooting his hand up, his action prompting others to do the same. Along with Severide, Brett, Otis, Mouch, and Boden all raised their hands, Gabby glancing to Matt as he slowly lifted his in the air, a sheepish grin on his face. Rolling her eyes, Gabby turned back to the group. "Wow, so most of you went with boy huh?"

"Yeah, but a little girl, that's incredible. I can't wait to meet her. Although Casey's definitely gonna have his hands full with the both of you." Herrmann teased, laughs being heard around the room as Matt placed a kiss to her temple.

The group began dispersing, Gabby turning to look at Matt as they stood with Severide, Herrmann, and Brett, everyone else having either left or started talking amongst themselves.

"So, you really bet on us having a girl?" She questioned, Matt flashing her a bright smile.

"Well, I chose correctly, didn't I?"

Shrugging, Gabby leaned back into his side, wrapping her arm around his waist. "At least you got us some money out of it." She murmured, earning laughs from the small group around them.

* * *

Casey was at the table in the common room, enjoying his lunch as he sat with Severide. It was a little past noon in the firehouse, the room comfortably quiet as a few firefighters enjoyed their food, Matt waiting for ambo to get back from their call before he made some for Gabby.

Only a few more minutes passed before he heard the door open, Matt looking up with a wide grin when he saw Gabby walking in, Brett and Foster following behind her. But his smile soon fell, being replaced with a frown when he saw the grimace on her face, Gabby not even looking his way as she turned the corner to head down the hallway.

"Is she okay?" Matt asked, standing up from his seat.

"She's been dealing with that pain again." Brett answered, Matt sighing heavily. "It started just as we were leaving, we had her sit out halfway through the last call. She didn't appreciate it much, at least not at the time, but she was really struggling."

"Thanks you guys." He responded, rubbing his hand over his mouth before sliding past them, turning into the hallway, heading in the direction she went. Glancing through the glass door into the bunk room, he didn't see her anywhere, Matt continuing down the hallway, walking into the bathroom.

When he got inside, he saw the first stall door was shut, Matt moving to the counter, leaning his weight into it as he waited for her to finish, his arms crossed over his chest.

It only took a few moments for Matt to see the stall door open, Gabby's movements pausing momentarily when she saw him standing there, flashing him a weak smile before she walked towards him. He watched her closely as she began washing her hands, Matt pushing a loose piece of hair behind her ear before moving to stand behind her, looking at her in the mirror.

"What's wrong?" He questioned softly, Gabby taking a deep breath, meeting his gaze through the mirror as she turned the water off.

"It's just the usual." She murmured, Matt moving his hand around to the front of her hips, starting on her left side as he began massaging the area, pressing his fingers into her skin.

"Is it worse than this morning?"

She shook her head, her eyes falling closed as she focused on the feeling of his movements, taking deep breaths as his methods helped the pain pass. A low groan left her lips as he increased his pressure, Matt placing a soft kiss to her shoulder.

"Can you do the other side?" She asked softly, Matt nodding with a small smile, releasing his grip and bringing his other hand up to her right side, repeating the process, pressing down in between her protruding stomach and her hip bone.

He had only just started when they heard the bells ring throughout the house, signaling 61 to assist at a car accident. Gabby sighed heavily, beginning to turn around in his grip.

"Stay here." He told her, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing, shaking her head lightly.

"I'm fine."

"Gabby, I'm serious." He replied, moving towards the door, disappearing through it, Gabby grimacing as she felt another pain shoot through her hip.

Matt hurried through the hallway, moving into the garage through the first set of double doors, seeing Brett and Foster heading for the ambulance.

"It's just you two on this one, guys." He called across the garage, the women turning to look at him.

"Got it, Casey." Brett responded, opening the driver's side door. "I hope she feels better."

Matt gave her a nod before heading back into the firehouse, following the familiar path to the bathroom, pushing the swinging door open to find Gabby where he left her, leaning into the counter.

"Turn back around." He spoke softly, Gabby complying as she turned to face the mirrors. She watched as Matt came up behind her, resuming his previous methods, Gabby breathing steadily as he worked.

After a few focused moments, Matt moved his hand around to her back, bringing up his other one as he began massaging the back of her hips, knowing how sore her body was.

He continued on for nearly ten minutes, feeling her relax under his fingers as he did what he could to help her, Gabby wearing an appreciative smile when he dropped his hands.

"That's about all I can do right now, but tomorrow night I can give you a better massage." He spoke, Gabby nodding as he pressed a kiss to the back of her head.

"I'm looking forward to that."

"I've been doing some research, to find the best way to give you a massage. I mean, I think I've done alright so far, but with our little girl, I wanna make sure the both of you are safe." He responded, Gabby's chest filling with warmth at his words. "I think you're gonna enjoy it, though." A proud grin fell across his lips, Gabby turning around to face him, his hands instinctively going to her waist.

"Thank you." She whispered, placing a soft kiss to his lips as he rubbed up and down over her sides.

"You don't need to thank me, it's nothing." He responded. "Plus, I have a feeling I'm gonna like it, too." He spoke smugly, Gabby shaking her head in amusement, Matt pulling back from her, reaching for her hand as he began leading her from the bathroom.

Silently, she followed him to the bunk room, Matt taking her to his office, nodding at her to sit down on the bed.

"I'm gonna get you some lunch, any requests for a beverage?"

Gabby shook her head. "Water's fine. But remember-"

"Smaller meals, I know." He interjected, Gabby smiling as he moved towards the door. "You rest, I'll be back."

Gabby watched him as he left, making herself comfortable on his bed while she waited for him to return. Sometimes she still doesn't know how she got so lucky, to love Matt and for him to love her back, but all she knew was she felt thankful for him every day. There was no better person, no better man for her to spend the rest of her life with, for her to bring a child into this world with, and there wasn't a day that went by where she wasn't eternally grateful that they found their way back to each other.

And she was determined to make the most out of whatever time they had left.

* * *

"So, what time are you meeting up with Antonio?" Matt questioned as they walked through the hallway hand in hand, the couple having just finished up their shift at 51. It had turned into quite a busy one, 81 and squad 3 called away most of the night to help with an apartment fire, while 61 had been sent all over the city throughout the night. Gabby helped when she could, but a few times she had to stay back, her body reminding her of its limitations. She felt guilty for Brett and Foster having to carry some of the extra workload, but they had constantly assured her it was fine, that she needed to take care of herself before she could take care of anyone else.

"In about an hour, I think." She responded.

"That'll be good, you all getting to spend some time together."

"Yeah, I feel like I really haven't seen him much lately. Hopefully your daughter can settle down a bit to give me a break." Gabby replied lightly, Matt glancing down to her stomach.

"She's moving around a lot?"

"Most definitely."

"I can't wait until I can feel her." He murmured, Gabby squeezing his hand tightly.

"Soon enough." She reminded him, Matt nodding as they continued walking. "So what are you gonna do with your freedom today? With no hormonal pregnant lady to boss you around?"

Matt shook his head, placing a quick kiss to the side of her head before responding. "I mean, I'm not completely free, you're only gonna be gone a few hours." He teased, Gabby pinching his side with an unamused look on her face, Matt shying away from her touch. "But no, I'm probably just gonna hang around the apartment. Maybe get some laundry done."

Gabby nodded with a smile, unable to respond when she saw Herrmann step out from the common room, the expectant parents slowing their steps, eyeing the man curiously as he stared at them with a grin.

"Uh, can we help you Herrmann?" Matt asked, the older man waving them towards him before he stepped back into the room, Matt and Gabby glancing to one another as they walked towards the common room, their confusion only growing when they saw the entire house standing there.

"What's going on?" Gabby asked, Herrmann holding out a thick envelope, Gabby reaching for it slowly. "What is this?"

"We were talking, and we decided that you two deserve the money from the pool about your baby."

"What?"

"Yeah, I mean, we just started it as fun, but we want you all to have the money. It was Severide's idea."

"Herrmann, Kelly, we can't accept this." Matt spoke, Severide shaking his head.

"Yes, you can." Kelly spoke.

"Kids ain't cheap, believe me. We want you all to have it." Herrmann replied.

Tears pricked the edges of Gabby's eyes as she dropped Matt's hand, stepping forward to give Herrmann a hug. Casey moved towards Kelly, bringing his friend in for a thankful hug.

"Oh, don't cry on me kid, I'm gonna start crying too." He spoke lightly, Gabby chuckling as she pulled back.

"Thank you all, really. You all didn't have to do this, but we appreciate it so much."

Herrmann waved her off, Gabby glancing around at the bright smiles shining back at her. "It's the least we could do for you guys."

"This is really gonna help us, I don't know how to repay you guys."

"Nah, none of that." Herrmann replied with a wide grin. "All we need from you is you and the little rascal coming out of this okay."

Gabby nodded, biting down on her bottom lip before bringing him into another quick hug, holding onto the older man a little extra tight, her actions expressing more than her words ever could.

* * *

Matt tapped his fingers on his warm coffee mug, steam lifting into the air as he glanced around the little coffee shop, checking his watch once more before returning his gaze to the other customers.

He'd been approached by workers a few different times, all of them asking if he needed anything, but each time he declined. He wasn't here for the food, or even the coffee. He was here to talk to someone, and he was here because there was no chance of Gabby running into him.

The sound of the door chiming grabbed his attention, Matt smiling when he saw the woman he was waiting for enter the shop, her looking around until her eyes landed on him, a soft smile coming to her face. He stood up as she approached him, Matt bringing her in for a quick hug before they sat down.

"Thanks for meeting me here, Jemma." He spoke, the paramedic flashing him a wide smile.

"Of course." She responded, glancing around. "I was a little surprised to hear you wanted to meet here. Where's Gabby?"

"She's, uh, spending the morning with her brother. I actually asked you to meet me here so you and I could talk." He said, Jemma sensing his nerves from across the table.

"Alright, what do you wanna talk about?"

Matt downed a large gulp of his coffee, grimacing as the hot liquid slid down his throat, sighing heavily before gaining the courage to answer her question.

"I'm gonna ask Gabby to marry me again."

A huge grin spread across her face, her eyes shining with joy. "Matt, that's so exciting!" She responded cheerfully, Matt smiling as he nodded.

"Yeah, it is. It's been long enough... I know you're aware of everything that happened between Gabby and I, but I'm tired of her not being my wife anymore. I made a lot of mistakes, I lost her when I didn't have to, but I've been given another chance and I'm not letting her go again."

"I know you all went through a lot, but I've seen how much you two mean to each other." She spoke comfortingly, her hands resting on the table. "Gabby is going to be so excited. I'm so excited and this isn't even my proposal." She rambled jokingly, Matt chuckling softly. "So, what do you need from me?"

"Well, I need your help with Gabby." He replied, Jemma waiting for more information. "I'm gonna propose to her at the firehouse, and I need you to get her there."

"Alright." She spoke, a soft smile on her face. "What made you choose to do it there?" She questioned, Matt breathing in deeply.

"The first time I proposed to her, I did it at the firehouse." He answered, Jemma's smile widening. "But, uh, that day ended up being pretty awful for everyone, so I decided to propose to her again a few months later."

"What happened?"

"...I'm not sure if Gabby's ever mentioned Shay." Realization settled in on Jemma's face, her smile turning into a frown as she nodded.

"She has, yeah. I know she was Gabby's best friend, and that she died on duty." Jemma replied, Matt nodding solemnly.

"Yeah, the day I proposed was the day of the call when we lost her." He explained, sadness shining in her eyes. "Gabby never got the chance to answer me before we got called out, and that's when it happened. That day turned awful so quickly, the proposal wasn't a priority at that point. My focus was just helping her through losing her best friend, so it took awhile for us to get back to that mindset. And she ended up being glad she didn't answer me on that day, anyway. She didn't want to associate the day of her engagement with what happened to Shay." Matt spoke, Jemma nodding understandingly. "But I want to propose to her there again. It's where we met, it's where we fell in love. I want to give her a proposal there that's a good memory."

"That sounds like a great idea, Matt. I know she's gonna love it." Jemma responded. "Do you know when you're going to do it?"

"Well, in the next couple weeks, definitely. If Gabby's okay with it, I'd like us to actually be married before our daughter is born."

"Oh, knowing Gabby, she'd go get married to you tomorrow if she could."

Jemma's words brought a smile to his face, Matt blowing out a breath.

"Yeah, I hope so. I know she wants this, but the idea of proposing again is still nerve wracking."

"Have you gotten a ring? Or are you just gonna use the first one?"

"Oh, no, I got her a new one. She, uh- after what happened to her in Puerto Rico, she didn't have her rings anymore." Matt told her, Jemma nodding with a sad, understanding smile. "I actually bought it back before Christmas. I had planned to propose then, but there were some things that came up and I couldn't. I didn't mean to wait this long, but then with the baby and everything, I kind of got sidetracked."

"Gabby's not gonna care, she's just going to be excited to be married to you again. Trust me, she's gonna love whatever you do. I'm just glad to be apart of it."

"Of course, you were my first thought when I started planning this. I mean, I briefly thought about Kelly. I took him with me to get the ring, and he hasn't stopped asking me about it since, but I know if Severide was sent to go get Gabby, she'd definitely think something was up. Or worse, she'd think something happened to me and I don't want that." He replied, Jemma shaking her head.

"Yeah, that definitely wouldn't be good. But you can trust me with this, I'll get her there."

"I know you will. I appreciate your help."

"Anything for you guys." She responded with a bright smile, Matt returning the gesture before taking another sip of his coffee, feeling as if a weight had been lifted off his chest. He'd been thinking about this for weeks now, the ring hidden in their apartment seemingly imprinted in his mind. He wanted to propose, he wanted to be married to her again as soon as possible.

Now all he had to do was find the right moment.

* * *

Matt pulled open the top drawer of the dresser in the guest room, moving aside the extra sheets they had stored there, reaching to the back to pull out the small ring box he'd had hidden there for months.

Holding it in his hands, he slowly opened it, his smile widening as he caught a glimpse of her ring shining in the light. The band wasn't all that different from her first one, but he hoped she would still like it. He just couldn't wait until the day it was back on her finger and not stuck inside this box.

The sound of the front door closing snapped him from his thoughts, Matt's head turning to look towards the guest room door as he frantically shoved the ring box back into its hiding place, making sure to cover it well before quietly shutting the drawer.

"Matt?" Gabby's voice flooded through the apartment as he headed towards the hallway. "You home?"

"Hey." He greeted as he came out of the guest room, seeing Gabby still in the doorway.

"Hey there, what were you doing?"

"Oh, just looking around, trying to picture a nursery in there." He covered smoothly, a content smile falling onto her face.

"Come up with any ideas?" She questioned, sliding off her shoes, placing her purse down on the entryway table before walking towards him, Matt meeting her halfway.

"Just that we should probably start thinking about getting the room set up." He spoke, wrapping his arm around her shoulders as he led her to couch, making a mental note to move the location of her ring before they started work on the nursery. "I know we have some time, but it couldn't hurt to get it done sooner rather than later." He continued, sitting down with her on the couch.

"Yeah, I agree. I mean, our little girl will be in our room for a while, but the last thing we're gonna want to do when we're running on no sleep with a newborn is have to set up a nursery." She responded, Matt grinning.

"Definitely not." He agreed, Gabby adjusting her position, leaning her back against the edge of the couch, facing Matt as she placed her legs in his lap, a shy smile resting over her lips. Releasing a soft chuckle, Matt understood her silent request as he began massaging her feet, Gabby blowing out a soft sigh. "How'd your morning go with Antonio?"

"It was good to spend some time, just me and him. My feet are killing me though, and my legs." She replied with a knowing smirk, Matt shaking his head lightly, moving his hands up to her calves, beginning to rub her sore muscles. "What about you? Get any laundry done?"

"I actually fell asleep." He spoke with a sheepish grin. "Guess last shift took more out of me than I realized."

"Yeah, it was a busy one. I'm glad you were able to get some rest." She responded, straightening her arm out across the back of the couch, running her fingers over the side of his head as he soothed the aches in her legs. "So, what do you think we should do for the nursery?"

"A crib would be a good start." He responded quickly, Gabby rolling her eyes as she flicked his ear, his shoulders scrunching up as he laughed. "Ouch." He joked, flashing her a small smile before going back to his task. "But, in all seriousness, I'm not sure what to do with the furniture in there. I guess we could sell some of it." Matt mused, glancing towards her. "I mean, cause even in a few years when baby girl is in a bed, she won't need a queen size one."

"Who knows, she might love it." Gabby responded with a laugh, earning a chuckle from Matt.

"Well, if she's anything like her Momma, I'm sure she would." He teased, sliding his hands up and down her shins. "But we can figure it out. If you'd rather keep it, I'm sure Sev wouldn't mind holding some of it in his extra bedroom for us."

Gabby shrugged, nodding slowly as she spoke. "Yeah, we'll figure it out. The dresser can stay, we could always just have you stain it to match whatever we decide to go with… if you don't mind."

"Of course not."

"Maybe we'll just hang onto the bed for now, in case we decide to use it down the line. It's a nice bed, I'd rather not sell it if we don't have to."

"Okay, I'll talk to Kelly. If he doesn't mind to keep it for us, I'll get him to help me take it apart and move it. One day whenever you're feeling up for it, we can go and look at cribs, car seats, stuff like that."

A soft yawn escaped her mouth, Gabby nodding slowly. "Sounds like a plan." Seeing her exhaustion, Matt gave one last rub over her legs before turning to face her, holding her feet in his lap.

"What do you say about you getting into the bath while I make us some lunch? Then after we eat, maybe we can lay down and take a nap."

"Would you be able to sleep again?"

Matt shrugged, gently lifting her legs as he slid out from under her, resting her feet down on the couch while he stayed seated on the edge. "I can try, but even if not I don't mind to lay there till you fall asleep."

A soft smile graced her face, Gabby nodded as he stood up. "I won't say no to that."

Matt chuckled softly, leaning down to place a quick kiss to the top of her head, leaving her seated on the couch while he headed for the bathroom, beginning the process of getting her bath ready.

* * *

**So, we definitely have a few different things going on. To all those who have kept asking about the ring and Matt proposing, I definitely didn't forget about that, as you can tell. More on that will be coming up in the next couple chapters.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this one. I'm sorry it's a little shorter than normal, there was originally one more section to this chapter, but I decided to move it to the next one, I felt that it fit better there, so I apologize for the length. But I can't wait to hear what you all think, thank you so much for reading and sticking with me and this story. It means everything to me.**


	45. Chapter Forty Five

**Wow. Chapter 45? I never thought this story would ever be continuing this far. But I hope you all enjoy this one!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Five**_

* * *

"You comfortable?" Matt asked as he kneeled on the bed behind her, lotion in hand. Gabby was lying on her side in the middle of the bed, surrounded by a mess of pillows, all of which were supporting different parts of her body. Along with the typical pillow holding her head, she had one between her knees, along with one behind her back and another supporting her belly. Although her nearly 22-weeks pregnant stomach wasn't massive, she was definitely growing, her round bump prominent. And along with her expanding waistline came all sorts of aches and pains, which is where Matt came in to help.

He'd been giving her little massages here and there throughout her pregnancy, usually focusing on just one area; whether it be her feet, her legs, or her shoulders. But after extensive research and some trial and error, he had become masterful at giving her a full body massage, and Gabby absolutely loved it. Not only did it feel amazing, but she loved the intimacy that came with it. Even though she was still feeling the effects of her increased energy levels, and her and Matt were most definitely taking advantage of it, there were some times she didn't feel in the mood for their extracurricular fun. But these moments with Matt helped her feel just as close to him. And she always made sure to properly thank him for everything he's done for her, which, admittedly, Matt thoroughly enjoyed. To no surprise, he'd been more than patient with her, always letting her take the lead, always respecting the times when she was too sore or too tired to engage in their fun. And he was always very attentive, doing whatever she needed, whether she asked for it or not. He had been incredible to her and their child, and she made sure to let him know just how much she appreciated it.

"Very." She replied with a grin, her hand resting over her bare stomach. Clad in only a pair of underwear, Gabby was ready for this massage, more than ready to have Matt's hands on her, rubbing away all the tension her body held.

It was the same process every time, Matt starting by placing a kiss to her head, and one to her stomach, before getting to work. He started with her shoulders, focusing on her tense muscles there, applying just the right amount of pressure each and every time. He spent more than enough time there, before he moved to her back. He had quickly found out that this area was what hurt her the most, their growing baby putting a lot of strain on her back, especially near her waist. So he always made sure to focus on this area the longest, relishing in the content moans he'd occasionally hear from her as he hit an overly sore spot. He spent the most time on the base of her spine, transitioning from using his thumbs to pressing into her muscles with the heel of his hand. There had been once or twice he'd spent nearly half an hour just on her back, but he didn't mind. It was the least he could do, after all she was doing for them. When he finished up with her back, he'd slowly make his way down to her legs, working her sore calves before ending with her feet.

The entire process took around an hour, Matt finishing as he did every time by rubbing oil over Gabby's belly. He knew he couldn't actually massage her stomach, but he took any opportunity he could to touch her stomach. At first he'd just used the regular lotion that he applied generously to the rest of her body, but then one day Gabby had come home with this massage oil she'd heard helps with stretch marks, and started having him use that over her stomach. Truthfully, Matt loved the marks, it was amazing to him how her body was able to adapt and protect their child, but he also knew Gabby wasn't a fan of them. So he never really said anything, except for the times she was feeling down about how she looked and he made sure to remind her how beautiful she was. It was in those moments he would praise her for her appearance, admitting to her that he found her stretch marks sexy, which always got a smile out of her. Gabby had never been one to worry about her weight, she was confident in herself and always had been. She was never the type to base her worth on the approval of others, but he knew that pregnancy could do a number on anyone. That the drastic changes to her body in such a short amount of time could be hard, and sometimes she needed the extra reminder that he still found her incredibly beautiful, which he was always more than happy to give her.

"Feeling better?" Matt asked as he crawled up the bed back towards her head, smiling when he saw the relaxed look on her face. He began slowly massaging her scalp, his grin widening as she sighed deeply.

"I feel amazing, thank you." She murmured, focusing on the feeling of his hand pressing into her head, relieving any remaining tension in her body.

When he finished, he placed a lingering kiss to her temple, Gabby's hand coming up to rub over his cheek for a few moments before he pulled back.

"Happy to help." He responded, placing his warm palm over her stomach.

Matt made himself comfortable, getting off his shins and sitting down beside her back, facing her head as he gently stroked his thumb over her belly, watching her as she laid there with her eyes closed.

"She's moving around a lot." Gabby spoke softly after a few quiet moments, turning to look at him, seeing a wide smile appear on his face. "I think she knows it's you, she always moves like crazy whenever you're here." The look of pure joy covering his face was enough to bring a few tears to her eyes, Matt's gaze moving to her stomach. "She's already a daddy's girl."

"I can't wait until I can feel her." He murmured, continuing his slow movements across her belly.

"It'll be any day now." Gabby reminded him, Matt nodding with a smile.

They sat in the comfortable silence for a little longer, Matt's eyes glued to her stomach while Gabby relaxed, her eyes closed as she focused on the feeling of his warm hand over her skin. It wasn't until Gabby's stomach rumbled that their peace got disturbed, Gabby opening one eye to see Matt staring at her with an amused grin.

"I guess baby's hungry." He responded, Matt leaning down to place one last kiss to her bump before getting up. "Is there something you want?" He asked, moving towards the dresser.

"Would you mind making me a smoothie?" She asked with a shy smile, Matt chuckling as he shook his head, pulling out one of his t-shirts for her to wear before walking back towards her.

"Of course not."

Matt came around to her side of the bed, holding his hands out for her to grab onto, slowly helping her up into a sitting position, moving the pillows out of her way. He handed her the shirt, capturing her lips in a quick kiss before heading for the door.

"Just give me a few minutes." He told her before leaving the room, turning right into the kitchen to begin making her drink.

Gabby had been all about smoothies recently, it had definitely been a craving of hers over the last few weeks, which led to Matt making his fair share of drinks for her. Her appetite had been a force lately, and while it was better for her to consume smaller meals, that led to her being hungry every couple hours. But they'd soon discovered that her having a smoothie between meals had really helped satiate her hunger, and they'd found a few healthy ones they cycled through so she wouldn't get tired of them, Matt more than happy to make her one whenever she asked.

He had just finished pouring her smoothie into a glass when she emerged from the bedroom, his shirt hanging just over her hips, Gabby walking towards him with a thankful smile as he handed her the drink.

"Have I mentioned that I love you?" She asked him, taking the smoothie and downing a sip.

"A few times, yes." He responded with a soft chuckle, moving to place the dirty dishes in the sink, knowing they could be dealt with later. Walking back towards her, Matt grabbed her free hand, slowly leading her towards the living room. The two made themselves comfortable on the couch, wanting to enjoy their relaxing afternoon together before returning to shift tomorrow.

* * *

Matt looked up from his seat at the table in the common room, smiling as he saw Gabby walking towards him. "Hey there." He spoke softly, Gabby flashing him a smile.

"Hey baby." She responded, coming to stop by his side, bringing her hand up to run her fingers over the back of his neck, teasing the skin along his hairline.

"How was they call?"

"Easy, guy stabbed himself in the leg." Matt's eyebrows raised in question, Gabby shrugging. "He was a little high, we never got an answer as to what he was doing, but we got him to med easily enough. He was having a great time."

"Well, that sounds interesting." He replied, Gabby scrunching her nose, nodding.

"You staying here for a bit?" She asked, glancing towards the table, earning a nod from him. "Alright, I'm gonna get a snack real quick then I'll join you."

"Want me to make you something?" He asked immediately, pushing his chair back slightly.

Chuckling softly, Gabby shook her head, leaning down to place a soft kiss against his forehead. "I can do it, thank you though." She whispered, pulling back after another quick kiss, rubbing over his neck until she was out of reach, walking into the kitchen in search of something to eat.

Within five minutes, Gabby came back to the table, placing down a plate of apples, peanut butter, and a few crackers. Before she could even sit down, Matt swiped a cracker from her plate, shoving it into his mouth. Gabby's lips parted slightly as she raised her eyebrows, Matt smirking as he chewed on the food.

"Really? Taking food from a pregnant lady?" She questioned, Matt swallowing before responding.

"I can get you and our baby more crackers." He told her, Gabby rolling her eyes before taking a bite of her food.

The two fell into comfortable conversation, Matt stealing a few more of her crackers, Gabby swatting his hand away harshly each time.

"Quit taking my food." She said again, unable to stop the grin from forming on her face as he stood up. He shook his head, walking towards second shift's food cabinet, pulling out the box of crackers and carrying it back to the table. He got out another handful, placing them down onto her plate, putting the box down in front of her as he stood beside her.

Gabby's narrowed gaze found him again as he took another cracker from her plate, Gabby playfully hitting his stomach. "Matt, you just got the box, why are you taking mine?" She questioned in amusement.

"We share everything else." He replied with a shrug, putting another cracker into his mouth.

Before she had the chance to respond, Matt's phone started buzzing on the table, his eyes widening as he saw who was calling him. He quickly snatched the device off the table, bringing it up to where it was out of her line of sight, not wanting her to see the caller ID. Her eyebrows furrowed at his quick movements, her gaze moving from the phone back to him, a curious look on her face.

"Who's that?" She questioned as Matt began moving around the table.

"Oh, uh, it's no one. Just a client I've been waiting to hear from." He spoke quickly, flashing her a small smile before heading from the room, Gabby watching him in confusion as he headed for the garage.

"Hello?" He answered the call, looking around the garage, seeing most of squad at their table, along with a few members of 81 by the rig.

"_Hey Matt._" Jemma replied, Matt moving towards the door, heading out back. "_Matt?_"

"Sorry, yeah, I'm here." He responded, making sure the door closed behind him before leaning against the brick wall.

"_Is this a bad time?_"

"No, no it's fine. I was just with Gabby, so I had to go somewhere else before I could talk." He explained.

"_Oh sorry. But that's actually why I was calling, I wasn't sure if you'd gotten anywhere with your plans for everything?_"

"Yeah, I've been trying to find the right time. I know it's been a few weeks since I talked to you, but I think I know when I want to do it." He told her, and he could practically hear the smile on Jemma's face.

"_Alright, when's the big day?_" She asked excitedly.

"The day after my next shift. Gabby doesn't work that one with me, which I think will be better. I'm already a nervous wreck thinking about it, and I know she'll definitely be able to tell something's up."

"_That sounds good, I'm so excited! And I know it's normal to be nervous, but you have nothing to worry about. She's gonna say yes, probably before you can even finish._" Jemma joked, earning a laugh from him.

"Yeah, I know she'll say yes, but I'm still just anxious." He replied, his conversation getting cut short as he heard the bells go off, signaling all companies to a house fire. "Jemma, we just got called out, I gotta go. But I'll text you the details and everything, alright?"

"_Okay, sounds good. Be safe._"

"Thanks." He replied, hanging up as he walked back into the garage, seeing Gabby coming out from the firehouse. Her pace slowed as she saw him walking in from out back, her curious eyes landing on him, Matt flashing her a warm smile.

"Everything okay?" She questioned as they began walking towards their rigs, Matt nodding.

"Everything's perfect." He responded, Gabby's eyes flickering over his face, trying to read him before they separated. But she didn't have time to question him now, that would have to wait until later. Right now, they all had a job to do.

* * *

Gabby stepped down from the rig, the paramedics having just gotten back from the hospital, the three of them thankful to finally be back at the house. Their house fire had taken up a large chunk of the afternoon, 61 just having finished dropping off their victim. Luckily, no one had any life-threatening injuries and everyone in the small family would be fine.

Dawson walked slowly behind Foster and Brett as all three of them headed for the double doors. As they got closer, she glanced over to the squad table, seeing Severide there with a few of his firefighters. She still wanted to talk to Matt, and see what was going on with him, but she figured it couldn't hurt to check in with Severide first. If anyone else here knew what had Matt acting differently, it was his best friend. Changing her path, she began walking towards the table, catching Kelly's gaze.

"Hey Dawson." He spoke, putting his newspaper down as she came to a stop in front of him.

"Hey, can we talk for a second?" She asked, Kelly nodding as he pushed himself up from his recliner, following her as she walked over to stand by 81, distancing them from everyone else.

"What's up?"

"Do you know why Matt's acting weird?" She questioned, seeing a look of confusion fall onto his face.

"I didn't know he was acting weird." Severide commented, Gabby shrugging lightly.

"He's been a little secretive today, hiding his phone and stuff. He got a phone call earlier, said it was for construction but he didn't want me to see who it was, and he went and took the call outside. It's just a little weird, I didn't know if you knew what was going on."

"Maybe he has a mistress." Severide teased with a smirk, Gabby scoffing as she rolled her eyes, punching his arm. "Ow! What kind of crazy pregnancy strength…" He groaned, rubbing over the sore spot left where she had just hit him.

"So, I take it you don't know." She replied lightly, Kelly shaking his head.

"No, sorry Dawson."

"It's fine, it's probably nothing anyway." Gabby responded, flashing him a small smile before walking past him, heading towards the entrance to the firehouse.

Glancing back to her, Severide walked to the first set of double doors, heading down the hallway towards the bunkroom. He walked inside, soon finding Casey, the man coming from the other direction, his steps slowing when he saw Kelly.

"Hey Sev." He spoke, moving towards his office.

"Hey, uh, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Sure, what's up?" Matt asked, Kelly coming to stand in front of him.

"Is there something you're hiding from Dawson?" Severide questioned bluntly, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in confusion, clearing waiting for more of an explanation. "Gabby thinks something's going on, she said you were acting weird, something about a phone call I guess… Then I may have joked about you having an affair."

Casey's eyes widened, his face hardening as he punched Severide's arm harshly.

"Ow! What the hell, did you two plan that or something?" He questioned exasperatedly, clutching the arm that had been punched twice in the last five minutes.

"Why you would you say anything like that? She's already been feeling insecure lately, Jesus Kelly." Matt groaned, Severide squeezing his sore arm.

"Well, how was I supposed to know that? I thought it was funny." He responded, Casey rolling his eyes. "Now spit it out. If it were anyone else, the way Gabby makes it sound, you're acting like a guy with something to hide. But I know you're not cheating on her, so what is it?"

Sighing heavily, Matt ran his hand over his mouth, nodding towards his office. Severide followed him in there, closing the door behind them, standing against the windows while Matt leaned against his desk.

"I'm proposing to Gabby again."

"Fucking finally!" Kelly nearly shouted, Matt shushing him instantly.

"God, keep your voice down. It's not like she knows yet." Matt replied quietly, glancing out into the bunkroom, seeing they were still alone.

"I was beginning to think you chickened out." Severide responded, ignoring his comment.

"No, of course not. But there's kind of been a lot going on if you haven't noticed." Matt replied, Kelly crossing his arms over his chest.

"So how are you gonna do it?"

"I'm doing it here. Nothing flashy or anything, Gabby doesn't care about that, but it feels right to do it here. I just have the wedding band, I figured I could get her another engagement ring if she wants, but I don't need to do some big grand thing, that's not the part she'll care about."

"No, she won't." Severide responded with a grin.

"Maybe I'll surprise her with a new ring later on, but right now I think the wedding band is enough. I'm just… I'm tired of not being her husband anymore… I'm planning on doing it the night after next shift, I've already enlisted Jemma's help getting her here. That's who I was on the phone with, what Gabby was talking about. I was talking to Jemma, that's why I'm acting a little weird. Cause if Gabby knew who I was talking to, she would surely be suspicious about why Jemma was calling me and not her." He explained, Kelly nodding.

The two were unable to get another word in when his office door whipped open, Matt standing up straight as he saw Gabby in the doorway, her narrowed gaze flashing back and forth between the two men, seeing a near-guilty look on Matt's face, and a sheepish one on Kelly's.

"So I take it you know now?" Gabby asked Severide, Kelly shrugging his shoulders, releasing a soft laugh.

"I'm not getting in the middle of this." Kelly responded, holding his hands up in defense.

Gabby's gaze landed on Matt, seeing the slight apprehension in his demeanor, Casey flashing her a smile. Taking a step inside his office, she crossed her arms over her chest, glaring at him.

"What are you hiding?" She asked, Matt's smile widening.

"I'm not hiding anything."

Gabby glanced back and forth between the two of them, shaking her head, clearly unimpressed. "You two are terrible liars."

"I love you." Matt responded quickly, Gabby lightly scoffing.

"Mhmm. I'm sure." She replied, Matt reaching out his hand towards her, encouraging her to walk to him, Gabby huffing out a breath before moving towards his desk, coming to stand by his side. Resting against his desk, he wrapped his arm around her waist, placing his hand over her covered stomach, rubbing against her gently.

Ever since her stomach began to grow, she'd noticed Matt doing that a lot, almost absentmindedly rubbing over her stomach. It was something she came to realize was a calming mechanism for him, something that relaxed him.

She wasn't too worried about whatever he was hiding, she was more curious than anything else. If Matt wasn't such a terrible liar, she probably would've just left it alone. But she was intrigued to what had him suddenly acting so off. She didn't think it was anything bad, but it was clear he was hiding something.

"Anyway," Gabby spoke, grabbing Matt's attention. "I was just coming to check that we're still going shopping tomorrow."

"As long as you're feeling up for it, yeah." He responded.

"Shopping for what?" Severide interjected, Gabby glancing to him, Matt continuing to rub his hand over her stomach.

"We're gonna start looking for some of the baby's stuff; crib, car seat, stroller, stuff like that." She answered, Kelly nodding.

"I figured as long as you're able to get enough sleep tonight, we could just go straight from shift. But if not, we can go home first, let you take a nap, then go out in the afternoon." Matt continued, Gabby turning her head to face him. "But really it's what you feel up for, I'm good with whatever."

"Okay, well I guess we'll just figure it out in the morning."

"Whatever you say, gorgeous." He responded with a wide grin, Gabby's eyes narrowing playfully, wearing a matching smile on her lips.

"I'm gonna figure out whatever you're hiding, you know." She commented, Severide laughing as she leaned forward, placing a quick kiss against his lips. "You two go back to talking about whatever it is." She spoke, pulling herself from his grasp.

"You can stay." Matt told her, Gabby shaking her head as she went through the doorway.

"I'm good, wouldn't want to interrupt your time with Severide." She replied, before heading out of the bunkroom. Matt looked back to Severide, seeing Kelly wearing a sly smirk.

"Yeah, you're gonna have to do this soon, or she'll figure it out." He said, Matt blowing out a breath as he shook his head, knowing his friend was right.

* * *

"So, do you know what we're looking for?" Matt asked as they walked hand in hand through the shop, their pace slow as Gabby seemingly got distracted by every item around her. It ended up being late in the afternoon before they were able to get out of the apartment. Gabby had a rough night at the firehouse, not so much because of the calls, but she was having a hard time getting comfortable. She was up and down most of the night, whether needing to get up because of a cramp, or needing to go to the bathroom.

Matt had gotten a few hours of sleep before he'd woken up to go to the bathroom, and he saw her walking back and forth in the locker room. After some debate, he convinced her to come to his bunk, Matt grabbing the pillows from her bed before moving into his office. He'd helped her get as comfortable as possible, surrounding her with pillows. Gabby didn't like the idea so much, knowing Matt would now have to sleep out in the bunk room, but soon after she got settled, 81 was called out to assist with an apartment fire, a call that kept them out most of the night.

By the time they got home this morning, they were both exhausted, the two of them falling into bed almost immediately. Matt slept until around noon, but Gabby didn't rise until almost two. Knowing she'd still need to eat, Matt suggested they just do it another day, but Gabby didn't want to. With her working her shift at the SAS tomorrow, and Matt being on shift the day after, she didn't want it to keep getting pushed back. So after a quick late lunch, they got ready and left the apartment.

"I think I know which car seat I want, but I want to see everything they have." She answered, Matt nodding. "Good news is, we'll only have to buy one car seat, cause there's not really anywhere to put our girl in your truck." She commented.

"Oh yeah, I hadn't really thought about that." He mused as they turned down an aisle filled with car seats and strollers.

"It'll save us a few hundred dollars." She spoke.

"Yeah, I guess. Although down the line, might be something to think about upgrading. And if we decide to have more kids, we'll definitely need me to be able to take them places."

She looked up to him, a wide smile resting on her face. "Oh, we're definitely having more kids." She spoke, her words bringing a smile to his face. "We're gonna figure out the best way for us, but… if I'm here, we're not stopping at one." She replied with a wide grin, Matt leaning to place a kiss against her forehead.

"You're gonna be here, and we're gonna have a house full of children... Or at least two." He spoke confidently, his tone comforting as she nodded.

"Hi, is there anything I can help you with today?" Gabby and Matt looked over as a sales associate came up to them, a bright smile covering her face.

"Hello, we're actually here looking for, well a lot of things, for our baby." Gabby responded, her hand instinctively resting on her bump.

"Well, first of all, congratulations to you both." She spoke with a warm smile, glancing between the two expectant parents. "Is this your first?"

"It is, yeah." Gabby replied, matching the woman's smile.

"If you don't mind my asking, how far along are you?"

"About twenty two weeks."

"Getting an early start on things, that's smart." The employee spoke, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, we didn't want to leave anything till the last minute. Figured it couldn't hurt to get this stuff done early." Her words earned an agreeing nod from the worker, the girl's smile never falling.

"Do you know what you're having?"

"A girl." Matt spoke up, unable to stop the grin forming on his face.

"That's amazing, congratulations you two." She told them again. "Well, my name is Olivia. I can help you all navigate your way through here, if you'd like. Or if you just have a few questions, I can help with that you. Whatever you need."

"That would be great, actually. We're a little out of our element here." Gabby admitted, earning a nod from Olivia. "Oh, and I'm Gabby, this is Matt." She introduced.

"It's nice to meet you two. Now, do you know what kind of car seat you all were looking for?"

"Well, I've looked around a lot, done some research, but everything seemed to be pretty similar across the board."

"Definitely. You really can't go wrong with any of the brands we sell here, all of them are incredibly safe. It's mostly just going with what works best for you all. There are the convertible car seats, those are incredibly popular, and they really work with your child until they're able to be out of a booster seat. Those can save you some money. But then there's also the ones that we call travel systems, which essentially means you can transfer the baby straight from car seat to stroller. There's no moving them out of the seat. And those typically last through toddlerhood. And then you always have just the regular car seat, but I, personally, would recommend one of the first two. I myself used the travel system for my son, and I love it. But it's really just what you all want for yourselves."

"Can you maybe show us one of each? Which one you recommend for both, so we can look and figure it out?"

"Of course." Olivia replied, moving around the aisle.

With a little help from Matt, they got the two boxes next to each one, Olivia beginning to go over the pros and cons of each one, the couple listening intently.

"Why I ended up going with the travel system was because I'm still able to use it now. My son is almost three, and I'm still able to use both the stroller and seat for him. It's been a great investment for our family, and we haven't had any issues with it. It's able to be a car seat carrier, as well as an infant stroller and toddler stroller. It grows with your child and it also cleans very well, which is helpful." Olivia spoke with a grin, Gabby laughing softly.

"Would you be okay with this one?" Gabby asked, glancing towards Matt.

"Yeah, absolutely. I like that we won't have to also buy a stroller. But it sounds great, I'm fine with it if you are."

"I think this is the one I want." She spoke, Olivia nodding.

"Okay great, I can get one of my coworkers to get one taken up to the front for you all until you're done. What else are you looking for today?"

"We definitely want to buy the car seat today, but we also need to look for a crib and I guess a rocking chair of some sort. I'm not sure we'll buy it all today, but we want to see some options."

"Sounds great, our cribs are a few aisles towards the back, if you all want to go ahead and start looking, I can get this up front for you and meet you back there."

"That would be great, thank you." Matt replied, grabbing Gabby's hand before walking towards the back of the store.

"So, you're happy with the one you chose?" Matt asked as they moved, Gabby nodding with a wide grin.

"Definitely. You?"

"Mhmm. I think it'll be great. Little girl's gonna love it." He commented as they got to the cribs.

Thankfully, the crib selection wasn't nearly as much of an event as choosing a car seat. They were all pretty standard, it was mostly just the color and design they were looking for. In the end the chose a grey crib with an adjustable mattress, and within seconds of moving towards the chairs, they found a glider that matched perfectly.

"This is really comfortable." Gabby commented from her seat, Matt smiling at her, nodding in response.

"We can get it, if you like it."

"You sure we're not spending too much? I know we didn't really intend to get all this stuff at once."

"It's fine, babe. We're gonna have to buy it eventually, might as well give me plenty of time to put it all together." He joked, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"Please, you'll have this stuff put together in a day, you'll be too excited to just leave it." She teased.

"So, you all want to purchase this today as well?" Olivia asked, Matt nodding.

"Yeah, we do." He answered.

"Excellent. Before you leave, we can set up a schedule for delivery of the glider. I'm not sure what kind of car you all are in, but we can also deliver the crib if needed." Olivia spoke.

"Yeah, let's go ahead and have the crib delivered. We came in my truck, we have the space, but it's getting it inside that might pose some problems. I don't have anyone to help me carry it, so if we could just do delivery on that as well."

"Of course. And I'm gonna go ahead and throw in a waterproof mattress cover for the baby's bed free of charge. Trust me, it's a lifesaver." Olivia spoke with a smile.

"Thank you, that's really nice, you don't have to do that."

"It's not a problem. Is there anything else you all were wanting to look at today? Do you all have a dresser for the room? Truthfully, I don't recommend buying a changing table if you do, it's honestly not worth the money, but you'll need somewhere to change your baby."

"We have a dresser in there, yeah."

"Alright, well then I recommend just getting a changing pad, if that works for you all."

"Yeah, we'd rather not spend money on stuff we don't need." Gabby responded, Olivia nodding.

"Well, you all have made a great start today, at some point I'd recommend getting some sort of swing or rocker, as well as some sleeper or bassinet if baby is going to be in your room for awhile. You most certainly don't need to get all that today, but we sell all of those items here if you want them."

"We'll definitely be back for whatever else we need, you've helped us so much. We really had no idea what we were doing when we got here." Gabby spoke lightly, Matt reaching out his hand to help her get up from the chair.

"I'm happy I could help you guys. My son is the best thing that's ever happened to me, I'm so glad you two will be able to experience that with your little girl."

Gabby flashed her a smile before looking towards Matt, seeing him wearing a similar content look.

It had been a long couple hours of shopping, and they were both ready to go home, but they felt better knowing they had gotten some of the things their little girl would need. It made it all the more real, and Gabby couldn't wait until the nursery was completed.

* * *

Gabby glanced at the large box sitting by the wall that was holding their car seat and stroller, knowing Matt would have his hands full putting it together at some point. But for now they both wanted to relax, Matt appearing from the bedroom clad in his boxers and a t-shirt, moving to join her on the couch. He collapsed down beside her, letting out a heavy breath, an amused look covering her face as she turned to him.

"You alright?" She questioned lightly, Matt smiling.

"I'm good, that box was heavy. Today was long." He spoke in choppy sentences, Gabby's nose scrunching up at his demeanor. "But I'm so glad we got that stuff done. Little girl's gonna keep me busy getting all her things ready."

"I am too. It was a lot of money, but we need all of it. And I feel better knowing all that stuff will be ready before she even gets here. One less thing to worry about."

"Definitely." He breathed out, glancing towards the TV, mindlessly watching the show Gabby had turned on.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Gabby sipping on her water while Matt rested by her side, feeling her eyes on him every couple of minutes.

"Speaking of our little girl…" She started, gaining his attention as she muted the television. "Have you thought about any names?"

A wide grin fell to his face, Matt pushing himself up to have a better view of her, his body facing hers.

"I have, I'm guessing you have as well." He replied, Gabby nodding shyly. "Tell me what you're thinking." He prompted, watching as her eyes fell down to her lap.

"Well, there's a few first names that have really stuck with me…" She spoke softly, Matt reaching out for her hand, holding it in his. "I really like the name Sofia." Matt's smile widened as he heard the name, Gabby glancing up to see his grin. "I don't know, I just think Sofia Casey sounds nice."

"It's beautiful." He responded instantly. "I love it."

"Me too. I also love the name Madison, maybe we could call her Madi for short."

"Madison Casey…" He murmured, the grin staying on his face. "I love that one too."

"What about you? What names have you been thinking?" She asked, Matt shrugging.

"Well, they're not nearly as good as yours." He started, Gabby squeezing his hand, encouraging him to answer. "First off, Gabriela Junior is a contender." He spoke with a smirk, Gabby rolling her eyes, moving her leg up to gently kick against him before resting her feet in his lap.

"I'm being serious, Matt." She whined, earning a chuckle from him as he began rubbing her feet.

"I know, I know... I've always thought Mia was a pretty name, but I'm not sure."

"No, I really like it." Gabby assured him with a gentle smile.

"I've always liked the name Grace, too. And Paige. But I don't know, it's very stressful naming a person." He spoke, Gabby chuckling softly.

"Yeah, but it's also exciting. I think we've got a good selection to choose from." She responded, Matt nodding as he continued rubbing her feet. "How about this, how about you choose two of yours, we'll have my two, and then we'll go from there."

"Sounds good." He replied, thinking for a moment before continuing. "I'm gonna go with Paige and Mia." The smile that appeared on her face told him she approved of his selection, Gabby nodding excitedly.

"So Paige, Mia, Sofia, and Madison… We've got some great names to choose from."

"I think so, too." He agreed softly. "What about middle names?" He questioned, seeing a look he couldn't read flash in her eyes. "Something wrong?"

"No, no… I've just been thinking about that. Since I found out I was pregnant, really, but especially since we found out she was a girl…" She spoke, Matt's eyebrows furrowing.

"Okay, what are you thinking?"

"Would you be okay with having her middle name be Elizabeth?" Matt's features softened at her quiet tone, a sad look covering his face. "I just… I would like to name her after Shay. I wish she was here to see this, because God she would've loved this kid. But I only want that to be her name if it's okay with you."

Matt remained silent, Gabby watching him closely as he gently moved her legs from his lap, crawling across the couch. He leaned forward to place a soft, meaningful kiss to her lips, feeling her relax against him, soon deepening their movements.

He pulled back first, giving her a soft smile, seeing the tears shining in her eyes.

"Her middle name should be Elizabeth, Shay would've absolutely loved it." Matt responded, Gabby nodding with a watery smile. "I would give anything for her to be here for you right now, but I know she's watching over us. Although she was probably banging her head against the wall there for awhile when we couldn't get our shit together," Matt's words elicited a laugh from Gabby as she wiped the water from under her eyes, "but I think that's the perfect choice."

"Thank you." Gabby whispered, kissing him again before he sat back down on the couch.

"There's nothing to thank me for." He responded, Gabby nodding softly. She adjusted her position on the couch to lean into his side, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Gabby resting her hand on his thigh.

"I'm so excited to meet her." She murmured, Matt putting his hand over Gabby's that was resting on her stomach.

"Me too. I love her so much already." He replied, placing a kiss to the top of Gabby's head. "I love both my girls so much."

Gabby smiled, digging herself deeper into his embrace, the two falling into a comfortable silence as they both held onto their child, unable to hide their excitement at the thought of meeting their little girl.

* * *

"Hey Kelly, you got a minute?" Casey called as he jogged down the hallway, meeting up with Severide just outside the common room.

"What's up?"

"Gabby and I got the crib and a bunch of stuff for the baby. It's supposed to be delivered at the beginning of next week, would you be able to help me get that furniture out of the guest room sometime this weekend?"

"Yeah, of course. You all still need to keep it at my place?"

"If that's okay with you, yeah. I mean, we can get a storage unit if we need to-"

"Nah man, there's no need. I don't mind holding onto it, I just wanted to check."

"We really appreciate it, I know Gabby didn't want to get rid of it. So maybe we could do that on Saturday, if that works for you?"

"Absolutely. As long as there's beer."

"We don't have it at home right now, but I can get you some. I might even throw in pizza." Matt responded, Severide clasping his shoulder.

"I like the way you think." Kelly responded, glancing around before turning back to Matt, wearing a sly grin on his face. "So… tomorrow night's the night huh? Finally gonna make an honest woman out of Dawson again." He spoke lowly, Matt rolling his eyes.

"That's one way to describe it, I guess. But yeah, tomorrow night." Matt replied, blowing out a choppy breath.

"I'm happy for you, man."

The bells rang throughout the firehouse, catching Casey's attention as 81, 61, and squad 3 were called to a house fire.

"Do you have time for this one? Gabby's appointment is today, isn't it?"

Glancing to his watch, Matt nodded. "Yeah, but it's over two hours from now, I should have plenty of time." He responded as they headed for the garage, moving towards their respective rigs.

* * *

Gabby tapped her foot against the ground as she sat in the waiting room, unable to keep herself from watching the door. Her appointment was starting any minute now, and Matt had yet to show up. Gabby knew he wouldn't have been late if he had any say in the matter, considering he'd triple checked the time of her appointment before he left for shift this morning. She knew the times her appointments fell on shift days, it was always hard to get away, but so far neither him nor her had any issues getting here. She was sure he was just stuck at a call, and he'd be here as soon as he could, but with this being the shift this week that she didn't work, she had no idea what was going on. But she knew, until told otherwise, she shouldn't worry about it. There was no reason to think he wasn't okay. She just knew he'd be upset missing their ultrasound.

"Gabby?"

Gabby turned towards the sound, seeing Amanda standing in the doorway to take her back, the woman wearing a soft smile. Standing up from her seat, Gabby spared one last glance to the door before walking towards the nurse.

"Just you today?" Amanda questioned as they walked to the scale.

"Matt should be on his way, he's on shift right now."

Amanda nodded in understanding as she typed in the number before leading Gabby back to the room.

"Well, whenever he gets here, we'll bring him back. I'm sure he'll be here in a few minutes." Amanda offered with a small smile, Gabby nodding.

They went through the typical process, Amanda taking her vitals and asking her the routine questions, putting all the information in her chart.

"Alright, well we'll get your ultrasound done and then get you back with Dr. Tanner. Have a good day, Gabby."

Once Gabby was alone in the room, she pulled her phone out, frowning when she saw she had no missed calls or texts from him. She quickly dialed his number, putting the phone to her ear, her frown deepening as it rang to his voicemail. Sighing heavily, she sent him a quick message asking when he'd get here before she put her phone back in her purse, relaxing back onto the table as she sat alone.

It took nearly ten minutes for the door to open again, Gabby perking up at the sound, only for her smile to fall when she saw it was just Julie, the ultrasound technician.

"Hi Gabby." She greeted, Gabby forcing a small smile.

"Hi."

"No Matt?" She questioned, getting the machine ready as Gabby prepared her clothes.

"Not yet, I think he just got stuck at work."

Julie nodded with a knowing smile, sitting down on her stool.

"Do you want me to wait a few minutes?" She asked with a sympathetic smile, Gabby thinking over the question before ultimately shaking her head.

"No, it's okay. I haven't heard from him, I think he's still on a call. I don't want you guys to get backed up because of me." She decided, Julie nodding understandingly before applying gel to the doppler.

"Alright, well we'll be sure to take some extra good pictures for him to look at later." Julie responded, Gabby nodding with a grin.

It was impossible for Gabby to see her little girl and not immediately be filled with joy. But there was a small part of her that was sad, knowing that this was the first time Matt wasn't here to experience this with her. She knew there'd be many more doctors appointments, but she also knew how special each moment was for the both of them during this pregnancy. He would hate that he missed this, and she hated that he wasn't here. It felt wrong to do this without him, but she didn't have a choice.

Within twenty minutes, Gabby had finished up her ultrasound and was sitting in Dr. Tanner's office, waiting for her doctor, but her attention was solely on the device in her hands. She still hadn't heard anything from Matt. Gabby had called him three more times, each time it going straight to voicemail. With each unanswered call and text, her concern only grew. The one thing keeping her from full-blown panic was that she hadn't heard from anyone at 51. Had something happened to Matt, they would've called her. She just wished she had the confirmation that he was alright.

"Hello Gabby." Dr. Tanner greeted as she came into her office, smiling warmly at her patient, Gabby nodding slowly. "I heard you were one short today, Matt's at work?"

"Yeah, I mean, I guess. I haven't been able to reach him, and I know he could be on a call, but it's been awhile, and had a call come in close to the appointment he wouldn't have gone, but- yeah." She breathed out, nerves radiating off her body as she rambled.

Dr. Tanner frowned slightly, seeing how worried Gabby was.

"I'm guessing that's why your blood pressure was a little high." She mused understandingly, Gabby taking a deep breath. "I can't imagine how nerve-wracking this situation is, but I'm sure Mr. Casey is fine. Until you know you have a reason to worry, I need you to try and stay as calm as you can. It's not good for you or your little girl."

"I know, I'm just… this isn't like him. And I can't help but think something's wrong."

"That's understandable, but just try and stay calm. If not for you, then for your baby. I'm sure he's just stuck at work. Feel free to keep your phone out while we talk, in case you hear from him, but right now I want to focus on you." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby nodding as she placed her phone in her lap.

They went through the usual routine, Gabby trying her hardest to focus on Dr. Tanner's questions, but it was hard, with her mind constantly pulling back to Matt. In the forty five minutes she'd been in here, she never heard a word from Matt, or anyone, and by the time they finished up, she was nearing complete panic. But she knew she had to try and stay calm.

"Alright Gabby, I'll see you in two more weeks." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby nodding with a weak smile as she stood up. "...Still no word from Matt?"

"No, not yet. I'm gonna go to the firehouse, see what's going on."

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Just to give you some peace of mind. Tell him I'm sorry I missed him." Gabby nodded before heading for the door, beginning the walk towards the front. Before leaving the office, she quickly made her next appointment, barely saying a goodbye to the receptionist before she left.

As she walked through the lobby, she called Matt again, sighing deeply as it went to voicemail for the umpteenth time.

"Hey Matt, I just finished up at my appointment. I'm not sure where you are, or if you're just stuck at a call or something, but I'm getting worried over here. Call me when you can, alright? I love you."

Hanging up the phone, she shoved it back in her pocket, pushing open the door to head outside. She barely made it out the door when she stopped dead in her tracks, her heart dropping into her stomach when she saw Boden standing against his car, accompanied by Brett, the two clearly waiting for her to be done.

Tears filled her eyes, Boden's gaze locking on her, the man pushing himself off his car the instant he saw her. Slowly, she forced her feet forward, Boden and Brett walking towards her quickly, the looks on their faces causing her body to fill with dread.

"What happened?" She asked quietly, her voice shaky as a lone tear escaped down her cheek, watching as Boden took a deep breath before answering her.

"He's in the hospital, Dawson."

* * *

… **Uh oh. That's not good.**

**We had a lot going on in this chapter. Looks like Matt had his proposal all planned (we'll have to see what happens with that), Gabby and Matt got some things for the baby, and well as narrowed down some names. A lot of good things happening, but you'll have to wait and see what happened to Casey.**

**I'm beyond excited to hear your thoughts about this chapter, especially what you all think of the names, and what you might think happened to Matt. I hope you all enjoyed it! Until the next.**


	46. Chapter Forty Six

**Hello hello! Here's another chapter for you all. I know you guys are anxious to see what happened to Matt, so here we go. I hope you enjoy!**

**Oh, and also I want to thank you all so much for 900 reviews on this story. That is absolutely insane to me, I'm still at a loss for words over how much support and love I've gotten on this story. I appreciate each and every one of you who have stuck around with me. You all are the best. Thank you thank you thank you.**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Six**_

* * *

"What happened?"

"He's in the hospital, Dawson." Boden responded softly, Gabby's breath catching in her throat, more tears filling her eyes as she felt her legs start to tremble. Boden was quick to grab her, seeing her body was unsteady, Chief wrapping his arm around her back to keep her up. "But he's gonna be okay. He'll be fine." He added quickly, though his words did nothing to ease her fears.

"But he's not right now?" She questioned, slow tears trailing down her skin as Boden and Brett led her to the car, keeping a firm hold on her.

"Casey's a little banged up, but it's nothing that won't heal. He'll be as good as new. I can tell you exactly what happened, but let's just get you in the car, okay?" Boden prompted softly, Gabby nodding as she tried to control her breathing. It felt like there was something crushing her chest, making it nearly impossible to breathe. But she had to fight through it, for the sake of her little girl she had to try.

Brett opened the passenger side door to Boden's vehicle, the Chief carefully helping Dawson inside, Gabby's hands holding her stomach as she got settled.

"Can I have your keys, Gabby?" Brett asked gently, Dawson's gaze shifting towards the blonde, trying to work through the haze that had fogged her mind.

"Brett's gonna drive your car to the hospital, so you don't have to come back here." Boden elaborated, Gabby nodding slowly as she blindly began feeling around in her purse, handing the keys to Brett.

"We'll see you there, thanks Brett."

"Of course." She responded, glancing back towards Gabby.

"I'm uh, I'm in the parking garage about a block away, on the second level." She stuttered out, her brain having a hard time forming a coherent thought.

"I'll find it, don't worry." Sylvie assured her with a soft grin, the blonde glancing towards Boden. "I'll meet you back in the waiting room." She told him before heading off down the sidewalk.

Turning back towards Dawson, Boden made sure she was completely settled in the car before shutting her door, the man jogging around to his side and climbing in.

"What happened to him?" Her quiet voice broke through the sound of him starting up the car, Boden taking a deep breath as he looked to her, seeing her teary eyes staring back at him.

"They were finishing up their sweep and the steps collapsed with Casey on them." He told her, Gabby's breath hitching as she furiously blinked back the tears in her eyes, the action proving useless as they spilled down her cheeks. Her hands moved closer together as she held onto her belly, her movements providing her with a sense of comfort through all the uncertainty. "Get buckled up, so I can get you there." Boden spoke, Gabby nodding slowly as she complied, Chief pulling away from the curb once she was fastened in.

"Is he…" She swallowed the lump in her throat, not even bothering to wipe away her tears as Boden drove down the street. "Is he conscious?"

"He is." Boden replied, Gabby's eyes falling closed in relief. "He got knocked out during the fall, but in the ambulance, he regained consciousness. As far as I know, he's been alert ever since." He told her, pulling off onto the next road, trying to take the quickest route possible. "I'm not sure the extent of his injuries, Severide's the only person who's talked to him since he got there. Kelly said something about Matt's knee being a little banged up, but as far as I know it's nothing that will require surgery."

She nodded slowly, forcing herself to take a few deep breaths, trying to settle the fear in her gut.

"Why didn't anyone call me?" She questioned, unable to hide the frustration growing in her voice. But Boden wasn't phased by her tone, the man answering without missing a beat.

"Severide told us not to." Boden responded, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing. "Casey told him not to." He explained further, but his words cleared up nothing. "He told Kelly he didn't want you finding out over the phone, that'd he feel better knowing someone was there with you when you heard what happened. So I offered to come get you, and Brett said she'd come as well, to get your car."

Gabby sighed deeply, her gaze moving out the window. She understood Matt's reasoning, and she couldn't blame him for it, but she would've much rather found out over the phone and gotten to him immediately, than spent the last two hours in a panic not knowing where he was.

But it didn't matter now, all that mattered was her getting to him and being able to see him with her own eyes. Because until she did, she knew this feeling wouldn't go away. This crushing feeling of uncertainty. No matter how much reassurance she got, she wouldn't believe he was alright until she laid her eyes on him.

"Is he still in the ER?" Gabby asked as Boden pulled into the parking lot, driving up towards the entrance.

"As far as I know, he is." Chief responded, coming to a stop. "Do you need me to walk in with you?" He questioned, knowing how unsteady she'd been minutes ago.

"I'm okay. Thanks for bringing me." She replied quickly, moving as fast as she could to get out of the car, which admittedly wasn't all that fast. She hurried inside, her eyes bouncing around her surroundings, looking for any familiar face that could tell her where to go.

"Dawson!" Gabby's head snapped towards the voice, seeing members of 51 huddled up in the corner of the waiting room, Herrmann breaking away from the group to walk towards her. "He's okay, kid." Herrmann spoke before he even got to her, Gabby blinking tightly as she nodded. "He's a little worse for wear, but he'll be just fine." Gabby bit down harshly on the inside of her cheek, more tears falling down her skin.

"Where is he?" She questioned, her eyes moving back towards the busy ER, unsure of which room to go to.

"Come on, I'll take you." He replied softly, leading her through the chaos towards Casey's room. She had to force herself to remember to breathe, even though her breaths were shallow. "You feeling alright?" He questioned, hearing her short breaths, worry flooding his voice.

"I'm fine." She replied, Herrmann watching her for an extra second before nodding, stopping them in front of a glass door.

Looking inside, Gabby's eyes flooded with fresh tears as she caught her first glimpse of him. He was definitely banged up, his body looked like it had taken a beating. But he was okay. He was awake, and talking with Kelly, smiles covering both the men's faces.

Matt was alright. And that's all that mattered.

He saw her through the glass before she could come in, his smile widening, more tears spilling over as her body relaxed. She cautiously slid the door open and stepped inside, Matt's smile falling when he saw her distressed state.

"I'm okay, Gabby." His voice was soft, the sound like music to her ears. But from her position across from him, she had the perfect view to see just how hurt he was.

He was sitting up, his gown bunched at his waist, giving her a clear view of all the scratches, cuts, and welts across his chest. There were a few small bandages over his chest, something Gabby figured to be covering the more gruesome gashes over his skin. Most of the skin she could see was red and blotchy, Gabby knowing that soon those marks would turn into bruises. Her eyes moved to his side, where she could see a white bandage peeking out from behind his back, covering some of the skin she could see. But what she didn't know was how much of his back the bandage was covering. Gabby caught a quick glimpse of IV in his arm as she trailed her eyes over the rest of his body. He had a similar bandage on his neck, and she could see part of a bandage covering the back of his shoulder. And it was nearly impossible to miss the wrap on his left knee, his leg elevated on a stack of pillows, an ice pack secured against the injury.

"Baby." His voice snapped her from her headspace, her eyes landing on his face, seeing him watching her with sad eyes. He had more scratches covering his face, some rougher than others, and his right eye was slightly swollen. It almost looked like he had gotten punched, but she knew that wasn't the case, she just wasn't sure what caused it. "Come here." Matt spoke gently, Gabby taking slow steps towards the bed.

Severide stood up from his chair, moving to stand behind it, pushing it closer to the bed knowing that Gabby would want to be as close to him as possible. Kelly kept his grip on the back of the chair until Gabby was seated, flashing Casey a sympathetic smile before heading for the door, him and Herrmann leaving the room, sliding the door closed to give them privacy.

Matt held his hand out towards her, frowning as he saw her hands shaking in her lap.

"Gabby." He spoke, pulling her eyes from his bandaged knee to his face, Matt waving his hand, prompting her to grab ahold of it. "I'm alright, I'm gonna be fine." He told her again, Gabby squeezing his hand tightly, her eyes catching a glimpse of more scratches on his arm. Her free hand moved towards his face, her eyes focusing on his gaze, stroking her thumb softly over his swollen skin.

"Does it hurt?" She questioned softly, Matt slowly shaking his head.

"The eye, not so much. My body in general, yeah. But I've got some great pain meds helping me out." He responded with a small grin, Gabby nodding.

"Why didn't you answer my calls?" She asked, more tears filling her eyes. "I was freaking out, Matt."

"I'm sorry." He replied instantly, squeezing her hand. "My phone's at the station, it's in my office. I'm sorry for not calling you, but I thought I was doing the right thing. I didn't want you finding out through a phone call, but I'm sorry. I should've thought it through more, I never meant to worry you." He spoke, Gabby shaking her head, slowly lifting herself up to lean towards him, placing a longing kiss to his lips. She was mindful of his eye, not wanting to hurt him, but Matt encouraged her movements, deepening the kiss as he felt her tears against his skin.

"It's okay." She murmured as she pulled back, unable to stay in the position too long without her back hurting. Gabby placed herself back in her seat, her arms resting on the edge of his bed as she kept her hold on his hand. "You're gonna be alright, that's all that matters." Her voice was soft, Matt giving her hand another tight squeeze. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Matt nodded, slowly shifting himself in the bed, a grimace covering his face as his sore body moved, Gabby frowning as he looked to her. "We were just finishing our sweep of the building. It was time to get out of there, so I started to send everyone out. I let them all go before me and then I was heading down. The next thing I knew, I was falling." He told her, Gabby placing a hand on his forearm, rubbing his skin comfortingly. "I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I landed pretty rough, my knee got twisted when I fell, it's sprained. My gear got torn up and left me a little exposed, I have a few burns and a scrape on my side." Fear flashed in her eyes, but Matt quick to assure her. "It's nothing too serious, the burns are on my neck and back. They'll heal fine. The scrape, I think I got cut by some wood, I'm not entirely sure. I passed out pretty soon after it happened, but a bunch of debris landed on top of me. I remember my mask and helmet got dislodged when I hit the ground, I think that's what gave me the swollen eye. But most of it I don't really remember, I just know when I woke up I was in the back of the ambulance."

Gabby's eyes fell closed, her heart feeling heavy as she listened to him speak. She could hear how scared he'd been, but he was here. He'd be okay. They both just had to hold onto that.

"I'm so sorry, Matt." She responded, opening her eyes. He nodded, blinking back the tears in his own eyes, Gabby bringing up their conjoined hands to her lips, placing a kiss against his skin. "I know how scary that must've been, but you're alright." Matt smiled softly at her, Gabby placing another kiss to his hand before standing up. He watched her with curious eyes as she moved around his bed, coming to stand on the opposite side, carefully sitting herself down on the edge of his mattress.

"What are you doing? You'll be much more comfortable in the chair." He told her, Gabby shrugging.

"I know, but I couldn't sit on that side of the bed because of your knee, and you can't really reach baby from there." She replied, carefully grabbing ahold of the hand closest to her, being mindful of the IV in his arm as she placed his hand on her stomach. A content smile immediately fell onto his face, Matt's eyes falling closed as he gently pressed his palm against her.

Even though he still hadn't been able to feel their daughter yet, after the day he'd had, being able to just hold onto her was more than enough, Matt feeling his body relax as they sat there.

After a few minutes of them sitting in a comfortable quiet, Matt opened his eyes again, finding Gabby watching him closely.

"You can move back to the chair, I don't want you to be uncomfortable." He spoke softly.

"I'm good right now." She responded, Matt smiling with a nod, rubbing his thumb over her belly. His hand moved down to her lower stomach, his fingers playing with the end of her shirt.

"Do you mind?" He questioned, Gabby shaking her head, knowing it would help calm him down. With a gentle grin, his slid his hand under her shirt, his chest filling with warmth at the feeling of her skin against his, a content sigh leaving his lips. In any other situation, he wouldn't have really bothered asking, knowing Gabby enjoyed him holding her bump just as much as he did. But he knew they weren't in the privacy of their own home, so he wanted to make sure it was okay with her. He was just glad she didn't mind, the feeling of his warm palm against her bare stomach calming him in a way he couldn't explain.

"How bad is the scrape on your side?" She asked quietly, her eyes moving to the bandage before looking back to his face.

"It's not that bad, I didn't need stitches or anything. They gave me some antibiotics, just in case, but it should heal fine."

"And the burns?" Her voice was much less steady than before, Gabby knowing dealing with burns was always tricky, especially since she didn't know how long he'd been exposed.

"They're both second degree, but they should be fine. I guess Severide was the one they sent down to get me, but everyone got me out pretty quickly, according to Kelly. It could've been a lot worse." He told her, Gabby's tongue running over her bottom lip. "They'll definitely be some scarring though, especially on my back. That one's pretty big. But it'll just give me more scars to add to my collection." He spoke lightly, Gabby's eyes moving towards the small scar on his forearm. The scar left from his accident on shift last year right before she came back. It had healed surprisingly well, leaving only a tiny patch of rough skin on his arm, but she wasn't sure these wounds would heal as nicely. "I doubt they'll be pretty, though."

"I don't care about that." She responded quickly, Matt nodding with a smile.

"I know. You weren't just after me for my handsome looks, they were just a bonus." He teased, Gabby scoffing as she rolled her eyes playfully. "But, in all seriousness, the burns should heal fine. They already got them all cleaned up and bandaged. I was on some pretty heavy pain killers when I first came in, which helped because I didn't feel a damn thing." He spoke, Gabby shaking her head in amusement. "But as long as we keep them clean and change the dressings, they should be fine. I'm not worried, though. I have one incredibly beautiful woman helping me." He replied with a charming grin, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"You're in fine form this afternoon." She spoke, Matt smirking. "But you know, I think you already succeeded in winning me over, there was no need to do all this." Gabby joked. "There are easier ways to get me to give you a little more attention, if that's what this was about." Her teasing tone made him chuckle, Matt shaking his head.

"I'll keep that in mind for next time."

"There will be no next time." She replied with a stern look, the teasing tone in her voice long gone.

"As long as I can help it." He responded softly, rubbing his hand against her stomach. "I know I scared you, I'm sorry. And I hate that I missed your appointment, I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

"It's not your fault, Matt." She spoke, resting her hand over his thigh.

"I know, but this was the first time you had to go alone… and I absolutely hated being here, knowing you were there by yourself. Well, I hated it for the times I wasn't drugged out of my mind." He spoke, Gabby chuckling softly. "I wish I could've been there, I hate that I didn't get to see our baby girl."

Wordlessly, Gabby slid down off the bed, Matt frowning as his hand fell out from under her shirt, immediately missing the warmth of holding onto her belly. He watched as she walked back to the chair, pulling something from her purse, a smile falling onto his face as he realized what she was holding.

"You really think I wouldn't get lots of pictures?" She questioned, walking back to the other side of the bed, returning to her spot perched beside his leg, Matt moving to give her as much room as possible. He instantly returned his hand back to her stomach, rubbing his thumb against her skin as Gabby held out the pictures to him. With his free hand, he grabbed them, a teary smile forming on his face.

"She's getting so big." He murmured, his gaze completely focused on the images.

"She is." Gabby agreed with a warm smile.

"Did your appointment go okay?" He asked once he was finally able to tear his eyes away from the ultrasound, meeting her gaze.

"It did. Everything with our little girl is good. She's growing exactly like she should. She's a little on the smaller side, but Dr. Tanner said she looks perfect."

"And you?"

"I'm okay, too. My weight, vitals, everything was good. My blood pressure was a little high, but I think that's just because I was anxious. But I'm alright."

Matt nodded slowly, taking a slow breath as he felt guilt spread throughout his body. He knew missing her appointment wasn't his fault, but he should've called her. He hadn't meant to stress her out, he was trying to do the exact opposite.

"So, what about your knee?" She asked, pulling him from his thoughts. "What'd the doctor say about that?"

"Just that it's sprained. I got lucky, I guess, that I didn't tear any ligaments, but it's really sore and swollen. I have to wear a brace for a while. They want me on crutches for a few days, which I think is ridiculous, but they said with the amount of swelling in my knee that I need to be careful."

"How long are you off shift?"

"At least the next two, maybe more. It just depends on my knee. The burns aren't so much the problem, I can work with those. But they don't want me going back until most of the swelling goes down. But the brace, I'll have that for at least a couple of weeks I guess." He explained, blowing out a heavy breath. "The brace won't keep me from working though, it'll mostly be just waiting until the swelling and pain goes away. It sounds like I just have to take it day by day." He explained, Gabby nodding.

"Well, I know you don't love the idea, but I think the crutches will be good. Especially considering I can't really help you get around." She responded, Matt tapping his finger against her stomach.

"Yeah, I know if anything, the brace and crutches will help you out. I know that-" Matt cut himself off without warning, his eyes widening instantly, a look of pure shock covering his face.

"What? What happened?" Gabby questioned, Matt's eyes moving towards her stomach. "Matt?"

"I felt her…" He murmured, tears filling his eyes as a wide grin spread across his face. Gabby felt water gathering in her own eyes, seeing the look of pure joy over his features. She wasn't sure she had ever seen him happier than he was in this moment. "I can feel her." He choked out, tears falling freely down his cheeks.

Gabby's tears began to spill over as well, sliding her hand under her shirt, resting it over his.

"I… it's just like a little flutter, but I can feel her." Matt was completely enamored, Gabby watching him laugh happily through his tears, his only source of frustration coming from him being confined to this bed. He would give anything to be able to move to her stomach, but that would have to wait. "That's our baby girl." More tears slid down his cheeks, Matt's gaze moving up to look at Gabby, seeing her eyes shining with love.

"That's our girl." She agreed, releasing a watery chuckle, Gabby leaning forward to press a kiss to his lips, Matt dropping the ultrasound pictures on his lap as he brought his hand up to cradle her face.

The two stayed connected for a few moments, Gabby feeling his smile widen against her lips, knowing he most likely felt their baby again.

"She's moving around so much." He spoke once they pulled back, Matt moving his free hand to rest on her stomach with his other one.

"Like I told you, she moves a lot when you're here. She knows when her Daddy's around." Gabby replied, Matt's smile widening more than Gabby thought possible. The look of elation on his face made her entire body fill with warmth, and now she was sure she'd never seen him look happier.

"I can't believe I can feel her…" He whispered, looking back to her stomach.

"Just wait until we can feel her really kicking." Gabby's words made his eyes light up, excitement filling his features.

"I can't wait." He responded, rubbing his thumb over her skin. Matt slowly lifted her shirt up over her stomach, staring at her smooth skin as he cradled her bump. "Daddy loves you so much, little one." He spoke with a soft grin. "I'm so excited to meet you."

The two sat in a joyful silence, Matt's watery eyes focused on her exposed stomach, his smile never fading. It wasn't until they heard the door slide open did they break from their intimate trance, Matt's gaze snapping towards the sound.

"Sorry, I hope I'm not interrupting." The doctor spoke, Gabby quickly adjusting her shirt as Matt dropped his hands from her stomach, shaking his head.

"No, it's fine." Matt responded, wiping the tears from his eyes as his doctor stepped inside, closing the door behind him. "Dr. Williams, this is Gabby."

"Ah yes, the wife. I saw your information in his file." Dr. Williams spoke, Gabby nodding, not bothering to correct him. "You're a paramedic, right?" He questioned with a soft grin.

"Yeah, I am." She responded, shaking the man's hand. While she'd never had any personal run-ins with Williams, she'd worked with him a few times since she'd gotten back from her relief work, and anytime anyone had mentioned him, she'd heard nothing but great things.

"I didn't realize you and Mr. Casey here were together. I saw you as his emergency contact but I didn't put it together that you were Dawson, the paramedic... And it looks like congratulations are in order." He spoke, Gabby's hands resting over her stomach. "Is this your first?"

"Thank you. And yeah, it is." She responded, Dr. Williams smiling before pulling up Matt's chart.

"Well, that's very wonderful news." He spoke, Gabby slowly moving around the bed towards her chair, carefully sitting down.

"You okay?" Matt questioned, Gabby nodding, flashing him an assuring smile.

"I'm good, just needed to sit down." She answered, Matt's eyes flickering over her face before he ultimately nodded, both Gabby and Matt turning their attention back to the doctor.

"Now Dawson, I know you weren't here during our initial evaluation, but I trust Mr. Casey has filled you in on everything?"

"Just Gabby and Matt is fine, but yeah. He told about the burns, and sprained knee."

"Yes. His burns are definitely extensive, but nothing that won't eventually heal. They'll most likely be some scarring, but considering the alternative, that's a small price to pay. Now, in most cases with burns like Matt's here, I would want him to stay overnight, just to make sure everything's being watched and treated properly, but I trust you've had your fair share of caring for burns." Dr. Williams spoke.

"Oh, absolutely. Between dealing with this one, all the fires we've responded to, and then a firehouse full of firefighters, I've handled plenty of burns in my day." Gabby responded, Matt grinning at her.

"As long as you're good to help tend to his burns, I'm fine sending him home. We'll send you with plenty of dressings, just to get you started, and the guide to cleaning and tending to burn wounds, even though I'm sure you don't need it."

"Okay, that sounds good."

"And with his knee, I definitely need him to be careful. Matt, you got very lucky there wasn't more intensive damage, I don't want you doing anything to make it worse. I'm serious about keeping the weight off of it for at least the next couple days. After that, it's more so your body telling you what you can and can't do. There's gonna be some pain when you first start walking on it, but it shouldn't be unbearable. Just don't push yourself too hard. I want that brace on all the time except for when you're sleeping, showering, or sitting for long periods of time. And you've got to keep icing it, that's the only way to help with the swelling."

"I know, I won't rush anything." Matt assured him, Dr. Williams nodding.

"Good. Now, Gabby, we did do a concussion test because he lost consciousness, and everything came back clear. But, I did see all his history with head injuries in the past, so just keep an eye on him. If anything raises any red flags, come back and we'll check him out. But, as far as I can tell, everything there is fine."

"I'll be watching him."

"Alright. And Matt, I went ahead and got your prescriptions filled at our pharmacy here, a nurse should be by soon with them. It'll be your burn cream and then your pain medication. Just take the pills as needed, but I do recommend taking one as soon as you get home. I'm sure you're feeling pretty good right now with all the morphine, but once that wears off you're going to start feeling the effects of what you've gone through. Try to stay on top of it, it'll only help."

"I can do that." Matt responded, Dr. Williams nodding.

"Well, as long as you're feeling up for it, I'm fine with sending you home in an hour or two. I'm gonna have our nurses change your dressings one last time before you go home, to make it a little easier on you and Gabby. The first few times are always the hardest. And we'll get a brace and some crutches in here soon. But, as long as you don't have any questions or concerns, I'll get your discharge paperwork started."

"I think we're good." Casey spoke, glancing to Gabby who nodded.

"We're good."

"Alright. Well, Matt, I'm glad to see you're feeling better. You got very lucky today, but as long as you take care of yourself you'll heal up quickly. It was nice to officially meet you, Gabby."

"You too." She responded, Dr. Williams flashing them a smile before exiting the room, leaving the couple alone. "He seems like a nice guy."

"He is, yeah." He spoke, Gabby slowly reaching down into her purse, pulling out her phone. She began silently tapping on the screen, Matt eyeing her curiously. "Whatcha doing?"

"Calling Antonio, I'm gonna see if he can come and help me get you home." She answered, Matt nodding as she put the phone up to her ear.

* * *

Gabby stood at the nurses station, pressing her hand into her back as she finished up looking over Matt's discharge paperwork. He'd been told he could go home about twenty minutes ago, Gabby having stepped out to talk with his doctor one last time while everyone from 51 stopped in to say goodbye.

Their visit was cut short by a call, Gabby having to say goodbye to them in passing as they headed out of the ER, Severide stopping by her quickly to let her know he'd get Matt's truck and belongings to her in the morning. But even though all of 51 had left, she wasn't too concerned about getting straight back to Matt, knowing Antonio was in there to keep him company.

Antonio had showed up a little less than an hour ago, her big brother leaving the district as soon as he heard what happened to Matt. It took him awhile to get here, Antonio stopping by the apartment to get Matt some clothes to wear home, before arriving at the hospital.

And now he was in there with Matt, keeping him company while Gabby took care of making sure Matt was alright to leave. They had already gotten his prescriptions, as well as his brace and his set of crutches, Gabby thankful they'd been able to get those things here. She knew Matt was eager to get home, and considering Antonio had left work to come help them out, she didn't want to keep him away longer than she had to.

Blowing out a soft breath, she handed the necessary papers back to the nurse, keeping the ones she needed before heading back towards Matt's room. As she got closer, she noticed his door was shut, along with the curtain around his bed being closed, blocking him from her view. Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Gabby pulling the door open.

"Matt?"

"Hey." He called back from behind the curtain, Gabby sliding the door closed before walking around the curtain. An unimpressed look immediately covered her face as she saw him clad in his boxers and the pair of basketball shorts that Antonio had brought him, her arms crossing over her chest.

"You weren't supposed to get dressed without help." She spoke, glancing back and forth between Antonio and Matt.

"He didn't, believe me." Antonio breathed out, Gabby stifling a laugh as she looked to Matt, watching as he shook his head.

"Your brother and I are a lot closer now." He responded, Gabby unable to stop the chuckle that escaped through her lips as she walked towards his bed, coming to stop in front of him while Antonio stepped towards the wall.

"I told you I'd help you." She replied, reaching for the t-shirt beside him, carefully pulling apart the material and sliding it over his head.

"Yeah, but I didn't want you to have to bend over and all that stuff, and Antonio offered to help." Matt spoke as his head popped out of the shirt, Gabby holding out the clothing as he slowly put his arms through it, grimacing at the movements.

"I wouldn't have done it for anyone else." Antonio laughed from behind them, Gabby flashing him a grin before carefully resting the shirt against his body, checking that it wasn't pulling against his bandages.

"I definitely appreciate your help." Matt commented, Antonio waving him off.

"It's fine, really. The last thing either of you need is for you to hurt yourself more. I'm just glad you're alright." Antonio replied, Matt smiling softly.

"This is sweet and all, but you do realize you're gonna have to let me help you at home, right? At least for the next couple of days until you can move around more… Unless you would rather Antonio move in so he can help." She teased, Matt rolling his eyes.

"Haha." He responded dryly, shaking his head. "The doctor said I should be able to move my knee around more once the swelling goes down in a few days, so don't get too excited." He laughed out, Gabby moving to grab his crutches that were against the wall. "You and I are quite the pair, though, aren't we?" He asked with a grin, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as she held out the crutches in front of him.

"We sure are... Does the brace feel okay?" Gabby asked, her gaze moving down to the black brace covering his knee.

"Feels as good as it can."

"Alright. You ready to get out of here?"

"Absolutely. Let's get home." He spoke, pushing himself up slowly, grabbing ahold of the crutches. Antonio stood close by, ready to steady him in need be, Matt taking a few seconds to get balanced. Once comfortable, he gave them both a nod, signaling he was ready to go.

The process of getting outside was a slow one, Gabby walking beside Matt as he crutched through the ER, Antonio following closely behind him just in case. It took them some time to get out front, Matt having a harder time adjusting to the crutches than he expected. And by the time he'd gotten the hang of it, they had made it the car.

Antonio had brought Gabby's car up front, Gabby going to the driver's side while Antonio slowly helped Matt into the vehicle. Each movement was slow and careful, Matt releasing a few involuntary groans and gasps of pain as he got settled into the seat.

"Alright, I'll meet you guys at the apartment. Don't try and go inside until I get there." He advised them both, earning a nod from Casey.

"Thanks Antonio." Matt responded before Antonio shut the door, tapping against their window before he headed towards the parking lot.

It took almost an hour for Matt to be settled in at the apartment, Gabby having just let Antonio out after thanking him yet again for all his help. Standing in the kitchen, she got Matt a glass of water and one of his pain pills before walking back into the living room, smiling at Matt as he sat on the couch. His leg was propped up under some pillows on the coffee table, Antonio having moved it closer to the couch to make him more comfortable, before Gabby secured an ice pack around his knee with a bandage. They had removed his brace after he got settled, the item now sitting on the table in front of him.

"Here you go." She spoke as she sat down next to him, holding out the pill and the water. Matt graciously took both, downing the medication with a few sips of water before placing it on the end table.

"Thank you." He responded, Gabby smiling softly as she handed him the remote.

"You need anything else?"

"No, but I need you to eat something."

"Matt, I'm fine." She responded, leaning back into the couch, resting her hand on his leg as she looked at him. Even though many hours had passed, it was still jarring to see him covered in scratches and marks, his beautiful face having taken a beating. She knew the bruises that would appear over the next couple of days would be brutal, and she still hadn't quite gotten used to his temporary change in appearance.

"Yeah, but you also spent the majority of the afternoon with me in the hospital, and all I've seen you eat is a granola bar, and you had a little bit of my water earlier. Definitely not enough for what you or our little girl need."

"I'll make myself a sandwich here soon, I promise… I just want to sit for a minute. It's been a crazy day." She breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement.

"I know…" He agreed quietly, reaching out to rest his hand over her stomach. "But it wasn't all bad." He responded with a soft smile, rubbing his hand across her belly.

But Gabby didn't respond to him, her gaze focused across the room as she breathed deeply, his eyebrows furrowing while he watched her.

He gave her a few minutes to see if her mood would shift, but if anything she had fallen even more into her own head, Matt sighing heavily, tapping his finger against her bump until he gained her attention. Her head slowly turned towards him, her eyes glazed over with unshed tears, a frown forming on his face as they locked eyes.

"What's going on in there?" He questioned, Gabby blinking furiously, her head turning to the ground.

"I just… I thought I'd lost you today." She murmured, her voice shaking as she spoke. Matt gently brought his hand up to her chin, lifting her head to look at him, his frown deepening as he saw her tears begin to spill over. "When I saw Boden waiting for me, I thought- I thought you were gone."

His chest felt heavy, Matt shaking his head as he ran his thumb over her jaw. "Baby, I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere."

"You can't, Matt." She nearly cried, his worry only increasing as he heard the force of her words. "I mean it, you can't do this to me again. I can't lose you."

"Gabby, listen to me." He spoke immediately, wiping away her tears as they fell. "I am right here. And I promise to do everything I can to always be right here with you. I know I can't guarantee it, but you know I always do everything in my power to make it home to you. All I can do is promise you I'll be careful."

"I can't lose you… We can't lose you." She cried, his heart dropping. He couldn't say he was surprised by her outburst; she'd held herself together pretty well for most of the day, he was almost expecting this to happen at some point. But it didn't make it any easier. "You can't leave us, because I might not be here." Tears were continuously streaming down her face, a few escaping down Matt's cheeks as well as he heard the pain in her voice. "You can't leave our baby alone, you can't. She needs you."

The more she spoke, the more she worked herself up, Gabby's breathing becoming shallow as she choked out choppy breaths, his eyes widening in slight panic.

"Gabby, breathe. Just breathe for me, alright? It's okay. I'm right here." Matt spoke, grabbing ahold of her hand tightly, her red eyes locked on him. "I need you to breathe, just watch me." Matt took as deep of breaths as he could, ignoring the discomfort in his back every time he moved.

It had been a while since he'd seen her like this, since he had to help her through a panic attack, his heart breaking at the sight of her clear distress. He knew he scared her today, that it was just another reminder of how quickly everything could change for them, but he knew he needed to get her calmed down. It wasn't good for her, and it definitely wasn't good for their baby.

"Everything's alright, we're all fine. The three of us are fine." Matt murmured, Gabby nodding as she continued to take deep breaths, her grip on his hand tightening. "I know you're scared, you have every right to be. We know something could happen to me, just like something could happen to you. But I promise you that I will fight every day to come back to you and our daughter. Everything's gonna be okay." He kept his words quiet, watching as a few more tears slid down her cheeks.

Her eyes fell closed as she focused on her breathing, feeling the tightness in her chest easing up, Matt's free hand coming to rest over her leg, softly stroking her thigh for a few moments. She eventually opened her eyes, finding his worried gaze on her.

"You okay?" He questioned softly, Gabby nodding as she took another deep breath, clearing her throat.

"I'm okay…" She responded, Matt wearing an understanding smile as he leaned forward, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry." She murmured, his eyebrows furrowing as he pulled back.

"For what?"

"For… this. You're the one who's hurt, you shouldn't have to be taking care of me, this is about you and I-"

"Hey hey hey, none of that." Matt interjected, shaking his head. He squeezed her hand, bringing it up to his lips to kiss her skin softly. "I know today was just as hard for you as it was for me, if not more so. You never have to apologize for this." He assured her, Gabby nodding softly. "I know I'm a little banged up, but this will all heal. I'm more concerned about you right now than anything with me. All that matters is that you and our little girl are okay."

"We're okay." She whispered, blinking back the tears in her eyes. "I'm okay." Matt nodded at her words, bringing his hand up to pat against his shoulder, encouraging her to lean against him. She looked apprehensive, but Matt simply smiled, Gabby leaning down, resting her head against his shoulder. "Am I hurting you?"

"Never." He responded, placing a kiss to the top of her head, squeezing her thigh gently as the two sat in a calm silence, Matt giving her all the time she needed to try and feel a little better about everything that happened today.

* * *

"Are you sure I don't need to do anything?" Matt called from his position on the bed, his legs hanging over the side, his eyes on the bathroom door.

"You really think I need help turning on the shower?" She asked with a raised brow as she came into his view, her towel tied around her body, the material raised slightly over her bump.

"No, but I just hate that you're having to do everything for me."

"Matt, yesterday you fell through a set of stairs, you're gonna need some help. And I'm not the injured one here." She responded as she walked towards him, stopping to grab his crutches from against the wall.

"I can get to the bathroom, I don't need-" He stopped himself when he caught a glimpse of the unamused look on her face, her eyes narrowed as she balanced the crutches in front of him. "Yes ma'am." He responded, smiling when her stern demeanor faltered slightly, a smile pulling on her lips.

Slowly, Matt used the crutches to pull himself up, wincing occasionally as the burned skin on his back pulled, Gabby standing there for support as he slowly got up. Once he was balanced, she carefully slid his boxers down his body, crouching to the ground slowly.

"Please be careful." He told her, earning a challenging look from her which he simply raised his eyebrows at. He didn't care to let her be in charge when it came to himself, but one thing he wasn't okay with was her doing too much. They both had to be mindful of their limitations.

With some maneuvering, they managed to get Matt stepped out of his boxers, the man slowly hobbling towards the bathroom on his crutches. Gabby walked behind him, her hands ghosting over his hips in case he lost balance.

"You're sure it's okay that I shower?" He questioned one last time as they stood outside the glass door, Gabby lightly smacking his bare butt before coming to stand in front of him. "Hey, watch it lady." He teased, Gabby smirking as she reached her hand inside the shower, checking the temperature.

"Yes, it's perfectly fine. In fact, it's encouraged. You have to keep your wounds clean... What, you don't trust me or something?" She asked with an amused grin, Matt scoffing.

"Of course I trust you, it's the water I don't trust. I've been burned enough to know this is gonna hurt." He nearly whined, Gabby chuckling.

"You handled falling through a house better than you're handling this." She teased as she undid her towel, hanging it up next to his.

"Yeah, well I had morphine then." He muttered, his eyes roaming her body as she stepped inside their spacious shower, his gaze lingering on her expanding stomach before trailing up to her full breasts.

"Hey, eyes up here." She spoke, snapping him out of his trance, Matt knowing his stares had been caught as he found her gaze, a sheepish grin forming over his face. "Is that all you ever think about?"

"Can you blame me? You're gorgeous." He replied, his smile widening as he saw her get flustered from his words, Matt using his crutches to get as close to the entrance as possible.

"You already knocked me up, you can stop being such a sweet talker." She joked, Matt smirking as he balanced himself on his good leg before resting his crutches against the side of the glass, Gabby holding out her forearms for him to grab onto. "Just move slow, we're in no hurry." She reminded him, his grip tight on her arms.

"Like I'd ever want to hurry through a shower with you." He spoke lightly, Gabby shaking her head.

"Focus, Matt." She chastised gently as he began to slowly step inside the shower. His steps were small, Matt grimacing when he put weight on his injured leg. It took some time, but they both managed to get him in the shower, Matt's body out from under the stream of water. He rested his weight on his good leg, Matt blowing out a breath as he settled. "Alright, you just stand there, and try not to hurt yourself." She spoke, handing him his soap. "You can wash yourself, just don't move too much, and don't touch your back. I'll wash your hair for you."

"Whatever you say." He complied as Gabby began washing herself. She quickly went through the process, not wanting to keep Matt standing up any longer than needed. As she was finishing washing her hair, she looked over, seeing Matt standing there watching her with a soft grin on his face.

"Enjoying the view?"

"Absolutely." He responded without missing a beat, Gabby stepping out from under the water as she reached for his shampoo, putting a little in her palm. She stepped closer to him, Matt placing his palms on her shoulders as she began running her soapy hands through his hair, a content smile falling onto his face.

"You doing alright?"

"My legs are sore, but I'm fine." He answered, Gabby massaging his head lightly.

"We're almost done." She responded, pulling the shower head down as she carefully began getting the shampoo out of his hair. She heard him hiss and groan, a frown forming on her face, knowing the water running over his burns wasn't pleasant. "Alright, I'm gonna clean your burns now. It's not going to feel great, but I've got to do it." She told him, Matt nodding as she reached for the fresh washcloth she'd gotten from linen closet, Gabby putting a generous amount of soap on it before carefully stepping around him.

Gabby slowly began the process, listening as Matt groaned and his muscles clenched. She was as cautious as she could be, but there wasn't much she could do to help with the pain as she cleaned his wounds.

"I'm sorry." She murmured from behind him, frowning as she looked over the large burns across his back. Just from the looks of it, she knew some of them wouldn't leave terrible scars, but a few of them would.

"It's okay." He assured her. "I appreciate you doing this for me. And also you can expect some compensation for helping me once I'm not hobbled." He spoke lightly, trying to distract himself from the pain, Gabby chuckling behind him as she finished up his back.

"Oh, I'm definitely looking forward to that." She responded, rubbing her thumb over his hip before coming to stand back in front of him. "Alright, let me clean your neck and the scrape on your side and then we're done."

"Good, cause I need to sit down." He breathed out, Gabby nodding understandingly as she began cleaning the burn on his neck with the same precision, Matt's hand resting on her bump as they stood in the now cool water.

Within a few minutes, Gabby had finished up her job, turning off the water before getting out first. She wrapped her towel around herself before turning to Matt, slowly helping him out of the shower. She could tell he was in pain, Gabby wincing every time he had to put pressure on his swollen leg. Eventually she got him out, handing him his crutches as he stood there, breathing heavily.

"You okay?" She asked as she wrapped his towel around his waist, tying it in place.

"Yeah, yeah…" He panted. "It just wore me out."

"Can you make it to the bed?" Matt nodded before they slowly started to walk back into the bedroom, Gabby keeping a close eye on him as they carefully got to the bed. Matt barely made it to the edge of the bed before he had to sit down, his body practically collapsing down onto the mattress, Matt hissing as he moved faster than his should of.

"You gotta be careful, Matt." She warned, taking his crutches from him as he sat on the edge of the bed, Matt trying to catch his breath.

"I know, I just- my leg started shaking, it felt like it was about to give out."

Gabby nodded slowly before moving back into the bathroom to get another towel. Once she placed it on the bed next to him, she headed out into the main part of the apartment, grabbing some fresh dressings and his burn cream before walking back into the bedroom.

"Maybe you should've stayed another day at the hospital…" She mused as she climbed up onto the bed, resting on her shins behind him as she began drying his back. She knew the first few days of his recovery were going to be rough, but she hated seeing him having so much trouble.

"No, I'm okay. I promise." He spoke, wincing as Gabby worked on covering his burns. He caught a glimpse of the towel as she placed it back on the bed, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw red staining the material. "Am I bleeding?"

"Yeah, just a little." She responded, her voice telling him she was clearly focused on the task at hand. "But that's normal. Your skin is raw, a little bleeding is normal." Matt just nodded, remaining quiet as she finished up.

Within ten minutes she had gotten all his burns covered, as well as put some ointment over the scrape on his side, covering it with a bandage.

"You want to get dressed or you need a second?" She asked as she slowly stood back up, Matt shaking his head.

"You go ahead and change, I'm just gonna sit here for a minute." He told her, Gabby nodding as she moved to the dresser. He watched her as she walked around the room, slowly getting changed into a pair of his boxers and t-shirt, not bothering to get dressed up since they weren't planning on going anywhere today.

Once she had finished getting dressed, her hair up in a bun on the top of her head, they began the slow process of getting Matt ready. It took about fifteen minutes, but she'd managed to get him dressed in a t-shirt and boxers, and moved out into the living room, Gabby elevating his leg.

"Alright, you need ice and your pill, are you hungry?"

"A little, but Gabby please take care of yourself before you do anything else for me. You're stressing me out." He pleaded, Gabby shaking her head with a soft smile.

"Matt, I'm fine. I've already had like two meals this morning, considering it took you hours to get your lazy butt out of bed. You didn't even wake up when Severide came to drop off your stuff, and he was stomping around all over the place… But I'm feeling great, you don't need to worry about me."

"I always worry about you… You're sure you're feeling alright? You're not dealing with those pains or anything are you?" She could hear the concern in her voice, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, I'm feeling good. I promise." She reassured him, Matt watching her closely for a moment before ultimately nodding. "Now, do you want something to eat?" She asked again.

"...If you don't mind, I'd love a sandwich." He spoke with a shy grin, Gabby chuckling as she nodded.

"I could go for a sandwich, too. I'll get the ice and medicine first though." She replied, slowly standing up from the couch. She got halfway to the kitchen before she heard Matt's phone ringing from the bedroom, Gabby changing her path to go grab it.

"Oh, you can just leave it." He tried, but she shook her head before disappearing into the bedroom.

Picking up his phone, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion when she saw the caller ID, Gabby stepping back out of bedroom, Matt watching her curiously as she put his phone up to her ear.

"Hey Jemma." Gabby spoke, Matt's eyes widening.

"_Gabby? Oh- hey._" Jemma stuttered on the other end, Dawson's eyebrows raising in curiosity at her friend's strange tone.

"Hey." Gabby greeted again, walking towards the couch, not missing the wary look on Matt's face. "Did you mean to call Matt?" She asked, keeping her gaze on him while waiting for an answer.

"_Oh, uh no. I was looking for you, actually._"

"Oh, sorry." Gabby responded, Matt's body relaxing as he listened to their conversation. "It's been crazy around here, I'm not even sure where my phone is… What's up?"

"_Are you guys okay?_" Jemma sidestepped the question as Gabby sighed, leaning back into the couch.

"Matt was in an accident on shift yesterday."

"_Oh my God, is he okay?_"

"He will be. He has a few burns, and he messed up his knee. But I've got him home. We're doing okay." She answered, Matt giving her a soft smile.

"_Let me know if you two need anything, I'm happy to help with whatever. I'm so sorry he got hurt, but I'm glad he's okay._"

"Me too. Thanks Jemma." Gabby responded lightly, resting her hand on Matt's thigh. "So, what did you want to talk about?"

"_Oh, it's nothing. I was just- wanting to see if you maybe wanted to get lunch or something, but you've got your hands full._" Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she listened to Jemma talk, sensing a nervousness in her voice.

"You sure you're okay?" Gabby asked.

"_Yup, I'm good. Text me if you guys need anything._"

"Alright, I will. See you later, Jemma." Gabby spoke, waiting for the goodbye from her friend before hanging up. She turned towards Matt, seeing him watching her closely.

"What did Jemma want?" He questioned, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"I'm not sure, she was acting really weird… there's a lot of that going around lately." She spoke knowingly, Matt flashing her a wide grin.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Uh huh, sure." She responded, shaking her head before getting up from the couch. "Don't think I've forgotten that secret you're so terribly hiding."

"Well, even though there is no secret, if there was, clearly I'm hiding it well considering you haven't figured it out…" He spoke, Gabby stopping, facing him with a challengingly look on her face. "Hypothetically, of course." He added lamely, Gabby chuckling.

"Mhmm. Whatever you say, Matt." She spoke before continuing her way into the kitchen.

Once she was out of sight, Matt grabbed his phone that Gabby left on the couch, quickly typing out a text to Jemma

'_Hey, I should've texted you earlier but with everything it just slipped my mind. My plans are definitely getting postponed, I can't do it tonight now. But I'll keep you posted_.'

Blowing out a breath, Matt dropped his phone in his lap, running his hand over his mouth.

He knew he needed to propose soon, there were only so many more times he could get away with her not finding out, and she was obviously suspicious already. He wanted it to be a complete surprise, he wanted it to be perfect. And just when he thought he'd gotten everything in order, this happens. Matt knew it couldn't be helped, that there was no way to know this could've happened, but he was hoping this would be one thing that would go through without any problems. Although that proved not to be the case.

Matt knew she wouldn't care how he proposed, he could do it right here and now and she'd love it just as much, but he was determined to stick to his plan of proposing to her again at the firehouse.

He just hoped she didn't find out before he could make it happen.

* * *

**Well, there's another chapter for you guys! Luckily, it looks like Matt's gonna be okay. Unfortunately, he's not able to propose to Gabby when he had planned. But, knowing Matt, he'll figure it out.**

**I can't wait to hear what you all thought of this chapter! We're getting closer and closer to baby Casey! Thanks so much for reading.**


	47. Chapter Forty Seven

**Here's the next chapter for you all! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Seven**_

* * *

"Jesus Severide, be careful. We're trying to keep that furniture." Matt chastised from his seat in the corner of the room, Kelly glaring at him as he and Antonio worked on taking down the bed frame. "Gabby will kill you if you scratch it."

"I didn't come here to be berated." Severide spoke, wiping the sweat from his brow.

"I know, you came here for the pizza." Matt responded quickly, earning a chuckle from Antonio.

"Yeah, which still isn't here… I'm starting to feel a little used." He replied as Matt adjusted the ice pack wrapped around his knee. He had done it himself because Gabby was still out, and although it wasn't terrible, it definitely felt more secure when she did it.

"Gabby's coming back soon, Sev. And she'll have pizza with her."

"And beer?" He asked hopefully, Casey scoffing as he shook his head.

"No, I didn't ask Gabby to buy beer when she's almost twenty three weeks pregnant."

"But she's not the one drinking it." He mumbled, Casey rolling his eyes as he adjusted himself in his seat, grimacing at the movement. "And I remember being promised beer."

"Yes, well if _I_ remember correctly that was about thirty minutes before I fell through a floor." Matt responded with raised eyebrows, almost challenging him to complain some more.

"...Fair enough." Kelly gave in as he and Antonio placed one side of the railing against the wall. "Although I'm not entirely convinced you're not faking."

"Yeah, maybe you just didn't want to have to do all the heavy lifting." Antonio joined in, Matt chuckling.

"Trust me, I'd love to be helping you guys, but I'm pretty sure Gabby would kill me."

"She would." Kelly added while Antonio took a long drink of his water.

"She got mad when she saw me walking without the crutches this morning, I don't think she'd take too kindly to me lifting anything."

"Didn't your doc say you could ditch the crutches after a couple days?" Antonio asked, Matt nodding.

"He did, he said once the swelling went down some and it wasn't as painful that I could try and walk around some, but Gabby didn't like it. She went and got the crutches and made me use them." Matt explained, slowly stretching out his leg. "I know I scared her, and she doesn't want me to hurt myself, but I'm gonna have to try walking on it if I want to get back to work."

"Maybe that's her masterplan." Severide responded with a grin, Matt raising his eyebrows. "I mean, what's the best way to keep you from getting hurt in a fire? Don't go into the fire."

"She's not trying to keep me from working, Sev. She's just afraid of me hurting myself. It was a miracle I didn't tear something in my knee, she just wants me to be careful."

"I don't know, Dawson is sneaky." Severide spoke with a grin, Antonio chuckling as they started getting back to work.

"So let me make sure I have this right, after Kelly and I finish getting all of this out of here, him and I are the ones who unload it at his place?" Antonio asked, Matt smiling sheepishly.

"Yes, but there's pizza." He spoke quickly, Antonio shaking his head. "I am sorry about this, I know this isn't exactly how you planned to spend your Sunday, but the baby's stuff is coming tomorrow and we need all this out of here... I really appreciate your help."

"It's alright, I know none of this has really gone according to plan."

"No it hasn't, I was supposed to have beer." Severide complained again, Matt rolling his eyes as both men ignored his comment.

"Do you know anything about when you can get back to work?" Antonio asked, Matt shaking his head.

"I was hoping it would only be a few shifts, but I already missed yesterday and I don't feel much better. And Gabby's so worried, she took off shift too, I'm not sure I can convince her to go back until I'm cleared." Matt replied, earning an understanding nod from Antonio.

"How are the burns?"

"They're pretty uncomfortable." He answered with a grimace, Antonio wincing. "They're still red and they're blistering. It's definitely ugly, I'm just hoping Gabby doesn't mind the scars because I'm pretty sure my back is going to be messed up forever."

"I'm sorry, man. But we both know all she cares about is you being here."

"Yeah, I know. And it definitely could've been worse, I know I got lucky. I just hate having to be off work, and Gabby being off. Especially with the baby coming, it's just not something we planned for." He spoke, blowing out a breath.

"You two will be fine, hopefully you'll be able to get back soon. Or, at the very least, convince Gabby to go back. Even though you of all people know how hard it is to get her to do something she doesn't want to do." Antonio joked, earning a knowing chuckle from Casey.

"Believe me, I know." He laughed.

"Speaking of Dawson," Severide spoke up, gaining the attention of both men. "What's the plan now for everything?" Kelly asked, Antonio's eyebrows furrowing.

"Plans for what?" He questioned, Matt sighing heavily.

"The proposal." Severide answered.

"You're proposing?" Antonio questioned, his eyes widened in surprise.

"You didn't tell him?" Severide asked before Matt could get a word in, Casey shaking his head.

"I am proposing again, yeah." Matt breathed out, Antonio nodding slowly.

"How long has this been in the works?"

"Well, I got the ring back before Christmas…"

"Oh.. wow."

"Yeah.. Pretty much the second I knew she was coming home, I wanted to propose again, but I decided to wait until we had cleared the air with everything. I didn't want to get married again until I knew we were both on the same page, and ready to work through our problems. And them the pregnancy and everything, it just kept getting pushed back. Then I was planning on doing it the night after my last shift, but then we all saw what happened there… so now I'm just waiting until I'm more mobile, and can give her the proposal she deserves."

"Wow." Antonio breathed out, still a little stunned.

"I'm sorry, I should've told you. Everything's just been so crazy and I've been more worried about making sure she doesn't find out than anything else."

"No, it's fine. I guess if I had thought about it, I should've known you two would be getting married again, but it never really crossed my mind." He responded, Matt nodding. "And this is what you both want?"

"We do. She never should've stopped being my wife, I know I screwed that up, but we talked about it when she first got back. We still see each other as husband and wife, that hasn't changed. We just need to make it official." Matt told him, Antonio nodding with a small smile.

"Can I see the ring?"

"Yeah, of course. Sev, it's in the top drawer of the dresser, can you get it?" Casey asked his friend, the man standing right beside the furniture. After directing him to its precise location, Kelly pulled out the small box, handing it to Antonio. "It's not much, it's just a wedding band, but I think she'll like it."

"She'll love it." Antonio replied as he looked at the ring. "It's perfect, Casey." He spoke, closing the box before looking back to his former, and now soon to be again, brother in-law. "So what's the plan now?"

"Well, I was thinking-" Casey got cut off by the back door closing, his eyes widening as he waved his hand, silently telling the men to hide the ring.

"Matt?" Gabby called out, Antonio tossing the box back to Kelly, Matt's heart dropping as he threw the box, Casey still frantically waving his hand, trying to get them to move faster. "Matt?"

"In here, babe." He called back, taking a deep breath as Kelly got the dresser closed, turning around and leaning against it just as Gabby came into the doorway. "Hello beautiful." Matt greeted, heat rising to her cheeks as she looked around the room.

"You guys seem to have gotten some work done while I was gone." She commented, her eyebrows furrowing as she stepped inside, seeing the near guilty look on Kelly's face, and the blank one on her brothers. "You guys alright?"

"Oh they're fine, they've just been complaining all morning." Matt responded with a soft smile, waving her towards him.

"Ahh, well there's pizza and some beer in the kitchen." She responded, Kelly blowing out a thankful breath.

"You're a godsend, thank you." Kelly spoke, heading out of the room.

"Beer?" Casey asked, Gabby shrugging as she got to him.

"I got a lot of looks, but I knew Kelly wanted it." She spoke.

"I love you Dawson!" Severide called from the hallway, the three left in the room chuckling as Antonio walked towards her.

"Thanks for lunch, sis." He spoke, placing a kiss to her head.

"Of course, thank you for giving up your day to help us." She replied, Antonio nodding before heading out of the room, leaving the expectant parents alone.

"Hi." Matt spoke, reaching out for her.

"Hey." She responded, Matt patting against his good leg, encouraging her to sit down in his lap. "You sure you can handle me and the baby? We're pretty big these days." She commented, Matt shaking his head, patting his leg again.

"Nope, you two are perfect." He replied, Gabby lightly scoffing as she turned to sit down, Matt wrapping his arm around her growing waist, guiding her down onto his lap. "How are you doing today?" He questioned once she was settled, Gabby placing her arm around his neck, being mindful of his burns.

"I'm feeling okay, a little tired but good." She answered, Matt resting his free hand over her stomach, rubbing softly against her shirt.

"Good. And how's our girl?"

"She's good, excited to be back home with her Daddy." Gabby replied, Matt grinning as he glanced to her stomach.

"I'm glad you're back home, too, little one." He whispered, patting her stomach before returning his attention to Gabby. "You get all your errands done this morning?"

"Mhmm. I got your prescription for more of your burn cream, and I picked up some groceries. And I couldn't help myself and I got some more things for baby." She responded, scrunching her nose up lightly.

"That's fine, I can't wait to see what you got."

"And how are you feeling? How's the knee?"

"Sore, but alright."

"You've been staying off it, right?"

"Yes ma'am." He responded, smiling warmly. Her grin grew, Gabby's eyes tracing over his face. In the days since the accident, his body had definitely shown signs of the brutal beating it had taken. Bruises had appeared over most of his body, Gabby unable to look at any part of him without seeing multiple spots of purple or yellow discoloration. His eye had really swelled up the first few days, Matt barely able to open it for a while, but it was slowly starting to return to normal. It was still swollen, as was his knee, but everything was slowly healing.

"And how is your back?"

"It kind of hurts, but I'm okay." Gabby frowned, nodding slowly as she began playing with the hair on the back of his neck.

"Anything I can do for you?" She asked, Matt shaking his head, leaning forward to place a soft kiss to her lips.

"Just take care of yourself and the baby." He responded after they separated, Gabby nodding before standing up.

"Well, baby wants some food." She spoke, grabbing his crutches from against the wall, Matt slowly getting up, putting pressure on his leg. "Be careful." She warned, holding out the crutches, but he shook his head.

"I am, but I gotta start trying to walk on it." He told her, reaching down to pull the ice pack off his knee, checking to make sure the brace was secure before he slowly started moving. Gabby watched on in worry, picking up his arm, wrapping it around her shoulders. "I'm okay, babe." He assured her, but she felt him grip her shoulder firmly.

"I know, but just let me help you." She responded, their fingers locking over her shoulder as they slowly moved. She knew he wanted to do this himself, but the last thing that would help them was him overdoing it and injuring himself further. She didn't want to put her arm around him, knowing that would hurt his burns more than it would help him stay steady, so she opted to just let him use her body as support, the two walking slowly to the door. "How much does it hurt?" She asked as they got into the hallway, silently wishing he hadn't chosen the longest walk in the house for him to start walking without his crutches.

"It's more uncomfortable than anything else. I know nothing was broken or torn, but it feels really weak." He admitted, Gabby grimacing as she placed her hand on his stomach.

"If you need to stop, tell me. Don't push yourself." She reminded him, the two continuing their walk into the living room.

"Look at him, he's a mobile man." Severide called from the kitchen table as Matt slowly came into view.

"I'm surprised you let him walk that far, Gabs." Antonio joked, leaning over to pull out the chair at the head of the table, Matt slowly sitting down, his breathing slightly labored as he got settled.

"Well, he did good." Gabby spoke, rubbing her fingers through Matt's hair before placing a kiss to the top of his head.

The four friends enjoyed their meal, Severide and Antonio eating quickly, not wanting to waste too much time and have this task drag into the evening. Matt had only been at the table for all of ten minutes before they ran off back towards the soon to be nursery, Gabby sitting with him while they enjoyed their lunch, talking through the cursing and complaining they heard coming from the guest room.

It was barely an hour later when Severide and Antonio had finished getting the last of the furniture into the truck, Matt having moved to the couch after his meal so he'd be able to elevate his leg.

"Alright, we got all of it." Severide blew out as he and Antonio walked back into the house.

"We really appreciate you two doing this." Gabby spoke as she slowly stood up from the couch.

"Of course, sis."

"Yeah, it wasn't all bad. Although we have yet to get all this up to my apartment." Severide replied, Gabby chuckling.

"I'll let you two handle that." She responded, the men saying goodbye to Matt before Gabby showed them out, Casey waiting patiently as he listened to Gabby say her goodbyes to her brother and Kelly.

He heard her shut the back door, going and shuffling around the kitchen before she appeared again, holding a new ice pack and his pill bottle.

"I'm not hurting too bad right now." He told her as she came to sit next to him, Gabby beginning the process of securing the ice to his knee. She undid his brace, hearing him sigh in relief as it loosened, Gabby running her fingers over the deep purple bruising covering his skin.

"Yeah, but you've had a big day, I don't want you hurting all night." She spoke, bandaging the ice to him.

"...I don't think I want to take it." He murmured, Gabby glancing towards him with a raised eyebrow.

"Is everything okay?" She questioned, leaning back into the couch, making herself as comfortable as she could, resting her hand over his thigh.

"Yeah, I just don't want to become dependent on them or anything. I can handle a little pain, I'd rather that than continuing to take them." He spoke quietly, Gabby nodding as she rubbed her thumb over his leg.

"I'd never make you take them, it's your choice and I know you're the one who has to deal with the effects of them. But if they help you, I don't want you to be afraid to use them." She responded as he looked to her, Gabby flashing him a supportive smile. Matt had always been mindful when it came to medication, Gabby knowing his dad's problems with substance abuse were always in the back of his mind. "If you'd rather just take some aspirin, that's fine. I just don't want you to be in pain, but it's whatever you want."

"I think I'm just gonna hold off, I'd rather try and cut back on them now."

"Alright." She replied, leaning forward to place a soft kiss against his temple before she got up. "But just please take one if you need it."

"I will. I promise." He responded, Gabby grabbing his pill bottle before heading back into the kitchen, grabbing him a few pills from the cabinet.

She reappeared within a minute, Gabby handing him the milder medicine when she got close enough, Matt flashing her an appreciative smile before swallowing the pills, Gabby sitting down next to him.

"You wanna see what I got for the baby?" She asked, opening the plastic bag she'd brought in with her.

"Absolutely." He responded, resting back into the couch as Gabby began pulling tiny clothes from the bag.

Slowly, she began showing him each item, Matt holding onto each one as she handed them to him, his hands cradling the small material. Gabby had gotten four different onesies, as well as a blanket and then a few pacifiers.

"I saw this, too, and I had to get it." She spoke, handing him a small blue blanket covered in firetrucks.

"She's gonna love it." He replied, Gabby pulling out one last thing from the bag, Matt eyeing the item curiously. "Planning her career already?" Matt asked with a grin, Gabby shaking her head as she held the stethoscope in her hands.

"No, I saw this at the pharmacy and decided to get it. I was thinking we could try to see if we could hear her heartbeat, since you weren't able to be at the appointment." She spoke softly, Matt's grin widening as he began nodding enthusiastically. "Alright, let me try and find it first." She told him, placing the stethoscope in her ears.

"Can you feel where she is?" He asked, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, she's right here." She responded, tapping against her lower stomach, a little left of her belly button. Matt's hand instantly flew to the area, Gabby chuckling as he lifted her shirt up, placing his palm against her skin.

Gabby let him have his moment, watching as his smile grew even bigger when he felt her move against his hand.

"Babe, I'm gonna need you to move if you want me to do this." She eventually spoke up, a light laugh escaping through her lips as he looked up to her.

"Oh right, sorry. I just got excited." He replied sheepishly, Gabby rubbing her hand over his scraped cheek.

"Don't apologize, if you want to feel her for a while, we can wait."

"No, I want to hear her." He responded, pulling his hand back as he watched Gabby began searching for the heartbeat, moving the stethoscope around her stomach.

With each passing moment, Matt felt a bit more defeated, thinking they wouldn't actually be able to hear it. But then he saw the smile light up over her face, Gabby turning towards him with excited eyes.

"Can you hear it?" He asked, Gabby nodding quickly.

She saw his eyes light up, Matt glancing back towards her stomach. Even though she would be perfectly content listening to the sound of their baby's heart beating for the rest of the night, she didn't want to keep Matt waiting any longer.

With one hand keeping the cold metal pressed against her stomach, she used her other to remove it from her ears, handing it over to Matt, who eagerly put the stethoscope in place.

His already wide smile grew even more, a look of complete love and joy filling his features as he listened to the rhythmic thumping in his ears. It was faint, definitely not as loud as what they could hear during the ultrasound, but he could feel it. And it filled him with an indescribable warmth.

Gabby sat there quietly while he had a moment with their little girl, Matt placing his hand on the other side of her stomach, rubbing gently over her skin while he listened to the steady beating.

"I love you so much." He whispered, his eyes glued to her stomach. Gabby felt tears pricking the edges of her eyes as he spoke, blinking quickly as he looked up at her. "I love you so much, too." He spoke, his eyes shining as he leaned towards her, kissing her passionately.

When they pulled back, he rested his forehead against hers, Gabby holding onto the back of his head as they connected, both of them enjoying their intimate moment.

"Thank you for this." He murmured, feeling her fingers run over his scalp. "This was the perfect surprise, thank you." Matt spoke again, Gabby nodding before pulling her head back from his.

"We love you." She responded quietly before carefully resting her head on his shoulder, making herself comfortable so Matt could listen to their little girl's heartbeat for as long as he wanted.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't mind?" Gabby asked for the tenth time that morning as she stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her ponytail.

"I'm fine, Gabby." He responded from his position on the bed, stretching out his knee. "You've missed enough time already, just because I can't work doesn't mean you shouldn't." He reminded her, Gabby glancing over to him, seeing the concentrated look on his face as he moved his leg.

It had been a little over two weeks since Matt's accident, and things weren't exactly going to plan. A knee sprain that should've only kept him sidelined for a shift or two had now kept him off the job for what was about to be five shifts in a row, and he was nowhere near being able to return. His scrapes and cuts had all basically healed; there was a small red scratch still lingering on his side, but that would most likely be gone in a few more days. Most of the bruising was long gone, aside from a particularly nasty one on his chest, and his eye had almost returned to normal. The burns, which at first had been Gabby's biggest concern, were all healing well. His new skin had started to cover his wounds, and while they were still tender, they didn't hurt him as much anymore. Everything was going according to plan.

Except for his knee.

They had gone back to see Dr. Williams a week ago, and he told them that it was sometimes normal to have some lingering pain, and that it might just take a little extra time for him to heal. He'd been given some stretches and exercises to do, just to keep his leg strength in tact, but Matt was getting restless. And Gabby couldn't blame him.

She couldn't imagine how frustrated he was, with his knee causing him so much pain but there wasn't really anything anyone could tell him to explain it. Two weeks out from his accident, it was normal to still be experiencing discomfort, and Gabby assumed he would have still been wearing the brace at this point, at least for work, but this was something neither of them had expected.

The pain in his knee was near excruciating some days, it being bad enough that at times he would voluntarily use his crutches instead of toughing it out. The first time Gabby had witnessed that, him opting for his walking aid instead of just doing it himself, that's when she realized just how much pain he must've been in. And it didn't seem to be getting any better.

"I don't mind to miss one more." She spoke, sliding her hand over her bump as she turned towards him.

"No, you should go." He replied, glancing up from his knee to her. "We're not even sure how much longer you're gonna be able to work anyway, I don't want you missing time because of me."

"Alright, if you're sure. But really, I don't mind. I know Boden will understand."

"Gabby, it's fine." He spoke shortly, Gabby nodding as she turned away from him. Shaking his head, his eyes fell closed, Matt releasing a heavy sigh. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized, waving her over to him. Slowly, she moved towards the bed, placing herself down on it as Matt reached for her hand. "I know you're just trying to help, I shouldn't have snapped at you. I'm just so frustrated with all of this, and it's not getting any better." He responded, Gabby smiling sympathetically as she brought her hand up to run over the side of his face.

"I know this has been hard on you."

"It has, and I know I haven't been the most fun to be around lately…" He mused, Gabby shaking her head.

"You fell through a building, Matt. I think that warrants a little frustration from time to time." She replied. "I just wish there was more I could do to help you."

"You've done more than enough. If anything, I wish you'd do less. I know this whole thing has stressed you out, and you've been taking care of me when you should be taking care of yourself… I should be taking care of you and I can't. At least not in the ways I want to." He murmured, taking a deep breath.

"I'm fine, Matt. I mean, yes, your massages are greatly missed," She spoke with a grin, "but you need to focus on getting yourself better. I'm alright. You heard Dr. Tanner yesterday, I'm doing great." She continued, Matt nodding knowingly.

When they had gone to Gabby's 24-week appointment yesterday, it had been quite the spectacle as Matt crutched his way into the office. They had been there enough times for everyone to know them, and to see him stumbling his way around was a shock to most of them, but they all were polite and tried to help the expectant parents when they could. After dealing with the frustration of his knee, he wasn't too happy with people helping him with things he could do himself, but he knew they all meant well.

"Yeah, I know. You and our girl are doing great. I just want to keep it that way." He breathed out.

"We're fine, and you're gonna be fine." She assured him, leaning forward to place a soft kiss on his lips. "I gotta get going, but I'll call and check in a little later, okay?"

"Sounds good." He responded, Gabby kissing him again before standing up. "Stay safe out there."

"I will. And I hope you have fun here. I can only imagine what big plans you have for today." She teased, Matt smirking.

"Oh, yes I have a big day of sitting on the couch ahead of me, it's gonna be great." He replied lightly, giving her hand one last squeeze before she slipped from his grasp.

In truth, he did have plans for today, but they were things he couldn't share with her.

"Call me if you need anything. I'm sure I could get away long enough to stop by if you need me."

"I will, but I'll be fine. Have a good day." He spoke, Gabby leaning down to place a kiss to his forehead before heading for the door.

"Love you." She called, Matt watching her until she was out of sight.

"I love you too." He responded, listening as she moved around the kitchen, Matt releasing a breath once he heard the door shut.

When he was sure he was alone, Matt slowly swung his legs off the bed, grimacing as his unbraced knee moved.

He did have big plans for today, as well as tomorrow night. And he wasn't gonna let his knee stop him from doing what he'd been wanting to do for months.

He'd been waiting for the perfect moment to propose again, but with the stall in his recovery, he soon realized the perfect moment could still be months away, and he wasn't ready to wait that long.

He was proposing again, and he was doing it tomorrow night. He had already talked to Jemma and Severide, and gotten everything planned. He knew it wouldn't be exactly as he envisioned, but he was tired of waiting. He was determined to do this now.

But today there was something else he needed to do first, and he knew he couldn't tell Gabby. Because she would've insisted she come with him. He needed to go and get answers, he could fill her in later. Right now, he just needed to know what was going on.

* * *

"Hey kid." Herrmann greeted as he walked into the common room, seeing Gabby sitting at the table.

"Hey Herrmann." She responded as the older man came and stood across from her.

"How's Casey feeling?" He asked, resting his palms on the back of the chair in front of him.

"About the same." She spoke with a grimace, Herrmann sighing. "His knee is still nagging him."

"Have you all gone back to the doctor?"

"Not since last week." She replied, taking a sip of her water.

"Well, maybe it couldn't hurt to check again. There might be some small tearing or something the scans missed. I'm not sure what else would be keeping him out this long." He mused, Gabby shrugging.

"Yeah, I'm not sure. I'll talk to him about it tomorrow." She responded, feeling her phone begin to buzz in her pocket. Pulling it out, she shot Herrmann an apologetic look before answering it. "Hey Jemma."

"_Hey girl, I'm not interrupting anything am I?_"

"No, you're good. I'm at 51 but I'm free, what's up?" She questioned, Herrmann giving her a smile before heading to the couch.

"_I was wondering if you'd wanna go out to eat with me tomorrow night? I need your advice about something, figured we could talk over dinner._"

"Uh, yeah that shouldn't be a problem, as long as Matt's feeling okay. Are you alright?" She questioned.

"_I'm fine, just wanna talk. I'll stop by and pick you up tomorrow around 7?_"

"Sounds good. I'll see you then."

"_Bye Gabby_."

Dawson hung up the phone, sliding it back into her pocket as she blew out a heavy breath. She wasn't sure what Jemma wanted to talk to her about, but Gabby didn't have time to dwell on it as the bells rang throughout the firehouse, sending them out on their first call of the day.

* * *

Matt twiddled his thumbs as he sat on the exam table, the gown itching his skin as he waited in the white room, his head hung to the ground. He'd been here for over an hour, his back beginning to ache as he waited for his doctor.

Despite being so adamant about not telling Gabby about his plans, now that he was sitting here alone, he couldn't help but wish she was here with him. If she knew about his appointment, she would've skipped shift with no hesitation, and he didn't want her missing any more time because of him. But sitting here by himself, a part of him wished he told her. He hated being here alone, especially when he didn't know what kind of answers he'd be getting.

The sound of the door opening snapped him from his thoughts, Matt looking up as Dr. Williams walked inside, a soft smile on his face.

"Hello Matt."

"Hi." He responded, swallowing thickly as he sat up straight, wincing as he skin pulled a little.

"Well, looking at your scans, I've got some good news and some bad news." He prefaced, Matt nodding. "The good news is everything still came back clear, there's nothing indicating any tears or fractures, nothing that shows any problems." He spoke, his face falling slightly. "But that's also the bad news. Since we can't find anything wrong, I can't explain why you're still having so much pain." He finished, Matt blowing out a heavy sigh.

"Okay, so what does that mean for me?"

"Well, we have a few options here. There is a chance that your body is still trying to recover from the trauma it suffered through. You might just need more time. Have you ever had any extensive sprains like this before?" Dr. Willams asked, Matt shaking his head. "Alright. So it could just be that, it's hard to tell." He spoke, sitting down on the stool. "Tell me, what exactly does it feel like?"

"My knee feels weak, sometimes like it will just snap if I put too much pressure on it. And it's a sharp pain, under my kneecap."

"Does it hurt all the time?"

"No. Mostly when I'm walking, especially if I've been up for awhile. I'll sometimes get jolts of pain when I'm lying down, but not always. From what I can tell, it's mostly just sporadic." Matt explained, Dr. Williams nodding.

"Well, right now I don't have much of an explanation as to what's causing your pain. Functionality wise, your knee is fine... Worst case scenario, there might've been some nerve damage in your fall. If that's the case, the only thing I'd be able to do for you is some pain management."

"So this might never go away." Matt spoke defeatedly, Dr. Williams breathing deeply.

"That is a possibility, yes."

"How would that affect work?" He questioned quickly.

"Honestly, if it is chronic pain we're dealing with, it would just be what you could manage. Your knee, from a structural standpoint, is fine. You could work, if you we can get your pain controlled."

"How would we do that?"

"Pain medication, to start." Dr. Williams spoke, Matt sighing deeply as his eyes fell closed. "But we're not at the point of chronic pain yet. It's only been a couple of weeks, your body might still just need some extra time to recover." He continued, Matt looking back up to him. "For right now, I'm just gonna send you home with some new pain medications. They're a little stronger than what I gave you before, but nothing too crazy."

"Do I have to take them?" Casey questioned, Dr. Williams eyeing him for a moment.

"Well, no. I can't force you to. But I want you to have them, in case you need them." He spoke cautiously, sliding his stool closer to the bed. "Is there a reason you don't want to take them?" He questioned carefully, Casey taking a deep breath.

"I've just seen what that stuff can do to people, I don't want to take them if I can help it." He responded vaguely, Dr. Williams clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"I understand the concern, medication can be tricky. But, for your quality of life, it might get to the point where you'll need them. But, again, we're not anywhere close to that yet. Hopefully, this will resolve itself on its own." He spoke, offering him a small smile. "I would still feel more comfortable with you having the medication, as long as that's okay with you. You don't have to take it if you don't want to, but that way you'll have it, just in case."

"That's fine, I don't mind having them in the house, I just wanted to ask." He responded, Dr. Williams nodding, thinking over his next words carefully before speaking.

"I didn't notice anything in your file that would indicate problems with medications… Have you struggled with substance abuse in the past?" Dr. Williams asked, Matt taking a deep breath. "I know it's hard to talk about, but I need to know Mr. Casey."

"No, it's fine. Not me, no, I haven't… But my dad did, so it's just something that's in the back of my mind, I guess."

"I see." Dr. Williams replied sympathetically. "Well, if you'd rather not have them, I can prescribe something a bit milder, but I'm not sure how much they'd help with the pain. It's up to you, but the fact that you're already so cautious about it, that tells me I don't think you'll have much of a problem getting off of them. But it's up to you."

"I'll go ahead and take them, just incase." Casey responded, Dr. Williams nodding as he handed him the prescription.

"I'd like you to come back in a few weeks, especially if you're not doing any better. But hopefully it won't come to that." He spoke, Matt nodding.

"Alright."

"I'll get your paperwork, and get you an appointment scheduled, you can go ahead and get changed and I'll be back in a bit."

"Thank you." Matt responded, the man flashing him a small smile before disappearing from the room, leaving Casey alone.

* * *

"Hey girl." Jemma greeted from her seat in the car, Gabby flashing her a smile as she climbed inside. "How are you? How's the baby?"

"We're doing good. Leg cramps are a bitch, though." Gabby responded, Jemma chuckling softly. "She's also using my bladder as a punching bag, but we're good."

"That's good." Jemma replied, pulling away from the curb.

"What about you? How are you and the boy?" Gabby asked, subtly trying to prompt Jemma into talking about whatever she needed advice on, but the woman just smiled, keeping her attention on the road.

"We're great." Jemma spoke with a smile. "He's doing good, work is going well for both of us. Everything's pretty great."

"Good, that's good."

"What about you, how's your boy?" Jemma questioned, Gabby releasing a heavy sigh.

"He's… I'm worried about him." Gabby spoke, earning a concerned look from her friend.

"Why? What's going on?"

"It's just everything with his recovery, it's not going that well. He's having a really hard time with his knee, and he's trying to deal with that."

"I'm sorry, Gabby." She murmured sympathetically.

"It's alright… It's just I can tell he's struggling more than he'll tell me, but he doesn't want to admit it." Dawson sighed, Jemma frowning.

"Was he at home? He could've come with us, gotten him out of the house." She offered, even though she knew the answer to her question.

"No, he's not there. He's actually been gone most of the day, he's with Kelly, I barely saw him except this morning… But I think it'll be good for him instead of just sitting around the house. He's been so down lately, I'm hoping spending some time with Severide will help him."

"I'm sure it will." Jemma told her, turning down the street.

"Where are we going, anyway?" Gabby asked curiously, recognizing the street.

"Oh, uh, it's a new place." Jemma spoke with a shrug, Gabby merely nodding.

The two fell into a comfortable silence, Gabby's eyes furrowing as they turned down the street to the firehouse, glancing towards her friend. Her confusion only grew when she saw Jemma smirking softly.

"Okay, you're acting weird, what's going on?" She asked, Jemma remaining silent as she pulled into the driveway of 51. "Jemma, what is this?" Gabby asked as her friend came to a stop halfway up the driveway. From their positioning, she could see partially inside the garage through all the open doors, enough to notice all the rigs were gone, but she couldn't see much more than that.

"Just go in."

"What?"

"Go inside." Jemma prompted, Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as the younger woman leaned over her, opening her door. "Go." She gently nudged her arm, Gabby's confusion only growing as she slowly slid out of the car.

"And what now? You're just gonna leave me here?"

"Believe me, you'll be fine. Now go inside." Jemma replied, Gabby huffing out a breath as she shut the door, shooting her best friend a glare before heading up the driveway.

As she got to the entrance of the garage, she glanced around, breathing deeply as her hand rested on her stomach, Gabby taking a few steps further into the empty room. She wasn't sure what she was supposed to be doing, or why Jemma just left her here, and she didn't really know where to go.

"There you are." Gabby's eyebrows raised as she heard Matt's voice fill her ears, turning towards the sound to see him stepping out from the double doors, a wide grin covering his face.

"What are you doing here?.. And what am I doing here?" She questioned, unable to stop the smile on her face as she began walking towards him, her eyes moving to his legs, watching as he walked with a slight limp. "You should be on your crutches, Matt." She warned, Casey shaking his head as he slowly moved across the room.

"Nope, I refuse to be on my crutches for this."

"For what? What are we doing here? Where is everyone?" The questions left her mouth as soon as they came to her mind, Matt smirking as they met up with one another in the middle of the room.

Silently, he reached for her hands, grasping both of hers in his, his grin widening as he caught her gaze.

"Hi." He murmured, Gabby's smile growing, feeling her chest fill with warmth at the sight of him looking so happy.

"Hi." She responded with a laugh, her eyes moving around the empty room before landing back on him. "What are we doing here?"

"We're here so I can fix something that never should've been broken." He prefaced, Gabby's eyes narrowing in confusion, looking down as he dropped one of her hands, digging into his pocket.

"What? Matt, I don't-" Gabby's words got caught in her throat as she saw the small box in his hands, tears filling her eyes instantly, her wide eyes looking back up to him, finding his shining gaze on her.

"I can't exactly do this the right way, I can't get down on one knee, unless you don't mind if I stay down there, but this will have to do." He spoke with a chuckle, Gabby laughing through the tears in her eyes. Her gaze moved back down to the box as he held it out in front of her, her breath hitching as he opened it, tears streaming down her face at the sight of the silver band. "I know it's not as snazzy as your old one, but I had planned on giving you this at Christmas, and, you know that didn't work out." He saw the look of surprise that flashed over her face, Matt assuming her shock came from him having this planned for so long, but he didn't question it. "And then we found out about the baby and everything there, this kind of got pushed back. Then I had it all planned out, I got everything ready and then I had the accident and well, now I'm just tired of waiting." He spoke, shaking his head, wiping away the tear that had fallen down his cheek. "But I want you to have this, for you to be my wife again. You never should've stopped being my wife, I should've fought harder for you. But we can't change what happened, all I know is that I'm thankful every damn day that you came back to me… That we're getting another chance together; you, me, and this baby. You're my world, Gabby. I want- _need_ you to be my wife again, I know I've said it before, but nothing makes sense without you. You make everyday worth it, and I don't know how I got so lucky for you to love me and for you to choose to be with me, but I'm so glad you did. I love you so much. I love you more than I could ever tell you. I love you more than anything else in this world… except maybe now our little girl. But even then, she only makes me love you more." Tears were freely streaming down both their faces, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as she kept her eyes on him. "I know we've had our struggles, we've gone through so much. And I can't promise that everything will always be perfect, but what I can promise you is that I'll never, ever give up on us. I know what it's like to live without you, and it was the worst thing I have ever experienced. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, I want things to be right. I want us to be married again." He told her, his voice firm despite his emotions overwhelming him. "I love you so much. I always have, and I always will… Gabriela Dawson, will you marry me?"

Gabby frantically nodded, biting back a sob as she saw the look of relief that flashed over his features, his smile lighting up his entire face.

"Yes! Yes, of course I'll marry you." She responded excitedly, stepping towards him and capturing his lips with hers, the two meeting in a passionate kiss, Matt placing his hand on her waist.

"I love you so much." He murmured against her, feeling a joyous sob escape her lips before she kissed him again.

"I love you, too. I love you so much. I can't wait for you to be my husband again." She responded quietly, Matt wiping the tears from her cheek. "Let me see the ring again." She spoke suddenly, Matt holding up the box as she took it out, her eyes shining with admiration as she held it.

"I mean, technically it's just a wedding band, I don't have an engagement ring-"

"I don't care." She responded, looking up at him with a wide grin. "Put it on."

"Now? I mean, we're not married yet."

"I don't care." She repeated, Matt releasing a chuckle before grabbing the ring from her, Gabby holding out her hand.

Slowly, Matt slid the band onto her ring finger, fresh tears falling down her cheeks as she held her hand up. She couldn't explain the feeling of seeing that ring on her finger again, but it made her feel whole. It felt like everything was finally back in place. Soon, they'd be married again, and she'd never felt more content.

"I love you." He whispered again, brushing a few strands of hair from her face, Gabby leaning into his hand.

"I love you too. Now, come on Mr. Dawson," She teased, grabbing his hand as he let out a loud laugh. "I believe some celebrations are in order." Gabby spoke with a gleam in her eye, Matt's eyebrows raising as he grinned, nodding knowingly as they began slowly walking out of the garage, both looking forward to getting home and celebrating their engagement properly.

* * *

**Well, there it is. The long-awaited proposal. I hope you all liked it!**

**I've gotten some reviews asking about what the plan is for this story, wondering if I'm planning on continuing it once the baby is born. And truthfully, I hadn't really thought about it. Considering my original plan for this story was for it to be about ten chapters, and end once Gabby got back, I never imagined it would be going this long. So I guess what I want to know is would you all like me to keep it going past the birth? I'm still not sure what I'm going to do, but if I think I can find a good story to tell, I'd love to keep it going for at least a little bit, if you all would want that. Just let me know!**

**I'm eager to hear your thoughts about this one! Thanks for reading!**


	48. Chapter Forty Eight

**Hello everyone! Here's the next one for you guys. With this chapter, this story hit over 400k words, which is just nuts. I never thought I'd still be writing for this long, but I'm so glad I am. Thank you all for the continued love and support on each and every chapter. It's made it so rewarding for me to keep this story going. **

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Eight**_

* * *

Gabby laid on her side, her breathing heavy as Matt adjusted himself behind her, wrapping his arm around her growing waist, resting his palm on her stomach. He caught his breath, lifting his head to rest on her shoulder, Gabby feeling his smile as their warm bodies pressed together.

"That was…" She breathed out, Matt chuckling in her ear as he placed a soft kiss to her neck, stroking his thumb over her belly.

"Incredible." He answered, kissing her skin again before placing his head against hers, the two lying quietly as they regulated their breathing.

When they made their way into the apartment over an hour ago, the newly engaged couple wasted no time stumbling their way into the bedroom. It took them longer than usual to get there, Gabby's pregnant body and Matt's beat up one slowing them down a bit, but they eventually got there, shedding their clothes as they went. It took some time for them to find a way that worked for them, the combination of needing Gabby to be comfortable as well as Matt not hurting himself proving difficult to just fall into their usual rhythm. But soon they figured it out, Gabby lying on her side as Matt laid behind her, the couple moving together as they relished in the feeling of one another.

They were able to take their time, Gabby keeping the pressure off her stomach and Matt keeping his back off the bed and weight off his knee. Their movements were slow, and passionate, and filled with nothing but love.

Opening his eyes, Matt saw Gabby admiring the wedding band on her finger, his content grin widening as he slid his hand up to rest just under her breasts.

"Did I do okay?" He questioned quietly, Gabby turning her head to glance back at him.

"With which part?" She asked teasingly, Matt chuckling before placing a kiss on the side of her mouth. "The ring is beautiful, Matt." She responded honestly, her smile widening. "I love it so much.. And the sex wasn't bad, either." She added, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"Once I get my full mobility back, just you wait." He promised, Gabby shaking her head in amusement, resting back against the pillow as she faced the wall. Matt placed his head against hers again, Gabby's hand coming up to rub the side of his head, scratching her fingers through his short hair.

They had fallen back into a peaceful quiet, Gabby continuing to run her hand through his hair, nearly lulling him to sleep.

"So…" Gabby spoke up after a few minutes, Matt's tired eyes slowly opening. "You've been planning this since Christmas?"

A small grin fell onto his lips, Matt nuzzled his head against hers, enjoying the light massage she was giving him. "Before actually."

"Really?" Even through his exhausted haze, he could hear the surprise in her voice.

"Really." He answered, placing a soft kiss against her neck. "But pretty much the second I knew you were staying, I was thinking about making you my wife again, the timing just kind of got all messed up."

Gabby simply hummed in response, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he opened his eyes, waiting to see if she said anything else. But she stayed quiet, even though Matt could practically hear her thoughts running laps in her head.

"What is it?" He questioned, Gabby looking back towards him.

"Hmm?"

"What's going on in there?" He asked again, resting his cheek on her shoulder.

Gabby shrugged as much as she could from her positioning on the bed, taking to playing with the end of the bed sheet, Matt's uncertainty only growing.

"I guess I was just.. I don't know, starting to think you had changed your mind."

"About us?" He asked, confusion and concern flooding his voice.

"About marriage." She responded softly, Matt sighing deeply as he pulled back from her.

"Come here, I can't see you." He prompted gently, lifting up the sheet and slowly helping her turn to her other side, letting her get comfortable before settling next to her, the couple finally facing one another, Matt's head resting in his palm. "You thought I didn't want to marry you?"

"I thought you weren't sure if you wanted to get married at all." She responded, moving her gaze to his chest, focusing there to avoid his eye contact. "I know it was something we talked about when I first got back, but then the topic hadn't come up since… I wasn't sure if it was something you still wanted." She voiced vulnerably, Matt feeling guilt sweep over him.

"Baby, I'm- I'm sorry, I never meant to make you feel like that." He responded, shaking his head. "I didn't even know it was something you were thinking about, with everything else going on. Damn, that ring has been sitting in the dresser in the guest room for months. I'm sorry you were feeling like that, you could've told me."

She simply shrugged her shoulders again, placing her hand over his chest, her fingers messing with the sheet resting against him. "It's not a big deal, I don't want you to feel bad or anything. I just wasn't sure if it was something that was still happening."

"Trust me, I haven't stopped thinking about it." He voiced, Gabby finally meeting his gaze. "I had planned to propose on Christmas Eve- I know, it's corny, I know." He spoke when he saw the look on her face, Gabby chuckling softly. "But we hadn't dealt with the baby issue yet, and it scared me. How that tore us apart last time, I kind of freaked out and talked myself out of it. Then not long after that is when we found out about our little girl…" He spoke, returning his hand to her stomach. "And from then on, it's just been a whirlwind. Everything's going by so fast. But I should've made it a priority, I had no idea you were worrying about that. Because that should be nowhere on your list of concerns, I want to be married to you. I'd marry you tomorrow if I could. I'm sorry I gave you a reason to doubt that, but believe me, I still see you as my wife. And here soon you will legally be my wife. And I will be Mr. Gabby Dawson." He spoke, his chest filling with warmth as he saw the grin on her face.

"Yeah, you make a pretty good Mr. Gabby Dawson." She teased, Matt smirking as he leaned down to kiss her, Gabby's hand moving to his head. "But really, don't feel bad about this. I could've just asked you, and plus my hormones are making me feel crazy anyway. If I were a sane person, I don't think I would've thought anything of it at all." She told him with a laugh, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Well, you have a pass to be a little crazy… Although, if you ask me, you're not being crazy at all. I'm not sure how baby girl feels though." He spoke with a sheepish grin before slowly turning his body, his actions careful as he moved his knee, Matt stopping when he faced her stomach. Without hesitation, he pulled the sheets down below her bump, placing his hand over her belly.

"Matt…" Gabby whined, her arm covering her chest as the cool air hit her bare skin.

"Uh oh, seems like your Momma's a little grumpy. She's the one who likes to turn the air conditioning all the way down." He spoke against her stomach, glancing up to Gabby as he felt her swat the back of his head. "Okay, maybe more than a little grumpy." He teased, placing his free hand over her forearm. "But what you do you think, baby? Is Momma acting crazy?" Matt slowly moved his hand around her expanding stomach, Gabby rolling her eyes as she felt the baby move under his touch, a proud smirk falling onto his lips. "See? Our girl might think you're a little nuts."

"You're already turning her against me." She responded, Matt grinning as he placed a kiss to her stomach.

"No, I'd never do that. You just love your Daddy, don't you?" His smile widened as he felt her move against his hand, Gabby smiling just as big as she ran her fingers through his hair.

"Oh boy, she's already got you wrapped around her little finger." She mused, Matt just smiling, placing another kiss to her stomach.

"Well, can you blame me? She's perfect. And she's daddy's little girl, she's already been keeping secrets for me, you know.." He spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrow in question, waiting for him to elaborate. "I told her about me proposing when you were asleep. Which, guess what little one, your Momma said yes. Just like we planned." He spoke against her skin, continuously rubbing his thumb over her belly.

"Well, good to know she can keep a secret." Gabby responded, her eyes falling closed as she focused on Matt's movements over her bump, and the feeling of his breath on her skin. "What do you want to do about that, anyway?" She questioned, not seeing Matt glance up to her as she kept her eyes closed.

"About what?"

"When were you thinking of getting married?"

"I wasn't kidding, I'd marry you tomorrow." He replied, Gabby opening her eyes. "But I know that's not the most realistic thing in the world. Although I was hoping to be married before she gets here."

"Really?"

"Mhmm." He responded, resting his head against the top of her thigh. "I know we never got the white wedding the first time around…"

"I loved our wedding." Gabby interjected, Matt nodding as he smiled at her.

"So did I." He agreed. "Which is why I'd be perfectly fine just going to the courthouse again. I don't need the big ceremony, or hundreds of people, I just want you to be my wife. All I need is you. And our girl."

A soft smile fell to her face, Gabby nodding slowly. "Sounds perfect." She mumbled, scratching his head.

"I say we pick a day, get Severide and Jemma.. And Antonio, and your dad if you want, and go to the courthouse." Matt spoke, trying to read her expression. "And then maybe once little girl is here, we can have a ceremony, invite the firehouse and your friends from work and everyone. And all three of us can be apart of it."

"I would love that." Gabby murmured, tears filling her eyes at the thought.

"Then it's settled. That's what we'll do." He answered, Gabby nodding before a yawn escaped her lips. "We can talk more about it tomorrow, for now let's just sleep."

"I can't yet." She responded, slowly lifting herself up. "I've gotta go to the bathroom, and plus I never actually got dinner. That was the one flaw in your plan." She teased, Matt chuckling as she carefully got out of bed, watching her as she moved to the bathroom.

While she was gone, he maneuvered himself to the edge of the bed, his movements slow as he leaned down to the floor to get his boxers, grimacing when he stood up to put them on.

By the time Gabby returned a few moments later, he had sat back down on the bed, watching her bare figure as she moved to the dresser, pulling out one of his t-shirts.

"You know, I don't think you need that. You look better without it." He grinned as she slipped the material over her head, Gabby chuckling as his shirt fell just around her hips, reaching into her drawer for a pair of underwear before turning back to him.

"I'm sure you do think that. But I'm hungry and I know our curtains aren't closed." She spoke lightly, Matt shrugging with a grin. Gabby turned back around to the dresser, looking at herself in the mirror as she pushed her hair back, her smile widening as she caught sight of the wedding band on her finger.

Realization suddenly washed over her as she glanced back to Matt, seeing his eyes on her.

"What?" He questioned, Gabby turning back around, her eyes moving to the small box sitting on the corner of the dresser. Opening it up, her smile widened when she saw exactly what she was looking for. She was happy to see it still in the same place it always was when they went to shift, she was happy to see he hadn't hidden it away.

Pulling out the silver band, she turned around, Matt quickly catching a glimpse of what she was holding. A soft smile fell to his face, Gabby walking towards him, stopping in between his legs as he sat on the bed.

"I believe this belongs to you." She spoke with a grin, bringing her hand up to caress the side of his face, rubbing his cheek gently. "May I?"

"Absolutely." He responded without hesitation, tears filling her eyes as she slowly slid the wedding band onto his finger, returning it to the place it always belonged.

"I love you." She whispered, a grin breaking through the tears beginning to fall down her face. His hands moved to her hips, pulling her closer to him as she wrapped her arm around his neck.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Gabby hopped down from the ambulance, her hand resting on her bump as she walked through the garage towards the house.

"Hello ladies."

Gabby stifled an eye roll as she heard the voice of Captain Garcia, the three paramedics glancing to him as he pushed himself off from 81.

"Hello." Brett responded politely, Foster shooting him a smile.

"How was the call?"

Gabby stood back and let Brett and Foster interact with the man covering for Matt. Captain Luke Garcia had been here for two of Matt's three missed weeks of shift, and, to put it as kindly as she could, Gabby couldn't wait for Matt to be back.

Although she had only worked with him for about a week, she didn't have a very high opinion of him. The man was about as arrogant as one could get, which normally would be something Gabby could get used to, but what irked her was how he came into the house clearly gunning for Matt's job. She heard some comments from everyone around the house about how it was clear he wanted to stay here from the moment he showed up, and Gabby saw exactly what they were talking about her first shift back. He had gotten way too comfortable, and it rubbed her the wrong way. And it didn't help that the second he found out her and Casey were in a relationship, he had taken to constantly asking her about Matt and his recovery. It would be one thing if he was genuinely curious or concerned, but she knew that wasn't it.

Gabby had tried to keep her problems with the temporary Captain to herself, not wanting to give Matt anything else to worry about, but her patience with the man was wearing thin. She'd never push Matt or his recovery, but she was very much looking forward to him returning to work. 51 wasn't the same without him, and having Garcia here only made it harder.

"So, anything new to report?" The Captain asked as Gabby's focus returned to the conversation she really had no interest in. Slowly, she began stepping away from the group, beginning the walk into the firehouse.

"Nope, nothing much. We were just talking about Dawson's engagement." Foster spoke, a grin appearing on his face.

"Ah, yes I heard you all talking about that a couple shifts ago. Dawson?" He called, Gabby taking a deep breath as she stopped walking, turning back towards the group, seeing Garcia's eyes on her.

"Yes?"

"I haven't gotten the chance to officially congratulate you on your engagement yet." He spoke, Gabby simply nodding. "I don't remember, when did he propose?"

"Last week." She answered shortly, Garcia's grin widening.

"Well, good for you, locking the Captain down. Especially with that baby on the way."

"I'm sorry?" She questioned with narrowed eyes.

"No disrespect meant, Dawson." He assured her, Gabby not responding as she continued her walk to the double doors. "How is the Captain feeling, anyway?" He called, making her stop once more.

"Feeling better everyday." She bit out through clenched teeth, not giving him another look before walking inside, taking a deep breath to try and rid her body of some of its tension.

She hated that Garcia got under her skin, and she hated that he knew it. But she especially hated him taking advantage of it. No one in the house was particularly fond of the temporary replacement for Casey, but with the stall in his recovery, Boden knew it was necessary.

It had been well over three weeks since his accident, and, despite what she told Garcia, Matt hadn't seen much improvement. Everything was fine, except his knee. And she hated knowing he was still in pain.

She had tried on multiple occasions to get him to go back to see Dr. Williams, but he refused, always giving her some excuse as to why he didn't need to. But she was worried, and she knew it was taking a toll on him emotionally.

"Whoa, you alright kid?" Herrmann questioned when he saw Dawson come into the room, Gabby sucking in a deep breath as she nodded, walking over to the couch and sitting down next to him.

"I'm fine, just… I'm over that guy."

"Garcia? Yeah, he's not the easiest to be around."

"Every time he sees me, he keeps asking about Matt. And I know it's just him insuring he's gonna have another shift to come back to, but he's infuriating. I just want Matt to get better and be able to work." She breathed out quickly, Herrmann's eyes widening as he heard the frustration in her voice. Seeing his reaction, she shook her head, rubbing her hand over her stomach in an effort to calm herself down. "Sorry, I'm just- I can't really complain about all this to Matt."

"It's fine, Dawson. I know this has been hard on the both of you. Casey still not getting any better?"

"No, he's not. And it's killing him. I don't know what to do to help him." She responded, Herrmann rubbing her shoulder.

"He'll be okay, kid. Hopefully the docs can figure out what's going on soon, and he'll be back bossing everyone around." He joked, Gabby flashing him a small, appreciative smile.

"Yeah, hopefully. I know he misses it here, he misses working and he misses you guys."

"We miss him, too. But, I don't care what Garcia does, Casey's job will always be here waiting for him." Herrmann responded, Gabby nodding as she moved her attention to the TV, giving herself the moment to relax while she had it.

* * *

Matt slowly limped his way into the guest room, bracing his hands against the wall for support as he ignored the lingering pain in his knee. With Gabby on shift today, he was determined to make some progress in the baby's room. The boxed up crib had been sitting in here for almost two weeks, just waiting to be put together. He had tried a few days ago, but soon realized his body wasn't up for the work necessary to build the furniture. And he wasn't sure he was feeling much better today, but he was determined to get something done. He couldn't just sit here all day again, he was going to go insane if he didn't find something to keep himself busy.

Huffing out a breath, he stepped into the room, slowly moving towards the partially opened box. The glider they bought had, thankfully, came put together, and was put in the corner just waiting to be put in its place. But first, the crib needed to be fixed.

As he got to the box, he grunted as he leaned over, wincing as his new skin pulled from the movements. With a little bit of pain, and a bunch of discomfort, Matt was able to get the first piece of wood from the large box. But his frustration only grew as he felt his body already slowing him down, telling him he needed to take a break, even though he had barely started. As he tried to pull the next piece of wood out, he lost his grip, the box tumbling over to the ground, Matt releasing a frustrated groan as the pieces laid out in a mess around him.

Knowing this wasn't something he'd be able to fix right now, Matt clenched his fists at his sides as he slowly made his way from the room, smacking his hand into the wall as he passed through the door, anger coursing through him.

The longer he walked, the more pain he felt radiating in his knee, Matt's cheeks flushing as he forced himself to keep going, making his way to their bedroom and slowly into the bathroom, using anything he could grip onto as an aid.

Getting to the counter, Matt opened the medicine cabinet on the wall, reaching behind the other bottles to pull out his strategically placed pill bottle. Taking a deep breath, he slowly opened it, tilting the bottle into his hand, getting the medication out. Once in his grasp, he put the lid back on, staring at the medicine in his hand, shaking his head before popping the pill into his mouth.

Resting his palms against the sink, Matt stared at himself in the mirror, unable to focus on anything other than the pain he felt in his knee. The longer he stood, the more anger began to flood through his body, tears of frustration filling his eyes as his breaths became ragged.

This shouldn't be happening. He shouldn't be restricted by his own body. He should be better by now, but he wasn't.

He angrily reached for the pill bottle, throwing it against the mirror as rage overtook him, Matt breathing heavily as he watched the small pills bounce over the counter.

He needed to calm down, he knew he had to. But he felt hopeless. It felt like this was always going to be his life now, that the constant pain would never go away, and he'd be dependent on pain medication for the rest of his life. That wasn't something he was comfortable with, and he hated it. He hated being hurt, he hated the stupid brace that did nothing for him, he hated needing the crutches more often than not.

He hated all of it, and it felt like it was never going to end.

Taking a deep breath, Matt quickly wiped away the lone tear that escaped down his cheek, slowly beginning to pick up the pills he could find, placing them back into the bottle before hiding it away in the medicine cabinet.

Turning off the light, he walked back out into the bedroom, his rage morphing into annoyance as he gave up his walk, changing his path from the door to their bed. Carefully he placed himself on the bed, resting against the mattress as he laid down, hoping that if he took a nap, maybe he'd wake up feeling a little less defeated.

But he knew he wouldn't.

* * *

Gabby slid her keys into the back door, slowly pushing it open and walking into the quiet house. Glancing around after locking the door, she wasn't surprised to find only silence waiting for her, knowing it was still early.

Quietly placing her bag down on the counter, Gabby walked towards the bedroom, her hands cradling her stomach as she moved into the room. Her eyebrows immediately furrowed in confusion as she saw the un-made bed empty, Gabby turning back around and leaving the room, quickly finding Matt curled up on the couch.

Sighing deeply, Gabby walked over to him, carefully sitting down on the coffee table, her eyes moving over his features as he slept on his side. Even asleep, she could see how exhausted he still was. It didn't look like he was resting peacefully, a small frown forming on her face as she watched him.

Slowly she brought her hand up to run over the side of his face, tracing her fingers through his hair, watching as his face scrunched up, Matt slowly being pulled into consciousness. He blinked a couple times, needing a few moments to regain himself, his eyes locking with hers as she came into focus.

"Good morning." She spoke softly, rubbing her thumb over his temple.

"Morning." He responded, a yawn escaping his lips.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, dropping her hand as Matt slowly began to sit up, the blanket falling down off his bare chest. She watched as he threw the blanket down to the end of the couch before slowly grabbing his knee, adjusting his positioning.

"Couldn't sleep." He shrugged, reaching for the brace sitting beside Gabby, sliding up the material of his pajama pants to give him access to his leg. "I woke up in the middle of the night, my knee was killing me and I couldn't get comfortable, so I came out here.. Must've fallen asleep." He spoke, Gabby frowning as he secured his brace in place.

"I'm sorry." She murmured, Matt meeting her eyes, flashing her a small smile.

"It's alright. What about you? How was shift?"

Gabby shrugged, lifting her hand to brush down his unruly hair. "It was fine, it's not the same without you. I miss you being there."

"Me too." He breathed out, Gabby moving her hand down from his head to his lap, grabbing ahold of his hand. "I hate that we only have limited time left working together, and I'm missing all of it." He spoke, trying to mask the frustration in his voice, but Gabby could see right through it. "But hopefully I'll be back soon." He continued, forcing a small smile onto his lips.

"I know you will." She spoke surely.

"But back to you, how's our girl doing?"

"She's good, she missed you." Gabby spoke, watching as the forced smile on his lips got replaced with a very real one, his eyes moving to her stomach.

"I missed you too, little one." He murmured, placing his palm over her belly. "I missed both you and your Momma." Matt's grin widened as he felt her moving under his touch, his frustrations falling away as he felt their little girl.

"She really is a daddy's girl." Gabby spoke with a smirk, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"Well, that's not really surprisingly, I don't think." He joked, Gabby scoffing lightly, shaking her head.

"No, I guess not." She agreed with a chuckle, patting his hand before standing up. "But speaking of our girl, she's using my bladder as a punching bag, so I'll be right back." She said, Matt nodding with a grin. Gabby only made it a few steps before she spoke up again, Matt glancing towards her as he heard her voice. "Oh, I meant to ask, were you able to get any work done on the crib? I know you said you might try again." She asked, Matt's smile falling as he shook his head.

"No, I didn't." He responded, Gabby stopping and turning to look at him as she stood in the entrance to their bedroom. "I tried, but I wasn't able to… I kind of left a mess in there." He spoke, avoiding her gaze, missing the sympathetic smile that fell on her lips.

"That's okay, we've got plenty of time." She assured him before continuing into the bedroom.

Within five minutes she had finished, Gabby standing at the sink as she washed her hands, turning off the faucet before grabbing the towel. Her eyes caught sight of something unusual as she stood there, confusion filling her features while she put the hand towel back in its place, reaching down behind Matt's deodorant to pick up the small, white pill resting on the counter. She wasn't sure where this came from, but it wasn't any medication she recognized as theirs. She knew _what_ it was, it was a pretty strong pain medication, but she knew they didn't have this type of medicine in the house.

With her curiosity getting the better of her, Gabby moved to the medicine cabinet, pulling open the door, her eyes bouncing around as she tried to find where this pill came from. Just as she was about to give up on her search, her eyes caught sight of a flash of orange. It was hidden behind a few other bottles of various things, but she saw it. Reaching for it carefully, Gabby pulled it out, her confusion only growing as she looked at the label, seeing Matt's name. But what confused her the most was the date, seeing this had been prescribed to him last week.

Breathing deeply, Gabby shut the medicine cabinet, keeping the pill bottle in her hand as she walked back out towards the living room, find Matt exactly where she left him.

"What are these?" She questioned softly, his head snapping at her words, seeing immediate confusion settle over his face, before his eyes moved to the pill bottle and realization set in. She saw a look of guilt flash in his eyes, Matt sighing as she walked towards him, Gabby sitting beside him on the couch.

"It's some new pain medication." He answered.

"When did you get them?" Although she knew the answer to her question, she was more so looking for the 'why' he got them, and why she didn't know about it.

"I went to see Dr. Williams last week, your first day back on shift."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I didn't want you to miss more work because of me." Based on the look that covered her face, Matt knew she wasn't impressed by his answer.

"Nothing is more important than your health, Matt. I don't care how much work I have or haven't missed, I would've gone with you. I should've been there with you." She spoke, Matt nodding knowingly. "What did Williams say?" She questioned, seeing his shoulders deflate, concern filling her body as she watched his demeanor shift.

"Nothing good." He breathed out, her eyebrows furrowing. "Well, I guess that's not entirely true. There's good news in the fact that there isn't any tearing in my knee, nothing's broken or anything like that. The bad news is there's nothing on my scans to explain the pain." He continued, Gabby gripping the bottle in her hands. "He said there could be some nerve damage, and that could lead to chronic pain, which is something I'd have to just learn to live with."

"Matt…" She spoke softly, shaking her head. "You should've told me. I mean, I can tell you've taken some of these," She spoke, holding the pill bottle up, "I just didn't know the pain was this bad." She said, Matt shrugging as he leaned back against the couch.

"I've only taken them a few times, when it's really bad. It doesn't always hurt, but it hurts enough… I just don't know why it's not getting better."

"What exactly did he say about the chronic pain?" She asked, trying to keep her mind straight, needing to get the information from him.

"He said we weren't there yet, but that if the pain doesn't ease up, that it would probably be the only explanation. And that was a week ago, and I'm not feeling any better. He gave me these stronger pain pills, and at first I refused to take them, but I gave in a few times… Sometimes it just hurt so bad I couldn't help it." He groaned, Gabby's face softening.

"Matt, if you need the pills, I want you to take them. There's nothing wrong with using them if they help you."

"But I can't, Gabby." He spoke frustratedly, Gabby's eyes widening as she heard his tone, soon understanding this was seriously weighing on his mind, and it had been for awhile. "I can't be hooked on pain pills, I can't be dependent on them for the rest of my life."

"Matt-"

"Our little girl deserves better than a dad who has to be drugged up to get through the day." He spoke quickly, like he hadn't even heard her, Gabby's concern and confusion only growing. "What kind of dad does that make me? I can't be a good enough dad for her, especially if I can't get through the day without some pills, I can't, I…" His hands came up to run over his face, Matt trailing off of he was unable to express his thoughts, Gabby watching him with concern.

"Hey hey hey, where is this coming from?" She questioned, grabbing ahold of his hands, bringing them down from his face. "You are already an incredible father to our girl, you are going to be an incredible dad once she's here. You're already so attentive and loving, I'm pretty sure you're more prepared than I am…" She spoke lightly, seeing his face soften. "I mean, between the stack of baby books on your nightstand, and the ones in your office at the firehouse, I know you've read more than me. Not to mention all those parenting apps I've seen on your phone." She continued, rubbing her thumb over his skin. "You are more than ready for this, you're going to be an amazing father, Matt… Where is this coming from?"

Matt's eyes closed, focusing on the feeling of Gabby's hand on his arm, trying to form his thoughts into coherent words Gabby could make sense of. "I can't be on these pills for the rest of my life, I can't do that to her."

"Baby, I don't understand.. You gotta talk to me. You needing medication doesn't mean you can't be a good dad, if anything they'll help you become a better one. You being in pain isn't going to help anything. I don't-"

"My dad." He murmured, effectively stopping her sentence. Gabby's face fell, realization washing over her as he met her eyes. "I don't want to end up like my dad."

"Matt…" She whispered, tears filling her eyes as she watched him shake his head.

"He was on pills from the moment I was born, he had so many problems with substance abuse, and we both know what happened… I can't do that to her. I can't do that our baby." He blinked back the tears in his own eyes, moving his gaze down to their hands. "My entire life, I've been terrified of turning out like him, of turning into him." A lone tear fell down her cheek, Gabby not bothering to wipe it away as she heard the fear and worry in his voice. "I'm already scared I'm not gonna be a good enough dad for our daughter, and all this… it only makes it worse. I saw how my dad's actions affected Christie, and I'm worried I'm gonna do that to our girl, and it terrifies me. I don't know how to be a good dad, I had a terrible father… I'm scared I'm going to end up like him, and she deserves so much better than that."

Gabby took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in her throat as she put her hand under his chin, forcing him to meet her eyes, seeing the pain he'd been carrying. This wasn't something he'd been holding onto since he got hurt, this was a deep rooted fear he'd had for a long time, and she hated that she didn't see it sooner. She hated that he'd been feeling like this, and she hadn't been able to help him.

"You are not your father." She finally spoke, seeing him blink tightly. "I never met him, but I know what you've told me. And you need to believe me when I tell you that you are not him." Her voice was firm and unwavering, Gabby running her thumb over his jaw. "You are kind, and incredibly loving. You have the biggest heart, and you protect those you love. You don't hurt them." She paused momentarily, wanting her words to really sink in. "You are going to be an incredible father, I don't want you to ever doubt that, alright? Our little girl is so lucky to have a dad like you. I have never, ever worried about you with our girl."

Matt nodded slowly, Gabby smiling softly as she leaned forward, placing a soft kiss to his lips, Matt resting is hand on her waist. When they pulled back, Gabby leaned her forehead against his, keeping her hand on his cheek, the two sitting in a comfortable quiet for a few moments.

"I love you. Our little girl loves you." Gabby murmured, Matt releasing a soft breath. "If you're ever feeling like this again, please tell me, so I can remind you just how incredible you are. You're going to be an amazing dad, Matt. Please don't doubt that."

"Thank you." He whispered, leaning in to kiss her once more before the two settled into the couch, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulder while placing his other hand over her belly. "I love you both, too." He responded, Gabby placing a kiss to his bare shoulder before leaning against him, feeling his body relax into her.

* * *

"How are you feeling?" She asked for the third time since they'd arrived, Matt smiling softly at her, giving her a small nod.

"I'm alright." He told her as he had the first two times, Gabby accepting his answer as she relaxed back into her chair.

The couple were at Chicago Med, Matt sitting on the exam table in an uncomfortable gown as Gabby sat to his right, perched in the chair beside him. He was back for his follow-up appointment with Dr. Williams, the appointment Gabby hadn't been made aware of until the day before yesterday, which she didn't appreciate too much. But as soon as she found out he was going back, she cleared her schedule, insisting she come with him.

Once Matt had been brought to his room, the nurse took his vitals and asked him some questions, before telling him to get changed into his gown so he could be taken for a new scan. Gabby stayed in her seat while Matt was gone, having to keep herself entertained for the forty-five minutes he was gone.

And now they sat waiting for Dr. Williams, Gabby resting her hands over her growing stomach as Matt swung his good leg back and forth, his injured one staying mostly still.

"How bad does the knee hurt?" She questioned, Matt glancing back towards her.

"It's not too bad right now." He answered, Gabby nodding as her tongue ran over her lips.

"And you're sure _you're_ okay?" She asked, Matt's eyebrows furrowing before he realized what she meant, his features softening as he gave her a nod.

"I'm good, I promise." He assured her, Gabby's eyes flickering over his face, looking for any signs of deception. Finding none, she nodded, smiling back at him.

It had been a couple of days since their talk when Matt told her about his fears, how he was worried about his abilities as a father. And since then, Gabby had been continuously checking in with him, always wanting to make sure he was alright. She felt terrible for him, knowing how long these fears must've been eating away at him, and she wanted to do everything in her power to make sure he was okay.

In the days since, they'd also had a few long talks about Matt's medication, and how he might not have any choice in taking pain meds. It still wasn't something he was comfortable with, but with some help from Gabby, he had come to understand it might be what's best. She didn't want him to be afraid to take his pills if he needed them, and she always made sure to remind him that she wasn't worried about him being on them. How she knew he'd be fine, and if it was in his best interest to take them, she didn't want him being afraid to do so.

It took some time, but she knew they were making progress. That Matt was slowly coming around to the idea, and trusting himself enough to take the medicine when he needed it. It wasn't anything she had ever anticipated being an issue for him, but now knowing how worried the entire thing made him, Gabby made sure to keep an eye on him. Even though she knew it wasn't necessary, Matt had started keeping the pills out in the kitchen, where both he and Gabby could see them. She wasn't worried in the slightest about him abusing his medication, but, knowing it made him felt better, she didn't question it.

Knocking on the door broke them both out of their thoughts, Gabby looking over to see Dr. Williams walk into the room, a soft smile on his face.

"Hello Matt, it's good to see you again, Gabby." He greeted, stepping further into the room and coming to the stool, sitting down on it across from them. "How are you feeling?" He asked, his tablet in hand.

"Right now, my knee isn't really hurting me."

"And you walked in here, right? No crutches or anything?"

"Yeah, I walked. It was slow, but I was able to get in here, it didn't hurt me too much." Matt answered, his hand involuntarily rubbing over his knee.

"Good, that's good." Dr. Williams mused, turning his attention to the tablet, pulling up Matt's scans. "So, I've looked over your MRI, and everything looks good. It pretty much is the same as last time, but your knee looks perfect. Which is a good thing." He assured his patient, Matt nodding. "No tearing, no cartilage damage, there's nothing I can see that should keep you from returning to work, as long as we can get your pain under control."

"So that's where we're at? The chronic pain.. This could just be something I have to deal with." Matt spoke quietly, Gabby reaching out to place her hand on his thigh, squeezing his leg comfortingly.

"I'm afraid so." Dr. Williams responded, Matt sucking in a deep breath, placing his hand on top of Gabby's. "From what I can tell, we're looking at more long-term pain management." Seeing the look on both Matt's and Gabby's faces, Dr. Williams sighed, sliding his chair closer to them. "I know this isn't what either of you were hoping for, and I'm sorry I don't have better news for you, but for right now, our main goal is to get your pain under control."

"But it's not hurting me too bad today." He spoke, Dr. Williams nodding sadly.

"And that's great, but how was it yesterday? Or the day before?" He asked, Matt's face falling slightly, his reaction giving the doctor all the answer he needed. "I know you weren't wanting to be on a lot of medication, but I'm afraid that if you want to get back to your old life, you'll have to."

"Okay, so what do I need to do?" Matt asked, taking a deep breath. "Do I just continue taking the pills you gave me when I need them?"

Shaking his head, Dr. Williams moved his attention back to Matt's chart. "No, you won't. I'm putting you on a new medication, but this one is something that's scheduled. It isn't a 'take it as you need it' sort of thing. You'll take one every twelve hours."

"For the rest of my life?" He asked with widened eyes.

"For now." Dr. Williams clarified, Matt glancing to Gabby, finding her watching him with a sad smile. "I know it's not what you wanted, I know your concerns about being on medication, but this is the best case scenario, if you want to return to work and be able to function in your job." He continued, Matt sighing before giving his doctor a nod. "Now, if you really do not want to do that, if you're unable, or unwilling, to go on this medication, you don't have to. But I want you to know what you'll be up against. It'll be more of the same as it has been the last few weeks, you being in pain, unable to walk some days, and you most likely won't be able to return to work. I can't force you into this, but, as your doctor, I think this medication is the best option for you. But you have to be okay with it."

Swallowing thickly, Matt returned his attention to Gabby, raising his eyebrows slightly. "What do you think?" He questioned, Gabby releasing a deep breath.

"This is your decision, Matt. Whatever you decide, I'll support you. I'd never want you to do this if you feel like you can't, but I know you. You love work, and I know how hard not being there has been on you." She spoke, rubbing her thumb against his leg. "I'm not worried one bit with you being on this medication. But it's whatever you want to do." She finished, Matt nodding slowly.

"Let's do it." He eventually spoke up, a small smile finding its way to Dr. Williams' face.

"You're sure?"

"I am. If you think it's what best, I want to do it. I want to get back to my life. I need to get back to my life, for my baby." He spoke, gripping Gabby's hand tightly.

"Alright, I'll get your first prescription filled here. I want you taking the medication religiously the next two weeks, and I'm gonna have you come back then, and we'll see how you're feeling. If everything's going well, I can clear you for work. My hope is that you'll be up and more mobile by then."

"Okay." Matt responded, Dr. Williams placing his tablet down before sliding up to his knee.

"This might be uncomfortable, but I just want to double check the stability of your leg." He warned, Matt nodding as Williams began messing with his knee. It was uncomfortable, but nothing too bad as he moved it around. "Alright, everything feels good. I am gonna get you set up with a new brace, it'll give you a little more stability. Technically, at almost four weeks out from your sprain, you should be fine, but with your pain and the weakness you're sometimes still feeling, it'd be better to have the extra support. Especially since the hope is to get you moving around more." He explained, Matt giving him a nod. "I'm gonna show you some exercises I want you doing, too. It'll help strengthen your knee, and hopefully help alleviate some of the pain."

"Sounds good."

"Alright. Let me go get your medication sent in, and I'll be back in a bit with your brace and I'll show you those exercises. You can go ahead and get changed, just hold off putting your pants back on until we can get the brace on you."

"Okay. Thank you, Dr. Williams." Matt spoke, giving his doctor a smile before the man left the room, Matt turning his attention to Gabby. "So, what do you think?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She questioned, standing up from her chair, holding out her hands for Matt to grab onto.

"Honestly, I'm not sure how I feel." He spoke, standing up slowly. Once he was steady, Gabby reached around his back, untying his gown. "I know it'll help me, but I still don't like the idea of being dependent on medication… But I know I don't have much of a choice."

"I think it's all going to be fine. Hopefully this isn't permanent, but I know how much pain you've been in, and if this can help you, I'm all for it." She responded, pulling his gown off, draping it over the bed before handing him his boxers.

"Yeah, I'd like to not be in constant pain. I'm actually looking forward to that." He mused, resting one hand on Gabby's shoulder as he began the slow process of getting dressed. "I'm hesitant about the pills, but I know we've talked about it, I think it'll be okay." He spoke with a small grin, Gabby nodding encouragingly.

"Yes, it will be." She agreed, holding his arms as he got back onto the bed before she held out his t-shirt.

Matt had just finished getting dressed when Dr. Williams came back, brace in hand. It was a bit bigger than the one he had, and definitely looked more impressive. It took about half an hour for Dr. Williams to show Matt had to maneuver his new braces, and walk him through his exercises.

Just after they had gotten his new appointment scheduled, a nurse came in with his medication, Dr. Williams handing it to Dawson.

"Now, remember you need to stay on as strict of a 12 hour schedule with those as you can, so don't start taking them until later tonight. Maybe around 7 or 8? Just some time you'll know you'll be awake in the morning."

"Will do." Matt assured him.

"Alright, well, I'll let you finish getting dressed and you're free to go. Make sure to do those exercises at least once a day, they should help a lot. Do either of you have any questions?"

Matt glanced towards Gabby, seeing her shake her head before he turned back to his doctor. "No, I think we're okay."

"Well, then I will see you in two weeks. I'm glad you're feeling a little better."

After a few more pleasantries, Gabby and Matt were left alone in his room, Gabby handing him his jeans before standing up, waiting for him to be ready. Once fully clothed, they began the long walk to the car, Gabby holding onto his medication as they walked through the hospital.

"How does it feel?" She asked, Matt flashing her a small smile.

"This brace actually feels a lot better than the last one." He responded, his arm resting around her shoulders for extra support. His leg felt tired, there was no way around it, but he wasn't in nearly as much pain as he was expecting.

"Good, I'm glad." She replied, slipping her arm around his waist lightly, putting her hand in his back pocket as they walked. Even though his burns had healed, and it was now just his skin that was still a little tender, she was always mindful of putting too much pressure on his back, so she opted to use his pocket to keep them close instead of risking hurting him. "So, how would you feel about a little impromptu trip to the firehouse?" Gabby questioned as they got outside, Matt glancing towards her quickly.

"What for?"

She shrugged lightly, the couple looking both ways before crossing the street towards the parking lot. "I thought you might want to see everyone, and tell them the good news."

"I'm not sure if good is the right word, I mean we're not even sure I'll be at work in two weeks, it might be longer."

"Maybe, but at least it's something. Up until now, we haven't had any timetable for you being back. We don't have to, but I know everyone would love to see you."

"No, we can go." He responded with a small smile as they slowly got to his truck.

On a normal day, Matt would've been on shift today. This was Gabby's shift off during the week, but Casey should've been there with everyone else. And he did miss them. Aside from Severide, he hadn't seen anyone since before the accident, and Gabby was right, it would be nice to stop in for a visit. Even if he wasn't too excited to meet his temporary replacement.

Gabby had held back when talking about the new Captain, but, at least to him, she was very transparent with her true feelings towards someone. And he could tell she did not like the guy one bit. He didn't know the details, if something had happened or the new Captain had done something to upset her, but Matt didn't press it. He knew if something serious had happened, she would've told him. He figured all it came down to was Gabby being annoyed by the guy who took over his job, but still, he wasn't exactly excited to meet him.

It took no time at all for them to get to the firehouse, Matt parking his truck in the far side of the driveway. He knew it'd be out of the way of the trucks should they get a call, and it was far closer than any of the parking spots he would've been able to find.

Slowly, they made their way into the garage, seeing all the rigs parked in their spots.

"Knee still feeling okay? I can get your crutches." Gabby spoke as they stepped inside, Matt shaking his head.

"I'm alright." He assured her.

"Well, look who's back!" Capp called from the squad table as Matt and Gabby came into view.

"Yeah, I'm back. Just for a visit." Casey spoke, Severide standing up and greeting his friend with a hug.

"How'd the appointment go?" Kelly asked, Matt shrugging.

"It went pretty well, considering."

"What'd they say?"

"Let's get inside, so I don't have to tell this same story five times." Matt spoke with a laugh, Kelly nodding as all of squad headed inside, Kelly staying back and walking the slow pace with Casey and Dawson.

"So Capp isn't out of his mind, you're actually back." Herrmann called from the couch as Matt came in through the door.

"Yeah, well I'm just surprised this place hasn't burned down yet." Casey joked, Herrmann getting up from his seat so Casey could sit down.

"How are you feeling, Captain?" Otis asked, Gabby placing herself over by the table next to Foster.

"I'm alright, Gabby and I just finished at my doctor's appointment."

"Any good news?" Cruz asked hopefully, Matt nodding.

"Well, yeah I think so. My doctor's hoping I'll be back in about two weeks, but we'll have to see."

"That's great news, Casey!" Herrmann spoke excitedly, clasping his shoulder. "It hasn't been the same around here without ya."

"Yeah, I've heard a little about the Captain filling in for me." He spoke, glancing around the room, but he saw no unfamiliar faces.

"Let's just say we can't wait for you to come back." Kidd sighed, earning agreeing nods from around the room.

"I can't wait either. This definitely wasn't part of the plan, but we're getting there."

"Yeah, you falling through that building has really messed things up." Herrmann teased, Matt raising his eyebrows. "We haven't even gotten to properly congratulate your engagement." The older firefighter spoke, Matt's grin widening as cheers rang throughout the room.

Casey glanced over to Gabby, seeing a shy smile resting on her face as she felt heat rise to her cheeks, shaking her head gently back and forth as Matt gave her a wink.

"Although, I guess this is congratulations _again_." Herrmann teased, Gabby scoffing lightly.

"He's right, Dawson. I mean, how many engagements does this make now?" Capp joked, Gabby's eyes narrowing as Matt laughed.

"It's definitely some type of record, I'm not even sure how many different times he's proposed to her at this point." Severide joined in.

"Ha ha, you all are so funny." Matt responded dryly, pushing himself up from the couch. "Now I remember what I didn't miss so much about being here." He shot lightly, moving to the table.

"You know we're just teasing ya, Casey. We're absolutely thrilled for you guys." Herrmann spoke, Matt's grin widening as he stood beside Gabby.

"Me too." He spoke, leaning down to capture her lips in a quick, heated kiss, ignoring the whistles and calls he heard from around the room, Gabby smiling against him.

"Alright, enough you too." Kelly spoke, Matt pulling away with a smirk. "I see enough of that when I'm at the apartment."

"Well, maybe you should stop coming by so much." Gabby fired back, earning impressed looks and laughs from around the room at Kelly's expense, scrunching her nose up at him.

"That's cold, Dawson. After all the furniture I've moved for you." He responded, shaking his head.

As the bickering around the room continued, Matt leaned down, his lips beside Gabby's ear. "I'm gonna head to the bathroom real quick, you good?" She nodded, flashing him a smile.

"Don't get lost." She warned teasingly, Matt rolling his eyes.

"Yes I know, it's been so long." He joked, placing a soft kiss against her head before pulling away, leaving the commotion of the common room as he headed down the hall.

Stopping halfway to his destination, Matt glanced into the bunk room, seeing it empty as he stepped inside. Walking slowly towards his office, his eyebrows furrowed as he saw the once clean and precise place now a mess. There were papers everywhere, the bed was un-made, as well as coffee cups lining his desk, along with food that most definitely needed to be thrown out. But what bothered him the most was his pictures of Gabby were nowhere in sight. The one that had been on his desk for years was long gone, and the one of them up on his shelf was turned down, Matt's eyes narrowing.

"Can I help you?"

Matt turned around at the voice, seeing a man he didn't recognize walking towards him.

"Oh, you're Casey, right?" He asked, Matt nodding as he held out his hand, the other Captain accepting it eagerly.

"That's me."

"Captain Luke Garcia." He introduced himself, Matt nodding as he dropped his hand. "I've been holding down the ship since your leave."

"It's nice to meet you."

"You too, I've heard great things. How's the leg?" He asked, stepping around Casey and moving into the office, sitting himself down in the chair at the desk. Matt wasn't sure if it was some move to show dominance, or what, but he didn't really understand the smug look on his face.

"It's getting better every day."

"Good, that's good." He spoke. "Do you know when you'll be back?"

"Two weeks." Matt spoke firmly, not liking the comfortability this man seemed to show here. It wasn't common practice, for a temporary replacement to act like he owned the place, and Casey didn't care for it.

"Well, I guess I'll need to enjoy my time here until you get back." He spoke with a smirk, catching Matt's eyes focused on something on his desk. "Did you need something?"

"No, I'm just wondering what you did with my pictures of Gabby?" He questioned, the man's eyebrows furrowing.

"The what?"

"Dawson. My pictures of Dawson. I had the one on my desk." He asked, Garcia soon nodding.

"Oh yeah, that. I put it in the drawer, and just turned down the other one.. Felt a little weird keeping it up while you weren't here, especially me sleeping in here and everything. But don't worry, I kept your photos safe." He spoke with a grin, Matt simply nodding, his expression unreadable. "But I should be congratulating you, landing a woman like Dawson." He continued, Matt's eyebrows raising, his face hard. "I saw the picture of you two, I guess it's from a few years ago. I know she's pregnant now, but…" Garcia cut himself off, blowing out a whistle. "She looks like a good one."

"Excuse me?" Casey asked with a narrowed gaze, the man's comments making his body tense.

"Oh, you have nothing to worry about Captain. I know you've proposed, I'd never try and take what's yours. I'm just saying, she's pretty feisty." He spoke with a grin, Matt swallowing thickly as his neck clenched. He wanted to deck this guy for talking about Gabby like that; like she was some possession, something to be ogled, instead of person. But he knew the last thing he needed was to get in a fight with his replacement.

Silently, Matt walked towards the desk, leaning over and grabbing the turned down photo from the shelf, stepping around the man to pull the other one from the drawer.

"I was just joking, Casey." He spoke with a chuckle, Matt's face rigid as he glared at the man.

"I'm not sure what type of house you're used to working in, but we don't talk about our coworkers like that here. We respect them, show them common decency, we don't treat them like objects." He responded firmly, hearing Garcia laugh as he left the office.

"All in good fun, Captain."

Without another word, Matt left the bunk room in anger and headed for the locker room. Getting to his destination, he put the pictures of Gabby in his locker. He wasn't sure if the man was just trying to get under his skin, or if he really meant what he said about Gabby, but either way, he didn't feel comfortable leaving those pictures in there with Garcia here.

Blowing out a deep breath, Matt ran his hand over the back of his neck, slowly making his way back out into the common room. He saw everyone right where he left them, except now Garcia was here, perched by the counter next to Severide. He shot Casey a small smirk as he entered, Matt not responding as he went straight to Gabby.

"Hey." He spoke, pulling out the chair and sitting beside her.

"Hey, you're back." She spoke with a grin, it immediately falling when she saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

Glancing back towards Garcia, Matt found the man watching them, Casey's eyes narrowing before he turned his attention back to Gabby, lowering his voice. "Have you had any problems with Garcia?"

Gabby scoffed lightly, shaking her head. "I mean, he seems like an entitled piece of work, but no. Nothing really." She answered softly, curiosity filling her features.

"He hasn't done anything to you?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, Gabby shaking her head as she saw the anger in his eyes. "No, he hasn't done anything. What's going on, Matt?"

Taking a deep breath, he shook his head, flashing her a small smile.

"It's nothing, I was just wondering." He spoke, pressing a lingering kiss to the side of her head.

Gabby wasn't convinced by his vague explanation, but she knew here wasn't the place to get into it.

Casey, on the other hand, couldn't help from glaring at the man. He believed Gabby when she told him he hadn't done anything, but the way he was talking about her made his blood boil. And gave him all the more incentive to get back to work sooner rather than later. Because the quicker he got back, the quicker he could get this guy out of here.

* * *

**So, we've got an… interesting new character. That's always fun. I know there was kind of a lot going on in this chapter, both Gabby and Matt are dealing with their own struggles and worries, but they're handling them together, which is good.**

**I really hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I'm so excited to hear what you thought! Thank you for reading!**


	49. Chapter Forty Nine

**Hello everyone! Here's another chapter for you guys. I hope you all like it!**

* * *

_**Chapter Forty Nine**_

* * *

Gabby huffed out a frustrated breath as she sat on the edge of their bed, her swollen ankles making the process of putting her shift boots on a bit more of a workout than usual. At twenty seven weeks pregnant, her body had seemed to swell up over the last week or so, Gabby finding her bigger extremities not only very unflattering, but incredibly inconvenient. She was already running a bit late, and the last thing she wanted to fight with this morning was her shoes.

As she finished tying up her laces, she released a heavy breath, the once simple task now wearing her out before her day even started. Straightening out her spine, she grimaced as her muscles stretched, her joints cracking as her hands went to her belly, supporting her weight while she moved.

"Here's your smoothie." Matt's voice hit her ears as he walked in through the open doorway, holding an insulated cup in his hand.

"Thank you." She murmured as she reached for the drink, bringing it up to her lips to take a sip.

"You all ready for shift?" He asked as he took a seat next to her, his hand moving to her stomach, wanting to enjoy the last few moments he had with Gabby and their baby before he'd go over twenty four hours without them.

Blowing out a heavy breath, she nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Matt's eyebrows furrowed, stopping his movements as he cradled her bump. "Are you okay?" He questioned, worry creeping up his system as he tried to get a read on her.

"I'm fine, just a little tired. Nothing out of the usual." She assured him, but Matt wasn't convinced.

"You sure?"

"Mhmm. I'm good." She promised, leaning forward to place a soft kiss to his lips before she stood up, Matt's hands moving to her hips to help guide her movements. "You know I'm not big enough to need help up, at least not yet anyway." She joked, Matt smiling as he kept her hands on her hips.

"I'm just preparing." He teased back, Gabby turning to face him.

"How's the knee?" She asked, Matt leaning down to grab her shift bag so she wouldn't have to, placing it on the bed beside him.

"It's feeling pretty good. I know I still have another week on the medication, but I'm feeling better." He told her, Gabby smiling.

"I'm so glad." She responded, placing a kiss to his forehead, Matt placing both his hands on her stomach. "Who knows, this time next week you might be back on shift with me." She spoke, Matt taking a deep breath.

"I sure hope so. It's already been five weeks since the accident… I never imagined it would turn into this."

"I know, but you're getting better, that's all that matters." She ran her hand through his messy hair, her free hand resting on his bare shoulder. "Although I can assure you, everyone is looking forward to you getting back."

"Me too." He responded quickly, his eyes tracing over her face. "You still haven't had any problems with Garcia, have you?"

Gabby heard the concern in Matt's voice, shaking her head as she lightly massaged his scalp. After their impromptu visit to the firehouse last week, as soon as they were in the privacy of his truck, Gabby made Matt explain his obvious shift in behavior. And after hearing what Garcia had said about her, Dawson was less than impressed. She wasn't surprised, per-say, but the fact that he had said those things to Casey certainly didn't sit well with her. And it really didn't sit well with Matt.

"He hasn't done anything, I've barely talked to him. He keeps to himself most of the time."

"Good… You'd tell me, right? If he did anything."

"Of course." She responded, feeling Matt's thumbs rubbing over her stomach. "But he really hasn't done anything. Since he talked to you, he hasn't said a word to me." She spoke, Matt nodding as he focused his attention on her belly. "Why? You gonna go all angry-fiancé on him?"

"Angry husband, maybe. And only if I need to. I don't like the idea of him messing with you."

"He hasn't done anything. And you're not my husband yet, buddy." She corrected, Matt rolling his eyes.

"Close enough. Although, maybe not anymore…" He teased, grabbing her empty left hand. "You've already ditched the ring."

Huffing out a breath in frustration, she tapped her hand against his cheek. "It's the stupid swelling, you practically had to pry the thing off last time I put it on." She complained, an amused grin falling onto his face as she pulled the small chain around her neck out from under her shirt. "But I still have it close, don't you worry." She assured him, Matt sliding his hands from her belly to her hips, carefully pulling her closer to him, Gabby standing in between his legs.

"Speaking of, have you thought anymore of when you want to get married? Pretty soon we're gonna run out of time before she gets here." He spoke, Gabby's smile faltering slightly.

"Oh, uh, no I haven't really." She responded, avoiding his gaze. Matt's head tilted to the side slightly, confusion filling his features. "It's been a little crazy, I haven't really thought about it."

"Are you okay?" He asked, sensing her nerves.

Gabby plastered a smile on her face, glancing quickly to her watch before meeting his eyes. "I'm good, I'm just gonna be late." She responded, kissing him quickly before pulling from his grasp, grabbing her shift bag. "I'll see you in the morning, have a good day, alright?" She spoke, reaching for her smoothie that she sat on the nightstand.

"You too. Love you." He replied, Gabby flashing him a small smile as she moved towards the door.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Gabby's breath hitched as she felt her stomach cramp, the paramedic slowly pushing herself up from her bunk, knowing she needed to get up and move around before it got any worse.

It had been a pretty easy start to shift, 61 only having been called out once throughout the entire morning, which had given Gabby plenty of time to relax. The only issue was that she was having a hard time getting comfortable. For the last couple of hours, she'd been getting cramps in her stomach. It wasn't anything out of the ordinary, and considering her stomach seemed to only keep getting bigger, she knew it was just her body adjusting to the growth, but it didn't make it any less uncomfortable.

Rubbing her hand over her stomach, Gabby began walking back and forth in the bunk room, stretching out her legs as she hoped the movement would settle the cramping in her stomach.

"Hey Dawson."

Gabby looked up at the sound of her name, seeing Brett walking towards her with a grin on her face.

"Hey." She responded lightly, pressing her fingers into her hip, a small wince covering her face.

"You okay?" Brett's demeanor immediately shifted into one of concern, Gabby giving her a nod.

"I'm fine, just cramping a bit."

"Do you need anything?"

"No, I'm okay, thanks though." She responded as she felt another cramp in her abdomen, Brett's face contorted in worry.

"Are you sure? Do we need to take you to med?"

"No no, it's fine. I think I was just lying down in the same spot for too long." Gabby explained, the blonde nodding reluctantly.

"Alright, well if you need anything, let me know." She offered, Gabby nodding. Brett opened her mouth, clearly intending to say something else, but was cut off by the bells, 61 being called to help with victims from a house fire. A grimace covered Gabby's face, Brett seeing it immediately. "How about you sit this one out." She spoke, Dawson looking towards her.

"Are you sure?" She asked, Sylvie nodding with a smile.

"Of course. I don't want you pushing yourself, you just stay here and rest."

"Alright.. Thanks Brett." Dawson spoke, not having the energy to put up any fight as Brett gave her a nod before hurrying out of the bunk room. Gabby was never fond of having to sit out on calls, and so far since her pregnancy, she'd only had to hang back on a handful of calls, but each time she hated doing so. It was usually more of a struggle to get her to stay back, but today she was glad Brett had suggested it, because she wasn't sure if she could get through a call right now. The cramping in her abdomen had yet to ease up, and Gabby knew from experience that her trying to work through them only made them worse.

Taking deep breaths, Gabby kept up her slow pace as she moved back and forth in the room, soothingly rubbing over her stomach, a small smile resting on her face when she felt her girl moving around.

"You're energetic today, aren't you?" She whispered as she looked down. "It's a shame your Daddy isn't here, he always loves it when you're up and moving. But we'll see him again in the morning."

Gabby stopped talking as she heard movement behind her, seeing Garcia standing in the now open doorway to Matt's office, his eyebrows raised. She could tell just from his demeanor that he heard her talking to her stomach, but she didn't care, Gabby looking away from him as quickly as she had glanced towards him.

She continued moving around the bunk room, one hand digging into her back as she blew out a sigh of relief, feeling her cramping start to lessen.

"Didn't 61 get called out?" He questioned after watching her for a few moments, Gabby turning to look at him.

"They did, Brett told me to stay back."

"Why? Can you not work?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"No, I can." She responded shortly, Garcia smirking at her.

"Then why aren't you?"

"I don't think that's really any of your business." She spoke, grimacing as she started cramping again.

"You really are feisty, aren't you?" He questioned, Gabby rolling her eyes. "...You don't seem to like me very much, Dawson."

"Well, I don't take too kindly to people who walk in here gunning for someone else's job." She bit out, earning a chuckle from him.

"I won't lie, it's a good house here, and this job would be great.. But I think it's more _whose_ job I'm filling in for that has you upset. No need to hate me just because you miss your boyfriend."

"Fiancé." She snapped, Garcia's smug grin widening. "And believe me, my issues with you aren't because of Casey… Although I did hear what you said to him last week."

"What I said- Oh," He smirked knowingly, pushing himself off the doorframe, walking towards her. "That was just me paying you a compliment." He responded, Gabby scoffing.

"I feel sorry for any woman who's ever been on the receiving end of your compliments, if that's what you think might win someone over." She responded harshly.

"Well, I thought it might work on you. I mean, you seem to have a thing for Captains." He spoke surely, Gabby's eyes narrowing.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm just saying, it's interesting that you went after the highest ranking firefighter in the place. Well, aside from the Chief. But still, good for you."

"Not that it's any of your business, but Matt and I were together long before he became a Captain. I don't know what point you think you're making, but quit acting like you have any idea what you're talking about." She spoke roughly, turning away from him, heading for the exit.

"It's always a pleasure, Dawson." He spoke lightly as she whipped open the door, leaving the room before things escalated any further. Between her exhaustion and her hormones taking a toll on her, she couldn't tell if she wanted to go and scream at Garcia, or if she was about to burst into tears. But she still didn't want to stay long enough to find out, Gabby walking through the hallway, heading for the common room.

* * *

Matt stood in the kitchen as he finished drying off his plate, the sound of the TV in the living room the only thing that could be heard throughout the apartment. He had just finished up his dinner, Matt taking to eating some leftover pasta out on the couch, figuring it was the easiest since it was just him tonight.

Placing the dish on the rack, Matt headed out of the kitchen, moving through the living room to get to the guest room. He had slowly been working on the crib the last few days, finally feeling good enough to be able to maneuver around and do the work necessary to get it built.

As much as he hated to admit it, the new medication he'd gotten put on had seemed to work wonders in helping him manage his pain. That, along with his new brace and the exercises, the pain in his knee was nowhere near what it had been a week ago, and he could feel the progress he was making. He'd even been able to walk and stand for longer periods of time without needing crutches. He knew it was getting better. And even though he still didn't feel comfortable being reliant on pain medication for the rest of his life, he knew it was something he at least had to do for right now. For him, and Gabby, and their little girl, he needed to be on them.

Walking into the soon-to-be nursery, Matt moved towards the nearly completed crib, smiling at his handiwork. It was something that, in his usual state, would've taken him maybe an hour to complete, but even though it had taken him a few days, he was proud of himself for being almost done with it. All he needed to do now was get the bottom frame in place and put in the mattress. He had been fighting with this crib for weeks, and now that it was nearly done, he felt a sense of accomplishment. And he also felt excited, knowing this was something for their baby girl.

It took all of ten minutes for him to get it finished, Matt sliding it into place against the wall, his palms resting on the wood as he took a second to appreciate his work. His moment was cut short, however, when he heard his phone ringing from the living room.

Moving as quickly as his knee would allow, Matt hurried to the couch, picking up his phone from the end table, seeing Gabby's name and photo on his screen. Without hesitation he answered the call, putting his phone up to his ear.

"Hey baby." He spoke with a smile, his lips turning down into a frown when he heard her release a heavy breath. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"_I'm alright... I just wanted to hear your voice._"

Matt's eyebrows furrowed as he sat down on the couch. "What's going on?"

"_Nothing. It's just been a long day, and I miss you._"

"Well, I'm right here. And I miss you too." He replied, leaning back into the couch, unable to shake the confusion and concern he was feeling. He gave her a few seconds, listening to her breathing on the other end of the line before speaking up again. "Did something happen?" He questioned softly.

"_No, not really. I mean, Garcia was running his mouth this afternoon but that's not unusual._"

"I thought you said he was leaving you alone?" He asked, his neck clenching.

"_He was, until today. It wasn't anything, really. Just him making comments_."

"About what?"

"_You and me. About why we got together._"

Matt blew out a sigh, shaking his head. "What the fuck is his problem..." He muttered under his breath, rubbing his hand over his mouth.

"_I don't know. Any other time I would've smacked the smirk right off his face, but this kid is really taking it out of me. I swear, even when I'm angry, I just feel like I'm gonna start crying. I'm a mess._"

Matt's focus moved from Garcia back to Gabby, hating that he wasn't with her right now. "You're not a mess, you're pregnant. But I'm sorry, babe." He murmured gently. Since she left in a hurry this morning, he'd been a little worried about her. Something was off with her, and hearing her now only made him more concerned. He could hear how upset she was, and it worried him. "Are you sure you're okay? Nothing else happened?"

"_I'm fine. I don't even think this whole thing with Garcia is what's bothering me, it's just been a long day. It's one of those days where everything's been upsetting me. And our girl is making things a little harder on me right now._ _I've had those cramps all day and I can't get comfortable. And then if I do, she starts moving around to ensure I don't stay comfortable._" She rambled, Matt sighing deeply. "_I'm sorry, I know I'm complaining-_"

"No, you can complain all you want. I'm just sorry it's been such a hard day for you, I wish I was there… I'm not even sure what I could do, but I'm sorry." He responded, practically able to feel the smile on her face.

"_You being here is enough._" She spoke softly.

"Do you want me to come to the firehouse?" He questioned after a few silent moments.

"_No, it's okay. I just wanted to hear your voice._"

"Are you sure? I don't mind at all. I can be there in like twenty minutes."

"_I'm positive. I'm already feeling better, although I still miss you._"

Matt let out a soft chuckle, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "I miss you, too." He told her, giving her a second before he spoke again. "Is everyone out on call? It sounds quiet."

"_No, everyone's here. They're in the common room, I think. I'm in Kelly's office._"

"Oh, does he know that?" He asked with a grin, hearing her scoff.

"_I asked before I came here. I think he's been able to tell I've been a mess most of the day because he didn't even question it._"

All his previous concern came flooding back, Matt drawing in a deep breath. "Are you sure nothing's going on? You've got me worried over here. I mean, you seemed a little off this morning, and then everything today, are you sure you're alright?"

"_It's nothing, really. Your daughter's just been wreaking havoc on my emotions lately. And I'm really tired, that's not helping anything._"

"I like how she's only my daughter when something's wrong." Matt spoke lightly, thankful when he got a chuckle out of her. "But maybe it might be time to think about you slowing down some." He spoke carefully, knowing this wasn't a topic that was bound to go over well when they really got into it.

"_Yeah, maybe… I don't know._" She breathed out. Matt could tell she didn't really want to talk about it, and knowing how rough of a day she'd had, he had no intention of pushing the topic. "_But what about you, how's your day going?_" Matt shook his head lightly, knowing she was deflecting.

"It was alright, I actually just got the crib finished."

"_Really?_" She asked excitedly, Matt's smile growing.

"Mhmm. It's all done. Finally." He replied.

"_I'm so excited to see it._" She murmured.

"Tomorrow morning, you can stare at it all you want. It's a pretty great crib, if I do say so myself." He told her, his smile widening as he heard her laugh.

"_I'm sure you did great._" She complimented, Matt bringing his legs up to rest on the coffee table.

"Well, you can be the judge of that." He spoke lightly.

Their conversation was soon interrupted by the bells ringing throughout the firehouse, Matt unable to hear who was being called.

"Do you need to go?"

"_No, it's not me. Squad's being called out._" She answered softly. "_Do you need to do something, or can you stay a little longer?_"

"I'm all yours." He responded quickly. "What do you want to talk about?"

"_I don't know…_" She breathed out. "_Can we just sit here for a few minutes?"_

"We can sit here as long as you want." He replied, hearing her release a content sigh, the two falling into a comfortable quiet as she focused on the sound of his breathing.

* * *

Matt grunted into consciousness as he felt fingers running through his hair, a soft smile falling onto his face as his head moved towards the warmth. Even with his eyes closed, he could feel her beside him, Matt slowly opening his eyes to find Gabby sitting on the edge of the bed, her hand lightly scratching his head.

"Good morning." He murmured, stretching his arms above his head, shaking the exhaustion from his muscles.

"Morning." She responded, his eyes coming into focus, locking on hers. He tried to get a read on her, his eyes tracing over her face. Even after their near hour phone call last night, he was still worried about her, and he wanted to know if she was alright. But aside from the clear fatigue covering her features, she seemed okay.

"How are you feeling?" He questioned, reaching his hand out towards her stomach, his warm palm cupping her skin.

"Better." She responded, rubbing her thumb across his temple. "I could definitely use a nap, but I'm okay."

"Well, there's plenty of room in here." He spoke encouragingly, patting her side of the bed.

"Maybe in a minute. I wanna see the crib, first." She spoke excitedly, Matt nodding as he propped himself up on his elbow. Without a word, he reached up, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips, feeling her smile against him before she reciprocated his gesture, her other hand moving to rest on his arm.

"Good official morning." He spoke against her lips, giving her another kiss before pulling back, moving his attention to her stomach. "And good morning to you, little one." He murmured, placing kisses against her covered belly.

After spending a few minutes of his attention on her bump, he pulled back, flashing her a smile.

"So, you wanna see the crib?"

"Yeah, just let me change first." She responded, rubbing his head before slowly standing up. Matt collapsed back onto the bed, keeping his eyes on her as she moved around the room, slowly stripping from her shift clothes and changing into one of his t-shirts and a pair of shorts, his eyes focused on her growing stomach. "Alright, get up lazy. Let's go see this crib." She spoke with a grin, Matt smiling back as he tossed the covers off of himself, slowly climbing out of bed. "Don't you need your brace?" She questioned, Matt shaking his head.

"No, I'm good."

"Matt…"

"I'm fine, promise. My knee doesn't hurt, and we're just going to the guest room. Now walk." He prompted, lightly tapping her butt, Gabby shooting him a playful glare before they walked through the house.

When they walked into the room, a wide grin broke out across her face, Gabby turning to look at him with joy shining in her eyes. "I love it, Matt." She murmured, pressing a kiss to his lips before she walked towards the crib. Not only had he moved the crib in place, he'd also gotten the glider positioned in the corner. It was slow, but the room was coming together. And with a few more items, it would be complete.

Gabby stood in front of the crib for a few minutes before moving to the chair, sitting down slowly, releasing a content sigh as she relaxed into it.

"Still comfortable?" Matt questioned as he came to sit on the footrest in front of her, placing his hands on her knees.

"Very." She responded, slowly moving back and forth. Matt began pressing his fingertips into her thighs, lightly massaging her skin, smirking as she moaned in satisfaction. "That feels nice." She commented softly, her eyes falling closed. With the grin still on his face, Matt continued his movements, the two enjoying the quiet they found themselves in.

Once finishing his actions, he slid the footrest back, picking up her left foot, placing it in his lap as he began to massage it, Gabby's content moans getting louder. He knew she was sore most days, especially in her feet and her legs, and her swollen ankles weren't helping matters. But a massage from him always seemed to help her.

"So, Sev's been pestering me about something for the last few weeks." Matt spoke up as he pressed into her foot, Gabby opening her eyes, her head tilting to the side in question. "He's wondering when we're gonna tell him he's the godfather."

Scoffing lightly, Gabby shook her head, closing her eyes again as she focused on her massage. "I can't say I'm surprised." She spoke lightly, Matt grinning.

"Yeah, he's not exactly subtle. But it did get me thinking, it's something we'll need to figure out." He continued, Gabby nodding. "And I know we have a few options, but how _would_ you feel about Severide?" He questioned, a small grin resting on her face as she looked towards him.

"Honestly? I just assumed Kelly was gonna be our girl's godfather. I'm not sure we could get away with picking anyone else." She teased, Matt chuckling. "But in all seriousness, I think he should be her godfather. He already loves this kid so much, and, I mean I'm already expecting her and her Uncle Sev to have an unbreakable bond, but I think he's the right choice." She told him, Matt nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I do too. Obviously no one's gonna love her more than we do, but Kelly's gonna love her a hell of a lot." He spoke, Gabby nodding. "What about the godmother? Have you thought about it at all?"

"I have actually." She replied, Matt raising his eyebrows as he waited for her to elaborate. "I was thinking of asking Jemma." She spoke shyly, Matt's grin widening. "Would that be okay with you?"

"Jemma would be the perfect choice, of course it's okay with me." He responded, seeing her release a breath of relief.

"You think so?"

"I do."

"Good. I mean, there's a few different people we could choose, but Jemma just feels right. I know we haven't known her all that long, but I know how much she already loves this baby, and us. She feels like the right choice."

"Yeah, maybe we haven't known her very long, but she's your best friend. Like you said, she loves us, and our girl. I don't think there's a better choice." He assured her, Gabby nodding softly.

"Well, that was easy." She breathed out, Matt chuckling as he continued rubbing her foot.

"Definitely not one of our harder decisions, no." He agreed, seeing a yawn escape through her lips. "Alright, I think it's time to get you and our girl into bed." He spoke, carefully placing her foot back on the ground.

"Yeah, I think you might be right." She responded as she yawned again. Standing up from his seat, Matt held his hands out to help her up, Gabby flashing him an appreciative smile as she stood.

The two walked back to the bedroom quietly, Gabby succumbing to her exhaustion nearly as soon as her head hit the pillow. Matt curled up behind her, wrapping his arm around her waist as he held onto her bump, it not taking him long to follow her lead, the expectant parents soon sound asleep.

* * *

Matt sat on the exam table, his palms resting on the edge as they waited for Dr. Williams. Gabby was by his side, sitting in the chair a few feet to his right, her body resting against the back of the seat, her hands cradling her bump.

"Remind me again why we did this?" He asked, Gabby tilting her head to the side in confusion. "Why did we think it was a good idea to have both of our appointments on the same day?" He questioned, Gabby scoffing lightly as she shrugged her shoulders.

"I couldn't tell ya. I think we thought it was a good idea at the time." She responded lightly, Matt shaking his head with a grin. In theory, having both Matt's appointment for his knee and her appointment with Dr. Tanner seemed like a good idea, but now that they were here, knowing the long day they had ahead for them, Matt was having second thoughts about their decision.

"You feeling okay?" He asked, watching as she ran her hand over her stomach. It had been a long week for the couple, to say the least. Gabby had been a little all over the place lately, her emotions overwhelming her most days. For lack of a better word, the only way Matt knew how to describe her was an emotional wreck. He knew it was normal, that will all the hormones flowing through her system, it was expected, but what had him worried was that it had seemingly come out of nowhere. And he never knew what might upset her. They hadn't really gotten into any fights, or at least none that lasted very long, but he knew things had been hard on her lately. He could tell she was frustrated, because she didn't really understand her own emotions either, so Matt just tried to let her feel whatever she needed to feel. When she got mad at him, he didn't take it personally. When she got so upset that she would start crying, he held her and let her cry. He knew her emotions were taking their toll on her, so he tried to do all he could.

But there was something in the back of his mind, a thought he couldn't quite shake, that there was more going on than she was telling him. Every time he tried to find out the reason for her behavior, she would always brush it off as hormones, but he couldn't help but feel like there was more to it. A few times he got her to admit that she was just exhausted, and that she was a little stressed out because of his slow recovery, but other than that she only blamed it on her emotions being out of whack. Even though he wasn't sure she was giving him the whole story, he never pushed it, because he knew that was bound to start a real argument. And he didn't want either of them to have to deal with that.

"I'm alright, just feeling like an absolute giant." She spoke, Matt shaking his head.

"You're twenty eight weeks pregnant, baby. There's nothing wrong with how you look, you're beautiful." He assured her, just as he'd done multiple times over the last few days. That was another thing that had seemed to be upsetting her lately, Gabby having a hard time feeling confident in herself. She'd definitely gotten bigger, her belly rounding out more and there was some extra weight on her where she would've preferred it not to be, but she was still gorgeous. She was always gorgeous to him, and he'd made a point to continuously remind her of that.

His grin widened when he saw a smile come to her face, Gabby ducking her head in embarrassment.

"Yeah, well you have to say that. You're the one who did this." She responded teasingly, patting her stomach lightly.

"No, I don't have to say anything. But I am saying it, because it's true." He spoke, smiling at her.

"Such a sweet talker." She murmured, shaking her head.

"Well, yeah. That's how she's even here in the first place." He joked, his eyes flickering to her stomach as Gabby chuckled.

"You're not wrong." She replied, the two having to put their teasing conversation on pause when they heard the door open, Dr. Williams stepping inside.

"Hello Matt, Gabby." He greeted, the two smiling at him as he came to sit down.

"Hi."

"So, how have you been the last two weeks?" He asked, placing his tablet on the table.

"I'm feeling really good, actually." He spoke with a small smile. "I haven't felt any sharp or unbearable pain in almost a week, and whenever I do feel any pain, it's not anything nearly as bad as it had been."

"That's great. You've still been taking your medication? No issues with that?"

"Yeah, I have. There's been no problems." He responded.

"He's done great with them." Gabby interjected, Dr. Williams glancing towards her. "He's been taking them religiously."

"That's what I like to hear. Are you still wearing your brace? And doing your exercises?"

"I have been, yeah. And I haven't been needing my crutches either. I've been going on some walks, too. I'm feeling really good."

"That's great, Matt." Dr. Williams spoke, sliding towards the table. "May I?" He asked, holding his hands out towards his knee, earning a nod from Matt. Dr. Williams began doing different things to his knee, testing its strength and stability. "Any pain?"

"No." He responded, earning a nod from his doctor.

"Well, everything feels good. I want to see you up and doing a few things for me, I've got some different strength tests, and I'm gonna have you climb a few stairs. I just want to see how your knees holds up before giving you the green light to return to work. But as long as those go okay, I have no problem with you getting back to shift."

Matt's face lit up at Dr. Williams words, turning towards Gabby to see her smile matching his.

"That's great." Casey replied, breathing out a sigh of relief.

"I know you've been itching to get back. Nearly six weeks off the job isn't what any of us planned for, but I'm just glad you're getting better. Now, Matt I'm gonna take you out in the hallway so we can do some of those tests with your knee. Gabby, feel free to stay here, we won't be gone long."

Matt slid down off the table, sending her a soft grin as he headed for the door, Gabby responding with a supportive smile before Matt and Dr. Williams left the room, leaving her alone.

They were gone for about fifteen minutes, Gabby taking to focusing on the movements of their daughter as she waited for Matt to return. When they finally came walking in, Gabby's eyes traced over his face, seeing a gentle smile resting there, Matt nodding slowly.

"How'd it go?"

"It went very well. I told him that as long as he eases back into it, I'm fine with him returning next shift." Dr. Williams spoke, Gabby grinning widely as Matt climbed back up on the table.

"That's great, baby." She spoke excitedly, reaching out for his hand, Matt instantly taking it.

"But, I do have some very important guidelines for you to follow, especially with you returning to work."

"Alright."

"First, you've got to stay wearing the brace. On days off, you can keep wearing it like you have been, but on shift it stays on the entire time. And I also want you to continue doing those exercises, at least once a day, maybe twice on the days you're not working. They've helped with your recovery, and I think they'll only continue to help you. So I want you to keep those going."

"I can do that."

"And I'm also going to prescribe you more of your medication. I know you're almost done with the one you have, so I'll get you more of those. It'll be a 30-day supply, and I'll set it up for you to be able to get it refilled without needing to come back and see me." He spoke, Matt's face falling slightly.

"So I'll have to keep taking them?"

"For the time being, yes. The exercises and the brace, and time, all those things have helped in your recovery. But the medication is what's helping you the most. You need to stay on them, at least for now."

"Okay."

"I know it's not what you want, but it's necessary." He spoke with a sympathetic smile.

"I know, I guess I was just hoping I could get off them. But if you say I need to stay on them, I will."

"It's for the best. At least for right now, especially with you going back to work. I know I prepared you for this, that long-term pain management was what we were working towards. And, luckily, we've found something that works and is helping you. So it's crucial that we continue it like you have been; staying consistent in taking your meds, and working on your strength."

"Alright." Matt responded, giving him a nod as he squeezed Gabby's hand.

"Here's your prescription." Dr. Williams said, handing him the slip of paper. "As long as nothing changes, I don't need to see you again for awhile. I want you back in about six weeks, just to make sure everything's still going well. At that point, we'll talk again about maybe seeing if we could wean you off of the meds, but that'll be a discussion for then. So, we'll get that appointment set up, and as long as you're doing well, I'll see you then."

"Sounds good. Thank you, Dr. Williams."

The doctor left, leaving the couple in there as Matt glanced towards Gabby, seeing her sitting on the edge of her chair.

"How are you feeling?" She asked, swinging her bag over her shoulder before slowly standing up.

"I'm good. I'm excited to get back to work." He replied, sliding down off the table, Gabby moving to stand in front of him.

"I'm looking forward to you being back, it hasn't been the same without you." She spoke with a grin, Matt bringing his hand up to cradle the side of her face. Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss to her lips, Gabby smiling against him before reciprocating the action, bringing her free hand to rest on his waist.

When they pulled back, Matt rubbed his thumb over her cheek, Gabby smiling softly before she glanced at her watch.

"If we leave now, we should have time to stop by the pharmacy before my appointment." She told him, Matt nodding, pressing another quick kiss to her lips before moving towards the door.

"Alright, let's get out of here." He spoke, holding open the door for her, Gabby flashing him an appreciative smile as they left the room.

* * *

"Hello you two." Dr. Tanner spoke as she walked into her office, the expectant parents flashing her a smile as she came to sit across from them, placing her tablet down on her desk. "How are you guys doing?"

"We're doing good. Matt got cleared to return to work today." Gabby spoke, her smile beaming as she glanced at him, Matt's grin widening when he saw her excitement.

"That's great, Matt. So you're feeling better?" She asked, Casey nodding as he placed his hand on Gabby's thigh.

"I am."

"That's good to hear. And what about you, how are you feeling Gabby?" She asked, resting her hands against her desk.

"I've been alright." She breathed out, Dr. Tanner's eyes narrowing in slight concern.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, it's just been kind of an emotional week. My hormones are going a little crazy." She responded with a slight chuckle, Dr. Tanner nodding understandingly.

"Ah yes, I remember that well. But physically you're feeling alright? I saw in Amanda's notes you've been having some dizziness and cramping."

"I'm okay. The dizziness doesn't happen often, usually just when I get up too fast and it goes away pretty quickly."

"That's normal, especially for where you are in your pregnancy." She assured her, Gabby nodding before continuing.

"And the cramping isn't anything unusual, I don't think. It was mostly just happening when I stayed in the same position for too long."

"Did it go away pretty quickly?"

"For the most part, yeah. When I would get moving around, it usually helped." Gabby responded, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"Well, neither of those things are out of the normal during pregnancy, I don't see any causes for concern for that." She responded, pulling up some images on her tablet. "Your ultrasound looks good, your baby is still on the smaller side, but that's nothing to be worried about. She's still within the target growth for 28 weeks." Dr. Tanner spoke, Matt and Gabby nodding. "But she's looking great. Is she still moving around a lot?"

"All the time." Gabby spoke with a grin. "Especially when this one's around." Gabby joked as she gestured towards Matt, his smile widening. "But she seems to love moving around the most right when I've managed to get comfortable." She finished, Dr. Tanner chuckling.

"I'm afraid to say that'll only continue until she's born. But, it's times like that where her being a little smaller works in your favor, because she has more room in there." She spoke. "But, looking at your ultrasound, I'm very pleased with how she's looking. And all your numbers and everything look great. Your weight is good, your blood pressure and everything was decent. Both of you seem to be doing very well."

"Good." Gabby responded with a smile, Dr. Tanner moving her tablet aside as she leaned forward on her desk, clasping her hands together.

"Now, there is something I want to talk to you about today." Dr. Tanner prefaced, Gabby nodding slowly, feeling Matt squeeze her thigh. "You're starting your third trimester, which means we're now entering the most important part of your pregnancy. With your situation, it is vital that you take care of yourself, and pay attention to what your body is telling you. More so than before, we have to vigilant with you, for both your health and your baby." She told them, Matt swallowing the lump in his throat. "We did take a look at your aneurysm today, and I'm happy to tell you that it's still the same size as it was when you first came here. Which is good, the smaller the better. And the fact that there's been no change is encouraging. But the more you grow, the more pressure that gets put on your system, is when your condition starts to become dangerous... This is when we have to really start watching you."

Gabby nodded, able to feel the tension radiating from Matt's body the second her aneurysm was mentioned.

"Here soon, maybe after your next appointment in two weeks, is when we'll be starting those weekly appointments. If there's any change in your aneurysm, I need to know as soon as possible. So I'll have you in weekly for new images."

"Whatever we need to do." Gabby responded, placing her hand over top of Matt's, Casey flashing her a supportive smile.

"Well, I'm glad you said that because there is another thing I need you to do for me." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby waiting for her to elaborate. "I need you to start slowing down. I know you've been careful, and you've been good about knowing your limits. But remember when I told you how we've got to focus on the things we can control? Well, I think it's time for you to cut back on work." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby taking a deep breath.

She wasn't completely surprised by this, but that didn't mean she liked it. Gabby trusted that Dr. Tanner knew was she was doing, that she wouldn't suggest it unless she thought it necessary, but it wasn't in Gabby's nature to slow down. Especially when she still felt really good most days.

"Alright… So am I allowed to work at all? Or am I done?"

"No, I'm not saying you can't work anymore, at least not yet. But prepare yourself, that will be coming. We need to be careful here, you need to be careful, so I'd feel more comfortable if you cut back to only working at one place, instead of continuing working both jobs."

"Okay." Gabby responded. "Do I get to choose with job I take my leave?"

"Of course. That decision is up to you. Obviously, I'd prefer you to do your leave at the firehouse, just because your shifts are shorter and less frequent at that private company, but it's up to you. I know you're careful, and you have people looking out for you both places. But I also know both of you would probably prefer Gabby continuing to work at the firehouse, since you can keep an eye on her, Matt. But really, it's up to you. I just need you to cut back to one."

"I can do that." Gabby assured her, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"Good. I know it's gonna be hard to slow down, but it's only going to be more important for you to take it easy the further along we get through this trimester. Everything now is taking it day by day, and more than ever, it's important you listen to your body" She told her, earning an understanding nod from Gabby. "And speaking of taking it easy and listening to your body, there is one last thing I want to talk to you about. Well, both of you actually." Dr. Tanner spoke.

"Okay." Matt spoke up, both he and Gabby waiting for her to continue.

"So far in this pregnancy, I've pretty much given you two free rein when it comes to intercourse, but that's another thing I'm going to need the both of you to be mindful of." She spoke, Matt feeling heat rise to his cheeks. He knew it was an important conversation, considering it was about Gabby's health, but discussing the personal aspects of his and Gabby's relationship wasn't something he was super comfortable with. Gabby, on the other hand, didn't care so much, but seeing Matt's clear discomfort was a little amusing. "I'm not saying you need to stop, at least not yet, but just make sure you're taking it easy. I know this probably goes without saying, but if you're not feeling up for it, Gabby, don't push yourself. You can get creative, there are other things you can do together even if you don't feel up for standard intercourse." She spoke, Gabby biting back a smirk as she saw Matt shift in his seat. "Just listen to your body, and make sure you're communicating with one another about what you feel you can do. I don't think it'll be a problem, but make sure to not do anything too strenuous. The last thing you need is any added stress, even if it's good stress, so just be careful. Keep things simple." Dr. Tanner instructed, Gabby nodding.

"We will." She responded.

"Good. Now, unless you two have any questions, I'll see you both in two weeks."

"I think we're good." Gabby spoke, glancing to Matt who simply nodded.

"Alright, well I'll see you then." She spoke, Gabby and Matt saying their goodbyes before making their way out of the office. After a quick stop at the front desk to schedule her next appointment, the couple walked hand in hand out of the building, beginning the walk down the sidewalk towards Matt's truck.

"So, how are you feeling about everything?" He asked, Gabby dropping his hand to wrap her arm around his waist, Matt resting his over her shoulders, pulling her into his side.

"Well, I think it's unfortunate we've been told to take it easy." She spoke teasingly, Matt shaking his head in amusement. "Because if I remember correctly, you said something about 'just wait until I get my mobility back'. And now that you've finally healed up, we've gotta cool it... It's a shame, because I was really looking forward to seeing what you had in mind."

"Hey, we don't have to stop completely... But I was thinking more along the lines of how you were feeling having to cut back at work." He spoke with a grin. "Although, back to the first thing, I think I've done pretty well, all things considered." He played along, pressing a kiss against the top of her head.

"I have no complaints." She agreed, resting her free hand over her stomach. "And honestly, I'm not too surprised that she wants me to cut down on work. I've kind of just been waiting for it, and now that I'm in my third trimester, I figured if she didn't mention it today, she would've next time."

"And you're okay with it?" He asked, Gabby shrugging in his hold.

"I guess, yeah. I mean, I don't have much of a choice. And I wouldn't try and fight her anyway, not when it's to protect our little girl." She responded, Matt nodding understandingly.

"I know." He replied, rubbing her shoulder. "Do you know where you want to keep working?" He questioned as their steps slowed when they approached his truck.

"Honestly? I think I want to keep working at 51." She spoke, an immediate smile falling onto his face. He tried to mask it quickly, but Gabby saw it, releasing a light scoff as she shook her head. "You can be happy, you know. You don't need to hide it." She told him, patting his stomach.

"I know, but I know this isn't an easy decision for you. And I'm a little surprised, I figured you'd want to keep working with Jemma until the baby. I guess when she said that, I just assumed you'd be leaving 51." He spoke, pulling open the passenger side door.

"Well, if I'm being honest, when she first said it, it didn't take much thinking. I knew I wanted to finish out my work before the baby at 51."

"Why?"

"Because of you." She replied instantly, Matt's eyebrows raising as he took a deep breath.

"Gabby, you don't need to do that for me." He responded, watching as she shook her head.

"I know, but I want to." Her chest filled with warmth when she saw the smile that covered his face. "We only have limited time left being able to work together, and then we missed so much time because of your injury… After this baby, I'm gonna be going back to the SAS, and I don't know if we'll ever be able to work together again. I want to stay at 51 until I have to go on leave. I want to be able to get as much time working with you as I can." She told him, Matt's grin widening.

"I love you so much, did you know that?" He questioned, leaning forward to place a gentle kiss to her lips, cupping her cheeks as they stood by his truck.

"I know." She responded as they pulled back, her grin widening.

Kissing her again quickly, he placed his hand on her back, turning her towards the vehicle. "Now, get in." He spoke lightly, taking her purse from her. "We've gotta get you and our daughter home." He told her, Gabby smiling before she slowly climbed in, Matt making sure she was settled before heading around to his side.

* * *

**And there's another chapter for you all. Looks like Matt will be back at 51 soon, and Gabby decided to choose to work there for the rest of her pregnancy. Gabby's already in her third trimester, which means we're getting closer and closer to baby Casey!**

**I really hope you all enjoyed this one, I'm so excited to hear your thoughts! Thank you so much for reading!**


	50. Chapter Fifty

**Wow wow wow. Fifty chapters? It's so insane that this story has made it this far. I'm sure most of you know I never had a long-term plan for this story at all, but I've enjoyed writing it so much. And I hope you all have enjoyed reading it.**

**Thank you for the constant love and support on my work, it means the world to me.**

**Also, holy crap?! 1000 reviews?! That's absolutely crazy, never did I ever dream I'd have so many people supporting me and this story. I appreciate each and every one of you so so much. Thank you.**

**I hope you all enjoy this one. Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty**_

* * *

Matt stared at himself in the mirror as he got ready for work, his eyes moving over his bare chest as he stood there clad in his blue work pants, the clothing hanging off his hips. Since his accident six weeks ago, he hadn't spent much time looking at the damage done to his body, but mostly everything had healed as much as it was going to. There was slight scarring on his neck from the burn, and he could see the edge of the small scar left on his side from the deep cut he'd had. All the other scratches and cuts had healed, Matt seeing no other visible reminders of just how badly he'd been hurt. All the cuts on his face had healed a while ago, and the swelling and bruising was long gone, the only remains left were the scars.

Turning around, he looked to the mirror, drawing in a deep breath as he saw the more prominent scarring on his back. It wasn't very pretty, the rough skin covering part of his back and moving down, disappearing beneath his pants.

Throughout his long career as a firefighter, Matt knew he'd been lucky. In all the fires he'd gotten stuck in, in the fires that had left him with worse damage than burns, and even in the few calls that he was sure he wouldn't make it out of, he had rarely been left with visible scars. Despite the small scar from his head injury years back, and the more recent scarring from the explosion last year, he'd gotten lucky in not being left with more intense marks.

But he couldn't say that anymore. His accident a month and a half ago left him with scars that he'd be stuck with for the rest of his life. Scars that he'd have to see every day, that Gabby would have to see. Scars he'd have to explain to his daughter.

"Matt?"

He snapped out of his headspace as his eyes moved to the door, seeing Gabby standing in the entrance, her hands resting on her stomach. From the look on her face, he could tell this wasn't her first attempt at getting his attention.

"I'm sorry, what'd you say?" He asked, turning his body to face hers, Gabby watching him with a curious gaze.

"I was telling you breakfast was ready." She spoke, taking slow steps towards him. "Are you okay?"

Matt flashed her a small smile, reaching out for her when she got close enough. "I'm fine." He assured her, resting his hands on her hips, pulling her towards him until her belly touched his.

"You sure?"

"Yeah… I was just checking out the damage." He responded, Gabby resting her hands on his bare chest.

"Ah, well, I have it on good authority that chicks dig men with scars." She spoke lightly, her words bringing a soft smile to his face.

"Oh, is that so?" He questioned, Gabby scrunching up her nose as he leaned forward, placing a gentle kiss against her lips. "Well, I'm really only interested in one woman's opinion." He spoke as he pulled back, Gabby rubbing her thumb over his chest.

"I don't care about any scars, you know that." She responded, trailing her hand up to his face, brushing her fingers over his cheek. "As far as I'm concerned, they're just another part of you. And I love _you_. I keep telling you, I didn't just fall for you because of your good looks." She joked, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"No, you were only after my money." He replied, Gabby scoffing lightly as she shook her head, tapping her hand against his cheek.

"Well, jokes on me then, if that's true." She teased, Matt chuckling as he slid his hands around to her back, pulling her closer to him. Pressing a kiss to his collarbone, she rested her head against his shoulder, wrapping her arms around his back. The position wasn't quite as comfortable as it used to be, Gabby's belly getting in the way, but they made it work. She could feel the rough skin on his back against her arms, Gabby squeezing him a little tighter. "But really, I love you, no matter what. Scars aren't gonna change that." She murmured against his chest, feeling him place a kiss to her head.

"I know. And I don't think it's even so much the scars that are bothering me, it's just… I think it's more the reminder of how quickly things can change." He breathed out, Gabby's body tensing in his grasp. "I mean, I fell through a building in a fire that should've been nothing, I know I'm lucky scars and a bum knee are all I have."

Gabby frowned as she listened to him talk, moving her thumb over his lower back as a source of comfort. Since his accident, they hadn't really talked about how he was handling the everything mentally. Anytime she'd check in with him and ask him how he was doing, he'd tell her he was fine. And she believed he was. She knew him well enough to know when he was struggling with something, but even though he had come to terms with what happened, that didn't make it any easier to face the reality that it could've been much worse. Calls like what he went through, those are the type that stick with a person. Both Gabby and Matt had a few of their own that they'd never be able to forget, but now not only would this one always stick with him, he would be reminded of it every time he looked in the mirror.

"But, I don't know, I guess it just feels different now." His voice brought her out of her thoughts, Gabby pulling back so she could see him, keeping her hands around his waist.

"What do you mean?"

"I guess… I hope you don't take this the wrong way, but ever since the baby, and then the accident, calls just stick with me more than they used to. Because it's not just us anymore." He breathed out, Gabby nodding understandingly. "And I don't want you thinking you weren't enough for me to be careful, that's not it. I'm always careful, and I can't stand the thought of leaving you behind, I just…"

"No, I get what you mean." Gabby responded, Matt releasing a heavy breath. "It's different, because she changes things." She continued, Matt moving his hand to rest over her stomach. "Before, we only had each other to consider, and not that that wasn't important, but this baby, she's gonna need us for everything. She's completely reliant on us, and the thought of us not being able to be there for her just…" Gabby trailed off, shaking her head as tears began forming in her eyes. "I understand what you mean." She finished, Matt placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I didn't mean to make you upset." He murmured against her skin, hearing her sniffle before looking up to him.

"No, I know. And I'm okay. I just don't like thinking about either of us not being able to be there for her. And I know there's a real possibility I might not be, and I can't ignore that, but it's just hard…" She spoke, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes. "It's hard to think about one of us not being there to watch her grow up, so I get why you're feeling like this."

"I know you do. But hopefully we'll both be there for her, scars and all." He spoke, watching as she chuckled lightly. "It'll all be fine." He assured her, moving his hand up to wipe away the lone tear that had escaped down her cheek.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make this about me… I know you're having a hard time-"

"Don't apologize, please." He told her, shaking his head. "Never apologize for that. It's a hard situation for both of us." He spoke understandingly, Gabby nodding softly.

Leaning forward, he captured her lips in a gentle kiss, feeling her relax into him, the two letting their worries and fears fall away for a second, focusing on only one another. Gabby pulled back first, needing to catch her breath as their foreheads rested against one another, both of them relishing in their intimate, quiet moment.

"Your breakfast is getting cold."

Matt chuckled, not expecting those to be the first words out of her mouth after their heavy talk. Pulling back, Matt met her eyes as he rubbed his thumb over her cheek.

"That's okay." He responded. "Are you alright?"

"I am." She replied, resting her hand against his chest. "Are you?"

"I am." He repeated, giving her another quick kiss before pulling from her embrace. "Let me finish getting ready, then I'll be out." He told her, Gabby cocking her eyebrow as he moved towards the closet.

"I don't know, I kind of like the look you've got going on right now." She teased, Matt shaking his head. Sometimes it felt like he was getting whiplash at times by how back and forth her emotions were, but he always just tried to go with it, knowing that even though it was often confusing for him, it was much harder on her.

"Oh I'm sure you do." He spoke back, flashing her a grin before disappearing into the closet.

It took only minutes for Matt to finish getting ready, the firefighter walking out into the kitchen in his shift clothes, a soft smile coming to Gabby's face as he approached her at the table.

"It's been awhile." She commented, Matt grinning as he sat down in his normal place, seeing his breakfast waiting for him.

"Yeah, it almost felt weird putting this on again. But I'm excited to get back." He responded, glancing towards his drink, seeing that Gabby had gotten his pill for him already. "Thanks for this." He told her, picking it up and swallowing it, chasing it down with his drink.

"Of course. And I went ahead and put your medication in your shift bag, so we don't forget them." She told him before taking a bite of her toast.

"What would I do without you?" He questioned with a gleam in his eye, Gabby scoffing.

"Well, you'd have to get your own pills… And make your own breakfast." She shot back jokingly.

"Yeah, thank you for that, too. You didn't need to do all this." He spoke, earning a shrug from her.

"I was up."

"I heard you up and moving around pretty early." He commented, Gabby nodding.

"Little girl was ready to get up, apparently she thought I'd had enough sleep. Although I doubt she'll feel that way here in a few hours." She replied lightly. "Oh, and I meant to tell you, I put in my request for leave at the SAS."

"Already?" Matt asked with widened eyes, watching her nod in response. "When'd you do that?" It had only been a couple of days since she'd been instructed to take a step back, and even though he knew she was on board, he wasn't expecting her to do it so soon.

"I went to headquarters yesterday while you were out with Kelly. Figured there was no reason to put it off any longer."

"Have you told Jemma?"

"Yeah, I let her know the day of my appointment." Gabby explained, taking a drink of her water.

"How'd she take it?"

"About like I expected. She's a little sad, but I mean I was seeing her more outside of shift than I was when we were at work, anyway. And she understands why I need to start my leave now, she just said she'll have to come over a lot more." Gabby spoke with a grin, Matt nodding as he glanced down to his watch.

"We probably should get going here soon, wouldn't want to be late on my first day." He told her, shoving another forkful of eggs into his mouth before standing up. "Are you done?" He asked, looking towards her almost full plate.

"Yeah."

"You didn't eat very much." He commented, picking up the plate to take it into the kitchen.

"I'm not that hungry, I'll take some snacks with me, though, just in case. And I can always get something at the station." She spoke, Matt nodding as he discarded the food in the trashcan before quickly washing off their plates.

Gabby went and checked to make sure the front door was locked while Matt gathered their shift bags from the bedroom, the two meeting up at the back door, heading out into the warm June morning.

The ride to the firehouse was uneventful, Gabby and Matt mostly staying in a comfortable quiet as they prepared for the shift ahead, Matt soon pulling up to the curb outside the firehouse, putting his truck in park.

"You ready?" She asked with a small grin, glancing towards him.

"I am."

"And you're gonna be careful?" She questioned, her eyebrows raised.

"Of course. But I need you to be careful, too." He told her, placing his hand over her expanding stomach.

"I will be." She promised, grabbing his forearm, gently pulling him towards her, Matt smirking as she leaned forward to meet his lips, the two connecting in a surprisingly heated kiss, leaving him breathless as they pulled back.

"What was that for?" He asked in between breaths, Gabby biting her bottom lip as she gave him a shrug.

"Just reminding you why you need to be careful." She spoke, her lips curling up into a grin.

"Oh, I don't need any reminders, but I'll take them any time if they're like that." He replied, kissing her again swiftly, rubbing his hand over her bump. Matt chuckled against her lips when he felt movement against his hand, both of them pulling back as he glanced down to her stomach. "That was a big kick, huh? Were you wanting some attention?" He asked, his eyes focused solely on her belly, Gabby's chest filling with warmth as she watched him talk to their daughter. She felt their girl kick again, Gabby resting her hand on the side of his face as his smile widened. "Oh, you were definitely wanting some attention." He joked, rubbing his warm palm over her shirt, Gabby stroking his cheek as she blinked back the tears in her eyes.

Glancing up, his smile fell, his lips forming into a frown as Gabby shook her head. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. Just these damn hormones, I swear to God." She spoke, wiping away the tears under her eyes as Matt nodded. "Hearing you talk to her, it just… it makes me so happy. And whenever I'm happy, I start crying. But I'm fine, I swear." She replied with a laugh, a soft smile coming to his face.

"I think I made Momma cry…" He spoke as he glanced back towards her stomach, Gabby scoffing lightly. "She cries a lot." He joked, smirking when she swatted the back of his head, Matt using his free hand to reach for hers, gripping it in his as he moved his attention back to her. "But if they're happy tears, there's nothing wrong with that. As long as I didn't do something to piss you off, we're good." He finished, the teasing tone never leaving his voice.

"Mocking a pregnant woman, that's not very nice, Casey." She responded, his last name coming out sharply as she playfully narrowed her gaze on him. He leaned forward, kissing the pout off her lips, feeling her eventually give in and smile against him.

"I love you." He spoke again her lips, Gabby giving him another kiss before pulling back.

"I love you, too. Now let's get inside before we really are late." She told him, tapping his cheek before they both started getting out of the truck. Matt hurried around to her side, holding the door open and extending an arm to help her out, waiting until she was firmly on the ground before shutting the door and moving to grab their bags from the truck bed, Matt holding onto them both in one hand, taking hers in his other.

"Looks like you two had a good morning."

Matt tensed at the voice, turning to see Garcia walking towards them with a smug grin on his face.

"Garcia." Casey spoke, feeling Gabby squeeze his hand as the man walked past them.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how you work, Captain. It's gonna be a fun shift." He replied, glancing towards Gabby with a smirk before heading to the firehouse.

"What is he still doing here?" Gabby asked once Garcia was far enough away, Matt drawing in a deep breath, shaking his head.

"I don't know." He replied, shooting her a small smile as they began their walk into the house.

The second they got into the garage, Casey was met with hugs and cheers, Gabby standing back as he got reacquainted with his friends, everyone forming a circle around him as they spoke. Well, almost everyone.

From her spot a few feet away, Gabby saw Garcia hanging back, his eyes focused on her, an almost challenging look on his face. When his eyes met hers, she immediately glared, her actions only spurring him on as he smirked, beginning to walk over to her. Gabby's body tensed, her arms crossing over her chest as he came to stand beside her, Gabby keeping her attention on Matt.

"Good morning, Dawson." He spoke softly, Gabby ignoring his greeting as she watched Matt talk to Herrmann. "What? No hello?"

"Nope." She bit out, feeling him move closer to her, his arm brushing against hers. Gabby took a step away from him, forcing herself to look towards him, seeing his eyes on her. "What do you want?"

"Just wanted to say hello while you had a minute away from the Captain."

"Why?"

"Well, I have a feeling that Casey doesn't like the idea of us talking very much. Figured it'd be easier to chat while he's distracted." He responded, Gabby's eyes narrowing.

"Yeah, and what gave you the idea that I would _want_ to talk to you?" She questioned, her agitated words only encouraging him.

"You're a fun one, Dawson." He spoke, his eyes moving up and down her body, his grin widening. Feeling uncomfortable under his stares, she instinctively took another step away from him, her gaze rigid.

"I don't know why you're even still here, but I'd appreciate it if you kept your comments to yourself… You not talking to me at all, actually, would be preferable." She bit out, her eyes moving towards Casey. She didn't want to make a scene here, but she also didn't want to be around him any longer than she had to, Gabby's gaze focused on Matt, silently willing him to look her way.

Within seconds, he glanced towards her, Matt able to feel her eyes on him, his face hardening as he saw Garcia standing next to her, and the uneasy look on her face.

Clearing his throat, Matt turned back to the group, flashing them a smile. "Well, I appreciate all the excitement, and I'm glad to be back. But I wanna try and get settled in before the day starts." He told them, patting Otis on the shoulder before he began to move towards Gabby, his stern demeanor returning as he walked towards the two. "Did you need something, Garcia?" He asked roughly.

"No, Captain. Just having a nice chat with Dawson, here." He spoke with a smirk, Matt's neck clenching as he looked to Gabby, seeing her shake her head, telling him to leave it alone. Silently, he reached for her hand, moving her away from Garcia as they headed for the doors.

"Casey, hold on a second." Boden's voice stopped them, the Chief walking towards the couple as they waited in the doorway. "Once you get settled, come to my office." He told him, Matt's eyes moving behind Boden to Garcia, seeing him watching them with that same smug grin.

"Okay, Chief." He responded, swallowing thickly before moving into the firehouse with Gabby, hearing her release a heavy breath once they were alone in the hallway. "What did Garcia want?" He asked almost immediately, Gabby rolling her eyes as they made their way to the locker room.

"He was just trying to talk to me, I'm not sure about what, but I tried to ignore him. Thanks for coming over there, by the way. I don't know where he was trying to take that conversation, but I didn't want to find out." She responded, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"Well, I could practically feel you drilling holes in the side of my head." He joked, Gabby shaking her head as they got to their lockers, Matt placing their bags on the bench as they began the process of putting their stuff away.

"Do you know what Boden wants to talk about?" She asked as she put her bag on the hook, hearing him sigh.

"I'm guessing it's about why Garcia's still here… I don't get it, I'm cleared to work. We don't need two Captains here." She could hear the frustration in his voice, a small frown pulling on her lips. "But I'll find out soon, I guess." He breathed out, shutting his locker before moving towards her, placing his hand on her hip as he stood behind her. "Are you good?"

"I'm alright, just gonna finish up here and then probably go sit with everyone. Go, talk to Boden, figure out what the deal is. Just let me know." She told him, Matt nodding as he placed a kiss to the back of her head before sliding past her, heading out of the locker room.

The walk to Chief's office was a quick one, Matt finding a few members of 51 in the common room, shooting them smiles as he passed. When he got to his destination, he walked in through the open door, tapping on the glass.

"Casey, come in." Boden spoke, Matt stepping inside, closing the door behind him. "Have a seat." He told him, Matt complying as he sat down across from him. "So, I'm sure you might know what this about…"

"Garcia." Casey answered, Boden giving him a pointed look. "What is he still doing here, Chief?" He questioned, the older man sighing.

"I know you've been cleared to work, and that's great. But when headquarters got the paperwork from your doctor, they saw where he recommend that you ease back into it. So the higher ups felt more comfortable keeping Garcia around for a few more shifts, just until you're 100%."

"But I am 100%." Casey argued. "I wouldn't be back here if I wasn't."

"Yes, and you've also missed over six weeks of work." Chief responded, Matt sulking back in his chair.

"I have no say in this, do I?" Casey asked, Boden shaking his head.

"No, you don't. And I don't either." He answered, Casey clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he nodded. "I know there's some weird… tension between the two of you, and I'm not sure why, but if I see you are fully capable of performing your duties, I'll let headquarters know. And I'm sure I could get them to reassign him somewhere else."

"It's because he's a douche." Casey bit out, Boden's eyes widening slightly, not expecting the hostility from his Captain. Blowing out a heavy breath, Casey shook his head, sitting up in his seat. "Sorry Chief, I'm sorry. I know that's not very professional of me, but I get a bad feeling with the guy. And some of the things he says… He just seems like trouble."

"What has he been saying?"

"Stuff about Dawson, mostly. He's made comments about her, to her and to me… And I wasn't really expecting him to be here, that's all."

"I didn't know that." He responded, rubbing his hand over his mouth. "...Unless she reports it, there's not much I can do. But headquarters isn't transferring him here, this isn't a permanent thing. It's only until they feel like you're fully able to do your job." He told the Captain, Matt nodding slowly. "You're still in charge, this is your truck, your house. Not his. That's been made clear to everyone, Garcia included. You're still making the calls, he's only here in case he needs to step in."

"Alright Chief." He responded, pushing himself up from his seat.

"It's good to have you back, Casey." Boden told him, Matt nodding as he headed for the door.

"It's good to be back." He replied just as the bells went off, signaling the entire house to a fire downtown.

"Get out there, Captain." Boden prompted, Matt flashing him a small smile before jogging towards the garage. As he moved, he felt confidence rise within him as he realized there was no pain in his knee, despite the higher impact movement of his running. It felt good, he felt good. And he was glad to be back.

* * *

Casey hopped down from the truck, taking in the scene in front of him, seeing the small shop ablaze as a few bystanders stood on the street, a few mixed in the crowd who had clearly been inside when the place went up.

"81, with me. Let's move." He called, walking towards the building. "Is anyone else in there?" He questioned one of the bystanders, seeing a woman beside him coughing harshly, soot covering her face.

"I don't… I don't know, it all happened so fast." A man stuttered out, Matt glancing back to see 61 pull up.

"Alright, sir. Mouch, take these people to Brett, have them get checked out. Everyone else, with me."

"What's the plan, Casey?" Severide asked as he came up beside him.

"Do a quick sweep, it looks like a relatively small store. Your guys start from the east, we'll start at the other end and go through it quickly." He told his friend, Kelly nodding.

"My daughter! Help, my daughter!" A man yelled as he came stumbling through the smoke, hacking out coughs as he fell forward onto the pavement, landing on his hands and knees. "Help, my daughter's still inside, I can't find her!" He shouted as loud as he could, despite his lungs being filled with smoke.

"Foster, over here!" Casey called as he rushed over, him and Garcia dragging the man away from the fire.

"Where was your daughter, sir?" Garcia asked, as members of truck and squad began to mask up.

"I… I don't know. She ran off when I in the deli. She's only three, you have to find her."

"We'll get her, sir." Garcia spoke, putting his mask in place, heading for the door.

"Garcia, wait." Casey called, stopping the man in his tracks. "You and Kidd, stay together. Otis, with me." He ordered, Luke waiting impatiently by the door.

"We need to hurry, Casey. We don't have any time to waste, or it could get her killed."

"Killed?!" The man shouted, scrambling up off the ground, pushing away from Foster. "What are you doing just standing here, get inside! Get my daughter!" He yelled through his coughs, Matt nodding towards Severide to take squad in, Garcia and Kidd following with them.

"We are going to do everything we can to find your girl, but to do that I need you to stay back. Alright? We'll get her." Casey spoke, Mouch and Herrmann pulling the man back towards one of the other ambulances.

Gabby stood by 61, administering oxygen as she looked up just in time to see Matt run into the burning building with Otis right behind him. It never got any easier, watching him put his life on the line to save others. And especially after their conversation this morning, she knew it wasn't easy for him either.

There wasn't any point in time where she didn't worry about him on the job. Even though she knew he was always careful, and more than capable of doing his job, she still worried about him, and felt nerves rise in her gut every time he disappeared into a burning building. Because she knew there was millions of aspects to this job that were out of his control. His last call before his injury was a perfect example of that. It should've been nothing, and it could've killed him. Had he fallen harder, or fallen on something, he could've died. There was no way to know what was happening to him in there, and it worried her.

"_Casey, you got anything?_" Gabby heard Severide's voice over the radio, the paramedic trying her best to focus on her patients.

"_No, not yet. We've almost cleared our side. She's gotta be in here somewhere, but it's getting hot in here._" Matt spoke back.

It was only a few more moments that had passed when Gabby heard a loud explosion, her eyes widening as she ducked, watching fire pour out through the windows, smoke rolling out into the sky.

"_We need to get out, now! Everyone alright?_"

Gabby waited with bated breath, hearing everyone respond saying they were good. Everyone except Matt and Otis.

"_Casey? Otis?_" Severide called through the radio, Gabby watching on in panic, trying her hardest to keep calm despite the nerves flooding her system. "_Casey?!_"

"_I got them!_" Garcia's voice came through, Gabby releasing a heavy breath, feeling Brett's hand come up to rest on her arm. Looking over, she saw the blonde giving her a supportive smile, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "_The explosion knocked down some shelves, they're underneath them._"

"_We're fine._" Casey choked out, Gabby's breath hitching, her eyes falling closed in relief. "_I've got the girl. Make sure 61's on standby, she's unconscious._" Matt responded.

"We're ready, Casey." Gabby responded immediately, keeping her voice steady.

"_We're coming out._" Garcia spoke after a few moments, Gabby and Brett moving towards the door with the gurney, Foster coming to meet them from her position over by another ambulance.

Firefighters started coming from the building, Gabby keeping her eyes peeled for Matt. It wasn't until the last few came out that she saw him, Matt cradling the little girl in his arms, holding her head to his shoulder. He walked straight to the gurney, placing her down on it while a few of the firefighters had to hold back the girl's father.

"Sir, you've gotta stay out of the way." Severide spoke, him and Cruz holding him back. "Our paramedics are gonna try and help her, but you've gotta stay back."

Brett and Foster began working on the girl, getting her hooked up to monitors and oxygen, Brett nodding at Gabby, telling her they had it.

Instantly she turned to Matt, seeing his eyes glued to the little girl as he pulled off his mask, his breathing heavy.

"Did you hurt anything, are you okay?" She asked quickly, her eyes tracing over his body, looking for any obvious signs of injury. But with the bulky gear, it was hard to see much. "Matt?" She questioned when he hadn't answered her, his eyes snapping into focus as he heard her voice, tearing his gaze away from the little girl to look towards Gabby, seeing the fear and concern in her eyes. "Are you hurt?" She asked again, Matt shaking his head, Gabby's hands coming up to cup his cheeks.

"No, no I'm okay." He breathed out, Gabby nodding as she pulled him into a tight hug, her arms wrapping around his neck. "I'm okay." He assured her, rubbing up and down her back.

"You gotta stop doing this." She whispered in his ear. "You're scaring the hell out of me."

"I'm sorry." He responded, holding her a little tighter. "But I'm good. I swear."

"Okay." She spoke, placing a kiss against his neck before pulling away, rubbing her hand against his face as they separated, Gabby giving him one last once-over before returning her attention back to the little girl, the paramedics wheeling her towards the ambulance.

* * *

Matt tossed the pillow back on his bunk, looking at his handiwork as he had the dirty sheets piled by the door, next to a box of random belongings that weren't his. 81 had gotten back from their first call about an hour and a half ago, Matt having spent some time with the guys before returning to his office, needing the chance to get settled in. Thankfully, Garcia had gotten rid of all the trash and dirty dishes he seemed to like to leave around, and had gotten the majority of his paperwork sorted, not leaving Matt left with much to clean up. But he had left a few of his personal belongings in here, along with a few files he must've missed, Matt putting them all in a box for him.

"Looks like you've gotten settled in quickly." Matt looked up to see Garcia standing in his open doorway, Matt keeping his face blank before going back to tidying up.

"Well, it's my office." He responded, nodding towards the box on the ground. "That's your stuff, by the way."

"Oh, thank you. I was just coming to finish up, but looks like I don't have to." He spoke, Matt merely nodding as he sat down in his chair. Garcia bent down to pick up the box, hanging back in the doorway, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Need something?" Matt asked, glancing back to see him still standing there.

"I just want to make sure there's no hard feelings about the call earlier…"

"What?"

"About me trying to go in before you. I hope you didn't take it as any disrespect." He spoke, Matt shaking his head.

"I didn't. I know you're a Captain, too. You're not used to listening to orders, I get it. We would've only had a problem if you ignored me." He spoke, Garcia nodding.

"I guess I'm just used to jumping in. And I know you've been out for awhile, I wasn't sure how it was gonna go… All things considered, I think we got lucky."

"Lucky?"

"Yeah. I mean, we were already pushing it waiting that long… it's a good thing nothing happened to that little girl. Or you." He replied, Matt's eyes narrowing.

"You have to have a plan before running into a burning building, you can't just go be a cowboy and expect things to go okay." Matt responded, leaning back in his chair. "We had to take the time to establish a plan for everyone. If we don't, that's when it becomes dangerous. And it wastes time."

"I know. All I'm saying is we got lucky today." He repeated, Matt's head tilting to the side. Before he could question him any further, he caught a glimpse of Gabby walking towards his office, carrying something by her side as she approached, her steps slowing.

Garcia saw Matt's line of sight change, the man turning around to see Gabby walking towards them. "Oh look, Dawson's here." He spoke lightly, her gaze narrowing as she got closer. "I'm gonna get out of the way, after seeing you two in the truck this morning, and that show you put on at the call, I don't think I want to be here to see anything else... Dawson." He nodded towards her as he stepped away, Gabby's glare burning into his back as he left the bunkroom.

"I really hate him." She muttered, shaking her head as she stepped into Matt's office, Casey shrugging.

"Yeah, I'm not a fan either. Did you guys just get back?" He asked as she came to stand in front of him.

"A few minutes ago."

"How's the girl?"

"She's good, she woke up during transport. She just has some smoke inhalation, they're gonna keep her overnight, but she'll make a full recovery. You saved her." She spoke, Matt nodding.

"Good, good. I'm glad she's gonna be okay." He responded, catching a glimpse of what was in her hands. "Whatcha got there?" He questioned, pulling her closer to him.

"I got these out of your locker, figured they should go back where they belong." She responded, holding out the picture of her and the one of them together.

"You broke into my locker?" He asked with a smirk, Gabby rolling her eyes as she leaned over him, placing the photo of them on his shelf, Matt resting his hand on her bump.

"I don't think it's considered breaking in if I know the combination." She responded, handing the one of just her to him, Matt grinning as he placed it back on his desk.

"Fair enough." He responded, looking back to her to see her eyes on the picture.

"I'm not sure why you like that one so much." She spoke, glancing towards him. "There are far better pictures of me."

Matt shook his head, wrapping his arm around her waist, guiding her down into his lap. "Nope. I love that picture. And I can't wait to add many more pictures alongside it. Like pictures of our little girl." He responded, tapping his fingers against her stomach.

"You can have as many of her as you want... And I'm gonna break your chair." She replied, scrunching up her nose as she tried to stand up, but Matt wouldn't let her.

"Wrong again." He spoke, placing a kiss to the side of her head, Gabby wrapping her arm around his neck, leaning her head against his.

"It's a shame Garcia left, I'm sure he'd love this." Gabby spoke sarcastically, Matt scoffing.

"Who the hell cares what he thinks."

"I know, but just- I didn't do anything wrong, did I? By checking on you at the scene?"

"Of course not." He spoke quickly. "I would've done the same thing. Hell, I have done the same thing. And I know I was kind of out of it, but I do know you checked to make sure Brett and Foster had that little girl before checking on me." He replied, lightly massaging her hip. "Don't let Garcia get in your head, he's not worth it."

"No, I know… I'm just always overthinking things these days. And then with you in that fire, when you didn't respond, you were all I could think about…"

"I didn't mean to scare you."

"I know you didn't. And I'm fine, I am. You've just had me worried lately." She breathed out, rubbing her thumb over his neck.

"That hasn't been my intention, in fact it's been the exact opposite of my intention. Believe me, I'm being as careful as I can. I'm hoping to get some easier calls here soon, my last two haven't exactly been great…"

"No, they haven't. But you saved that little girl. And you didn't injure yourself… right?" She questioned with a raised brow, Matt shaking his head.

"I'm fine."

"Your knee isn't hurting you?"

"It's a little sore, but nothing I can't handle. Dr. Williams said that was to be expected, because I haven't been on it that much."

"You sure it's not anything serious?"

"I'm sure."

"And you're not just saying that to get a certain Captain gone?"

"Nope." He replied, the word popping as it left his mouth. "That's just a bonus. Me pushing myself too hard won't do anything except make him stay longer. Trust me, I'm not overworking it."

"Good, because I need you healthy." She responded, pressing a kiss against his head. "We need you healthy."

"I'll do my best." He promised, cradling her stomach as they sat together in his office, enjoying the time they had before the next call came.

* * *

Matt looked up in shock as the back door opened unexpectedly, his surprise disappearing the second Severide walked into the apartment.

"You need to learn how to knock, Sev." Matt spoke, shaking his head as he went back to preparing dinner, Kelly scoffing as he came up to the other side of the island.

"You knew I was coming." He responded, grabbing a crouton from the salad and popping it into his mouth. "Where's Dawson?"

"In the living room." Matt spoke, nodding that direction, seeing Kelly's smirk widen as he began walking that way. "What?" Matt questioned, Kelly shrugging as he walked past the already-set table.

"You're such a househusband. It's cute." He joked, Matt rolling his eyes as Kelly walked into the living room, finding Dawson on the couch.

"Making fun of Matt, already?" She asked teasingly, Kelly grinning as he moved towards her.

"Maybe just a little." He replied, leaning down to place a quick kiss to the top of her head, rubbing his hand against her stomach. "How are you and the princess?" He asked, Gabby's smile widening as he moved to sit in the chair beside her.

"We're good. A little tired, but good." She responded, muting the television.

"That's good." He responded, glancing back out towards the kitchen, seeing flashes of Matt moving around the room. "So, what did you invite me over for, anyway? Not that I don't love an evening in with my favorite old married couple, but I just wasn't expecting it… You don't have more furniture for me to move, do you?" He asked, Gabby chuckling as she shook her head.

"No Sev, there's no furniture to move. Although I'm not sure if you've seen the crib yet, Matt finished that about two weeks ago."

"Oh, he showed me. He was all impressed with himself." Severide responded with a grin.

"I can hear you guys, you know." Matt called from the kitchen, Kelly waving his hand, ignoring his comment.

"We just asked you to come for dinner because we like you, Kelly." She responded, Severide's eyes narrowing. "...And there's something we want to talk to you about."

"Oh man, I knew it. I'm in trouble. Look, I haven't made any more jokes about Matt having an affair, nor have I made any stupid comments about how you look-" Kelly cut himself off as he saw her raised eyebrows, Gabby cocking her head to the side. "Beautiful. You look beautiful." He added, Gabby scoffing as she shook her head.

"Nice save." She responded, adjusting her positioning on the couch. "But no, you're not in trouble Kelly. At least not yet."

"Then what is it?" He asked, their conversation getting interrupted by a knock on the front door.

"Can you get that?" She asked, Kelly looking at her skeptically before slowly standing.

"Why? Who is it?"

"You'll see when you get it, can you please just be helpful so I don't have to get up." She groaned, kicking against his leg to get him moving, Severide heading towards the front door. Pulling it open, he was pleasantly surprised to see Jemma on the other side, seeing her initial reaction of shock morph into a soft smile.

"Hey Severide." She greeted, Kelly stepping aside so she had room to walk in.

"Hey Jemma, I see you got invited as well." He spoke, the paramedic placing her bag down by the front door as Kelly closed it.

"Yeah, Gabby called and asked me to come for dinner. I didn't realize you'd be here, too."

"So you don't know what this is about?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, stepping further into the apartment.

"Gabby said we're here because we 'need to talk'. Doesn't sound good." He replied.

"Severide, would you calm down." Gabby spoke from the couch, Jemma smiling as she caught Gabby's gaze.

"Hey Gabby." She spoke, coming over to give her a friend. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm doing good, feeling decent."

"That's good." She responded, sitting down on the edge of the couch next to her. "How's the baby?"

"She's doing great, everything's good."

"Great, that's good to hear. Is Matt here?"

"He's working on dinner." Gabby replied, the sound of a plate hitting the floor filling the room as if on cue. "Well, he's trying."

"We're good!" He called from the kitchen, Kelly shaking his head.

"I'm gonna go see if he needs some help."

"Please don't burn the place down." Gabby teased, Severide rolling his eyes as he disappeared into the kitchen.

"So it's a little chaotic around here." Jemma commented, earning a laugh from Dawson.

"Just a little. We should probably get in there, dinner should be ready soon." Gabby spoke, Jemma nodding as she stood up from the couch, offering her hands to Gabby to help her, Dawson graciously accepting. Even though she hated to admit it, she was getting close to the time in her pregnancy where every day tasks kept getting harder and harder, but she'd been doing better at allowing others to help her, even when she didn't really want to.

The paramedics walked into the kitchen, seeing Matt and Kelly standing in the kitchen, whispering something she couldn't quite make out. But when Matt's eyes widened slightly when he saw her, and they immediately halted their conversation, she assumed it had something to do with her.

"Everything alright?" She asked carefully, Matt shooting her a smile, grabbing the large plate filled with chicken, heading towards the table.

"Everything's perfect." He replied, placing a kiss on her lips as he passed her.

The four soon got settled at the table, Matt and Gabby sitting on one side while Kelly and Jemma sat across from them, everyone digging into their food.

"So, how was your first shift back, Matt?" Jemma asked.

"It was good. My knee held up well, which is what we were going for."

"That's great." She responded, flashing both Matt and Gabby a soft smile. "I'm so glad you're feeling better. You had me worried there for awhile."

"Yeah, me too." Gabby added, Matt smiling softly at her, leaning over to place a kiss to the side of her head before returning his attention to his food.

The night wore on, the friends enjoying their meal, laughter often being heard around the table up until dessert, Matt having gotten up to grab the pie from the fridge.

"Gabby, did you make this one?" Kelly asked as Matt placed it down on the table.

"With help. I mostly sat while instructing him… so if it's not good, blame Matt." She teased, Casey rolling his eyes as he went to get plates so they could enjoy the last part of their meal.

"Alright, enough stepping around this." Kelly started as Matt served him a piece of pie. "What'd you all really bring Jemma and I here for?" He asked, gesturing back and forth between himself and the paramedic.

Matt glanced to Gabby, seeing her shrug before looking to Kelly.

"I told you, we wanted to talk to you. Both of you."

"About what?" He asked before taking a bite of his dessert. "...Yeah, definitely not as good as Dawson's, but it's not bad Casey."

"Thanks, I think." Matt responded with a chuckle, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"Kelly, put the fork down." Gabby ordered lightly, Severide huffing before complying, leaning back in his seat. "Matt and I want to talk to you, or I guess we want to ask you something." She spoke, seeing both of them looking at her. "You wanna do it?" She asked Matt, Casey nodding.

"Sure."

"Do what?" Kelly asked impatiently.

"Gabby and I want to know if you'll be our daughter's godparents."

Jemma's eyes widened in excitement, Kelly's face mirroring hers as they looked towards the expectant parents.

"Of course!" Jemma blurted out quickly, joy filling her voice as she stood up, coming around the table to wrap Gabby up in a tight hug.

"I knew it..." Severide breathed out, coming over as well, Matt standing up to give him a hug. "Of course, yes I'll be her godfather." He spoke, patting Matt's back. Jemma and Kelly switched positions, Kelly giving Gabby a hug as Jemma went to Matt.

"Thank you guys, for trusting me enough for this. This is incredible." Jemma said, hugging Matt tightly.

"You were our first choice, honestly." He told her as they pulled back. "Both of you were." They all returned to their seats, Gabby wiping away the few happy tears that escaped down her cheeks. "It didn't take much of a discussion, we love both of you so much, you've both been amazing friends to us. Kelly, I know you already kind of assumed you'd be her godfather, and I know I had some fun messing with you about it, but there was really no other choice. I know you're gonna love our daughter so much. And yeah, you'll be her Uncle Kelly, but we both want you to be her godfather."

"Of course, absolutely." Severide spoke, blinking back the tears in his eyes. "You've made an excellent choice." He responded, trying to ease some of the heaviness in the room, earning chuckles from around the table.

"And Jemma, I know we haven't known you all that long, not nearly as long as Kelly here, but even though it's only been like seven months, you've been the greatest friend to Gabby." Matt spoke, clearing the emotion from his voice. "You've helped her so much, you've been there for her when she needed you, and I can never thank you enough for that. Knowing she has you, that she has someone there for her like you are, it's made me not have to worry as much. And Gabby and I both know you'll be there for our daughter the same way. We know how much you already love her, and how you'll always look out for her. We want you to be her godmother, if you want to."

"Yes, yes of course." She responded, tears flowing freely down her cheeks. "I'd be honored." Jemma stood up again, coming to Gabby's side, wrapping her up in another hug as the friends cried happy tears together.

* * *

Matt turned the lock on the front door once he closed it, securing it in place before moving through the apartment, turning off the lights as he went. It ended up being a long night for Matt, Kelly, and Jemma, the three friends chatting in the living room long after Gabby had called it quits. She had encouraged both Kelly and Jemma to stay before she left them to go to the bedroom, the pregnant paramedic more than ready for bed. Matt had spent a few good hours with them, only leaving them long enough when he needed to help Gabby into the bath, and then again to help her out of it, along with the one time he went to go check on her after she'd fallen asleep.

After making sure the back door was locked, Matt headed for the bedroom, slowly opening the door, the light from the bathroom giving him a view of Gabby. She was curled up in the middle of the bed, surrounded by multiple pillows supporting her. The sight made him grin, Matt shaking his head in amusement as he moved towards the bathroom, knowing he'd had to get creative to find a place to sleep next to her.

Once in the bathroom, he stripped from his clothes, turning on the shower, beginning his routine to get ready for bed. Once the water was warm enough, he hopped inside, beginning his quick shower. He didn't want to take too much time, knowing the noise might wake Gabby, and, aside from that, he was absolutely exhausted. He had gotten out of the rhythm of working twenty four hour shifts, and his first one back had been a harder adjustment than he thought it would. That, added on top of the late night with his friends, it all left him very much ready for bed.

Within ten minutes, Matt was back in the bedroom, tossing his dirty clothes in the hamper before moving to the dresser. After pulling out a pair of boxers and sliding them on, Matt stepped towards the bed, carefully pulling back the covers and climbing in. He knew this wouldn't be a night where they could hold onto one another while they slept, Gabby having already made herself comfortable, so he settled for lightly resting his palm over her stomach while he faced her, glancing up as she stirred in her sleep.

"Matt?" He winced as he heard her groggy voice, Matt caressing her belly softly.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to wake you."

"It's fine." She responded, a yawn escaping her lips, Gabby placing her hand over his as she opened her eyes. "Did they leave?"

"Yeah, about half an hour ago." He answered, Gabby nodding as she closed her eyes again, a content smile on her face.

"I think tonight went well." She spoke quietly, her voice thick with sleep.

"It did." He agreed, leaning over and pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. "Go back to sleep. We can talk in the morning."

"Okay. I love you." She murmured, Matt smiling as he placed his head back onto his pillow.

"I love you, too." He replied, rubbing his hand over her stomach before closing his eyes, sleep soon overtaking them both.

* * *

**And there's the end of chapter fifty. Thank you all for the amazing amount of love and support you've constantly given me. There aren't enough words for me to express how much each and every one of you mean to me. Thank you for taking time out of your day to read my work, thank you for taking the time to leave me a review. Thank you to everyone who's favorited this story, followed this story, favorited and followed me. Just thank you. **


	51. Chapter Fifty One

**Hello hello! Here's the next chapter for you all. Thank you for the kind words you left me on the last one, it meant the world to me.**

**I hope you enjoy this one!**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty One**_

* * *

Matt and Kelly walked into the common room, Casey's eyes catching Gabby's from her spot at the table as the paramedic flashed him a soft smile, the action causing his chest to fill with warmth.

"Guys guess what," Severide spoke up, gaining the attention of the full room, "the kid is mine!" He yelled triumphantly, Casey rolling his eyes as he walked towards Gabby.

"What?" Herrmann asked, confusion clear in his voice.

"Dawson's baby, I've got dibs."

"Oh, for the love of." Casey muttered, leaning down to place a kiss to the top of Gabby's head as he stood behind her, resting his hand on her shoulder. Gabby chuckled, narrowing her eyes as the gazes of a few firefighters in the room moved towards her.

"Is he high?" Cruz asked as he leaned over to Otis, the man shrugging.

"No, I'm not high." Kelly responded, swatting the back of his head as he passed. "I'm just the godfather." He spoke with a smug grin, Kelly leaning his body against the counter as he faced the room, Matt squeezing Gabby's shoulder.

"So you went with Severide, huh?" Herrmann asked with a smirk, Gabby nodding.

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." She responded, placing her hand over Matt's.

"And you're sure that's the best choice?" Kidd questioned teasingly.

"Well, we had limited options." Casey joked back, Severide rolling his eyes.

"Joke around all you want, there's no going back now. You two made an excellent choice, that little girl is gonna love me." Kelly replied smugly.

"You guys are having a girl?" Garcia spoke up from his spot at the other end of the table, Matt nodding with a tight lipped smile.

"We are."

"And Uncle Kelly's gonna be her favorite." Severide chimed in, Matt scoffing as he shook his head in amusement.

"You do realize we're not actually giving you our daughter, right?" Dawson asked, Kelly waving her off.

"The details aren't important," He replied quickly, earning chuckles from around the room. "What's important is that Kelly Severide is the godfather to little baby Casey."

"Best of luck to that kid." Capp whispered under his breath, Severide shooting him a glare.

"Did you all choose a godmother yet?" Foster asked as she took a sip of her water, Gabby's eyes moving towards the paramedic, catching Brett's gaze.

"Yeah, we did. We asked Jemma." She spoke softly, seeing Sylvie nod slowly, a small grin coming to her face.

"She's a great choice." Brett replied, Gabby blinking tightly as she nodded, flashing her a smile before dropping the blonde's gaze, an unsettling feeling rising in her gut.

Not too long ago, Brett would've been Gabby's first choice to be the godmother to her child, but they weren't really in that place in anymore. They were friends again, there was no awkwardness or weirdness between them, but their relationship wasn't anywhere close to what it used to be. Despite how much Gabby wished they could get back what they lost, she didn't think it was possible anymore, at least not right now. For now, all she hoped was that her choice of godparent didn't make Brett uncomfortable.

"Ah yeah, Jemma will be great. She's a great girl." Herrmann spoke from the couch, Matt rubbing Gabby's shoulders.

"Who's Jemma?" Garcia questioned, Gabby blowing out a breath as she turned towards the man.

"Dawson's friend." Severide replied. "They work together at the SAS." He spoke, Luke's eyebrows furrowing.

"Wait- like the private company? You work there, too?" He asked, Gabby nodding.

"I do." She responded, picking up her drink, taking the last sip of her water.

"Why?"

"It's a long story." She spoke, beginning to stand up, Matt stepping out of the way so she could move her chair, his hand instantly going to her back.

"You alright?" He asked quietly, Gabby giving him a soft nod.

"I'm good, just out of water." She replied, walking towards the kitchen, Matt following her closely.

"I could've gotten it." He offered, Gabby flashing him a small, appreciative smile as she shook her head.

"It's okay, I'd been sitting too long anyway." She spoke as they got to the fridge. With them partially hidden from view, Matt reached out to place his hand over her stomach, Gabby glancing towards him.

"You're feeling okay? Nothing's hurting you or anything?" He questioned, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm fine, Matt." She responded with a soft grin. "I'm just a little tired, and achy. But I'm fine." Matt nodded understandingly, tapping his thumb against her stomach.

"Could I persuade you into taking a nap?" He asked, Gabby's head cocking to the side.

"It's nine in the morning." She replied, Matt's smile widening.

"So.. Never too early for a nap, especially when you're creating a human life." He spoke quickly, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as she shut the fridge. "Speaking of, have I told you how incredible you are lately? Because you are."

"Someone's feeling sweet today…" She murmured, patting his cheek before walking past him towards the counter, Matt following along behind her.

"Well, it's true. You're the strongest person I know, and you've taken everything with this pregnancy in stride and I'm just.. amazed by you." He breathed out softly, Gabby blinking back the few tears beginning to well in her eyes.

"You know, you can't just say those things and expect me not to cry." She joked, Matt smiling understandingly as he leaned forward, placing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Sorry." He apologized meekly.

"No, it's fine. It's nice to hear, actually… I needed that." She spoke quietly, Matt's face falling slightly, his hand resting on her back.

"You sure you're okay?" He tried again, Gabby giving him a sharp smile as the bells rang out through the house, signaling 61 to a stabbing victim.

"I'm good." She replied, stepping out of his hold.

"Be safe." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod before heading towards the garage, Brett and Foster a few steps ahead of her, the paramedics exiting the room.

"So what's the deal with Dawson, anyway?"

Matt's eyes narrowed as he looked towards the sound of Garcia's voice, seeing his gaze on the door to the garage before he turned back to the room. Luke noticed a few stares, but he didn't elaborate.

"What do you mean?" Severide asked when no one else had, Matt moving around to stand in front of the counter beside Kelly.

"Why does she work both places?" He questioned, everyone looking towards Matt.

"She's only here part-time." Casey replied, Garcia raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, I know. But why? Is it cause of you?" He asked, his gaze locked on Casey.

"I'm sorry?"

"Did you like, get her a job here so you could keep an eye on her and your kid?"

"No." Matt responded sharply.

"Dawson worked here long before her and Casey got together." Herrmann supplemented, Garcia breaking his eye contact with Matt to look towards the older firefighter.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she's been here for a long time, she used to be our PIC before she became a firefighter." Herrmann continued, Garcia's eyes widening slightly.

"Dawson was a firefighter?" He questioned, letting out a light scoff. "Wow, I never would've guessed that."

"She was, yeah."

"What made her go back to being a paramedic? Because of you, Casey?" He asked, Matt's gaze narrowing.

"No, it wasn't because of me. But it's a long story." He spoke sharply, Garcia nodding slowly.

"Why'd she leave the house?" He chose a different tactic, Matt blowing out a heavy sigh, unsure of why Garcia was so curious about Gabby. "I mean, I didn't realize she'd been here for awhile, because of Foster and Brett, so why'd she leave?" Herrmann glanced back to Casey, seeing his body tense, but the Captain made no attempt to answer him.

"She, uh, she went to Puerto Rico for awhile, to help with relief efforts after the hurricane." Herrmann eventually spoke up, Garcia nodding.

"But she didn't decide to come back to work here? Or had her job already been filled?"

"She decided to go work for the private company, thought it was a better fit for her." Herrmann replied, Garcia glancing back towards Casey, being met by his harsh stare.

"Got it… Well, Dawson sounds like quite a woman." Luke spoke, eyeing Matt with a smug grin.

"She is." Herrmann responded slowly, glancing back and forth between the two Captains.

"So why'd she decide to come work here part time, if she chose to go work somewhere else?"

"Why do you want to know so much about Dawson?" Severide questioned before anyone could answer him, Garcia shrugging.

"Just trying to learn a little more about her. She's not the most transparent person I've ever met."

"Well, she doesn't open up to a lot of people." Herrmann replied, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "But she's one hell of a paramedic, maybe the best I've ever worked with."

"I'm sure she was, before she got pregnant." He spoke, heads snapping towards him. Anger flooded through Matt's system as he pushed himself from the counter, taking a step forward.

"Her being pregnant doesn't take away from her abilities as a paramedic." Matt bit out, Garcia shaking his head.

"No, but it does change them. There's nothing wrong with her being pregnant, I admire her for still working. But I guess it all just makes sense now…"

"What does?" Casey questioned, irritation present in his voice as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why she gets special treatment around here." He responded casually, shrugging his shoulders.

"What are you talking about?" Kelly questioned with a narrowed gaze.

"I just mean how she's able to kind of just work when and how she wants, with sitting out calls and stuff. I don't mean anything bad by it, I just always assumed it was because of Casey… I didn't realize she had been here for so long."

"She doesn't sit out calls because she wants to, it's when she has to, for her safety and for the baby." Matt spoke roughly, Garcia nodding.

"Yeah, I get that. That's why I was confused when she was still working, cause she can't really do her job, and then other people have to pick up the slack… I don't know, the first few times I saw it happen, I just figured it was something that would bother you guys. But it didn't. Now I know why." Garcia said, earning a mixture of confused and annoyed glances from around the room.

"Why would it? No one here has a problem with Dawson needing breaks every now and then." Herrmann spoke up, his voice firmer than usual. "Brett and Foster especially don't mind, and considering they're the people it effects, they're the only ones who really get an opinion on that, don't you think?"

Garcia let out an amused chuckle, shaking his head. "The subject of Dawson is a real touchy one around here, huh? I didn't mean to offend anyone." He spoke with a laugh, Casey's eyes narrowing. "I was just trying to figure out what the deal was, I'm sorry I won't ask questions about her again." He replied sarcastically, Herrmann shaking his head, running his hand over his mouth.

"So, uh, Garcia," Severide broke through the uncomfortable quiet that had filled the room, clearing his throat. "Do you know how many more shifts you got here?" He questioned, Luke grinning, shaking his head.

"Nope. I just keep coming here until headquarters tells me not to. I guess it'll just depend on the abilities of your Captain, here." He spoke, nodding towards Casey.

"I'd say our Captain is just fine." Kelly responded, Garcia smirking.

"Yeah, you seem to be back in fighting shape Casey, which is surprising considering you had so much time off. But this is only your second shift back, I'm guessing they just want to make sure all is good before I go."

"I think we're just fine." Kelly spoke under his breath, Matt's neck clenching as he had to keep himself from firing back at Garcia. This man wouldn't be his problem much longer, pretty soon he'd be gone from the house and, with any luck, Casey would never have to see him again. The last thing he needed was to complicate things by responding to every dumbass comment or remark he made, especially when Matt had a good feeling he was only doing it to get under his skin. He just wished Garcia hadn't latched onto Gabby as his way of getting to him.

* * *

Casey sat at his desk in his office, taking a break from the seemingly never-ending stack of paperwork he had to get through as he flipped through the newspaper.

It was pretty quiet in the house right now, both squad and ambo out on separate calls. Truck had gotten back from their only call of the day so far about half an hour ago, squad being routed straight from that scene to help with a car accident. Casey wasn't entirely sure where 61 was at the moment, all he knew was that they hadn't gotten a chance to breathe all morning. They hadn't been back to the house since they first got called out this morning, and that had been nearly four hours ago now.

Matt couldn't help but worry as he sat here, knowing the quick pace wasn't easy on Gabby. He could only hope she'd hung back on a few calls, that she wasn't overdoing it. And he hoped that she'd made a point to get something to eat, seeing as how it was now well past lunch time.

He'd texted with her a few times throughout the morning and early afternoon, Gabby responding when she could, always assuring him she was feeling alright. But still, he worried, knowing she hadn't had any chances to slow down.

Movement through the bunk room caught his attention, Matt glancing up from his newspaper to see Foster walking through the room, Matt's head cocking to the side.

"Foster, hey." He called, stopping the woman in her tracks, Emily moving to his open doorway.

"What's up?"

"I didn't realize you guys were back already." He commented, placing his paper down before pushing himself up from his chair.

"Yeah, we've been back for about ten minutes or so." She replied, Matt nodding.

"Is Gabby in the common room?"

"No, last I knew she was still out in the rig." She spoke, Casey's eyebrows furrowing.

"Thanks Foster." He responded, Emily nodding before continuing her path towards the locker room, Matt leaving his office as he began walking towards the garage.

Pushing open the double doors, he moved towards the rig, the ambulance soon coming into view as he walked past 81. Matt saw Gabby in the front seat, his pacing picking up when he saw her sitting with her head pressed against the headrest, her eyes closed tightly.

As he got closer he noticed her hand resting over her stomach, Matt quickly pulling open the door, worried something was wrong.

Gabby jumped at the unexpected movement, Matt frowning as he placed his hand on her thigh, squeezing it gently.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." He spoke quietly, Gabby shaking her head as she gave him a soft smile.

"It's alright, I just didn't hear you coming." She responded, Matt placing one foot on the step into the rig, Gabby's hand coming up to brush through his hair.

"Are you okay?" He asked, his eyes tracing over her face, looking for any signs of discomfort.

"I'm fine."

"You sure?" He questioned, Gabby's eyebrows raising. "It's just you looked like something was wrong, I wasn't sure if you were hurting or anything."

"Nope, nothing's wrong. I'm just tired." She assured him. "Although if me saying I'm sore would get you to give me a massage after shift, well then my back is hurting me a little." She spoke with a grin, Matt shaking his head in amusement.

"You know I'll give you a massage regardless. Are you still wanting to go shopping for more baby stuff tomorrow?"

"I was, yeah. We need to get a bassinet for our room, and there's some other things we still need to get. I don't wanna put it off too much longer."

"No, I agree. I do have a construction job tomorrow though, so the massage may need to wait until after dinner." He told her, Gabby nodding.

"That's fine." She spoke, Matt's eyebrows raising as her face scrunched up slightly.

"What is it?"

"She has the hiccups." She replied, Matt glancing to her stomach with a grin on his face.

"What does that feel like?"

"Weird." She replied after a few seconds, placing her head back against the headrest. "But she's also moving around a lot in there, she's gonna run out of room soon." Gabby breathed out, grimacing as their girl gave her a swift kick. "Yup, right in the ribs, thank you for that." She muttered, Matt shaking his head.

"You gotta be nice to your Momma." He spoke softly as he leaned forward towards her stomach, placing a kiss on her belly. "She's doing a lot for you, let's try and help her out a bit, okay?" Matt placed another kiss over her shirt before pulling back, finding Gabby watching him with a sleepy smile. "How would you feel about that nap now?"

"I'd love one, but I think I need to eat something first."

"That can be arranged." He responded, Gabby scratching his head before dropping her hand, Matt moving out of the way to help her down. Once she was firmly on her feet, he shut the door the rig, wrapping his arm around her shoulders before they began walking through the garage.

* * *

Matt blew out a sigh as he pushed his way through the double doors, the Captain making his way back out into the garage, finding Kelly where he'd left him at the squad table moments prior.

"Find out anything?" Severide asked, Matt pulling out his chair, falling down into it.

"Yeah, according to main they just left med. They're fine, should be here in a few minutes."

"See, you worried for nothing." Kelly responded, Matt huffing out a breath. "Do you feel any better? Now that you've kept tabs on Dawson?"

Rolling his eyes, Matt leaned back in the chair, crossing his hands behind his head. "I'm not keeping tabs on her, but she hadn't answered any of my messages, I just wanted to know she was okay." He defended, Kelly looking at him with an amused grin. "I tried to get her not to go on this call, I told her to just stay back and rest, it was already pretty late for her, but she wanted to go. Although I think had she known ahead of time they'd be gone for almost three hours, she would've stayed back."

"You're so overprotective." Kelly chuckled, Matt narrowing his eyes.

"Can you blame me?" He challenged, Severide shaking his head.

"No, I can't. It's just funny, considering we all know how much Dawson absolutely _loves_ being watched over." He spoke sarcastically, Casey releasing a heavy breath, shaking his head.

But Matt didn't bother responding when he heard the sound of the ambo pulling up, Casey able to see it partially through the maze of rigs as it got into place.

"What, you're not gonna go help her out of the ambulance?" Severide asked with a gleam in his eye, Matt leaning forward to smack the back of his head.

"You're not funny." Matt responded, turning back to look, seeing Brett and Foster walking towards him, a look of confusion spreading across his face when he didn't see Gabby.

"Hello ladies." Severide greeted, Matt's attention getting drawn to movement across the garage, seeing Gabby heading straight for the doors. Figuring she just hadn't known he was out here, he pushed himself up, walking towards her.

"Hey there." He called, but Gabby gave him no response as she went through the doors, not even glancing his way. Worry settled in his gut as he picked up his pace, Matt quickly following after her. It didn't take him long to catch up, the slower pace she was moving at these days making it relatively easy for him to find her in the hallway. "Gabby?" He questioned, reaching for her arm.

Drawing in a deep breath, she reluctantly turned around, Matt's frown deepening as he saw the sad look in her eyes, her exhaustion mixing with a few unshed tears.

"Whoa whoa, what's wrong?" He questioned immediately, his hand coming up to cradle her cheek, his frown deepening when she shied away from his touch. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." She responded shortly, his concern morphing into confusion as he watched her tired eyes bounce around the small space they were in.

"You sure?" He prodded, worry permanently etched into his face. He knew she was lying, it was obvious that something had upset her, but Gabby wanted nothing to do with his comfort.

"I'm sure. You don't have to constantly check up on me all the time." She bit out, his eyebrows raising slightly, surprised by the slight hostility he heard in her tone. Matt wasn't sure why she was pushing him away, but whatever this was, she didn't want his help right now. He just didn't know what could've happened to cause her to be this angry; it was a complete shift from how she'd been when he last saw her, and it had him worried.

"Sorry..." He apologized slowly, his eyes tracing over her tired face. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright, that ended up being a pretty long call." A look he couldn't read flickered in her eyes, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek roughly. Matt tentatively reached out for her arm, squeezing it gently.

"I'm fine, I just want to sleep. I'm exhausted." She responded, avoiding his eye contact as she crossed her arms over her chest.

Knowing better than to push her, he nodded, dropping his hand from her arm. "Okay." He replied, slowly leading her towards the bunk room.

It didn't take much guessing for him to know something had happened during her last call, that she wasn't so much mad at him, she was just taking out whatever it was on him. It wasn't something she did often, and in the past, she usually only did it when he was pestering her and wouldn't leave her alone. But this was something different altogether. And clearly, she didn't want to talk about it. Whatever it was, it wasn't something she wanted to discuss right now, so he decided to leave it alone. Even though he was a little caught off guard by her agitation towards him, he didn't want to make it worse, so he took it in stride and just walked with her to the bunk room.

"How about you sleep in my office?" He offered, Gabby glancing up to him, Matt feeling his stomach sink when he caught the sad look in her eyes.

"I don't care to sleep out here."

"You'd sleep better in there." He replied, Gabby taking a deep breath before nodding, letting him lead her to the small room, too tired to put up any more of a fight.

She moved to the bed and climbed under his covers in silence, Matt grabbing the extra pillow he kept at his bedside for her, watching as she shoved it under her stomach. "You need anything?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head wordlessly. Releasing a soft sigh, he nodded, leaning down to place a lingering kiss on her forehead. "Goodnight, sleep well." He murmured before heading for the door, hearing her mumble a response before he left the dark office, closing the door behind him.

A mixture of confusion and concern swept through him, Matt bringing his hand up to rub over his mouth, the Captain shaking his head before heading out of the bunk room. He was as quiet as possible, not wanting to wake the few sleeping firefighters as he made his way back out to the garage, seeing Brett and Foster still where he'd left them with Severide.

"How is she?" Brett asked when she caught sight of Matt, Casey blowing out a heavy breath.

"Something's going on with her. What happened on that call?" He questioned, Brett and Foster glancing to one another as they heard the concern in his voice.

"We lost our patient on the way to the hospital, our gunshot victim." Emily spoke up first. "The woman was pregnant." Matt's eyes fell closed, his hand coming up to run over the side of his face. "We didn't know until after we got her in the ambulance, but there wasn't anything we could do for her. She never really had a chance… Dawson took it hard, though."

Matt nodded slowly, sitting down in the chair next to Severide. He knew that was bound to rattle her. It was a terrible situation regardless, but especially with her being pregnant, that had to have been hard.

"I think it just hit close to home, and upset her. I'm sure once she sleeps it off, she'll be fine." Foster added, Matt nodding slowly, barely registering the paramedics as they said their goodbyes, heading inside.

He knew Emily was probably right, that it was just Gabby having a hard time dealing with the call, but something in his gut was telling him that wasn't the entire story. Gabby had never been the type to project herself onto other people, especially not patients. She was able to compartmentalize better than most anyone else he'd ever worked with, so he wasn't convinced that's all it was. He knew that would've upset her, it would've upset anyone, and the fact that she had been somewhat unpredictable lately when it came to her emotions didn't help matters either. Logic told him that's probably all it was, that the call had upset her and she was taking it harder than she usually would've, but the nagging feeling in his stomach couldn't let it go. He couldn't see that being the only reason for the hostility she'd shown him, that being the only reason she pushed him away, it didn't make sense to him. He couldn't help but think there was more going on, he just wasn't sure what.

All he knew to do was let her rest, and see if she felt any better in the morning. He just had to hope that he'd be able to get some answers as to what's really bothering her tomorrow, there was nothing more he could right now.

* * *

Jemma stepped into the busy bar, the door falling closed behind her as her eyes bounced around the room. She wasn't sure the person she was looking for would be here, but, knowing that Gabby's shift at the firehouse had ended this morning, she was hoping he'd be here somewhere. Her gaze traced over the many unfamiliar faces in the room before she landed on a few she recognized. It wasn't the person she came here looking for, but it was a start.

"Hey Jemma." Kidd greeted from behind the bar as the paramedic came into view, Stella flashing her a wide smile. Jemma reciprocated the action, glancing to her right to see Brett sitting there, the blonde giving her a nod. "I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight, how have you been?"

"I'm doing good, how are you?"

"Can't complain." She replied, wiping down the bar in front of her. "Can I get you something to drink?"

"Uh, no, I was actually wondering if Herrmann was here? I was wanting to talk to him about something." She asked, Kidd's eyebrows raising in curiosity before she nodded, her gaze moving down the bar.

"Yeah, he's around here somewhere. Everything okay?" Kidd asked, Jemma smiling softly.

"Yeah, I just needed to ask him something." She replied, her eyes following Kidd's, seeing Herrmann step out from the back. "Oh, there he is. Thanks Kidd. It was good to see you guys."

"You too. Oh, and we heard that Dawson and Casey asked you to be the kid's godmother, that's so exciting." Kidd spoke with a warm smile, Jemma nodding slowly.

"Yeah, yeah it is." She replied, glancing in between Brett and Kidd, the blonde giving her a small smile. "I wasn't expecting it at all, but they asked and I couldn't say no. I'm so excited to meet their little girl." Jemma said, her eyes lighting up with joy.

"She's gonna be quite the kid, that's for sure. I imagine a mini-Dawson, with just as much personality, if not more. Casey's gonna have his hands full." Stella joked, earning laughs from the two paramedics.

"Oh, he definitely will." Jemma agreed, her eyes flickering back towards Herrmann. "I'm gonna go and catch him before he gets busy, are you all gonna be here awhile?" The younger woman asked, Kidd nodding.

"Yeah, I'm closing down tonight." Stella responded.

"I'll be here." Brett added.

"After I talk to Herrmann I might come back and hang with you all, if you don't mind the company." Jemma offered.

"Of course not." Sylvie spoke, her smile widening.

"Great, alright I'll be back in a minute." Norris replied, flashing them a smile before stepping away, weaving her way through the different groups of people, walking towards the end of the bar where she saw Severide, Herrmann, someone she's pretty sure is named Cruz, and a man she didn't recognize.

"Jemma, hey!" Severide greeted loudly, placing his beer on the bar as he got up from his stool, giving the woman a quick hug.

"Hey Severide." She responded, rubbing his back before they separated, turning her attention to the small group of men.

"Oh, so this is the Jemma I've been hearing all about." The unknown man spoke, Norris' eyes narrowing in confusion as she glanced between Severide and Herrmann, seeing the annoyed looks on both their faces.

"Jemma, this is Luke Garcia." When Severide said the name, her face tightened slightly. The paramedic had heard all about Captain Garcia, Gabby having called her to vent more than once about the man, and from her friend's experiences, she wasn't impressed. "He was filling in for Casey while he was out."

"Nice to meet you." She replied with a forced smile, the man's grin widening, his eyes trailing up and down her body.

"It's nice to meet you, too." He responded with a smirk, Jemma clearing her throat before looking back towards Herrmann.

"Herrmann, do you have a minute?" She asked, seeing the flicker of confusion in his gaze before he nodded.

"Yeah, of course kid." He responded, nodding towards the back room. Jemma gave Kelly a soft smile before following Herrmann to the back, rolling her eyes as she felt Garcia's gaze on her. "Everything alright?" The firefighter asked once they were alone, Jemma nodding.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine, I just came to ask you something." She prefaced, Herrmann crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm planning a baby shower for Gabby, and I was wondering if 51 would be open to helping me out a little bit?" She questioned, Herrmann immediately nodding.

"Yeah, of course. I didn't realize you had started planning anything." He replied, Jemma shrugging.

"I've been talking back and forth with Casey about it, and I've mentioned it to Severide, but nothing's been set in stone yet." She said, Herrmann nodding. "At first, I thought about doing it while you all were on shift, but I know that's not the most practical. If you all get a call or something, there's no telling how long you'd be gone. So then I thought about maybe doing it here." She continued, realization washing over Herrmann, now understanding why she'd come to him. "I was thinking some afternoon when you all are off shift, we could do it here, if that's okay with you."

"Absolutely, I think that's a great idea." Herrmann responded with a bright grin. "And I agree, doing it on shift would be great, but I think here is the better option. Do you have a date yet?"

"No, not yet. But it'll be soon. I need to nail down a specific day with Matt, but as soon as I know I'll tell you."

"Sounds good. I know everyone would love to help with whatever, just let us know."

"I will. Thanks Herrmann." She responded, the firefighter patting her on the shoulder.

"Of course, anything for Dawson." He spoke, Jemma flashing him an agreeing smile before the two left the back room, Norris heading towards Kidd and Brett while Herrmann went back to the guys.

* * *

Matt blew out a heavy breath as he sat on the edge of the tub, listening to Gabby move around the bedroom while he watched the water rise slowly.

It had been a long day for the couple, for Gabby especially, and Matt could only hope this bath would make her feel better, and ease some of the tension that had been present between them during the last twenty-four hours.

After the rough call Gabby had come back from last night, he had hoped that letting her sleep it off would help her feel better. That she just needed some rest, and she'd be ready to talk to him about it. But that wasn't the case at all.

Gabby was in the same mindset this morning as she had been the night before; she was agitated and clearly upset, but not wanting to talk about it. Her frustrations had only continued to be directed towards Matt, and it had made for a tense day.

They still decided to go shopping, Matt being on the receiving end of a harsh glare from her this morning when he suggested they go another day, Gabby not wanting to hear it. So they went, and it hadn't been the most joyous time.

There was obvious distance she had been putting between them, and Matt quit fighting it. He hadn't pressed her to talk, but throughout the morning he'd tried to show that he was there for her, that she could talk to him if she wanted. But his efforts seemed to annoy her as much as him trying to talk to her about it. At one point he had brought up their engagement, hoping that would lift her spirits and get her thoughts off whatever was bothering her, but when he asked if she'd thought anymore about when she wanted to get married, she immediately shot him down. His topic had only seemed to make things worse, so he left her alone. Her mind was clearly elsewhere, and he didn't want to upset her further, especially out in public. He gave his advice when asked, and made a few suggestions here and there while they were shopping, but for the most part they shopped in silence.

When they'd gotten home in the early afternoon, he'd hoped there would be some conversation between them, but Gabby wanted none of it. She'd immediately gone in their bedroom and shut the door, leaving Matt on his own out in the living room. The concern he'd been feeling for her emotional state the last few weeks had only grown after her behavior since last night, so much so that he tried to get out of his construction job this afternoon to stay with her, just incase she wasn't able to ignore whatever was bothering her anymore. But Gabby wanted him to go.

When he crept into the bedroom and found her awake, she'd urged him to go to his job. It took some convincing, but after multiple assurances that she was fine, and that the extra money couldn't hurt, he agreed to go. And something in the back of his mind had told him that maybe a little space for a few hours couldn't hurt.

So he went. And when he had gotten home an hour ago, he was thankful to see Gabby in better spirits. Something was still bothering her, it was obvious, but she was more welcoming than she had been, Matt hoping she was warming up to the idea of telling him whatever had her so bothered.

They had enjoyed a quick, and mostly quiet, dinner, before Matt offered to start a bath for her, wanting Gabby to be as relaxed as possible before he gave her a massage. They hadn't talked about it since yesterday afternoon, but he assumed she was still wanting one, and he was hoping it would help to ease some of the tension not only from her, but between them.

Swirling his hand around in the water, Matt made sure the temperature wasn't too warm before turning off the faucet, sitting up straight as he heard movement from the doorway, glancing over to see Gabby walk in. Clad in his t-shirt that she'd been wearing most of the day, she slowly moved towards him, Matt seeing an almost hesitant look on her face.

When she got to him, she stopped a few inches short of the tub, rubbing her hands together as she met his eyes, a shy smile forming over her face. "Will you join me?" She asked softly, Matt's gaze softening.

He knew it was her version of a peace offering, that she was trying to make up for her distance since last night. And he wasn't about to turn her down.

Nodding slowly, he reached out for her, wrapping his arm around her back, slowly bringing her closer to him, his hand coming up to rest over her growing bump.

"Of course." He replied, rubbing her stomach for a few moments before moving his hands towards the hem of her shirt, slowly pulling it from her body, the material falling silently to the floor. Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her bare belly, whispering soft words to their daughter before carefully guiding Gabby back a few steps as he stood up.

She stepped out of her underwear while Matt got undressed, their clothes forming into a combined pile before he helped her into the tub, both of them moving slowly. Her hands were gripping his forearms as she sat down, Matt not releasing his hold until he knew she was situated. Gabby left room for Matt to slowly and carefully slide in behind her, their large tub able to accommodate both him and her growing body as he leaned back against the bathtub. Gabby got comfortable, leaning herself back into his chest, her head resting against his shoulder as she blew out a heavy sigh, Matt's hands coming around to cradle her stomach.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, Matt focused on her breathing as he kept his eyes on her stomach, feeling her trace her index finger over the inside of his knee.

"I'm sorry for today."

His eyes opened as he heard her gentle voice fill the quiet room, Matt sighing softly before pressing a kiss against her neck.

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize. I'm just worried about you." He spoke against her skin, pressing another kiss to her neck as he felt her rest her forearms on his knees, her hand covering his. "I'm sorry if I upset you, I'm just not sure what I did." He told her honestly, Gabby shaking her head slightly, releasing a heavy breath.

"You didn't do anything." She spoke, pushing herself back against him. "I've been a mess the last few weeks, I know that. And then that call... I started taking it out on you when I shouldn't have." Gabby admitted, Matt stroking her stomach comfortingly.

"You don't have to keep this stuff bottled up, Gabby." He reminded her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder. "I don't want you to. I'm here for you, whatever it is."

"I know you are." She breathed out, turning her head to place a kiss against his jaw before relaxing into him again, stretching out her legs, letting the water soothe her aching muscles.

"You wanna tell me what happened on that call?" He questioned after a few moments, feeling Gabby's body tense slightly before she eased up, Matt tilting his head to look at her. "I know she died before you could get her to the hospital, and that she was pregnant." He told her. "But did something else happen? I haven't seen you that upset over a call in a long time…" He murmured, Gabby taking a deep breath, bringing her hand up to caress the side of his head, Matt leaning into the movement.

"She begged me to save her."

Matt's heart dropped into his stomach, shaking his head sadly as he placed a lingering kiss against her skin.

"Gabby…"

"She was barely conscious when we got there, she was coughing up blood. I knew before we even got her loaded into the ambulance that she wasn't gonna make it… But we tried." Gabby spoke sadly, Matt listening intently. "She was having a hard time talking, she was essentially drowning in her own blood… but I heard her. She begged me to save her, for her baby, and then she coded." Her voice was a little shaky, Matt shaking his head gently. "...I couldn't help her."

"This isn't your fault." He spoke instantly.

"But I could've-"

"No." He interjected softly. "There was nothing you could've done. You said yourself, you knew as soon as you got there, there was nothing that could be done." His kept his voice firm, needing her to believe what he was saying. "You're not the one who hurt her. You did everything you could, this isn't on you."

Gabby thought over his words for a minute before nodding, Matt pressing a kiss into her neck.

"Rationally, I know that. Foster, Brett, and I, we all did everything we could… but when she told us she was pregnant, I froze." She admitted, an unsettling feeling rising in Matt's gut. "Because I knew she was going to die, and she definitely wasn't far enough along where there was anything we could do for the baby."

"I'm sorry." Matt murmured, nuzzling his nose against her neck. "I wish there was something I could do to help you, I'm sorry for the woman and what happened to her, but you need to believe me when I tell you there was nothing you could do for her. She was gone before you got there."

"I know." She replied, picking up his hand from her stomach, lacing her fingers through his. "And I'm sorry for not talking to you, I didn't mean to shut you out, or take it out on you… I just feel like I'm losing my mind some days, and last night it all boiled over and I took it out on you when I shouldn't have."

"Yeah, I kind of got caught in the line of fire, there. But I don't care, you can take out whatever frustrations you need to on me, but you've gotta talk to me." He chastised softly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath.

"I know, I didn't mean to be such a bitch all day." She responded, Matt shaking his head.

"You weren't a bitch." He cut in. "Bitch-y, maybe. But not a bitch." He spoke, Gabby scoffing lightly.

"Is there really a difference?"

"Yup." He replied, the word popping as it left his lips, Gabby's lips curling into an amused smile. "There is. At least to me."

"I'll take your word for it." She said, placing their conjoined hands against her chest. "But really, I am sorry. I know, even before yesterday, I haven't been the easiest person to be around… My hormones had been all over the place, and..." She stopped herself, Matt waiting a few seconds to see if she was going to continue, but she didn't.

"You have been worrying me a bit lately." He breathed out. Although their conversation was still surface level, he felt a wave a gratitude wash through him that she was the one bringing this up. He'd been trying to figure out a way to approach her about this without her brushing him off, and it seemed like maybe now they'd finally get somewhere.

"That wasn't my intention, I've just been… I don't know, trying to figure some things out, and it's made me feel a little off." She spoke vaguely, Matt's eyebrows furrowing.

"Like what?" He questioned immediately, but he got no answer. He waited a few moments, trying to give her the time she needed to feel comfortable saying whatever it was, but when minutes passed and she still hadn't said anything, he spoke up again. "Baby, what's going on with you?" His concern was clear in his voice, Gabby sighing deeply, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Can we… can we talk about it later?"

"Gabby…"

"Tonight. I promise, we can talk later tonight, but right now can we just sit here and enjoy this? Please?"

Giving a reluctant nod, Matt placed a kiss to her shoulder. "Okay." He agreed, his concern only growing. "I love you." He spoke against her skin, a soft smile coming to her face.

"I love you, too." She whispered, pressing herself back against him, the two falling into a comfortable quiet.

The couple enjoyed their bath for about twenty more minutes before they decided it was time to get out, the water now cold. Matt got out first, being mindful of Gabby as he climbed out, reaching for his towel as he stood on the rug. After quickly drying himself off, he wrapped the towel around his waist before focusing on Gabby, finding her leaned back against the tub, watching him while she waited.

"You ready?"

"Yeah, let's lift me out of here." She spoke, Matt chuckling as he leaned down, hooking his arms under hers, Gabby raising her eyebrows as he lifted her up with relative ease, helping him when she could. "You didn't need to do all that." She said, holding onto his arms as she stepped out of the tub, planting her feet firmly on the rug.

"I thought it would be easier." He answered, grabbing her towel and wrapping it around her. He led her out to the bedroom, making sure she was alright before he headed back into the bathroom to let the water drain from the tub, and get the lotion and oil he needed for her massage.

By the time he got back to the room, Gabby was getting herself situated in the middle of the bed, clad in a pair of her underwear as she adjusted the many pillows around her, Matt quickly putting on a pair of boxers before heading over to her.

Her massage went by too quickly for her liking, Matt having spent over an hour working on her sore muscles, paying special attention to her back and her calves, knowing those areas hurt her the most. By the time he finished, it was nearing nine o'clock, and he knew Gabby was bound to be ready for bed, but he hoped that wouldn't be happening until after they talked. While he knew Gabby had enjoyed her massage, he hadn't been present much in the moment, Matt only able to think about what could've been bothering her so much that she hadn't wanted to talk to him about it.

"How do you feel?" He asked, sitting back on his heels as he ran his hand across her belly, a content smile rising to her face.

"Amazing. That was just what I needed." She replied, stretching her arms out.

"Good." He spoke, leaning down to place a soft kiss to the side of her head. "How about I go and make you some tea, and then we can talk?" He asked, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as she nodded.

"Okay." She responded, Matt rubbing her belly one last time before getting up, heading for the kitchen.

Gabby stayed in her spot for awhile, unsure of how this conversation was going to go. It had been weighing on her mind for a couple weeks now, but she didn't know how to talk to Matt about it. She didn't want to make things worse, or hurt his feelings. But she knew they needed to talk. Stepping around the conversation had been stressing her out, and clearly, he had been able to tell. To his credit, he hadn't pushed her to talk to him, but she felt like she needed to. She just hoped he wouldn't be mad at her.

Working up the nerve, Gabby eventually pushed herself up, climbing out of bed and heading for the dresser. Grabbing one of Matt's shirts, she threw it over her body before walking out towards the kitchen, finding Matt standing by the counter.

"Hi." She spoke, snapping him from his trance.

"Hey." He responded, glancing towards her with a smile. "This is almost ready, if you want to go sit down." He offered, Gabby giving him a nod before heading for the living room.

She made herself comfortable, pushing pillows behind her back as she waited for Matt to come in, Gabby crossing her leg under herself. He appeared within a few seconds, a soft smile on his face as he walked towards her, handing her the mug. Matt made the quick decision of sitting on the edge of the coffee table instead of on the couch beside her, knowing he'd have a better view of her from there.

She took a sip as he sat down, Matt resting his elbows on his knees, his hand placed on her thigh as he watched her, Gabby sitting her drink down on the end table before her eyes caught his gaze.

"What's going on, Gabby?" He asked after a few seconds of silence, his worry and confusion growing when he saw the look of fear flash in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

He kept his eyes on her as she sucked in a deep breath, her gaze moving down in between them as his question hung in the air, Gabby clenching her hands together in her lap.

"I… I've been thinking a lot about it, and I'm not sure if we should get married."

* * *

**Uh oh. That's definitely not what Matt was expecting. This chapter kind of took us on a rollercoaster. It started out well for Dawsey, but they definitely had their struggles, and it's looking like some more conversations are going to be had here soon.**

**That being said, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! I'm so excited to hear your thoughts, and what you think is going to happen with what Gabby admitted to Matt. Thank you all for the constant love and support, I appreciate all of you so much!**


	52. Chapter Fifty Two

**Hello hello hello, here's the next chapter for you all. A lot of you were pretty upset with me after how the last chapter ended, but I hope this doesn't disappoint.**

**Enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Two**_

* * *

"_I… I've been thinking a lot about it, and I'm not sure if we should get married._"

Matt's eyes widened in shock, Gabby unable to look at him as a mixture of confusion and hurt played across his face, his lips parting as he tried to comprehend what she had just said.

They sat in a heavy silence for a few moments, Matt's eyes narrowing as he tried to think of some explanation for this, as he tried to think of any reason that would make this make sense. But he couldn't.

Gabby forced herself to look up at him, her heart shattering in her chest as she saw how upset her words had made him, Matt shaking his head as he caught her gaze, tears filling her eyes.

"I- I don't understand." He breathed out, his voice soft and unsure. "I thought… I thought this is what you wanted. When I proposed again, you told me you never stopped wanting this, I don't-" He cut himself off, swallowing thickly as he tried to make sense of his own thoughts. "I don't know what happened, why don't you want to get married to me?" He questioned shakily, Gabby blinking back the tears sitting in her eyes as she shook her head quickly side to side.

"It's not that I don't want to." She responded, his confusion only growing. "It's what I want, I want it so bad. There's nothing I want more than to be your wife again." Gabby admitted, Matt's head tilting to the side, watching as a few lone tears escaped down her cheeks.

"I don't get it, then what's the problem?" He asked, clearing the emotion from his voice, Gabby reaching out for his hand. Matt leaned forward on the edge of the coffee table to be closer to her, feeling her squeeze his hand tightly. "Baby, what is it?"

"I don't want to do that to you." She breathed out shakily, her tears spilling over as she dropped his gaze, Matt blinking furiously as he tried to comprehend the meaning of her words.

"What do you mean, Gabby?" He asked for clarification, trying to ignore the sinking feeling he felt in his chest, Matt keeping his eyes on her as she drew in a shaky breath. "Hey, look at me." He prompted, her teary gaze meeting his as she lifted her head, tears slipping down her skin. "What are you talking about?"

"If something happens to me," Her breath caught in her throat, Matt's stomach dropping as tears gathered in his eyes, the man shaking his head sadly. "I don't… I don't want it to be any harder on you than it already will be, and I feel like if we got married again, it would just make it worse." Gabby's voice was unstable, her words coming out in whispers as she tried to explain her thoughts, her heart breaking as she saw the pained look on his face. "Something about it, I just can't imagine doing that to you. I think we should wait until after the baby… just incase."

Matt's eyes fell closed, his head falling forward, trying to figure out how to respond to her. He didn't know what to say to make this better, there was nothing he could say to fix this. And they both knew it. There were so many unknowns hanging in the air, so much so that they could be suffocating if they let it, but he knew they couldn't get stuck on them. They had to worry about what they could control, and one thing they did have a say in was being married again.

"Matt…" Her shaky voice hit his ears, his head snapping up as he met her gaze, seeing endless tears streaming down her face. Clearing his throat, Matt dropped her hand, Gabby watching him closely, confusion playing out across her face. He stood up without a word, Gabby swallowing back a sob, fearing he was leaving. But he caught her by surprise when he moved to sit down beside her on the couch, his leg up against hers as he angled his body towards her, wrapping his arm around her back.

She kept her gaze on him, blinking back the tears sitting in her eyes, bringing him into focus as he stared at her. His throat bobbed up and down, Matt clearly trying to figure out what to say, the two sitting in a thick silence before he finally spoke up.

"If something happens to you… there isn't anything that's going to make it any better." He spoke softly, Gabby's chest tightening.

"Matt-"

"Just wait." He spoke, Gabby nodding slowly, wiping away the new tears that had fallen before reaching out for him, grabbing ahold of his hand. "You and I not being married isn't going to make it easier. Nothing could make losing you any easier. And truthfully, if something does happen, and you're not here, I don't know if I could live with myself knowing we hadn't gotten married when we had the chance." He admitted, tears flowing down her cheeks, Gabby unsure of what to say. "Every day I hope that nothing will happen to you, that you'll be here to see our daughter grow up." A soft sob escaped her lips, Matt lifting his hand to cradle her head. "But if you're not, I want to have been married to you again. You are my wife, as far as I'm concerned. You will always be my wife, whether you're here or not. And all I want is to make it official." He breathed out, Gabby shutting her eyes tightly.

Matt's eyes traced over her distraught face, rubbing his thumb across her cheek as he gave her a moment to gather herself, Gabby taking shallow breaths, fresh tears escaping her eyes.

"If this is the only reason you don't want to get married, if you're only doing this because you think it'll help me, I need you to know that's not what I want. I want to be married to you again, I wish we never stopped being married, but we can't change that. All we can do is fix what was broken, and I want our daughter coming into this world with her parents being married." He spoke, her eyes fluttering open, meeting his gaze.

Slowly, she nodded, nuzzling her cheek into his hand, blinking furiously as more tears ran down her skin.

"Are you sure?" She asked, Matt giving her a strong nod, leaning forward to capture her lips with his. The movement was soft and gentle, their lips moving together slowly as he felt her tears against his skin, Gabby's hand moving up to grip his neck.

Matt had gotten lost in her, his mind focused on only Gabby as they moved together. But his worries came flooding back with a vengeance when he felt a soft sob escape her lips, Matt pulling back to see new tears endlessly pouring down her face, another sob leaving her lips.

"Gabby…" He breathed out, blinking back the tears in his eyes as he saw her fall apart. Her body began shaking as her loud cries filled the room, her head falling down into her hands as sobs wracked her body. "Come here." He murmured, carefully leaning them back against the couch, bringing her into his side.

She fell into his chest, her cries only getting louder as he held her, the sound making his stomach sink as he cradled her head against him.

"It's okay." He whispered, feeling her tears hit his bare chest, her breathing ragged as her emotions grabbed ahold of her. "Everything's gonna be okay."

He wasn't sure how long they sat there, her cries coming in waves as she released every pent up emotion she'd been holding onto for weeks. This was a long time coming, if he was being honest with himself he knew this was bound to happen at some point, but it didn't make it any easier hearing her cry, and feeling her clutch onto him like her life depended on it. He wasn't surprised her emotions had boiled over to this, but that didn't stop it from breaking his heart.

Matt knew she'd been bottling things up recently, and that her worries about getting married were just the tip of the iceberg. He just wished he hadn't let it get to this point, that he did more to get her to talk to him. He'd done what he could to give her space, and let her try and work through things on her own, but he never intended it to get this bad.

Her short breaths brought him out of his thoughts, Matt rubbing over her head, placing his other hand against her stomach, holding her as close as he could without hurting her. He knew she needed to calm down, but he also knew she needed this. She needed to get this out of her system, Matt doing what he could to keep his own breaths steady, hoping the movement would help calm her.

Her cries had gotten quieter, but her tears seemed never ending as she moved her hand to his leg, gripping his thigh tightly,

"I…" She cut herself off as soon as she spoke, her voice caught in her throat, Matt pressing a kiss to her forehead, silently reassuring her. "I don't wanna die, Matt." She choked out, his body tensing when her words hit his ears, his eyes falling closed as it felt like his heart collapsed in his chest. "This whole time I knew it was a possibility, I knew the risks-" She started coughing, her words halting as he rubbed her back, silent tears streaming down his cheeks. "I've known the entire time something could happen to me, but we're getting closer to her getting here, and then everything with that woman yesterday... It's becoming real, and I can't do it." She spoke, her breath catching in her throat as fresh tears filled her eyes.

Matt swallowed the lump in his throat, unable to stop the tears escaping his eyes as he wracked his brain for something to say, for anything that might make her feel better. But it felt like his chest was caving in, like he was being suffocated, and he didn't know what to say to her.

"I don't regret her, I could never regret the choice to keep her… But I'm scared." She breathed out shakily, slowly lifting her head from his chest, meeting his teary eyes. "I'm scared I'm going to die."

Matt stared at her intently, his mouth parting open before he closed it, desperately searching for the right words to say.

"I'm scared, too." He responded after a few moments, his voice unsteady, Matt frantically wiping away the tears stalling on his skin. "And I have no idea what I'd do without you, I hate thinking about it because I know I can't do this if you're not here with me." He continued, Gabby moving her hand to his stomach. "But all I know to do is focus on what we have control of, because if I do anything else it feels like I'm drowning." He admitted softly, Gabby nodding slowly, understanding the feeling. "Thinking of you not being here absolutely kills me, I can't focus on it. So I've tried to just focus on the thought of our daughter, and you and I hopefully being able to raise her together." He stuttered out, Gabby drawing in a slow breath. "I know this is impossible. I wish I knew how to make it better, I wish I could fix this and I'm so sorry I can't. But all I know to do is take every precaution we can, and focus on the ninety percent chance that you'll be perfectly fine." He told her, Gabby nodding slowly as a few more tears slid down her cheeks, leaning forward to place a soft kiss against his lips, tension easing from both of their bodies.

When they pulled away, Gabby adjusted her positioning on the couch, getting herself as close to Matt as she could manage with her belly, Matt following her lead as they cuddled on the couch, her back pressed against his chest.

"I need you to know how much I love you." She whispered after a few silent moments, Matt pressing a kiss against her temple, trying to push down the heavy feeling settling in his gut.

"I know." He murmured against her, Gabby grabbing his hand, lacing their fingers together.

"And I need you to know I'm sorry." She spoke, Matt glancing towards her. "If something happens to me, I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault." He replied instantly, Gabby moving their conjoined hands to rest over her chest. "No matter what happens, I don't blame you for this. I'd never blame you, alright?"

"I know you don't." She responded, leaning her head back against his shoulder. "But I still need you to know that I'm sorry."

Matt simply nodded, leaning his head against hers, his eyes falling closed as he focused on her breathing, both of them needing a second to decompress.

He couldn't get her painful words out of his head; her crying, saying how she didn't want to die. No matter what happened, he knew those words would haunt him for the rest of his life. There was a fear in her voice he'd only heard from her a handful of times before, and it left him reeling. He felt helpless; there was nothing he could do to make this better. And what made it all the worse was that no matter how terrible he was feeling right now, he knew it was even harder for her. The thought made him nauseous, and left him with a sense of hopelessness.

But he had to be strong for her. He had no choice. He could focus on himself later, right now she was his main priority. Her and their baby girl.

"I'm so proud of you, you know." He spoke up, breaking them out of their quiet, tapping his thumb against her chest.

"For what?" She questioned, her voice thick with emotion.

"For everything." He replied, Gabby leaning her head back against his neck. "I know you're scared. This is terrifying, but what you're doing for our little girl… you are the strongest person I know." He breathed out, glancing down to see a few new tears escape down her cheeks. "You've done everything you can to keep yourself safe, and to keep our girl safe." She gave his hand a squeeze, turning her head to place a soft kiss against his jaw, pressing her forehead against the side of his face. "I can't imagine how scary this is for you. I know what it's like for me, but what you're doing… you are so brave Gabby. And I am so proud of you." He spoke, blinking back his tears. "I don't know if that means all that much, but I'd like to think it does." He chuckled with watery eyes, trying to ease some of the heaviness in the room, the crushing weight in his chest lifting slightly as he heard her soft laughter, the sound reverberating through her chest.

"It means everything." She whispered, bringing her free hand up to wipe away her tears before cradling his cheek, Gabby drawing in a shaky breath.

"I love you so much." He murmured. "And I'm always here, no matter what. Whatever you're feeling, you can come to me with anything."

"I know I can… I'm sorry for pushing you away, I just- part of me feels so guilty for feeling like this. I'm her mother, what happens to me shouldn't matter as long as she's okay."

"Of course it matters." He replied quickly. "There's nothing wrong with you being scared, okay? You have every right to be scared. This is your life. I don't want you feeling guilty for being afraid." He spoke, his voice soft as she looked forward, returning her head to his shoulder. "I'm absolutely terrified of something happening to you, but that doesn't make me a bad father, does it?"

"No." She breathed out without hesitation, realization washing over her as she understood the point he was making.

"And the same goes for you." He responded, moving the hand he had on her shoulder up to cradle her head. "You being scared doesn't mean you don't want her, and it certainly doesn't make you a bad mother. You are going to be the most amazing mom to our girl, she is so lucky to have you. I don't want you to ever doubt that." He spoke, leaning his head against hers. "But if you ever need a reminder, I'm here. I just need you to talk to me, baby."

Gabby nodded, drawing in a deep breath as she gave his hand a firm squeeze. They fell into a comfortable quiet, the events of the past half hour lingering in the air as they sat together on the couch. It was difficult for him to comprehend, but a part of him felt lighter. Despite the heaviness of their conversation, Matt felt a little better now that he at least knew what had been bothering her. And he could only hope she was feeling a bit of the same relief.

"We should get married." She broke their silence, Matt's eyebrows raising as he glanced down towards her, unable to see her face, but he could picture the smile surely resting there.

"You're sure?" He questioned, Gabby sitting up out of his grasp, their hands dropping as she slowly turned to face him. "Because if you really want to wait, we can."

"No, I don't want to wait. I want us to be married, as long you're sure you're okay with it if something does happen… I thought by waiting it would help you, but if you're sure that's not what you want, I want to do this."

"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." He replied instantly, mirroring what she'd said to him when they first got married, his words bringing a wide smile to her face. "I'd marry you tomorrow if I could, hell I'd marry you right this second if it were possible."

Her chest filled with warmth as she saw the joy that spread across his face, Gabby cupping his cheeks as she placed a firm kiss on his lips, his hands moving to her growing waist.

"Maybe not tomorrow," She spoke, her nose scrunched up in amusement at his excitement. "But soon. Definitely soon." Gabby assured him, his smile widening as she leaned forward, capturing his lips with hers again, their movements starting out slow before she deepened the kiss.

Her hand slid down from his cheek, trailing down his chest, stopping briefly as she got to the waistband of his boxers, her actions making him groan into her mouth. Teasing the material, her fingertips slowly slid under the elastic, Matt using every ounce of willpower within him to pull back, his hand resting on her belly as he caught her eye.

"Are you sure?" He asked, his chest heaving as he watched her nod. "You're sure it's okay?" Matt knew it had been a long day, that her emotions were all over the place, and he also knew they needed to be careful. He'd taken Dr. Tanner's precautions to heart, the two not having stopped their activities altogether, but they had changed how they went about them. And after the stressful and emotional day she'd had, he didn't want to do anything that might put her in harm's way. He needed her to be sure.

"I want to." She replied, her hand slipping out of his boxers, running across his stomach, catching the look of hesitation flashing in his eyes. "Please, Matt."

Nodding slowly, he placed a soft, passionate kiss on her lips before standing up, holding out his hands for her to grab onto, Matt helping her up before clasping her hand in his and leading her to the bedroom.

* * *

An involuntary chill ran through Gabby's body as she fought off consciousness, her body immediately telling her she hadn't gotten enough sleep as exhaustion swept through her half-conscious state. She couldn't figure out what had woken her up, but all she wanted was to fall back into her peaceful slumber.

But her body did the opposite, bringing her further into her awake state, Gabby registering the feeling of something moving over her stomach, Matt's muffled voice soon becoming clearer as she woke up, her eyes opening and closing as she tried to gain a sense of her surroundings.

"I know your Momma's scared, we both are." Matt spoke, Gabby glancing down to him, seeing her laying by her stomach, his hand rubbing gently over her belly, his head propped up in his other one. He had lifted her shirt up to rest just under her breasts; the shirt he'd taken off of her hours earlier, the same one she'd put back on during one of her many trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night. She knew he didn't realize she was awake yet, Gabby staring at the back of his head as he spoke to their daughter. "...But I'm just holding onto the hope that everything's gonna be just fine.. That she'll be fine." He nearly whispered, Gabby's tongue poking out between her teeth as she heard the concern in his words. "You know, I think you're gonna be just like her. I hope you're just like her." He murmured, Gabby doing what she could to keep her tears at bay, her hormones running rampant.

Part of her felt like she should make her presence known, and alert Matt to the fact that she was awake. She didn't want to intrude on his conversation with their daughter, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. There was something about seeing him like this, completely open and vulnerable, that made her heart swell. It was different to how he usually was, even with her. His guard was fully down, he wasn't worried about anything or anyone else, his attention was completely focused on their girl, and it made her fall in love with him all over again.

"Your mom is the most amazing woman I've ever met, and I know you'll be just as amazing as she is. Maybe more so… But let's just keep that between you and me." He spoke, pressing a kiss to her stomach. "I'm so excited to meet you, and for your Momma to meet you. I mean, even though I don't think it's possible for me to love your mom any more than I already do, I have a feeling the first time I see you two together… it's gonna be incredible. I can't wait for that… I hope I get to see that." He murmured, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip, her eyes falling closed.

"But, no matter what happens, you need to know that you are so loved, little girl. Your mom especially, she loves you more than anything else, even more than me. Which is saying a lot." He spoke lightly, his words bringing the smile back to her face. "There's gonna be a lot of people who love you, you've got your Uncle Kelly, who's already obsessed with you, your Uncle Antonio, and your Aunt Jemma… you've got everyone at the firehouse. You've got so many people who would do anything for you. But no one loves you more than me and your Momma, and I'm gonna do everything in my power to make sure you never doubt that." He whispered, placing another lingering kiss against her stomach, rubbing his thumb over her skin. Gabby felt their daughter kick, her smile widening as she heard Matt chuckle before rubbing his hand over her again. "I'm glad we're on the same page." He joked, Gabby opening her eyes and glancing down towards him.

Wordlessly, she brought her hand up to the back of his head, Matt jumping slightly as he felt her hand run over his scalp. But he quickly relaxed into her touch, taking a second to relish in the feeling before turning around to face her.

"Hey, I didn't know you were up." He spoke, climbing back up the bed to be eye-level with her, Gabby resting her hand over his cheek.

"Well, I heard someone talking and it woke me up." She replied, Matt moving her shirt back down to cover her, pulling the sheets back up over them.

"Sorry." He responded sheepishly, leaning down to press a firm kiss to her lips. "How much did you hear?" He questioned as he pulled away, Matt not missing the tears sitting in her eyes, a soft smile forming on her face.

"Enough to know you're just a big old softy." She teased, Matt smirking as he placed another quick kiss against her.

"I thought you knew that already." He joked, Gabby stroking her thumb over his cheek.

"Oh, I did. But the reminder is always nice." She responded, Matt adjusting himself on his elbows, his eyes tracing over her face.

"How are you doing?" He questioned, the air around them turning serious. Gabby took a deep breath, a thoughtful look crossing her face as her bottom lip fell between her teeth, it taking a few seconds for her to respond.

"I'm okay, considering." She settled on, Matt nodding slowly. "I do feel better, after last night. But I'm still scared… I don't think that'll go away until she's here."

"I know. And it's fine for you to feel like that." He assured her, just as he had last night, earning a nod from her.

"But I am feeling better. Thanks to you."

"I didn't do anything aside from tell you the truth." He responded, giving her another kiss. "But I'm happy to do so anytime you need me to." Matt spoke, his words bringing a soft, knowing smile to her face. "And you're still feeling the same about getting married? You wanna make an honest man out of me, again?" He asked with a smirk, Gabby raising her eyebrows with an amused grin.

"Most definitely." She replied, running her fingers through his short hair. "What about you, you're sure you wanna be stuck with me?"

"Absolutely." He spoke without hesitation. "I can't wait to be married, I've missed Mrs. Captain Casey." He teased, earning a chuckle from her, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm sure you have." She replied, gently pulling him back towards her, capturing his lips with hers. He made himself comfortable as they moved together, their kisses soft and gentle, both enjoying the feeling of one another. Gabby wasn't sure how long they laid there together, but when they finally pulled apart, she saw a goofy grin on his face, his lips slightly swollen from their sleepy kisses. "I have an idea."

"Hmm?"

"I know we can't get married today, but what if we at least go get our marriage license." She offered, watching as a bright smile filled his face.

"I think that's a great idea." He responded, cradling the side of her face, Gabby bringing her hand up to rest over his. "I can't wait to be married to you again." He murmured again, tapping his thumb against her skin.

"Me neither." She replied, warm smiles covering both of their faces as he leaned forward, capturing her lips in another gentle kiss.

* * *

Matt followed beside Gabby as they walked up the driveway, holding both their duffle bags in his hands while hers rested over her stomach, the two mentally preparing for their shift.

"You still feeling alright?" Matt asked as they stepped into the garage, Gabby flashing him a soft smile, one he couldn't help but reciprocate.

"I'm good." She promised, reaching out to grab his arm, squeezing it as a form of reassurance.

"Good. Just remember you can come to me if you're not." He reminded her, Gabby nodding as their paths crossed with Brett and Foster, the paramedics heading for the rig.

"Hey guys." Dawson greeted.

"Hey Dawson, Casey." Brett spoke. "We were just gonna check over our inventory, if you wanna join." The blonde offered, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, sure." She obliged, glancing back to Matt, her eyes flashing to her bag.

"I can put your stuff in your locker." He responded before she could ask him, Gabby grinning.

"Thank you." She spoke, leaning up to press a quick kiss against his cheek before following Brett and Foster to the rig.

"How are you feeling, Gabby?" Foster asked, Matt watching as they walked away.

"I'm okay. I'm sorry about everything last shift, there was a lot of things going on and that call kind of just pushed me over the edge." She breathed out, shaking her head in embarrassment.

"Nothing to apologize for, that call was rough on all of us, I know it had to have been worse for you." Brett responded, rubbing her shoulder comfortingly. "We're just glad you're feeling better."

"Me too."

Matt couldn't hear anymore of their conversation as he began walking towards the double doors, gripping their bags tightly in his hand. He barely got around the rig when a body stopped his path, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he saw Garcia step out from behind the truck, a soft grin resting on his face.

"Garcia." Casey spoke, taking a step back.

"Hey Casey." He responded, crossing his arms over his chest, Matt watching him expectantly.

"Did you need something?" Matt asked after a few moments of intense silence, Garcia nodding.

"I got the word from headquarters, this is my last shift here on 81." He spoke.

Casey kept his face blank, not wanting to show the pure relief and elation he was feeling internally at the news, Matt giving him a slow nod.

"Well, I appreciate you helping out around here while I was recovering." Matt said, Garcia's smirk widening.

"Yeah, I knew it was coming, but it's a damn shame. I was looking forward to sticking around." He replied, Matt unsure of what to say, watching as Garcia's gaze flickered across the garage. "I'm really gonna miss all that 51 has to offer." He spoke with a gleam in his eye, Matt following his gaze, his muscles tensing as his eyes landed on Gabby. She was standing outside the back of the rig, her attention focused on the women sitting inside, her hand resting on her back, completely unaware of the pairs of eyes on her.

Turning back to look at Garcia, Matt found the man's smug grin waiting for him, Casey's eyes narrowing.

"Oh I'm just messing around, Captain." Garcia laughed it off, patting his shoulder. "I told you, I'd never encroach on your territory." He spoke, glancing back towards Gabby, blowing out a whistle as he shook his head. "But, you are one hell of a lucky guy."

Matt's glare stayed focused on Garcia, swallowing thickly as he tried to squash the agitation building in his chest. "I don't think it's appropriate to make comments like that about our paramedics." Casey bit out, Garcia chuckling.

"I mean, we all know you've done more inappropriate things to Dawson than that." He joked, shaking his head as he squeezed Casey's shoulder, Matt shrugging him off. "Oh man, am I gonna miss it here."

Before Casey could respond, the bells rang out, signaling 81 and 61 to a fire downtown, Garcia giving him one last smile before heading for the rig. Blowing out a forceful breath between his teeth, Matt moved the few steps to the squad table, catching Severide's gaze.

"What was that about?" Kelly asked, Matt shaking his head.

"Garcia's trying to get me to kill him." Casey breathed out, placing his and Gabby's bags down before running towards the truck, Severide watching his friend until he was out of sight.

* * *

Casey pushed open the double doors and stepped out into the garage, continuing his path back to the squad table. Truck had returned from their call about twenty minutes ago, Matt having gone to put up his and Gabby's things the minute he got back. Once he completed that task, he had stopped by his office to get a few pieces of paperwork that needed to be dropped off to Boden, Casey going to do that before ending up back out here.

"Hey Sev." He greeted, pulling out the chair beside his friend, sitting down into it. Severide was alone in the garage, Casey sure all the other men were only inside to escape the brutal heat blanketing the city.

"Hey man." Kelly replied, turning to face him. "How'd your call go?"

"It was fine." Matt answered, relaxing into his seat. "I'll be happy when Garcia's gone, though. Having two Captains on one truck… it's not something I enjoy dealing with."

"Yeah, what was all that before you left?" Severide asked, glancing around to ensure they were still alone.

"He was making comments about Gabby, again." Casey responded frustratedly. "But he'll be gone after this shift.. Just one more day and then hopefully I'll never have to see him again."

"Hopefully." Severide agreed, knowing how much the new Captain got under his skin. "How is she doing, by the way? Gabby?"

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt leaned forward, his forearms resting on the table as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth, trying to decide how to answer.

"She's feeling better, but her and I talked a lot about what had been really bothering her and I just… I feel so helpless with all this." He admitted vaguely, Kelly nodding sympathetically. "She's so scared to have this baby, and I don't blame her. I'm terrified, and I just don't know how to help her."

"Has there been any change with anything? I know you said how you all have to keep an eye on her aneurysm."

"No, there hadn't been any change, at least not at our last appointment. We go back again next week for her thirty week one, so they'll check again then… I just wish there was more I could do, that there was anything I could do to make this better."

"Have you guys talked anymore about getting married? That's sure to lift her spirits." Severide suggested, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw the look that flashed over Matt's face. "What? That's still happening, isn't it?"

"No, no it is. In fact, her and I went and filled out everything for our marriage license yesterday."

"That's great, right?" He questioned, clearly unsure.

"It is, yeah. It's just… the other night when her and I were talking about everything, she said she wasn't sure if we should get married."

Severide choked on his own saliva, Matt giving him a pointed stare as the Lieutenant tried to calm himself back down, clearing his throat multiple times. "What?" He coughed out, Matt patting his back.

"She said she wasn't sure if we should get married." He repeated, even though he knew that Severide had heard him clearly the first time. "It wasn't because of us, or because she doesn't want to… she said she didn't want to do that to me."

"I don't follow." Kelly replied, Matt rubbing his hand over his mouth.

"Yeah, that was kind of my reaction, too." Casey breathed out, shaking his head. "She had gotten it in her head that if her and I were married and something happened to her, it would only make it harder on me, and she didn't want that. She said she wanted to wait until after our daughter was born, just incase." He spoke, Severide frozen momentarily before he blew out a heavy breath.

"Jesus." He muttered.

"Tell me about it." Matt responded, pressing firmly against his forehead, willing away the headache forming in his skull. "It completely caught me off guard, she hadn't said anything about wanting to wait, especially not because of that. I mean, I guess looking back on it, she'd been acting a little off whenever I'd bring it up, but there were always other things going on. I never realized it was because of that."

"But you all still decided to get married before the baby?"

"Yeah, we did. We talked about it… I was the only reason she wanted to wait. But I assured her that's not what I want, that if anything, us _not_ being married would be worse if something happens. But the whole conversation it just… it opened up the floodgates to everything else. It was a hard night."

"It sounds like it." Severide responded, shaking his head. "But you guys are good now?"

"Her and I are fine, we always were. I'm just worried, I don't think I'll ever stop worrying about her… But we're taking it one day at a time, that's all we can do." He spoke, Kelly grasping his shoulder.

"I know there's not much anyone can do to help, but seriously, if you guys need anything, let me know. I don't care if it's just needing something from the grocery store, or whatever, if there's anything at all I can do for you guys, I will."

"I know, Sev. We both do, and we appreciate it. Right now all I'm trying to do is keep her mind off of something happening to her, because I know that's all she's thinking about…"

"I can work with that, I'm great at distracting people." He replied, earning a chuckle from Matt. "And plus, Jemma's been working like crazy the last few days with this baby shower. That'll be a fun day for you guys."

"Yeah, it will." Matt spoke. "I need to talk to her, actually. She's called me a few times, but all this stuff with Gabby, I haven't had time to focus on much else."

"Her and I have been talking, with planning and stuff, and I told her Dawson had a hard shift, I'm sure she gets it." Kelly responded, Matt nodding. "But she's really excited for the shower, she's even enlisted the help of Herrmann, Kidd, and Brett. It should be fun."

"It sounds like it. God, I'm so thankful for Jemma." Casey breathed out. "I think the baby shower will be good for Gabby, and she's always happy when she spends time with Jemma, so hopefully the combination of all that will help things."

"She'll be okay, Casey." Severide spoke firmly, gripping his shoulder tightly. "The both of you will be."

Matt nodded, his attention getting pulled away from his friend as he heard the beeping of the rig backing up into the garage, Matt glancing over to see 61 parking in their spot.

Gabby soon appeared after the rig was in place, her expanding body moving slower than normal, Matt watching her with a small smile as she walked with her head down.

"Hey there, beautiful." He called when she got closer, Gabby lifting her head to see Matt sitting at the table, his words and his presence bringing a soft grin to her face.

"Well hello to you, too, handsome." She responded, changing her path from the double doors to Matt.

"Get a room, you two." Severide gagged, Gabby smirking in amusement as she got to the table.

"How'd your drop off go?" Casey asked, pulling out the chair beside him for her to sit in, Gabby obliging.

"It was fine, the guy should be alright." She answered, Matt's hand resting on her waist as she got settled, before he slid it up to her belly, rubbing gently over her shirt. "I'm tired though, little girl is really taking it out of me today."

"You two still haven't chosen a name yet?" Severide interrupted, Matt glancing back towards him, Kelly's eyes flickering back and forth between the expectant parents.

"We've narrowed it down to four, you know that Kel." Gabby spoke lightly, the firefighter huffing out a breath.

"Yes, four names that you refuse to share with me." He replied pointedly towards Matt, the Captain rolling his eyes.

"You're fine, Kelly. You'll find out soon enough. We haven't settled on one yet." Casey said, Kelly narrowing his gaze.

"Alright, well, as her godfather, if I don't like her name, I have the right to give her a cool nickname." He told them, Gabby shooting him an unimpressed look.

"Sev, you're gonna love her no matter what her name is, now be quiet." Gabby chastised, Matt chuckling as he flashed Kelly a smug grin before returning his attention to Gabby and their daughter.

* * *

Gabby sat on the table in the exam room, her legs swinging below her as they waited, Matt standing by her side, his hand moving back and forth in random patterns over her stomach.

"Having fun?" She asked with a raised eyebrow as she rested against the back of the table, the reclined position taking the pressure off her back.

"We're playing a game." He replied sheepishly, his smile growing when he pressed gently against her stomach, earning a swift quick from their daughter. As soon as Amanda had left after doing her routine check of Gabby, Matt had focused his attention on Gabby's belly. And when she laid down, with her permission, he had lifted her shirt up to rest under her breasts, giving him access to her stomach, his 'game' with their daughter starting soon after. Every time he felt their girl, his face lit up more than she thought possible, Gabby letting him have his fun. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but she knew how much he loved interacting with their little girl, and, unless it started hurting her, she'd never ask him to stop.

"Yeah? Who's winning?" She questioned, Matt shrugging as his bright eyes glanced to her.

"Well, I'm not really sure so we'll just go ahead and say she is." He spoke, flashing her a soft grin before returning his attention to her belly, poking her stomach again. And, yet again, he got a kick in return, Gabby watching him with an amused look. "She could be a soccer player, she's got quite the leg." He commented, pressing lightly into her bump once more, a proud grin falling onto his face when he got the reaction he was searching for.

"I can tell." She responded, Matt pulling back his hand as he looked towards her.

"Sorry, am I hurting you?"

"No, you're not." She assured him, Matt nodding before returning his attention to her stomach, rubbing gently over her skin as opposed to trying to play with his daughter.

"Sorry kid, we might need to cool it on the game for awhile." He spoke to her stomach, Matt feeling her kick against his hand. "What did I just say?" He asked with a chuckle, Gabby shaking her head. "She's already not listening to me, that's not good. Guess she really does take after her Momma." Matt joked, glancing up to Gabby with a sly smirk on his face, the paramedic rolling her eyes.

"Your Daddy thinks he's so funny." She responded dryly, rubbing over her stomach, Matt's hand moving to rest over hers.

"I'm pretty funny." He spoke with a laugh, leaning down to press a soft, quick kiss to her lips, feeling her smile against him.

They pulled back when they heard the door open, the couple looking over to see Dr. Tanner walk in, a smile forming on her face as she noticed the scene in front of her.

"Well, looks like you two are all ready for the ultrasound." She teased, heat rising to Gabby's cheeks as Matt chuckled.

"He was playing a game." Gabby replied as Dr. Tanner shut the door, a wide grin resting on her face as she walked towards her patient, Gabby beginning to move her shirt back down.

"Oh, just leave it up, we'll need it out of the way." She spoke, Gabby nodding as she moved her hands to rest on her stomach, Dr. Tanner sliding her stool over to sit by Gabby's side, positioning herself for the ultrasound. "We'll go ahead and get this done first." She told them, prepping the machine as Matt moved closer to Gabby's head, shooting her a soft smile. "How have you been feeling, Gabby? Work still been going okay?"

"Work's great, and I've been alright." She responded softly, Dr. Tanner noticing the hesitant tone in her voice.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine… Just with getting closer to the due date, it's kind of been reminding me the reality of everything, and it's been hard." She admitted, Matt squeezing her hand.

Dr. Tanner halted her movements, turning away from the machine to face Gabby, giving her a sympathetic smile. "I know this is scary, Gabby. For the both of you. Nothing about what you're facing is easy, but I'm going to do everything I can to get you and your daughter through this, okay?" Her voice was gentle, yet firm, her soft assurance releasing some of the nerves from Gabby's body, the expectant mother nodding. "Now, speaking of your little girl, you ready to see your baby?" Dr. Tanner asked, hoping that would ease some of her fears, at least for a little while.

Gabby and Matt both nodded excitedly, Dr. Tanner beginning the process of the ultrasound. She started by taking the measurements of their baby, as well as getting some images for them. While there wasn't much change week to week, Dr. Tanner liked being able to give them the photos every time they came here. For as often as her appointments were, it was the least she could do to let them have multiple pictures of their growing baby.

"How is she looking?" Gabby asked, Dr. Tanner grinning as she turned the screen.

"You can see for yourselves. She looks great." She replied, Gabby and Matt smiling from ear to ear as they saw their child. At 30 weeks pregnant, it was definitely easy for them to make out the baby, happy tears filling Gabby's eyes as they took in the sight of her. "And here's her heartbeat, I know how much you both love this part." Dr. Tanner spoke, adjusting the doppler until she was in the right position, the quick, rhythmic thumping filling their ears.

Dr. Tanner gave them a few moments to soak it in, knowing how special this was for them, before she quickly finished up the ultrasound, wiping the gel off Gabby's belly.

"Now, your girl is looking very good. She's still small, but she's within our targets. I think you might just have a little baby on your hands." Dr. Tanner told them, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "But everything with her is looking great, she's a rambunctious little thing, she doesn't like to stay still."

"She definitely doesn't." Gabby agreed, earning laughs from both Dr. Tanner and Matt.

"But it's good that she's moving around a lot. While there's nothing wrong for mothers who have less active babies, more movement is never a bad thing. And I took a look at your aneurysm, everything looks good. It did measure a little bigger today, but only by a few millimeters." She saw the color drain from Casey's face, and the flash of panic in Gabby's. "I don't want you to worry, it's still very small. It's definitely manageable. There's a lot of extra blood flowing through your body because of this baby, it's not uncommon for this to happen. In fact, it's encouraging that we're this far along in your pregnancy and it's only grown a little." She tried to assure them, but she knew her words had freaked them out.

"Okay…" Gabby responded unsurely, moving her shirt down to cover her belly, feeling Matt rub over her arm comfortingly.

"But, considering there has been a change in your aneurysm, I do think it's a good time to start your weekly appointments." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby slowly lifting herself up into a sitting position, Matt helping her as he placed his hand on her back, pushing her up. "I know we talked about it during your last appointment, but I think it's time."

"Alright."

"And I do think it's time for us to discuss a pretty big part of this pregnancy, your birth plan." Dr. Tanner started, Gabby and Matt watching her intently. "I'm not entirely sure what you had been thinking, or wanting, but I believe the safest course of action for both you and your baby is to have a c-section." She told them, Gabby nodding slowly. "What I want to do is schedule you for a c-section about a week before your due date, maybe a little before. Obviously, the longer baby is in there, the better. But delivering at 39 weeks is perfectly safe, babies aren't considered premature unless they're delivered before 37 weeks. For your safety, and for the baby, I think we should plan on delivering your baby around a week out."

"Okay." Gabby responded, taking in all the information.

"But, just so we're all on the same page, that could be subject to change. The reason I don't want to wait until you're full term is because of the aneurysm, which I'm sure you figured. But the bigger your girl gets, the more pressure is put on your system, and on your aneurysm, so I think delivering a little earlier is the safest option. We're trying to take all the precautions we can here, and that's what I believe is best for the both of you." She told them, Gabby swallowing thickly. "Does that sound okay with you?"

Gabby slowly nodded, catching Dr. Tanner's gaze. "Truthfully, I hadn't really thought a lot about it, but I guess a c-section does make more sense." She spoke, earning a thoughtful nod from her doctor.

"Yes. It's the safest option for you. Like we've talked about many times, we have to control what we can, and a natural delivery is just too unpredictable in this case. I'd feel much more comfortable with you having a c-section. And, if something does happen to go wrong, we'll be in a better position to get to the problem quicker. It's the best, and really only, course of action for you." Dr. Tanner replied, Gabby giving her an understanding nod.

"I trust you. Whatever you think is best, is what we'll do… I just want her to be safe." Gabby responded, glancing towards Matt.

"We're fine with whatever you want us to do." He agreed, rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"Excellent. I'll go ahead and get you all scheduled for that. Obviously, there's only so much say we have in this process. If you go into active labor before that day, we'll have to perform an emergency c-section. But you all have my numbers, you know how to reach me, and I'll double check with the hospital, make sure it's stated clearly in your chart that I need to be contacted immediately." She told them. "Also, I do want to mention one more thing… I have every intention, as long as your baby cooperates, of delivering the day we schedule for you, but that could change. If something happens and we get you in here, and there's been a drastic change in your aneurysm, we might have to deliver early. I'll do everything I can to at least get you to the 37 week mark, but it's just another thing we'll have to be mindful of." She said, seeing the apprehensive looks on their faces. "I just want you to be aware of it… My biggest concern is getting the _both_ of you through this. I know you want what's best for your child, and so do I, but if I think delivering earlier gives the both of you a better shot, that's what we'll do."

"Okay." Gabby replied, her voice barely above a whisper. Matt leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of her head, feeling her lean her body into him.

"I know this has been a lot, and after the rough time you've had lately, I'm not trying to make things harder. But this is the reality of your situation, and it's important we're all on the same page." Dr. Tanner spoke, her voice firm but kind.

"I know… And I'm okay with what you want to do. It's just hard." She responded, feeling tears begin to fill her eyes, Gabby wiping furiously over her cheeks, embarrassment flooding her body. "I'm sorry." She apologized, her head leaning down.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Dr. Tanner spoke sympathetically, pushing herself back on the stool towards the counter, grabbing a few tissues before moving towards Gabby, handing them to her.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt rubbing over her back in soothing circles.

"However you're feeling is okay, Gabby. I can assure you, there's nothing wrong with you being scared, or upset. A normal pregnancy is scary regardless, but everything else you're dealing with on top of it, there's nothing wrong with you feeling like this." Dr. Tanner spoke comfortingly, patting her knee. "I know there's a lot of unknowns with this, and I'm sorry I can't give you more concrete answers. But I promise you, I'm going to do everything I can to get you through this. All I want you to focus on is taking care of yourself, and leave the rest up to me, alright?"

Gabby nodded, wiping under her eyes before leaning into Matt's side once more. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close to him as he kissed her head.

"I can give you a minute, if you need it." Dr. Tanner offered, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm okay." She responded, sniffling slightly, resting her hand over Matt's stomach, his presence providing her with strength and comfort.

Dr. Tanner eyed her for a moment before nodding, placing her tablet down in her lap. "Alright, well there's not much else we need to discuss this time. But I do want to make sure, you're still feeling okay to work?" Dr. Tanner asked, Gabby nodding slowly.

"I am." She replied, leaning out of Matt's hold. "I mean, there are some times where I stay back, it's becoming more frequent, and I don't go out unless I really feel up for it. But I'm taking it easy." Gabby explained, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"Good, that's good. As long as you continue to do that, I think it's fine for you to keep working. We'll probably have to call it quits here soon, but for now I'm okay with it. As long as you're careful."

"I am."

"I keep a pretty close eye on her at the firehouse." Matt spoke up. "And she's been doing really well with not overdoing it, and making sure she's eating and drinking enough."

"Good, that's what I like to hear." Dr. Tanner spoke with a soft smile. "We'll talk about it again next week, but right now you can keep working. Just make sure you take as many breaks as you need. Remember, you're what's most important here, Gabby. You've got to look out for yourself, first and foremost."

"I will." She responded softly, Dr. Tanner nodding before she stood up.

"Alright, well unless you have any questions for me, I'll see you next week."

"I think we're good." Gabby replied, Matt nodding in agreement.

With a few more goodbyes, Gabby and Matt were left alone in the room, the paramedic blowing out a heavy breath as her head rested in her hands. Matt moved around the table to be in front of her, parting her legs slightly to stand in between them, resting his hands on her thighs.

"It's okay, baby." He murmured, giving her legs a gentle squeeze as she leaned forward, her head falling against his chest. He knew better than to ask if she was okay, he already knew the answer to that question, Matt sighing deeply as he placed his head on top of hers. "It's all gonna be okay." He said, wrapping his arms around her back as she curled into his chest, the two needing this moment together, Gabby relishing in the comfort his touch gave her.

* * *

**So, I hope this chapter made up for how you all were feeling after the last one? I am sorry for that cliffhanger, I know a lot of you weren't happy at all, but I hope you liked how things went for Dawsey. I know you all are very much looking forward to the Dawsey wedding. It's coming, I promise.**

**Thank you all so much for reading, I'm very excited to hear your thoughts about everything. See you all next time.**


	53. Chapter Fifty Three

**Hello hello hello everyone. Here's the next chapter for you all. Not gonna lie, I'm super anxious for you all to read this, but I have a feeling all you Dawsey fans are going to very much enjoy it. Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Three**_

* * *

Gabby climbed up into the passenger seat of Matt's truck, Casey helping her as much as he could until she got settled, Matt shutting the door before jogging around to his side, getting in quickly.

"You feeling okay?" He asked, turning the truck on as Gabby nodded, her hands resting over her protruding belly.

The couple had just finished up their thirty one week appointment at Dr. Tanner's office, this being their first appointment since starting to go weekly. From Matt's perspective, the appointment had gone smoothly enough. It hadn't lasted all that long, Dr. Tanner getting in there quickly to start the ultrasound. They got in and out within the hour, and, best of all, there had been no change in Gabby's aneurysm. It was still measuring the same it had the week prior, and, even though it was bigger than when she first got pregnant, Matt found that encouraging.

Everything with Gabby was good, as well. She had gained a pound since last week, and her vitals were pretty good. And, to Gabby's excitement, she had been cleared to work another week. But most importantly to Matt, she was in better spirits than she had been the last time they visited Dr. Tanner.

Over the past week, Gabby's demeanor had shifted for the better, and Matt was beyond thankful. She was still struggling to come to terms with the realities of this pregnancy, but she was doing better. Since finding out she was pregnant, Matt had always kind of known that Gabby hadn't thought of herself in all this. She was only really focused on their child, which is what had caused so many of the issues between them when they first found out about this pregnancy. He was the only one thinking of what could happen to her, and he knew she hadn't really let it sink in.

But last week had been a harsh dose of reality, and it took her some time to recover from that, he knew that she was still trying to recover. Although he hated seeing her break down like she had, he knew it probably needed to happen. She needed to face what could happen to her, and now that she had, he was determined to help her through it. She was slowly coming to terms with the possible outcomes of this pregnancy, and day by day, he saw her mental state improving. She was doing better, and she had done a much better job of coming to him when everything became too much. Gabby was in a much better place than she had been even a week ago, and he was beyond grateful.

As awful as their circumstances were, he wanted her to be able to enjoy the remainder of this pregnancy. Despite everything, the last thing he wants is for her to be consumed by fear. He knew how terrible it was, he was still struggling with the uncertainties of it all, and he didn't want her to feel that way. He wanted her to be excited and enjoy this experience, and leave the worrying up to him. But they both knew she wouldn't be able to fully enjoy this if she had kept ignoring the reality of their situation.

"I am. I wasn't sure how these weekly appointments were going to go, but if they're all as quick as that, I don't think I'll mind them too much." She spoke with a soft smile, Matt squeezing her leg.

"Yeah, it's kind of an adjustment with our schedules, but it's worth it if it'll help you. And I'll never complain about getting to see our little girl." He responded, Gabby's nose scrunching up as she gave an agreeing nod.

"She is pretty cute." Gabby replied, Matt chuckling as he leaned over, placing a soft kiss on her lips.

"Just like her Momma." He whispered against her, feeling her smile before he kissed her again, their movements slow and gentle until he pulled back, Matt stroking her cheek with his thumb. "So, do you feel up for stopping by Molly's for a bit?" He questioned, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing.

"It's only noon." She replied, Matt shaking his head.

"Not for socializing, Herrmann asked me to come by. I guess there's a leaking pipe or something in the bathroom, I'm not sure. But he wanted me to come take a look before he brought anyone in." Matt explained, Gabby nodding. "I wasn't sure if you would mind sitting around the bar for a bit, I didn't know how tired you were."

"I don't mind." She replied, Matt flashing her a smile as he turned to face the street, making sure she was buckled before he pulled out into the road, heading for the bar.

The drive was relatively quiet, Matt hiding a smile on his face as he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, Gabby's attention mostly focused out the window. Matt pulled up to the curb outside the bar and put the truck in park, the movement causing Gabby to look over at him, suddenly realizing they had arrived.

"Where'd you go?" He asked, tapping against the side of her head.

"Thinking about you, mostly." She responded, Matt's smile widening.

"Anything good?"

"Just how you're going to be such an amazing father." She told him, Matt cradling the side of her head. "And also how you're kind of handsome." She added, Matt's head cocking to the side.

"Just kind of?"

"Well, you've had better days." She responded with a laugh, turning her head to place a kiss against his palm.

"That's cold, Ms. Dawson." He spoke, rubbing the side of her head before dropping his hand, killing the engine as he got out of the truck. Walking towards her side, he helped her out of the vehicle, making sure to lock the doors before they slowly crossed the street, Gabby's arm wrapped around his back.

"So, how long has Jemma been planning this?" Gabby asked, Matt stopping in his tracks as they got on the sidewalk, his lips parting slightly.

"You know?"

"That this is a baby shower? Yes, I know." She spoke, seeing the confused look on his face. "You talk very loudly on the phone." She replied with a smirk, Matt blowing out a heavy breath. "I heard you talking to, I guess Jemma, the other night while I was in the bath."

"Dammit." He breathed out, Gabby chuckling as she patted him on the stomach.

"I'm sorry baby, I know you guys were excited. I wasn't gonna say anything, but I couldn't help myself." She replied, Matt shaking his head with a grin. "Although the lie about Herrmann, I will admit, that wasn't bad. Had I not known already, I definitely would've believed it."

"It took me all morning to come up with that." He mumbled, Gabby stifling a laugh as she pressed a kiss to his neck.

"I'm sorry." She apologized again, Matt narrowing his eyes playfully before placing a kiss on her lips.

"It's okay. Just at least try and act surprised, everyone's really excited for this."

"I'll do my best." She promised, rubbing his side before they continued their walk to the entrance, Matt shaking his head with a smirk as he pulled the wooden door open, nodding at her to go in.

The second she stepped inside, Gabby heard a chorus of clearly unrehearsed 'surprise's being yelled throughout the bar, her eyes widening as she looked around her surroundings, seeing the usually dim atmosphere filled with pink decorations. She saw a table full of gifts in the corner, as well as a cake and table covered in food. All of 51 was here, along with some of the firefighter's wives, everyone from the SAS, and her brother, Gabby smiling wide as she felt Matt come up behind her, placing a hand on her back.

"Wow, guys. This is incredible, thank you." She spoke, Herrmann's eyes narrowing at her as he stepped around the bar.

"Oh, she definitely knew." He said loudly, Gabby biting her bottom lip.

"What?"

"She knew." The older firefighter repeated.

"God dammit Casey." Severide groaned, laughs being heard around the bar as they enclosed around her.

"You had one job, Captain." Kidd called, Matt shaking his head.

"It was an accident." He defended, Gabby smirking up at him. "She heard me on the phone, I didn't even know she knew until a few minutes ago. I thought we were in the clear."

"I told you to leave him out of it, Jemma." Severide spoke, the young paramedic shaking her head.

"It's fine. He got her here, that's better than I expected." She joked, the group laughing as Matt shook his head.

"You've been spending too much time around Severide." Matt told Jemma, the woman chuckling as she walked towards Gabby, bringing her in for a hug.

"Did you do all this?" Gabby whispered into her ear.

"I had help." She responded, rubbing her friend's back before they pulled away, Gabby flashing her a knowing smile.

"Thank you." Dawson spoke, Jemma rubbing her arms before they separated, Severide walking towards the couple.

"Welcome to your _surprise_ baby shower." Kelly said pointedly to Matt as he brought Gabby in for a hug, Casey rolling his eyes.

"Thanks Sev." She responded. "You guys really didn't have to do this."

"It was mostly Jemma, we just followed her lead. She got all this together in like two weeks, but I think it all turned out nicely."

"It did, it looks great in here." She agreed before more people came up to greet her.

It took her awhile to get through everyone, Antonio coming up to her last, giving her a hug before ushering her towards a table to sit down.

"How you feeling, sis?" He asked, sitting down across from her once she got settled.

"Like a whale." She replied, Antonio chuckling as he shook his head. "But I'm okay." She told him, Antonio's gaze lingering on her before he nodded, Gabby's eyes narrowing. "What?"

"What?" He repeated, her head tilting to the side.

"What was that look for?" She elaborated, Antonio shrugging.

"What look?" He questioned, a look of annoyance spreading over her face.

"Antonio…"

"I just wanted to make sure you were okay.. We haven't seen much of each other lately, and I know all this can't be easy." He told ear, Gabby's eyes flickering behind her brother, finding Matt in the crowd speaking to Herrmann and Mouch.

"You've been talking to Casey, haven't you." She stated, Antonio blowing out a breath, turning around to make sure no one was within earshot before looking back to his sister.

"He's worried about you, Gabs." Antonio responded, Gabby sighing deeply. "And after hearing what's been going on, so am I."

"I know I kind of freaked him out." She deflected, Antonio eyeing her for a moment before responding.

"I don't think he cares so much about himself in all this…"

"I know he doesn't, but I wish he would." She replied, shaking her head. "I know these last few weeks have been hard on me, but I was essentially ignoring the realities of this for months. Matt, on the other hand, that's all he's been able to think about since we found out about this baby… I'm worried he's so focused on me he's not taking care of himself."

"Well, in all honesty, he's probably not." Antonio told her bluntly, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "But, I know if I were him, I would need to focus all my energy onto you. That's probably the only way he knows how to deal with it." He spoke, Gabby thinking deeply over his words.

"...I wish it wasn't like this." She eventually murmured, Antonio's lips turning down into a frown. "I mean, I know life isn't supposed to be easy, but some of the things Matt and I have gone through are just cruel." She whispered, Antonio reaching across the table to grab her hand. "This should've been the one thing that was good, and that was simple. But we couldn't even have that."

"It's not fair, Gabby. You're right. It's not fair to either of you, but hopefully everything will be fine. There's not much else you can do now, except hope and pray that everything will turn out alright. And try and enjoy the rest of this pregnancy." He spoke, Gabby's tongue running over her bottom lip as she nodded, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes.

"I need you to look out for him, Antonio." Gabby spoke, her gaze flashing to Matt, seeing him laughing at something being said around the small group of firefighters. "If something happens to me, I need you to make sure he's okay."

"Gabby-"

"Please." She replied firmly, her teary eyes moving back to her brother. "I know this probably isn't fair of me to ask you this, because if something does happen I know it'll hurt you, too. But I need you to be there for him. Please, Tonio." She pleaded, Antonio swallowing the lump in his throat before nodding slowly.

"Okay." He agreed, Gabby releasing a relieved breath.

"Thank you." She whispered, Antonio giving her another nod, squeezing her hand.

"You know this is supposed to be a good day, right?" He joked after a few silent moments, trying to ease some of the heaviness around them, Gabby chuckling softly.

"Yeah, I know.. But there is one more favor I need you to do for me."

"Name it." He replied without hesitation, Gabby breathing deeply as she found his gaze.

"I wrote a letter to Matt." She spoke softly, realization washing over Antonio as his heart sank into his stomach. "I want you to hold onto it for me… and if I die, I need you to give it to him."

"Gabby-"

"There are things I need to say to him, things he needs to hear." She cut in, Antonio rubbing his hand over his mouth. "But I don't want to spend what could be my last moments with him talking about what'll happen if I die. I don't want that. If something happens when I have this baby, I don't want our last words to be about death. But there are things I need him to know, and this is the only way I know how to tell him."

Antonio fell silent, his head hung to the ground as he thought over his sister's request. He knew he couldn't say no, he wouldn't say no. But it was just another reminder of what could happen to her, except this one he had to hold on to.

"I know I've asked a lot of you, and if I do die, I'm asking even more… but I need your help, Antonio."

"Okay." He responded, his voice soft. "I'll hold onto it."

"Thank you." She breathed out, a grateful smile falling onto her face.

"But I'm going to give it back to you." He told her, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "The minute you and Matt get home from the hospital with your girl, I'm giving it back." He spoke, Gabby nodding understandingly.

"I hope so." She replied, flashing him a soft smile, neither Dawson able to hide the tears in their eyes.

"Hey babe." Matt's voice pulled her focus from her brother, seeing him approaching their table, his soft smile falling when he noticed her sad look. "You okay?" Casey questioned, stopping by her side, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"I'm alright." She told him, Matt's eyes flickering back and forth between the siblings. It was clear that whatever they had been talking about was something serious, but Matt knew not to question it here, the firefighter nodding as he placed a kiss against her forehead.

"Okay. Cruz and Otis are getting restless, they were wondering if you cared if we cut the cake." Casey told her, Gabby chuckling as she shook her head, her eyes finding the two firefighters across the room, seeing them standing by the large sheet cake, watching her expectantly.

"Go for it." She called, watching as they high-fived excitedly.

"Thanks mama!" Cruz yelled back, Gabby nodding before returning her attention back to Matt and Antonio.

The day wore on, Gabby mostly staying seated at the table while different combinations of people would come up to her. Although she was extremely grateful for her friends doing this, she tried not to be on her feet too long when she could help it, so she'd taken to stay rooted in her spot, the only constant visitor with her being Matt, who would come and check in on her every fifteen minutes or so.

"So, how'd I do?" Jemma asked with a grin as she walked up to the table currently occupied by Severide and Dawson, Gabby smiling at her.

"This is amazing, Jemma. Thank you for doing all this for me."

"It's the least I could do. And it was fun bossing Severide around." She teased, Kelly huffing out a breath as he stood up to leave.

"Oh yes, it was a blast." He responded sarcastically, patting Jemma's shoulder as he slid past her, the paramedic occupying the seat he had just left.

"So, how are you doing?" Jemma asked, Gabby smiling softly.

"I'm alright. About as alright as I can be." She replied, her partner nodding.

"Good. Did your appointment go okay?"

"It did, the baby's still doing great, and nothing's changed with me really. Everything's fine, as of now." Gabby told her, Jemma nodding as she took a sip of her drink.

"So… any updates on the wedding front?" Jemma asked curiously, Gabby shrugging her shoulders.

"I'm not sure. I know I told you about us getting our marriage license last week, but since then Matt hasn't said anything… I don't know, we'll probably go to the courthouse in the next week or two." She replied, catching an unreadable expression flash across Jemma's face. "Everything okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, I'm good." She covered quickly, "Am I still invited?" She joked, Gabby grinning.

"Of course you are. Matt and I just need to talk and figure out what day we want to do it. It's not gonna be a big thing, but we wanna do it soon. Before I'm too big to walk." Gabby spoke lightly, Jemma shaking her head.

"Please, you're such a cute pregnant lady. You're all belly."

"It's nice of you to lie, I appreciate it." Gabby chuckled, Jemma laughing as well before shifting the subject back to their original topic.

"So you guys did decide to just do it at the courthouse?"

"Yeah. We don't really have the time for a ceremony or anything, and plus it's not really our style. We talked about maybe doing something after she's born, you know, if I'm here." Gabby spoke softly, a slight frown falling onto Jemma's face, the woman nodding understandingly. "But right now we don't need all that. We just want to be married again."

"Who all's gonna be there?" She asked, Gabby shrugging.

"Well, me and Matt, obviously." She spoke, Jemma shaking her head in amusement. "And you, and Severide. Then probably just my brother, and my dad. He wasn't able to be there the first time, so I'd like him to come."

"That sounds nice." Jemma replied, Gabby nodding.

"Yeah, I'm excited." She responded, flashing her a smile before taking a sip of her water.

Across the room, Matt stood against the bar, his eyes occasionally flickering towards Gabby, wanting to make sure she was okay.

"Hey man." Matt's head turned towards the sound, seeing Kelly come up beside him.

"Hey."

"So…" Severide spoke, lowering his voice as he looked around, before his gaze landed back on his friend. "We're still good to go for tomorrow?"

A bright grin fell onto Matt's face, the Captain nodding. "Yup. And you guys got everything?"

"Yes sir. I've already enlisted the help of Herrmann, Kidd, and Brett. Everything's ready."

"Good." Matt replied, his eyes moving back to Gabby.

"She doesn't know, does she?" Severide asked, following his gaze.

"As far as I know, she has no idea." He responded. "But, then again, I had no idea she knew about the baby shower either." He breathed out, Kelly chuckling. "But I have a feeling if she knew, she wouldn't be keeping quiet about it. This is Gabby we're talking about, I love her but she always has to know what's going on." Matt joked, Severide patting his shoulder.

"Well, this is the woman you've chosen to love." He spoke lightly, Matt's smile widening.

"I don't think I ever really had a choice. There was always a part of me that knew I was in love with that woman, from the moment I laid eyes on her I knew she was special..." He responded, watching as Gabby laughed at something Jemma said. "But damn, am I lucky she's decided to love me back."

"Oh, you two are gross." Severide sighed. "It's cute, but still."

"Uh huh." Matt responded, taking another sip of his water before placing the glass on the bar. "Now, can you make yourself useful and help me get these presents out to the truck? I'm not sure how much longer Gabby's gonna be able to stay."

* * *

Matt's tired body rolled over into the middle of the bed, lifting his arm gently, expecting it to rest against a very pregnant Gabby, but he was surprised to feel his skin hit the mattress. The cold bed beside him woke him up completely, Matt lifting his head up, glancing around the room to see it empty. It was bright outside, so he knew it couldn't have been too early, but considering how cold the sheets were beside him, he wasn't sure how long she'd been up.

"Gabby?" He called, his voice echoing throughout the quiet room, getting nothing in response.

Blowing out a sigh, he threw the covers off of himself and sat up, stretching his arms above his head before getting out of bed. Scratching lightly over his stomach, he exited the bedroom, looking around the main section of the apartment, finding it completely empty.

"Gabby?" He called again, walking through the living room, heading for the nursery, knowing that was the last place he had to look.

"Baby?" He asked as he turned the corner, stopping in the doorway when he saw her sitting in the glider, slowly moving back and forth with her hands resting on her belly. Gabby turned to look at him, Matt able to tell she had been lost in thought before she noticed his presence.

"Hey, sorry I didn't hear you."

"It's fine. You okay?"

"I am. After I woke up the last time to go to the bathroom, I couldn't fall back asleep, so I came in here." She told him, knowing he would've been wondering why she wasn't in bed. "I was tempted to start going through our gifts, but I figured I should wait for you." She spoke, nodding to the huge stack of presents from yesterday's baby shower. When they'd gotten back home yesterday afternoon, Matt had to make four trips to get all the gifts inside, the firefighter having put them all in here.

"You could've gone ahead and opened some, I don't mind." He told her, Gabby nodding. "Were you able to get some sleep? I didn't feel you get up all that much."

"I was, yeah. I'm actually feeling good today." She told him, a soft grin coming to his face.

"Well, that's good to hear." He replied, Gabby's head tilting to the side.

"Yeah? And why is that exactly?" She challenged, Matt stepping further into the room, coming to crouch down in front of her.

"Because… how would you feel about getting married today?"

The second the words left his lips, a huge smile formed on her face, tears immediately filling her eyes.

"You're serious?" She questioned, Matt nodding.

"I'm serious. We should get married today." He replied, unable to say anything else before Gabby gripped his shoulders, pulling him towards her, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. Matt steadied himself, placing one hand on the arm on the chair, deepening their kiss as he rested his hand softly over her belly.

When air became a priority, they pulled back, the smile returning to Gabby's face in an instant.

"You really want to get married today?" She asked again, almost like she couldn't believe it was really happening.

"More than anything."

"But what about Sev, and Jemma, and everyone? We can't just go at the drop of a hat." She replied, Matt smirking as he stroked her cheek.

"I may have planned something special…" He spoke, Gabby's smile growing.

"Matt, what did you do?"

"You'll have to wait and see." He responded with a sly grin, leaning forward to press another quick kiss to her lips. "Now, Gabriela Dawson, will you make me the luckiest man in the world, and marry me today?"

"Of course, absolutely I will." She responded immediately, tears clouding her vision as they kissed again, Gabby gripping the back of his neck as they moved together, their movements getting more intense, Matt groaning before pulling back.

"Alright, they'll be plenty of time for that later, woman." He breathed out, Gabby chuckling as she wiped under her bottom lip, cocking her head to the side, Matt swallowing thickly as he shook his head. "You're gonna be the death of me." He murmured, Gabby bringing him back towards her, their lips connecting once more, Matt not pulling back this time.

* * *

Gabby grabbed the plate plate holding her sandwich off the counter, picking up her glass of water before heading into the living room. It was a little past noon, Gabby having been home alone for well over an hour now.

After Matt asking her if she wanted to get married, followed by them opening up a few of the baby's presents, Matt had reluctantly pulled himself away from her, talking about how he needed to shower and run some errands before they went to the courthouse this afternoon.

Gabby wasn't sure how long he was planning on being gone, but if he was out much longer, she knew she'd need to call him to get a better idea of their plan for today's events. But for right now, she was content eating her lunch curled up on the couch.

She had just taken her first bite of food when she heard knocking on the front door, Gabby sighing heavily as she placed her plate on the table, slowly pushing herself up and heading for the door.

Turning the lock, she pulled the door open, Gabby's eyes narrowing in part surprise and part confusion as she saw Jemma standing on the other side of the door, dressed in a light summer dress, her hair down in curls.

"What are you doing here?" She questioned, Jemma's smile widening as she stepped inside, Gabby's confused gaze following her as she shut the door, seeing her friend carrying a garment bag along with a small duffle bag. "Are you going somewhere?"

"No, but you are." She replied, Gabby's confusion only growing as she followed her friend further into her apartment.

"What are you talking about?"

"I was instructed to come here and help you get ready."

"Get ready for what?" Gabby asked, sitting down on the couch, moving her attention back to her lunch.

"That's not important. What is important is that you get cleaned up, and you get into this. Then we're gonna go." She replied, holding up the black bag, Gabby unable to see what was inside.

"Go where?" Gabby tried, Jemma raising her eyebrow.

"I can't say." She spoke shortly, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"I'm assuming Matt is behind this?" She questioned, Jemma grinning as she shrugged. "You're really not gonna tell me anything?"

"Nope. I was told not to."

"Yes, but _I'm_ your best friend, not Matt." Gabby responded, Jemma shaking her head.

"I know, and that's why I'm listening to Matt and not you." She replied with a smirk, Gabby sighing.

"Well, do I at least have time to finish my lunch?"

"Of course. Eat up, then it's shower time."

"Yes ma'am." Gabby said, knowing she wasn't going to get more answers out of her friend.

Gabby finished her food within the next ten minutes, Jemma ushering her quickly towards the bedroom as soon as she was done, reminding her friend that they were on limited time before leaving her alone in the bathroom. Jemma made herself busy while Gabby showered, getting her things ready as well as cleaning up from Gabby's lunch,

When Gabby came out of the bathroom in her robe, Jemma was waiting for her with a bright smile, ushering her over, Gabby seeing the woman had brought in one of the kitchen chairs and placed it in front of the dresser.

"Have a seat."

"What are you doing?"

"I'm gonna fix your hair and you're gonna do your makeup, now sit." She ordered gently, Gabby huffing out a breath before moving to the chair, carefully placing herself down into it.

"You're awful bossy today." Gabby breathed out, Jemma smirking as she began working on her hair.

"Well, I'm a woman on a mission." She replied vaguely, Gabby shaking her head before letting her work.

In under an hour, they got Gabby's hair fixed and her makeup done, Jemma having pulled it back into a low bun, having two braids on either side of her head connect into it. It was easy enough to pull off, and, knowing how hot Gabby always got, she knew it would be better to keep the hair off her neck.

"Are you gonna tell me anything now?"

"I am not." Jemma spoke, moving to grab the garment bag she hung up in the doorway, pulling down the zipper.

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she saw the dress inside, Jemma pulling out the white material. It was a simple, knee-length dress, that was light enough for the summer heat.

"This is a little much for the courthouse, isn't it?" Gabby questioned with a grin, Jemma shaking her head, holding out the hanger towards her, Dawson taking it slowly.

"Just go get dressed, before I have to force you into it." She responded, Gabby chuckling before she moved towards the bedroom. "And don't mess up your hair." She called just as Gabby shut the door.

She reemerged in a few minutes, a bright smile forming on Jemma's face when she saw her. The dress was sleeveless, and flowed out starting under her chest, laying perfectly over her belly. It ended a little above her knees, Gabby smoothing it done over her stomach, her hands resting under her bump.

"Does it look okay?" She asked, Jemma nodding as she blinked back the tears in her eyes.

"You look absolutely stunning. Matt's gonna lose it when he sees you." She commented, heat rising to Gabby's cheeks as she walked towards the bed, carefully sitting down. Jemma had gotten her a pair of white flats to compliment the dress, the paramedic knowing that was the best choice of footwear for her heavily pregnant friend.

Once Gabby had slid her shoes on, Jemma held out her hand, offering to help Dawson up.

"Now, let's go get you married." Norris told her, Gabby taking a deep breath before nodding, following her friend out of the room.

* * *

Gabby felt nerves rising in her stomach as they drove through the streets of Chicago, Jemma ignoring her multiple attempts to get more information about what was going on. Gabby realized pretty quickly after they left the apartment that they weren't going to the courthouse, her friend driving off in the complete opposite direction.

"You're seriously not gonna tell me where we're going?" Gabby questioned one last time, Jemma chuckling as she shook her head.

"You are so impatient, just wait." She replied, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before looking back out the windshield.

"Well, I'm sorry it's just that until this morning I didn't even know this was happening today, but I have the feeling you knew about this before I did, and- wait." Gabby cut herself off, taking in her surroundings. "What are we doing at the firehouse?" She questioned, Jemma's smile widening as she pulled into the driveway.

Gabby could see inside the garage as they pulled up, seeing all the rigs gone, now replaced by an altar in the middle of the room, chairs set up on either side. Her breath caught in her throat as she caught a glimpse of Matt waiting for her in front of everyone, Gabby turning towards her friend, tears welling in her eyes.

"Let's go get you married." She responded, blinking back her own tears as Gabby nodded, carefully wiping under her eyes before unbuckling her seatbelt.

Gabby got out of the car, seeing Antonio and her father walking towards her, both of them in dress pants and a button down, a watery smile resting on her face.

"What is all this?" She asked, Ramon getting to her first, pulling her in for a hug, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"This is your day, mija." He whispered, Gabby sniffling before turning to her brother, Antonio pulling her into a hug.

"We're here to walk you down the aisle." He spoke, a lone tear escaping down her cheek, Ramon quickly wiping it away. "Last chance, you sure you want to be with Matt forever?" He asked teasingly, Gabby chuckling as she lightly hit his stomach.

With her father and brother on either side of her, Gabby began slowly walking towards the garage, tears filling her eyes as music began playing, everyone standing up. Her eyes locked on Matt, his shining gaze meeting hers, a wide smile filling his face.

Taking a quick glance around, she saw everyone from 51 in the audience, Jemma having snuck in and joined them, Gabby's eyes moving around until she landed back on Matt, unable to stop the slow tears rolling down her face. He was wearing black dress pants, and a blue button down, looking as handsome as ever as she slowly approached him.

When she got to the altar, Ramon and Antonio both took turns kissing her cheek, giving her quick hugs before Matt held out his hand, Gabby grabbing ahold of it as she stood across from him, his teary eyes moving over her form, a gasp of air leaving his lips.

"You're… you're absolutely gorgeous." He breathed out, shaking his head as he met her watery eyes, Gabby's smile lighting up her face, the sight bringing more tears to his eyes.

"What is all this, Matt?" She asked softly, feeling him squeeze her hands.

"It's our wedding." He responded, blinking back the fresh tears in his eyes as the ceremony started, Matt unable to peel his eyes off of her.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Matthew Casey and Gabriela Dawson, as they declare their love and commitment to one another in front of their friends and family."

Casey tried to focus on the words being said to him, knowing this was one of the most important days of his life, but every time he caught sight of the joyful smile gracing Gabby's lips, he couldn't help but get lost in her presence. She was glowing, she was absolutely beautiful, and he was having a hard time focusing on anything else.

"Mr. Casey." The minister prompted, Matt glancing towards him. "Would you like to share your vows?"

"Yes, I would." He responded, clearing his throat before returning his attention to Gabby, drawing in a deep breath. "Gabriela Dawson, I'm not sure how much there is for me to say that I haven't told you a hundred times before, but I'll never stop telling you how much I love you. You are my world, you mean everything to me." He breathed out, fresh tears filling her eyes. "There isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep you safe, and keep our daughter safe. You two are the most important people in this world, and I am so lucky to have you, to have the both of you. Even before we got together, you were always there for me. You have been there for me from the moment we met, you have helped me through some of the hardest times in my life. And I can say without any doubt that you have completely changed my life, for the better. You are the most selfless, and wonderful, and giving person I have ever known. And I know you have made me a better person. You challenge me, even when I would rather you didn't," He spoke lightly, Gabby chuckling as she wiped away some of the tears escaping down her cheeks. "You support me, you encourage me, you're the one person I know I can always turn to no matter what… You have given me everything. You gave me a family. You _are_ my family, and I can never thank you enough for being apart of my life. You have made me the happiest man on this planet, and I promise to do everything within my power to keep you, and our girl, safe." Matt did his best to keep his voice steady, but he was having a hard time keeping his emotions under control. "You can always come to me, no matter what it is. I promise to always be there for you, I promise to love you for the rest of my life… You are my best friend, and I can't wait to spend the rest of our lives together. No matter how much time we get, it'll never be enough. But I am beyond grateful to be here, with you, right now. I'll never stop being thankful for you, for you loving me and choosing me. I love you so damn much, baby. I love you more than anything, and I can't wait to be your husband. Again." He finished, tears streaming down her face, Gabby smiling as she swallowed back a sob, bringing her hand up to cradle his face.

"I love you." She whispered, stroking his cheek.

"Ms. Dawson." The minister spoke, Gabby nodding before taking a deep breath, Matt wiping away a few of her tears as she gathered herself.

"Okay, well bear with me because I didn't know we were doing this today." She spoke, Matt chuckling as laughs were heard around the group. Casey mouthed an 'I love you', the action grounding her before she spoke.

"Matthew Casey, I have never known any man as good as you, and I know I never will. I've known you for a very long time, and when we first met I never imagined this is where we'd end up, but I am thankful everyday that we did. Because I am lucky enough to get to be loved by you, I get to see first hand just how incredible you are. You have shown me a life I never knew I'd have, and a love I wasn't even sure existed. I haven't always made it easy, I know that, and there were times where I wasn't sure what would happen with us, but your endless love for me has made my worst days better. You have given me everything, selflessly. Even in the times of uncertainty, in my heart I knew you'd be there if I needed it. Time and time again you sacrifice yourself for me, and I can never thank you enough for the amount of love you have given me. You make my hard days easier, you make my good days even better, but most importantly you make _me _better. I'm the best version of myself when I'm with you, and I can never thank you enough for that." Her voice was unsteady, Matt squeezing her hands tightly, smiling brightly as he encouraged her to continue. "You talk about how lucky you are that I chose you, but it was never a choice. You had me from the moment we met. I have loved you forever, and I know, without a doubt, I will love you for the rest of my life." She told him, her voice faltering as more tears escaped down her cheeks, Gabby seeing a few fall from his eyes as well. "I promise to always love you, and care for you. And do everything I can for both you and our daughter. I promise to always support you, and to be by your side for the rest of my life. You are everything I could've ever dreamed of, Matt, and I'll never stop being grateful for getting to love you. You are the most important person in my life, without question. I love you more than I even know how to put into words... Thank you for loving me just as much." She finished, Matt wiping away more of her tears as they stood there, emotion overwhelming them both.

"Do you all have your rings." The minister spoke, Gabby glancing to Matt, seeing him nod before turning around to Severide, taking the necklace with her wedding ring on it.

"I know you can't wear it right now, so this'll have to do." He spoke, Gabby chuckling as she nodded, the minister speaking up again.

"Do you, Matthew Casey, take Gabriela Dawson to be your lawfully wedded wife? From this day forward, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?" He asked, Gabby drawing in a shaky breath, Matt nodding as he placed the chain around her neck.

"I do." He responded, tears sliding down her cheeks as the ring fell against her chest, the two basking in the moment before Gabby spoke up.

"I don't have your ring, I didn't know…" Gabby responded, Matt shaking his head with a grin as he nodded behind her, Gabby turning to see Antonio standing there, holding out Matt's ring. Flashing him a thankful smile, she turned back around, breathing deeply as they continued the ceremony.

"Do you, Gabriela Dawson, take Matthew Casey to be your lawfully wedded husband? From this day forward, to have and to hold, for better, for worse, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do you part?"

"I do." She responded through her tears, slowly sliding the ring onto his finger, Matt's smile widening as he gripped her hands in his.

"By the power vested in me by the State of Illinois, I now pronounce you husband and wife." He spoke, fresh tears filling their eyes. "You may now kiss the bride."

Without another word, Matt pulled her into him, the two connecting in a gentle, emotion-filled kiss as their friends cheered around them, celebrating the newlywed couple as they pulled apart, their foreheads resting against one another.

"I love you." She breathed out, Matt wiping away the stray tears left on her cheeks.

"I love you, too. Forever." He responded, bringing her in for another kiss.

* * *

Gabby sat in the middle seat of his truck, leaned into Matt's side as he carefully drove through downtown Chicago, her head resting on his shoulder while one of her hands was placed on his chest, the other fiddling with the seatbelt around her expanding waist.

"Today was perfect." She murmured, her thumb toying with one of the buttons on his shirt, Matt smiling as he placed a kiss against her head, his eyes never leaving the road.

After the ceremony had ended, the party had begun as they celebrated for hours in the garage. Gabby spent most of her time at her table, trying to stay off her feet as much as possible, content to watch on as her friends had a good time. Throughout the entire day, she never understood how Matt had managed to get all of this together. She wasn't sure how long he'd been planning this, or how he managed to get first shift out of the firehouse all day, but clearly he'd had help. She wasn't sure who all had been in on the ceremony, but she had a feeling she was one of the few who didn't know about it.

The couple had thoroughly enjoyed their evening with all their friends, Gabby taking in the special moment as much as she could. Every moment they shared she tried to imprint it in her mind; her and Matt's first dance, when they cut the cake, and when people started making speeches about them, some of which were more colorful than others.

It was a day full of nothing but love, and Gabby wasn't sure if she'd ever been happier. But she had a feeling the night was going to get a lot better, Matt having informed her before they left that he had gotten them a hotel room for the evening, wanting their makeshift honeymoon to be special.

They couldn't really go anywhere, with work and her being later in her pregnancy, but Matt wanted to do what he could to make this entire day perfect. And a night at a hotel was the best way to do so.

"I'm so glad you liked it." He responded as he pulled up to the front of the hotel, putting his truck in park. Gabby looked up at the building, her eyes widening slightly as she undid her seatbelt.

"Matt, I think this place is too fancy for us." She joked, Matt shaking his head as he got out of the car, coming around to her side after handing his keys to the valet and pocketing the ticket.

"Nope. It's perfect for our wedding night." He replied, helping her out of the truck before shutting the door, grabbing a duffle bag from the truck bed.

"You really thought of everything, didn't you?" She questioned with a grin, Matt smiling as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Well, I figured having clothes would be nice." He answered, Gabby chuckling as they made their way inside.

Within minutes they got to their room, Matt letting her open the door as he stood behind her holding their things, Gabby's eyes widening as she walked into the spacious room.

"Matt… this is too much." She breathed out, Matt following her in, letting the door fall closed behind him.

"No, it's not." He responded, Gabby walking further into the room. There was a huge king bed in the middle of the room, a tray with a variety of fruit and sparkling cider placed in the center of it, Gabby looking from the bed out into the city, their room giving them a beautiful view of Chicago as she walked over to the window.

"This is amazing." She spoke softly as he moved the food on the bed over to the coffee table in front of the couch before walking towards her. Gabby saw him come up behind her through the window, Casey wrapping his arms around her waist, resting his hands on her stomach. "All of it. Everything today was just… absolutely incredible." He smiled softly at her words, placing a delicate kiss on her neck, Gabby tilting her head to give him more access.

"I love you." He murmured against her skin, Gabby grinning as she leaned her weight back into him, Matt standing firmly in his spot to support them both, his hands moving softly over her belly.

"I love you, too… husband." She added, feeling his grin widen against her neck, Matt placing a gentle kiss there before pulling back, resting his chin on her shoulder. "But really, how long had you been planning all this?"

"Honestly, not very long. I just had a lot of help." He replied, Gabby resting her hand over her chest, grasping her wedding ring. "I know we said we were just going to go to the courthouse, and originally I agreed, but then I thought about it and I really wanted us to have a ceremony… I got the idea and couldn't let it go. I'm just glad you liked it."

"I loved it." She corrected softly, reaching down to pick up one of his hands, bringing it up to her lips to place a soft kiss against his skin, her actions earning a smile from him. "Seriously, I have the most amazing husband in the world."

Matt couldn't get enough of hearing her refer to him that way. Even though they never stopped feeling as if they were married, it felt different now. They were actually husband and wife again, and it made him happier than he thought possible.

"Well, my wife deserves the best." He replied, Gabby smiling as she rested his hand over her chest, the two enjoying one another's warm embrace. "I wanted to give you a wedding. A real wedding." He told her, Gabby frowning softly.

"Matt, any wedding would've been amazing. The only part I cared about was getting married to you again."

"I know. But I just wanted today to be perfect."

"It was. It was beyond perfect." She whispered, turning around in his embrace, Matt's hands moving to her hips as she faced him. Her hands moved to his chest, Matt leaning towards her to capture her lips in a soft kiss, his hands beginning to roam across her hips and along her back as she deepened their movements.

Gabby's fingers began undoing the buttons on his shirt, Matt grinning as her quick hands suddenly had the clothing halfway open before she dropped to his belt, beginning to work on that. Once she rid him of the item, she unbuttoned his pants, pulling his shirt from them and finishing her work on the buttons, the material soon hanging off his body.

Her hands roamed his bare chest underneath the clothing, Gabby sliding her palms up over his shoulders, pushing the shirt off as she went, the two only separating for quick moments when they needed to breathe.

They both kicked off their shoes, Gabby pushing his pants down his hips, Matt helping her the rest of the way, throwing them onto the couch. Once down to his boxers, he moved his attention to her, gently turning her around, placing deliberate kisses on her exposed shoulder as he slowly unzipped her dress, pushing the material off her body and letting it fall straight to the floor.

Helping her turn back to face him, his breath caught in his throat as his eyes ran over her body, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as she stood there in her underwear, Matt taking her in.

"God, you're beautiful." He breathed out, using his thumb to pull her lip from her teeth, grabbing her hands and leading her to the bed, helping her sit down on the edge. Once she was seated, he moved back towards the window, pulling the curtains closed, effectively cutting them off from the outside world.

Matt walked back to her, Gabby taking the moment to look at his nearly bare form as he stopped in front of her, pushing her legs apart slightly, giving him room to crouch in between them, his forearms resting on her thighs.

She brought her hand up to his head, brushing her fingers through his hair as he smiled, Matt ducking his head to place chaste kisses all over her thighs, Gabby thoroughly enjoying the feeling of him. Lifting his head up, Matt met her gaze as he reached behind her back, snapping open her bra with one hand, expertly freeing her from the material and tossing it to the side.

"I love you." He murmured, his eyes focusing on the wedding band around her neck, Matt leaning forward to place a gentle kiss on her upper chest beside the ring, Gabby scratching the back of his neck.

"I love you, too." She replied, Matt moving his hands along her sides, his eyes moving lower as he took in the sight of her bare chest, his smile growing.

Wordlessly, he stood up straight and took her hand, Matt wanting to help her get comfortable on the bed before he climbed in behind her, the two more than ready for their night together.

* * *

Matt stepped out of the bathroom, a soft smile coming to his face as he saw Gabby fast asleep in the middle of the bed, lying on her side as she was tucked under the sheets. Moving as quietly as possible, Matt climbed into bed, settling down by her stomach, gently rubbing his hand over her bump.

"Hey baby girl." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her stomach over the sheet. "I'm not sure if you know this, but your Momma married me today, kid." He could help but smile as he said the words out loud, glancing up to see Gabby still resting. "And what made it all the better was you being there with us." He continued, resting his head in his free hand, feeling their little girl move under his touch. "Today was one of the absolute best days of my life. Along with when I married her for the first time, which is a story for another time… I'm sure you'll hear all kinds of stories about your mom and me as you grow up, and I won't lie to you, we were stupid at times. But we never stopped loving each other. And we'll never stop loving you, little girl." He murmured, rubbing his thumb as he felt her kick.

"I'm sorry for waking you up, but I wanted you to know how much I love you. How much the both of us love you. Your Momma is the most important person in my life, but here pretty soon I'm going to have the two most important people. You and you mom mean everything to me, and I'm gonna spend the rest of my life making sure you both know that." He spoke softly, pressing another kiss against Gabby's stomach. "Sleep well, baby girl. I love you, always." He finished, giving her one last kiss before adjusting himself up beside Gabby. Slipping under the covers, he faced Gabby, leaning a few inches forward to place a soft kiss on her forehead.

Gabby subconsciously leaned into him, her hand blindly reaching out towards his chest, her upper half curling into him while she lay at an angle, allowing her to be close to Matt while giving her belly room to breathe.

"Goodnight." She mumbled sleepily, Matt smiling as he placed another kiss to the top of her head, placing his hand over hers.

"Night baby." He responded, Gabby barely hearing his words before she fell back asleep, her exhaustion taking over, Matt soon following her lead as he slipped into a peaceful state of unconsciousness.

* * *

**Well, there it is. I hope you all enjoyed the wedding! I know it was a long time coming, and hopefully it didn't disappoint. I am so excited to hear what you thought of this, thank you for reading!**

**Baby Casey is coming soon, I hope you're excited!**


	54. Chapter Fifty Four

**Well, here is another one for you guys. I absolutely loved reading your reactions to the last chapter, I'm so glad you all liked the wedding.**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter as well, although I do feel the need to apologize in advance.. Just remember as you're reading this that, as far as I know, I haven't let you guys down yet. But yeah, I'm sorry for this.**

**Happy reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Four**_

* * *

Gabby stretched her arms above her head as she waited for the water to get to her desired temperature, pulling Matt's shirt from her body and letting it drop to the floor before stepping in, closing the door behind her as quietly as possible. She knew showers themselves weren't typically the quietest thing in the world, but she was trying her hardest to not wake Matt. It was still early, they had shift in a few hours and she wanted him to get as much rest as possible.

As she began her shower, Gabby couldn't help but think over the last few days. It had been a week since their wedding, and it had been one of the best weeks of her life. There was an indescribable feeling that arose in her chest every time she thought about how her and Matt were finally married again, and it made her feel like the luckiest woman in the world.

Nothing within their relationship had changed really; Matt was still Matt, he was still the same loving and attentive man he had been before the ceremony, but still, something about it felt different. It felt like things were finally back to normal, like they had finally fixed what had been broken over a year ago when they stood in their kitchen and had the worst fight of their lives. Gabby remembers the hopelessness she felt that day, how she feared they had done irreparable damage to one another and their relationship. And, for awhile, it seemed like they had. They had ruined not only themselves, but one another. Yet they managed to overcome it. They got through it, they came out the other side stronger, and now that they were married again, everything finally felt like it was back in place. Everything felt right, and she'd always be grateful for that.

Gabby was pulled from her thoughts as she felt the all too familiar tightening in her lower stomach, a soft groan escaping her lips as her muscles clenched uncomfortably, Gabby bracing her hand against the shower wall.

Over the last few days, Gabby had started feeling Braxton Hicks contractions quite frequently, and they were incredibly uncomfortable. They didn't hurt, thankfully, but she didn't love them. The first time it happened, she was freaked out, understandably so. But after a call to Dr. Tanner, her worries were quickly alleviated, though unfortunately the tightness hadn't been.

She knew this was normal, that it was all part of her body preparing itself for having this baby, but it didn't mean she had to like it. Thankfully, the contractions usually stopped soon after they started.

But what wasn't normal was the tensing that suddenly started in her back, Gabby frowning as her back tightened uncomfortably, gasping in part shock and part pain as her muscles started spasming. Releasing a long groan, Gabby turned towards the shower wall, resting her head against her forearm as she tried to stretch out the muscles in her back. But her movements were only making the spasm worse, Gabby wincing as she pressed her hand into her back.

She tried to focus on her breathing, knowing there wasn't much else she could do except wait it out. But as the tensing continued to get worse, she wasn't sure how much longer she could handle it. And the second her Braxton Hicks contractions started up again, she knew she needed to get the spasming to stop or it would become unbearable.

Blowing out a frustrated sigh, she turned her head back, looking towards the half open door out into their bedroom.

"Matt…" She called, unsure if she was loud enough to wake him up. He was a light sleeper most of the time, and in this moment she was thankful for that, Gabby hoping it wouldn't take much to pull him from his slumber. But after thirty seconds passed and he hadn't appeared, she tried again. "Matt!"

In the bedroom, Matt's eyebrows furrowed as he shot up in bed, shaking his head as he tried to clear the fog his brain was in. He wasn't sure what happened, but while he was dreaming he suddenly heard Gabby yelling his name in the midst of his sleep. He initially hadn't thought it was real, that it had just happened in his dream, but when his vision cleared and he turned to see her side of the bed empty, he knew it might've been more real than he initially thought.

"Gabby?" He called, registering the sound of the shower running.

"Matt!" He heard from the bathroom, Casey scrambling out of the bed the second the sound of her voice hit his ears, his legs nearly getting caught in the sheets as he hurried to his feet, rushing to the bathroom. Pushing the door open quickly, he saw her standing in the shower, her back to him as she leaned up against the wall.

"What's wrong?" He asked immediately, pulling open the shower door, Gabby shivering as she felt a rush of cold. His eyes ran over her body, looking for any clear signs of distress, but he couldn't notice anything.

"My back- it's spasming or something… I'm sorry for waking you up, but it hurts." She groaned, Matt frowning as his eyes moved to her lower back. His frown deepened when he faintly saw the muscles in her back twitching, Matt shedding his boxers before stepping in with her, closing the door behind him.

"Where does it hurt?" He asked, wanting to make sure he got the right spot. Gabby blindly brought her arm down, reaching for his hand and guiding it to her back. Without another word, Matt began to carefully work over her muscles, Gabby intaking a sharp breath. He pulled his hands away instantly, looking up at her in worry. "Did that hurt?"

"Yes, but it was helping." She responded, Matt nodding before going back to work, feeling the resistance under his fingertips.

He could feel her slowly starting to relax as he continued massaging her back, Gabby breathing deeply as her muscles became less tense. Matt wasn't sure how long he spent rubbing over her back, but when he felt no more spasming under his touch, he moved around to massage other parts of her body, doing what he could to help relieve the tension.

Gabby released a moan of appreciation as he hit a particularly sore muscle, his movements soon dulling the ache. Matt had always been good with his hands, Gabby knew that better than anyone, but what she had come to appreciate over the last few months was just how good he was at giving massages. Matt was always able to hit a sore spot better than she ever could, and it had proven to be useful multiple times during her pregnancy.

"Feeling better?" He asked as he slowly moved his way up her back, beginning to rub away the tension from her shoulders.

"I am." She breathed out, another moan escaping her lips as he dug his thumb into the base of her neck.

Matt soon finished massaging her back, ducking his head to press a soft kiss to her shoulder, Gabby pushing herself off the wall, carefully turning to face him.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt smiling as his hands moved to her waist, Gabby's hands coming to rest against his wet chest.

"Of course."

"I am sorry about waking you up, though." She repeated, Matt shaking his head. "I tried to just let it pass, but it got too uncomfortable."

"I'm glad you woke me up, I don't want you to be in pain." He responded, rubbing his thumb over her hip. "Besides, it gave me an excuse to shower with you, which is never something I'd turn down." He spoke with a grin, Gabby biting her bottom lip as she shook her head.

"Yeah, I know you wouldn't." She replied, watching as his eyes moved down to her bare chest, Gabby chuckling before gripping his chin, lifting his head back to meet her gaze. "But I also know I woke you up a lot during the night, I was trying to let you sleep."

"You did seem pretty restless." He agreed, sliding his hands up and down her sides, the warm water falling down on them.

"Your child kept moving around a lot," She responded, Matt grinning in amusement. "And I woke up to those contractions a few times, and then, you know, there was the usual having to pee every hour." She breathed out, Matt frowning as he leaned forward, placing a kiss between her eyebrows.

"I can't even imagine how hard this has all been, but you're amazing. You know that, right?"

"You've told me once or twice." She replied, Matt's hands continuing to move over her slick body, transitioning from resting on her sides to roaming around her back.

"Well, I haven't told you enough." He responded, Gabby pressing a kiss to his collarbone. "You're absolutely incredible, and I'm so thankful for everything you're doing for our baby girl."

"She's more than worth it." Gabby whispered against his skin, Matt leaning his head against hers, the couple enjoying their intimate, quiet moment together.

Eventually she pulled herself from his grasp, the two shifting so Gabby could be under the water, rinsing through her hair as she inadvertently gave Matt quite the good view.

"I still need to shower, I didn't get very far earlier." She spoke, Matt's eyes roaming her body, a small smile tugging on his lips.

"Do you mind if I stay awhile?" He asked, finding her gaze again, Gabby chuckling as she shook her head.

"Of course not, as long as you actually let me shower." She spoke pointedly, Matt shrugging with a smirk.

"I can do that." He replied, extending his arm out to rest his hand over her stomach while she began washing her hair, Matt doing his best to not distract her too much while they prepared for the day ahead.

* * *

Gabby laced her fingers with Matt's as they began walking up the driveway towards the firehouse, Casey carrying both their shift bags as he always does. As they slowly moved up the driveway, Gabby couldn't help but smile as she felt Matt's wedding band resting in between her fingers.

He'd been wearing it for weeks, in fact he'd rarely taken it off since she placed it back on his finger after her proposed, but she loved the reminder that they were now legally married again, and it made her happy that he was wearing it on shift this time around. After their first wedding a few years back, Matt had made the decision to not wear his ring on shift. He'd asked her about it, to make sure she was fine with it, saying he didn't want to risk losing it, or it getting messed up. Gabby, of course, told him it was fine. She understood, and she'd never force him into wearing it, but she'd be lying if she said it didn't sting a little. Gabby never told him, she didn't want it to become a big deal when it didn't need to be, but she was so excited he'd decided to wear it to shift this time. Every time she caught a glimpse of the ring of his finger, it made her heart swell with pride. It made her feel so incredibly grateful that they'd gotten to where there are right now, that they'd overcome everything life had thrown at them.

"Your back hasn't hurt you anymore, has it?" Matt asked as he looked down towards her, Gabby staring blankly ahead while they walked, Matt grinning as he saw the soft smile on her face, clearly lost in her own thoughts. "Baby." He prompted, squeezing her hand, snapping her from her thoughts. Gabby blinked a few times before turning towards him, a sheepish look covering her face as she saw him watching her expectantly.

"What'd you say?" She asked him, Matt grinning.

"I asked you if your back was hurting you anymore." He repeated, Gabby shaking her head as she pressed her lips together.

"No, it's not." She responded as they stepped into the garage, the couple walking in between the rigs.

"What were you thinking about?" He questioned, Gabby smiling shyly, Matt looking at her in curiosity.

"Nothing much." She replied, scrunching her nose up. "Just thinking about some guy." Matt's grin widened as he stopped them beside 81, rubbing his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Oh yeah, what's he like?"

"Well, he's this amazing firefighter, a great Captain." She spoke, Matt cocking his head to the side.

"So you're thinking about Garcia, huh?" Matt joked, Gabby's eyes narrowing in disgust as she pushed against his chest, Matt chuckling.

"Absolutely not." She replied instantly. "The guy I'm thinking of is a much better man than that prick." Gabby spoke, Matt biting back a smirk as they continued walking. "And the guy I'm talking about also happens to be my husband."

"Lucky bastard." Matt breathed out, Gabby looking at him with an amused expression, shaking her head.

"There are the newlyweds!" Kelly shouted as the couple walked around the front of 81, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"Sev, that's the first thing you've said to us the last two shifts. How much longer is that going to last?" Dawson asked as they continued their walk towards the firehouse, Severide coming up to walk alongside them.

"I don't know, how long are you guys considered newlyweds?" Severide questioned, Matt shrugging. "Oh come on, you should know this. You've done this twice now."

"Not funny." Matt responded as Gabby glared at the squad Lieutenant, Severide holding open the door for them.

"It was a little funny." Kelly muttered under his breath, Gabby shooting him another glare as they headed for the locker room, Severide trailing behind the couple, Matt keeping his tight grip on her hand while they moved. "So, Dawson, how's the little nugget doing?" Severide asked as they got into the room, Gabby flashing smiles to Brett, Foster, and Kidd who were all huddled together.

"She's doing good, she's definitely running out of room in there though." Gabby told him, moving to her locker. "But she looked good last week, we have our next appointment tomorrow so we'll get to see her again then."

"How has that been, having so many appointments?" Kidd questioned, Gabby glancing towards her friend.

"It's been a lot, I won't lie. But it's been really exciting getting to see all her development week to week."

"I'm glad we do them." Matt chimed in, everyone glancing towards him. "With what we're dealing with, going to all these appointments gives us some reassurance, and if anything with her changes," Matt nodded towards Gabby while he spoke, "we know right away." His words earned some understanding nods from around the room, Gabby flashing him a small smile.

"Is everything still okay with you, Gabby?" Brett asked, Dawson nodding.

"Yeah, I'm doing alright." She responded, Matt watching her closely. "My aneurysm has gotten a little bigger, though…" She told them, Brett's eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"So what does that mean for you?" The blonde asked.

"Well, right now, not much. We're just keeping an eye on it. My doctor has been great, she has plans in place for essentially every possible outcome, but right now all we can do is monitor it. And I just have to make sure I'm careful and that I take it easy." She told them.

"Do you know how much longer you'll be able to work?" Kidd asked, Gabby shaking her head.

"I don't. It won't surprise me if she tells me tomorrow that I need to stop, but it depends. I feel good, but I know I haven't been much help the last few weeks anyway." Gabby spoke with a chuckle.

"That's not true." Foster cut in, shaking her head. "You've been doing what you can, and plus we like having you here."

Matt grinned at Emily's words, glancing to Gabby, seeing a thankful smile on her face.

"Yeah, and plus your experience is just as much help as you physically being able to help. Trust us, we've loved having you back on 61." Brett told her, Gabby ducking her head.

"It's been great being back, I missed it."

"We're gonna miss you here. Obviously, we want what's best for you and the baby, we don't want you working past when you should, but we're gonna miss you."

"I'm gonna miss you guys, too." She replied, putting her bag into her locker, feeling Matt's eyes on her. "But maybe I'll get lucky and she'll allow me to work another week."

"Yeah, hopefully." Brett smiled, Gabby closing her locker and turning towards her friends. "You do seem like you've been feeling good, considering you're very pregnant." The blonde joked, Gabby nodding.

"Oh, I am definitely very pregnant. I can't do anything without something hurting. And those Braxton Hicks contractions are no joke." She breathed out, Foster shaking her head.

"God, I can't even imagine." Emily spoke with a grimace.

"How painful are they?" Kidd asked, Gabby shrugging.

"They're not too bad, most of the time, but they're definitely uncomfortable. I know they're just part of it, but I could do without them."

"Wait, so you're just, like…" Kelly started, Gabby glancing back towards him to see him clenching his hands in front of his waist repeatedly, visualizing his words. "Contracting right now?" He asked, Gabby chuckling as Matt scoffed.

"Sev…" Casey spoke, shaking his head.

"What? It's just a question."

"I'm not right now, no. But, when I'm having them, yes." She responded, Kelly's eyes moving to her stomach, the man shaking his head as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"That's messed up." He replied, stretching out his back, Gabby shaking her head in amusement. "Can you like… see the kid in your stomach?" He asked, glancing back and forth between Dawson and Casey, Matt nodding.

"Yeah, sometimes." He responded, Kelly grimacing. "If she's kicking a lot, depending on how she's positioned, we can see her moving under Gabby's skin." Matt spoke, Kelly shaking his head with a look of disgust on his face.

"That's so gross, I'm sorry but just… No." He replied, the women laughing as Matt narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"Really Kelly?" Matt questioned, Severide putting his hands up in defense.

"You've felt her move before." Gabby added.

"I know, but I couldn't actually see her in there. I'm sorry, I get it's the miracle of life, yada yada yada, but that's so weird. It's like an alien in there." He replied, shaking his head. "I'm happy for you, and you know I love that kid, but I'll love her a lot more when she's, you know, out of you."

The bells rang throughout the house before anyone could respond to Severide, signaling all companies to a structure fire a few blocks away.

Blowing out a sigh, Casey closed his locker, shaking his head at Kelly as they began heading for the garage, the firefighters and paramedics of 51 preparing themselves for their first call of the day.

* * *

Gabby sat in the back of the ambo, her feet resting on the pavement beneath her as she watched on at the scene in front of her. They had gotten called to the fire around half an hour ago, and, luckily, there was no one here, so ambo's services weren't needed, the three paramedics only staying on the off-chance something happened to one of their firefighters while they put out the fire.

They had just finished up, engine doing one last check as Casey came over to the ambo, Gabby smiling up at him.

"Hello." She spoke, holding up her hand to block the sun from her eyes, Matt moving around until his head blocked the bright light from blinding her, Gabby flashing him a thankful grin.

"Hey there. Is your back feeling better?" He asked, Gabby giving him a nod.

A few minutes after they'd gotten to the call, Gabby's back had started acting up again, the paramedic doing what she could to get the spasming to stop. With Casey in Captain mode, he wasn't in any position to try and help her, so she just had to ride it out. Luckily, it wasn't nearly as intense as it had been this morning, and it passed rather quickly.

"I'm fine." She replied, eyeing him curiously, unsure of how he knew, Matt smiling sheepishly.

"Foster told me." He answered her silent question, Gabby nodding understandingly. "Does it still hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. I am tired, though." She responded honestly, Matt giving her a sympathetic smile.

"You can just take it easy the rest of the day, you know no one will mind."

"I know, but I'm okay right now. Although, I know it's not the most professional thing, but I might need you to give me a back rub later, if we have time." She spoke, Matt grinning as he gave her a nod.

"Of course. We'll find time." He assured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You sure you don't want to take off the rest of shift?"

"It's only the first call of the day, Matt." She responded lightly, earning a shrug from her husband.

"Doesn't matter, you're what matters." He replied simply, Gabby smiling softly.

"I appreciate the concern, and I love you, but I'm alright." She told him, Matt nodding. "But it might be something to talk to Dr. Tanner about tomorrow," She started, Matt waiting for her to elaborate. "I do feel good, and part of me does think I still am okay to work, but I have noticed each call is taking it out of me more than it used to." She told him. "I don't know, I don't want to quit working, and I know I'm gonna be bored out of my mind when I'm stuck at home all the time, but, thinking about her," Gabby's hand moved over her stomach, rubbing gently, "it might be something to consider, going ahead and pulling myself out."

Matt tried to hide the smile on his face, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"What?" She questioned, Matt shaking his head.

"I'm not smiling because you might have to quit working, but I am proud of you for knowing your own limitations." He responded, Gabby rolling her eyes with a playful smile on her face.

"Oh please, I've always been aware of my own limitations, I just ignore them." She replied, Matt chuckling as he leaned down to place a soft kiss against the top of her head.

"Yes, I know." He spoke, Gabby smiling as he pulled back, Matt cradling the side of her face for a few seconds before dropping his hand.

Their conversation was interrupted by Main coming through 61's radios, Gabby and Matt both listening as Brett spoke with the woman, asking ambo to respond to a stabbing victim, Brett agreeing.

"Well, that's my cue." Gabby spoke, standing up slowly, Matt grabbing her arms, helping her up.

"Are you sure you don't wanna sit this one out?" He asked, seeing Brett and Foster coming towards the ambulance, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm good."

"You sure? You can just ride back to the house with us. I'll even let you sit in my seat." Casey offered, Gabby chuckling as he walked with her towards the passenger side door.

"I'm fine, Matt. I promise." She assured him, Matt nodding as he held open the door for her, Gabby climbing in.

"Alright, just be careful." He responded, Gabby nodding as he shut her door, tapping against the frame before heading around to the back. "Watch out for her, please." He asked Foster as she jumped into the back of the ambo, Emily nodding.

"I will, Casey." She responded, Matt closing up the doors, stepping back as they drove away.

* * *

Ambo 61 pulled up to the scene, Brett glancing to Gabby as they started getting out.

"You sure you're up for this? You know we don't mind if you need to stay back." She offered, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm good to go." She responded, the three paramedics heading up to the front door of the home, all of them looking at one another as they saw the door slightly ajar.

"Hello?" Brett called, giving one last glance to her coworkers before slowly pushing the door open. "Chicago Fire Department, did someone call an ambulance?" Brett called, the three listening closely but they heard nothing in response.

"This is creepy." Foster commented, the three of them taking in the scene through the open door. The room was mostly intact, aside from a broken lamp on the ground, a few pieces of mail thrown across the floor. "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah, I agree." Brett responded, putting her head on her radio. "Main, this is 61. Can we get some police backup on our call?"

"_Contacting dispatch now. What's going on?_"

"We're not sure, but the door was open when we got here, and some stuff is broken inside. It might've been a break-in." Brett responded.

"_Okay. CPD is on the way, wait until they arrive before proceeding._"

"Got it." Brett responded, the paramedics taking a step away from the door, Brett dropping her hand from her radio. "I guess we wait." She told them.

But as soon as the words left her lips, they heard a noise come from inside the apartment.

"What was that?" Foster asked, the other two women glancing to each other, all of them falling silent to try and see if they heard it again. And they did.

"That sounds like someone." Dawson spoke, hearing what she could only describe as someone moaning in pain. It was faint, but it was there.

"I'm gonna go in." Foster spoke.

"Emily-"

"Someone's in there, probably injured. I know we were told to wait, but I'm sure CPD will be here soon. We need to try and help." Foster replied firmly, Brett sucking in a deep breath before nodding.

"Fine."

"Dawson, you should stay out here." Emily told her, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "Actually, you should probably got back to the ambulance."

"I agree." Brett added, Gabby sighing. "We don't know what we're dealing with, or if it's dangerous. I don't want to risk anything." The blonde spoke, Gabby seeing her gaze flicker to her stomach.

"Alright." Dawson gave in. "I'll stay out here. But keep your radios live, and be careful." She warned them, both women nodding before slowly stepping inside.

Gabby didn't care to stay outside, but she didn't think it was a good idea to go all the way back to the ambo. If they needed help inside, she didn't want to be too far away, and she figured she'd be safe out here, even though they weren't sure what they were dealing with.

"_See anything, Foster?_" Gabby heard Brett ask, but the woman didn't get a response. "_Foster?_"

"_I found her! It's not looking good, Brett._"

"_Oh my God._" Gabby heard Brett say, Dawson furrowing her eyebrows, wishing she had some idea of what they were seeing.

"_God dammit._" Foster muttered, Gabby able to hear that they were working quickly, hearing their heavy breathing.

"_Foster…_"

"_Just let me try to-_"

"_She's gone, Emily. There's nothing we can do._"

"What happened?" Gabby finally asked, knowing if there was nothing left to be done, she couldn't distract them from their work.

"_She had multiple stab wounds, whoever did this tore her apart…_" Brett told her, Gabby grimacing, suddenly feeling grateful that she hadn't gone in. "_I don't think she ever stood a chance, but- hey!_"

Gabby heard shuffling through the radio, as well as the sound of something breaking inside the house, Gabby's eyes moving to the doorway.

"Brett?"

"_Dawson, he's coming out, don't leave the rig!_"

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed from Brett's words, not understanding what she meant until a presence in the doorway startled her, the man stopping as soon as he saw her. Gabby took in the sight of the clearly distressed man, her eyes widening as she saw blood staining his shirt and his hands, the man gripping a bloody knife.

Gabby took a step back, unable to move much farther as she stood on the ledge, knowing there was a drop of at least five steps behind her.

The man was breathing heavily, Gabby unsure if he even knew what was happening, but when he registered her pregnant belly, a small smirk rose to his face.

"I don't want any trouble." She spoke as his dark eyes focused on her, Gabby doing what she could to mask her fear. "You can go, I won't stop you."

"Dawson…" She heard Brett's voice come from inside the house, the blonde clearly not having realized Gabby hadn't gone to the rig like they told her.

"Guys stay in there." She called back, seeing the man watching her intently.

The sirens in the distance became closer, Gabby seeing the exact moment he heard the sound, his face hardening, holding the knife up at her, Gabby jumping in her skin.

"Did you call the cops?" He questioned.

"I-"

"Did you call the cops?!" He nearly screamed, waving the knife around in front of her face, Gabby shaking her head.

"We called them before we knew you were here, it's protocol, we just responded to a call." She told him, keeping her voice as steady as possible, the man's eyes narrowing on her.

Although her back was to the road, Gabby heard the police car pull up, sirens blaring. Before she could even react, the man grabbed her roughly, turning her around, holding his forearm across her chest, pinning her against his body as he pressed the knife to her neck.

Whimpers left her lips as she saw two cops approaching, drawing their weapons, Gabby feeling the blade press deeper into her skin, the sting she felt telling her he had drawn blood.

"Drop the weapon!"

"Put the knife down!"

"Drop it!"

Gabby could feel him panicking, her eyes slamming closed as she tried to keep herself as calm as possible, ignoring the pain she felt in her neck, and the feeling of being held by this man. She tried to not let fear consume her, but it was a battle she was losing. The feeling of his heavy breath on her skin, and his arm constricting her chest, it sent her thoughts back to that night in Puerto Rico, to the night of her attack. She was reminded of the terror she felt, how she wasn't sure she'd make it out alive. How she'd never been so scared in her entire life, it was all coming back. But Gabby shook her head, trying to force her mind elsewhere as she focused on the sound of her heart beating in her ears.

This wasn't Puerto Rico. She wasn't there, she was here, in Chicago, with Matt. Once this was all over, she'd be able to be back in Matt's arms. This wasn't what happened to her all those months ago. There was help here, she had people looking out for her. This wasn't the same thing, and she knew she'd be fine.

But as much as she tried to tell herself that, as the seconds passed with this man tightening his grip on her, it became harder and harder to believe it.

"Back up right now, or I'll kill her!" The man screamed, Gabby's ears beginning to ring from his proximity to her head, forcing herself to ignore the words he was saying. Even though she hadn't seen what he'd done to the woman inside, from Foster's reaction alone, Gabby knew it was bad, and she was sure he'd have no problem doing something similar to her. "I'll kill her and her baby, now back up!"

Gabby felt the knife moving against her throat as the man argued with the cops, his movements not deep enough to cause significant damage, at least not yet. But they were enough to leave jagged, superficial cuts across her skin, Gabby feeling blood trickling down her neck as she struggled in his grasp.

His hold around her upper chest tightened, Gabby coughing as he was pushing the air from her lungs, her actions causing him to become more agitated.

Everything that happened next was a blur, Gabby unsure of this man's plan as he made the decision to fight two guns with a knife, but all she registered was the feeling of him dropping his arm from around her, Gabby feeling a moment of relief, hoping this was over. But the moment was fleeting, Dawson feeling his hands press into her back as he shoved her roughly forward. She instinctively reached out for the rail to try and do anything to stop her fall, but it proved useless. Gabby's cheek hit the railing hard as she fell, a scream of pain escaping her lips as her stomach connected painfully with the edge of the steps. Dawson tumbled roughly down the stairs, her body taking a beating until her momentum stopped when she landed face down on the sidewalk.

Her body went numb for a few seconds, her mind in a haze as whimpers escaped her lips, laying unmoving on the concrete, Gabby unsure of what exactly had happened as pain suddenly flooded her entire body.

"Gabby!"

She vaguely made out Brett's voice, Gabby feeling someone place their hands on her neck, stabilizing her spine as her face pressed into the ground. Everything sounded muffled, like she was underwater, and she could barely make out anything being said to or around her.

"Gabby, can you hear me?!"

A groan escaped her lips, blinding pain radiating from her abdomen, something she could only explain as feeling like she'd been stabbed, tears filling her eyes as she felt hands roaming different parts of her body, Brett and Foster working on her quickly. She'd never been in this much pain before, Gabby feeling as if her body was slowly shutting down to protect herself. Her eyes were getting heavier, and her mind was feeling weaker. She felt like she was going to lose consciousness at any moment, her body unable to withstand the pain.

"We need to get the stretcher, we've gotta get her to med now." Brett breathed out from her spot at Gabby's head, Emily running to the back of the ambulance. "Gabby, are you still with me?" Brett asked, trying to keep a level head, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw Gabby start to shift on the ground. "Whoa, whoa don't move. Don't move." Sylvie spoke quickly, Gabby not even realizing she was moving until Brett told her to stop. Dawson tried to cease her body's movements, which proved difficult when she hadn't even realized they were happening.

"Brett…" Gabby croaked out, the blonde barely able to hear her.

"It's okay, we're gonna get you to the hospital." She responded, not sure what Gabby was wanting, but she knew the reassurance couldn't hurt.

"Brett." She spoke again, Sylvie leaning down to be closer to her mouth. "Baby…"

The blonde's wide eyes moved to looked at Gabby's stomach, her view obstructed as Gabby had stopped rolling with her stomach pressed against the ground.

"Gabby…"

"Hit… stomach on the- the steps. I think-" She coughed out, unable to say anymore as she fought off every instinct to let her body shut down, Brett pursing her lips together as she blinked back the tears in her eyes. Keeping her hold on Gabby's neck, Sylvie saw Foster come up to her side, pulling the backboard off the bed.

"We're gonna get you out of here Gabby, we've got you, okay?" Brett spoke through gritted teeth, grabbing the c-collar from Foster, putting it around Gabby's neck. "Alright, let's get her on the board." Brett ordered, the paramedics getting everything into place.

Gabby cried out in pain as they carefully turned her back onto the board, beginning to strap her into it before lifting her onto the stretcher.

"I'm sorry, Gabby. I'm sorry." Brett murmured, doing her best to keep herself together, knowing Dawson needed her at her very best.

Everything quickly turned into a blur, Gabby barely able to stay conscious as pain swept through her entire body, her inability to move not helping matters as her being restrained caused her to panic. She couldn't remember where she was, or what happened, all she knew was how much pain she was in.

"Gabby, Gabby you gotta breathe." Foster spoke, seeing her heart rate on the monitor skyrocket, the paramedic increasing the oxygen going through her mask. "Everything will be fine, alright? Just try and breathe." Emily told her, seeing Gabby's eyes continuously opening and closing, Foster realizing that Dawson wasn't really aware of what was happening, which was probably for the best.

"Foster, we've gotta go now." Brett spoke as they stood with her outside the back of the ambulance, Emily hearing the fear in her partner's voice.

"What's wrong?" Foster asked, turning towards the blonde, seeing Sylvie staring at Gabby's abdomen in horror before looking up to Emily.

"She's bleeding." Sylvie responded, her face paling. Emily felt her heart drop into her stomach, Foster looking down, seeing blood staining the material covering the inside of Gabby's thighs.

Without another word, they got Gabby loaded into the ambulance, Brett jumping in the back with her while Foster hurried to the driver's seat, sirens blaring as she drove quickly to the hospital.

"Try getting in touch with the house." Brett called up to Foster as she worked on Gabby, Emily nodding as she went to the channel that broadcasts to all the radios at 51, knowing that was her best bet.

"Hello? 51?" She spoke frantically through the radio, waiting for a few seconds before continuing. "Please, anyone at 51, respond."

"_Foster_?" She heard Severide's voice first, followed by Boden's.

"_What's going on?_"

"Dawson got hurt on our call, the guy, he- he had a knife and grabbed her, and Brett and I were stuck inside and she-"

"_Foster, slow down._" Boden's voice came through, Emily trying to keep her composure. "_Now tell me what happened._"

"Gabby got pushed down the stairs by the guy who killed our victim. " She spoke firmly. "She's conscious but she's in a lot of pain. She's… she's bleeding." Emily told them, being met with silence. "You all need to meet us at med. Now."

"_We're on our way._"

* * *

Severide was sitting at the squad table, only half-listening to some bickering between Cruz and Capp, the two men having been going back and forth most of the morning. Kelly wasn't even sure the topic of this very long debate they were having, but he was about over it.

"I'm telling you, Capp, you're wrong." Cruz said, shaking his head.

"Just keep believing that, man."

"Oh, come on, you honestly think that-"

"Guys." Severide breathed out, the two men looking towards their Lieutenant. "Whatever this is, can you please take it somewhere else, or quiet down." He spoke, unable to listen to this any longer.

"Sorry Lieutenant." Capp spoke, Cruz nodding in agreement, the two men standing up.

Severide barely had time to return his attention to the paper he was reading when he heard static come through on the radio sitting in the rig, his gaze moving towards the passenger side door.

"_Hello? 51?_" Kelly frowned, Cruz and Capp stopping in their tracks as they all heard the panicked tone of what sounded like Foster. Severide dropped his paper, pushing himself up from his seat, walking the few steps to the door and pulling it open. "_Please, anyone at 51, respond._"

"Foster?" Severide spoke, Boden's voice cutting in right after his.

"_What's going on?_"

"_Dawson got hurt on our call._" Kelly's heart rate sped up as the words hit his ears. "_The guy, he- he had a knife and grabbed her, and Brett and I were stuck inside and she-_"

"_Foster, slow down._" Boden interrupted, Severide nearly ripping the radio from its spot sitting on the dash. "_Now tell me what happened._" Kelly ran towards the double doors without hesitation, moving quickly into the firehouse with only one destination in mind.

"_Gabby got pushed down the stairs by the guy who killed our victim._" Severide nearly tripped as he heard Emily's words, Kelly running quickly down the hallway. "_She's conscious but she's in a lot of pain. She's… she's bleeding._" Severide ripped open the door to the bunk room, seeing Casey in his office with the door shut, hunched over his desk. "_You all need to meet us at med. Now._"

"_We're on our way._" Boden responded without a thought, Kelly racing to Matt's door, pulling on the handle and opening it quickly.

Matt jumped at the unexpected intrusion, turning with wide eyes to find an out of breath Kelly standing in his doorway, radio in hand as his face showed the fear filling his body. "Sev, what the-"

"Foster, I've got Casey." Severide panted into the radio, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he stood up. "Tell him what happened."

"_Gabby's hurt._"

The second the few words filled his ears, panic filled his entire body, Casey roughly grabbing the radio from Kelly's hands, bringing it up to his lips.

"What happened?" He spoke frantically, his hand trembling by his side.

"_The stabbing victim we got called to, the guy who did it was still in the house and he tried to run. I don't know exactly what happened, but Gabby was outside and he grabbed her._" Matt's eyes fell closed as Foster's words filled his ears, Casey drawing in a shaky breath. "_He pushed her down the stairs outside the house… when we got to her, she was face down on the sidewalk._"

His jaw bobbed up and down, Matt swallowing the lump in his throat as he tried to form a coherent thought. "Is she… Is the baby- Are they okay?" He stuttered out, dread filling his entire body.

"_I… I don't know, Casey._" She answered, tears filling his eyes, Matt stumbling backwards, falling against his desk. "_She's conscious, but she's in a lot of pain, and I'm not sure how aware she is right now._" Emily explained, Matt's chest feeling like it was about to cave in on itself. "_And she's…_"

"She's what?"

"_She's bleeding, Casey._"

A dry sob caught in his throat, Severide grasping his shoulder in silent support, Matt trying to gather himself.

"_It didn't look like it was a lot, but there was blood around her thighs. I don't know anymore than that, I'm sorry._"

Casey shook his head, running his hand roughly over his mouth, blinking tightly as a lone tear slid down the side of his face.

"I… just save her, Foster." He spoke roughly, his voice hoarse.

"_Casey…_"

"Do not let her die, Emily." Casey repeated, unable to stop the sob this time, his emotion taking control as Kelly squeezed his shoulder.

In his right mind, he knew that wasn't fair. It wasn't fair for him to put this on Foster, or Brett, or anyone other than the man who hurt her. But he wasn't in his right mind. And all he had right now was 51's paramedics taking care of her, and he needed them to save her.

"_We're doing everything we can, Casey._" She replied, Matt's jaw clenching. "_We just got to med, we'll be waiting for you when you get here._"

"Thank you." He croaked out, shaking his head as the terror flooding his system morphed into rage, anger filling his body as he clenched the radio in his hands. Before he could even register his own actions, Matt threw the radio across the room violently, the object shattering into pieces as it hit the window.

"Hey, hey, Casey, man, that's not gonna help anything." Severide tried, shaking his shoulder. "Gabby needs you, you can't do this."

Matt nodded up and down, knowing Kelly was right, Severide pulling against his shoulder, getting Casey to stand up off his desk.

"We're gonna get you to the hospital, alright?" Kelly spoke, Matt nodding as Severide led him from the office, the firefighter's quick pace soon turning into running as they got to the garage as quickly as they could, Matt unable to stop the fresh tears filling his eyes as he thought over everything that could possibly be happening to Gabby right now, and how he wasn't there.

* * *

**I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry. I know a lot of you are probably going to be upset with me (I've been on a roll with that lately), but hopefully this isn't as bad as the cliffhanger from a couple chapters back, because you all at least got to see what happened to Gabby? (Who am I kidding, it's definitely not any better.) But yeah, I know you guys aren't gonna like me for this. But that's okay, that's part of the fun of writing. Just remember, Dawsey is my absolute favorite ship in the world, and I'm writing this story to fix what the show ruined. So… yeah.**

**But, I am very, very eager to hear your all's thoughts on this chapter. I've had this accident with Gabby planned for awhile, so I'm looking forward to see what you all think. Obviously, the next chapter will pick up right where we left off, so I'm interested to see what you all think might happen.**

**Thank you all so much for reading! I feel so lucky to still have such a wonderful following on this story, you all are incredible.**

**Until the next.**


	55. Chapter Fifty Five

**Well, here it is. Another chapter I know you all are eager to read. I hope you like it, thank you for sticking with me.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Five**_

* * *

Casey practically fell out of the rig as soon as they arrived at med, the Captain not even remembering to shut his door as he raced towards the entrance, only slowing down as much as necessary to get through the sliding doors before hurrying into the ER.

"Casey!" Matt's head darted around the busy room, soon landing on Brett, Foster, and April all standing by the nurse's station, Casey rushing towards them.

"Where is she?" He questioned as soon as he got close enough, his heart pounding in his chest while his eyes bounced between the three women, feeling a stabbing pain in his gut when he saw how shaken Brett and Foster were. "Where is she?" He asked again when he hadn't gotten an answer quickly enough.

"She's in four, but we don't- Casey, wait." Brett tried, but her words fell on deaf ears as he hurried past them, Matt jogging towards her room.

He could hear his blood pumping in his ears, Matt quickly sliding to door to her room open, ripping the curtain back, his eyes instantly landing on her still form in the hospital bed. His throat bobbed up and down when he looked over her, tears filling his eyes as he saw her stripped down to her bra with the sheets pulled up under her belly, Matt shallowing the sob in his throat as he took in the sight of her beaten body.

"Sir, you need to leave. Maggie, get him out of here."

"Dr. Reynolds, that's-"

"Gabby." Matt choked out, forcing his way to her bed, seeing her eyebrows furrowed as she laid limply on the bed. The closer he got, he could see on her face how much pain she was in, Matt immediately noticing the tears streaming down her face. "I'm right here, I'm here." He told her, sliding past one of the nurses to get to her head.

"Matt…" She whimpered, her head lulling towards the sound of his voice, Matt swallowing the lump in his throat as he looked at her. She was clearly out of it, Foster hadn't been lying about that when she said she wasn't sure how aware Gabby was, and Matt couldn't help but feel that it was probably for the best.

"Sir, I won't tell you again, you need to get out."

Matt's watery eyes snapped up towards the voice, his gaze landing on the doctor he didn't recognize.

"I'm not leaving her." He protested, his hand stroking the top of her head, Casey blinking back the tears sitting in his eyes.

"We need to be able to work on her, and you being here will only hinder that. Now please, get out so we can help her." Dr. Reynolds spoke firmly, Matt's eyes narrowing.

"Don't leave." Gabby pleaded through her haze, Matt shaking his head as he looked down at her, seeing her eyes opening and closing, almost as if she was forcing herself to stay conscious.

"I'm not going anywhere, I promise." He assured her, rubbing his thumb over her forehead before looking back towards the doctor, Matt straightening his spine. "Have you all paged Dr. Tanner?"

"Who?" The doctor asked, Matt's glare hardening.

"Dr. Linda Tanner, she's Gabby's doctor and she needs to be the one to take care of her." Casey replied frustratedly, knowing all this information was already in Gabby's chart. "She needs to be here."

"Who are you, exactly?" The doctor asked with narrowed eyes.

"Gabby's husband." He bit out. "Now have you paged Dr. Tanner yet?"

"Casey-" Maggie tried, but was soon interrupted by Dr. Reynolds.

"_Sir_, I can guarantee you that I'm more than capable of looking after your wife. I-"

"My wife has an aneurysm in her right iliac artery." Casey cut him off, feeling Gabby haphazardly reaching for his hand, Matt grasping it tightly in his. By the look of surprise that covered the doctor's face, Matt knew he hadn't seen that in her file, if he'd even looked. "I don't care how good of a doctor you are, this is an extremely high-risk pregnancy for Gabby, and you don't know anything about her or this pregnancy. She needs Dr. Tanner, so quit focusing on your ego for a second and go page her damn doctor!" He shouted angrily, feeling Gabby squeeze his hand.

"Casey, we've paged her." Maggie cut in, Matt sucking in a deep breath, peeling his eyes off of the unfamiliar doctor to look towards Maggie. "She's on her way, she should be here any minute." She explained, Matt nodding thankful.

"Okay, thank you." He responded, focusing his attention back on Gabby.

"Dr. Reynolds, she's stable, she should be fine to just wait for her doctor." Maggie prompted, the doctor huffing out a breath before stomping from the room, Matt ignoring him completely.

Casey's eyes traced over Gabby's face, Matt grimacing as he took in the sight of her injuries. The entire left side of her face was scraped, like she'd slid across pavement, Matt seeing dried blood covering most of her skin. There was a huge welt on her right cheek, her face already beginning to swell. After getting a better look at only the injuries on her face, he was terrified to hear what else was wrong.

And he was beyond worried for their daughter.

"It hurts, Matt." She moaned, tears pricking the edges of his eyes as he nodded, Matt leaning down to place a kiss on her forehead.

"I know, baby. I know, I'm sorry." He murmured against her skin, doing what he could to comfort her. Glancing further down her body, there was hardly an inch of skin that wasn't red and angry, Gabby's body covered in scrapes and cuts, Casey knowing here soon the redness covering her body would turn into bruising. He noticed a bandage across her neck, and one on her stomach, both of which covering injuries he couldn't see.

His eyes caught sight of what he could only figure to be a fetal monitor strapped around her belly, Matt sucking in a deep breath as his eyes found Maggie's.

"Is the baby-... is our daughter okay?" He asked, feeling a bit lightheaded.

"We've still got a heartbeat." She answered, Matt releasing the breath he was holding, relief flooding his body. He followed Maggie's hand towards one of the many monitors Gabby was hooked up to, the nurse pointing out their daughter's heart rate. "We don't know much more than that, her heart rate is a little higher than normal, but with everything that happened, and the pain Gabby's in, that's not surprising. Dr. Tanner will be able to tell you more, but right now as far as we can tell she's okay."

"They said Gabby was bleeding?" Matt asked quietly, trying to keep himself as composed as possible.

"She was, but she stopped bleeding on her own, which is encouraging. Without doing an exam, there's not much more I can tell you, but Dr. Tanner should be here soon." Maggie answered, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as he nodded, turning his attention back to Gabby.

She was still out of it, her eyes closed as she leaned into his hand, Matt sucking in a deep breath as he tried to calm himself down. His eyes instinctively moved back towards her stomach, a grimace forming over his face when he glanced back to the bandage covering the side of her belly, Matt seeing a small patch of red staining the center of it.

"What happened?" He asked, more so to Maggie, knowing Gabby wasn't really in any condition to tell him much.

Maggie followed his gaze, the nurse releasing a sigh as she took a step towards the bed. "We weren't able to get much out of her, she hasn't been very coherent since she got here, but Brett said she was pushed down the stairs. I guess Gabby told her that her stomach hit the edge of one of the stairs as she was rolling, and she got cut."

Matt nodded his head slowly, anger coursing through his system at the thought of someone doing that to her, his jaw clenching tightly. Someone hurting her regardless was enough to make him furious, but the fact that this person clearly not only had no regard for Gabby's life, but also her baby's life, made him angrier than he'd ever been in his life. Anyone who got one look at her knew she was pregnant, and for someone to make the conscious decision to endanger her and their child made his blood boil.

Matt wasn't sure what happened to whoever did this, but all he did know was had he been there, that guy would've gotten thrown to the ground and Casey would've made sure he never got up again.

"Matt…" Gabby's soft voice pulled him from his enraged thoughts, his gaze coming into focus as he saw her brown eyes watching him. She was still out of it, that much he did know, but she looked a little more focused than she had a few minutes ago.

"What is it, baby?" He asked, continuously rubbing his hand against the top of her head while he leaned over the bed, needing to be as close to her as possible.

"I'm sorry." She spoke slowly, her voice raspy as his eyebrows furrowed.

"What do you mean, for what?" He asked, frowning as he saw her body trembling on the bed.

"I-I should've gone back to the h-house." She stuttered out, Matt's face falling as she spoke. "I… I should've listened to you."

"Gabby, stop." He responded gently, shaking his head as another tear fell down her cheek. "This isn't your fault, you didn't cause this, alright?" He said instantly, clearing his throat.

"But the baby-"

"Is perfectly fine, as far as we know." He told her, squeezing her hand. "There was no way you could've known what was going to happen, this isn't your fault." His kept his voice as steady as he could, seeing her nod slowly before her eyes fell closed, Matt releasing a shaky breath.

He was scared, he was beyond terrified, and he knew that feeling wouldn't pass until they saw Dr. Tanner, but he had to try and be strong for her. Matt knew Gabby needed him right now, he couldn't sit here and think over everything that could possibly be wrong, or he'd fall apart. He knew they really knew nothing about how their daughter was, that there was still plenty that could be wrong with both the baby and Gabby, but sitting here and focusing on the unknowns wouldn't help her. He had to keep himself together until they knew exactly what they were dealing with.

Matt barely registered the sound of the door opening, turning away from Gabby to see who was coming in, the Captain seeing the immediate look of shock on Dr. Tanner's face as she got inside the curtain. She tried to mask it, but Matt saw how uneasy she looked at first glance, and he couldn't blame her. Gabby's appearance was jarring, to say the least.

Drawing in a deep breath, Dr. Tanner walked towards the bed, Maggie slipping out of the room knowing her presence wasn't needed anymore, closing the curtain to give them privacy as she left.

"Hi Gabby." Dr. Tanner spoke softly, Gabby's eyes opening slowly, turning towards the voice. As soon as she saw her doctor, tears flooded her eyes again, Gabby shaking her head sadly.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, Dr. Tanner flashing her a sympathetic smile, placing her hand over Gabby's forearm, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"It's okay, it's alright." She spoke soothingly. "Just walk me through what happened, can you do that?" Her voice stayed calm, knowing Gabby was emotionally unstable, to say the least, and she didn't want to do anything to upset her further. Dr. Tanner had briefly glanced at the ER doctor's notes before coming in here, but, from their own account, Gabby hadn't been very alert when she was first brought in. Though Dr. Tanner could tell she wasn't completely herself, Gabby seemed to have a better grasp of what was happening, and she wanted to know what the paramedic remembered.

"It's still a little fuzzy," She started, her eyebrows furrowing as she stared up at the ceiling, Matt continuing to stroke the top of her head as he noticed how unsteady her voice sounded. "But we- we got called to a stabbing victim, it looked like a break-in… I think." She spoke with a grimace, her free hand moving towards her stomach.

"What's going on, does something hurt?" Dr. Tanner's focus shifted as Gabby groaned.

"Cramp." She spoke through gritted teeth, Dr. Tanner frowning as she placed her tablet down, grabbing a pair of gloves before moving to the end of the bed.

"I'm gonna take a look at you, alright Gabby?" She spoke, Dawson nodding. "Does it feel like contractions or something else?" Dr. Tanner asked, lifting the sheet up over her knees, adjusting Gabby's legs to give her the access she needed.

"It feels like… spasming? I don't know." Gabby replied, wincing when she felt Dr. Tanner begin her exam, Gabby's head falling back against the pillow as she took slow breaths. Matt stood by her side, rubbing gently over her head, placing occasional kisses against her forehead as he whispered comforting words to her.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, Gabby nodding slowly as a tear slid down the side of her face, Gabby hissing slightly as Dr. Tanner checked her.

"I'm sorry, I'm almost done." She apologized, Gabby blinking tightly as Matt pressed another kiss to her forehead, wiping away the tears on her cheek gently. He did his best to avoid any of the scraped skin on the left side of her face, not wanting to risk hurting her further.

"Is it still spasming, Gabby?" Dr. Tanner asked after a few moments, Gabby shaking her head.

"It stopped."

"Is she okay?" Matt asked, leaning up from his position over the bed, needing to stretch out his back.

"Well, she's not in labor or anything, which is good." Dr. Tanner replied, pulling back, Matt grimacing when he saw a bit a blood on her glove.

"Is she bleeding again? I thought Maggie said it had stopped?" Casey asked as calmly as he could, not wanting to upset Gabby.

Dr. Tanner shook her head as she discarded her gloves, adjusting the sheets back over Gabby's legs to cover her up, coming back around to the side of her bed, finding both Gabby's and Matt's panicked eyes waiting for her. "No, you're not actively bleeding, Gabby." She assured them, Matt releasing a sigh of relief, Gabby squeezing his hand tightly.

"Is our baby okay?" She asked quietly, like she was afraid of her own words.

"I still need to do an ultrasound, which I'll do here shortly, but so far, from what I can see, she'll be okay." A heavy sigh of relief escaped Gabby's lips, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks as Matt cradled her head, Dr. Tanner watching the expectant parents sadly. "Has she still been moving around, Gabby?"

"She has." Gabby replied, Dr. Tanner nodding as she glanced towards the fetal monitor. "Not as much as usual, though, but I've felt her since it happened."

"Well, it's been quite a day for the both of you." She replied, moving over towards the wall, grabbing the ultrasound machine they'd brought in earlier. "Now, let's take a look at her and see what's going on, alright?"

Gabby and Matt both nodded, Dawson doing her best to relax as Dr. Tanner began preparing the machine. "So, can you try again to tell me what happened?" She asked softly, Gabby nodding slowly while Dr. Tanner removed the fetal monitor around her belly.

"We got there, and called it in because we weren't sure it was safe to go in, and were told to wait for police backup. But we heard someone in there, so Foster and Brett went in." Gabby's words were slow, much slower than she normally spoke, but Matt knew she was trying to piece together the events of today, and that her memories were still a little hazy. "I remember they told me to stay back, just in case. Well, they told me to go to the rig, but I didn't cause I wanted to be there if they needed help but I should've- I should've just gone like they told me, then this wouldn't have happened and our girl would be okay-"

"Gabby, it's okay." Matt cut her off, his voice beginning to soothe her. She was getting herself worked up, and that was the last thing they needed. "It's alright, everything's gonna be fine. You did what you thought was best, there was no way for you to know this was going to happen. It's okay." He repeated, hoping if he said it enough she'd start to believe it.

"He's right, Gabby." Dr. Tanner added, not liking how high Gabby's heart rate was getting. "You never would've stayed in that position had you known you'd get hurt, there's nothing any of us can do to change what happened, I just need to know what you remember." Dr. Tanner said calmly, Gabby taking a deep breath before continuing.

"The guy who killed that woman was still there, I guess he saw Brett and Foster first and tried to run, but he ran right into me. I remember talking to him… I think I tried to tell him he could just go, that I wouldn't do anything, but then he heard the cops and freaked out. He grabbed me, pinned me against him and held a knife to my throat." Matt's entire body tensed as she spoke, Casey frowning when he saw the fear in her eyes as she recanted the memory, his body trembling in anger. "The cops and him were all talking back and forth, I don't remember what they were saying, but then he just let me go and shoved me down the stairs. I think I hit my face on something, and I remember my stomach hitting the edge of one of the steps, but then everything just felt numb… And I remember being face down on the sidewalk. I don't remember a lot after that… then I was just here." She spoke quietly, clearing her throat as Dr. Tanner nodded sadly.

"I'm so sorry that happened, Gabby. I can't imagine what that was like, but I promise I'm gonna do what I can to get you and your baby through this." She told her, Gabby nodding. "Now, before we talk about anything else, let's just take a look alright?"

Dr. Tanner began the ultrasound, Gabby and Matt both watching the screen intently, feeling a little bit better the longer they saw their baby girl. She looked exactly as she had last week, which they both found comforting.

When Dr. Tanner gave them a moment to hear the heartbeat, tears filled both of their eyes as they listened to the methodical thumping. It was still a little faster than normal, but their girl was alive. And that's all that mattered.

"Yeah, she's definitely a little stressed out." Dr. Tanner muttered, moving the doppler around Gabby's belly. "But after everything that happened to her Mom today, that's not surprising. Once you get a little more calmed down, Gabby, I'm sure she will too." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby nodding as she blinked back the tears in her eyes. "But, everything I'm seeing here, your girl looks just fine."

A sob escaped Gabby's lips the second Dr. Tanner finished speaking, Matt watching her sadly as he leaned back down towards her, resting his head gently against hers. Even though Dr. Tanner had said she thought their baby was okay, getting the confirmation through the ultrasound was what Gabby needed to really believe it.

"It's okay." Matt soothed, Gabby leaning her head into his as she cried, Dr. Tanner remaining silent while she gave Gabby a moment, the doctor beginning to take a look at her aneurysm while Dawson was distracted. "She's fine, baby."

Gabby nodded, bringing her hand up to grip his neck, holding him against her as she tried to calm herself down, her body flooded with relief. Matt pressed continuous kisses against the top of her head, feeling her body slowly relaxing underneath him, Gabby resting their conjoined hands over her chest.

"She's okay." She murmured, Matt kissing her again, blinking back the tears in his eyes before they turned their attention back to Dr. Tanner, seeing a look of surprise covering her face.

"Is everything alright?" Matt asked quickly, Dr. Tanner snapping out of her trance on the screen, nodding slowly.

"Everything's fine, I was just taking a look at Gabby's aneurysm. Based on what I'm seeing, everything looks the same as it had last week." She told them.

"That's good, right?" Gabby questioned.

"It's great, I just wasn't expecting it." She admitted, her eyes focused on the monitor. "With the pressure and stress on your system today, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but it seems like the trauma from today didn't affect your aneurysm, which is great. I'm very glad to see that." She spoke, both Matt and Gabby nodding.

Dr. Tanner began shutting down the machine, Gabby resting her head back on the pillow, letting her eyes fall closed as she felt like she could finally relax.

"Are you feeling okay?" He asked her, stroking his thumb lightly over her right cheek, Gabby barely registering his touch. Her cheek was definitely swollen, and he was sure it would only get bigger as the day went on.

"I'm tired." She croaked out, Matt nodding sympathetically.

"I know you are, hopefully here soon you can get some sleep. Are you comfortable? You're not cold or anything, are you?" He asked, his eyes flickering over her nearly bare form. He understood that when she was first brought, getting her in a gown wasn't exactly a priority, but now that things had settled down, he was sure she didn't feel the most comfortable lying here half naked.

He was met by a gentle shrug by Gabby, her eyes falling closed as Matt leaned down, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I'll go ask Maggie if we can get you in a gown, are you okay if I leave for a second?" He questioned, Gabby nodding.

"We'll talk about everything once you get back, Matt." Dr. Tanner spoke as she grabbed her tablet, pulling up Gabby's chart.

Matt nodded, glancing back towards Gabby, seeing her eyes still closed. Slowly, he leaned down, placing a soft kiss to her lips, being mindful of the injuries on her face. Gabby relaxed into him, her hand coming up to cup his cheek, the two relishing in the feeling of one another for a moment.

"I love you." He whispered against her, Gabby nodding before kissing him again, Matt feeling fresh tears rolling down her cheeks.

"I love you, too."

With one last kiss, Matt pulled back, squeezing her hand firmly before stepping away from the bed.

Moving around the curtain, he made sure it was still closed before he left her room, seeing Brett and Foster standing on the opposite side of the nurses station, clearly wanting to be close but not wanting to overcrowd them.

"How is she, Casey?" Brett asked as they approached him, Matt rubbing his hand over his mouth, blowing out a heavy sigh.

"She's okay, considering."

"And the baby?" Foster asked.

"Dr. Tanner said she was fine." He could see them both physically relax, Brett nodding thankfully.

"I'm so glad. Is Dawson gonna have to be here long?"

"I'm not sure, we haven't gotten that far." Matt replied, glancing over to see Maggie at the front of the room. "I gotta go, but thank you guys for getting her here, and taking care of her. We both appreciate it."

"Of course, Casey. I just wish it never happened." Foster replied, breathing deeply. "We didn't know she was still by the door, or we would've tried harder to keep him inside, or gave her more of a warning, or something."

"It's not your fault, there wasn't anything you two could've done. I'm just glad nothing worse happened." He breathed out, shaking his head before catching the paramedics' looks. "But luckily, they both should be fine."

"That's great to hear, Casey." Brett responded, Matt nodding as he began to walk past them, but he didn't get very far before he stopped himself.

"What happened to him, anyway?" Matt asked, Foster and Brett eyeing one another curiously. "The bastard who did this to her?"

They could both hear the anger dripping in his voice, Foster sighing before responding.

"He's dead." She told him, Matt's face unchanging. "The cops shot him."

"Good." Matt said sharply before walking towards the front of the room. "Hey Maggie." He got the nurse's attention, seeing her smile softly. "Can you guys get Gabby changed into a gown, when you get a chance?"

"Yeah, of course. We'll do it right now."

"Thanks." He told her, flashing her a soft smile before heading back to Gabby's room.

When he stepped inside, he saw her in pretty much the same state as when he left, Gabby resting with her eyes closed. But as he got closer he saw the discomfort covering her face, his eyebrows furrowing.

"What's wrong?" He asked, Dr. Tanner looking up from Gabby's chart, seeing the same look Casey saw. "Gabby, are you okay?" He questioned when he'd gotten no answer, Matt coming to stand beside her bed.

"I don't feel good…" She groaned, Casey's eyes flickering towards her doctor in worry.

"What's wrong, Gabby? What hurts?" Dr. Tanner asked, her voice calm yet strong.

"Nothing, I just-" She cut herself off, lifting her head up as a grimace covered her face.

"Gabby?"

She didn't have time to answer as she felt a burning in her throat, Gabby gagging before she began to throw up. Matt moved as quickly as he could to grab the basin on her table, but he was a little too late as she got sick not only all over herself, but partially on him. He held the tub in front of her while she continued to vomit, Matt doing what he could to comfort her as he rubbed her back.

"It's okay, you're okay." He kept repeating, hating to see her like this.

Once she'd emptied her stomach, she coughed a few times before leaning back slightly, Matt grimacing as he placed the surprisingly full bin back on the table.

"Oh, no, what happened here?" Maggie asked with a frown as another nurse followed her in, Gabby groaning as her head fell against Matt's arm.

"She got sick." Matt responded, even though he knew it was more of a rhetorical question.

"We'll get you cleaned up, Dawson. It's okay." Maggie spoke, Matt glancing towards Dr. Tanner who was watching Gabby with a sympathetic look.

"There's a lot we need to talk about, Gabby. But I'm gonna go ahead and have them admit you, then once you're settled I'll come and we can talk. That way it'll be less hectic, alright?" Dr. Tanner told her, Gabby nodding against Matt's arm, taking slow breaths as her doctor left to give the nurses some space.

"Are you gonna be sick again?" Matt asked, seeing that similar uneasy look on her face.

"I… I don't know, I-"

Maggie quickly held out a new basin, Matt grabbing it and holding it under her mouth just in time as Gabby threw up again, Casey wincing as he listened to her hack and cough. He wasn't sure how she even had anything left to throw up, but he could only hope she'd feel better once this passed.

"It's okay." He murmured, Gabby sniffling as she sat back up, Matt handing the bin to the other nurse in the room.

"I'm sorry." Gabby apologized, Matt shaking his head.

"You're sick, Gabby, it's not your fault."

"Here you go, Casey." Maggie spoke, handing Matt a towel to try and clean himself up a bit. Gabby glanced to him, noticing that she'd not only gotten the contents of her stomach all over her chest and her stomach, she'd stained part of his shirt, and he had vomit covering part of his arm.

"Thanks Maggie." He responded, beginning to wipe off his arm, Gabby grimacing.

"I'm sorry." She said again, but Matt simply smiled.

"You don't need to apologize, it's fine." He assured her, stepping out of the way as Maggie came to her side. "Here soon once we have our little girl, I'm gonna be getting thrown up on all the time, this was just a practice run." He joked, glad to see a soft smile come to her face.

"You've got a point." She mumbled, Matt smirking.

"I know." He replied, glancing down to his shirt, knowing for now it was a lost cause. He was sure it'd be fine once it got washed, but until then there wasn't much he could do.

"I can give you some scrubs, Casey, so you don't have to stay in that." Maggie offered, Matt nodding.

"I'd appreciate that, thanks." He replied before Maggie turned her attention back to Gabby.

"Dawson, we were gonna wait until we got you transported to get you cleaned up from everything today, but I might just go ahead and have them do it now, is that okay?" Maggie asked, Gabby nodding. "Alright, I'll have someone in here in a few minutes, then we'll get you upstairs." She explained as she wiped off Gabby's stomach.

"Okay." She responded quietly, relaxing back into the bed. Matt had left to go wash off his arm and his hands, but he returned a few moments later, Maggie waiting to leave until Casey had returned, not wanting to leave Dawson alone.

A few minutes after Maggie had left, an older woman came in, carrying everything she needed to freshen Gabby up. After getting reassurance from Gabby that she wanted Matt to stay, the woman began cleaning her chest and stomach, Casey doing what he could to remain a comforting presence while also staying out of the way. Matt tried not to think about it too much while the woman was cleaning the blood off of Gabby's thighs, knowing Dr. Tanner still hadn't explained much to them as to what actually caused the bleeding. All she said was that they had a lot to talk about, and that didn't really sit well with him. He knew their baby was okay, but he needed Gabby to be okay, too.

Soon enough, Gabby was resting in bed, feeling a little better now that she had been cleaned up and put into a gown, Matt having changed out of his soiled shirt into the scrub top Maggie left for him. They had only been alone for all of a minute when the transport nurses came in to get Gabby, Matt staying out of the way.

As they got her into the hallway, Casey saw Boden and Severide standing close by, Matt catching the looks of horror that flashed over both their faces when they saw the visible injuries covering Gabby, Matt squeezing her hand before walking over to them.

"How is she?"

"She's hanging in there."

"Maggie told us the baby's okay." Boden stated.

"She is, she's perfectly healthy. I… I don't know how, but the baby's fine."

"That's great, Casey." Boden replied, Matt nodding in agreement.

"What happened to you?" Severide asked, eyeing his attire, Matt following his gaze before releasing a sigh.

"Gabby got sick, I was in the line of fire." He replied, Kelly grimacing.

"So they're admitting her?"

"They are. I'm not sure how long, but I don't think she's gonna be out of here anytime soon." Matt replied, glancing back to see Gabby waiting on him. "I need to go, but Chief, I don't know much about what's going on with Gabby right now, but as long as she's here-"

"I know, Casey." Boden cut him off. "She's what's important. I'll talk to headquarters, get someone to cover for you until she's doing better."

"Thanks Chief." Matt replied as he began to walk away. "Oh, and can someone get in touch with Antonio and let him know what happened, I don't have my phone." He requested, Boden nodding.

"We'll take care of it." Chief promised, Matt nodding in thanks before heading back to Gabby, smiling softly at her as they continued to the elevator.

It took about ten minutes for them to get her settled, Matt and Gabby now sitting alone in her room, Matt having made himself comfortable in the chair by her bed, pulling it as close to her as possible. He was leaned forward, resting against her bed as he held onto her hand, Gabby gripping his palm tightly in her grasp, her head turned towards him as she laid there with her eyes closed.

Matt took the quiet moment to take in her appearance once more, trying to squash the anger that coursed through him every time he thought over how she ended up here. From what he could tell, the scrape over her face was definitely the worst of her visible injuries, but as his eyes moved to her neck he was reminded that he had no idea what that wound from the knife looked like. He knew it couldn't have been good, if it was deep enough to have needed covering, and he couldn't help but want to know just how bad it was. But he wasn't going to ask her, or anyone. He knew he'd see it soon enough, he just hoped they were erring on the side of caution and there wasn't a huge cut on her neck hidden underneath that bandage.

The rest of her injuries were covered by her hospital gown, Matt's eyes focusing on her belly, the fetal monitor lifting her gown slightly.

Gabby's body tensing pulled him from his thoughts, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he looked towards her, seeing her eyes snap open, moving around quickly until she focused on him. The second she registered his presence, Matt saw her relax, confusion filling his body as he squeezed her hand. She looked startled, and he wasn't sure what caused it.

"You okay?" He asked softly, picking up their hands and kissing the back of hers, Gabby nodding slowly as she lifted her free hand up, running over her stomach.

"Yeah." She answered, a yawn escaping her lips. "I just fell asleep for a second, and forgot where I was."

Matt nodded slowly, giving her an understanding smile as he brought his other hand up to her belly, rubbing gently beside hers. He applied barely any pressure to her stomach, not wanting to risk hurting her, but he hoped the action was comforting, Matt seeing a soft smile come to her face.

"You can try and sleep some more, I'm not sure when Dr. Tanner will be back."

"Well, it looks like right now." Gabby responded, Matt turning to see her doctor open the door.

"Hello again." She spoke as she stepped inside, closing the door behind her.

"Hi."

"Are you feeling any better?"

"Yeah, I am." Gabby replied, Dr. Tanner nodding as she came around to the other side of Gabby's bed, pursing her lips together.

"So, you said we have things to talk about?" Matt prompted, Dr. Tanner nodding before she responded.

"Yes, we do. Well, as I told you, I'm confident in the fact that everything with your baby looks great. After the day you've had, your daughter is doing great. I'm not so much worried about her." Dr. Tanner started, Gabby smiling softly. "But I am worried about you."

Both their faces fell, Matt feeling Gabby tense beside him.

"What's wrong?" Casey asked, Dr. Tanner taking a deep breath.

"Well, I have some good news, and some not so great news." She prefaced, Matt's chest tightening. "The good news is that I have a diagnosis for you, Gabby."

"A diagnosis? I thought she was fine? You said everything with the baby was okay."

"And everything is, but we do have some complications on Gabby's end of things." Dr. Tanner responded, Gabby swallowing thickly.

"What's wrong with me?"

"You have what's called placental abruption, Gabby." She told them, seeing a blank look on both of their faces. "After your pelvic exam, I thought that's what we were dealing with, but I needed the ultrasound to be sure. Essentially what that means is that your placenta has started separating from your uterus. That's what caused the bleeding, and while sometimes women can develop the condition on their own, a lot of times it's a result of abdominal trauma." She spoke, Gabby blinking tightly. "It can cause some complications for the mom and the baby. It's not ideal, and we're gonna have to watch you closely. But what you have is a mild, or partial, abruption."

"What does that mean?" Matt asked, trying to grasp what Gabby's doctor was saying, but his mind felt blank.

"It means that, in this situation, that's about the best we could hope for." Dr. Tanner replied, taking a deep breath. "This is a serious condition because your baby needs your placenta in tact, and this complicates things. But, luckily, you didn't have what's called a severe abruption. If your condition had been any worse, we probably would've had to deliver your baby today, do an emergency c-section." Gabby's breath caught in her throat, Matt squeezing her hand tightly. "But, thankfully, it's looking like your baby is fine to stay in there for a while longer, and continue to develop. But we're not in the clear yet." She spoke honestly.

"So we might end up having to deliver her early?" Gabby asked softly, her voice unsteady.

"We might." She responded, Gabby's eyes falling closed. "I won't lie to you and say it won't happen, because I don't know. You seem to be doing okay right now, but this condition is tricky and hard to predict. Things can change very quickly, so while I'll do everything I can to keep her in there for as long as possible, I can't guarantee it. If we have to deliver prematurely, we will. There are medications we can put you on, to help her lungs develop a little quicker, just in case we end up having to deliver. It's not ideal, I know, but we might not have any choice."

"Okay." Matt spoke for them, knowing Gabby was having a hard time digesting this. "But she'll still be okay, right? Even if we have to deliver her early?"

"Thirty two weeks is early, but you two have a very healthy little girl. There is always risk of complications, but we'll only deliver if that's our only option. She'd need some time in the NICU, but there's no reason she can't grow up to be a very happy and healthy child." Dr. Tanner replied. "But, hopefully we won't have to deliver anytime soon. With this being so unpredictable, that does mean there's also the chance we can deliver around thirty eight weeks like we planned. We'll just have to wait and see… But, with all this, that means you're going to be here for awhile."

Gabby's face fell at Dr. Tanner's words, Dawson biting down on her bottom lip roughly. "...How long?"

"I'm not sure about that either, but it's entirely possible that you might not be able to go home until you have this baby." Gabby's eyebrows furrowed, Matt drawing in a deep breath as they tried to grasp Dr. Tanner's words.

"What?" Gabby questioned quietly, Dr. Tanner's face softening.

"You might need to be in the hospital until you have this baby." She repeated. "You need to be monitored, and monitored closely, especially for the next week or so. Everything with this is so unpredictable, we can't risk sending you home and something happening. You need to be here, at least for now."

"So there's a chance I could be stuck in here for the next seven weeks?"

"There is, yes. But you might not be, I can't really say. I'm sorry I can't give you any more definitive answers, I wish I could, but I don't have them. There is the possibility that you can go home in a few weeks, if you haven't had any re-bleeding and your condition hasn't worsened, but, like I said, we have to take this a day at a time. So I would prepare yourself to be here for awhile." She said honestly, Gabby sucking in a deep breath. "You can do whatever you'd like to make yourself comfortable, bring whatever you like. You can wear your own clothes, all that stuff. But you're gonna be here for the time being."

"Okay." Gabby replied, glancing towards Matt, who flashed her a supportive smile.

"Whatever we need to do to keep you both safe, that's what we'll do." Matt told her, Gabby nodding. "You two are what's important here, so if we have to stay here for awhile, we will." He spoke, Gabby not missing how he said 'we' instead of 'you', a soft smile coming to her face.

"And I'm sure this goes without saying, but as your doctor I need to say it anyway. You're on bed rest for the remainder of this pregnancy, whether that is done here or you do get to go back home in a few weeks. But rest is truly the most important thing in this situation, so really all you're permitted to do is what you're doing right now." Dr. Tanner told them, Gabby nodding understandingly. "And, again, I don't really see this being a problem in the hospital, but intercourse is off limits for the rest of this pregnancy as well. I'm sure that wasn't exactly very high on your list of priorities right now, but I need to tell you regardless. We can't risk something happening. Really, Gabby, I need you to avoid all stressful situations, whether good or bad. I know it's hard, but your only job here until you have your little girl is to lie in bed."

Gabby and Matt both nodded, Dr. Tanner smiling sympathetically as she dropped the tablet to her side. "I know this isn't what either of you planned for the rest of this pregnancy, and I'm so sorry this happened. But, as I've told you since the beginning of all this, we can only focus on the things we can control. This happened, and now we're dealing with it. But I'm still confident I can get the both of you through this, okay?"

"Okay."

"And I know we had already started your weekly appointments, but you can expect multiple visits from me a week from now on. We need to keep a close eye on you. But, the one upside to this is you don't need to come to my office multiple times a week, this'll save you the trips." She spoke lightly, Gabby forcing a small smile. "...I know this isn't what you two wanted to happen, but this is our only choice here."

"No, I know. I'm just trying to… digest all this, I guess. This was the last thing I was expecting to happen today." She spoke softly, Matt squeezing her hand reassuringly, bringing his other up to cradle her head.

"I know, none of us were. But it's gonna be okay, Gabby." Dr. Tanner assured her, rubbing over her shoulder gently. "I'm gonna go, and let you get some rest. But I want you in that bed at all times. The only reason I want you up is if you need to go to the bathroom, but even then you need someone with you, okay? Whether it's Matt, or a nurse, it doesn't matter. I just don't want you trying to walk on your own."

"Okay." Gabby nodded understandingly, Dr. Tanner beginning to head for the door.

"As long as nothing changes, I'll be back by tomorrow morning to check in on you. Try and get some rest, Gabby." She reminded her again before leaving the room. As Dr. Tanner walked out, Antonio came into few, his worried expression only deepening when he caught sight of his baby sister.

"Hey sis." He said carefully as he stepped inside, Gabby meeting his gaze, tears welling in her eyes.

"Hi." She whispered, Antonio taking steps closer to the bed. The detective had gotten an overview of what happened from Boden, but nothing could prepare him for the state Gabby was in. He had so many questions, but he didn't want to upset her, especially when it was clear she was having a hard enough time as it was.

"Hey Antonio." Matt greeted, standing up to let him come sit by his sister, giving the man a quick hug as they passed one another.

"How are you feeling?" The older Dawson asked as he sat down beside the bed, Gabby's eyes moving to Matt before she shrugged.

"I've been better."

"Antonio, was 51 still down there when you got here?" Casey asked, the older man nodding.

"Uh, yeah, except for 61 I think. But everyone else was still there."

"Alright." He replied, glancing back towards Gabby. "I'm gonna go talk to Boden and let him know what's going on, are you okay?" Gabby nodded in response, Matt rubbing her leg over the sheet before heading for the door.

"Matt?" Gabby's voice stopped him, Casey turning around in the doorway with a soft smile resting on his face.

"Yeah, baby?"

"I, uh, I don't really want to see anyone… At least not right now." She murmured, Matt nodding understandingly.

"I know, it's been a long day. I wasn't gonna bring anyone up, but I'll let them know you appreciate them being here." He responded, Gabby nodding as he left the room. Once she couldn't see him anymore, Gabby turned her attention back towards Antonio, seeing him watching her closely.

"How's the baby?" Antonio asked apprehensively, his nerves lessening when he saw her smile.

"She's good, she's fine."

"Thank God." He breathed out instinctively, Gabby's jaw trembling as she nodded, Antonio frowning when he saw tears welling in her eyes. "Oh, Gabs I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you…"

"No, no it's okay." She responded, wiping under her eyes. "All of this is just… it's a lot. And I don't think everything has hit me yet, but I know it could've been a lot worse."

"But it wasn't." He reminded her, Gabby biting down on her tongue as she nodded. Antonio gave her a second to gather herself, Gabby fiddling with her hands in her lap as she avoided his eye contact.

"You still have my letter for Matt, right?" Her voice was barely audible, so much so that had he not been paying attention he probably would've missed it. But he heard her.

"Gabby…"

"Please, Antonio."

"Of course I have it." He responded softly, Gabby nodding as she drew in a deep breath.

"Good."

"But nothing's gonna happen to you." He added, Gabby's tongue gliding over her bottom lip as she met his gaze. "You're gonna be fine, both of you are."

Gabby nodded slowly, her gaze moving back to her lap as she blinked back the tears welling in her eyes.

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Matt stepped out of the elevator as he got down to the first floor, taking a deep breath as he began walking through the ER, making his way to the waiting room. It didn't take Casey long to find everyone, the large group hard to miss as he walked into the room.

Herrmann caught sight of him first, the older firefighter pushing himself up from his seat quickly, his sudden movements gaining the attention of everyone else.

"How is she?" Herrmann questioned as Matt walked towards them, his eyes landing on Boden.

"She's doing okay, she's resting right now."

"And the baby?" Kidd asked.

"The baby's great, right now they're both okay." Matt could feel the tension in the room lift, the Captain seeing a few grateful smiles from his friends. "But we've got to keep a close eye on both of them for the rest of this pregnancy." He told the group, earning nods from the firefighters.

"When can we see her?" Herrmann asked, Matt swallowing thickly.

"They want her to be taking it easy right now, but when she's feeling up for visitors I'll let you guys know. She really appreciates you guys being here, though, it means a lot to both of us." He responded vaguely, earning a few nods from his coworkers.

"Of course, we're just glad her and the little baby are gonna be okay." Herrmann spoke, patting Matt's shoulder, Casey giving him a nod before glancing towards Boden.

"Can we talk?" Matt asked, the Chief nodding before the two broke away from the group, the firefighters ignoring the looks from everyone as Boden followed him down the hallway, Matt stopping when they had a quiet place to talk.

"What's going on?"

"So, uh, Gabby has what's called placental abruption." Matt cleared his throat, Boden wincing at the terminology. Although he didn't know exactly what it meant, it didn't sound good. "Basically, her placenta has started to separate from her uterus, which can cause problems for her and the baby."

"Are they going to have to deliver?"

"No, they're gonna try not to, but Dr. Tanner really isn't sure. We basically have to take this hour by hour at this point. If Gabby starts bleeding again, and she gets worse, we might have to deliver early, but Dr. Tanner is going to do what she can to keep the baby in there as long as possible." Matt explained, Boden nodding slowly. "But Gabby's gonna have to be on bed rest until we have our baby, which could be at any time, there's really no way to know."

"I'm not surprised they're putting her on bed rest." Boden replied, Matt nodding as he ran his hand over his mouth.

"And they're, uh, keeping her here. In the hospital."

"Until the baby?" Chief asked with wide eyes, Casey nodding sadly.

"Most likely." Matt responded, Boden sighing softly. "This condition is really unpredictable, apparently things can go wrong rather quickly, so it's safer for her to be here. Dr. Tanner said in a few weeks, if we haven't had to deliver, and Gabby's doing well, she told us that we might be able to go back home. But it's looking like Gabby and I are gonna be here awhile." Matt spoke, Boden shaking his head sadly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm sorry, Casey. I know neither of you really want this, but this is probably the best place for the both of them to be."

"No, I know that. But all of this is- it's just hard on her." Matt replied shortly, Boden nodding knowingly.

"I can only imagine, but whatever you guys need, Casey. All of us are here for you two."

"I know, Chief." Matt spoke, Boden drawing in a deep breath before speaking up again.

"So, do you know what you're doing?" He asked pointedly, Matt shaking his head. "I know we talked about you taking some time, but that was before we knew the extent of everything with Dawson… I wasn't sure if you had any idea of what your plans were."

"Honestly, no I don't. I just know I have to be with her right now." He answered, Boden nodding understandingly. "Maybe in a few weeks, if we have a clearer idea of what's going on with her, I can work a couple of shifts, but I'm gonna need some time off for awhile. She can't be alone, and I won't leave her for twenty four hours at a time."

"I'll handle it, Casey." Boden assured his Captain. "I just wanted to check. You focus on taking care of her."

"I will." He responded, Boden clasping him on the shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I guess we'll head out, give you two some space." Boden spoke, Matt nodding.

"Would you mind waiting for a bit?" Casey questioned, Boden's eyebrows raising curiously. "I need to go back to the house, get mine and Gabby's stuff, and my truck. I wanna go get that done while Antonio's here with her."

"Yeah of course, Casey. But we can get you your things, if you don't want to leave her." Boden offered, Matt shaking his head.

"I appreciate that, but I'm gonna have to go home anyway. Since we're gonna be here awhile, I've gotta get some stuff for us..." He trailed off, Boden giving him a knowing smile.

"Alright, well I'll go ahead and send everyone else out, but I'll wait for you down here."

"Thanks Chief." Matt replied, giving him an appreciative smile before heading back to the elevators, beginning his walk to Gabby's room, Casey wanting to see her before he left.

* * *

**Well, how are we feeling? I know some of you were thinking they might've been having the baby in this chapter, but that's not happening yet… We'll just have to wait and see what happens.**

**This was one of those chapters where I had to do a lot of research, like a lot, but it was definitely interesting learning all this stuff. I try to make everything as realistic and close to accurate as possible, but all the medical stuff is not my area of expertise at all. Although it is fun to write about.**

**I'm anxious to hear your thoughts about everything, and what you think is gonna happen with the baby. Do you all think Gabby will be stuck in the hospital until she gives birth? Or do you think they'll have to deliver early? I'm interested to hear your thoughts.**

**Thank you for reading!**


	56. Chapter Fifty Six

**Hello hello hello. Here's the next chapter for you guys. Thank you all for the feedback on the last chapter, I appreciate you taking the time to leave me your thoughts. **

**I hope you enjoy this one.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Six**_

* * *

Matt stepped out of the shower, a chill running through his body at the change in temperature as he reached for his towel. After quickly drying himself off, he wrapped the towel around his waist before turning back to face the shower, grabbing both his and Gabby's shampoo and conditioner, along with their soap and her razor, carrying the items towards the counter. Blowing out a sigh, he grabbed everything off the counter he knew they would need while in the hospital, Matt running through the mental list he'd made in the hour since he left Gabby. He knew it wouldn't be that big of a deal if he forgot one or two things, it wasn't like he was chained to the hospital and could never leave, but he didn't want to spend too much time away from Gabby if he could help it.

Once he'd gotten everything in a pile, Matt moved out into the bedroom, walking to the closet to grab a large duffel bag before heading back to the dresser. He wasn't sure exactly what he was packing, or how much of it he'd be taking with him, but he knew they wouldn't need much more than comfy clothes. Gabby had requested that he get her some of his t-shirts to wear, Matt making sure to grab enough for the both of them, along with a few pairs of the pajama shorts he knew she loved. But other than what Gabby had asked him to get her, he was sort of flying blind, so he just grabbed a few of her bigger sleep shirts, as well as some leggings. He made sure to pack clothes for him too, throwing in a pair of jeans and some joggers, Matt grabbing underwear and socks for both of them before zipping up the bag.

He knew Gabby would have some comments about his less than efficient packing methods, and how he pretty much just threw everything in there, but he wasn't too focused on that right now. His main concern was getting back to her, while not forgetting anything she'd specifically asked him to get.

Once he'd gotten all their clothes and toiletries together, he made sure to grab the extra things she'd requested, like her laptop, and all her vitamins along with his pain medication, Matt also grabbing the book he knew she was reading. Although she hadn't asked for that, he knew she'd like it, so he made sure to throw that in their bag as well.

When he'd completed his once over of the bedroom, he quickly changed into a pair of track pants and a t-shirt, wanting to be comfortable for the long night he knew was ahead of him. While he wasn't exactly sure how their first night in the hospital was going to go, Matt already knew he'd be spending more time making sure Gabby was alright than he would actually being able to sleep.

Just as he'd pulled his t-shirt over his head, he heard his phone ringing out in the kitchen, Matt blowing out a breath as he quickly hurried towards the device he knew he'd thrown in his shift bag. Getting to the bags he'd dumped on the counter, Matt rifled through it, quickly finding what he was looking for, his eyes widening in panic when he saw Antonio's contact on the screen.

"Is Gabby okay?" He asked as soon as he put the phone up to his ear.

"_Matt?_" Gabby spoke, Casey releasing a soft breath as he heard her voice, his heart rate slowly returning back to normal.

"Hey baby." He responded. "Everything alright?" He asked as he grabbed both their shift bags off the counter, taking them back to their room.

"_I'm okay, I just wasn't sure if you were gonna be back soon._" She replied, Matt beginning to unpack their work bags, knowing they wouldn't be needing these for awhile, and he didn't want their clothes to start getting musty.

"Yeah, I'm just finishing up at the apartment." He spoke, throwing their clothes in the hamper. "Stuff at the firehouse took me longer than I thought it would, I had to hand over some paperwork to Boden before I could leave, and then I took a shower when I got here but I'm about to head out, I just finished packing up everything."

"_Sounds good._"

"What about you, are you still feeling okay?" He asked, turning off the lights in the bedroom and bathroom before grabbing their things and heading for the kitchen.

"_I am, just a little sleepy._"

"Why don't you try and rest?" He suggested as he did one last sweep through the apartment, making sure everything was locked up and all the lights were off, as well as looking to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything obvious.

"_I did, for a few minutes, but I couldn't stay asleep. I don't know, she's moving around a lot and since I can't really move much, it's hard to get comfortable._" She told him, Matt frowning as he walked back to the counter, sliding Gabby's phone into his pocket so he wouldn't forget it.

"I'm sorry, babe." He murmured, slinging their bags over his shoulder and moving towards the back door. "I'm leaving the apartment right now, so I should be back soon. Maybe once I have a talk with our girl, she'll calm down a little." Matt spoke lightly, hoping his words brought a smile to her face.

"_Yeah, maybe._" She responded softly, Casey able to hear the exhaustion in her voice.

"Just close your eyes and try and sleep. Do you want me to stay on the phone with you until I get there?" He offered, but she quickly shot it down.

"_No, I don't want you distracted while you're trying to drive. I'm okay._"

"Alright, well I'll be there in a few minutes. I love you, both of you." He replied as he locked up the back door, heading for his truck.

"_We love you, too._"

* * *

Matt walked up to the door to Gabby's room, his steps slowing when he caught a glimpse of his wife, appearing to be sleeping soundly in her hospital bed. Moving as slowly and quietly as he could, Matt slid the glass door open, the noise catching Antonio's attention as the detective glanced towards him, flashing him a small smile.

Silently, Casey set their bags down on the ground, placing Gabby's laptop on the small dresser against the wall as Antonio got up from his seat. The older Dawson nodded at Casey, signaling the firefighter to follow him out into the hallway so they could talk and not disturb Gabby.

Matt followed him out of the room, slowly sliding the door back into place before turning to Antonio.

"How is she doing?" Matt asked first, Antonio drawing in a deep breath as he glanced back into the room, shaking his head.

"I think she's doing well, considering everything that's happened today… But I think she's more rattled than she's letting on." He admitted, Casey pursing his lips together tightly. "Just while you were gone, she fell asleep and woke up maybe five times, and each time it's like she woke up startled, like something had scared her."

"Yeah, that happened early…" Matt breathed out, shaking his head sadly. "Has she said anything to you?"

"She told me what happened, or what she could remember, but she didn't really say much about how she was dealing with it… Which isn't surprising. But I am worried."

"Yeah, me too." Casey responded. "I know it all just happened, and she's still shaken up from everything, but I hope once she's had some time to come to terms with everything, she'll want to talk about it… I don't want her trying to deal with this on her own."

"Well, if anyone can get her to open up, it's you." Antonio replied, Matt watching him closely. "I know you two have had some struggles with that, but she's never let anyone in the way she has with you. And I'm sure there's been times it hasn't felt like it, but she's always been that way; closed off to try and protect others."

"Yeah, I know she has. She's been that way since I met her, but she's gotten better about not carrying everything on her own. I know how independent she is makes it hard for her to accept help, but she's doing a lot better about opening up when she needs it... I know there's times she can handle things on her own, and I respect that. That was never my problem, it just felt like there were times when she clearly needed help and she was still pushing me away…" Matt breathed out, Antonio nodding understandingly. "And I know I'd get frustrated with her sometimes when she'd pull away from me, but I know that's just how she copes. It's how she's always coped, and sometimes I'd just push too hard."

"It was coming from a good place, though. Everyone, including Gabby, knows that."

"Yeah, I know. But I still made things harder than they needed to be… I guess I just never understood why sometimes she'd let me in and not others, especially considering how we used to always open up to each other. Even before we got together, she was one of my best friends and we'd always go to one another, and it was the same way when we first got together. But then after Shay died, it all just kind of changed. She started holding back from me a lot more, and, even with the break-up and everything, we got through it all, but part of me always felt like she wasn't completely letting me in anymore. And, looking back on it, I know she was just protecting herself. She lost Shay, we lost our baby, and then Louie, and then I almost died in that fire, she could've died when that parking garage collapsed… It was like we just kept getting hit over and over with the reality that everything you love can be taken from you in a split second, and part of her just shut down." Matt spoke sadly, shaking his head as he glanced back towards her. "A part of her never recovered after Shay, and I, admittedly, made all that worse. But things had gotten better, they were better between us for a long time… but then I got trapped in that factory fire, and I think she never really got past me saying goodbye to her… I think that stuck with her more than she realized, more than I ever realized." Matt spoke, Antonio nodding sadly. Both he and his father had seen first-hand how much that day destroyed his baby sister, and it was never a fun memory to relive.

"It was like she was keeping me at arms length since that fire, because she was scared something might happen to me." Casey continued, Antonio letting him vent. "That year after the fire, up until she left, things weren't great between us, and looking back on it, I think she was just scared to let me in. I think it all was just too much, and she reverted back into her old ways of doing everything on her own. I guess she thought that maybe it would help, if something happened to me... She told me before she left that she couldn't be dependent on me, but I can't help but think she was only doing that to protect herself, because that hadn't been a problem for her in the past... I just wish I would've realized that before it all blew up." He said, shaking his head as his mind caught up with his mouth. "I'm sorry, I don't even know where that came from… I didn't mean to lay all that on you."

"No, it's fine." Antonio was quick to assure him. "I mean, that's what we were talking about anyway, right? Not holding things in." The detective continued, Matt nodding softly as Antonio clasped him on the shoulder. "I know my sister has always tried to do things on her own before asking for help, but despite how independent she is, she relies on you more than anyone else. She always has." Antonio told him, Matt giving him a knowing nod. "And even though there's been some rough spots, and some times where I wasn't exactly happy with you, I really believe that you're the best thing to ever happen to my sister."

"She's the best thing that's ever happened to me, too." Matt responded without hesitation, Antonio smiling softly.

"I know she is, and that's why you two are gonna get through this, just like you've gotten through everything else that life's thrown your way. I'm telling you, I don't think there's anything that you two can't get through. There hasn't been yet. But you two are gonna need each other to get past this, Gabby's going to need you."

"I know. And I'm gonna be right here." Matt assured him, even though it didn't need to be said.

"Yeah, I know you will. Although I'm not sure how thrilled Gabby will be about that." Antonio joked to lighten the air around them, Matt chuckling softly. "But I think it's good you're staying here with her… After hearing what that son of a bitch did to her, I know this has gotta be hard for her, with all she's been through." Antonio spoke sadly, both men looking back into her room, seeing Gabby still sound asleep, her hands placed over her belly as she rested.

"I can't imagine what that was like, but I'm not gonna push her. The last thing she needs is me, or anyone, forcing her talk... I know I need to let her come to me when she's ready." Matt replied, the detective nodding.

"Yeah, cause she will." Antonio responded, Matt peeling his eyes from Gabby to look back towards his brother in law. "I know her memory is still a little hazy, but if she starts to remember more of what happened… I know that won't be easy."

"No, it won't." Matt agreed, his hands clenched at his sides, shaking his head softly. "...Is it wrong that I'm glad he's dead?" Antonio glanced to Matt with a raised brow, seeing the firefighter watching him expectantly. "That I felt- almost grateful when I heard he'd been killed?"

"No." Antonio replied quickly. "It's not wrong, in fact I'm right there with you. He's lucky he's dead, cause if I'd gotten my hands on him after what he did…" Antonio trailed off, shaking his head angrily. "He could've killed my sister, and my niece. He got off easy by getting shot." The detective spoke quietly, Matt nodding in understanding.

"Yeah, that's pretty much how I feel." Casey murmured, glancing back towards Gabby's room. He was surprised to see her shifting around in the bed, Matt watching as she slowly opened her eyes, looking around the room. "She's awake." Matt spoke, effectively halting their conversation as he opened the door, both men stepping inside.

Casey caught a flash of panic in her gaze as she glanced around the room, but it soon settled when she registered his presence, guilt flooding his body as he realized she was worried when she woke up alone.

"There's my girl." Matt spoke quietly, seeing a small smile come to Gabby's face as her body relaxed into the bed, Casey walking towards her. "How'd you sleep?" Matt leaned down to kiss her softly before taking up his position in the chair by her bed, Antonio standing in front of her.

"Okay, wish I'd slept longer though." She replied, her voice thick with exhaustion.

"You can go back to sleep, I'll be right here." He promised, Gabby nodding before she turned her attention to her brother, seeing him give her a soft smile.

"Thanks for coming by." She spoke, Antonio shaking his head as he walked around to the other side of her bed.

"No thanks necessary, I'm just glad you're okay." He replied, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head before pulling back. "But it's getting a little late," He spoke, glancing to the clock that read a quarter to six. Although it wasn't really late at all, after the day she'd had, she needed as much undisturbed rest as she could get. "I'm probably gonna get out of here, let you eat and get some sleep." He told her, Gabby nodding slowly, her movements hindered by the bandage over her neck.

"Will you be by tomorrow?"

"Of course." He responded without hesitation, squeezing her arm before heading for the door. "I love you, sis."

"Love you too." She responded softly, the detective flashing Casey a smile before walking out into the hallway, leaving the couple alone.

Matt focused his complete attention on her, smiling brightly as he met her eyes.

"Are you hungry?" He asked, Gabby nodding slowly.

"They're supposed to be bringing me food here soon, I think." She responded, holding out her hand, reaching for Matt's. He gave it to her willingly, Casey leaning forward to rest on the side of her bed, his free hand running over her belly, being mindful to not touch where she'd been hurt. "Did you get something to eat before you came back?" She questioned, seeing him shake his head.

"No, but I'm alright. I'm not really hungry right now, anyway." He responded.

"You gotta take care of yourself." She chastised softly, Matt flashing her a grin, bringing her hand up to his lips, kissing her skin gently.

"I am, but I'm just not hungry. I promise I can go and get a snack or something if I need to. But you don't need to be worrying about me." He told her just as the door opened, the couple seeing an orderly come in with her dinner, Matt standing up to take the tray from him. "I got it, thank you." He spoke, the man nodding before leaving the room, Matt bringing the food to her. "Let's see what we got here."

Gabby watched on with a soft grin as he placed her plate in front of her, pulling off the lid revealing some chicken, potatoes, and vegetables. "It actually doesn't look that bad." Gabby mused as Matt pushed the table towards her, not wanting her to have to move much.

"It looks great, now eat up." He spoke, filling her water cup before moving back to his seat, Gabby slowly digging into her food. It was pretty bland, but after having emptied the contents of her stomach a few hours earlier, the lack of flavor was actually welcome.

"So, what all did you bring me?" Gabby questioned, Matt looking up from her stomach to meet her eyes. "From the apartment?" She elaborated, realization settling over his face as he pushed himself up from the chair. "I didn't mean you had to show me now." She spoke with a laugh, Matt grinning as he shook his head.

"No, I know, but it just reminded me that I need to put away our stuff anyway." He responded, picking up their bag from the floor, placing it on top of her dresser. "It's mostly just comfy clothes, a lot of my shirts, as requested." He spoke, Gabby smirking before taking another bite of her dinner. "I grabbed all your shower stuff, and my stuff. Mostly just the essentials I thought we'd need." He told her, placing their folder clothes into the drawer.

"So… you're gonna be staying with me?"

Matt's eyebrows furrowed as he turned back towards her bed, seeing her hesitant eyes on him. In all the chaos of the day, they'd barely had a second to breathe, let alone have any time to really talk through everything. But he didn't think this was something that needed to be discussed. He wouldn't be going anywhere, not as long as she was here.

"Of course I am." He responded softly, turning his entire body to face her. "You didn't think I'd leave you here, did you?" He asked, leaning his body weight into the dresser, a sheepish look covering her scraped face.

"Well, no, I guess not. But I could be here a long time, I don't want you stuck in here just cause I am. And you've got work and everything to think about."

"If you're here, I'm here." He replied simply. "And I talked to Boden, I'm gonna be taking some time off."

"Matt…" She sighed, Casey pushing himself off the dresser, walking towards the bed.

"Gabby." He repeated, mimicking her tone as he stopped by her side. "I'm not going to work, not right now, not after everything today."

"You can't take off seven weeks of work, not when you're gonna need to take time off once she's born." She tried to reason, but Matt shook his head.

"For starters, we don't know if it'll be seven weeks. And two, however much time I need to take off, I'll take off. You and our girl are what's important, everything else is secondary." He told her, Gabby's face softening. "I'm not going anywhere, I wouldn't be able to focus at work right now anyway knowing that you were here alone, so I'm staying. And you're just gonna have to get over it." He spoke with a grin, Gabby scoffing lightly.

"I'm not gonna be able to change your mind, am I?"

"Nope." He replied quickly, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before walking back to the dresser, wanting to finish unpacking their things.

"Fine." She said reluctantly, Matt smirking as his back was to her. "But if I do end up being here for awhile, we're talking about this again. As much as I love you for wanting to stay here with me, we're gonna have another talk about you going back to work."

"I can deal with that." He agreed, knowing better than to argue with her. Seeing as how there were so many unknowns with everything, there was no need for him to pick a fight with her over something that might not end up mattering. There was no way to know what their lives would look like in a few weeks, so Matt figured it best to just agree with whatever she wanted, at least for right now.

Gabby finished eating while Matt moved throughout the room, taking all their toiletries into the bathroom and getting them set up in there. For being a hospital room, everything was quite spacious, more so than he was expecting. Gabby's room was a decent size, and he was grateful for that. With the possibility of her being here a while, and at least for the next few weeks, he wanted her to be as comfortable as possible, even though she wouldn't be seeing anything other than these walls for a little bit.

"Did you get enough?" Matt asked as he came to sit back down beside her, seeing she'd only eaten a little more than half her food.

"Yeah, I'm full." She responded, taking a sip of her water. "But I'm feeling better." She added, Matt grinning softly.

"Good." He replied, pushing the table out of the way to give him an unobstructed view of her stomach, Matt resting his hand on top of her gown. "Is she still moving around a lot?"

"Not as much as when I was trying to sleep, but she definitely hasn't settled down yet." Gabby answered, Matt nodding as he slid to the edge of his chair, moving his head closer to her stomach. It wasn't the usual closeness he was used to when he'd talk to their daughter at home in bed, the distance, the hospital gown, and the fetal monitor all hindering his ability to be as close as he wanted, but under the circumstances it was more than enough. Their daughter was still here, and she was okay, that's what was important. "I think she missed you." Gabby murmured, resting her head back onto the pillow, Matt glancing to her as she tried to get comfortable.

"I missed her, too." He responded, rubbing gently over her belly, being extra careful to not press into her skin. "Hey little girl." He murmured, Gabby grinning as her eyes fell closed, focusing on the sound of Matt's voice. "I know today was a hard day, and I know you probably got scared, so did Mommy and Daddy." He spoke quietly, rubbing his thumb over Gabby's stomach. "But everything's fine. You're doing great, and while we can't wait to meet you, we need you to stay in there a little while longer. And, for now, it would really help your Momma out if you could sleep. She needs to rest, you both do, but she can't really move around to get comfortable, so we're gonna need your help little one." Matt spoke soothingly, feeling Gabby's body relax under his touch.

Glancing up to her, he saw her breathing begin to even out, Matt knowing she was close to falling asleep. Not wanting to disturb that, he continued his methodical movements over her belly, the action soothing her. Matt waited a good five minutes before pulling his hand back, seeing Gabby had fallen into a deep sleep. Moving as quietly as he could, he stood up from his seat, pushing the small table further away from Gabby before carefully pulling the sheets up over her body, watching as she subconsciously nuzzled into the material as he brought it up to rest over her chest.

With one last glance to make sure she was still asleep, Matt stepped away from her bed, moving towards the door to turn off the lights, the only light in the room pouring in from the hallway. Casey carefully slid the curtain around her bed closed, moving as slowly as possible to not make too much noise, Matt stopping once it was partially shut, only pulling it closed enough to block the light from hitting her bed.

After a quick trip to the bathroom, Matt came back to his spot beside the bed, angling his chair parallel to Gabby before he sat down. A grimace covered his face as the chair clicked when he reclined, but thankfully the noise hadn't woken her up. Matt settled down into the chair, reaching his arm out towards the bed and grabbing ahold of her hand, getting himself comfortable for the long night ahead.

He wasn't necessarily tired, but his body felt exhausted, like the events of today had finally caught up with him, and he knew it was in his best interest to sleep while he could. But he couldn't get his mind to shut off. He couldn't stop thinking about just how terrible today could've been.

Matt knew they got lucky. That, despite the issues with Gabby, they had gotten extremely lucky. Both Gabby and their girl are fine, but that could've easily not been the case. There were hundreds of ways today could've been so much worse.

But it wasn't. And Matt had to hold onto that. He couldn't focus on the what ifs of this, or it would drive him crazy.

Casey hadn't even realized he'd been dozing as he got lost in his head, until he heard the door slide open, Matt's head snapping up at the sound. His vision came into focus as he saw Maggie step around the curtain, a soft smile resting on her face.

"Hi, sorry, I didn't realize you were sleeping." She spoke quietly, Matt shaking his head.

"It's fine, I wasn't really." He whispered back, glancing to Gabby's sleeping form before turning back to the nurse. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, I just came to see how she was doing."

"She's good, she ate her dinner and then fell asleep pretty soon after that." He explained, Maggie nodding as she stepped closer to the bed, looking at the monitors Gabby was attached to.

"Do you want a cot? I know that chair isn't the most comfortable." She offered, Matt's eyes focusing on Gabby.

"Uh, I think I'm okay for tonight. I don't want to leave her side." Matt responded, Maggie nodding knowingly as she walked back towards the exit.

"Alright, I just wanted to check. But I'll probably have one sent in tomorrow. I know she's gonna be here awhile, and I'm not sure if you're planning on staying here with her the entire time-"

"I am." Matt cut in. "She doesn't love the idea, but I am."

"Well, then I'll definitely have them bring a cot in sometime tomorrow. That chair can only be comfortable for so long." She responded with a grin, Matt nodding thankfully.

"Thanks Maggie." He spoke quietly.

"It's nothing. I'll leave you two alone, I hope you get some rest." She said, Matt nodding before she disappeared around the curtain, the room returning to its former silence.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt glanced back to Gabby, seeing her still soundly asleep beside him, her body angled towards him as her head rested on the pillow. Once he had reassurance that she was still peacefully resting, Matt finally allowed himself to relax, Casey's head lulling towards her as he stopped fighting against his exhaustion, the firefighter falling asleep within minutes.

* * *

Matt grimaced as he slowly came out of his state of unconsciousness, his ears filled with the sound of Gabby's heart monitor, the rhythmic thumping the only noise in the room. Blinking tightly, Matt let out a yawn as he regained more of his senses, feeling a dull ache in his back from the position he'd been in for however long he'd been resting.

He wasn't sure what time it was, or how long he'd been asleep as he opened his eyes, the room bathed in complete darkness. Instinctively, he looked to Gabby, unable to see much in the pitch black room, but as far as he could tell she was still asleep, Matt able to see her chest moving up and down steadily. Giving her hand a gentle squeeze, he put the chair back into its upright position, dropping her hand as he stood up, wanting to stretch out his legs.

"Matt?"

Hearing her say his name surprised him, Matt frowning as he heard the almost pleading tone to her voice. He didn't even realize she'd been awake, but it was clear she was, and she sounded upset.

"Hey, I'm here." He assured her, reaching behind her bed and turning on the light over her head, his frown deepening when he saw the tear tracks down her cheeks, her eyes shining back at him. "What's wrong? Are you in pain? Does something hurt?" His sleep-filled voice was frantic, Gabby shaking her head as she reached out for him, Matt grabbing a hold of her hand with both of his as he placed himself on the edge of the bed. "What's going on?"

"I can't stop seeing his face." She murmured, Matt's eyes falling closed as he released a heavy breath.

"Gabby…"

"I can't stop thinking about it, about him grabbing me, and him holding the knife to my throat." Fresh tears were slipping down her skin, her voice unsteady as Matt gave her hand another firm squeeze. "...He wouldn't let me go." She whimpered, her gaze locking on his. "He saw that I was pregnant and he- he _smiled_, like he knew he could use that to his advantage. And he just kept holding onto me so tight, I felt like I couldn't breathe."

Anger coursed through Casey's body as he listened to her, his throat clenching in rage as he tried to keep his emotions under control for her sake.

"I'm sorry, Gabby." He whispered, sliding himself closer to her. "I'm so sorry this happened."

"It felt like I was there." She whimpered, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he reached out towards her face, gently lifting her chin.

"What do you mean?"

"It felt like I was back there, in Puerto Rico, the night I was-" She cut herself off, Matt feeling his heart sink into his stomach as her bottom lip quivered. "I tried not to think about it, I tried so hard but I couldn't help it and it's like I was right back there again."

"Gabby-"

"He kept holding me tighter and it felt like that night all over again, all I could think about was them pinning me to the ground, how it felt like I was going to die." Her words were choppy, tears filling Casey's eyes as he stroked his thumb over her jaw. "I tried so hard to not think about it, I tried Matt, but I couldn't stop it." She choked out, Matt shaking his head sadly.

"Baby, it's okay." He replied, Gabby swallowing back a sob. "It's okay."

"I was so scared." She whispered, a lone tear escaping down his cheek. "And thinking about the attack just made it so much worse. I thought I was past it, that I was over everything but when that happened it was like all that progress was gone, like I was right back where I was when I came home… I tried to not let it get to me, I tried to remember where I was and that I was in Chicago, with you, and what happened wasn't like Puerto Rico, but it was hard. And now it's all I can think about, I can't get it out of my head, but I just want to be over it." She rambled, her emotions winning out as a rough sob escaped through her lips, her body trembling as she cried.

Matt instinctively leaned towards her, Gabby falling into his chest as her head pressed into his neck, her body shaking in his arms. His heart broke as he listened to her cries, Matt rubbing her back gently as he gave her time to release every emotion she'd been holding onto since this happened.

"It's okay, Gabby." He murmured, Gabby hiccuping as Matt pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "I know you were scared, and there's nothing wrong with that." He reassured her, hearing her sniffle against his neck.

Knowing the position she was in wasn't the most comfortable, Matt slowly leaned them back, letting Gabby rest on the bed. He pulled away to adjust his body, but Gabby gripped onto him before he could get very far, her desperate action sending a stabbing pain through his chest. "I'm not going anywhere." He promised, Gabby loosening her grip after a moment so he could turn around, Matt sitting on the edge of her bed beside her, Gabby falling into his side as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Even though he was mostly hanging off the bed, this was preferable to the position they'd just been in, knowing it was much easier on Gabby.

"I would give anything for this not to have happened." He spoke quietly, Gabby resting her head on his shoulder as tears endlessly streamed down her face. "I wish it was me, or that I'd been there and could've stopped it. I wish you never went through that, but what you're feeling right now, it's okay Gabby. What happened to you was scary, and it reminded you of what you went through last year… But that doesn't make you weak. You went through something horrible, what happened to you in Puerto Rico was a nightmare, and it'll always be there. It's not something you'll be able to forget. You move on from it, but that doesn't mean you can pretend it didn't happen." He told her, Gabby nodding against his shoulder. "I truly believe you've accepted what happened to you, I think you've gotten past it. But something like this, that's gonna bring back some memories of that day. That's nothing to be ashamed of."

Matt held onto her as they fell into a comfortable silence, Gabby sniffling occasionally as Matt moved his free hand to her belly, holding onto her gently.

"I love you, baby. I love you so much." Matt murmured, resting his head down on the top of hers. "And it's all gonna be alright, everything will be fine. But it's okay that it's not right now. What happened to you yesterday was terrifying, and it's something we'll need time to deal with before you're okay. But until then, I'm here. Whatever you need, I'm right here." He promised, Gabby nodding slowly.

"I love you." She spoke quietly, Matt smiling softly before pressing multiple kisses to the top of her head.

"Try and go back to sleep." He encouraged after a few seconds, Gabby nuzzling herself against him to make herself comfortable. "I'll be right here."

Matt stayed as quiet as possible over the next few minutes, his breathing steady as he hoped to lull her back to sleep. She needed as much rest as possible, and despite it not being the most comfortable position for him, hanging halfway off the bed, he'd stay here as long as she needed if it would help her sleep.

Gabby's confession of what had been going on in her head broke his heart, but now that the shock had worn off, he knew he shouldn't have been surprised that the events of yesterday had reminded her of her attack. Although they weren't exactly the same, hearing about how she'd been grabbed roughly and held against her will, it would bound to bring back those unpleasant memories, and he hated it. He hated that she'd gotten attacked, he hated what had happened to her yesterday, and he hated that yet again, he hadn't been there to stop it.

Logically, he knew neither of those events were his fault. Even though he held onto so much guilt for what happened to her while she was away, deep down he knew there was nothing he could've done, but it didn't make him feel any better knowing that she'd gotten hurt and he wasn't there to help her. He was supposed to protect her, and he couldn't.

Gabby Dawson was the last person who needed a man, or anyone, to be her knight in shining armor. She could take care of herself, he knew that, but there were times where there were aspects outside of her control. Times where had he been there, the outcome would've been much different. If he was with her in Puerto Rico, the attack might've never happened. If he had been on that call yesterday, maybe he could've stopped that man from grabbing her. Had he been around, those two things probably never would have happened, and a small part of him would always feel guilty for that.

"What are we gonna do if I'm here for seven weeks?"

Gabby's soft voice snapped him out of his thoughts, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he glanced down towards her, surprised to see she was still awake. Although he did feel a little bit of relief hearing she sounded much less upset than she had moments ago.

"I thought I told you to sleep." He replied lightly, Gabby rolling her eyes even though he couldn't see her.

"I can't stop thinking about all this."

"Baby, you need to rest." He responded, Gabby releasing a heavy sigh.

"I know, but what are we gonna do if I'm actually stuck in here until we have our girl?" She asked, Matt's head tilting to the side.

"What do you mean?"

"We can't be here until she's born, there's still so much we have to do." She breathed out, Matt shaking his head.

"It'll get done. We have most of what we need already, we have most of the necessities, it'll all be fine." He assured her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath. "Maybe in the next few days, we can take some time, make a list of everything we still need and I can go and get it. But you just need to focus on resting."

"Yeah, I know… it's just hard, knowing I'm most likely stuck here."

"I know it is, but it's what we have to do. For your safety and for our baby girl, we need to be here." He reminded her, Gabby nodding softly. "Hopefully we'll be able to get you home for a bit before she gets here, but even then you wouldn't be able to go out and do anything anyway. Whatever else we need to get for our girl, I'll handle it. I don't want you to worry."

"I'm about to be a mom, all I'm gonna do is worry." She spoke, Matt smiling softly.

"You already are a mom." He responded, pressing a kiss to her head. "You're already an amazing mom to our girl." He told her, Gabby grinning softly as her eyes fell closed.

"And you're already an amazing dad." She replied, focusing on the steady rise and fall of his chest beneath her. "Also, it might we time for us to start thinking about picking a name from the few we decided on, instead of us calling her 'our girl' forever."

"Yeah, we can do that. But for now, just rest." He spoke softly, Gabby nodding before relaxing into him, sleeping overcoming her in just a few short minutes.

* * *

Casey woke up to the feeling of incessant buzzing in his pocket, a soft groan escaping his lips as he slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light filling the room. Drawing in a deep breath, Matt blindly felt around until he found his pocket, pulling his phone out and glancing to the screen, seeing Kelly's name through his unfocused vision.

"Sev?" He whispered after he put the phone up to his ear, glancing down to see Gabby sound asleep in his arms, her head resting against his chest.

"_Hey sorry, were you asleep?_"

"Give me a second." Matt responded quietly, grimacing as he slowly moved off the bed, holding onto Gabby's head until it was resting on her pillow. His body was clearly angry at him for the position he slept in, Matt having fallen asleep with his body hanging off the bed, his foot balancing himself against the ground all night. He didn't even remember falling asleep after his and Gabby's talk, but clearly he never made it back to his chair like he'd planned.

Shaking out his tingling limbs, Matt slowly walked out of the room, stretching out his back once he got into the hallway.

"Okay, sorry I'm here. I didn't want to wake up Gabby." He spoke up, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck.

"_It's fine, I figured you'd be awake, but I should've waited until later to call._"

"You're good, what's up?"

"_Just got off shift, wanted to check in and see how you guys were doing._"

"It was a long night, but we're hanging in there." Matt replied vaguely. "How'd the rest of shift go?"

"_It was pretty busy, we had a lot of calls. Probably for the best, everyone was really shaken up after everything with Dawson, so the distraction was good._" Severide replied.

"Yeah, it probably was."

"_So… I really was just calling to see if either of you needed anything? I know you don't wanna leave her, so I just wanted to check and make sure._"

Matt thought over his request for a moment, his mind going back to his conversation with Gabby last night, a thought hitting him suddenly. "Uh, actually there is something you could do for me, if you don't mind."

"_Name it_." Severide replied without hesitation, Matt taking another step away from Gabby's room.

"Would you mind stopping by the apartment?"

"_Sure, what do you need?_"

"I need you to get Gabby's anxiety medication."

Kelly went silent on the other line for a moment, Matt swallowing thickly.

"_Uh, yeah… sure. I didn't know Gabby had those._"

"She does, since everything in Puerto Rico…" Casey trailed off, clearing his throat before continuing. "But they're in our medicine cabinet in the bathroom. They should be on the bottom shelf, they're the only pill bottle there so they shouldn't be hard to find."

"_No, yeah I'm sure I can find them… Is she alright?_"

"She is, everything from yesterday is just bringing up a lot of memories, so I want to have them if she needs them."

"_I get it. Do you need anything else?_"

"Could you grab the blanket from the back of the couch? Gabby loves it, and I think it might help make her more comfortable."

"_Yeah, of course. I'll grab that stuff and stop by._"

"Okay, thanks Kelly And, uh, could you just call me when you get here, and I'll come meet you in the hallway?"

"_That's fine…_" Kelly replied slowly, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "_Is Dawson not allowed to see anyone, or does she not want to?_"

"...She doesn't want to." Matt answered, hearing his friend sigh softly. "I think it's a combination of things, but it's been a rough twenty four hours, and I think she just needs time before she's comfortable with a lot of people around."

"_No, I get it. Whatever she needs is what we'll do._"

"Thanks Sev… I'll see you soon." He responded, waiting for his friend's goodbye before heading back into Gabby's room, thankful to see his wife still sound asleep.

* * *

Matt stepped out of the bathroom with a soft grin on his face, his smile only widening when he saw the scowl resting over Gabby's features.

"How was your shower?" She asked bitterly, Matt chuckling softly as he walked towards her bed.

"It was great, thank you for asking." He responded lightly, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss to her lips, Matt feeling her face scrunch up underneath his touch.

"You're getting water on me." She spoke, Matt smirking as he pulled back, seeing the water droplets from his freshly washed hair on her face.

"I'm sorry." He responded, kissing her again quickly before walking over towards the dresser, placing his dirty clothes in the duffle bag.

It was their third day in the hospital, and Casey had yet to leave Gabby's side, except for the times he would take some walks around the hospital to stretch his legs, or get something to eat. And, surprisingly enough, Gabby had been handling everything much better than he anticipated. He wasn't sure if she was just too tired to fight it too hard, or if she knew it was her only option, but she'd been handling her limited mobility pretty well. There were times she got frustrated, and would make a harsh comment or two, but overall she'd been doing okay with the circumstances. At least for now, she has seemed to accept this was what she had to do, and she was dealing with the adjustment well.

"I'll probably have to go home either tomorrow or the next day, to do some laundry. Do you have any requests?" Matt asked, turning around to face her.

"Hmm, maybe another book? I'll be finished with this one here soon. I don't care which one, just something from the bookshelf."

"I can do that." He responded, moving back to her side, his eyes tracing over her form.

In the days since the accident on call, Gabby's body had definitely shown more signs of the trauma she experienced. Her right cheek had swelled up a little bit more from where her face had hit the rail, and a large bruise had accompanied the swelling. The scrape over the left side of her face had started to heal, which Matt was thankful for, considering he knew how uncomfortable it made her.

The rest of her body was covered in discolored patches of skin as well, Matt knowing that there was more of her body that was bruised than not. Her stomach was probably the most alarming, Matt remembering the shock he felt when he caught his first glimpse of the dark purple bruising over her skin. Her fall down the stairs had really left its mark, but luckily all her injuries would heal. It would just take a while.

But the injury he hated the most were the cuts on her neck. Yesterday evening had been the first time Matt got a good look at them, the slashes having healed enough to where she didn't need to keep them covered. While he was glad she was healing, selfishly, he wished they were still covered. Seeing the jagged cuts across her neck made his blood boil, while simultaneously making him feeling like he was about to break down. It was just another physical reminder of how careless that man had been with Gabby's life, and it left a sinking feeling in his stomach. Matt could make out at least three different cuts across her skin, and he couldn't help but feel grateful that that crazy man hadn't pressed in any deeper.

"Do you know what time Dr. Tanner's coming today?" He asked as he met her eyes, Matt sitting back down in his chair as Gabby kicked the blankets off of herself, letting them bunch up at the end of her bed.

"Should be here soon." She responded, moving her hand over her bump, avoiding the fetal monitor that had to stay on Gabby's body, Matt's shirt doing a decent job of covering it. After her first night here, she'd insisted on changing into one of Matt's shirts and a pair of her pajama shorts, and she'd been in that same outfit since. She'd changed once, but the concept was the same, Matt knowing it's what she was most comfortable in. "Hopefully nothing has changed." Gabby spoke, Matt nodding knowingly.

Dr. Tanner had been to visit Gabby every single day, checking in on both her and the baby, and the previous two days had been slightly encouraging for the couple, the doctor assuring them that nothing with Gabby's condition had changed. She still wasn't in labor, she hadn't had any more bleeding, and their little girl was still healthy and active. Everything was looking good, for both Gabby and the baby, and it had raised their spirits significantly.

"We'll get an update soon enough, but I'm sure everything's fine." Matt told her, glancing back as the door opened, seeing an orderly bringing in Gabby's breakfast. "But right now, all I want you focused on is eating." He told her as her food was placed in front of her, Matt flashing her a smile.

"I can do that." She replied with a grin, Matt grabbing the remote from her bed to find them something to watch while she ate.

* * *

"Any updates on Dawson?"

Kelly looked up from his bowl of cereal as Brett walked into the room full of firefighters, the paramedic stopping in the doorway.

"According to Severide, Casey says she's just been sleeping mostly." Kidd spoke up, all eyes in the room turning to look at him, the Lieutenant nodding in agreement.

"I talked to him last night, nothing's changed. The baby is still doing good, Gabby's alright, she hasn't gotten any worse, which is I guess what they're hoping for." Kelly elaborated, earning a few nods from his coworkers. "Things sound like they're going as well as they can."

"Good, that's good."

"Is she still not wanting to see anyone?" Herrmann questioned, Severide drawing in a deep breath.

"Yeah, I think so… Casey hasn't told me any different, so I'm guessing nothing's changed."

"Why doesn't she want to see you guys?"

Severide stifled an eye roll when Garcia spoke up, the temporary Captain sitting in the corner of the room. When members of second shift came in this morning and found Garcia would be the one filling in for Casey, no one was excited to see the Captain back in their house, especially considering there was no way to know how long he'd be here.

"She's been through a lot the last few days." Severide replied sharply, Garcia meeting his eyes. "She needs some time to deal with everything." His rough words were met with a simple nod from Garcia, the man not pushing any further.

"Hopefully she'll be up for visitors soon." Brett responded, shaking her head. "I feel so terrible, I wish this never happened."

"Yeah, we all do." Herrmann breathed out. "But it's not your fault, there was no way to know any of that would happen."

"No, I know, I just feel awful. I know all of this could've been so much worse, but I hate that she's stuck in the hospital. I don't know, I wish Foster and I had pushed harder to make sure she went back to the ambulance, or done more for this not to have happened."

"Dawson's a big girl." Garcia spoke up, all eyes moving towards him. "You don't need to hold her hand and keep her from putting her baby's life in danger."

His words hung in the air, eyes narrowing on the temporary Captain.

"Are you saying this is her fault?" Herrmann asked roughly, Garcia shrugging.

"The psycho holding a knife to her throat and pushing her down the steps? No, not really her fault. But she never should've been in that position in the first place. I bet she regrets working so long now."

"It sounds like you're saying she asked for this." Foster spoke with narrowed eyes.

"Jeez, I forgot how sensitive the topic of Dawson is around here…" Garcia breathed out, shaking his head. "All I'm saying is maybe next time she'll think more about the well-being of her kid than her own desire to keep working."

Multiple members of 51 opened their mouths to push back against Garcia, but none got the chance as the bells rung throughout the house, calling everyone to a car accident. Despite their focuses shifting into work mode, Severide didn't bother to stop himself from glaring harshly at the Captain, his eyes burning holes into the back of the man's head as they headed for their rigs.

Severide knew Casey was where he needed to be, that he had to be with Gabby for the time being. But that wouldn't stop him from hoping Casey would be back sometime soon, Kelly knowing if Garcia kept this attitude up, Severide couldn't promise he wouldn't deck him.

* * *

**And there's another chapter, hopefully you all liked it. One thing I've really enjoyed about writing this story is getting to portray Dawsey how they always were, before the writers ruined them. They had so much love for each other, and cared about each other so much, it's been nice to relive that, in a sense, through writing this. **

**(The bold-italic turned into an unexpected, and quite long Dawsey rant just because the entire situation still annoys me, so if you don't care about any of that feel free to skip it.) **

_**As some of you know, I don't watch the show anymore, and I don't really consider myself apart of the Chicago Fire fandom anymore, which honestly is probably for the best because from what I can tell, it's been taken over by people who hate Gabby. I've seen so many people talking about how terrible Gabby was, how she never loved Matt, how she never really cared about him or their relationship, and it's only gotten worse with all the Brett/Casey stuff, and it's frustrating because, for starters, Gabby is my favorite character in the world, but also I just do not see how people can watch the first six seasons of this show and claim Gabby didn't completely and utterly love him. Like, this is the woman who'd been in love with him pre-series, there wasn't an episode that aired where you could say she didn't love him. I just hate that the writers lost sight of that. They lost sight of both Gabby and Matt towards the end of season six, all because they wouldn't take the time to properly write Monica out. And I think a part of me will always be resentful for that, because all it did was give those fans who despised Gabby even more of a reason to hate her, and made some people who had liked Gabby start to dislike her. The writers essentially spent season six turning Gabby into the bad guy, and by the time it was all said and done so many people hated her. I just hate that Gabby was made out to be the villain, and I wish Dawsey got an ending that did justice to their relationship, because the one given to them on the show didn't. These two people loved each other more than anything, that was obvious. Even when they'd be bickering/arguing/fighting/etc, you could always see just how much love was between them, and then Dawsey and Gabby really got tossed aside like they were nothing, and I think it'll always hurt. Their relationship and Gabby as a character deserved much better than what they got, and I'll always be annoyed at how Dawsey was written towards the end, because there's no way in hell those two people would give up as easily as they did. Gabby would never abandon him, and Matt would never not go with her. The entire storyline should've been handled much better than it was. **_

_**I didn't mean for this to turn into a rant, I've just been feeling so sad about Dawsey lately, especially because it's like all I see now are people talking about how terrible their relationship was and it's upsetting. Dawsey meant the absolute world to me, and I hate seeing their entire relationship, and Gabby, getting torn to shreds all because the writers were too lazy to give Dawson a proper send off, one that made more sense for the character and the relationship. And we all know had Monica chosen to stay, season 6 would've played out much differently, and Dawsey would still be happily together right now, most likely with a baby. If viewers paid any attention at all, how much they love each other was never in question. I just wish the writer's hadn't spent nearly an entire season trying to ruin that.**_

**Okay, rant over. I'm sorry, I've just been seeing way too much Dawson/Dawsey hate lately and it's been bothering me. (I know it's been like a year and a half and I need to just get over it, trust me I'm trying.) But I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Gabby and Matt are trying to get used to life at the hospital, while Garcia is back at 81 for the time being, which some of you actually guessed, but someone's gotta cover for Casey while he's with Gabby, right?**

**One thing I do want to mention is that I've kind of been getting mixed reactions about what you guys want from this story lately, but I want you to know that I'm trying my best to give you all what you want to see. It's just sometimes hard when I'm getting a bunch of conflicting things, you know? But the main thing I saw was a lot of you were wanting a time jump, which I was planning on doing. Day by day of a lot of time in the hospital wouldn't be fun for me to write, and I know it wouldn't be fun to read. But, anyway, I do appreciate all your feedback, positive and negative. I just hope you all know that I read every single review and I take your criticisms to heart, because at the end of the day this story is for you guys, and I want you all to enjoy it. I do try and take into account what you all ask for and want from this story, and try and do less of the things you all don't like so much. I know I'm the writer, but you all are very much involved in this as well and I take what you all suggest very seriously, I just want you to know that.**

**Anyway, now that I've sufficiently bored you all to death with what was probably the longest authors note ever, I want to thank you guys so much for reading. All of the support you guys have given me on this story means the world to me. I wouldn't have been able to keep this going for so long if not for all of you who read my work, so thank you for that.**

**P.S. (since I haven't said enough already) I promise the chapters won't continue to be so painful, I appreciate you all sticking with me. **


	57. Chapter Fifty Seven

**Hello everyone! Thank you so much for the feedback on the last chapter, it really helped me. But here's the next chapter for you guys, we're getting closer and closer to Baby Casey! Like, very close. Very, very close. I hope you all enjoy this one, thank you for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Seven**_

* * *

"Well, Matt I'm glad to hear your knee is still doing well." Dr. Williams spoke as he looked over Casey's chart, the firefighter smiling softly. "But I am sorry to hear about everything with Gabby. I heard some talk about all that throughout the hospital when it happened, but I didn't realize it was Dawson. That's just awful." The doctor mused, Matt nodding in agreement.

Today Matt had slipped away from Gabby's room long enough to go down a few floors to his six-week follow up with Dr. Williams to check up on his knee. Although it had turned into more of a seven-week one with Matt pushing the appointment back, he was glad to get this out of the way.

"Yeah, it's been hard. But she's doing a lot better, we might actually be able to get out of here soon."

"That would be good, I'm sure you both would be more comfortable at home." He replied, Matt nodding. "But, back to your, originally, I was planning on starting to wean you off the pain management medication. Your knee has healed well, you haven't been having any pain, everything's looking good, but with everything going on with Gabby I'm not sure if that's still a good idea." Dr. Williams explained, Casey's head tilting to the side in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

"There's going to be an adjustment period when you quit taking your medication, your body is going to need time to readjust without the medicine, and there can be some side effects to that. And, as much as I hate to say it, there's a good chance that this medication is the only reason you're not feeling any pain. It's kind of a trial and error process, we'd have to take you off the meds to know if that's what is helping, and if they are the sole reason for your improvement, you'd most likely need to stay on them indefinitely." Dr. Williams explained, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he tried to digest what his doctor was saying. "But I'm not sure how comfortable I feel taking you off them when you are having to take care of Gabby. I don't think it's a good idea to start messing with this right now, not when we know it's working."

"Okay. So I need to continue to keep taking them?"

"I think that's the best course of action right now, yes. Obviously, I don't want you taking medication just to take it, but the only reason your pain stopped was because of your meds, and I have a strong feeling those issues will only resurface if we try and take you off of them. I told you from the beginning that chronic pain was probably what we were dealing with, and I still believe that's the case. I think it's in your best interest, as well as Dawson's, for you to remain on the medication."

"Okay." Casey responded simply. "If that's what I need to do, I will. Honestly I'm not so much worried about having to continue to take the pills, Gabby's really my only priority right now, so that's fine." He spoke, the doctor giving him a small, knowing smile.

"Yeah, I get it. And, I know things never really calm down with a newborn, but maybe in a few months we can revisit this, talk about trying to get you off them, but right now I think continuing them is the best thing for you. Chronic pain is tricky, and a lot of times it's not always easy to manage. We've found something that works for you, I think it's important we stick to that, especially with everything else going on." He finished, Casey nodding in agreement. "Alright, well just continue to take your pills as prescribed, I don't have much else to tell you, and I'm sure you want to get back to Gabby."

Matt nodded as he slid down off the table. "Yeah, I do. I mean, our friend, Kelly, is with her right now so she's not by herself." He explained, Dr. Williams handing him his paperwork. "But I'd like to get back if we're good."

"We are." He replied, the two men walking towards the door. "Don't worry about making an appointment for down the line or anything right now. Since everything is still so up in the air with Gabby, whenever things get a little less crazy just call and set something up."

"I will. Thanks Dr. Williams." He spoke, giving the man a nod before heading for the exit.

It only took him a few minutes to get back to Gabby's floor, Matt nodding and smiling at the nurses he'd become quite familiar with over the last few weeks. Gabby was nearing the end of her third week in the hospital, so it was safe to say both her and Matt were well acquainted with everyone who was regularly on this floor.

Once he finally got back to her room, Matt smiled as he caught sight of her through the door, Casey sliding it open, the noise gaining the attention of both Gabby and Kelly. A soft smile fell across Dawson's face when she saw her husband, the paramedic shifting her positioning in bed as Matt walked in.

"Hey baby." She greeted, Casey coming to stand at the foot of her bed.

"Hello." He responded with a grin, rubbing his hand over her blanket-covered shin, Matt glancing to his friend sitting beside the bed, giving the firefighter a quick nod. "Thanks for staying with her."

"It's not a problem, I was just catching up Dawson on the goings on at 51." Severide explained, Matt nodding before he raised his eyebrows, looking towards Gabby.

"Yeah, he's been filling me in on all the fun I've been missing."

Matt smiled as he listened to her talk, glad to see her completely comfortable around other people again. It had taken some time, nearly a week and a half of her being in the hospital before she felt comfortable having others around. And even at first, she only let Severide and Jemma come for some short visits. The accident on shift had left her very on edge, Gabby not really wanting to be around anyone at first other than Matt, her brother, and her dad, but her nervousness slowly began to fade, and eventually she felt comfortable being around people again. With the help of time, her friends, and her anxiety medication, she was slowly getting past everything. But it hadn't been easy.

In the roughly week and a half since she'd started being open to the idea of visitors, she'd practically had a line out the door of people wanting to see her. It started with Brett and Foster, the paramedics having been keeping in close contact with Casey until they were able to visit, wanting updates on their friend. They both felt terrible for what happened to her, and were eager to come and see for themselves that she was alright. Along with the paramedics who had visited multiple times, everyone from 51 had been by at least once, if not twice, only staying for quick visits to come check in on Dawson.

Casey was grateful to see 51 come and visit Gabby whenever they could, and he was especially thankful they only came in small groups. He wasn't sure how she would react to having so many people around her at once, but with how anxious she'd been as of late, he was glad they'd come to see her separately. He figured it wasn't something they'd done on purpose, that it wasn't a conscious decision on their part, but he was thankful nonetheless. Although he knew there was a good chance Gabby would've been fine, knowing it was people she was comfortable with, he'd been with her in those moments where she couldn't handle having people around, and it wasn't something he enjoyed seeing. He'd seen her tense up when an unfamiliar nurse or orderly came into the room, even if it was just for a second. Or when there were too many nurses in the room at once. Earlier on especially, she had times where she got overwhelmed easily, and those moments usually ended in tears; partially from her anxiousness, but also from the unsettling reality that she didn't really know what was going on in her own head. He knew that was part of what was making this more difficult, that she didn't understand her own feelings a lot of the time, and it had led to her fair share of tough moments. Gabby being stuck in a hospital bed, along with the typical struggles of pregnancy, her mental state had taken a bit of a hit lately. Emotionally, she'd been up and down a lot over the last three weeks; Gabby sometimes crying out of the blue, or getting upset without any real cause. Matt did what he could to help her through it, and she'd eventually snap out of it, but with each visit from her friends, she seemed to feel a little better. He knew this was all just part of the process, but she was slowly getting back to feeling like herself again.

On top of Matt appreciating everyone from the firehouse coming to see her and distract her from everything for a little bit, it was in times like these where Casey felt so thankful that Jemma had come into their lives, and was someone they could both turn to when they needed help. The second Matt had called her and let her know what had happened, she was there for whatever they needed without question. She made multiple trips to the apartment for Matt so he wouldn't have to leave Gabby's side, and she was the first person Gabby wanted to see. The second Jemma showed up to visit, Matt could see a visible change in Gabby's demeanor. Jemma never treated her like a victim, like someone who needed her pity. She hadn't even reacted to the physical state Gabby was in, she simply treated her like she always did, and that alone instantly put Gabby at ease. With every visit, Jemma was able to lift Gabby's spirits significantly. Her struggles with her anxiety aside, Gabby had handled living in the hospital relatively well, but Jemma had definitely made the situation easier. She was able to take Gabby's mind off of things, and give her a sense of normalcy. Jemma's near daily visits had made things so much easier on the both of them, and Casey would never stop being grateful for that.

"Yeah, Kelly told me something I thought was interesting," Gabby's voice brought Matt's mind back into focus, Casey realizing there was a portion of this conversation that he'd definitely missed, but he let her continue anyway. "You never mentioned that Garcia was the one covering for you." She spoke, Matt raising his eyebrows sheepishly.

"Didn't I?" He questioned, the tone in his voice telling all of them that Matt knew he had in fact never told her. It wasn't long after the first shift he missed that Kelly called him, telling the Captain how headquarters sent Garcia back to 51. While Casey was sorry that his friends had to deal with him, it wasn't something he was too focused on. He had no say in who covered for him, and his only focus right now was his family.

"No, you sure didn't." She responded, shaking her head.

Casey hadn't really thought about Garcia covering for him all that much, he hadn't made the conscious decision not to tell her, it just wasn't anything he thought was important. Especially considering how much Gabby disliked the man, he didn't think it was anything worth mentioning.

"Must've slipped my mind." He shrugged, Gabby chuckling.

"I'm sure." She said, turning back to Kelly. "If I had known you were dealing with Garcia all this time, I would've kicked Matt out of here weeks ago."

"Funny, that's funny." Casey responded dryly, unable to fight the smile that fell to his face when he saw Gabby laugh.

"Yeah, we definitely miss you at the house. We miss both of you." Kelly said, earning knowing nods from both Matt and Gabby. "But, we know you can't work anymore Dawson, and Casey, this is where you need to be. Although I wouldn't be opposed to you coming back for at least one shift here and there." Kelly prodded, Matt drawing in a deep breath as his eyes found Gabby's.

"Oh, before I forget, how'd your appointment go?" She steered the subject in a different direction, earning a shrug from her husband.

"It was fine, went about as I expected." He answered, rubbing soft patterns over her leg. "Everything with my knee is still looking good, there's nothing to be concerned about there."

"Does he still want you on the medication?" She asked, Matt giving her a nod.

"Yeah, he does. He thinks I'll probably just have to stay on them, considering they were the only thing that worked." He carefully replied. Matt knew he was leaving a few things out, but he didn't want her to know that the only reason they weren't going to see if he was able to get off the medication was because of her accident. He knew she'd only feel guilty, and he didn't want her worrying about that. It didn't matter, not with everything else going on.

"I'm sorry." She responded with a slight frown, Matt shaking his head.

"It's fine, I don't really care at this point. I'm just glad my knee isn't a problem anymore." He

replied, Gabby nodding as her eyes traced over his face, Matt flashing her a soft smile.

"So… not to shift subjects again, but there was something Kelly and I were talking about." Gabby prefaced, Casey raising his eyebrows as he glanced in between his wife and his best friend.

"That's never good." He joked, Gabby rolling her eyes before continuing.

"I think it would be good for you to go to work next shift."

Casey's face remained blank for a moment, his hand ceasing its movements over her leg. "Next shift as in tomorrow?" He asked, searching for confirmation, which he soon got in the form of a nod from Gabby.

"Yup."

"What? You're sick of me already?" He questioned lightly, Gabby scoffing lightly as she rolled her eyes.

"Oh, absolutely." She played along, Matt shaking his head in amusement before her voice turned serious. "But no, I love you for being here with me, you know that. But you've been cooped up in here with me for weeks, and I know it's killing you just as much as it's killing me. But, unlike me, you're allowed to leave, and get some time away from here."

"I don't mind being here." He reminded her, Gabby nodding.

"I know you don't. Believe me, I would've known weeks ago if you did. But that doesn't mean I want you being forced to stay here." She told him, Matt's tongue running over his bottom lip. They had talked about this a few times, mostly over the last week, but each time Casey shot her down pretty quickly. "I want you to go to shift tomorrow. It'd be good for you to go and see everyone, and work off some of this nervous energy you've had for the last three weeks." She spoke, Casey eyeing her carefully for a few moments.

"I don't feel comfortable leaving you alone for that long." He admitted, Gabby's gaze flickering to Severide before landing back on him.

"I'm in a hospital full of doctors and nurses, this is the best place for you to leave me for that long." She reasoned, Matt's lips pursing together.

"Gabby…" That wasn't what he was talking about, and they both knew it. But Gabby didn't want to get into all that with Kelly sitting right here.

"I've already talked to Jemma." Dawson told him, Matt's eyebrows raising. "She's gonna come and hang out with me tomorrow, and Antonio already said he'd stay the night with me."

Gabby knew she'd given him every reason to worry about leaving her, and if not for Jemma and her brother, she probably would've never suggested it. But she wanted him to be able to get out of this hospital. She saw what spending all his time here was doing to him, she wanted him to be able to get away from that. And shift was the perfect opportunity to do so.

"If you won't do it for you, do it for me." She spoke when he hadn't said anything. "I want you to do this for me. It would make me happy, you getting to go to work and see everyone. It would be good for both of us."

Matt sighed deeply, squeezing her shin before nodding, watching a soft grin fall to her face.

"Fine." He agreed reluctantly, her smile widening. "I'll go. But, Gabby, if you need me, I want you to call me. I don't care if it's only an hour into shift, I don't care if it's three in the morning, if you need me to come back here, I will." He said quickly, Gabby able to feel his nervousness at the thought of leaving her for that long. "Promise me you'll tell me if you need me to come back."

"I will." She assured him, reaching out for his hand. "I promise, I will. But really, I'm gonna be fine."

"Okay… I'll go call Boden, let him know I'll be there." He replied slowly, Gabby giving him an encouraging nod before Matt turned to Severide, the man having stayed quiet while letting the couple work everything out. "Can you stay a few more minutes?" He asked, Kelly nodding as he settled into his seat.

"Yeah, I'm good. Go ahead and talk to Boden." Severide replied crossing his legs as Casey stood up from the bed.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." He spoke to Gabby, moving to kiss her quickly before heading out of the room, sliding the door closed behind him as he dialed Boden's number, the firefighter walking down the hall.

"_Hello?_"

"Hey Chief."

"_Casey, it's good to hear from you. How's Dawson doing?_"

"She's alright, she's feeling pretty good." Matt responded, the man on the other line taking a breath before replying.

"_That's good to hear. Any word on if she'll be able to go home soon?_"

"No, nothing yet. We're trying not to get our hopes up with that, cause we're not sure if we can even leave at all, but as long as there's no drastic changes, there's a chance we might be able to get her home for a little while. But it's ultimately up to her doctor." Matt explained, smacking his lips together. "But I was actually calling to tell you, or run by you I guess, that I'll be coming to shift tomorrow."

"_That's great, Casey. Are you back-back, or just for this shift?_"

"Honestly, I don't know. It wasn't even my choice, Gabby's pretty much forcing me." He replied with a light chuckle. "She wants me to get out of the hospital for a bit."

"_That's not a bad idea…_" Boden mused.

"Yeah, I know. I just wish we could both get out of here. But she talked me into working tomorrow, so I wanted you to know I'll be there. I'm not sure if I'm completely back, everything with Gabby is still so up in the air. We have to take things a day at a time, so I can't really say one way or the other, but I do know I'll be there tomorrow, if that's alright."

"_Of course, we're glad to have you back, even if it's only for a shift._" Boden replied, Matt stopping by the waiting room on this floor, leaning his weight into the wall.

"Yeah, it'll be nice to get back out there. But, uh, I do want you to know that there is a chance I might not be able to work the entire shift."

"_Is something wrong?_"

"No, I mean- not really. But Gabby, she's been having some struggles with being alone, or I guess it's more she doesn't really feel safe if I'm not there, or Antonio, or someone she trusts, if that makes sense." He rambled, taking a breath before continuing. "But, anyway, I told her that if she needed me, I'd leave shift, so I need to be able to do that."

"_I understand, Casey._ _You do whatever you need to do._"

"Thank you, Chief. I guess Gabby got this all worked out already, it seems like she never really gave me a choice to not work tomorrow, but Jemma is gonna be here with her during the day, and Antonio is spending the night with her, so I don't think they'll be any problems, but just in case, I wanted you to know."

"_It's fine, Casey. Dawson is our priority here. If you need to leave, you can._" Boden replied, Matt nodding despite the man not being able to see him. "_But, I do think I'm going to still have Garcia come in tomorrow._" Chief told him, Matt breathing deeply. "_You'll be in charge, it'll be the same thing it was when you two worked together when you got back from your injury. But since we're not entirely sure what you're doing, I think it'd be best to keep him around._"

"Understood Chief." He responded, his throat clenching. "I, uh, need to get back to Gabby, but I'll see you tomorrow."

"_See you then, Casey. Tell Gabby we're thinking of her._"

"I will, bye Chief." He spoke, blowing out a sigh as he hung up the phone.

Casey still wasn't sure how he felt about going into work tomorrow. Even though Gabby had been doing a lot better as of late, he hadn't really left her side for any long periods of time, and if he left her longer than an hour, he made sure someone was always with her. The longest he'd been away from her was a couple of hours, and those were only the times he'd go home to do their laundry.

But if she wanted him to do this, he would. And he'd be lying if he said it wouldn't be nice to get back to work, even just for a shift. Sitting in the hospital day after day was hard, and Gabby was right when she said it'd be good for him to get out for awhile. He just wished she could leave with him.

* * *

Casey blew out a heavy sigh as he hopped down from truck 81, his body feeling the effects of the long call they'd just gotten back from. It being his first day back on shift in over three weeks, he definitely wasn't in his usual fighting shape, especially considering he'd spent the majority of his time sitting at Gabby's bedside. From a physical standpoint alone, it was definitely an adjustment for him to be back at work, but despite his fatigue, he was happy to be here. It was nice to be back at work with everyone.

Aside from having to spend more time with Garcia than he ever wanted to.

Casey knew, logistically, it was the right call to have the other Captain be here. If Matt needed to make a quick getaway back to the hospital, it made the most sense to keep the man who'd been here recently on shift, but Matt still didn't like the man.

Severide had filled Matt in on what the Captain said about Dawson during Garcia's first shift back, and Casey was less than pleased. He knew the temporary Captain had a mouth on him, and usually spoke before he thought over his own words, but him trying to place blame on Gabby for this was taking it too far. For all the bullshit he'd said during his time at 51, that was by far the most out of line, and if not for Matt having three weeks to digest what the man had said, Matt was sure he would've confronted him about it. But he knew there was no point now. Unless something was said directly to him, Matt knew it best to leave it alone. Especially considering if he did bring it up, Casey couldn't promise things wouldn't turn ugly, and then Gabby would find out. If she found out, he'd have to tell her what caused the fight between the two Captains, and the last thing Matt ever wanted was for her to know what Garcia had said. She was already holding onto enough guilt that she was still struggling with, he wouldn't pile onto that.

Thankfully, Garcia had left him alone. Aside from welcoming him back, the other Captain hadn't said a word to him that wasn't work-related, which was for the best.

"How'd the first call go?"

Matt looked up to see Severide leaning against the front of squad's rig, his legs crossed at the ankles. With a soft smile, Casey hung up his jacket before walking towards his friend, placing his body against the rig as well.

"Long. But it feels good to be back." He responded, rolling his neck to stretch out his sore muscles.

"Feeling it already?" Severide asked jokingly, Matt huffing out a breath as he nodded.

"A little bit." He responded, pulling his phone out of his pants pocket, glancing to the screen.

"Anything from Dawson?" Kelly questioned, Matt looking back up towards his friend. It didn't need to be said what Casey was doing. Before 81's first call of the day, Matt had spent most of his time in the common room, but the entire time he'd had his phone practically glued to his hand. It wasn't even noon yet, but Kelly knew Matt was feeling uneasy about being away from Gabby this long.

"No, I haven't heard from her. I texted Jemma, she said everything was going well, but nothing from Gabby."

"That's good, right?" Severide responded, Matt raising an eyebrow. "That you haven't heard from her, that means she's good."

"Yeah, it is… I'm just worried, it was kind of a long night last night." Casey breathed out, Severide's eyebrows furrowing in concern.

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah... Gabby had a nightmare last night and it kind of made it hard for her to get back to sleep." Matt responded softly, not sure of who all was within ear shot. Normally, he wouldn't even be talking to Kelly about this, but he was stressed out, and he knew it would probably do him some good to get everything off his chest.

"About the guy?" Severide questioned. Although he didn't know Gabby had been having nightmares, or at least one nightmare, he wasn't exactly surprised.

"Kinda, yeah. She's been… she's struggling with being reminded of what happened to her in Puerto Rico because of all this." Casey nearly whispered, Severide's lips turning down into a soft frown. "It was really bad at first, and she's gotten better with it, but sometimes she still has nightmares about everything."

"Shit man." Severide breathed out, shaking his head. "I didn't realize it was that bad."

"It hadn't been, for awhile. When she first got back from Puerto Rico, she had a really hard time, and she'd have nightmares and she'd panic over little things, but she'd gotten a lot better. I mean, it's not something you can get over, but she'd gotten past it. But now, that guy grabbing her and pinning her against him… it reminded her of everything, and she's been having a hard time." Casey explained, blowing out a heavy breath. "And that's part of why it took her so long to wanna see people, this entire thing kind of set her back a bit… But we're getting through it."

"I'm surprised you still came in today…" Severide replied honestly, Matt shrugging.

"She wanted me to. I told her this morning I'd stay, but Gabby- the best way for her to deal with things is to try and accept it and move on… She doesn't like to dwell on things, if she can help it. So she wanted me to come, but she promised she'd call if something happened, so I'm just waiting to see if I hear from her."

"You could always call her, you know." Severide reminded him.

"Yeah, I know. But I'm trying not to be too overbearing."

"So you're just checking in on her through Jemma instead?"

"Exactly." Matt responded, Severide chuckling softly before straightening his back.

"Well, I don't know if this means much, but whenever I've seen her, she's definitely seemed to be in better spirits."

"Yeah, she does well with people around, well a few people that she trusts, but it's when she has time to get caught up in her own head, she's still struggling a bit. But, despite what happened last night, she's doing a lot better. We're just taking it day by day."

"And how's the baby?" Severide shifted the topic, seeing a soft smile fall onto Casey's face.

"She's perfect." Matt replied with a grin. "We saw Dr. Tanner yesterday, and everything is still looking really good, for both Gabby and our girl."

"That's great." Kelly responded, clasping Matt's shoulder. "She'll be here in, what, just a few weeks?"

"Yeah…" Matt breathed out, shaking his head. "If we don't have to deliver her early, in about three weeks she'll be here."

"That's insane." Kelly spoke, giving his friend's arm a squeeze before bringing his hand back down to his side. "It doesn't feel like all that long ago you were telling everyone Gabby was pregnant."

"I know, it's crazy. But I'm so excited to meet her." Casey spoke softly, his eyes lighting up. "Seeing her on the ultrasound is incredible, but I just know once she's here, the first time I see her… I don't even know, I'm gonna be a mess. But I can't wait for her to be here."

"She is one loved little girl." Severide mused, glancing back towards his friend. "Speaking of her being here, do you know how long you'll be gone with all that?"

"What do you mean?"

"Once she's born, do you know how much time you'll be taking off?" Kelly clarified, Matt bringing his bottom lip in between his teeth as his gaze moved out towards the driveway. "What is it?" Severide questioned, seeing the pensive look covering his friend's face.

"...I might be leaving indefinitely." Casey admitted after a few long moments, Severide's eyes widening.

"What?" He questioned in near disbelief, unsure if he heard his best friend correctly.

"I might not be coming back to the firehouse." He said again, Kelly blinking furiously.

"I… I don't get it, why would you not come back to 51?" Severide questioned, crossing his arms over his chest as Matt released a heavy sigh.

"Because I can't commit to coming back here if something happens to Gabby." He spoke, Kelly's eyes falling closed in understanding.

"Casey… She's going to be fine."

"You don't know that." Matt responded quickly, shaking his head. "No one does. And I have to be prepared for the fact that something might happen to her, that she might not survive this pregnancy." He told him, his voice soft but firm.

"So what does that mean exactly? You're just done?"

"If I lose Gabby, I'm done as a firefighter." He replied bluntly, Severide's gaze falling to the ground. "I might see if I can get a job at headquarters, or maybe teach at the academy. But if it comes down to it, I'm done at 51."

"You're serious about this."

"I am. Trust me, I've thought about this. A lot."

"Since when?" Kelly interjected, Matt running his hand over his mouth.

"For a few months, pretty much since my accident." He admitted. "Yeah, I ended up being fine, but it could've easily turned out a lot worse. If I had landed differently, or been stuck down there longer, it could've killed me. If Gabby's gone, and something happens to me on the job, that leaves my daughter with no one… I won't do that to her."

"Casey, you know things like that are rare."

"I do. But I also know how many lives have been lost because of this job… How many of our own friends we've lost." He replied, turning to look towards Kelly. "In a split second, I could be gone. And then what?" He spoke, Kelly pursing his lips together. "If something happens to Gabby, I'm all our daughter has… I won't willingly put myself in danger and risk leaving her without both her parents. I won't do it. I won't take the chance of something happening to me, this job isn't worth it. Nothing is worth the risk of leaving her alone."

Severide stayed quiet for a moment, thinking over Matt's words, letting them sink in before he responded.

"You're not going to change your mind about this, are you?"

"No." Casey responded, shaking his head.

"What does Gabby think?"

"I haven't told her…" He spoke, Kelly's head tilting to the side.

"Are you going to?"

"Probably not. I'm hoping it won't even matter. I'm praying and believing that she'll be fine, and I won't be left to raise our daughter alone." He breathed out, Kelly nodding as he stared back out towards the driveway. "But, you know, there's no way to know what's going to happen. I won't continuously put my life on the line, not when my daughter needs me."

"That's a good thing you're doing, man. It is." Kelly responded softly, shaking his head. "But let's hope it won't come to that."

"Yeah… I hope." He spoke softly, swallowing the lump forming in his throat as he pushed himself up from the front of the rig. "But, I guess that's the answer to your question… I might not be coming back."

Before Severide could say anything else, Matt felt his phone buzzing in his hand, the Captain glancing down quickly to see Gabby's contact photo lighting up his screen, Casey immediately putting the phone up to his ear.

"Gabby?"

Severide couldn't make out what was being said on the other end of the call, but he saw Matt's body visibly relax after a few seconds, a soft smile falling onto his face. Clearly, whatever had caused Gabby to call him wasn't anything bad, Matt glancing to Kelly, giving him a quick nod before walking across the garage over towards the ambo.

Severide kept his eyes on Casey for a few seconds as his friend spoke to Gabby, not seeing the other firefighter come to stand beside him, Kelly jumping slightly when the man spoke.

"So, did I hear that right?"

Severide's head snapped over, seeing Garcia standing to his left, the man wearing a smug grin on his face, his arms crossed over his chest.

"What?"

"Casey said he might not be coming back. Is he not working after Dawson has the baby?" He elaborated, Severide not missing the excited gleam in his eye.

Kelly pushed down the anger building in his gut, knowing Garcia didn't know the details of this pregnancy, more specifically how dangerous it was for Gabby, but regardless, the man's attitude toward the entire situation was pissing him off.

"He's not sure what he's doing." Severide responded shortly, pushing himself up from the rig, turning to face the man, Garcia's head cocked to the side.

"But if he didn't come back, that would mean there's a spot here… I could stay here permanently. Wouldn't that be nice." He spoke, chuckling softly as Severide's jaw clenched.

"I don't think that's something you should be wishing for, Garcia." Kelly spoke forcefully, the man shrugging.

"It's his choice if he decides to come back, all I'm saying is it would be nice to get to stay here, it's a great house. Gotta say, I'm surprised though, I didn't take Casey for the type to be a stay at home dad."

"Well, Casey doesn't feel like he has much of a choice." Severide bit out frustratedly.

"What are you talking about?"

"If Casey doesn't come back, that means something happened to Gabby. He'd only not come back if Gabby died during-" Kelly cut himself off, Garcia's eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"...Why is Casey planning on something like that? I mean, I know they had a close call, but that's a little morbid." He spoke calmly, Severide's eyes narrowing.

"Because he has to. Because this pregnancy could kill Dawson." Severide spoke before he could stop himself, Garcia's eyes widening.

"What?" He asked softly, glancing back towards Casey, who was unaware of the conversation happening across the room. Blowing out a heavy sigh, Severide clenched his teeth together, shaking his head.

"This is a high risk pregnancy, Gabby could die having this baby, that's why Matt might not be coming back. If Dawson dies, he doesn't want to do anything that could take him from his daughter. That's why he's planning for the possibility of not coming back to work." Kelly spoke roughly. "So I would wipe that stupid smirk off your face."

Severide brushed past the man without another word, leaving a stunned Garcia in the garage, the Captain needing a moment to digest everything he'd just been told.

* * *

Matt stepped out of the elevator with his shift bag slung over his shoulder, making his way down the familiar corridor towards Gabby's hospital room, a soft smile on his face as he said various greetings to Gabby's nurses, his long stride getting him to his destination quickly. When he got to her door, he was unable to see much, the closed curtain shielding her from view. Knowing it was still early, Casey slid her door open as slowly as possible, trying to limit the amount of noise he was making as he stepped inside. Placing his bag down on the ground, Matt slowly stepped around the curtain, smiling softly as he saw Gabby sleeping peacefully in bed, the firefighter catching Antonio's gaze from his spot in the chair.

Silently, the detective got up, stretching out his stiff muscles, nodding towards the hallway as the two men stepped through the still open door, not wanting to talk while she was asleep.

"How'd she do?" Casey asked softly, knowing her door was still open.

"She slept through the night, as far as I know." Antonio responded, Casey releasing a thankful breath. "I woke up every few hours, and every time she was still asleep. She passed out a little after ten last night, I don't think she's woken up since."

"Good, that's good." Matt spoke. "Thank you, for staying with her."

"No thanks necessary, Casey." He replied, clasping the man on his shoulder. "But, if you're good, I'm gonna head out. I need to go home before I go into work."

"I'm good, if there are any changes I'll call you."

"Thanks man."

After a quick hug, the two men walked back into Gabby's room, Casey hanging back while Antonio quietly gathered his things, the detective giving him a nod before leaving the room, Matt taking up residence in the chair beside Gabby's bed.

He wasn't sure how long he sat there until she woke up, Casey occupying himself with the paper he'd brought from the firehouse while she slept, the firefighter not even realizing she'd woken up until he saw her body shifting in bed.

"Good morning sleepyhead." Matt spoke lightly as Gabby blinked furiously, her sleepy eyes glancing towards him as she adjusted to the light in the room.

"What time is it?" She asked, her voice thick with sleep, Gabby digging herself under the blanket, pulling it up under her chin.

"Uh… a little after nine." He replied once checking his watch, Gabby nodding slowly before her eyes fell closed again.

Matt stayed quiet but kept his eyes on her, unsure if she was going to go back to sleep or if she was just needing more time to wake up. He was a little surprised she'd been sleeping this long, especially after hearing what time she'd fallen asleep, but Matt was all for her resting, and if she wanted to sleep more, he had no objections.

But apparently Gabby had slept all she was capable of, the paramedic stretching out her limbs as much as she could while lying down before she opened her eyes again, finding his gaze already on her.

"Hi." She spoke, Matt grinning softly as he pushed himself up, placing a quick kiss on her lips before he sat back down.

"Hi." He repeated, Gabby adjusting the angle of her bed so she could sit up more.

"How was your shift?" She asked, clearing her throat.

"It went pretty well, everyone kept asking about you." He told her, Gabby nodding as a yawn escaped her lips. "It took me a few calls to get back in the swing of things, but it was nice to be back." He admitted, Gabby smiling softly.

"I knew it." She murmured, Matt chuckling lightly as he reached out towards her, resting his hand over her belly.

"Yeah, you were right, no one's surprised." He played along, rubbing his hand against her stomach. "How'd you sleep?"

"Pretty good, actually." She answered, Matt giving her a nod.

"And how was Jemma?"

"She was great, we had a good time. Although I know you know that already, considering you were texting her all day yesterday." Gabby replied with a raised brow, Casey smiling sheepishly.

"She told you that, did she?"

"She sure did." Gabby chuckled, Matt's smile widening when Gabby placed her hand over his.

"Well, I was worried." He replied, Gabby squeezing his hand.

"I know, but I'm okay. And Jemma wanted me to remind you that if we need her to do anything for us, to just let her know. She even offered to go get us any baby stuff we still might need."

"I might take her up on that." Casey murmured, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, she said she'd do whatever, just to let her know." She responded, Matt nodding as they heard the door slide open. They couldn't see who it was at first, the curtain hindering their view, but soon Dr. Tanner came into view, the woman smiling softly at the couple.

"Good morning, you guys." She greeted, Matt eyeing her curiously.

"Good morning." He responded, glancing to Gabby. "I'm sorry, my days have kind of been all over the place since we've been here, but we were expecting you this early?" Matt asked, Dr. Tanner grinning as she pulled the ultrasound machine in behind her.

"No, you weren't. I told you I'd either be by later today or tomorrow, but I had an unexpected break in my schedule, so I decided to come and stop by, since I knew you'd be here." She explained, both Matt and Gabby nodding.

"Have you still been feeling okay, Gabby?" She asked, Matt removing his hand from Gabby's stomach as she nodded.

"I am. And I got a lot of sleep last night, so I'm feeling a little extra good right now." She responded, Dr. Tanner chuckling as she began getting the machine ready.

"That's what I like to hear." She spoke, Gabby pulling her blankets down and pulling her t-shirt up over her round belly, Dr. Tanner positioning the doppler in place. From the beginning of her pregnancy, Gabby had more than her fair share of ultrasounds; it was a process she knew well by now. But since her stint in the hospital, it was second nature to her now, the paramedic having at least three ultrasounds a week in the time she'd been here. There was no need for any of the verbal preparation from Dr. Tanner at this point, which admittedly Gabby didn't mind because it made the process begin quicker.

"She's still looking great." Dr. Tanner spoke after a few silent moments, Gabby and Matt more focused on the image of their daughter than anything else. "She's getting ready to come on out of there, but she still looks perfectly fine in there right now."

"And how's Gabby?" Casey asked, Dr. Tanner smiling softly.

"You're still looking good, Gabby. Nothing with your condition had worsened, and your aneurysm is still measuring at the same size. As far as I can tell, everything is okay, considering where we're at."

"So you don't think we'll have to deliver early?" Gabby asked, Dr. Tanner shaking her head.

"No, I don't. I think we'll make it to our original mark of just before 39 weeks." She spoke, Gabby releasing a relieved breath. "But not only that, I think I can get you out of here."

Gabby's eyebrows raised when Dr. Tanner's words hit her ears, a soft smile falling onto her face as Matt glanced to her.

"What?"

"I'm sending you home, Gabby." She repeated, Gabby's grin widening before she looked up to Matt, seeing a much more apprehensive look covering his face.

"It's safe for her to go home?" He questioned, Dr. Tanner nodding as she began to put away the machine.

"It is."

"You're sure?"

"Matt…" Gabby spoke, gaining his attention.

"It's fine, Gabby." Dr. Tanner assured her. "Yes, I'm sure. I wouldn't even think of sending her home if I didn't think it was safe. Gabby, you've been here for three weeks, and everything has gone, honestly, extraordinarily well. You've had no re-bleeding, no signs of labor, and both you and your daughter are doing great. All your numbers look great. I still want to keep you for a few more days, but as long as nothing changes I'd feel comfortable sending you home for a bit."

"That would be great." Gabby breathed out, Matt nodding slowly as she looked towards him.

"Of course, yeah. I'd love for you to be home, as long as it's safe for the both of you."

"I understand your worries, Matt. Especially with how serious her condition was when she first got here, and I know I told you to prepare to be here until the baby, but I don't want to keep her here if I don't have to, and I know neither of you want that either." She spoke, earning nods of confirmation from both of them. "I know you'd be much more comfortable at home, in your own bed. But, you going home would mean there are very strict rules you need to follow, Gabby." She prefaced, the woman nodding in understanding. "Unless you're going to the bathroom, or showering, I want you in bed at all times."

"Okay."

"And, the same as here, I don't want you doing anything without someone there. You're not allowed to get up without help, or shower without help. Basically, as I said, the same as the guidelines here." She said, Gabby nodding as she spoke. "You need to have someone with you at all times, or at least the majority of the time. If there is a time where you are by yourself, you need to make sure you have your phone with you. But, it's best if you just have someone with you all the time. Though I know sometimes that's not necessarily possible."

"We'll make sure she's not by herself." Casey assured the doctor.

"Good. I know none of this has been easy on you, and I know how much you want to be home. And I want you to be home as well. As long as you can promise to do nothing but stay in bed."

"I promise."

"Alright. Well, we can go over the specifics of everything in a few days. As I said, I want to keep you for a little bit longer, just to make sure there's no significant changes, then hopefully we can get you out of here. Let you be home for at least a couple of weeks before you have your girl."

"Thank you, Dr. Tanner. For everything." Gabby spoke, the woman smiling softly, rubbing Gabby's leg gently.

"You don't need to thank me, Gabby. You're the one doing all the hard stuff. I'm just here helping you through it." She spoke, Gabby nodding as she reached for Matt's hand, the firefighter giving it willingly. "Now, I'll get out of here, let you rest a little bit. I'm glad to see you doing so much better, Gabby. You're as strong as they come."

"Yeah, she is." Matt echoed, Gabby ducking her head in embarrassment as Dr. Tanner headed for the door, leaving the couple alone once more. Matt gave her hand a squeeze, prompting her to look at him before he spoke up again. "So… we're going home."

"It looks like it." She breathed out, flashing him a smile. "I can't tell you how excited that makes me."

"I have a pretty good idea." He replied, bringing their conjoined hands to his lips, pressing a kiss against her skin. "So, I guess it was good you got me to work a shift yesterday, because I'm gonna be by your side 24/7 until our baby comes." He spoke lightly, Gabby shaking her head in amusement.

"Yeah, I don't think so." She responded, Matt tilting his head to the side. "We'll do exactly what we did yesterday, having Jemma and my brother trade off. You're not getting out of work for the next three weeks, sorry pal."

"Pal?" He questioned with a chuckle, Gabby shrugging as she squeezed his hand.

"Yes." She responded shortly, before going back to their original subject. "We'll figure it out somehow, but I want you to be able to at least work a few more shifts before the baby comes. It's good for you, and it helps me not get sick of you." She spoke teasingly, Matt shaking his head before nodding.

"Whatever you say, baby. I'm just glad you two are okay." He spoke, placing his free hand on her bare stomach, rubbing her skin softly.

"Me too." She agreed, resting her head back onto the pillow, letting herself enjoy this quiet moment with her husband as her body flooded with excitement at the thought of being home in just a few short days.


	58. Chapter Fifty Eight

**Hello hello hello everyone. Here's the next chapter for you guys. It is a little shorter, but I think the content makes up for the lack of length. I literally just finished revising this chapter a few minutes ago, I usually never cut it that close but I wanted to make sure everything in this chapter was the best it could be.**

**Remember in the last chapter how I said we were very close to baby Casey? Well… We're even closer to meeting baby Casey. We are very, very close...**

**Happy reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Eight**_

* * *

"You're sure you don't mind?" Casey asked as he stood in front of their bed, looking down at a heavily pregnant Gabby as she lay propped up against their pillows, the firefighter tucking his white shirt into his pants that were hanging off his hips.

"I would throw this pillow at you if it wouldn't take me forever to get comfortable again, yes I'm sure." She assured him firmly, Matt chuckling as he buttoned up his pants, beginning to work on his belt. "You've been working for the past two weeks, today isn't any different."

"Yes, but I specifically remember us talking about how last shift was going to be my last."

"No," She corrected, tilting her head to the side. "_You_ said how you thought that last shift should be your last, and I said no." She reminded him, Matt chuckling as he walked towards the bed.

"Is that how that conversation went?" He asked teasingly, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"Yes, that's how that conversation went." She replied, Matt smirking as he leaned down, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips, Gabby bringing her hand up to grab the back of his neck, keeping him close to her. Gabby pulled back first, her lack of oxygen proving to be an issue as Matt smiled at her, focusing on the feeling of her fingers running through his hair. "Now, I want you to go to work, and be careful."

"I'm not going anywhere until your dad is here." Casey reminded her, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"He'll be here any minute, nothing's going to happen in that time."

"Yes, nothing will happen because I'm not going anywhere." He replied, kissing her again quickly before sitting down on the edge of the bed, placing his hand over her large stomach.

"You're gonna be late."

"They'll understand." He responded quickly, Gabby shaking her head before relaxing back into the pillows, placing her hand over Matt's.

At almost 37 weeks pregnant, Gabby was definitely feeling the effects of her body being taken over by another person. Even though their little girl was on the smaller side, she was still taking up as much room as she could, Gabby having paid the price for it. But with only a little less than two weeks left to go, Gabby also just wanted everything to slow down. She wanted to enjoy the last little bit of this pregnancy, and enjoy as much time as she could with Matt and her family, before everything changed.

"We still have your appointment tomorrow, right?" Matt questioned, earning a swift nod from Gabby.

"Yeah, at nine." She replied, Matt rubbing his thumb over her stomach. "Hopefully everything will still be the same… As much as I want to meet her, I'd like her to stay in there a little bit longer."

"I'm sure everything's fine, nothing's changed since we left the hospital, I think you'll make it to the day of your c-section." He responded, Gabby nodding in agreement.

In the week and a half that Gabby had been home, they'd pretty much finished up all the preparations needed for their little girl. Well, Matt had gone out and done all the hard parts, Gabby giving him specific instructions from the comfort of their bed. It took a lot of Facetime calls, and double and triple checking things while he was at the store, but they managed to get everything just how she wanted it. They were all ready to bring their girl into the world, they just wanted her to hold off a little bit longer.

Matt stole a quick glance to his watch, seeing that even if Ramon showed up in the next ten seconds, he'd still be late for work. But he didn't care so much about that; Gabby was his priority here, and she wasn't supposed to be left alone. He refused to leave her alone.

"What's the schedule for today?" Casey asked, looking up to meet her eyes.

"Well, my dad is supposed to be here until around lunch time, then Jemma's coming to stay with me until Antonio gets off work, then he'll be here until you get back from shift." She relayed to him, Matt giving her a nod.

In the time since Gabby had been home, Matt had yet to miss another shift of work, only because of everyone who had been willing to help them out. It was mostly Jemma and Antonio, with Ramon working his way into the mix when he could. But along with that, Brett and Foster often stopped by the apartment to come visit Gabby, Matt appreciating that more than he could say. He knew how helpful it was for her to have her friends around and be around people, so he appreciated anyone who took the time to come see her. It was harder to do so on shift, but off, Severide had been by the apartment multiple times a week, along with Herrmann and Kidd stopping by often. Gabby had plenty of visitors, and Casey knew it helped her deal with being confined to this bed.

"You really can get going, Matt. I'm sure he'll be here soon." Gabby spoke again, Matt shaking his head, opening his mouth to respond. But he was cut off by a loud knock on their back door, Casey flashing her a grin.

"I bet that's him."

Matt pushed himself up from the bed, walking out of the bedroom, seeing Ramon standing at their back door, Casey going to let him in.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Matthew. I know you need to be getting to work."

"Oh it's fine, don't worry about it. Uh, Gabby's in there, she's already had breakfast, she'll probably nap here soon. She said Jemma should be by around lunch time, and I'll probably be by to see her at some point, but I don't think I'll be back before you're gone."

"Sounds good." Ramon replied, Matt nodding.

"I'm gonna go say goodbye to her real quick." He told his father in-law, the man nodding before Casey disappeared into the bedroom. "Alright, well I'm out of here." He spoke, pressing a kiss to the top of Gabby's head once he got to her.

"Be safe."

"I will, I promise." He assured her, giving her another quick kiss before pulling away. "I'll try and swing by at some point this afternoon, but just call me if you need me, alright?"

It was the same conversation they had every morning before he went to shift, Gabby giving him a nod. "I will, I love you."

"I love you, too." He spoke, flashing her a wide smile before walking back out into the apartment, finding Ramon where he left him. "I'll see you later, pops. Thanks for helping out."

"No need to thank me, be safe out there." He reminded him, Matt smiling as he moved towards the back door.

"I will." He repeated, saying to Ramon what he'd already promised to Gabby, Casey giving him a wave before heading outside, hurrying to his truck.

By the time Casey pulled up to the firehouse twenty minutes later, it was a quarter after shift change. Although he always hated being late, and prided himself on his punctuality, he knew his tardiness couldn't be helped. And the second he left the apartment, he messaged Boden, letting him know he'd be late.

Once he grabbed his bag and locked up the truck, Casey began jogging up the driveway, seeing all of the rigs still parked in place, telling Matt he hadn't missed any calls. When he got to the garage, he slowed his pace, seeing all of squad sitting sat their table, Matt grasping onto the bag resting over his shoulder.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Severide called when he saw his friend, standing up to match Matt's stride.

"Hello to you too, Kelly." He replied, nodding towards the other firefighters before he and Severide headed for the double doors. "Did you all finish role call?"

"Yeah, a few minutes ago, Boden let everyone know you'd be late." He answered, Matt nodding as he stepped into the firehouse, seeing Boden standing in the common room, talking to Herrmann.

"Hey Chief." Casey greeted, Boden patting Herrmann's shoulder before moving towards his Captain.

"Hey Casey, is Dawson okay?"

"She's fine, her dad was just late getting to our apartment, and I couldn't leave till he got there." Matt explained, earning a nod from Boden.

"But she's still doing okay?"

"She is. She's sick of being stuck in bed, but she's alright. We have another appointment tomorrow, just to make sure everything's still good, but so far it's looking like we'll make it to our scheduled delivery date."

"That's great, Casey." Boden spoke, clasping him on the shoulder. "Is today still your last shift until after the baby?"

"Yeah, it is." Matt confirmed, Boden giving him another nod before heading for the hallway.

"I'll make sure headquarters knows, I hope you have a good last shift."

"Thanks Chief." He responded before the man disappeared around the corner, Matt looking back towards his friends.

"So, little baby Casey will be here soon, huh?" Herrmann spoke up, Matt nodding as he felt eyes around the room on him.

"Yeah, she will be."

"Have you two decided on a name yet?"

"Oh, good Lord don't get me started on this." Kelly breathed out frustratedly, Matt rolling his eyes as he smacked the back of Severide's head.

"What's wrong, Severide?"

"I've been trying to get him to tell me the kid's name for weeks, and he won't."

"That's cause we haven't decided yet." Casey responded, Kelly waving him off.

"Yeah, but you've narrowed it down and you won't tell me what they are." He replied, falling down onto the couch next to Herrmann.

"You'll find out when we do, Sev."

"How many do you have it narrowed down to?" Herrmann asked, Matt directing his attention to the older firefighter.

"Well, we had it down to four, each of us had two we really liked, but then we each chose one of those. So now it's down to one, her choice and my choice."

"Do you know which one you're leaning towards?"

"No, not really. We keep going back and forth."

"Well, you two will figure it out. If anything, when you see that little baby, you'll know."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you will." Herrmann replied, flashing the Captain a smile.

"You and Dawson are making this way too complicated." Kelly interjected again, Casey narrowing his eyes.

"We're naming a person, Sev. It's not just something you decide on a whim." Matt replied, Kelly putting his hands up in defense.

"No, but it also doesn't need to take months. I'm tired and I just want to know if I approve of my goddaughter's name or not."

"You'll either like it or you won't, your opinion won't change it." Casey countered, Kelly rolling his eyes.

"Well, it should." He muttered, Casey raising his eyebrows.

"Do you really want to know the two we've narrowed it down to?" Matt asked, Kelly's ears perking up.

"Yes."

Their conversation had gotten the attention of the entire room, everyone waiting eagerly to hear the choices for the name of baby Casey.

"Alright, well… Gabby's choice is…" Matt slowed down his words, Kelly waiting impatiently for him to continue. Before Casey could, the bells rang out, calling truck and ambo to a car accident, Matt smirking towards his friend. "Oh, would you look at that."

"Come on." Kelly groaned, Matt sliding his shift bag down off of his shoulder, throwing it at Kelly.

"You'll find out when everyone else does, Sev." Casey replied with a grin before heading out to the garage, leaving an annoyed Severide in the common room.

* * *

Gabby grimaced as she slowly came into consciousness, the dull cramp in her side pulling her from her slumber. Moving carefully, Gabby sat up as much as she could, her eyes narrowed as she adjusted to the light flooding in through the curtains, her mind foggy as she tried to figure out how long she'd been asleep. Glancing at the clock, she saw it was almost three, confusion and shock filling her body. The last thing she remembered was her dad bringing her lunch around noon, then she must've passed out soon after that.

"Hello?" Gabby called out, hearing the TV playing softly from out in the living room. Pressing into her side, Gabby looked towards the doorway, waiting to see if anyone was here. Within seconds, Jemma appeared through the door, wearing a soft smile on her face.

"Hello there." She greeted, coming to stand beside the bed. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good, I didn't think I'd be asleep this long." She replied, Jemma nodding as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"Well, you need the rest. I switched off with your dad around one, I checked on you a few times but you were passed out every time- Are you okay?" Jemma asked, seeing the wince on Gabby's face.

"Yeah, I've just got a cramp, but I'm alright." Gabby responded, Jemma looking over her form before nodding. Gabby slowly reached over to the nightstand, searching for her phone. Seeing her struggling, Jemma quickly stood up, grabbing the phone and handing it to her, Gabby shooting her a thankful smile.

Her eyebrows furrowed when she saw she had no messages or missed calls from Matt; that definitely was unusual for days he was on shift.

"Have you heard from Matt?" Gabby asked, looking up at Jemma, seeing the woman nod.

"Yeah, I texted him when I got here, and then we talked about an hour ago. He's good." Jemma assured her, Gabby nodding as she felt another cramp in her side. "Do you need anything?"

"Can you help me to the bathroom?" Gabby asked after a second, Jemma smiling softly as she nodded.

"Of course." Jemma stood up from the bed, pulling back the covers and holding out her arms for Gabby to grab onto. Slowly they managed to get Gabby to her feet, Jemma carefully leading her to the bathroom. It was a slow process, but within ten minutes Gabby was back in bed, resting on the freshly propped pillows. "You still feeling okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just a little more cramp-y than usual today. I might try and sleep some more."

"It couldn't hurt." Jemma agreed, situating the covers over Gabby, knowing that despite the heat outside, the temperature in the apartment was kept in the mid-60s to keep Gabby cooled off. "I'll get you some more water." She offered, Gabby nodding as she relaxed into the pillows. "I'll be right back."

"Thanks Jemma." Gabby replied, smiling softly at her friend as she left the room, Gabby trying to ignore the uncomfortable cramping in her stomach.

* * *

"Casey, you don't have much time. I give you about ten minutes, then get out." Boden relayed to his Captain as Matt prepared his firefighters to enter the burning building, Casey giving him an understanding nod.

"Got it. 81, with me." Casey spoke, Boden watching his firefighters enter the building just as squad and 61 rolled up, having come from another call.

"What do we got, Chief?" Severide asked as he climbed down from his rig.

"Not sure the cause, but the building's gone up. 81 went to the top floor."

"_61, do you copy?_"

Boden and Severide looked over towards Brett and Foster, hearing Main calling out to them over their radios.

"We're here." Brett responded.

"_We need you to head to another call, 61. I've got backup sent to your building fire, we've got an emergency call about two blocks from you._"

"Alright, we'll head there, where is it?"

Everyone stopped dead in their tracks when they heard Main rattle out the address, Severide's eyes widening as he turned to Boden.

"Isn't that…"

"_You've got a 36 weeks, almost 37 weeks pregnant female going into labor. She's on bed rest, and doesn't think she can get to the car._"

"We've got it, Main. We're on our way." Brett spoke quickly, running back towards the rig, Foster following closely as Sylvie jumped into the driver's seat, the paramedics leaving within seconds.

"We gotta get Casey out of there." Severide spoke as he masked up, Boden taking a deep breath.

"Casey, what's it looking like in there?" Boden asked through the radio, holding up his hand signaling Severide to wait.

"_Not good, Chief. We've got a family up here, Otis is coming down with the father but we can't find the kids._" Casey replied, Boden taking a deep breath.

"Chief, let me go in and tag him out."

"Casey, how much longer?" Boden asked, ignoring Kelly's statement.

"_I don't know, Chief. We're spreading out, trying to find these kids._"

"Chief, if we don't get him out of there and he misses the birth of his kid… he'll never forgive us. Especially if something happens to Gabby." Severide spoke firmly, Boden pursing his lips together as he nodded, sending Severide and squad in.

"Casey, where's your location?"

"_Top floor, east side of the building in the last room._"

"Severide, did you hear that?"

"_Heading there now._" Kelly replied.

"Casey, Severide's coming to cover for you, you need to get back out here now."

"_What? Why- What's going on?_"

"Dawson went into labor."

Casey stayed silent on the other end of the line, Boden drawing in a deep breath, waiting for a few more seconds before speaking up again.

"Casey?"

"_What- When did she- She's not even due for another month, how did she go into labor already?_"

Boden could hear how frantic Casey was on the other end of the radio, Chief knowing there wasn't much he could do to keep his Captain calm.

"Brett and Foster are on their way to go and get her, they're taking her to med. Get down here, and we'll get you there, alright? It just happened, 61 just got the call a few minutes ago." Boden replied as level-headedly as possible, not hearing anything in response from Casey.

"_I just got to him, Chief._" Severide's voice filled the air. "_He's coming down right now._"

"Got it." Boden replied, flipping his radio over to 61. "Brett? Foster? Any update."

"_We just got to Dawson, she's definitely in labor._" Foster responded first, Boden blowing out a heavy breath. "_We're getting her loaded up soon-_"

"_Where's Matt?_"

Boden heard Gabby's distressed voice in the background, Chief gripping his radio tightly before responding.

"Dawson, we're on a call, but I'm getting Casey out now and he's gonna meet you at the hospital." Boden spoke firmly.

"_We're taking her out now, we'll see you guys at the hospital._" Foster spoke, Boden sighing before flipping his radio back over.

"Where's Casey?" Boden spoke, knowing more than enough time had passed for him to get out.

"_He's not down yet?_" Severide questioned back quickly.

"No, Otis is down here, but he's the only one who's come out."

"_I've got him._" Kidd spoke into the radio, Boden's eyebrows furrowing.

"What happened?"

"_Part of the ceiling fell through when I was coming down, I'm fine._" Casey's hoarse voice came through, Boden releasing a heavy sigh.

Within a few more minutes, Casey and Kidd appeared through the doorway, Matt stumbling towards Boden.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Matt coughed out, ripping his mask from his face, Boden grimacing as he saw soot and a few scratches covering his Captain's face. The man was walking with a slight limp, but he didn't seem to care about that. "What's going on with Gabby, she went into labor?"

"She did, Brett and Foster are already on their way to med. Do you need to get checked out?"

"No, I need to get to the hospital." He spoke roughly, Boden nodding as he grabbed Casey's helmet and mask from him.

"Kidd, take him to med." Boden ordered, nodding towards his vehicle.

"Got it, Chief."

"I'm fine, I can drive." Casey argued but Boden shook his head.

"Kidd will take you. You're hopped up on adrenaline, you need a second to calm down." He spoke, Matt nodding as his eyes darted around, Boden gaining his attention once more. "Now get out of here, and go meet your daughter." Matt gave him another nod before jogging towards the car, Kidd climbing into the driver's seat.

Kidd peeled away from the scene, sirens blaring as she took the familiar route to the hospital, Matt's entire body on edge, his legs shaking in his seat, Casey reaching for his radio.

"Foster? Brett?" He called through the radio, impatiently waiting for their response. "Hello?"

"_Casey._" Foster's voice came through the radio first, Matt blowing out a heavy breath.

"How is she? Is she okay?"

"_She's doing alright, we just got her dropped off. They took her straight upstairs._"

"Okay." He responded, dropping his hand from the radio, Casey forcing himself to take deep breaths.

This wasn't supposed to happen, she wasn't supposed to go into labor yet. It was too soon. He didn't feel ready to be a dad. He didn't feel ready to do this. It was all happening too soon and he felt like he couldn't breathe.

He wasn't ready for this.

He wasn't ready for the possibility of losing Gabby.

"You okay, Captain?" Kidd asked softly, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"I just wanna get there." He answered, Kidd nodding in response, knowing there wasn't much else she could say.

Within the next few minutes, Kidd pulled up outside the hospital, Casey practically flying out of the vehicle before she even came to a stop, Matt not slowing down as he ran towards the ER doors. The second he got in, his eyes flew around the room, soon finding Brett and Foster in the waiting room.

"Where is she?" He spoke, ignoring the pain in his leg as he moved towards them.

"They took her upstairs, Jemma's with her. I'm not sure where." Brett responded, Matt barely registering her words before he jogged towards the nurses station.

"April!" He called, the woman looking up from her computer. "Where's Gabby?"

"She's upstairs on the fourth floor in labor and delivery." She spoke immediately, clearly anticipating his arrival.

"What room?" He questioned, his eyes darting around as April looked up her room number.

"4087." She told him, Matt running towards the elevator the second he got the information.

His impatient nature was getting the best of him as he waited for the elevator, Matt having to fight the impulse to just take the stairs, knowing his sore body would be even more angry at him if he tried to climb four flights of stairs. Now that he'd had time to calm down, he was definitely feeling the effects of his body slamming into the wall and getting hit with part of the ceiling, and even though he needed to get to Gabby, he knew he shouldn't try and climb all those stairs.

After what felt like an eternity, Matt got to labor and delivery, his eyes darting around as he tried to find his way in this unfamiliar section of the hospital.

"Can I help you, son?" An older nurse approached him, seeing his clearly frantic state.

"Yeah, um I looking for my wife? She just got brought here."

"What's her name?"

"Gabriela Dawson, she's in room 4087."

"Just straight down that hall, her room is on the left."

"Thank you." He responded before running in that direction, his eyes scanning the room numbers as he passed, finally getting to hers. Matt pushed the door open quickly, soon finding Gabby lying on her side in the bed, Jemma standing beside her. She was already changed into a hospital gown, and he could tell by the look on her face she was in pain. "Gabby." He breathed out, Gabby's eyes snapping open at the sound of his voice.

"You made it." She cried out in relief, Matt hurrying to her side, grabbing ahold of her hand.

"Of course I did, I'd never miss this." He responded, Gabby lifting her head slightly, Matt leaning down to kiss her, feeling her tears hit his cheeks. "Are you in pain, are you okay?"

"Only when I have a contraction, but they said they'll be back in here soon to give me the epidural." She responded, Matt nodding as his placed his hand over her head.

"What happened?"

"I woke up with some cramping. I got up to go to the bathroom, that helped a little but then when I was in bed it started again. Jemma went out into the kitchen to get me a drink, and that's when my water broke…. I kind of left behind a mess." She told him, Matt chuckling softly.

"It's okay, that doesn't matter." He assured her, rubbing her head.

"Then Jemma called 911, because I wasn't sure I could get to the car."

"No, I'm glad you called, I'm glad you got here safely." He told her quickly, watching as her body tensed, a grimace covering her face as she squeezed his hand tightly, Matt realizing she was having another contraction. Gabby groaned in pain, Matt pressing a kiss to her forehead, ignoring the numbness he was feeling in his hand from her unrelenting grip. "It's okay, baby." He whispered, stroking his thumb over the top of her head as he felt her relax a few moments later, Gabby forcing herself to take deep breaths.

"God, those really suck." She spoke quietly, Matt smiling softly before pressing another kiss to her head.

"I'm gonna get out of here, let you guys have some time." Jemma cut in, earning nods from both Dawson and Casey. "I'll go get everyone rounded up, let them know they can come to this floor."

"Thank you, Jemma." Gabby replied, Matt looking up.

"Yeah, thank you for getting her here."

"Of course. Do you need me to do anything else?"

"Can you call my brother and tell him what's going on? And ask him to call our dad?" Gabby requested, earning a nod from her best friend.

"Yeah of course, anything else?"

"No, that's all. Thanks Jemma." Matt responded, the paramedic flashing them both a smile before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

Once they were alone, Matt focused his attention back on Gabby, seeing her eyes closed as she took steady breaths.

"Do you need anything? A drink? Or some ice chips? I don't know what good those do, but I always see people getting them in movies." He rambled nervously, earning a soft chuckle from Gabby.

"I'm okay… what happened to you?" She asked as she looked up at him, clearly only now registering his smoke-covered and scratched up face.

"Had a run in with a burning building." He replied, concern filling her features.

"Matt…"

"I'm fine, babe." He was quick to assure her, shaking his head. "I was leaving after I heard you were in labor and part of the ceiling fell, but I'm good. I'm not the one we're supposed to be worried about right now." He reminded her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze, Gabby reluctantly nodding just as the door opened once again, a whole group of nurses walking in.

"Hello Miss Dawson." One of them greeted, Matt standing up straight. "We're gonna get you all prepped for your surgery, alright? Is this the father?"

"Yeah, this is my husband, Matt." She spoke, Matt flashing them a smile.

"Well, congratulations to you both. Gabby, we did get in contact with your doctor, she's on her way, she told us to go ahead and get you ready because as soon as she gets here, she's going to deliver your little baby. So we're gonna get you all ready to go, if that's okay." She spoke gently, Gabby nodding in response. "Alright, good. Sir, you can stay if she doesn't mind, but we'll just need you to stay further up by her head." She instructed, Casey nodding as he glanced down to Gabby, feeling her grip on his hand tighten.

"I'm right here." He reassured her, Gabby nodding as he moved out of the way, keeping her hand in his, and his other on her head. Soon enough they had gotten her prepped and ready, Matt focused on keeping Gabby calm while they worked, letting her squeeze his hand extra tight while they did the epidural.

"Alright dear, we'll be back when it's time to take you to delivery. Just call if you need anything."

"Thank you." Gabby murmured, focusing on the feeling of Matt's fingers running through her hair as the expectant parents were left alone.

"You okay?" He whispered after a few moments of quiet, Gabby nodding as she slowly opened her eyes, a frown forming on Matt's face when he saw her holding back tears. "What's wrong?" His tender voice brought more tears to her eyes, one escaping down her cheek as Matt leaned down, pressing continuous kisses to the side of her head, Gabby wrapping her arms around him. She held him to her, silent tears streaming down her cheeks as she kept him tight within her grasp, not wanting to let go.

"I'm scared, Matt." She whimpered, his heart dropping into his stomach when he heard her words. "I don't want to die."

Tears clouded his own eyes, Matt pressing another kiss to her head, his lips lingering against her hair as he forced down his own emotions, knowing he needed to focus on her.

"It's gonna be okay." He whispered.

"But-"

"You're going to be okay." He repeated, pulling back far enough to meet her eyes, seeing fresh tears waiting to spill over. "You're gonna be fine. The both of you are." He spoke firmly, Gabby blinking furiously before she nodded, pulling him back down to her.

The position was uncomfortable, especially with the beating his body had taken less than an hour ago, but he didn't care. This was more important; she was more important.

"I love you." She breathed out into his ear, tightening her grip around his neck. "I love you so much. I love you more than anything else in this world, and nothing will ever change that." Her voice was soft, Matt fighting against his own emotions as tears threatened to spill over. "You are everything to me, and I need you to know you make the happiest woman in the world, Matt Casey. I'm gonna love you forever, no matter how long that is."

A single tear escaped down his cheek, Matt pressing continuous kisses to her skin, releasing a deep breath. "You are my entire world, Gabriela Dawson, or I guess it's technically Gabriela Casey." He spoke, his words bringing a bright smile to her face. "You are my life, and I'm the luckiest guy, getting to be married to you. And getting to love you, and be loved by you. I love you more than anything, you always have been and always will be the greatest love of my life."

"Until our daughter." Gabby cut in softly, Matt releasing a watery chuckle.

"You two are both the greatest loves of my life." He corrected, Gabby smiling before pressing a kiss to his neck. "But I love you so much, I need you to know just how much I love you, and how much you mean to me. I'm gonna be spending the rest of my life making sure you never forget it. You are everything to me too, baby."

Fresh tears slid down her cheeks, Gabby squeezing him tighter before pulling back, Matt feeling her movements and lifting his head away from her shoulder. Before he could say anything else, Gabby's lips were on his in an instant, kissing him passionately and intensely, holding him to her. Both of them relished in the feeling of one another, knowing there was a chance this could be one of the last times they ever got to experience it.

They pulled away only when necessary, Matt leaning his forehead down against hers, both breathing heavily.

"I love you." She murmured, Matt smiling softly before kissing her again, this one much more tame.

"I love you, too."

Their peaceful moment was interrupted by the door opening, Matt pulling back to see Dr. Tanner come in the room, already clad in scrubs, clearly ready for this delivery.

"There are the expectant parents." She spoke softly, Gabby nodding as she came closer to the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"Scared… and nervous. And excited." Gabby breathed out, Dr. Tanner nodding understandingly.

"I know, and that's okay. But just remember what I've told you from the beginning, I'm gonna do everything I can to get you both through this. Despite some challenges, this has been a very healthy pregnancy. You have a beautiful, healthy baby girl. And I'm gonna do what I can to make sure everything goes smoothly." She promised, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "Now, I know we're not quite at the 37 week mark, your girl is a little premature, but she should be fine. We gave you that medication while you were in the hospital to help progress the development of her lungs just in case, which will definitely help us now. She's already on the smaller side, but she should grow just fine. This isn't premature to the point where you can't hold her before we take her to the NICU, I want you to know that. As long as she's doing okay, you two should be able to have a moment with your girl before we need to get her checked out." She told them, a soft smile falling onto Gabby's face.

"Now, we're gonna get you in there soon. I will warn you, when you get in there, everything may look kind of intimidating. We've got the room set up for emergency surgery, just in case. Hopefully that's not anything we'll need to worry about, but if we do, we'll be ready. All I want you focused on is your little girl, alright?" She warned them, both Gabby and Matt nodding. "Alright, well we're gonna get you down there in a few minutes. Matt, you'll need to get gowned up. And I suggest cleaning yourself up a little bit." She spoke, earning a nod from Casey. "Okay, well I will see you both down there soon."

After some quick goodbyes, a nurse brought in the paper gown and mask Matt needed to wear to be in the delivery room, Casey reluctantly leaving Gabby's side long enough to strip out of his turnout gear and clean off his face, Matt tying the gown around himself and putting on the mask, letting it sit under his chin.

When he came back out, Gabby was all ready for transport, her eyes finding Matt's the second he exited the bathroom. After placing his gear down on the chair, he resumed his position by Gabby's side, holding onto her hand as they waited for her to be taken to the delivery room.

"You ready?" Matt asked, Gabby nodding slowly before they began wheeling her out of the room, Matt staying close behind her as they moved through the halls.

When they got to the delivery room a few minutes later, Casey was instructed to wait outside while they got her situated, those few moments feeling like hours as he sat impatiently. After what felt like an eternity, he was called in, Matt putting the mask over his face before he entered, seeing Gabby all ready to go in the middle of the room. She was surrounded by so many people, her lower half obstructed from his view as he was led to her, but he caught a glimpse of what appeared to be Dr. Tanner doing one last ultrasound, Matt reaching out and placing his hand on her bare shoulder.

"How are you doing, Gabby?" Dr. Tanner asked from down by her belly a few minutes later, Gabby focusing on the feeling of Matt's hand cradling her head.

"I'm okay, a little cold."

"I know, I'm sorry." She replied before looking towards Casey. "Make sure to just focus on Gabby until I tell you otherwise, Matt." She warned him, Casey nodding as he looked back to Gabby, giving her a supportive smile. "We're about to get started here, Gabby. You shouldn't feel any pain or anything. It'll be weird, you'll feel some things moving around, but nothing should hurt."

"Okay." She responded, wishing more than anything she could just reach out and grab Matt's hand, but she was unable to with her arms spread out on either side.

The process started going by in a blur, Gabby trying to focus more on the feeling of Matt's comforting hands than on the weird sensations that were happening further south. Dr. Tanner was right, it didn't hurt, but it felt strange. And with every move that was made, Gabby was just waiting for something to go wrong. She had never felt more anxious than she did in this moment, but she was doing what she could to stay calm, willing herself not to think about the various ways this could go wrong, how this could be some of her last few moments here with Matt.

"You're doing great, baby." Matt spoke quietly, Gabby nodding as she gave him a weak smile, trying not to focus on the dark thoughts filling her mind.

"We're getting close, Gabby. You're doing great, okay?" Dr. Tanner echoed, Gabby barely registering her voice.

It felt like this was never ending, that they'd been in here for hours, until suddenly they heard a loud cry fill the air, Matt's head darting up towards the sound.

"Oh my God." Gabby cried out the second she heard it, her tears spilling over as she listened to her daughter.

"Here's your baby girl, she's beautiful." Dr. Tanner spoke after a few seconds, two nurses dropping down the divider, leaving only a clear plastic sheet in between them, giving Matt and Gabby a view of their girl as Dr. Tanner held her up.

"She's here." Matt breathed out when he looked at her, his heart swelling as he heard her loud cries, Casey looking down to see happy tears continuously streaming down Gabby's cheeks. "She's here, baby." He repeated, leaning forward and kissing her, Gabby letting out a sob against his lips. "God, I'm so proud of you." He murmured, tears pooling in his eyes as he kissed her again before pulling back, both eagerly awaiting the moment they got to get a better look at their daughter.

It took a few minutes, but she was soon brought over to them, another sob leaving Gabby's lips as their now somewhat cleaned up daughter was placed against her chest. The cries of their little girl was like music to their ears as Gabby brought up her hand to rest gently over their daughter, the action causing fresh tears to fill her eyes as she felt her baby's skin against hers.

"She's beautiful." Matt choked out, their girl looking even smaller next to his hand as he carefully stroked the top of her head. "She looks just like you."

"She's perfect." Gabby spoke through her tears, another sob escaping her lips when their daughter gripped her finger with her tiny hand. "God, she's absolutely perfect."

"I love you." Matt spoke in Gabby's ear, pressing a kiss to her head. "I love you both so much."

"I love you, too." She whispered, kissing him softly before looking back at their daughter. "Hi, little girl." She murmured, having to continuously blink back the tears welling in her eyes, most of them falling down her skin. "I can't believe you're finally here." Gabby pressed a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

Matt pulled back a few inches from Gabby, stray tears falling down his cheeks as he took a moment to really look at his daughter, and he was sure he'd never seen anything more beautiful. She was small, small enough that the thought of holding her made him a little nervous. Small enough that it seemed like she would just disappear once she got in his arms, but for what she lacked in size he could already tell she would make up for with her personality. The second she got her parents attention, her loud cries quieted down a bit, Matt unable to stop the watery chuckle that escaped his lips as he watched her move around against her mom's chest.

Their moment was interrupted by Dr. Tanner, Matt unable to tear his eyes away from the image of Gabby and their daughter while she spoke.

"We need to get her to the NICU, just so she can be checked out since she is premature. But she looks great. You two seem to have a very healthy baby girl."

The parents spent one last moment with their daughter before the nurse took her away, Matt and Gabby both missing her the second she was gone, Casey watching closely as they got her ready to leave the room.

"Go with her, Matt." Gabby spoke, Matt looking back and forth between his two girls, unsure of what to do. "Please, go with her, I'm okay. I don't want her to be alone."

Reluctantly, he nodded, pressing a firm, longing kiss to her lips before pulling back. "I love you, I'll see you soon, alright?" He told her, earning a nod from Gabby.

"I love you too." She responded softly, Gabby blinking quickly a few times as Matt stepped away from her side, heading for the door.

"Dammit."

He heard that single word just as he got to the exit, Matt turning around as he registered the sound of Gabby's monitors starting to go crazy, his eyes widening when he saw a previously alert Gabby now barely conscious on the table.

"Gabby!"

"Get him out of here." Dr. Tanner spoke, Matt nearly vomiting when he caught a glimpse of all the fresh blood on the doctor's hands.

"What happened? What's wrong?"

"Her aneurysm ruptured, we've gotta get this under control, now." Dr. Tanner wasn't speaking to him but he heard her words, thick tears filling his eyes as he watched them put an oxygen mask over Gabby's face, her body now completely limp, Matt fighting against the nurses trying to get him out.

"Gabby!"

"Get him out of here!" Dr. Tanner yelled, Matt being forcefully shoved from the room into the hallway.

"Let me back in there, I need to be with her!" He shouted, but he was unable to get back in, a large male nurse holding him back, pushing him further from the door.

"They're doing everything they can for her, you can't be in there right now."

"But I need to- I need to be with her." He replied defeatedly, his hand coming up to rub over his mouth, tears falling from his eyes.

"Mr. Casey there's nothing you can do for her. Just go, go be with your daughter. She's the only one you can help right now." He reasoned, more tears escaping down Matt's cheeks as he looked back to the door separating him from Gabby. "Go be with your daughter."

Nodding slowly, Matt quit fighting, the firefighter taking a few steps back from the door, his breathing labored.

"I'll take you to her, okay? I'll take you to your daughter."

Wordlessly, Matt let this man lead him down the hallway, his mind unable to form a coherent thought as he tried to wrap his mind around what just happened. How what should've been the best day of his life was turning into a nightmare.

His worst fears were coming to light, and there was nothing he could do about it. The thing he'd been so afraid of was now his reality.

That the day his daughter came into this world would be the day his wife left it.

* * *

**You all knew this was coming right? But hey, no matter what happens, at least Gabby got a chance to meet their daughter. Yay for little baby Casey!**

**I really enjoyed writing the birth, though I had to keep stopping because I'd get so emotional thinking about this happening on the show, and how we were robbed of that. God, I'm always gonna be upset over it. But at least I got to experience it this way, it's better than nothing I guess. I just hope I did it justice.**

**Also, I have a question for you guys, I want to know what you all are thinking. I'm not sure how much longer to keep this story going, or how much longer you all want me to keep it going. Do you all want to see Matt and (hopefully) Gabby raising their daughter? Or should I just wrap this up within the next few chapters? I believe I asked you all this awhile ago, but I just want to see what you all are thinking now that we're here, so if you could let me know that'd be so helpful. Thank you.**

**I'm super excited to hear your thoughts on this. Thank you so much for reading! The next chapter is gonna be… well, you all will see soon enough.**

**Thank you for all your continued love and support, it means everything.**


	59. Chapter Fifty Nine

**Well… here we go.**

**Thank you all for going along on this journey with me. I have more to say at the end, but for now all I'm going to say is that I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Fifty Nine**_

* * *

Matt followed along beside the nurse as they walked down the hallway, Casey barely able to think as he was flooded with dozens of conflicting emotions. He wasn't sure he'd ever been this scared in his life; he was absolutely terrified at the thought of losing Gabby, knowing that right now her life was hanging in the balance. But then he thought of what he was going to go do, how he was walking right now to go see his daughter; his beautiful, perfect little girl, and he couldn't help but feel excited. He was eager to see her, to be with her, and his chest filled with warmth at the thought of being with her again.

But that happiness would quickly come crashing back down whenever his thoughts shifted back to Gabby. She was fighting for her life, there was no reason for him to be happy. He shouldn't be celebrating while she was bleeding out in this hospital, and those conflicting emotions caused Matt to be overwhelmed with a tremendous amount of guilt every time he let himself be happy for even a moment.

It was like a constant tug of war with his head and his heart, and he hated it. He absolutely hated it. This should be the best thing that's ever happened to him, but he can hardly go a second without thinking about what's happening to Gabby right this moment. She should be here, they should be with their daughter. All three of them, together.

But it was just him. Right now, all their daughter had was him.

And Matt could only hope it wouldn't be that way permanently.

"Casey! How are they?"

Matt looked up at the voice, not even realizing they'd gotten to the nurses station on this floor, the spacious waiting room filled with firefighters, Matt's glassy eyes moving around seeing all of his friends, his eyes stopping when he got to Antonio and Ramon.

The second they saw his face, they knew something had happened. The man in front of them seemed lost. He looked absolutely heartbroken, and that alone made them all fear the worst.

"How are they?" Boden asked again, Casey snapping out of his haze, clearing his throat before responding.

"Uh- the baby, she's good. She's okay. She's little, but she's strong... Sh-she should be fine." His voice was hoarse, Casey barely registering the words he was saying.

"And Gabby?" Antonio spoke up, unable to mask the fear in his voice.

"She, uh… Everything was fine. She was doing great, and then suddenly she wasn't." He answered, fresh tears filling his eyes, Antonio doing what he could to remain composed. "Her aneurysm ruptured… Dr. Tanner's trying to fix it, but she- she lost consciousness before I left… I don't know what's happening."

His words were short and choppy, no one knowing what to say. There wasn't anything to say that could make this nightmare any better.

"I… I need to go. I have to go be with my daughter." Casey spoke up, turning away from them before they could say anything else, his tears spilling over as he was led to the NICU, the short walk seemingly taking forever. But soon enough, they got there, Matt's eyes bouncing around his new surroundings.

"Hey Jonah, what do you need?" One of the nurses asked as they walked in, the nurse, Jonah, patting Matt's shoulder.

"We're looking for little baby Casey, this here is her father."

The nurse looked to Matt, offering him a soft smile as she stepped out from behind the desk. If she noticed his obviously devastated demeanor, she didn't act like it, the woman nodding to the male nurse before gently grabbing Casey's arm.

"I can show you to her, we just got her all situated. She's such a beautiful little girl." She spoke, Matt smiling softly, nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, she is… She looks just like her mom." He responded quietly, the nurse flashing him a gentle smile.

"She's a little fighter, too. I know she was premature, but she's definitely one strong girl." The unnamed nurse spoke, leading Casey through the rows of children, most surrounded by at least one parent, before they got to one of the ones towards the end, Matt's body filling with warmth the second he saw his daughter.

"She gets that from her Momma, too." He whispered, coming to stand beside her bed. Most children in here with confined to what he could only describe as boxes, but his girl was merely in a bed. She was attached to a bunch of different wires and monitors, but he could only take it as a good sign that she was in a normal bed. "Can I touch her?"

"Of course, yeah. Just be careful of the wires. Here soon you can hold her, we just need to let her spend some time with the monitors attached first but I'll come back and let you know when you can hold her."

"Thank you." He murmured, not taking his eyes off his daughter as he looked at her. She was tiny, smaller than she looked moments ago resting on Gabby's chest, but from the tight grip she had around his large finger, she was strong. Matt's eyes moved over her little body, not entirely sure how a person could be that small. He watched as her chest moved up and down quickly while she breathed, the wires attached to her skin somewhat frightening. But from what he could tell, she was doing okay. And no one here seemed to be concerned about her, which he found oddly comforting.

"Hey little girl." He whispered, placing his other hand on top of her covered head. "It's me, it's your Daddy." He spoke quietly, tapping his thumb against her small hand. "It's the guy who played all those fun games with you these last few months, you know, the ones Mommy didn't like. And the guy who probably woke you up a few times when I'd talk to you in the mornings… I have a feeling I won't be able to do that much anymore, your Momma would kill me if I woke you up early in the morning just to talk to you." He murmured, a soft smile falling onto his face.

"I know you already got to spend some time with her, but your mom is the most incredible person in the world, you are so lucky to have her… I'm so lucky to have her. Seeing you two together, I can't even describe it. It made me love the both of you more than I already did, and I can't wait to spend the rest of my life getting to see that… I hope I get to see that."

Casey watched as she moved around slowly in her sleep, his finger following the movements of her hand as she held onto him, refusing to let go.

Matt stayed glued to her side, not focusing on anything other than his daughter as she laid there and slept. He was completely mesmerized by her.

This was his daughter. This was his and Gabby's little girl. The child he's always wanted, with the woman he's always wanted, and as he stood there watching her, he made a promise to himself that he'd do everything in his power to protect her. That he'd do whatever he could to protect the two most important people in his life, for as long as possible.

"Mr. Casey?"

Matt looked up to see the nurse from earlier back by his side, Casey unsure of how much time had actually passed since he got here.

"Would you like to hold your daughter now?" She asked, Matt nodding eagerly. With a soft smile, the nurse nodded at him, signaling him to go towards one of the rocking chairs against the back wall. While he did that, she pulled the bed over to him, Matt watching as the monitors rolled with it before she came to a stop, positioning it close enough so that he could hold his daughter without messing with the wires. "Now, because of all the monitors, I'm gonna hand her to you, but once she gets situated it's fine. If one of the wires comes off, that's alright. Just let one of us know." She told him, Matt nodding as he positioned himself, watching as this nurse slowly lifted his daughter from her bed.

He knew she was more than capable, but Matt couldn't help but feel anxious seeing someone else holding his daughter. He just wanted her in his arms, where he knew he could keep her safe. As helpless as he felt with Gabby right now, he knew there wasn't anything he could do for his wife, but he could be here for their daughter, and protect her. In fact him being here making sure their little girl was safe, he knew that's exactly where Gabby would want him to be.

Slowly, the nurse placed her into his waiting arms, Matt grinning as his daughter settled herself into him, continuing her sleep like nothing had happened. "Wow, she's a heavy sleeper." The nurse commented, Matt smiling as he kept his eyes focused on the girl in his arms.

"Yeah… she really is just like her mom."

If the nurse had questions about his daughter's mother, she didn't voice them. Although if hospitals were anything like the firehouse, he wouldn't be surprised if this woman knew the situation already, or at least some of it.

"I'm sure she is." She replied softly before stepping away, wanting to give the new father some space.

Casey was unable to take his eyes off his daughter as he sat there rocking her, Matt feeling a sense of security and warmth that he was surprised to feel under the circumstances. It was like she kept him grounded, she was keeping him calm through one of the worst moments of his life. All the unknowns with Gabby, if not for this little girl he'd be falling apart. And although he knew that time would come if the worst did happen, right now he refused to focus on that. Gabby was in the best hands possible, all he could do was be here for their daughter, and provide her with as much comfort as she was giving him.

"God, you really are exactly like your Momma." He breathed out, smiling as she gripped his finger, holding onto it as tight as her little body would allow. Her skin was maybe a few shades lighter than Gabby's, but you could definitely tell this kid was a Dawson. From the numerous baby pictures he'd seen over the years, she looked exactly like Gabby. She was like a carbon copy, and Matt absolutely loved it.

And he couldn't wait for Gabby to get the chance to really meet her. He couldn't wait to watch them bond, and for her to be the most amazing mother to their daughter. He couldn't wait to experience this little life with the love of his life. And with their little girl snuggled into his arms, in a moment of clarity he believed that everything would be okay. That after all they'd been through to get to this point, Gabby would be fine. His daughter gave him that hope, and it's what he was holding onto until he was told any different.

Matt was pulled from his thoughts when he felt her starting to shift around in his arms, seeing her face scrunch up before a loud cry escaped her lips, Matt keeping his rocking steady. "Hey, we were doing so well." He responded, gently bouncing her in his arms, trying to calm her down. He wasn't exactly sure what to do, her cries getting louder, surely disrupting the other sleeping babies. Matt began rubbing his finger over her cheek, his daughter's head beginning to move back and forth, her mouth open.

"I think she's hungry." Matt looked up to see another nurse standing in front of him, holding a small bottle in her hands.,

"Oh, yeah… Right." He responded, the nurse flashing him a soft smile.

"Do you want to feed her?" She asked, Matt nodding immediately, the woman holding out the bottle. Matt grabbed ahold of it, slowly moving it towards her mouth, his daughter fighting against the bottle.

"Okay, you're gonna have to work with me here." He spoke, rubbing her cheek gently. "I know we're both new at this, but I'm gonna need your help."

Soon enough she took the bottle, eagerly drinking the formula as she quieted down.

"First time dad, huh?" The nurse asked, Matt glancing up to her before looking back to his feeding baby.

"First time with a newborn." He responded, the woman nodding.

"Well, you're a natural." She told him, Matt flashing her an appreciative smile before she walked away, leaving the dad to feed his daughter.

As he watched his little girl, he couldn't ignore the heavy feeling that had settled in his gut, knowing Gabby should be here for this. Knowing that his girl shouldn't even be using this bottle, that Gabby should be here and they could be experiencing this together. They had talked about it a few times, Gabby mentioning more than once how excited she was to breastfeed their girl, how she was eager to be able to bond with their daughter in that way. In a perfect world, Matt wouldn't be the one feeding her right now. No matter how lucky he felt to be able to experience this with her, he knew it shouldn't have been him. It should've been Gabby. But all he can do now is hope she'll still get the chance.

"That's good, huh?" He spoke softly.

At the sound of his voice, his daughter opened her eyes, Matt's gaze widening in wonder as he saw her bright blue eyes shining back on him. In all the time he'd spent with her, he hadn't really got a look at her eyes, but they were unmistakable. She had his eyes. The rest of her was completely Gabby, but her eyes, that was all him, the sight bringing a wide smile to his face.

"You're absolutely perfect… my little angel." He murmured, leaning down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead as she happily ate, her eyes soon closing once more, Matt letting himself relax into the seat.

"Hey man." Casey looked over, surprised to see Kelly, still clad in all his gear, walking towards him, looking the same aside from the mask over his mouth.

"How'd you get in here?" Matt asked, watching as Severide looked down at his daughter, unable to peel his eyes off of her.

"I just kind of came in. I think it's the gear, people usually don't ask questions. One of the nurses gave me this mask, but no one really said anything." He answered, his gaze tracing over the baby in Casey's arms. "She's so small." He breathed out, partly in wonder and partly in disbelief, Matt nodding as he looked back at his baby.

"She is, but she's strong." He replied, Kelly finally looking away from the baby, back towards his friend.

"Well, with a mother like Dawson, how could she not be?" Severide replied, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as he nodded. "...How are you doing?"

Matt softly shrugged in response to the question, doing what he could to not disturb his daughter, seeing her slowly starting to doze off even though she hadn't finished her bottle. "I'm as okay as I can be, but I'm trying not to focus on it." He admitted, pressing another kiss to his daughter's head, breathing her in.

Severide nodded sadly, watching as Matt slowly removed the bottle from the baby's mouth now that she had completely fallen asleep, the little girl instinctively curling into Matt's arms.

"So… I guess you guys didn't get the chance to pick a name yet." Severide spoke up.

"Her name is Sofia." Matt responded without hesitation, Kelly's eyebrows raising.

"I thought you all hadn't decided what-"

"That was Gabby's choice… Sofia." Casey cut in, Kelly drawing in a deep breath as Matt met his gaze. "Gabby picked it, and I think it's perfect."

"It's a beautiful name, she did a good job." Kelly responded with a soft smile, Matt nodding.

"...Sofia Elizabeth Casey."

"What?" Kelly's eyes widened in surprise when he heard the middle name, his heart somehow filling with pride while also feeling heavy with grief all at the same time.

"Gabby wanted her middle name to be Elizabeth… for Shay."

Kelly nodded, blinking back the tears forming in his eyes as his gaze locked on the sleeping baby.

"Shay would've loved that." Kelly responded, clearing the emotion from his throat. "And I- I know she's looking out for Gabby right now, Shay's too stubborn to let anything happen to Dawson." Kelly spoke, earning a watery chuckle from Casey, the Captain feeling fresh tears fill his eyes.

"Yeah, she is…" He trailed off, shaking his head as he tried to return his focus to his daughter, that being the only thing keeping him together.

"She's gonna be okay, man." Kelly spoke softly. "She's gonna pull through, then she's gonna be the absolute best mother to your girl… to Sofia." A lone tear slid down Matt's cheek, Casey nodding in agreement. "This is Dawson we're talking about, she'll be fine."

"Yeah." He whispered, Severide cautiously walking towards him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder, squeezing tightly.

"I'm gonna get out of here, give you some time with your girl… She's beautiful, Casey. You and Dawson did good." Kelly spoke lightly, Matt laughing softly.

"We did." He agreed, flashing Severide a thankful smile before the man walked away, heading back towards the waiting room.

It only took him a couple minutes to get back to everyone, Kelly having ditched the mask the second he was out of the NICU, all eyes landing on him as he came into view.

"How is he doing?" Boden asked first, Kelly coming to a stop in front of the large group.

"He's...he's holding up surprisingly well." Severide told them, earning a few nods from everyone. "I can't really tell, I don't think he's focused on anything other than that baby right now. I don't know if everything's sunk in for him yet."

"That's not surprising." Herrmann cut in. "He's a dad now, despite everything else that little girl comes first." He elaborated, Boden nodding in agreement.

"Has there been any update on Dawson?" Severide asked, finding Antonio's gaze, seeing him sadly shake his head in response.

"Nothing so far." Kidd answered verbally, Kelly nodding.

"How's the kid?" Herrmann questioned, everyone seeing the soft smile form across Kelly's face.

"She's great. She looks exactly like Dawson." He spoke, his words bringing smiles to the faces of his coworkers. "She's really small, she was hooked up to a bunch of machines, but Casey didn't say anything was wrong, I'm guessing it's just cause she came early. But he was feeding her while I was in there, everything seemed okay."

"That's great. Did he say anything about how long the baby will be in the NICU?"

"No, he didn't. I didn't really ask." He replied.

Antonio stood up from his seat, turning to look at his dad. "I'm gonna go see him, and see how the baby's doing."

"I'll come with you." Ramon replied, pushing himself up from the uncomfortable chair. "I want to meet my granddaughter."

"Let us know how she's doing." Boden spoke, Antonio giving him a firm nod.

"We will."

51 watched on as Antonio and Ramon disappeared down the hallway, following the signs towards the NICU, everyone once again settling into their seats, knowing, unless for a call, they'd be here for awhile.

Kelly stayed rooted in his spot, his eyes bouncing around the room before he landed on Jemma, seeing the woman sitting alarmingly still in her seat at the back of the room. Blowing out a heavy breath, Kelly walked towards her, his steps slowing as he got closer. When she still hadn't registered his presence, he sat down in the chair beside her, the movement snapping her from her thoughts, Jemma blinking quickly as she turned to look at him.

"Hey." She nearly whispered, her voice raspy as Kelly caught a glimpse of the fresh tears sitting in her eyes, clearly desperate to fall.

"Hey." He repeated, Jemma's tongue running over her bottom lip as she looked forward once more, clenching her hands together in her lap.

"So the baby's okay?" She questioned, Kelly nodding softly.

"As far as I can tell… You could've come with me, met your goddaughter."

Severide saw her body tense at his words, before she shrugged softly. "I didn't want to miss any updates on Gabby, and plus I don't want to overcrowd Matt right now… He needs to be with his family, I'll have plenty of time with that little girl later." She mused quietly, refusing to meet his eyes.

"You are family, Jemma." He spoke, watching as she took a deep breath. "You're as much family as the rest of us, probably even a little more when it comes to Dawson…" He continued, seeing her bite down on her bottom lip roughly, slowly turning to look at him.

"She's gotta be okay, Kelly." Jemma murmured, worry evident in her voice. Severide reached for her leg, giving her knee a comforting squeeze.

"She will be." He replied firmly, the paramedic sucking in a deep breath before nodding. "...But if she's not, we're gonna have to do everything we can for that little girl." Jemma bit down on the inside of her cheek harshly, Kelly watching as a lone tear slid down her cheek. "And for Casey… If they lose her, he's going to be an absolute wreck. I've seen what's happened to him without Dawson before, and it wasn't good. But this? This will destroy him. And, as her godparents, we've gotta make sure we're there for that baby, and for him." Severide spoke softly, Jemma nodding slowly. "We've gotta make sure that little girl never forgets just how much her mom loved her."

Jemma released a heavy breath, nodding slowly as she faced forward once more, blinking back the tears sitting in her eyes. "Yeah… But hopefully it doesn't come to that."

Her voice was barely audible, but Kelly heard it, the firefighter giving her leg another squeeze before he looked forward as well, both of them seeing when Gabby's doctor appeared around the corner. They both caught the look of surprise that covered her face, seeing a room full of first responders, but that look quickly faded, morphing into one of what Severide could only describe as pity.

"I guess the surgery's over…" Severide breathed out, Dr. Tanner flashing the few of them who had looked up sympathetic smiles before continuing her path to what Kelly assumed to be the NICU.

"Yeah…" Jemma's voice cracked, the paramedic instinctively reaching for Kelly's hand and giving it a squeeze, her body filling with dread knowing that whatever happened to Gabby, it would be a little while longer before they found out.

* * *

Matt's eyes were focused on his sleeping daughter as he rocked her in the chair, his little girl just now having quietened down again. Moments after Severide left, Sofia had woken up in tears, clearly unhappy about something. With a little help from the nurses, he'd managed to get her burped as well as change her diaper for the first time. It was something he'd done maybe once or twice before in his life, and he definitely wasn't a natural at that part of fatherhood. But he knew it was something he'd get the hang of, and with a little help from Maddy, one of the nurses here, he'd managed to get her changed and settled back down.

It was almost amusing to him, how with one little thing his daughter would go from screaming bloody murder to being perfectly content resting in her dad's arms. It was something he felt grateful to experience, and he couldn't wait until Gabby was here, able to enjoy it with him.

Glancing up, he caught sight of two unexpected faces, Matt sucking in a sharp breath when he saw Antonio and Ramon walking up to the nurses desk, Casey seeing Maddy standing there.

Across the room, Antonio approached the desk with his father close behind him, the nurse looking up when she registered his presence.

"Hi, can I help you?"

"Yeah, um, we're here looking for my niece. My brother in-law is here with her."

"What's the name?"

"Casey. Matt Casey, is her dad." Antonio saw the nurse's face soften, and in that moment he realized she knew at least some of the story surrounding the birth of his niece.

"Ah yes, little baby Casey. She's such a sweet little girl." She responded, her eyes flickering across the room towards Matt, seeing him watching them. "Normally, we don't allow many visitors, but I've heard a little bit about the situation, with her mom- your sister." She clarified, Antonio nodding sadly. "If you can put those gowns on, I can let you go and visit with her."

"Thank you." Antonio replied graciously, turning to follow the nurse towards the gowns, catching a glimpse of Matt from across the large room, able to see the devastated look in his eyes from here.

Within a few moments, they got over to him, Matt holding his breath as they got closer. "Any update on Gabby?"

Antonio and Ramon both shook their heads sadly, Casey's face falling slightly before he nodded, looking back down at his daughter.

"Well, I guess no news is good news." Matt murmured, his eyes tracing over his little girl's face.

"She's beautiful, Casey." Antonio spoke up, his words bringing a soft smile to the firefighter's face.

"She is, isn't she? She's perfect."

"She looks like Gabriela did." Ramon added, earning a nod from Matt in agreement. "Can I… Can I hold her?" Ramon questioned softly, Matt reluctantly nodding as he slowly stood up from the chair, nodding at his father in-law to take a seat. It wasn't that he didn't trust Ramon, he did, but he just didn't want to not be holding her. He felt like all he could do right now was keep her safe, and the only way for him to do that was to keep her in his arms. But he knew that wasn't practical; there were a lot of people who were going to want their chance with her, and he couldn't deny them that. Especially not her own grandfather.

Once Ramon was situated, Matt carefully handed her over, biting down on his lip as he willed her to stay asleep, the new father releasing a grateful breath when Sofia settled into her grandfather's arms without waking.

"Just be careful, with all the wires." Matt spoke softly, Ramon nodding as he kept his eyes on her, Matt taking a few steps back, landing by Antonio's side as they both watched their father with little Sofia.

"How is she doing?" Antonio asked, clasping Matt's shoulder.

"She's doing great. For as little as she is, she doesn't really have any developmental issues. Dr. Tanner had given Gabby that medicine while we were in the hospital a few weeks back, to help develop her lungs, so that's helped a lot. But she's doing okay. Aside from her just being a little small, she's great. She's loud, but she's perfect." Matt spoke, Antonio chuckling softly by his side. "And, uh... her name is Sofia."

Antonio's grin widened as he glanced to Matt, Casey nodding with a smile before the detective looked back towards the baby.

"She looks like a Sofia."

"It's a beautiful name." Ramon added, still staring at his granddaughter.

"Gabby chose it. Sofia Elizabeth Casey, is her full name."

"It's perfect, man." Antonio spoke, giving his shoulder another squeeze before dropping his hand. "Do you know how long Sofia has to be here?"

"No, not yet. Even though she's doing well, she's still premature, so I'm not sure what they want to do… But she's doing good, I've already fed her once, changed her diaper… but mostly she just sleeps. It's been incredible though, I can't believe she's finally here." Matt breathed out softly, unable to take his eyes off his daughter. "Like, I knew she was always a person, obviously, but something about her actually being here… it's so real now. My daughter's here, and it's just- it's crazy."

"It only gets crazier, man." Antonio added, shaking his head. "There's so many things you'll get to experience with her, it's a little insane raising a kid. But you were always meant to be a dad, you're gonna be great."

"Yeah, I hope so… Hopefully I won't be doing it alone."

The mood fell somber in the room, Casey shaking his head as his hand came up to cover his mouth. He'd done what he could this entire time to not think about the very real possibility that he would be a single dad, but it was getting more and more difficult as the day wore on. He just needed to know; whatever it was, he needed to know whether Gabby was still alive or not. Whether his entire world had come crashing down or not. He needed to know, and all this waiting was killing him.

"She should be here for this…" Matt murmured, Antonio's eyes clouding with fresh tears, Ramon looking up to see a glimpse of the usually strong Captain beginning to crack. "This is our girl, and Gabby's not here. She's missed all these firsts already, she hasn't been here to experience them. She should be here, she deserves to be here. She's done nothing but protect and care for Sofia since we found out about her, and now she can't even be here to experience it all now that she's born... It's not fair. None of this is fair."

Antonio grabbed ahold of his shoulder once more, squeezing it tightly as he tried to give a little bit of comfort to the man beside him, to his brother.

"I know it's not." Antonio murmured, shaking his head before bringing Matt in for a hug. Casey was reluctant at first, but he soon reciprocated, wrapping his arms around his brother, feeling Antonio patting his back. "None of this is fair. But my sister knew the risks." More tears filled Matt's eyes as the men embraced. "She knew what might happen, but she did it anyway… for Sofia. She wanted that little girl to have the best life possible, even if that meant something happens to her. None of it's fair, but if something does happen to Gabby, it's up to you to make sure Sofia gets the life Gabby wanted for her. We can't control what happens to my sister, but we can control how we handle it." He told him, Matt nodding as they separated, a few tears falling down the firefighter's face. "Sofia… she's your priority now. That's what Gabby wanted. You're her father, you have to keep on going, for her. And hopefully Gabby will be there right beside you, and Sofia won't have to grow up without her mom."

Matt nodded, wiping the tears from his cheeks as he looked back to his daughter, drawing in a deep breath. "I… I don't know if I'm enough for her, Antonio."

"You are." He responded without hesitation. "You are, because you have to be." Matt clenched his jaw tightly, giving a slow nod. "Gabby believed you were." Matt's eyes snapped towards his brother, seeing a gentle smile resting over Antonio's face. "Gabby knows you're more than enough for your daughter. You need to believe that, too."

Breathing deeply, Matt gave Antonio one last nod before moving back towards his daughter, needing to be near her again. She was able to keep him calm, she was able to ground him in a way that no one else, besides Gabby, had been able to do before.

"Ramon, can I have her back?" Matt asked, the eldest Dawson nodding before Casey took her from his arms, Matt immediately relaxing a bit when he held onto her, Sofia curling into her dad's chest. Carefully, he returned to his seat, rocking her slowly as he kept his eyes on her, feeling the tension slowly leaving his body.

"Matt."

The tension that had just left returned the instant he heard that familiar voice, all three men looking over to see Dr. Tanner walking towards them, an unreadable expression on her face. Stoically, he stayed in his seat, keeping up the rhythmic rocking in the chair as he kept eye contact with Gabby's doctor, Antonio and Ramon staying close by.

She came to a stop a few feet away from Casey, Matt unable to get a read on her, his heart dropping into his stomach as he tried to prepare himself for the worst.

"Please…" His voice came out so soft, they barely heard it, his eyes filling with tears. "Please tell me she's-"

"She's alive."

It was like a crushing weight had been lifted off the room, Matt releasing a heavy, relieved sob the second the words hit his ears.

"Oh God." He choked out, tears beginning to fall down his skin as he looked to Sofia.

"She made it, Matt. She's okay." Dr. Tanner repeated, the doctor glancing to see who she recognized as Antonio and who she could only assume to be Gabby's father embracing. The doctor caught sight of a few families around them watching on as Matt broke down, the man clearly trying to control himself as he digested the news that his wife was alive.

"She's okay." Matt whispered shakily, blinking furiously to try and clear his vision, unable to look away from Sofia, who was sleeping soundly, oblivious to the fact that her life hadn't just been altered forever. "Your Momma's okay." He pressed a soft kiss to her head, Sofia stirring for a moment before falling back into her slumber, Matt continuing to rock her gently.

"So she's gonna be fine?" Ramon asked, Dr. Tanner glancing towards him.

"She should make a full recovery." Dr. Tanner replied, Matt finally meeting her eyes again, the doctor seeing his remaining tears. "We got the bleeding under control, she was bleeding a lot but all that's fixed. We did have to do two blood transfusions, she lost a lot of blood… But she's okay now, she's fine."

"Where is she?" Matt questioned, clearing the emotion from his throat. "Can I see her?"

"She's in recovery right now, she'll be there for a few more hours but then as long as she's stable, she'll be taken back to her room. When she gets back there, you can go be with her."

"Is she awake? I don't want her to be alone, I don't-"

"She's still sedated." Dr. Tanner spoke, easing his worries. "She hasn't woken up, I don't suspect her to wake up for at least a few more hours. And when she does, she'll most likely be out of it. She probably won't really remember much until tomorrow morning. Her body's been through a lot, I imagine most of the night she'll be asleep, which is what we want because right now we only have her on a very light pain medication."

"Why?" Antonio cut in, Dr. Tanner glancing to Matt.

"Because I wasn't sure what Gabby's plans were for breastfeeding." She replied, Antonio and Ramon glancing towards Matt.

"She wants to." He answered, Dr. Tanner nodding. "I'm not sure if she can, but she really wants to try."

"As long as she can handle it, there's no medical reason she can't." She assured him. "There are pain medications that are okay for her to be on while breastfeeding, it's just something I'll need to discuss with Gabby before I can prescribe her anything stronger. She'll need to be careful. Her body's been through a lot, and the first few days especially, she'll need to take it easy. I can talk specifics with her once she's awake." Dr. Tanner added, knowing there was no reason to go into detail when Gabby wasn't here to hear it. "But I'm fine with her trying, your baby might need to supplement with formula for a few days though, until Gabby has some time to recover. We'll just have to see." She explained, Matt nodding slowly.

"Her name is Sofia." Matt spoke softly, watching as a bright smile fell onto Dr. Tanner's face.

"That's a beautiful name for your beautiful little girl. I'm glad to see she's doing well."

"She is." Matt confirmed, drawing in a deep breath. "She's okay… both my girls are okay, because of you." Dr. Tanner's face softened as she heard the thick emotion present in Matt's voice, the man trying to hold it together. "Thank you. I can never say it enough, but thank you." His voice began cracking, Matt blinking back the tears in his eyes.

"Matt-"

"I don't know what I would have done without her." He cut her off, fresh tears escaping down his cheeks. "I can't-... Just thank you. Thank you for saving her. For saving them both." His raspy voice filled the room, Dr. Tanner smiling softly, trying to push back her own emotions flooding her system.

She prided herself on being professional, on doing what she could for families and then walking away. She always tried to never get too attached to her patients, because despite the large amount of joy in this line of work, there was also a fair share of heartbreak. But there was something different with this family. Maybe it was the sheer amount of time they'd spent together since Gabby first showed up at her office, maybe it was everything this couple had gone through to get to this point, maybe it was how clearly they loved one another as well as their daughter. Whatever it was, Dr. Tanner couldn't help but hold a special place in her heart for this family, and to know that everything had worked out for them, that's all she wanted.

"You have nothing to thank me for. Gabby is a fighter, and so is your little girl." She responded, Matt nodding as he glanced back to his baby, unable to stop the smile that formed on his face. "I'll make sure someone comes to tell you when Gabby has been moved to her room, so you know and you can go visit her. I do want to limit her visitors for a few days. Family is fine, but she needs to focus on resting, as much as she can with a newborn." She explained, Matt nodding slowly.

"Do you know if Sofia can be taken to see her?" He asked, Dr. Tanner breathing deeply.

"I'm not sure how long they'll want to keep her here in the NICU. I want to take a look at her test results, see if there's anything that might cause some concern, but I know they'll at least want to keep her tonight. It's already getting late, and, like I said, I don't think Gabby will be very aware until tomorrow. But if Sofia's doing okay, there should be no problem taking her to Gabby in the morning. I know she's going to want to see her again, and if Sofia gets through the night with no problems, she should be able to just be moved to the nursery, which means she would be able to stay with Gabby. But, no matter when Gabby wakes up, I don't think she'll be able to see her until tomorrow."

"Okay, thank you." Matt murmured, Dr. Tanner nodding as she began to step away.

"I'm gonna go check in on Gabby, make sure everything's going well. Congratulations on your little girl, Matt."

"Thank you." He replied, smiling softly before looking back down to Sofia, stroking lightly over her cheek as Dr. Tanner walked away.

"I'm gonna go update the house, let them know Gabby's okay." Antonio spoke softly, Ramon nodding as he pulled his son in for another hug, the intense emotions of the day taking their toll on everyone.

"Thank you, Antonio." Matt said, the detective nodding as he smiled at his brother, Matt returning the gesture before looking back to Sofia, barely registering Ramon sitting down next to him. "Your Momma's okay, little girl. She's gonna be fine…" He breathed out, his eyes tracing over her small features. "She's okay."

He kept repeating the words over and over, still not entirely sure he believed them. He'd prepared himself for the worst, he thought he'd lost her. But he hadn't. Gabby was alive; he hadn't lost the love of his life and Sofia hadn't lost her mom.

She was okay. They all would be okay. And he'd never stop feeling incredibly grateful for that.

* * *

Antonio walked quickly through the halls of the hospital, wanting to get back to the anxious members of 51 as soon as possible. Knowing that his sister was going to be okay, he wanted to share the good news. But when he got closer to the common room, he saw a much smaller group remaining than there had been when he left.

"Antonio." Boden called, earning the attention of the few remaining members of 51 sitting in the waiting room, the detective seeing Jemma and Kelly seated towards the back.

"Hey, where is everyone?"

"Ambo and truck got called out, how is everything?" Boden asked cautiously, standing up and meeting the man in the middle of the hallway, everyone walking towards him.

"Gabby made it through the surgery."

"Oh thank God." Jemma breathed out, tears escaping down her cheeks as the words hit her ears, everyone releasing a collective sigh of relief, Kelly bringing her in for a comforting hug.

"So she's gonna be okay?" Boden needed to hear it again, he needed the clarification, which he soon got in the form a nod from Antonio.

"She is. She's still in recovery right now, she's sedated but she should be getting moved to her room soon. The surgery was tough, Gabby lost a lot of blood I guess, but she should make a full recovery."

"That's great news." Boden spoke, releasing a heavy breath, Antonio nodding.

"Yeah, I don't know much past that, but her and the baby are both good."

"That's all that matters." Boden added, Antonio giving him another nod. "I'll relay the information to everyone else and we'll get back to the house. I know it's late, and they all just need rest. But will you let us know if anything changes?"

"Of course. Thank you all for being here." The detective replied, Boden shaking his hand before turning to squad, nodding towards the exit.

"There's not much we can do here. Gabby and the baby are in the best hands possible."

Squad began to filter towards the door, Severide hanging back as he comforted Jemma, Antonio walking over to the pair. Jemma pulled back from Kelly's embrace, wiping the tears away from under her eyes, Antonio giving her a sympathetic smile.

"Dr. Tanner said she only wants family visiting for now, but that includes you two." Antonio spoke, Jemma swallowing the thick lump in her throat, Kelly rubbing her back. "I know it's late, but tomorrow, I'll let you two know what's going on, and when would be a good time for you all to stop by. I know Gabby will want to see you both, especially you, Jemma."

The paramedic tilted her head to the side, unable to question him before Antonio wrapped her up in a tight hug. Jemma relaxed into his embrace, curling her arms around his back.

"Thank you for getting her here." He murmured, Jemma tightening her hold. "And thank you for all you've done for my sister. When she got back, she was a wreck, but you helped her through that. You've been an amazing friend to her, and I'm so glad she has someone like you in her life. And I'm glad my niece has you, too." Jemma blinked back the fresh tears forming in her eyes, Antonio rubbing her back before they separated.

"I don't really feel like I've done anything, but I feel just as lucky to have met her. She's an amazing person, and I know she'll be an even better mom… I'm just so glad she's okay. That they're both okay."

Antonio and Kelly both nodded, the three standing in a circle in the waiting room, taking a second to decompress after what had been an emotionally draining day; one that they all knew could've ended much worse. But luckily, it hadn't.

* * *

Gabby grimaced as she slowly came into consciousness, her body feeling extremely heavy as she slowly opened her eyes, then immediately shutting them as her body flooded with intense discomfort. She wasn't sure where she was, or what was going on, the grimace on her face deepening as she slowly lifted her hand over her stomach. Shock filled her system when she felt her substantially smaller stomach, a soft groan escaping her lips as pain radiated from the area. When her mind cleared, hazy memories started flashing in her head, tears filling her closed eyes.

She remembered laying in bed, and her water breaking.

She remembered being brought to the hospital.

She remembered Matt getting here.

She remembered being taken to the delivery room.

She remembered their little girl being born.

The tears sitting in her eyes escaped down her cheeks, Gabby wincing as she opened her eyes, her body flooding with panic as she looked around the dimly lit room. Her blurry vision soon focused, Gabby doing what she could to ignore the aches throughout her entire body as her gaze soon landed on Matt. Her husband was sitting in the chair beside her bed, his body in a position she was sure wasn't comfortable as he slept slumped in the seat. It was then Gabby noticed his hand clasped tightly in hers against the mattress, Gabby using the position to her advantage as she gave it as firm a squeeze as her tired body could manage.

"Matt." Her raspy voice nearly choked out, worry flooding her body as she tried to figure out any reason as to why Matt would be in here with her and not with their daughter. "Matt." She tried again, the second squeeze of his hand waking him, Matt shooting up quickly in his seat, his wide eyes landing on her.

She saw the look of near disbelief that flashed in his eyes, his gaze coming into focus as he stared at her, Matt leaning towards her. "You're awake." He breathed out, Gabby looking around the room.

"Where is she?" She questioned, the shock leaving his system as he saw her panicking. "Where's our girl, is she okay?" More tears filled her eyes, Matt nodding as he leaned his weight onto the bed, bringing his hand up to cradle the side of her face.

"She's fine, baby. She's in the NICU, but she's doing great." He assured her, his eyes tracing over her, seeing her body relax slightly. "I was with her about… an hour ago, and she was great." He'd paused long enough to glance at his watch as he responded, Matt taking in her conscious form.

"Why'd you leave her? I don't want her to be alone." She murmured, Matt shaking his head as he stroked her cheek gently.

"She's not alone, your brother is with her." He replied, Gabby nodding as she took a deep breath, finally feeling like she was able to relax a little. "We've been trading off between the two of you, so neither of you are alone."

Gabby nodded slowly, her head resting back into the pillow as her free hand moved to ghost over her abdomen, a hiss of pain escaping her lips at the movement.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to get a nurse?" Casey asked quickly, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, I'm fine... I just keep forgetting." Matt glanced towards her stomach, unable to imagine how painful this had to have been. "When I woke up, I forgot at first, and it freaked me out. I didn't know what happened, then I remembered…" She trailed off, Matt rubbing his hand over her shoulder. "I wasn't sure- I wasn't sure I was gonna be here." Her voice cracked as the words left her lips, Matt frowning as he listened to her. "I remember telling you to go with her, and then I remember everything hurt. It felt like my entire body was on fire, and then it was nothing. It was just darkness... I thought I'd died." Her shaky voice made his heart sink, tears clouding in his eyes. "I thought I was dead, that I left her… That I left you both and I don't think I've ever been that scared in my life."

Matt pushed himself up from the chair, leaning over her body as he brought his head up to hers, holding her against his shoulder, being mindful to keep his weight off her.

"It's okay, baby." He murmured, feeling her body trembling slightly under his touch. "I can't imagine how awful that must've been… All I know is how I felt while you were in surgery, and I've never been more terrified." He admitted, a single tear escaping down his cheek, Matt sniffling before continuing. "...I thought I'd lost you today, that I was gonna have to do this on my own, and I didn't know what to do. But you're okay, you're here and everything's fine. You and our baby girl are fine."

Gabby nodded against his neck, Matt pressing a kiss to the side of her head before pulling back, resting his forehead against hers. Slowly, she leaned forward, pressing her lips into his. Their movements were slow and full of passion as they moved together, Matt making sure to commit this feeling to memory, knowing how close he came to losing it today.

She pulled back first, Matt resting his head back against hers, a soft smile appearing on his face as they both had their eyes closed. "God, I love you so much Gabriela Dawson." His voice was barely above a whisper, Matt knowing he didn't need to talk any louder than that as he felt her smile against him, Gabby leaning forward to kiss him again.

"That's Gabriela Casey to you." She responded once they pulled back, Matt opening his eyes to find her smiling softly, her brown eyes shining back at him. In that moment, Matt swore he fell in love with her all over again. Seeing her smile made his heart swell, Matt not wanting to take this moment for granted. He didn't want to take any moment for granted. It was like whenever she spoke, or he heard her laugh, or he felt her touch, it reminded him that he almost lost this. He came so close to never having this again, to having _her_ again, and the thought made his stomach sink.

He knows he shouldn't focus on it, that despite how this day almost turned into the worst day of his life, Gabby was fine. She made it, she was here right now, talking to him. She was alert, and she knew what was going on. She was alright, and he shouldn't dwell on the what ifs.

But it was hard not to when he thought he saw her die right in front of him.

When she was unconscious on the table, he thought she was gone. And despite having her right now, it was impossible to forget how he felt in the moment. Even though that's all he wanted to do.

"But I love you too, Matthew Casey." She murmured, snapping him from his thoughts, Matt grinning softly as she brought her hand up to his cheek, cupping his face. "I love you and our little girl more than anything else in the world."

"Sofia." He spoke softly, Gabby's eyes immediately filling with fresh tears, her lips curling up into a smile.

"What?"

"Her name is Sofia."

A happy sob escaped her lips, Gabby's smile widening as a few tears slid down her cheek.

"I know that's what you wanted, and the second I saw her I just knew. She's Sofia... our Sofia."

Tears continuously streamed down Gabby's face, Matt wiping them away as they fell. "Can I see her?"

A soft frown formed over his face when he heard the hopefulness in her voice, Matt shaking his head softly. "In the morning." He responded, Gabby huffing out a frustrated breath.

"I wanna see her, Matt." She nearly cried, more tears escaping down her cheeks, Matt's frown deepening. "I need to see her, I need to know she's okay. I haven't been there for her so far, I need to-"

"Hey hey hey." He cut in, trying to soothe her worries. "She's okay. I promise you, she is. She's alright, but she's sleeping. They can't move her right now." He spoke softly, stroking her cheek. "But I swear to you, in the morning the second we can, she'll be in here and you can be with her." He tried to keep her calm, Gabby taking deep breaths.

"She's okay?" Gabby asked again, Matt wiping away the tears across her skin.

"She's doing great. Everything's fine." He assured her, Gabby nodding before reluctantly relaxing back into the pillows, Matt running his hand over the side of her face before settling back into his chair. "Try and rest, okay? You need to sleep."

"Will you go be with her?"

"Baby-"

"I know my brother is there, but please, I want you with her. She needs at least one of her parents." Gabby nearly pleaded, Matt's face softening as he nodded.

"I will, okay? I promise you, I'll go and stay with her, but first I want you to go back to sleep."

"Matt-"

"Once you're asleep, I'll go." He repeated, Gabby nodding slowly as she reached out for his hand, Matt giving it willingly. She was too tired to put up more of a fight, Gabby holding onto his hand tightly as she relaxed into the bed. Despite the pain she was feeling, and the anxiety within her at the thought of having to wait and see her baby, her exhaustion overpowered all of those things, Gabby's body feeling the effects of the trauma it had sustained over the last day.

Within minutes, she was out, Matt watching closely as her chest rose and fell steadily. He waited around a few extra moments to ensure she was really asleep before carefully dropping her hand, placing a kiss on her forehead before heading for the door. No matter how much he didn't want to leave her, he intended to keep his word and go and be with their daughter, Matt giving her sleeping form one last look before getting into the hallway, feeling a lot lighter than he had when he entered the room an hour ago.

* * *

**Man, this one was an emotional one for me. I started crying like ten different times while writing it. But, as you all can see, Gabby's okay. She pulled through. Though she's still got some recovery ahead for her, she's here with Matt and little Sofia. Next chapter, we'll get to see Gabby and Sofia reunite.**

**Pretty much all of you said you want me to keep this story going, so that's what I'm gonna try and do. I know there's a lot of places I can go from here, with Matt and Gabby raising their baby, so I've decided to stick with it and see how it goes. I'm not sure how long I'll keep this going, I don't want to write just to write. But if I feel like I still have a story to tell, I'll still be writing it.**

**Thank you all for the overwhelming amount of love and support you've shown me on this story from the beginning. I write this for you all, and the love I've gotten in return is nothing short of incredible. I've loved writing this and getting these updates to you, and seeing your reactions to everything and your thoughts and feelings. I've loved being able to provide us Dawsey fans with something the show couldn't. But it wouldn't have been possible without the constant encouragement I've received from you all. Whether you review every single chapter, or you just sometimes pop in for a review, or even if you've never reviewed a single time and have just been reading my updates, to everyone reading this right now, I appreciate you so much. You all have no idea how much the support means to me.**


	60. Chapter Sixty

**Wow wow wow, sixty chapters? Holy crap, never did I ever think I'd get this far. And I missed it when I posted the last chapter, but I also surpassed 500k words with this story, which is just nuts. I can't believe I've written this much, and it's still going. Thank you all for sticking with me on this story, it means everything to me. You all are why we've gotten this far.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter. Our little Dawsey family is all together.**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty**_

* * *

Gabby's eyes slowly opened as she came into consciousness, her body flooded with discomfort as she tried to register where she was. She squinted immediately when the bright light from outside hit her eyes, Gabby's head turning away from the window, needing a few seconds before she adjusted to the unexpected light. Blinking quickly, her vision came into focus as she looked around the unfamiliar room, realizing she was in the hospital. Glancing around, she wracked her brain trying to remember why she was here, and what was going on, Gabby catching a glimpse of Matt's turnout gear thrown over the back of the chair beside her bed.

"Hey, you're awake."

Gabby slowly turned towards the voice, trying to ignore the stinging pain in her abdomen as she saw her brother walk into the room, flashing her a soft smile.

"What am I doing here?" Her groggy voice hit his ears, Antonio's face paling as his eyes narrowed in confusion. "Where's Matt?"

Not wanting to frighten her, Antonio quickly put the smile back on his face, unsure if she was still just a little out of it, or if she truly didn't remember. "Uh, yeah, he's outside… Hey Casey!" Antonio called, giving his sister another supportive smile as Matt walked into the room, Dr. Tanner following close behind him.

"Hey baby." Casey greeted with a soft smile when he saw her, missing the look of concern that flashed in Antonio's eyes as Matt moved towards the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"My stomach hurts." She groaned, Casey frowning as he placed his hand on the top of her head, rubbing over her hair comfortingly.

"I know it does." He replied sympathetically, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"What happened?" She asked as he pulled back, Matt's head tilting to the side before his eyes flashed to Antonio, seeing his brother's worry. Dr. Tanner took a step closer to the bed, Matt placing his other hand on Gabby's shoulder.

"Hi Gabby." Dr. Tanner spoke softly, Dawson's eyebrows furrowing, not having registered her doctor's presence until now.

"Dr. Tanner? What's going on?" She questioned again, Matt trying to mask his growing panic at her lack of memory. "Is the baby okay? What-" Gabby cut herself off as she moved her hand over her stomach, a loud hiss escaping her lips when she accidentally pressed her incision.

"Hey, hey it's okay." Matt soothed, carefully grabbing her hand and moving it away from her stomach, the concern in the room mounting.

"Gabby, do you remember why you're here?" Dr. Tanner asked softly as she walked towards the bed, Dawson's eyes narrowing as she tried to think back to the last few days, her gaze moving up towards Matt, seeing his worried eyes on her.

It took a few moments, but Casey saw the exact moment everything came flooding back, her tired eyes glazing over as the tears set in, Gabby's jaw shaking up and down.

"It's okay, everything's okay." Matt said immediately, rubbing the top of her head as he leaned back down, pressing his lips into her skin.

"Is Sofia okay? Where is she? Why aren't you with her?" Her voice was unsteady, Antonio blowing out a sigh of relief hearing that Gabby remembered the events of the past day.

"She's fine, our girl is fine." Casey spoke, pressing a lingering kiss to the side of her head before leaning back up, Gabby clutching onto his arm, silently telling him to not go very far.

"They're doing some tests on her right now-"

"Tests? I thought she was okay?"

"She is, baby." Casey soothed.

"They're making sure she's fine to leave the NICU, so we can bring her here, to you." Dr. Tanner explained, Gabby nodding slowly. "She's perfectly fine, she's a very healthy little girl. It's just a precaution, but she should be done here shortly."

"Why aren't you with her?" Gabby asked Matt again, Casey stroking his thumb over her forehead.

"I was with her until they took her for the tests. Your dad is waiting around in the NICU, so she has someone there when she gets back. She's okay." Matt knew she was stressed, and the fact that Gabby hadn't been able to lay eyes on her daughter yet wasn't helping matters, but he was doing what he could to keep her calm. And one way he knew to do that was continuously reminding her that their little Sofia was okay.

"I'm gonna go check on her in a few minutes, but I wanted to talk to you first. You've been through a lot, we need to make sure you're doing alright." Dr. Tanner voiced, Gabby looking towards her.

"I don't care about me, I want to know she's okay."

"Gabby-" Matt tried, Dr. Tanner speaking up before he could say any more.

"I know your only concern is your little girl, but she needs you healthy." Dr. Tanner reasoned softly, Gabby taking a deep breath. "You need to be healthy to be able to take care of her, so I want to run through a few things with you then I'll go check on her, alright?"

Gabby reluctantly nodded, Dr. Tanner coming up to her opposite side, Matt never moving away from her bed.

"Alright, now, during your c-section yesterday, your aneurysm did rupture after you gave birth to Sofia. You lost a lot of blood, we had to do multiple transfusions, but everything is fixed. You're okay, you should make a full recovery but it'll be a hard few weeks at first. Your body went through a lot. Birth is hard enough, but everything else on top of it only makes your recovery that much more intensive." She explained, Gabby nodding slowly "And I know with a newborn, it's hard to ever really think about yourself or what you need, but you've got to, Gabby. You've got to make sure you take it easy, that you rest as much as you can. I know it'll be an adjustment with Sofia, and you'll need to take care of her, but you can't let your recovery get lost in all this."

"Okay." Gabby responded, taking in as much as she could, but it was all very overwhelming, and she just wanted her daughter.

"I spoke with Matt about this a little bit, about how you're wanting to breastfeed, which is perfectly fine, as long as you can manage it, I think it's a great idea. But we do need to talk about your pain management, because I know you're in pain right now, but we have to be careful with you breastfeeding. Right now we have you on a very mild pain medication, it's essentially the equivalent of tylenol. Now, we do have options here-"

"I don't want to take anything that could hurt her." Gabby interjected, Dr. Tanner's face softening.

"I know you don't." She responded quickly. "And I'd never give you anything that could potentially harm Sofia. But we have some options for medications we can give you to help with your pain. I can tell just by seeing you right now that you're hurting," Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby sucking in a deep breath, giving her a slow nod in agreement. "I know you want to do what's best for your little girl, but if you're in a lot of pain, Sofia will be able to sense that. She'll sense your distress, and it'll cause her to become stressed. This has already been a very stressful situation for the both of you, but we're through the worst of it, we don't need to do anything to make it more difficult. Now it's all about you healing and being able to raise your Sofia. We have to take care of you so you can take care of her."

Gabby nodded, more tears filling her eyes at the thought of her little girl. It was killing her, knowing Sofia was somewhere in this hospital but she wasn't here, with her parents. But she knew it was for the best, that they needed to make sure Sofia was healthy before moving her from the NICU. Because once Gabby got ahold of her, she wasn't going to let her out of her sight.

"I'll do whatever you need me to." Gabby responded, her voice quiet. "Whatever you think is best, whatever pain medication you think is best for me to be on, I'm fine with whatever. I just want to see my little girl." Gabby told her, a few stray tears escaping down her cheeks, Matt quickly wiping them away.

"I know you do, and I'm about to go check on her. I just want to check your incisions before I go. I'm gonna get the order in for your pain medication, so we can get that to you as soon as possible. But as long as you're looking alright, I'll go check on sweet little Sofia." Gabby nodded, as Dr. Tanner reached down. "I'm gonna look at your incisions now, alright?"

"Okay."

Antonio stepped out of the room while Dr. Tanner checked over Gabby, Dawson trying not to focus on the pain while Matt stayed in place by her head. It hurt, it definitely did, but Gabby didn't care so much about that, she just wanted it to be over so she could see her baby.

"Alright Gabby, I'm gonna have a nurse come in here and redress that for you, but I see no signs of infection or anything, everything's looking alright."

"Good." Gabby responded, glancing down to her significantly smaller stomach.

"We'll keep a close eye on it over the next few days, but it's healing up nicely. And once we get you going on that pain medication, you should be feeling a lot better." She continued, Dawson giving her another nod. "Now, I'm gonna head on over to the NICU, and see how little Sofia's doing."

Gabby's eyes lit up at her last words, a hopeful smile forming on her face.

"And as long as she's gotten the all-clear, I'll bring her to you so you can be with her."

"Thank you." Gabby murmured, Dr. Tanner giving her a soft smile as fresh tears filled Dawson's eyes. "Thank you for everything… for taking care of our daughter from the beginning, for saving me… we wouldn't have gotten through this without you."

Dr. Tanner pursed her lips together, running her hand soothingly over Gabby's arm. "I'm just glad you both are okay, from day one all I wanted was for the both of you to get through this, and I'm so grateful you have. And not only that, but you have a very beautiful little girl." More tears slid down Gabby's cheeks as she nodded, Dr. Tanner giving her arm a gentle squeeze before stepping away. "A beautiful little girl who I'm going to go get, so she can be with her parents."

Gabby nodded quickly, a smile falling onto her face as she turned to look at Matt.

"Can you go with her, please?"

"Babe-"

"Please. I want one of us with Sofia. I'm okay."

Casey's eyes ran over her face, Matt quickly realizing he wasn't going to win this fight as he gave her a slow nod. "Okay, I'll go with her."

"Thank you."

Matt leaned down, pressing a firm kiss to her lips, Gabby reciprocating as much as she could before he pulled away, brushing his hand over the side of her face.

"I'll be right back." He told her, Gabby nodding before he backed away from the bed, walking over to Dr. Tanner before the pair left the room, heading down the hallway.

Casey walked in step with Dr. Tanner, his hands shoved in the pockets of his shift pants, Matt not yet having a chance to change into something more comfortable, his mind elsewhere as they moved through the halls.

"You alright?"

Matt glanced towards Dr. Tanner, seeing her eyeing him curiously as they passed the nurses station. Casey gave her a quick nod, his hand coming up to rub over the back of his neck.

"I'm okay, still just a little worried I guess."

"That's understandable." She responded, Matt seeing the look on her face softening. "But they're both okay, your girls are fine."

"I know they are, it's just-" He cut himself off, Dr. Tanner's eyebrows furrowing, the pair slowing their steps as they got outside the NICU. "Is it normal for Gabby to forget what happened? When she first woke up..." He asked, Dr. Tanner drawing in a deep breath.

"It's not uncommon, no." She responded, seeing Matt's body relax a little. "She went through something traumatic, not just physically but also mentally, and there's not really a way to know what goes on in the mind of someone who's gone through what she has… especially with everything she's had to deal with throughout this pregnancy." Dr. Tanner continued, Matt giving her a nod. "As long as she's still remembering what's going on, I'm not worried."

"Okay." Matt replied, Dr. Tanner giving him a smile as she patted his shoulder.

"How about we go see your baby, huh?" She offered, Casey nodding excitedly as they walked into the NICU.

It took no time at all for them to get to Sofia, Matt smiling when he saw she was no longer hooked up to the wires, her little body wrapped up in a swaddle as she lay in the middle of her bed.

"There's my girl." He spoke softly, placing his hands on the edge of her bed. He wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch her, but with her being sound asleep, he didn't want to risk waking her up, not when he knew she'd be woken up here soon. "How'd she do, Ramon?" Casey asked, the elder Dawson smiling from ear to ear.

"She did great, they said everything with her is looking good, they didn't see anything that might be cause for concern." He replied, Matt grinning as he glanced over to Dr. Tanner, seeing her speaking with one of the other doctors on this floor, his attention soon moving back to his daughter.

"That's my strong little girl." He murmured, unable to stop himself as he gently placed his hand over her chest. "You're exactly like your Momma."

"That she is." Ramon agreed, Casey flashing him a grin as Dr. Tanner came over.

"How is she?" Casey asked before she could say anything, Dr. Tanner giving him a warm smile.

"She's great, she's all good to go." She answered, Matt releasing a relieved breath as he looked down to his sleeping baby. "We can get her moved to the nursery, which means she can be in Gabby's room with you all."

"Great, that's great." He breathed out, his eyes locked on his daughter. "Did you hear that, baby girl? We're gonna go see Momma." He replied softly, unable to wipe the smile from his face.

The entire process took about twenty more minutes, Matt feeling his heart beginning to swell in his chest as they approached Gabby's room, his eyes continuously looking down at his daughter as the transport nurse slowly moved her down the hallway.

"We're almost there, Sofia." He spoke quietly, the little girl wiggling around in her sleep, clearly sensing all the movement. When they got outside Gabby's room, Dr. Tanner nodded at Matt to go in first, Casey following her instructions as he opened the door, stepping inside.

He immediately found Gabby's teary eyes waiting for him, her wide smile shining brightly. "Is she here?" She asked hopefully, Matt nodding as he held the door open, fresh tears flooding Gabby's eyes when Sofia got strolled into the room.

Gabby choked back a sob when she laid her eyes on her, the small bed being pushed towards Dawson, Gabby reaching her arm out to rest on the side of her bed. Ramon had come in and stood beside Antonio, both Dawson's watching the scene in front of them as Gabby got reunited with her daughter.

"Oh my god, look at her." She breathed out, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks.

"You wanna hold her?" Matt asked, Gabby nodding enthusiastically as she met his eyes, her smile growing when she saw the wide grin resting on his lips before he turned his attention to Sofia. "Come here, baby girl." He murmured, Sofia beginning to whine when her rest was disturbed. "I know, I know, I'm sorry, but your Momma wants to see you." He spoke softly, Gabby's body filling with an unexplainable warmth seeing him with their daughter.

It was something she'd always dreamed of witnessing; ever since their first baby, she had dreamed of this moment. And now it was here, and she'd never felt more in love with him.

Her attention focused back on Sofia as Matt brought her over, Gabby doing what she could to keep her emotions under control as Matt cradled their baby.

"Here you go." He whispered, carefully placing Sofia in Gabby's waiting arms. The second she had a hold on her daughter, the flood gates opened, steady tears streaming down her cheeks as she held Sofia against her body, her daughter soon calming down once she was comfortable in her mother's grip.

Gabby's body shook slightly as she cried happy tears, Matt doing what he could to wipe them away as she focused solely on their little girl, their perfect little girl. "She's so beautiful." Gabby whispered, Gabby finally tearing her eyes away from the sleeping baby, seeing Matt watching them with tears in his eyes, their faces shining with bright smiles as they locked eyes, Gabby releasing a watery chuckle. "This is our girl."

A lone tear escaped down his cheek, Matt nodding as he leaned down, capturing Gabby's lips in a passionate kiss, their love being felt throughout the room. When they finally separated, Matt rested his forehead against Gabby's, the family of three enjoying this moment together for the first time, Matt wrapping his arm around Gabby's shoulders.

"I love you." She breathed out, pressing another quick kiss to his lips, Matt's smile only growing.

"I love you, too." He answered against her, giving her one last kiss before pulling back enough to look down at their daughter. The image of his little girl resting in the arms of the woman he loved more than anything was enough to spring more tears to his eyes, Matt and Gabby both in awe over their baby girl.

Across the room, Dr. Tanner peeled her eyes away from the heartwarming scene, walking the few steps towards Antonio and Ramon, both men holding unshed tears in their eyes. "Let's give the family some time, yeah?" She prompted, both of them nodding as they began to move for the door.

"We'll be out in the waiting room, mija." Ramon spoke softly, Gabby looking up towards her brother and her father, giving them a teary nod.

"Thank you for being here."

"There's nowhere else we'd rather be." He responded, blowing her a kiss before leaving the room, Antonio flashing her a supportive smile as he moved behind him.

"I'm so proud of you, sis."

"Love you, Tonio." She called softly, Antonio smiling before exiting the room, closing the door behind him.

"How are you feeling, Gabby?" Dr. Tanner asked once they were alone, Gabby stroking the back of her finger gently over Sofia's cheek.

"I'm okay." She responded quietly, feeling Matt give her shoulder a supportive squeeze. "I'm sore, but honestly, right now I'm perfect." She murmured, watching as Sofia leaned into her body.

"Do you feel up for doing some skin to skin?" Dr. Tanner asked, Gabby's eyes lighting up as she looked towards her doctor, giving her an immediate nod. "I know we didn't get the chance to do it yesterday, but it would help you both a lot, as long as you're up for it."

"I am." She responded quickly, Dr. Tanner giving her a soft smile before walking towards them, reaching out for Sofia.

"I'll get her ready if you wanna unbutton your gown, Gabby." She told her, Dawson nodding as she reluctantly handed Sofia to Dr. Tanner, the woman placing her back down in her bed as she began to undress her.

Gabby slowly reached up towards the buttons at the top of her gown, but Matt gently swatted her hands away, beginning the process himself.

"I can undress myself, you know." She responded with a laugh, Matt cocking his head to the side as he unclasped the buttons.

"I know, but as I recall you've always liked it better when I do it." He teased, Gabby's cheeks filling with heat as he chuckled.

"Matt…" She warned, both of them hearing the laugh coming from Dr. Tanner as she lifted a now diaper-clad Sofia into her arms, Matt working on the last few buttons of Gabby's gown.

Pulling the top of her gown down, Matt watched in wonder as Dr. Tanner placed Sofia against Gabby's chest, their little girl immediately nuzzling herself into Gabby's warm skin. Dr. Tanner adjusted the blanket over them, bringing it up to cover Sofia's back and Gabby's chest, Gabby looking down at her baby is amazement as Sofia cuddled into her. At first their little girl seemed a bit restless, her arms moving around before ultimately settling down against her chest, Sofia soon falling back into that peaceful slumber she craved.

Glancing up to Matt, Gabby saw his gaze completely focused on their daughter, his hand reaching out to rub gently over her back, the action causing Sofia to cuddle further into her mom's chest.

"God, I love you." He breathed out, his eyes still locked on their girl. Gabby wasn't sure if he was talking to her, or to Sofia, or to both of them, but tears sprang to her eyes either way, Gabby smiling softly as he glanced to her. He kissed her quickly, rubbing his other hand over Gabby's head before placing himself on the edge of her bed, sitting beside his family as he wrapped his arm around Gabby's shoulders. Gabby settled comfortably into his side, the family of three soaking in this moment as much as they could.

"I'm gonna go, let you all enjoy this for a little while." Dr. Tanner spoke softly. She hated to disturb the gentle moment, but she wanted to excuse herself before any more time had passed. "I'll be back probably in about an hour or so to check on you both. As long as you're not in too much pain, Gabby, I'd like Sofia to stay right where she is. Since we didn't get the chance to do this yesterday, it's important we do it today, if we can. And we can do it with Matt, as well." His ears perked up, Gabby chuckling at the excited look that covered his face. "But, what's important is that we get her a lot of contact with both of you today." She spoke, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "They had just fed her before we got there, so she should be okay for a little while longer. But if she gets hungry, go ahead and try to feed her, and we'll see how that goes. If both of you are okay with it, we can continue that. If we need to supplement a little with formula, that's okay too. We'll just have to play it by ear. But you two just enjoy this, I'll be back in a little bit." She told them, Matt giving her another nod while Gabby stayed focused on their girl.

"Thank you." Matt responded, Dr. Tanner smiling at him before leaving the room, closing the door in place behind her.

Less than a minute later, a nurse came in, with what Matt could only assume to be Gabby's pain medication, the woman silently hooking it up to the IV, not wanting to disrupt the special moment, the woman in and out of there in a little over a minute.

Once the nurse had left, it was finally just the three of them, Matt and Gabby getting to experience their first few moments as a family of three. Sofia was sleeping soundly curled into Gabby's chest, Matt keeping his hand placed lightly across her back, while Gabby stayed tucked into his side, Sofia gripping onto one of her fingers tightly in her tiny fist.

The family sat in a content quiet for a long time, neither Matt nor Gabby wanting to disturb the peace they'd found in one another as Sofia slept against her, Gabby's chest rising and falling steadily with each breath.

"I want a picture of this." Matt spoke suddenly, Gabby's eyes opening as she glanced down to Sofia.

"Hmm?"

"I want a picture of this, of you two." He repeated, slowly lifting himself up, making sure Gabby was supported against the pillows before standing up.

"Okay, well just capture my good side." Gabby joked, her hand replacing Matt's over Sofia's back as she rested into the bed, letting her eyes fall closed.

"There's not a bad side." He responded with a grin, Gabby chuckling softly.

She laid there quietly while Matt took his pictures, her eyes opening when she felt the bed shift beside her, Matt resuming his previous position, Gabby immediately resting back into his side.

"I wanna see." She murmured, Matt holding out his phone, sliding through the few pictures he took, seeing Gabby's grin widen with each one.

"Those are my girls." He spoke proudly, Gabby glancing up at him, her eyes shining as he pressed a kiss between her eyebrows. "My perfect girls." He whispered, feeling Gabby lean her head into his neck, the two getting comfortable once more.

"I'll remember that next time you're mad at me." She teased, Matt's smile growing as he stroked his thumb over her bare arm.

"I think I'm gonna make that picture my wallpaper." He spoke, ignoring her comment completely, Gabby scoffing lightly.

"Maybe wait and choose one where I have a shirt on." She responded, Matt shrugging before they fell back into that comfortable quiet, Sofia beginning to stir slightly.

Matt began to gently stroke the back of his daughter's head, wanting to feel her but not wanting to ask Gabby to move her hand off Sofia's back, Casey leaning his head down to rest against Gabby's.

"I still can't believe this is real." He breathed out after a few minutes, Gabby sliding her hand up off Sofia's back to grip his wrist, rubbing her thumb gently over his skin.

"Me neither." She replied softly, turning her head to press a kiss to his jaw. "Sometimes I never thought we'd get here, or that I'd get here… But we did. And we have our little girl."

"Yes we do." He agreed. "I know it wasn't easy, nothing ever seems to be easy for us, but I wouldn't change a damn thing."

"Me either." She spoke, smiling as he lifted his head to kiss her forehead, Gabby falling back into his side. "Everything that happened, if anything had been different, we wouldn't have gotten Sofia..." She murmured, Matt gripping her a little tighter, finding comfort in her warmth as they both looked down at their baby girl. "She just got here and I already can't imagine life without her. She's just… she's perfect. Our little girl is perfect."

"Yes, she is." He replied, his smile widening. "It helps that she looks exactly like her Momma." Gabby's lips curled into a grin at his words, a soft chuckle escaping her throat.

"I can definitely see you in her, too." She spoke. "She may have got my complexion, but she looks an awful lot like you."

"Lord help her." He joked, Gabby rolling her eyes, playfully swatting his hand. "But no, just wait until she opens her eyes… you can definitely tell I'm her father." Gabby's grin widened as she lifted her head from his shoulder, her heart swelling when she caught sight of his enchanting blue eyes.

"She has your eyes?"

"She sure does. You can tell she's a Casey." He spoke proudly, Gabby's eyes softening as she glanced down to their daughter.

"...Is it bad I want to wake her up just to see them?" She questioned, Matt chuckling as he pressed another kiss to her head.

"You'll see them soon enough, babe. I know neither of us really have any idea what we're doing, but what I do know is you're never supposed to wake a sleeping baby." He replied, Gabby smirking.

"All those parenting books are already coming in handy." She teased, Matt scoffing playfully.

"Well, I had to do as much research as I could. I know nothing about raising a baby."

"I don't either, but we'll figure it out." Gabby responded, resting back into his grip. "We're both relatively smart people, most of the time." She joked, earning an amused grin from her husband. "But we've got this. They'll be a learning curve, for sure, but we'll find our footing. Hopefully she'll help us out along the way. But whatever happens, we'll be fine."

"I know we will." He replied, letting himself relax back into the bed. "I don't know if it'll continue, but she's a pretty awesome baby. She did well last night."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. She eats like a champ, and sleeps like one, too." He told her, Gabby smiling sadly at their baby.

"I wish I could've been there…" She murmured, a frown forming over Casey's face when he heard her words.

"I know you do, I wish you were there too, but you're gonna have every night for the rest of our lives to be there for our girl. You both are okay, that's all that matters."

Gabby nodded against his side, Matt keeping his comforting grip on her as they sat with their daughter, Gabby seeing her mouth opening and closing, Sofia's body beginning to move around.

"I think she's waking up." Gabby spoke quietly, Matt glancing down to see Sofia turning her head into Gabby's breast. "And I think she's hungry."

"Alright, we've got this." He spoke surely, Gabby chuckling as Matt sat up, turning back to look at her. "What do you need me to do?"

"What, all those books didn't prepare you for this?" She asked with a raised brow, Matt rolling his eyes as he stood up. "Can you lift Sofia? I don't want to hurt her, or me." Matt followed her instructions, slowly pulling down the blanket and picking up their daughter, cradling her into his arms.

"Yeah, she's definitely hungry." He spoke with a chuckle, Gabby glancing up to see Sofia nuzzling herself into Matt's chest, searching for food. Laughing lightly, Gabby slowly adjusted her positioning, ignoring the pain in her abdomen as she moved, Matt holding Sofia in one arm while he tried to help his wife.

"Be careful with her." Gabby warned, Matt nodding.

"I am, I've got her." He assured her, Gabby nodding before reaching her arm out, silently telling Matt to give Sofia back to her. Carefully, he placed Sofia down in her mom's arms, Gabby angling her towards her breast, Sofia's eyes opening and looking up at her mother.

The second she caught sight of those blue eyes, Gabby felt her heart swell with more love than she thought possible. It was like she was staring right at Matt, and the image brought tears to her eyes. Their daughter was the perfect blend of both of them, and she'd never loved anything more than the girl in her arms.

"There's my little girl." She cooed, Sofia beginning to nuzzle herself into Gabby's breast with her mouth open. "Yes, I know you're hungry. Let's try and figure this out, okay?" Gabby angled Sofia's body towards hers so her daughter's chest was resting against hers. "I'm gonna need your help, alright? We've never done this before." She murmured, Sofia rooting around until Gabby got the positioning right, Sofia latching on. It took a few tries, but Sofia soon figured it out, the little girl eagerly beginning to eat.

"Are you okay?" Matt asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed facing his wife and his daughter, watching in amazement as Gabby fed Sofia.

"I'm good… we're figuring this out." She murmured, Sofia watching her with wide eyes as she ate, Gabby smiling down at her daughter. "She really does have your eyes." Gabby commented, glancing up to see Matt focused on Sofia, a soft grin resting on his face. "Matt?" She called softly, Casey tearing his eyes from their feeding daughter, an almost sheepish look covering his face when he realized his stares had been caught. "Everything alright?"

Matt nodded, his grin widening as he looked back to his daughter. "I'm great. This is just… incredible." He breathed out, Gabby blinking back her tears as she saw the amazed look in his eyes. "You're incredible." He spoke, looking back up at her with a bright smile, Gabby unable to stop herself from grinning back at him. "I love you so much."

Gabby did what she could to keep her tears from spilling over, Matt leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers, Gabby smiling against him, the two relishing in the feeling before he pulled back.

"I love you too." She responded, Matt flashing her a smile before returning his attention to his daughter, the new parents wanting to soak in as much of this special moment as possible.

* * *

Jemma stepped out of the elevator by the nurses station, turning the corner and immediately seeing the small group of familiar faces, Norris smiling softly as she approached. "Hey guys."

"Hey Jemma." Antonio responded, the detective standing up, Severide following suit. "I'm glad you could make it."

"Of course. How are they doing?"

"They're doing good, both of them are. Sofia's been with them since this morning, and Gabby's doing a lot better now that she's with them. Gabby will need some extra time to recover, but they're both doing well." Antonio relayed, Jemma nodding.

"That's great to hear, have you seen them yet?" She asked Severide, Kelly shaking his head.

"No, I just got here."

"I told them you two were coming, they're excited to see you guys." Antonio continued, leading them towards the room. Within minutes, they got there, Antonio walking in first, knocking on the door. "Hey, you up for some visitors?"

"Of course, come in." Casey responded, Jemma following Antonio in the room, Severide closing the door behind all of them.

"Hey guys." Gabby greeted, her grin widening when she caught sight of her friends. "Thank you for coming."

"Of course." Jemma broke away from the group, walking towards Gabby, giving her a careful hug, being mindful of the little girl resting in her arms. "How are you feeling?"

"Better now that I've been on pain meds since this morning." She responded with a grin, Jemma chuckling as Gabby looked past her towards Kelly.

"Hey Sev." She spoke, Kelly smiling as he walked towards her.

"Hey. How's the peanut?"

"She's good, she's sleepy, but good." Gabby answered with a smile, glancing towards Matt before looking back to Kelly. "Do you wanna hold her?" Dawson offered, Kelly's eyebrows raising as he glanced down to the small girl in her arms, nodding excitedly.

"Yeah, I'd love to." He responded, Gabby looking back to Matt, silently asking for assistance. Casey carefully lifted Sofia, cradling her in his grasp as he walked around the bed towards Kelly, handing her to his best friend.

"Wow." He breathed out, his eyes focused on the little girl curled into his arms. "She's so small."

"She could still kick your ass." Casey joked, gripping Kelly's shoulder as Severide chuckled, gently bouncing on the balls of his feet to keep her asleep.

"Oh, I know she could." He spoke, glancing up to Gabby before looking back to Sofia. "She's amazing, you guys."

"Yeah, she is." Gabby breathed out, catching Matt's proud smile.

"It's about time there's someone out there with that Casey and Dawson DNA, it's past time actually." He commented, brushing his hand over her head, a soft frown forming on his face when a sad thought occurred to him. "...I just wish Shay was here to see this."

The mood in the room turned somber, Gabby nodding as she blinked back the tears in her eyes, meeting Matt's sad gaze.

"She is." Casey spoke, never taking his eyes off his wife, Gabby giving him a knowing nod, a soft smile breaking through her tears. "And she'd love that kid more than you." He added.

"Yeah, she would." Kelly responded with a watery chuckle, Sofia leaning into his chest as she slept. "She also would have insisted she be the first one to hold her, hell, probably even before you, Dawson." He joked, earning laughs from around the room. "But yeah, she would've loved this. You two finally getting your shit together, having this baby- she knew you two were it for each other. I know wherever she is, she's celebrating right now." Severide's voice faltered towards the end of his sentence, the firefighter quickly wiping away the lone tear that escaped down his skin.

Multiple tears were falling from Gabby's eyes, Dawson trying to wipe them away quickly as she thought of her late best friend, Matt's sad eyes watching her. Knowing little Sofia was in more than capable hands, Casey gave one last squeeze to Kelly's shoulder before walking back towards the bed, Matt sitting down on the edge beside Gabby and wrapping her up in his arms.

"I'm sorry, Dawson, I didn't mean to upset you." Kelly spoke regretfully, Gabby shaking her head as she leaned into Matt's hold.

"No, you're fine Kel. I just miss her. But you're right, wherever she is I'd like to believe she's watching over us right now." She murmured, Matt rubbing over her back gently, Gabby resting her hand on his thigh, squeezing it for comfort.

The room fell into a soft silence for a few moments, Matt staying by Gabby's side as she regathered herself, her hormones taking their toll on her while Severide had been moving around with a sleeping Sofia in his arms, Kelly enamored by the little girl. Jemma had moved over to Kelly's side, getting her first real look at her goddaughter, and immediately she fell in love.

"You wanna hold her?" Severide offered, Jemma's eyes lighting up as she nodded. The handoff went smoothly, Jemma cradling the little girl in her arms, Gabby and Matt watching on with bright smiles.

"Oh my God, you are so precious, aren't you?" She murmured, stroking her thumb over Sofia's cheek, Gabby's body filling with warmth seeing Jemma hold her baby.

There would never be any replacing Shay; she was one of a kind, and would always hold a special place in Gabby's heart. But Jemma had become the best friend Gabby needed, the best friend Gabby wasn't sure she'd ever find in someone other than Shay. She was someone Dawson could turn to and lean on without question, someone who was always there, no questions asked. In less than the year that they've known one another, she'd become one of the most important people in Dawson's life, and Gabby knew she'd be that same type of person for her daughter.

"Gabby, she looks just like you."

"That's what everyone says." Gabby responded with a chuckle, glancing up towards Matt who was grinning uncontrollably.

"Hey, I told you, I love that she looks like you." He spoke, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead, Gabby leaning into his side as they looked back towards their small group of friends; their family.

Gabby knew it was a miracle she was alive right now. She was well aware there had been a chance she would've missed out on all of this, and she never wanted to take it for granted. How she feels in this moment, she never wants to forget it. Surrounded by her brother, her closest friends, the love of her life, and her baby girl; she wants to remember this moment for the rest of her life. Because she knows how close she was to losing this.

The thought of not being around to watch Sofia grow up kills her, it absolutely destroys her knowing she would've left not only their daughter, but she would've left Matt alone to pick up the pieces. The thought absolutely breaks her heart. She wouldn't want to do this without him, she couldn't do this without him, and the thought of leaving him to do it without her made her sick. But she didn't have to worry about that now, they didn't have to worry, because she was fine. Both her and their daughter we fine.

And she'd never take that for granted.

She knew now that Matt had been right all those months ago, when little Sofia was just becoming a reality. In that moment when he talked about how she was his miracle, and that maybe this baby would be theirs. He had been completely right.

Sofia was their miracle. And she would never forget that.

* * *

Gabby rested back into the pillows, her eyes closed as she tried to stay awake, Dawson keeping her hold on the feeding baby in her arms.

It was nearing eight at night, everyone having left hours ago to give the new parents time to rest, which hadn't really worked out in their favor. Matt had taken a quick shower once they left, changing into the clothes he'd had Severide bring him, Gabby needing to hold Sofia the entire time, knowing she couldn't get her out of her bed if she needed something. Luckily, she'd slept the entire time, but Gabby wasn't able to, not while holding her baby. Then as soon as Matt was done, he had taken Sofia, wanting Gabby to get some rest, but the baby had woken up minutes later, crying until she was fed.

That feeding lasted nearly forty minutes, Gabby barely able to keep her eyes open while she sat there. She knew she could relax, that Matt was right here to watch and pay attention, but still, she couldn't let herself completely doze off. When Sofia had finally finished, Matt took her to burp her and, hopefully, get her back to sleep while Gabby rested, but she'd been very fussy, which hadn't led to Gabby getting that much rest.

As soon as Gabby had gotten close to falling asleep, it came time for her to eat dinner, the woman not necessarily very hungry. But she knew she needed food, especially with breastfeeding, so she reluctantly ate, hoping she'd be able to get some sleep after that. But that proved not to be the case, Sofia seemingly wanting nothing more than her mother, the little girl only content when she was in Gabby's arms.

And now, Gabby was nearing the end of feeding her yet again, her eyes barely staying open as she held onto her daughter, Matt sitting on the edge of the bed watching them.

"I'm hoping she'll actually sleep after this." Gabby murmured, grimacing when Sofia tugged uncomfortably on her breast.

"Hopefully she will. I was thinking I'd do some skin to skin with her, see if that can calm her down." He responded, knowing how that had worked earlier when she did it with Gabby. Sofia spent practically the entire morning on Gabby's chest, except for when she fed, and it had kept her considerably calm. She seemed most content when she was resting on Gabby, and he could only hope he'd have a similar effect.

"I think it will." Gabby responded, Matt seeing her grimace again.

"You okay?" He questioned, looking back to their baby who was still firmly latched onto Gabby's chest.

"Yeah, I'm good. She's just got a tight grip." She responded, Matt nodding sympathetically, reaching out and stroking her cheek, Gabby leaning into his touch.

"Have I told you lately how proud I am of you?" He murmured, Gabby nodding against his hand, turning to press a kiss into his palm.

"Like five times today." She replied, Matt flashing her a soft grin.

"Well, I am. All the time, but especially right now." He told her, Gabby smiling softly, relaxing back into her pillows.

"I love you." She spoke, glancing down towards Sofia, a look of relief washing over her face. "I think she's done." Matt nodded, standing up from the bed, carefully taking Sofia from Gabby's arms. Dawson stretched out her limbs, feeling soreness still lingering in her body before she rebuttoned her gown. Casey placed Sofia down in her bed, unwrapping the blanket she was swaddled in, their little girl fussing when the air her body.

"I know, it's okay. It's okay." He whispered, quickly removing his t-shirt, tossing it down on the end of Gabby's bed. Matt slowly lifted Sofia up from her bed, supporting her little body until she was tucked into his chest, Matt grabbing her small blanket before moving to the chair beside Gabby's bed, carefully sitting down into it.

Moving as slowly as he could, he reclined the chair, not wanting to jostle Sofia too much. Once he was settled, he adjusted his daughter on his chest, the reclined angle giving him the best position to hold her. Although he knew his chest wasn't as comfortable for her as Gabby's, Sofia immediately nuzzled into him, craving his body heat as he laid the blanket over her back, making sure her little body was completely covered.

Matt's hand came up to rest over her back, a soft smile falling onto his face when Sofia soon fell asleep against him, her fists balled up against his chest. He wasn't sure who was enjoying this more, Sofia or him, but he was thankful he was able to get her calmed down. It had been a long day for the new parents, the two of them being thrust into news roles they weren't really used to, but Matt liked to think they were handling it relatively well. Or at least he was, Gabby was absolutely incredible. He always knew Gabby was meant to be a mother, he'd seen it with Louie, but today, seeing her with Sofia, it just cemented everything he'd thought for years.

She was meant for this. She was an incredible mother. And he just felt so lucky that he got to experience this with her, that she was the mother to his child. And, hopefully one day, his children.

There was no one better for this role than Gabriela Dawson, and he was just doing what he could to keep up. But right now, holding Sofia in his arms, he felt like he was doing alright. It was only one day, they had a lifetime more ahead of them with taking care of their baby girl, but so far they were off to a good start.

"Whatcha thinking about?"

Gabby's voice gained his attention, Matt looking over to her, seeing her watching them with a content smile.

"You, mostly."

"Really?" She asked, raising her eyebrow. "Me, and not your other favorite girl?"

"Okay, you caught me. I was thinking about both of you." He replied, rubbing his hand over Sofia's back. "It's hard not to, when I'm the luckiest guy in the world, with the most amazing wife and the most amazing daughter." He spoke, Gabby's grin widening as she leaned her bed back, preparing to try and get a little bit of sleep.

"Such a sweet talker today, Casey." She murmured, Matt smirking softly as he looked down at his sleeping baby, pressing a light kiss to her head.

"Well, I guess I'm just feeling grateful, that's all." He said quietly, missing the way Gabby's smile grew, her tired eyes focused on her husband. Her heart swelled in her chest, seeing him holding onto their little girl, and seeing Sofia as content as she'd been all day nuzzled against her dad. She would never get tired of this view, of seeing Matt bond with their Sofia.

"We're grateful for you, too." She responded, Matt lifting his head towards her voice. "Sofia has the best dad in the world."

"I think all the pain meds are getting to you." He joked, Gabby shaking her head.

"No. You really are, you're the most amazing dad, you're the most amazing man." She told him, keeping her voice firm. She knew he still had his insecurities about his ability to be a good father, with everything he'd gone through with his own dad, but she had no doubt in her mind he was meant to do this. In less than the day Gabby had seen him with Sofia, she'd seen first hand just how amazing he was at this, and she didn't want him doubting himself. "Sofia and I are so lucky to have you."

The tender tone in her voice, combined with her heartfelt words caused tears to slowly fill in his eyes, Matt nodding as he blinked them back, flashing Gabby a smile that warmed her from the inside out.

"We're lucky to have you, too." He responded, lowering his voice as he felt Sofia start to stir against him, waiting to say more until she settled. Looking back to Gabby, he saw her eyes falling, her exhaustion beginning to win as he watched her fight to stay awake. "Go to sleep." He prompted, Gabby pulling the blankets up over her chest. "I've got her until she needs to eat, try and rest."

Nodding slowly, Gabby needed no more prompting as she closed her eyes, letting herself completely relax for the first time in hours.

"I love you." She murmured into the quiet room, Matt smiling softly as he continued rubbing Sofia's back.

"I love you too, baby."

* * *

**So, we got to see the Casey's first day as a family. Honestly, writing all these scenes with Sofia and her parents makes me so happy. But, bear with me because I know absolutely nothing about babies. I'm going off very little personal experience and lots of googling, so, from here on out, I apologize if anything's a little off.**

**I'm gonna get emotional here for a second, but I almost started crying multiple times when reading your reviews for my last few chapters. You all have been so kind and encouraging and loving to me and my work, it's mind blowing. And I am so incredibly grateful for each and every one of you. All I ever wanted with this story was to help me work through my anger and hurt towards the show, and hearing how I've accomplished that for some of you truly makes me so happy. Every time you all say how this story has helped you, I almost start crying because I'm just so grateful to have been able to do that for you all. On my last chapter, one of you kind humans said how you can feel how I put my soul into this story, and that comment really stuck with me because I truly do. I put my all into each of these chapters, I want to give you all the best story I can, and hearing that you all can see that and you all appreciate that, it truly just makes me so happy. I'm so thankful for you all who are sticking with me and are continuing to read this story. Your love and support means the world to me, I wouldn't have gotten this far without you.**

**Also, uh, in bigger news that honestly shocks and terrifies me, I saw where Monica is returning to the show for the fall finale and.. I'm scared. I'm not stupid enough to put my faith in this show again, but I just wish we had more information around her returning. All I know is seeing Gabby and Matt in scenes together again is going to make me cry, but I'm so nervous for this. I have a feeling I'm not going to like what happens, unless Monica's back for good which I'm sure isn't the case. This whole thing has just made me so anxious, and I'm hoping it goes in a direction I'll like but I'm not going to count on it. This show has let me down so much in the past, I'm not letting myself get my hopes up. But it will be nice to see Gabby Dawson again. I've missed my girl so much.**

**Thank you all so much for reading. I'm eager to hear your thoughts!**

**Until the next..**


	61. Chapter Sixty One

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter for you all. You guys ready to see what the Casey family has been up to? I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty One  
**_

* * *

Gabby grimaced when she heard the sharp cry of her little girl, the noise immediately pulling the new mother from her slumber, Gabby slowly opening her tired eyes as she looked over towards her daughter's small bed, seeing Matt standing over her. Sofia only cried once, her daughter emitting what Gabby could only describe as one soft shriek, but she was definitely still fussy.

"Come on, baby girl." Matt whispered, Gabby seeing him starting the process of changing Sofia's diaper, her husband beginning to unbutton her small onesie. "I need you to be quiet, Momma needs her rest."

"I'm awake." Gabby murmured, Matt jumping slightly before looking back to her, seeing her tired eyes shining back at him.

"Hey, sorry, I tried to get to her before she got too loud." Matt responded apologetically, returning his attention to the task at hand, Sofia continuing to fuss as he changed her.

"It's okay, what time is it?"

"Uh, a little after three." He responded, his tongue poking out while he worked. "Now you better not pee on me again, you already did that twice today." His last sentence was clearly directed towards their daughter, Gabby smiling softly as she watched him take care of Sofia. "You can go back to sleep, I got her."

"No, it's okay. She'll probably need to eat soon, anyway." Gabby spoke, a yawn escaping her mouth as she adjusted her hospital bed, positioning herself in the angle she'd found worked best for feeding Sofia. It had been about three hours since Sofia last ate, her daughter finishing a little after midnight, and if the schedule they'd fallen into recently was any indication, she'd be hungry here soon.

The new family had been in the hospital for ten days, Sofia not knowing much outside the walls of this hospital room. With Gabby's extensive surgery, she hadn't been cleared to leave the hospital yet. And Sofia hadn't been cleared to leave, either. With her being premature, she'd been getting checked up on frequently, and after an incident their second day in the hospital, her release had been postponed.

During Gabby's second full day in the hospital, during one of Sofia's feedings, her and Matt both noticed their baby seemed to be having a little difficulty breathing. It wasn't anything terrible, but she'd been wheezing. They were told it was normal, that because of their small airways, babies sometimes wheezed, especially during feedings. But then there was one particularly horrifying incident when during her feeding, Sofia began coughing uncontrollably and the parents weren't even sure she could breathe. Matt had quickly grabbed her, patting against her back until she choked out milk all over her dad's neck and shirt, the coughing turning back into wheezing before Sofia began crying. It was definitely one of the most terrifying experiences of their lives, and after a panicked call to Dr. Tanner, Sofia had been sent for more extensive exams.

It ended up being a hard few days for the new parents, Sofia almost immediately being diagnosed with an upper respiratory infection. They had taken her back to the NICU and put her on an IV for a few days, Matt practically glued to his daughter's bedside while Gabby was stuck in her own room. It was scary for both of them, and Gabby hated not being able to be there to comfort her daughter. But once she became a little more mobile, she did get taken to visit Sofia a few times, Gabby and Matt both hating the sight of their daughter so sick.

But, once that storm passed, things had gotten better. Sofia's infection wasn't anything close to life-threatening, but it had still shaken the new parents. There had been a couple of sleepless nights and nothing but debilitating worry, but soon enough Sofia had bounced back, the infection clearing up within days. Gabby had to be away from her daughter for four days while she was confined to the NICU, but after that, Sofia had been cleared to return back to the nursery, which meant she could be with her mom. And the little girl hadn't had any problems since.

They did have to do three breathing treatments a day with her, Dr. Tanner recommending it as a precaution, which Gabby and Matt immediately agreed to. But, other than that, she was a perfectly happy and healthy baby, and the new family of three was slowly finding their own rhythm.

A rhythm that included Sofia nursing every two to three hours, something Gabby was doing her best to adjust to.

She loved her daughter, more than anything else on this planet, but motherhood was definitely an adjustment. She now lived completely for someone else, her body wasn't even her own anymore, and it was something she was coming to terms with. She'd do it again, time and time again she'd willingly do anything for Sofia, but it wasn't something she'd prepared for, and she was trying her hardest to work through it.

And being confined to this hospital wasn't helping matters. But she knew she had no choice, that all she could do was hope to be discharged sometime soon.

"Well, you were right." Matt spoke softly, pulling her from her thoughts. "She's definitely hungry." He said, Gabby looking up as he walked over towards her bed, Sofia cradled in his arms as she cried.

"Come here, baby." Gabby murmured, the two handing off Sofia seamlessly, Gabby moving the blanket down off her chest, helping Sofia latch on. Since she began breastfeeding, Gabby had quickly taken to sleeping without a shirt on, finding that easier than having to maneuver any clothing for those middle of the night feedings that her daughter seemed to enjoy so much.

Once Sofia was situated, Gabby made herself comfortable, settling in for at least a half hour feeding, if not longer, glancing over to Matt who had placed himself back in the chair he'd lived in the last ten days.

"Were you able to get any sleep?" She asked him, Matt glancing to Sofia before looking back to Gabby.

"She did. Sofia was on my chest for awhile, but she was getting restless so I put her back in bed before she woke you up. She slept there, for around an hour I think, but then she woke back up, needed a diaper change." He rambled, smiling softly.

"I was asking about you, Matt." She murmured, a sheepish smile forming on his face, Gabby seeing his exhausted gaze.

"Sorry. Yeah, I did. Not much, but I'm good." He responded, Gabby nodding as she glanced down to Sofia, seeing her daughter's bright blue eyes looking up at her while she ate.

"You can get some sleep, she's gonna be here for awhile." She spoke softly, glancing back up to see Matt watching them, seemingly barely able to keep his eyes open.

"I'm fine." He responded, flashing her a tired smile, Gabby blowing out a soft sigh.

"Matt, you've barely gotten any sleep for ten days." She countered, Matt tilting his head to the side, Gabby raising her eyebrows challengingly.

Since Sofia had been born, Matt had basically been going nonstop; the best way Gabby knew how to describe him was him being a super-dad. He'd been doing everything in his power, not only for their little Sofia, but for her as well. He had completely dedicated himself to taking care of his girls. Gabby had been getting up in the middle of the night for feedings, but Matt was pretty much taking care of everything else. He would wake her up when Sofia needed to eat, and take her right when she finished. Nights where Gabby was a little more alert, she'd stay up for awhile, wanting to spend some time with her daughter, but Matt had taken over most everything during the night. And it was close to the same during the day.

Gabby did her best to spend as much quality time with her daughter, but her recovery had taken longer than she thought, and her body was always begging her for rest, so when she got a chance to nap, she usually took it, even when she didn't mean to. She felt guilty for leaving him to do so much of the work with their newborn, but it wasn't really anything she could help. She knew she needed to get better, that her body needed time to recover, and they wouldn't really be able to divide things more evenly until she was healed, but Matt was taking everything in stride. He was absolutely amazing, with her and their daughter, and she was looking forward to when she'd be able to thank him properly.

"I'm fine, babe." He responded, leaning back into his seat.

"If I can't get you to go home and rest for a few hours during the day, I at least need you to get sleep here while you can." She spoke, Matt chuckling softly, rubbing his hand over the side of his face. In the week and a half they'd been here, Matt had only left the hospital once, and it was only out of necessity. Reluctantly, Matt had gone home to get them both things they'd need during their extended stay, and he only left because he'd gotten Jemma, Ramon, and Antonio to come be here with Gabby and Sofia. But other than that one instance, he hadn't left. He'd stayed put by Gabby's side, except for when Sofia was back in the NICU when Gabby urged him to be with their daughter.

"I'm getting enough sleep, I'm fine."

"You fell asleep in the middle of one of our conversations yesterday." She reminded him, Matt grinning sheepishly.

"I just needed a power nap, then I was good."

"Matt…"

"I'll go to sleep once she's done, you getting rest is more important."

"She's gonna be here for at least another half hour, if not more." Gabby spoke, looking back at their daughter, seeing she was still wide awake, Sofia taking to grabbing Gabby's chest in her tiny hand, pinching her skin as she ate. It was a habit she'd picked up over the last few days, Sofia apparently getting bored while she fed, needing something to keep her entertained; and pinching and grabbing Gabby had become the perfect distraction.

Looking back towards Matt, she saw her husband fading fast, a soft smile forming over her face as she watched him try and stay awake. Her smile widened even more when she realized she'd seen Sofia do that exact same thing, usually during her feedings.

"Baby," She called, Matt's eyes snapping open, finding her gaze, "go to sleep. Please."

"You sure?"

"I'm sure. We're good. I've got her for awhile."

"Okay." He murmured, unable to fight off his exhaustion any longer, Matt slowly reclining his chair, covering himself with the blanket bunched up at his side. "But you'll wake me up if you need something?"

"I promise." She assured him, Matt nodding, giving her a sleepy smile before closing his eyes, Gabby watching him for a few moments before looking back to Sofia, seeing her still wide awake, clearly enjoying her meal and the time with her mom.

Gabby knew she wouldn't be able to get Sofia back in her bed without waking Matt, it was like every little sound woke him up these days. He'd always been a light sleeper, it came with the territory of their profession, but ever since Sofia, it was like he was never fully asleep. He was always alert, always waking up at the smallest peep, instantly checking to make sure his wife and daughter were okay. It would be virtually impossible for her to get up without waking him, but she could at least nurse and burp their daughter, and Gabby wouldn't be opposed to Sofia sleeping on her chest for awhile, knowing her girl loved spending her time resting against her.

Blowing out a soft sigh, Gabby brushed her thumb over Sofia's cheek, the little girl keeping her blue eyes focused on her mom, both mother and baby enjoying the close contact.

It had been hard, Sofia's first days in this world had been challenging, both physically and mentally. But they were getting through it, they were all learning together. And, aside from Sofia's illness, Gabby wouldn't change a single second.

Being here with her husband and her daughter, she was grateful for every single day she got to experience this. And she would never take it for granted.

* * *

Gabby winced as she patted her stomach dry, the new mom having just finished taking a shower in the cramped hospital bathroom. Showering this early in the morning hadn't originally been part of her plan, but when she'd woken up this morning to Matt moving a sleeping Sofia off her chest, he noticed she'd bled some during the night. She knew it was normal after a c-section, and it wasn't the first time it had happened, but it was still always initially alarming, Matt alerting her to the blood staining her thighs and her sheets before she even realized. Which led to her deciding to take a quick shower.

Although these days, quick was a relative term, Gabby unable to do anything quickly with her healing body, but she was at least thankful to be able to bathe on her own again. Most days her recovery felt slow, like she wasn't making any progress, but considering she'd now been able to not only make it to the bathroom by herself, but also stand long enough to bathe, she knew she was definitely moving in the right direction. It took four days for her to even be able to get out of bed, so while a shower didn't seem like much, to Gabby it just told her she was slowly getting better.

"Babe?" Matt's voice filtered into the small room, Gabby looking towards the closed door as she held the towel around herself.

"Yeah?"

"Can I come in?" Silently, Gabby opened the door, Matt poking his head in with a soft grin. "You doing okay?"

"I am, just about to get changed." She responded, Matt stepping inside as she released her grip on the towel, placing it back on the hook. "How's Sofia?"

"She's good, passed out in her bed. You need help?" He asked, Gabby grabbing her underwear from the stack of clothes on the counter.

"Unfortunately." She huffed out, Matt chuckling as he took the clothing from her grasp, squatting down to the floor.

"You'll never catch me complaining about this." He responded with a gleam in his eye, Gabby scoffing lightly as she braced her hands against his shoulders, carefully stepping into clothing, Matt pulling it up her legs.

"Yeah, cause I'm just the image of sex appeal these days." She joked, Matt catching her eye before he stood back up, Gabby glancing down to the counter.

"Hey," He spoke gently, putting his hand underneath her chin, tilting her head up, forcing her to look at him. "You're absolutely beautiful." His voice was soft, yet firm, the tenderness of his tone bringing a small smile to her lips. "You always have been, you always will be."

Matt knew Gabby's self-confidence had taken a hit during this pregnancy, and it was clear those issues hadn't gone away. Sure, her body was different; she still had a small rounded belly, and some extra weight on her, but none of that mattered to him, and he wished it didn't matter to her. She had just given birth, she had housed another person for almost nine months, and now she was sustaining that life. All modesty had gone out the window since Sofia was born, Matt witnessing a few things he never imagined he would, but he didn't care. She was still the most beautiful person in the world to him, and that feeling only intensified every time he saw her with Sofia.

"And you've always been a sweet talker." She responded, heat rising to her cheeks as he rubbed his thumb over her jaw.

"Well, that is how we got Sofia." He spoke, earning a laugh from Gabby as she grabbed her nursing bra, slowly sliding it on and clasping it in place, Matt grabbing her belly band off the counter. Dr. Tanner had given it to her once she became mobile, and it had worked wonders. The first time Gabby had stood up, it felt like all her organs were about to fall right out of her. It was a bizarre feeling, one Gabby wasn't in any rush to experience again, but the belly band had helped with that. It gave her the support she needed and made her feel better about being up and moving around, so she wore it often. The only catch was she usually needed Matt to put it on for her, Gabby not having the strength to get it on properly.

"Yeah, I guess you're right about that." She responded as Matt strapped the band into place, flashing her a grin. "But thank you."

"For what?"

"For being you." She spoke, Matt's grin widening as she leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss against his lips.

"No need to thank me for that." He murmured, giving her another kiss before pulling away. "But I mean it, you're fucking gorgeous." He breathed out, Gabby feeling that all too familiar warmth spread through her body, her bottom lip falling between her teeth. "My girl is hot, there's no denying that."

Before he could say another word, Gabby grabbed his cheeks, pulling him back towards her, capturing his lips in a heated kiss. It took him by surprise, but he quickly gathered himself, Matt bringing his hands up to cradle her cheeks as hers slid down to his chest, Casey not wanting to put his hands around her waist and risk hurting her.

Their intense moment ended when air became a priority, Gabby pulling back slightly, her lips brushing against his. "Who knew incisions, leaking breasts, and loose skin were such a turn on for you?" She teased, Matt laughing before he kissed her again, his thumb brushing over her cheek.

"Well, it has more to do with the person underneath all that, but I won't deny it." He joked, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she gave him another kiss, the two enjoying one last moment together before pulling back.

Knowing they were on borrowed time, Matt finished helping Gabby get dressed in her shorts and t-shirt, the clothes hanging off her body because they belonged to him. Once she was mobile, the first thing Gabby did was change into her own clothes, but that soon turned into her wearing Matt's, his bigger clothes feeling more comfortable on her sore body.

Once she was clothed, Matt pressed a kiss to the back of her head, leaving her to brush her teeth as he went back out into the room, his eyes immediately moving to his daughter, seeing her exactly where he'd left her, her arms outstretched above her head.

"Hey little girl." He murmured when he got closer, seeing her wide awake. He was a little surprised she hadn't made any noise, Matt knowing how Sofia usually never had any problem screaming to alert her parents of her conscious state. "Were you quiet to give me time to help Momma? You're such a sweet little girl." He continued, resting his hand over her small chest, Sofia's eyes widening when she saw her dad, her arms moving around in what Matt liked to think was excitement. He knew she was too young to really know much of anything, but what he did know was Sofia could recognize both her parents from just their voices. From his extensive reading before she was born, he knew it would take some time for her to be able to really recognize him and Gabby from their faces, but he was certain she knew who they were. She always perked up when she heard either of them, and while she didn't mind being held by others, she was definitely the most comfortable in the arms of her mother and father. "You're wide awake, aren't you? Oh, your Momma's gonna love that."

Knocking on Gabby's door grabbed Matt's attention, Casey leaving his hand on Sofia's chest as he looked up. "Come in."

When the door opened, Matt saw Dr. Tanner walk in through the doorway, the woman wearing a soft smile.

"Hey Dr. Tanner."

"Hello Matt." She responded, glancing around the room. "Gabby in the bathroom?" She asked, Matt giving her a nod.

"She bled some more this morning, so she took a shower. She's finishing up right now." He told her, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"Yeah, the nurses told me, but guys know that's just normal. How is little Sofia?" She asked, walking towards the little girl, Sofia moving her arms around as she listened to the voices in the room.

"Oh, she's doing great." Matt spoke with a smile, carefully lifting Sofia from her bed, cradling the baby in his arms.

"No wheezing or anything?"

"Nope." Matt responded proudly, Sofia moving her arms around, only settling when Matt gave her his finger, the little girl immediately clasping it in her little fist. "I think she's in the clear. We've still got a few more days of her breathing treatments, which she doesn't love, but we've figured out a system that works."

"That's good to hear." She replied, turning around as Gabby walked out of the bathroom. "Hello Gabby."

"Hi." She greeted, slowly moving towards the bed.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm pretty good, a little less sore today."

"Good, that's good. I just came by the check up on you, and take a look at your incisions." Dr. Tanner spoke, Gabby nodding as she slowly lifted her shirt and removed her belly band, knowing Matt would have to put it back on her later.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Gabby slowly lifted her legs up, situating herself before glancing towards Matt, seeing him completely focused on Sofia, bouncing the little girl in his arms.

"Have you had any pain around the incision, Gabby?" Dr. Tanner asked as Dawson lifted up her shirt and moved down her shorts.

"No, I haven't. There's been the normal pain where I sometimes move too fast, or turn sharply, but around the incision, no."

"That's good to hear." She responded, gently palpating the area. Although still a little red, and definitely bruised, Gabby's abdomen looked good, Matt peeling his eyes away from Sofia to look at Gabby's stomach, grimacing at the bruising. He saw it often, but every time he did, it was just the visible reminder of how much trauma her body had sustained. He was always in awe of his wife, he had been since before they got together, but being reminded of what she had gone through to bring little Sofia into this world gave him an entirely new respect for her. And that was something he hadn't even realized was possible. "So, Gabby, honestly, on a scale of 1-10, how are you feeling?"

"Right now, probably about a seven. I feel good." She responded after a few thoughtful moments, Dr. Tanner nodding.

"That's good. I know you've been through a lot, physically and mentally, as has Sofia, but I think we might be getting close to you all being able to go home." Gabby's ears perked up, looking over towards Matt who looked equally excited.

"Really?" He asked, Dr. Tanner nodding as she pulled back from Gabby's abdomen, letting her patient fix her clothes.

"Really. Gabby, you're doing very well. You've had no issues with your recovery, which I think is well deserved after everything that happened during this pregnancy. And little Sofia, I know she's being monitored closely, but she's definitely doing better. It would be a few more days, definitely not before she finishes all those breathing treatments, but I think maybe in three or four days, we can get you both home."

"That would be great." Gabby breathed out, looking towards Sofia, the little girl completely focused on her dad's finger, making a game out of moving her arm around while holding onto him. "As long as it's safe for her to leave."

"I wouldn't send her home if I wasn't completely sure." Dr. Tanner reminded them both, even though it didn't need to be said. "Truthfully, if Sofia hadn't gotten sick, I'd probably go ahead and discharge you both tomorrow. But she does need to be monitored for a few more days, and it couldn't hurt you, either, so I do want to keep you here. The last thing that you need is to be stuck at home away from your baby, and I know Sofia does best when she's with you both anyway. Me discharging one of you before the other would most likely only cause Sofia, and you, to be stressed, and we don't want that. But I think in probably four days, at the latest, you two will be able to go home."

"Yeah, if she's here, I'm here." Gabby responded, Dr. Tanner nodding with an understanding smile.

"I know, and that's for the best. Not just for Sofia, but for you as well. But, regardless, the end is in sight. I know you both want to get home, and the best thing for Sofia is to let her start to get adjusted in her own home, so it'll be good for all of you. I've already talked this over with the doctor who treated Sofia in the NICU, him and I are on the same page. As long as she checks out okay once her treatments are done, you all should be able to go home."

"Thank you, Dr. Tanner."

"Of course. I'm glad you're still feeling well, and that Sofia is doing good." She responded, Gabby nodding before she looked towards Matt, seeing him watching their daughter closely.

"Everything okay?" Gabby asked, Matt looking up and nodding.

"Yeah, I just think she's hungry, she's doing that thing with her mouth."

"I'll get out of your way, let you take care of Sofia, I just wanted to come by to tell you the good news."

"I'm glad you did, thank you for stopping by." Gabby spoke, Dr. Tanner flashing them both a smile as she began heading for the door.

"Glad to, I'll see you all later." She told them, Matt nodding before she left the room, closing the door behind her.

Once they had their privacy, Matt moved closer to the bed, Gabby lifting up her shirt and unhooking her nursing bra, taking Sofia from her husband's arms. "You eat just as much as your Daddy does." Gabby mused, Sofia eagerly beginning to feed once she was able, Matt chuckling as he watched his daughter.

"Well, she's a growing girl." He responded, resting his hand over the top of Sofia's head, the little girl too distracted by her meal to react to his touch, Sofia clutching onto Gabby's chest while she ate.

"So… we'll be taking her home, soon." Gabby spoke, looking up towards Matt, seeing him give her an excited nod.

"Yeah. It's crazy, but I think it will be good for all of us."

"Me too." She agreed, Matt rubbing over his daughter's head before pulling back, moving across the room to grab Sofia's small oxygen mask. To give her the medication she needed, they had been given a small mask that they put her medication in, already separated into the correct dosages, that Sofia needed to breathe in. They quickly found out that it worked best to give her the medication while she slept, more specifically her sleeping in her mother's or father's arms, with Matt or Gabby holding the mask up to her mouth. It had a strap to keep it in place, but Sofia hated it, the girl always screaming until it got removed. So Matt and Gabby had found the best option was to just hold the mask, waiting until she had fallen asleep to start it.

They hated that their little girl had been through so much in her few days on earth, but they knew these treatments were necessary, and that they would only help her. So while Gabby fed Sofia, Matt got the medication set up, knowing Sofia usually passed out after she ate.

Bringing the breathing apparatus over, Matt made himself comfortable in the chair, Casey aware that it could be awhile before Sofia was done, their girl always taking her time while she fed.

With Gabby focused on Sofia, Matt took some time to respond to a few texts he'd missed over the last day, filling Severide and Jemma in on the update from Dr. Tanner, knowing they were wanting to know what was going on. And Matt also knew by telling Severide, he ensured everyone from 51 would be told as well.

"She's done." Gabby whispered, Matt looking up from his phone, not even realizing how much time had passed as he saw Sofia asleep in Gabby's arms, Matt immediately standing up. Pulling her away from her chest, Matt carefully took Sofia into his arms, giving Gabby the chance to cover herself back up while he got situated in the chair with his sleeping daughter.

Once she had settled into his hold, Matt grabbed the oxygen mask, maneuvering his hand on the arm holding her to keep the mask against her face, using his other to turn the machine on. Slowly, the medication began flowing through the mask, Sofia breathing it in while she slept.

"You got it?" Gabby asked softly, Matt looking up to see her watching them, Matt giving her a small grin.

"Yeah, we're good." He responded quietly, looking back down at his little Sofia, gently holding the mask up to her face while she slept soundly, Matt content to do nothing more than sit here and watch his little girl.

* * *

Severide hopped down from squad's rig, huffing out a heavy breath as they returned from their last call, Kelly beginning the process of shedding his turnout gear, his men following suit. Once free of the heavy material, Severide had every intention of heading straight for his recliner, wanting to get off his feet after being at their last call for well over three hours. But based on the way his stomach was growling, he knew it was best to get some food first.

Stretching out his stiff neck, Kelly began walking for the common room, feeling a few of his men walking behind him as well, no doubt having the same idea he had. Stepping inside the firehouse, Severide saw most of truck, and Brett and Foster, seated in the common room, neither having been called along with squad earlier. He wasn't sure if they'd been called out at all, but for as long as squad 3 had been gone, he knew they could've been called out and gotten back in that time.

"How was the call?"

"Long." Severide huffed out, heading straight for the kitchen, needing to get some food in him. "But everyone got out okay." He added, earning a few nods before he began grazing around, unsure of what he wanted. Settling on a sandwich, Severide got out everything he'd need, beginning to make his food.

The second he finished preparing his makeshift meal, the sandwich was in his mouth, Kelly groaning thankfully as he finally had some food in his system. After a few bites, he began putting away his ingredients, Kelly grabbing the rest of his sandwich from the counter, getting an apple from the bowl before heading for the small circle table.

"Anyone have an update on Dawson and the kid?" Herrmann spoke up after a few minutes, the older firefighter mindlessly flipping through the channels. Kelly felt a few eyes in the room on him, Severide looking up with his mouth full as Herrmann turned around. "You heard anything, Severide?"

It was no secret that if anyone in the firehouse would know anything, it would be Kelly. Although almost everyone had reached out, and spoken to Casey, and a few had talked to Gabby, Kelly was the one who Casey shared news with, the house assuming it easier to tell one person than multiple people. Along with that, Severide had been the only one to actually see Gabby and the baby.

With Gabby's recovery, and then little Sofia's illness and problems with her lungs, Dr. Tanner never lifted the 'family only' visitor rule. Only Antonio, Ramon, Severide, and Jemma had been allowed to come and visit, and only Ramon and Antonio were allowed to visit Sofia when she got sent back to the NICU. Everyone understood, and when they'd heard of the littlest Casey's health issues, they were all rightfully concerned. Their only priority was knowing that little girl would get better. After everything Dawson and Casey had gone through to get to this point, the last thing they needed was a sick baby, and everyone just hoped and prayed that Sofia would be okay. Which, after a few long and stressful days, they found out she'd be fine. But they were never given the all-clear that it was okay to visit, which most were bummed about, but they knew it was for the best. No matter how much they wanted to see Gabby, and finally meet Sofia, if they shouldn't visit, they weren't going to. They were all eager to meet the newest little addition to their firehouse, but they respected the fact that they weren't allowed to go and visit, opting to show their support from afar.

"Uh, not that I know of." Kelly responded, patting his pockets, searching for his phone, which he soon found, Severide pulling the device out. "Oh, wait." When his phone lit up, he saw he had a few missed messages from Casey, the last sent an hour ago.

"What is it?" Mouch asked, everyone keeping their eyes on Severide as the man was focused on his phone.

"Casey said they were told this morning that both Gabby and Sofia should be able to go home in a few days." He spoke with a soft smile, looking up from his phone.

"Really?" Herrmann asked, his ears perking up.

"Yeah, Matt says it'll be a few more days, Sofia still has to finish her medication and then get the all clear, but he said Gabby's good. Dr. Tanner said that if Sofia hadn't gotten sick, they'd probably be out of there already, but they're gonna keep them both until Sofia can leave."

"That's great news!" Herrmann spoke excitedly, tapping his hand against his leg. "I know they've had a rough go of it, but they've gotta be looking forward to getting home."

"I'm sure they are, yeah."

"What was wrong with their kid, again?" Garcia's voice cut in, Severide glancing towards the man sitting at the other table, the Captain leaned back in his chair. Kelly's eyes narrowed in confusion and slight annoyance, knowing that Sofia's issues had been the talk of the firehouse lately. It had been discussed multiple times a day, and always in their morning meetings, all of which Garcia was present for.

"She had a respiratory infection." Herrmann replied, eyeing him curiously as well, the man nodding without another word, the older firefighter turning back to Kelly. "When'd you last visit, Severide?"

"I was there for a few hours yesterday."

"And Sofia was good?"

"She's doing well, yeah. I got there when she was sleeping, and doing her breathing treatment thing, which is how she gets the medication, I think is what Casey said. It was a little unsettling, I won't lie. She's just so small, and like I know how it feels when I get sick, I can't imagine what that does to a little, tiny person." He breathed out, earning a few understanding nods from his fellow firefighters. "But when she woke up, damn you could tell she was feeling alright." He laughed, Herrmann and a couple others chuckling. "She's got a voice on her, and she has so much energy. As far as I could tell, she was feeling just fine."

"Good, that's good."

"And how's Gabby?" Brett asked, Kelly glancing towards the paramedic.

"She seemed good. She was up and moving around a bit, albeit slowly, but considering everything she went through, she seemed to be doing well. Both of them were good."

"That's great to hear."

"Severide." Kelly looked over when he saw Chief standing at the entrance to the room, nodding his Lieutenant over. Severide pushed himself up from his chair, everyone going back to their own conversations as Kelly walked towards the Chief, meeting him out in the hallway.

"What's up, Chief?"

"I need that report from the shed fire last shift, I guess the husband is pressing charges and I'm getting heat from PD to get it sent in."

"It's finished, I can get it to you right now." He responded, Boden giving him an appreciative nod.

"Thank you, Severide." He replied, turning to walk away.

"Wait, Chief." Kelly stopped him, walking towards him as Boden turned back around, raising his eyebrows in curiosity. "I got an update from Casey this morning."

"How are they?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest as he waited for a response.

"Really good. Gabby's doing well, so is little Sofia. They should be discharged in a few more days." He responded, Boden's eyes widening in surprise.

"Yeah?" He questioned, Kelly nodding.

"That's what Casey said. He said they're just waiting on Sofia to get the all clear, then they should be able to go home."

"That's great, I can't imagine living out of that hospital has been easy."

"It hasn't been, but I think sometimes they were grateful for it, like when Sofia got sick they caught it pretty quickly." Kelly replied, Boden nodding in agreement. "But they're ready to get home. I mean, Sofia hasn't even been outside yet. I think it'll be good for all of them to get back into their place."

"Yeah, it will... Has Casey said anything about how much longer he'll be taking off?" Boden asked, Severide responding with a shrug.

"No, he hasn't. I doubt he knows, honestly. It'll probably be awhile, though, with Gabby recovering." He answered, Boden giving him an understanding nod. "Everything with Dawson is still pretty much day to day, and I imagine it'll be pretty hard to pry Casey away from his family anytime soon."

"That's what I figured." Boden spoke with a soft sigh.

"Yeah, but he'll be back at some point, though I wouldn't be surprised if that's weeks away. I know you guys haven't seen her, but Gabby's just now being able to do some things on her own, and that's still not much. She hasn't even been lifting Sofia, and that baby is tiny. She has to be careful, so I figure it'll be awhile before Casey's back…"

"That's fine, I just wasn't sure if he'd mentioned anything about it."

"He hasn't." Kelly replied, straightening his spine. "I don't think work is on his mind much right now, and I doubt he could give you a time table of when he was coming back, even if he wanted to… But it's better than the alternative, at least he'll eventually be coming back." Severide breathed out, Boden's head tilting to the side in curiosity.

"What do you mean?" He asked, Kelly lifting his eyebrows.

"What?" Severide questioned.

"What alternative, what are you talking about?" Boden elaborated, Kelly's tongue running over his bottom lip.

"I'm talking about Casey's plans, if something happened to Dawson." Severide replied carefully, immediate confusion covering Boden's face, his eyebrows furrowing. "...Casey never told you, did he?"

"Tell me what?" He asked, Severide releasing a heavy sigh before responding.

"If Dawson died, Casey was going to quit."

Immediate shock covered Boden's face, but it soon fell, the man breathing deeply, rubbing his hand over his mouth as he took in his Lieutenant's words.

"Casey said if they lost Gabby, he wouldn't risk Sofia losing him too. He was gonna leave 51, get a job at headquarters or something." Severide continued, Boden shaking his head as he clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"...I guess that shouldn't come as a surprise, but I really hadn't ever thought about it."

"Me neither." Severide replied, glancing back into the common room before continuing. "When he told me, I was shocked, but after thinking about it, it makes sense. He told me he'd been thinking about it ever since his accident a few months back, where he fell through the stairs. He said ever since that, it was all he could think about, and he'd made the decision to not come back had something happened to Dawson." He finished, Boden giving him a slow nod. "But, thank God, it never came to that." Severide breathed out.

"Yeah… thankfully it didn't."

* * *

Matt moved around the room quickly as he did one last check, making sure they hadn't left anything behind, Gabby watching on in amusement from the hospital bed, Sofia eating peacefully while her husband moved around frantically.

"Everything alright, babe?" Gabby asked with a grin, Matt's head snapping over towards her, instantly relaxing when he saw her smile.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good. Just making sure we have everything." He responded, continuing on with his previous movement.

It had been five days since the new parents were told they'd be able to leave soon, and today was finally the day; the Casey's were going home. Sofia had finished all her medication a couple days ago, and had passed every test necessary to be sent home, as had Gabby. Both of the Casey girls were medically cleared to go home, which the parents were happy about.

But now that the time had come, Casey was feeling a little anxious. He was ready to get out of here, there was no doubt about it. After being stuck in this hospital room for over two weeks, he was more than ready to get back home. But he was a little nervous about Sofia leaving this safe environment.

In her fifteen days on this planet, she knew nothing outside of this hospital; nothing outside of this floor really, and the thought of taking her out into the world was a little nerve wracking. He knew he was being overprotective, that obviously he couldn't keep her inside forever, but his little girl was still so small, and he didn't want to risk her picking up anything. But he knew once they got secured in the car, they were going straight home, and when they got there, he'd feel a lot more at ease.

While the new dad was feeling a lot of anxiety about taking their little girl home, the same couldn't be said for Gabby. She, as expected, was handling it well, Gabby focused on the excitement she felt at finally getting to be home as a family. Of course she was nervous, but nowhere close to what Matt was feeling, which Gabby admittedly found adorable.

He had fallen into the protective father role seamlessly, and it was never more obvious than right now, Gabby watching her husband run around the small room, trying to expel his nervous energy. Although, from her vantage point, it didn't seem to be working.

"Matt." Gabby called, seeing him look back over towards her, his eyebrows raised. "Can you come take Sofia?"

"Of course, yeah." He responded with a gentle smile, stopping his frenzied movements, walking towards Gabby's bed and carefully grabbing Sofia, placing her small burp cloth over his shoulder before holding her up against his chest, gently patting her back.

After readjusting her clothes, Gabby took to watching her husband swaying back and forth slowly with their daughter in his arms, the new mom able to feel his nerves disappearing by the second. She could have easily held onto Sofia, but she knew Matt was stressing himself out, and giving him some time with their girl was the perfect way to distract him from that.

"Did you get enough to eat?" He murmured, leaning his head against hers gently as he continued patting her back, Matt moving around the room. "I'd imagine so, you spent most of the morning latched on there."

"Matt…" Gabby spoke with a chuckle, Matt flashing her a sheepish grin.

"What? She did." He responded lightly, rubbing over his daughter's back before patting her again, Sofia soon spitting up the excess milk she'd consumed. "Yeah, there it is." He spoke, wiping her mouth gently. "Your eyes are bigger than your stomach, I get it, I've been there kid." He continued his one-sided conversation, Sofia burping once more. "Wow, you really got ahead of yourself this time, didn't you?"

"You know, one of these days she's gonna be able to respond to you and tell you that you talk too much." Gabby teased, Matt rolling his eyes as he wiped the spit up from Sofia's mouth once more, removing the soiled towel from his shoulder before cradling her against his chest.

"Your Momma is being mean to me." He whispered, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement. "You'd never be mean to me, would you?" He asked, Sofia grabbing his index finger, waving her arms around. "That's what I thought." He responded with a bright grin, pressing a kiss to head. "This is why you're my favorite."

"Hey!" Gabby feigned offense, Matt flashing her a proud smirk.

"Quit eavesdropping, I'm talking to my daughter."

"_Your_ daughter, huh?"

"Our daughter." He corrected, placing another kiss to her head. "Our perfect daughter."

"You're gonna give her a complex." She teased, Matt rolling his eyes as Sofia looked up at him, her bright blue eyes mirroring his.

"Nah, I'm not worried about that." He spoke, their conversation being interrupted by a knock on the door, one of Gabby's nurses, Tiffany, poking her head in.

"Hey, you guys ready to get out of here?" She asked, Gabby nodding enthusiastically while Tiffany pushed the door all the way open, pushing in the wheelchair for Gabby.

"We definitely are."

"Alright, well you and little Sofia are all good to go." She spoke with a soft smile, Gabby reciprocating the gesture.

Matt held onto Sofia while Gabby slowly moved into the wheelchair, Casey keeping their girl entertained while his wife got comfortable. Once Gabby was situated, Matt handed Sofia to Gabby, Dawson cradling her in her arms as Matt gathered all their things. During their extended stay at the hospital, they'd accumulated a lot of things; mostly their stuff, as well as things the hospital had given them to help out at home for a few days, which had led to them having nearly four bags full of things to get back home.

"Alright, I'm gonna head down and get the car, get all this stuff in the trunk, and I'll meet you at the entrance." Casey spoke, three of the four bags hooked onto one arm.

"Okay, thank you." Gabby responded, smiling softly as Matt leaned down, placing a quick kiss to the top of her head.

"I'll see you in a few minutes, I love you guys." He said as he headed for the door, Gabby's body flooding with warmth as she grinned wider.

"Love you too."

Matt was out the door soon after that, Tiffany unlocking the brakes on the wheelchair before slowly moving the mother and daughter towards the exit.

"Matt is so sweet." Tiffany mused softly, Gabby nodding in agreement as she looked down at Sofia, seeing her previously alert daughter slowly fading.

"He is… Sofia and I got lucky." Gabby agreed, her voice barely above a whisper as the nurse pushed her through the hospital.

Gabby was only left waiting for a few minutes by the time they got downstairs, Matt pulling up to the curb as Gabby was ushered outside, Casey quickly putting the car in park and getting out. He removed the car seat from the back, knowing it would be easier to get little Sofia in without the awkward angle. Placing the car seat on the bench, Matt carefully grabbed a nearly asleep Sofia from her mom, the little girl fussing at the disturbance.

"I know, I'm sorry." Matt murmured, kissing her head before he slowly placed his daughter into her car seat, Matt adjusting her so she was comfortable before he strapped her in, taking his time ensuring that it was done properly. "Alright, there you go. Let's get you in the car, yeah?" He kept his voice low as he spoke to his daughter, Gabby unable to stop her grin as she watched the two most important people in her life, still feeling an almost unfathomable amount of love whenever she saw them together.

Gabby stayed seated while Sofia's carseat got secured into place, Matt checking it multiple times before shutting the door as carefully as he could, coming around to the other side of the car where Gabby was waiting.

"Need me to help you in, too?" He joked, Gabby rolling her eyes while Tiffany laughed lightly, locking the wheelchair. The back door was already open, Matt holding out his arms for her to grab onto, Gabby using him for support as she moved. She definitely felt better, and was improving every day, but there was still some lingering soreness that she felt more often than not, which frequently reminded her to take it easy.

Slowly, Matt helped Gabby into the backseat, the new mom wanting to sit beside her baby during the drive. Once she was in, Matt shut her door as well, flashing the nurse an appreciative smile before heading for the driver's side door.

"Thank you, all of you… for everything." He spoke, opening his door as Tiffany nodded.

"Congratulations, Matt." She responded, his grin widening before he sat down into Gabby's car, closing the door, securing the family inside.

As he buckled up, he caught sight of Gabby through the rearview mirror, his wife focused on their baby. "Is she alright?"

"Yeah, she's fine. She's almost asleep." Gabby responded, Matt nodding before he slowly pulled away from the hospital.

Casey was sure he'd never driven so carefully in his life, Matt abiding by every traffic law known to man as he drove through the streets of Chicago towards their apartment. It was nerve wracking, but the closer they got to home, the more relaxed he felt. He was excited to get both his girls home, he was just grateful that _both_ of his girls were coming home.

"I hope she likes being home." Gabby spoke suddenly, Matt quickly flashing his eyes to the rearview mirror before looking back to the road. "Although, as long as she's fed and changed, she doesn't seem to care where she is." She joked, Matt chuckling as he turned down their street.

"I think she'll love it. Especially her room, even though it'll be awhile before she actually sleeps in there." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I can definitely say that she likes being in the car." Gabby mused, Matt pulling into the parking spot.

"Oh yeah?" He questioned, Gabby giving him a nod.

"She slept the whole way… God, I can't wait to sleep like that, I can't wait to lay down in our bed." Gabby breathed out, Matt turning around in his seat once the car was in park, flashing an amused smile towards her.

"Yeah, it'll be pretty great not to be sleeping in a chair anymore. But my first task once we get her settled is to start some laundry…" He spoke with a grimace, Gabby matching his look. "The amount of dirty clothes we have from the hospital, it'll take me days to get through."

"Well, at least you have a game-plan." She responded with a smirk, Matt scoffing lightly before pulling the keys from the ignition and getting out of the car.

"Alright, let's get you two inside then I'll come back and get our stuff." He spoke, Gabby nodding as Matt came around to her door. Matt helped her out of the car first, making sure she was good before jogging around to the other side, grabbing Sofia's car seat. Holding Sofia's seat in one hand, Matt looked to Gabby, watching as she grabbed ahold of his arm, the two beginning to walk towards their apartment.

They moved slowly, Gabby not able to get around very quickly, Matt letting her set the pace as they walked down the sidewalk. Gabby kept one hand pressed against her stomach, while her other clung to Matt, the family eventually getting to their back door.

"Why is that walk longer than I remember?" She asked with a soft grin, Matt chuckling as he unlocked the door, letting Gabby walk ahead of him before he followed her in, closing the door behind them.

Everything looked the same as it had before, Gabby watching as Matt placed Sofia's car seat on the counter, the sleeping baby slowly waking up, the movement disturbing her rest.

"Hey little girl." Matt spoke, tapping his index finger gently against her chest, Sofia's eyes opening more as she looked back and forth between her parents, unsure of who to focus on. "Let me get her out before she falls back asleep." He continued, beginning to unbuckle her from the seat, a yawn escaping Sofia's lips. "Oh yeah, she's definitely still tired."

Making sure to support her head, Matt lifted little Sofia out of her seat, immediately handing her over to her mom, Sofia happy to cuddle into Gabby's chest, the little girl unaware that here surroundings had changed.

"Yeah, I don't think she cares." Gabby spoke with a laugh, Matt shrugging as he cradled Sofia's small head.

"Probably not, but at least she's comfortable here." He responded, pressing a kiss to Gabby's head before walking back towards the back door. "I'll be right back, I'm gonna get everything else." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod before he disappeared outside.

Returning her attention back to her daughter, Gabby grinned as she took in the sleepy baby, Sofia fading fast in her arms, the new mom feeling much more relaxed now that they were out of the hospital. "We're home now, baby." Gabby murmured, Sofia falling asleep to the sound of her mother's voice. "We're home."

* * *

**Well, the Casey's are finally home. I hope you all aren't minding the pace of this story, I know them being trapped in the hospital is never fun to read for very long, and I just found it better to move on from the hospital. And truthfully, I had a hard time with inspiration for this chapter, so I'm glad to have the family home now. Aside from Sofia getting sick, everything's going well for the little family, so we'll see how that continues now that they're back at the apartment.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I'm eager to hear what you all think. Also, I would love your suggestions for what you'd like to see these new parents experience? Obviously, there's a lot of firsts with a newborn, but I'm just curious if there's anything in particular you all would like to see? I'm open to any and all suggestions!**

**Thank you for reading, see you next time!**


	62. Chapter Sixty Two

**Hello everyone!**

**Thanks for coming back for another chapter, I hope you all like this one.**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Two**_

* * *

"Are you sure it's not too soon for this?" Matt asked as he held Sofia in his arms, Gabby sending him another glare as she got the small tub positioned in the sink, the new mom beginning to run the water.

"If you ask me that one more time, I'm gonna hit you." She mumbled, Matt raising his eyebrows as he gently bounced Sofia in his arms.

"Sof, your Momma's mad at me." He murmured against the little girl's head, Gabby turning back to look at him.

"Because you won't stop second guessing me!" She snapped, Matt's eyes widening slightly in surprise at her tone, Gabby not having registered it either until after the words left her mouth. Blowing out a sigh, Gabby's eyes fell closed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I'm just exhausted." She responded softly, Matt frowning as he moved the hand resting on Sofia's chest to Gabby's back, moving his arm up and down.

"It's alright, I know you're tired." He responded, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head, pulling her into his side. She only stayed there for a moment, needing to lean forward to turn the water off, Matt returning his hand to Sofia.

Gabby checked the temperature of the water while Matt looked over everything on the counter, making sure they weren't forgetting anything as they prepared to give Sofia her first bath. She had been given a sponge bath during her time in the hospital, but this was her first real, actual bath, and it was a big milestone for the new parents.

They'd been home for a few days now, Sofia now approaching the almost three week old mark, that being something she'd hit in the next couple of days, and it was finally time to give their girl a bath. Matt was a little hesitant, as he'd been with most new things when it came to Sofia, but he was also excited, and he couldn't wait to experience this with his two girls.

After submerging her wrist in the shallow water, Gabby confirmed that the water was just right before looking up to Matt. "Alright, it's ready." She told him, Matt nodding before he carefully placed Sofia down on the thick towel resting on the countertop, the fluffy material giving her little body plenty of cushion.

"It's bath time, little girl." He spoke excitedly, tickling his fingers over her stomach, the action causing Sofia to wave her arms around haphazardly as unintelligible noises escaped her lips. Matt began unbuttoning her onesie, carefully removing the clothing from his daughter, Sofia immediately fussing when the air hit her skin. "I know, baby, you hate being cold. You get that from your Momma." He muttered, beginning to remove her diaper, Matt grimacing when he saw she'd gone to the bathroom again, even though he'd just changed her less than half an hour ago. "Oh, well thank you for that, I appreciate it so much." He joked, rubbing over stomach before getting her cleaned up, the baby soon completely bare.

Carefully picking her up, Matt slowly placed Sofia down in the tub sitting in the sink. He wasn't even sure where they had gotten this; if Gabby had picked it up or if it had been a gift, but this little baby tub was perfect, and in this moment he was thankful they had it, the tub allowing Sofia to be positioned just right.

The second her body hit the water, she let out an ear-piercing scream, the little girl unsure of what was going on, the new sensation confusing and scaring her. Matt started to pick her up, but Gabby quickly scolded him, making him put her back in.

"She's fine, Matt, it's just something different. Once she gets used to it, it'll be okay." Gabby spoke, Matt nodding as he reluctantly sat her back in, hating to hear his daughter's cries.

"It's okay, Sofia." He spoke soothingly, rubbing his hand over her stomach, Gabby slowly introducing the water to her body, cupping a small amount in her hands and letting it run down Sofia's skin.

"See? That's not so bad, is it baby?" She murmured, grabbing one of the small washcloths they'd gotten, submerging it in the warm water before placing it over Sofia's stomach, not wanting her to get cold.

Grabbing a second washcloth, Gabby began the process of washing Sofia, the girl slowly becoming accustomed to the water she was barely sitting in. Gabby began with her face, gently cleaning their daughter as she slowly moved down her little body. Soon enough, Sofia had completely forgotten her earlier reaction to the water, the small baby having a great time as she kept herself entertained with Matt's finger, Casey keeping her head propped up while Gabby bathed her.

As Gabby worked, Matt occasionally pulled his hand away from Sofia, slowly pouring a little bit of water over her body to keep her warm, the new parents seamlessly falling into a rhythm together.

"Alright, time to wash her hair." Gabby spoke, the two carefully trading off as Gabby cradled their baby's head, Matt putting a small amount of baby shampoo in Gabby's hand. She carefully began rubbing the shampoo into Sofia's soft hair with the pads of her fingers, the little girl enjoying the head massage she was getting.

"Well, you were right, she definitely loves baths." Casey spoke with a chuckle, Gabby flashing him a small smile before focusing on her task, Matt pouring a little bit more water over Sofia's body.

They wanted to take the time to enjoy this moment, Matt taking every opportunity to snap a few pictures, but they also knew they couldn't keep her in here much longer, the parents not wanting to risk the water getting too cold.

"Can you rinse the shampoo out?" Gabby asked, Matt nodding as he carefully poured water over her head, Gabby shielding Sofia's eyes as Matt got all the soap off of her. When they were both sure she was completely clean, he grabbed the small towel they'd gotten for Sofia, Gabby lifting their baby out of the bath and placing her in Matt's awaiting arms, the father wrapping his little girl up tightly.

"See, that wasn't so bad now was it?" He spoke, supporting Sofia's head as he held her, the little girl watching her father.

As much as he was loving this time with her, he also knew she was still wet, and the last thing they needed was her getting sick again. So Matt carefully sat her back down on the thick towel, drying off her body, making sure he'd gotten all the water off before he put a fresh diaper on her.

"Are you okay to get this cleaned up?" Gabby asked, Matt looking back towards her, seeing her gripping the edges of the counter, her body reeking of exhaustion.

"Yeah, yeah of course." Matt responded almost immediately, a soft frown forming over his face. "Are you alright?" He questioned as he slid Sofia's small legs into her outfit.

"I'm fine, just tired… I think I was standing too long." She replied, Matt's eyes quickly raking over her form. "I'm feeling kind of sore, I just need to lie down for a bit." She finished, Matt giving her an immediate nod. Although she'd been progressing in her recovery, there were still times when her body hurt her, especially on days she overdid it. And Matt was assuming today was one of those days.

"Go lay down, yeah." Matt was quick to respond, not liking her body language at the moment as he got Sofia's arms into the clothing, the newborn not very willing to be restrained. "Do you need me to get you anything?"

"No, no I'm okay, I think if I can get a quick nap I'll feel better." She spoke, rubbing over his arm before walking away from their sink, Matt focusing his attention back on Sofia, his frown immediately deepening.

He recognized that look on his daughter's face, her mouth opening and closing as her head nuzzled to the side. Sofia was hungry, which only meant one thing; Gabby's nap would have to wait.

"Wait, babe-" He called, glancing back to see her stop in the doorway.

"Hmm?"

"I think she's hungry."

He saw the exact moment her face fell, Gabby sighing as she rubbed her hand over the side of her face, her other arm cradling her stomach. "Yeah, okay- um, I guess can you bring her to the nursery for me?"

"Yeah, of course." He responded as he clasped the last button on Sofia's outfit. "But if you want to rest, I can always give her some of the milk you froze, so you can get some sleep." He offered, missing the way her eyes narrowed.

"That's for emergencies." She snapped quickly, Matt taking a deep breath as he held his tongue. "I can take care of my own daughter, Matt."

"I know you can." He responded immediately, his eyes narrowed in confusion, unsure of where this sudden hostility was coming from. "You're an amazing mother, I've never doubted that." Gabby's gaze softened, the woman taking a slow breath before she nodded, her hand rubbing over her stomach.

"If you can just bring her to me when you're done." She spoke softly, Matt giving her a nod.

"I will." He responded simply, not wanting to risk any further argument as Gabby changed her direction, heading through the apartment to the nursery.

Focusing back on his daughter, Matt smiled when he saw Sofia looking up at him with wide eyes, oblivious to the tension that had settled in the apartment. "You ready to eat, little girl?" Although she had no idea what was being said, Sofia waved her arms around at the sound of her father's voice, Matt's smile widening as he carefully picked her up. Cradling Sofia to his chest, Matt began moving through the apartment, his little girl smacking her arms against him as he carried her to the nursery, the newborn getting restless as she wanted to eat. "I know, I know, you're hungry." He murmured as he walked into the nursery, seeing Gabby already waiting in the glider.

Since the family had been home, Gabby quickly found out that the chair they'd gotten for Sofia's nursery was by far the most comfortable place to nurse their daughter. If you asked Gabby, it was the most comfortable piece of furniture in the apartment. It gave both Gabby and Sofia the support they needed during long feedings, and, unless it was in the middle of the night, Gabby preferred to nurse in here whenever she could. Even though the room was kind of out of the way from everything else, and Sofia wasn't even sleeping in here, Gabby liked nursing in here, and it was a good way to slowly get their daughter acclimated to the room that would eventually become her own.

"See? There's your Momma." Matt spoke, flashing his wife a soft smile, Gabby reciprocating the action with a small smile of her own as Matt handed Sofia over, neither one of them mentioning the previous moment in the kitchen.

"There's my girl." Gabby said, adjusting Sofia in her arms as she lifted up her shirt, that happened to be Matt's, guiding her daughter to her breast, Sofia beginning to eagerly feed. Both Sofia and Gabby had gotten into a good rhythm when it came to breastfeeding, the mother and daughter having done it frequently enough now that it was second nature to both of them. Sofia didn't know much in her short few weeks on earth, but feeding was one thing she had mastered, the little girl always enjoying the time spent with her mom while she ate.

Gabby, on the other hand, was having a harder time. She loved this time she got with Sofia, she absolutely did. Bonding with her daughter had been incredible, and she wouldn't have traded these moments for anything, but it was hard.

She'd been excited to breastfeed since long before Sofia was born, but she wasn't naive enough to think it would be nothing but a wonderful way to bond with her daughter. She'd heard horror stories, she knew it would be hard work. But she hadn't expected it to be _this_ difficult. She wasn't prepared for how drained it made her feel, physically and emotionally.

When she felt this way in the hospital, she'd hoped it would pass when they got home. That it was just her being cooped up in the small hospital room that had left her feeling a bit down, and once she got back into her own home, she'd stop feeling this way. But that hadn't been the case. If anything, it had only gotten worse.

She didn't know what was wrong with her. She didn't know why she couldn't just enjoy every single moment with her daughter, especially when she almost lost this chance altogether, but she couldn't help it. This was hard, having a person be completely dependent on you was a difficult thing. She didn't feel like herself, she didn't even feel like a person most days. When she sat down and really thought about it, she could usually get the feeling to pass. All she had to do look at her beautiful baby girl, and she'd remember just how lucky she was to be here. But it never completely went away. She could quiet it down, but it always came back, and she didn't know why.

And she felt an overwhelming amount of guilt because of it.

She was alive. She was here, with her beautiful daughter and her amazing husband, she should be enjoying every single second of this. But sometimes she didn't, and it made her feel terrible.

Gabby knew motherhood was an adjustment, that it would take time for her to get used to what her life was now. But she hated not knowing how long this feeling would last, she hated that she couldn't really understand _why_ she felt this way. She had nothing to be sad about, her life was amazing and she wouldn't change a single part of it. She had everything she ever wanted, there was no reason for her to be feeling this way.

But she was. And she didn't know how to get it to stop.

"You're so amazing with her."

Gabby snapped out of her daze, looking up to see Matt standing in the doorway. She hadn't even realized he was still here, Gabby giving him a tight lipped smile. Although she knew he hadn't actually heard what was going on in her head, she was always amazed at how well he was able to know what was going on with her. He had always been able to read her, and know exactly what she needed at any given time.

"Yeah… I'm trying to be, at least." Gabby murmured, looking back down to Sofia, seeing her bright blue eyes staring at her while she ate, the little girl clenching Gabby's shirt in her fist. Gabby could feel Matt walking back over to them, Casey leaning down and pressing a gentle, lingering kiss to the top of her head.

"You're an incredible mom, baby." He spoke against her head, Gabby blinking back the tears forming in her eyes as he kissed her again before pulling away, rubbing his hand over her back. "Sofia and I are both lucky to have you."

While Matt didn't know exactly what was going on with her, he knew she was having a hard time. She was like an open book to him, even when she didn't want to be; he knew when something was weighing her down, even if he didn't know the cause. He could always tell when she was going through something, and this was no exception.

She'd become a little distant, in the few days they'd been home. Not with Sofia, so much, but with him at times. She was just hard to reach. It wasn't all the time, there were moments she was just his Gabby, but other times, she was struggling. He didn't know why, but he tried to follow her lead in her harder moments. He wasn't sure the exact cause for her shift in behavior, but he knew having Sofia was a major adjustment. They loved their daughter more than anything, he had no doubts about that, but it was hard. Raising a kid was hard, and Gabby seemed to be feeling the effects of that. She'd been all over the place since they came home, her snappiness in the kitchen just the tip of the iceberg as of late. He had seen her at some different extremes recently; she could either be overwhelmingly happy, or upset enough to the point it would reduce her to tears. He was sure it wasn't just mood swings, he'd dealt with that throughout the majority of her pregnancy, and this felt different. It felt more intense, and he didn't know how to help.

But her little outburst in the kitchen had him suspecting she was doubting herself, and he couldn't let that happen. He refused to let it happen, not after he'd seen how amazing she was as a mother to Sofia. He knew how great of a mom she was when they had Louie, but this was different. This was a kid who needed to be with them 24/7, someone they were shaping from birth, who needed constant care, the most important of which, only Gabby could provide. And she had been absolutely incredible the entire way. He never wanted her to doubt that.

"You're just as amazing at this as I am, if not more." Gabby murmured, Matt squatting down beside the chair, resting his arms out in front of himself. "And you've got the added bonus of having to deal with me, which I know isn't always easy." She spoke lightly, Matt shaking his head as he placed his hand on her thigh.

"Dealing with you is exactly how I want to spend every day of the rest of my life." He responded, Gabby giving him a slow nod, her attention focused on Sofia. Seeing her obvious uneasiness, Matt sighed, rubbing his hand over her leg. "Gabby… Hey, look at me." He prompted, Gabby reluctantly meeting his gaze, Matt hating the tears he saw hiding in her eyes. "I can't even begin to imagine what all this is like, how much of an adjustment this is for you. But I am so God damn proud of you, baby. I know it's hard, I know all of this is insane. I barely feel like I'm a person most days, I can't even begin to know what this is like for you, but you, Gabriela Dawson, are the most amazing mother Sofia could've ever asked for." He spoke proudly, a genuine smile falling onto her lips, Matt giving her thigh a comforting squeeze. "There are some days I feel like I'm drowning in all this, but you always bring me back."

"That's funny, cause I would've said the same thing about you." She murmured, Matt's grin widening. "You're honestly wonderful at this, all this parenthood stuff. It's like you just always know what to do."

"It was all those baby books you mocked me for." He joked, Gabby shaking her head in amusement.

"I don't think so, I think it's just you." She replied, earning a shy smile from her husband. "You take such great care of her, of both of us. Seriously, I don't know how I would've been able to do any of this without you."

"You'll never have to." He responded immediately, Gabby nodding with a tender smile. "We're in this together. Always."

"I know." She replied, slowly adjusting her positioning to stretch out her back, Sofia beginning to cry when she was unlatched from her mom. "I'm sorry, baby, it's okay." She spoke instantly, her attention moved completely to Sofia, guiding her back into place. Once Gabby was sure Sofia was eating again, she looked back to Matt, seeing him looking completely enamored.

"What?"

"I really don't know how you do it, but I'm so amazed but you." He breathed out, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks. "You're an incredible mom, Gabby."

"Thank you." She murmured, ducking her head in embarrassment. "And, uh, I'm sorry about earlier, out in the kitchen… I didn't mean to be a bitch, I know I've been a mess lately…"

"You haven't been. And you weren't a bitch." He corrected, shaking his head as he stood up. "We're both just sleep deprived. Hopefully once she's fed and happy, she'll pass out for awhile, let us get some rest." He continued, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod.

"Yeah. hopefully."

Matt leaned down, capturing Gabby's lips in a soft kiss, the two pulling back after a few gentle moments. "I'm gonna go clean up her bath stuff, if you're good. Then maybe by the time I finish, she'll be ready for a bed." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod.

"Sounds good."

Matt gave her another quick kiss before heading for the door, stopping to take one last look at his girls.

"What?" Gabby questioned, catching his stares, Matt responding with a gentle shrug.

"I just love my family." He responded, his heart filled with warmth when he saw the bright smile light up Gabby's face, a smile he hadn't seen nearly enough of lately.

"We love you, too." She murmured, Matt flashing her a grin before disappearing around the corner, the husband and father heading straight for the kitchen.

Since being home with Sofia, the state of the apartment had definitely taken a hit. For a person who wasn't even mobile, their daughter managed to leave quite a mess behind, the living room alone a disaster area. It was a shift from what they were used to, the very organized parents used to order and everything being neat, but now that impulse had flown out the window. When they weren't taking care of Sofia, their only focus was getting rest, and while they usually cleaned up the bigger messes along the way, their apartment definitely looked like a tornado had blown through.

It took all of ten minutes for Matt to get the kitchen cleaned of all the baby bath items, Casey returning everything to it's home, aside from Sofia's small bath tub, the father leaving that out on a towel on the counter, wanting to let the item dry before he put it away.

After quickly checking in with Gabby, making sure her and Sofia were both okay, Casey decided to try and clean up some of the mess that had been created in their apartment since little Sofia was still eating. Starting in the kitchen, Matt filled up the dishwasher with all the dirty plates and utensils that had been put aside for Sofia's bath, the parents not having ran it since getting home.

Once quickly completing that task, Matt moved to their bedroom, picking up stray clothes, some theirs and some Sofia's, placing their clothes into their hamper while keeping their daughter's separate. He knew there was no use in making the bed, so he took to just fluffing up their pillows a bit before moving on, Matt beginning the task of getting rid of the trash in the room, which mostly consisted of a few stray dirty diapers wrapped up in various places.

Before Sofia, Matt never would have imagined he or Gabby would've just left dirty diapers sitting around. He knew it was a little gross, and before his daughter, the mere thought would've disturbed him to no end. But now, it didn't faze him much. With waking up multiple times in the middle of the night to change diapers and make sure Sofia got fed, sometimes their trash didn't always get where it was supposed to go. And him and Gabby both had been peed and pooped on too many times to count over the last few weeks, a dirty diaper was nothing to them anymore.

It wasn't that they left them intentionally, but sometimes it just happened, Matt making sure he got all the various trash that had accumulated in their bedroom before taking it back out into the kitchen and discarding it.

His next task was to try and work on the living room, Matt finding the same kind of mess out here as he had in his bedroom. Surprisingly, it didn't take him too long to clean up. Once he'd picked up the stray clothing, most of which was Sofia's, some being items of his or Gabby's that had gotten spit up on, all that was left was just a few baby items that now had permanent homes out here, at least for the time being. But even with the added baby items, it was still looking much better than it had moments ago.

Once the apartment was as clean as it was going to get, Matt decided to start a load of laundry, knowing they were well behind on that too, Casey being as quiet as he could with Sofia's room being close to the laundry room. After getting it started, he poked his head into the nursery, smiling softly when he saw Gabby dozing in the chair, his wife doing what she could to stay awake. Placing the basket down in the hallway, Matt stepped into the room, moving slowly as to not startle Sofia. When he got closer, he saw that little Sofia was passed out, his daughter having fallen asleep while she ate, Gabby not far behind her.

"Babe." He whispered, placing a hand on Sofia's back, his other moving to Gabby's shoulder, Casey seeing his wife slowly waking up, her eyes blinking furiously before her gaze landed on him. "She's asleep."

Without a word, Gabby nodded, slowly pulling Sofia away from her chest, handing her off to Matt. The transition went smoothly, Sofia never waking as she settled into her father's arms, Matt glancing back to Gabby.

"I'm gonna go put her in our room." He told her quietly, Gabby nodding, stretching out her stiff arms before standing up, the parents moving out of the nursery.

Matt went straight to the bedroom, placing Sofia in her bassinet by their bed while Gabby made a stop in the kitchen, knowing she needed to get some food in her before going to bed. Although she could easily fall asleep right this second, and she didn't want to miss out on any precious resting time, she knew she had to eat something. With her breastfeeding, it was like she was needing to eat more than she ever did while she was pregnant.

Opening up their fridge, Gabby immediately saw the stack of meals that had been prepared for them by their friends. Between Kidd, Brett, Jemma, and Cindy, the Casey's were set with food for the next few weeks, Gabby knowing many more meals were sitting in their freezer. Neither Dawson nor Casey had been expecting it, both surprised when Severide and Jemma stopped by the day after they got home with stacks of aluminum pans filled with food, but it was much appreciated. Matt and Gabby hadn't really prioritized themselves in all this, the two not thinking about what they'd eat when they got home from the hospital, but luckily their friends had been thinking of them, and now they were set for awhile.

Too tired to heat up anything that required the over, she decided on the pasta bake that Cindy had made, Gabby put a heaping pile onto a plate, sticking it in the microwave before returning the rest of the food to the fridge.

A few minutes later she was leaned against the counter eating her food, Matt walking out of the bedroom, immediately heading towards her, mimicking her stance.

"She's sound asleep." He spoke, placing the baby monitor on the counter, Gabby giving him a nod as she held up a fork full of food to his mouth, Matt taking a bite.

"Good." She replied, taking another bite of her food. "Thank you for cleaning up, all that mess was starting to stress me out." She told him, bringing the fork to his mouth again.

"Yeah, I know what you mean. I wanted to take the second while I had it. Who knew raising a newborn could be so much work." He spoke lightly, Gabby chuckling as they took turns eating the food she'd warmed up, Gabby switching off between feeding herself and holding the fork out for him. "I feel like Sofia." He commented after a bite, Gabby's face scrunching up in amusement.

"Well, you could get your own fork." She replied, placing hers in front of his mouth again, Matt accepting the food.

"Nah, I'm good. I like this better." He responded after he swallowed, Gabby scoffing lightly, the couple continuing to eat.

They finished rather quickly, Gabby letting him have the last bite before Matt took the plate and fork from her, moving towards the sink to rinse them off while Gabby grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, along with the baby monitor off the counter. She waited for him while he moved around the apartment, turning off the lights and checking to make sure the doors were locked before they walked to the bedroom, being as quiet as they could.

Soon enough, the couple was settled down into their bed, Sofia sound asleep in her bassinet by Matt's side, the location for convenience as he was the one doing most of the diaper changes during the night, and he didn't want Gabby having to lift Sofia over and over, his wife still needing to take it easy.

Without a word, Gabby cuddled her back into his chest, this being the most comfortable position for her right now as Matt loosely let his arm rest over her side, the man being mindful to not put any pressure on her stomach.

Within moments of her head hitting the pillow, Gabby was out, her body completely relaxed in his hold as she slept, Matt knowing the insane amount of exhaustion she was feeling had finally caught up with her. Pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder, Matt let himself relax into the bed, focusing on the feeling of her chest rising and falling as she breathed.

"Goodnight, baby."

* * *

Matt walked in through the back door, juggling multiple grocery bags in his hands while balancing two packages of diapers underneath his arms, Casey somehow managing to get the door shut and locked behind him without dropping anything.

"Babe?" He called into the apartment, hearing the soft lull of the TV filling the room.

"In here." She responded, the direction of her voice telling him she was in the living room. "Did you get everything?"

"Sure did. Even got two things of diapers." He replied, placing the bags on the counter, the diapers falling out from under his arm onto the ground, Matt bending over to pick them up, setting them on the counter. "So, I take it you and Sofia did okay being by yourselves for the first time?"

"Yeah, we did." Gabby answered back, Matt searching through the grocery bags, looking for something in particular.

Today had been the first time either Gabby or Matt had been alone with Sofia, Casey needing to run out and get some things for their daughter. Even though he was only gone for about half an hour, he was glad to let Gabby get some one on one time with their girl. And he knew it was something he'd need to get used to, Matt well aware that once he went back to work, he'd be away from them for much longer than this.

Truthfully, it wasn't something he was looking forward to. As much as he loved his job, all he wanted was to be here with his girls, especially when Sofia was still so young. He wasn't going back yet, but he knew the time was quickly approaching where it would need to start being a discussion, and he wasn't necessarily excited about that.

Finding what he was looking for, Matt hid it behind his back before heading for the living room, his smile widening when he saw Gabby sitting on the floor with Sofia, their daughter doing some tummy time on her mat.

"There are my girls." He spoke with a bright smile, Gabby grinning when she saw him, Matt happy to see her still in a good mood.

"Hey baby." She responded, Matt coming over and leaning down to press a firm kiss to her lips. "What do you have there?"

"Hmm?" He questioned, crouching down on the floor beside her.

"Whatever you're hiding behind your back." She elaborated, Matt grinning as he pulled out a small box of chocolates from behind him, Gabby's smile widening when she saw what he was holding.

"It's not anything, really. I just thought you might like them." He replied, Gabby bringing her hand up to his cheek, stroking her thumb over his skin. "I was going to get you some flowers, but I wasn't sure if we should have those in the house with Sofia. I didn't know, so I just went with the safe option." He spoke sheepishly, Gabby smiling as she leaned forward, kissing him softly.

"These are great, thank you." She responded against his lips, kissing him again before they pulled back.

"And for my other girl, I got you some more diapers and wipes. Because you can't eat chocolate." Matt spoke, his voice light as he talked to his daughter, Sofia smacking against the mat she was on. "But I did get you a new outfit. Your Momma might think it's ugly, but I think you'll look cute. Oh, who am I kidding, you're always cute."

Gabby's heart melted as she watched Matt interact with their daughter, his hand resting on her back as she tried to follow the sound of her dad's voice. He always spoke to her like she knew exactly what was being said to her, like they were carrying on a conversation, and something about it just made her fall in love with him all over again. Sofia had him wrapped around her tiny little finger, and Gabby knew Matt wouldn't have it any other way.

"She seems to be getting used to tummy time." He commented, looking back up towards his wife. The first few times they'd done it, Sofia hated being placed on the floor. She didn't mind being on her stomach when she was cuddling her parents, but it took her some time to adjust to being placed down on a mat. But, as she did with most things, she was slowly adjusting.

"Yeah, she did okay today. But we should probably get her up, she's been down there long enough." Gabby told him, Matt nodding as he carefully picked up his baby, Sofia fussing until she recognized it was her father who got her, the girl moving her arms around, hitting his face on accident.

"Hi baby." He spoke, laughing as she continued to lightly hit him with her balled up fists. "I take it you're excited to see me." He continued, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Well, who can blame her." Gabby teased, Matt raising an eyebrow as he glanced towards his wife.

"I know you get equally excited to see me too, you just have different ways of showing your… affection." He spoke with a grin, Gabby ducking her head. "Although we could always try that, I bet it'd be fun." She felt heat fill her cheeks at the implications of his words, Gabby smacking him on the arm as he laughed at her reaction.

"Matt…" She warned, earning another chuckle from her husband before he changed the subject.

"So, anything fun on the agenda today?" Matt asked, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek, still trying to will away the embarrassment from his last words.

"Well… I did have something in mind, actually." She prefaced, watching on in amusement as Sofia kept hitting her father's face inadvertently.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"What if we take Sofia to the firehouse."

Matt winced at the idea, his eyes moving back towards his daughter. "Isn't she too young?"

"No, she's not. We'd need to be careful, but it's perfectly fine for her to go out into the world. We wouldn't be taking her somewhere with a bunch of strangers we don't know, I'm not saying we're gonna take her out in public any time soon, but I think it would be nice for them to meet her. And we can make sure they all wash their hands before they hold her." She told him, Matt bouncing Sofia in his arms.

"I don't know…"

"Come on, Matt. No one has been able to meet her yet, and she's already over three weeks old. Plus, I need to get out of this house and be around people before I go insane." She added, Matt chuckling softly.

Although Gabby much rather preferred to be stuck at home than in the hospital, she still didn't like being confined to one place. And in over the week that they'd been at home, Gabby had yet to leave. She was getting anxious being inside all the time, and she knew it would be good for Sofia to experience more of the outside world. And it would definitely do Gabby some good as well.

"If you really don't want to, we won't. I just thought that would be a good place to start, and that way everyone can meet her."

"No, no it's okay... I might not let anyone touch her, but we can go." He spoke with a grin, Gabby knowing he was only partially joking.

"Thank you." She replied, leaning forward and kissing him quickly, giving one to Sofia as well before she stood up. "I'm gonna go take a shower, you got her?"

"Yeah, yeah we're good." He replied with a smile, Gabby nodding before heading for the bathroom.

He knew that Gabby was getting a bit restless, she had been for days. Even though her only job right now was to take care of Sofia and get as much rest as she can, it wasn't in her nature to take it easy. And after being confined to the hospital for so long, and now being stuck in this apartment, he knew she had to be going a bit stir crazy.

Matt was surprised she wanted to Sofia out of the house so soon though, if he was being honest. He knew, technically, there was nothing wrong with it, and that Gabby was right in that the firehouse was a good first place to take her, but he was still a little shocked she was willing to have Sofia around that many people so soon. But they were all people they trusted, people who would respect any boundaries they set when it came to their daughter, and he knew how excited they were to meet the newest addition to the Casey family.

And, after the up and down days she'd had since becoming a mother, he knew it would do Gabby some good to spend time with all her friends, too.

* * *

Matt worked efficiently on unclasping Sofia's car seat from its base, Gabby grabbing the diaper bag from the other side of the backseat as her husband pulled a sleeping Sofia in her seat from the car, Matt closing the door as gently as he could. Before moving any further, Matt moved the shield down as far as it would go to keep the sun off of Sofia, Gabby coming around to stand beside them.

"It feels like it's been forever since we've been here." Gabby spoke, Matt keeping a firm grip on the handle of Sofia's car seat, glancing down to see her still sound asleep, the car ride having put her to sleep almost instantly.

"Well, for you it kind of has." He responded with a smile, Gabby nodding in agreement, clasping her hand in Matt's free one before they began walking up the driveway towards the firehouse.

It took a few hours from when they decided to come visit to them actually getting here, it taking longer than they could've ever imagined to get out of the house with a newborn. Not even factoring in Gabby getting ready, they had ended up unpacking and repacking the diaper bag nearly five times, needing to make sure they had everything. While they didn't need to worry about formula, they weren't entirely sure exactly what they needed, and how much. And, if you asked Gabby, they definitely overpacked.

They had plenty of diapers and wipes, which Gabby knew were a necessity, but Matt had insisted on packing _four_ outfits, something Gabby felt was a little excessive. He also tried to pack nearly all of her toys, which Dawson quickly put a stop to it. She knew Matt had some nervous energy about leaving the house, which had manifested into him trying to pack everything Sofia owned, claiming he 'wasn't sure what all she would need' while they were out. But Gabby had to reign him in, making sure they only brought the necessities, and that task alone ended up taking over an hour.

And getting Sofia dressed was another issue as well. Matt had bundled her up in one too many layers, Gabby immediately knowing she'd get too warm in the September heat, especially if she'd be spending the afternoon being passed around between their firehouse family. But Matt was insistent, worried about little Sofia getting too cold, so after nearly twenty minutes of bickering back and forth, they decided on a long sleeve onesie, Gabby agreeing to bring a light jacket and extra blanket to put in her diaper bag just in case they needed it while inside the cool firehouse.

"Do you think we should've called and warned them?" Gabby asked as they walked up the driveway, the couple seeing that both squad and truck were parked in their spots, but the ambulance was gone.

"Nah, I think it'll be a good surprise." He responded, giving her hand a squeeze as they stepped into the garage, Matt looking down to Sofia every few seconds to make sure she was still okay. As they got further into the garage, they saw it completely empty, both surprised that squad wasn't seated at their usual table, the two continuing towards the double doors.

Pulling the door open, Matt let Gabby go in first, the firefighter following close behind as they stepped into the hallway, seeing everyone seated in the common room. Herrmann noticed them first, the older man's eyes widening in excitement when he saw the family.

"What are you guys doing here?" He nearly shouted, his words getting the attention of the entire room as he pushed himself up off the couch, Gabby and Matt taking more steps forward.

"We wanted to come by for a visit, and let you all meet Sofia." Casey answered, everyone perking up as the couple walked into the common room, Matt placing Sofia's car seat onto the table.

"It's so good to see you guys." Cruz spoke, bringing Gabby into a hug, everyone wanting a closer look at the baby, Matt seeing multiple looks of excitement and wonder as they saw Sofia for the first time.

Severide came up beside Casey, his hand moving towards the sleeping baby. "There's my goddaughter- hey!" He spoke in annoyance after Casey had smacked his hand away from Sofia.

"You know the drill, Kelly. If you wanna hold her, you've gotta wash your hands first." Matt spoke firmly, his eyes moving around to the group. "That goes for all of you." He warned, earning some laughs from everyone.

"I see someone's in protective dad mode already." Herrmann joked, clasping Matt's shoulder, leaning to get a better look at the girl.

"Oh, this isn't even the half of it." Severide called from the sink in the kitchen as he washed his hands, his words gaining the attention of the room. "Last time I visited Sofi, he made me change my shirt before I could hold her." He complained, Casey narrowing his eyes as Severide's words elicited more laughs.

"You'd just come from working on your car, you had grease all over your shirt." He defended, Kelly shaking his head as he dried off his hands.

"It was a little tiny spot, just at the bottom. Nowhere near Sofia, but he still made me change."

"Doesn't matter, it was still contaminated." He replied, glancing down to see Sofia slowly waking up, a soft smile covering his face. "There's my girl." He spoke gently, placing his hand on her stomach as the girl stretched her arms.

"Oh boy." Herrmann breathed out at Casey's expense, bringing Gabby in for a hug. "You seem like you've got your hands full, kid." He told her, rubbing her back before he pulled away, keeping his arm around Dawson.

"Yeah, this is what I've been dealing with for the past three weeks." She joked, catching a playful glare from her husband before Matt refocused his attention on Sofia, carefully beginning to unbuckle her.

Everyone watched on as Casey slowly lifted Sofia from her seat, the girl fussing until she was safely in her father's hold, his arms nearly swallowing the small girl.

"Wow…" Herrmann breathed out, taking a step closer. "She's beautiful, you guys. She looks just like you, Dawson... Thank God." He joked, Casey rolling his eyes before responding.

"Thanks Herrmann. But yeah, she does." Matt spoke, his face softening as he flashed Gabby a small smile before looking back down to Sofia.

"Alright, let me see my goddaughter, you have enough time with her." Severide interjected, breaking through the group to get back towards Matt.

"Sev, you see her all the time, maybe let someone else have a turn." Gabby prompted, Kelly shrugging as he carefully took Sofia.

"I'm the only one who's washed my hands, so I get first dibs." He responded, bouncing on the balls of his feet as Sofia nuzzled into him. "Oh yeah, you love your Uncle Kelly."

Most everyone got in line for the sink, wanting their chance to hold the newest addition to their family, Severide begrudgingly handing over the little girl to Herrmann after a few minutes.

"Man, she's so little." Herrmann spoke softly, his smile widening when Sofia gripped his finger.

"Yeah, but she's getting bigger every day."

"And all the lung issues have cleared up? She's doing okay?" He asked, his concern evident as he kept his eyes focused on the baby.

"Yeah, she has a clean bill of health. She's doing well." Gabby responded, her eyes catching movement from the conference room entrance, Dawson seeing Garcia enter the room. She could tell he was clearly surprised to see them, the man flashing them a small smile nonetheless.

"Hey Dawson, Casey." He greeted, Matt looking up at the voice, tearing his eyes from his daughter.

"Hello Garcia." He responded, quickly returning his attention back to Sofia, the little girl content in Herrmann's arms.

"And what about you, Dawson? You doing okay?" Herrmann questioned, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I'm okay. It's all been an adjustment, and recovering from the surgery has been taking longer than I expected, but I'm alright." She responded with a small smile, Herrmann nodding before being forced to hand Sofia over to Cruz, everyone wanting their moment with Sofia, Gabby and Matt both keeping a close eye on her, making sure she wasn't getting overwhelmed.

After a few more minutes, Gabby moved to sit down at the table, Matt pulling out the chair for her, knowing she was most likely feeling the effects of being on her feet for too long. Severide came and sat beside her, Matt pressing a kiss to the top of her head, leaning on the table beside her, his hand on her back while they watched Sofia who was now being held by Kidd, the woman refusing to hand her over.

Soon enough the telltale sign of 61 being back flooded the room, Gabby hearing the beeping of rig that was being backed into the garage, and within a few minutes both Brett and Foster appeared through the double doors, the blonde's eyes lighting up when she saw her friend.

"Gabby, hey!" She spoke excitedly, her eyes moving around the room, her smile widening when she saw the small girl resting in Kidd's arms. "I didn't know you guys were gonna be here today." Brett continued, walking towards Dawson, bringing her friend into a hug.

"Yeah, it wasn't really planned, but we wanted to come see everyone." Gabby replied, flashing Foster a smile as she pulled back from Brett.

"It's so good to see you, you look like you're doing well."

"Yeah, it feels good to be here." Gabby responded with a smile, Sylvie nodding before glancing over towards Sofia. "You wanna hold her?" Dawson prompted, the blonde nodding eagerly, Gabby rubbing her friend's back before turning towards Stella. "Kidd, let's give Brett a chance to see Sofia, okay?"

"Alright, fine." She huffed out, rubbing over Sofia's stomach before walking towards the table.

"You gotta wash your hands first, Brett. Or you might get smacked." Severide spoke, chuckles being heard around the room, Matt leaning over Gabby to smack Kelly again, the paramedics laughing along before they moved towards the kitchen.

While Brett and Foster were both washing their hands, Casey leaned down towards Gabby, whispering in her ear. "I'm gonna go talk to Boden, you good?"

Wordlessly, Gabby nodded, turning her head towards him, pressing a soft kiss to the side of his mouth.

"We're good." She verbally confirmed, Matt placing a kiss to her temple before standing up straight, sparing one last glance to Sofia before heading into the hallway, walking the familiar path towards Boden's office.

It didn't take him long to get there, Casey tapping on the open door frame, seeing the shock covering Boden's face when he saw his Captain standing there.

"Casey, hi. I wasn't expecting to see you here today, is everything okay?" He asked, standing up from his desk, Matt taking that as an invitation to enter.

"Yeah, we're all good Chief. Gabby wanted to bring the baby by so everyone could meet her, they're out in the common room." He responded, Boden giving a soft nod.

"Ah, good. Good. How are they doing?"

"They're good. Gabby… all this is a really big adjustment, but we're taking it day by day." Casey answered, Boden giving an understanding nod. "And Sofia," The smile that fell onto Matt's face when speaking of his daughter was infectious, "she's doing amazing. They're both doing really well."

"That's great, I'm glad to hear it." Boden replied, patting Casey's arm. "So, uh, since they're doing well, does that you mean you've thought any of when you'll be back to work?"

Boden saw the immediate look of hesitation that covered his Captain's face before Matt shook his head, his arms crossing over his chest. "No, I haven't, if I'm being honest." Casey answered, Boden nodding in response. "I know I probably should, and I know I'll need to come back soon, but all of this has been such a whirlwind, it feels like most days I'm just trying to keep up." He breathed out. "And being away from Gabby and Sofia for that long… I'm just not sure I can do that yet, or if Gabby can even handle that yet."

"I understand, Casey. You still have a little more time, I just wanted to check, we hadn't spoken about it so I wasn't sure where you were at. But I know you need to be with your family." Boden replied, Matt giving him a thankful nod. "Speaking of, how about we go see that little girl of yours?"

The wide grin previously covering Casey's face returned, Matt nodding as they both left Boden's office, the men walking through firehouse, soon returning to the common room. Matt's eyes instantly went in search of Sofia, finding his daughter still in Brett's arms, Foster and Kidd standing around the paramedic as she sat on the other side of Severide.

The second Boden saw the baby, he stopped in his tracks, a gentle grin gracing his lips as he took in little Sofia. She was the spitting image of her mother, with her dark complexion and her thin curly hair, which he could only imagine would continue to get thicker. She was absolutely precious, the Chief unable to wipe the smile from his face.

"She's beautiful." He spoke softly, Matt grinning like a proud father.

"She absolutely is." Casey agreed. "If you, uh, wash your hands, you can hold her." He spoke with a sheepish look, his words earning a chuckle from Boden, the man patting his shoulder.

"Yeah, I remember that stage well." He laughed, walking towards the kitchen, stopping to give Gabby a quick hug before continuing in that direction.

They managed to enjoy another twenty minutes without interruption, Sofia having ended up back in Matt's arms after she started getting fussy while Boden had her, the baby tired of all the unfamiliar people, everyone seeing how Sofia settled down almost immediately when she heard her father's soothing voice. They spent their time together catching up, Gabby happy to get these moments with her friends after not seeing most of them since her accident.

Dawson was in the midst of a conversation with Kidd when the bells rang out, signaling ambo to a call. The second he heard the noise, Matt did what he could to shield Sofia's ears, but he wasn't quick enough, the young girl screaming as the unexpected noise startled her.

"Oh, baby, it's okay." Casey murmured, hugging Sofia to his chest as he held his hand over her head, pressing his lips against the top of her head, hoping he'd be able to get her calmed down, but he wasn't having much luck.

"Damn, that kid is loud." Garcia huffed from the other table, Gabby sending him a sharp glare before turning towards her husband, seeing Sofia wasn't settling much at all.

"Let me see her, babe." Gabby spoke, Matt carefully handing Sofia to her mom, Gabby cradling her baby against her chest, knowing how that usually calmed her down. She kept a firm hand under her daughter, while her other gently rested over her upper back and neck, holding Sofia against her. "It's okay, you're okay." She murmured, Matt placing his hand on the top of Sofia's head.

With the comforting touch from both of her parents, Sofia's cries soon turned into soft whimpers, before she calmed down completely, everyone watching the scene unfold in front of them.

"Well, I guess we know who her favorite is." Herrmann teased from the couch, Matt scoffing as he softly rubbed over Sofia's head, seeing his daughter nuzzle herself into the secure embrace of her mom.

"Don't let her fool you, it's definitely Matt." Gabby responded, pressing a kiss to the side of her daughter's head.

Conversation had continued once Sofia got settled, Matt's hand rubbing up and down Gabby's back absentmindedly as they listened to their friends.

Movement from little Sofia caught Gabby's attention, seeing her daughter pushing her face into her upper chest, clearly trying to tell her mother she was hungry. Glancing up to Matt, she saw him smiling as he spoke with Herrmann from across the room, Gabby using her elbow to nudge him.

Casey immediately halted his words, turning to look at his wife. "Yeah, babe?"

"She's hungry." She told him softly, Matt nodding as he pushed his body up from the edge of the table.

"Okay, we can go to my office." He replied, Gabby nodding as she waited for Matt to take Sofia, not wanting to try and stand up with the baby in her arms, knowing her abdominal muscles were still a little weak.

"You guys leaving already?" Severide questioned when he saw their movement, Matt shaking his head as he handed Sofia back to Gabby once she'd gotten up.

"No, we're just gonna go to my office, Sofia needs to eat." Matt spoke, earning nods from a few of the firefighters in the room.

"Wait-" Garcia spoke up, Matt sighing heavily before turning towards him. "Can you do it somewhere else?"

Both Matt and Gabby's eyes narrowed at the Captain, the man raising his eyebrows.

"I'm sorry?"

"Can you do that somewhere else? It's kind of gross." He replied, Casey's face hardening in annoyance.

"My child needing to eat is gross." Matt repeated, the man giving him a shrug. "Well, I can't say I'm shocked you think that. But last I checked, it's not your office." He shot, Garcia straightening his spine in his chair.

"And the last I checked, I'm the one with your job right now." He fired back, Casey's eyes narrowing further. "So technically, it is my office. Why can't she just go sit in a stall in the bathroom, or hell, even go use the coat room out in the garage, I don't care, but she doesn't need to do… that in my office."

"Out in the garage? Are you fucking serious?"

"Casey." Boden interjected, Matt taking a deep breath before glancing to his Chief, the room uncomfortably quiet. "You and Dawson can use my office."

Hearing Sofia starting to cry from wanting to be fed, Matt simply nodded, knowing he didn't have time to argue with Garcia any longer when his daughter needed to be looked after. "Thank you, Chief." He spoke, sending Garcia one last menacing glare before following Gabby out of the common room, heading for Boden's office.

Neither of them had said a word as they got to the room, Sofia's fussing getting louder as they stepped in, Matt closing the door behind him, locking it just in case one of the civilian employees came looking for Boden.

"Is she okay?" He asked as he began pulling the blinds, Gabby nodding as she sat down in the middle of Boden's couch.

"Yeah, she's fine, just hungry." Gabby responded, waiting until Casey had pulled the last blind before lifting her shirt and unclasping her nursing bra, all while juggling Sofia in her arms. With a little maneuvering, Gabby got her positioned into place, Sofia eager to start eating. "There you go, little girl." She murmured, rubbing her thumb over Sofia's cheek as her daughter ate, the girl gripping onto Gabby's chest. "You were hungry, huh?"

"She could've eaten sooner if Garcia hadn't been such an asshole." Matt muttered, Gabby watching as he sat down beside her, leaning into the back of the couch.

"It doesn't matter, Matt." She breathed out, Casey raising his eyebrows.

"What he did out there, that doesn't bother you?" He questioned, Gabby giving him a shrug.

"Is he a dick? Absolutely. But like you said, it's not exactly surprising that he'd be grossed out by breastfeeding. This guy sees woman as sex objects, so him finding me feeding my child disturbing isn't really that shocking. And I don't know, it doesn't really seem worth it to fight him. The second you're back, he's gonna be gone anyway, and God willing, we'll never have to see him again after that." She responded, Matt pursing his lips together. "Although you going into protective-Daddy mode is always hot." She replied, running her tongue over her bottom lip as Matt cocked his head to the side.

"Oh, is it now?" He questioned, Gabby nodding as she leaned into his side, holding the back of Sofia's head so she didn't lose her latch, Matt's arm wrapping around her shoulders.

"It is." She replied softly, leaning back into his hold, her eyes falling closed as she focused on the feeling of Matt's hand rubbing her arm. "Speaking of, have you thought about it at all?"

"Thought of what?" He asked, his eyes watching his daughter.

"When you'll come back?"

Matt mulled over her question, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he rubbed up and down over her arm. He still didn't really have an answer, even when Boden asked him, there had been no timeframe in his mind as to when he'd get back to work.

"Honestly, right now my only focus is you two." He responded, Gabby smiling softly as she nodded, cuddling deeper into his hold as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I like the sound of that."

* * *

**So, what are we thinking? I'm trying to keep all of this very real. I've done a lot of research, trying to make this all believable and as real as possible. Yes, Gabby survived and she gets to live her whole life with her little girl and with Matt, but that doesn't mean everything will be perfect. All of this is a huge adjustment, one that's going to come with challenges for both of them. But Gabby did seem to be doing better during the end of the chapter, which I think keeps things realistic, as well. People have good and bad days, things can be up and down, especially after everything Gabby's gone through. But I hope you guys are liking the family moments, I love writing them.**

**Anyway, I'm hoping you guys are still enjoying this story, I can't wait to hear what you think! Thank you for reading!**


	63. Chapter Sixty Three

**Hello everyone! Ready for some more adventures with the new parents? I've got kind of an emotional one for you. This is my longest chapter in a while, so settle in. Between this chapter, and the update to my other story, I posted a nice little 23k words of fic today, which was definitely a lot but it was fun.**

**I hope you all enjoy this one. Happy reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Three**_

* * *

Gabby released a shaky breath as she cradled Sofia in her arms, her baby girl screaming her head off as Dawson tried to soothe her, gently bouncing her up and down as she walked around, hoping the movement would settle her down. But it only seemed to have the opposite effect, Sofia's screams getting louder.

"Matt!" Gabby called again, knowing he couldn't hear her over the shower, but she kept trying anyway, feeling her sanity slipping away. "It's okay baby." She murmured, Sofia's cries showing no signs of slowing down.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Gabby clenched her jaw as she tried to keep her tears at bay, feeling completely overwhelmed as the sound of her daughter's cries filled her head. Blinking tightly, Gabby walked from behind the couch, heading for the master bedroom, the sound of Matt's shower getting louder as she stepped into the room.

"Gabby?"

She heard his voice before she even got near the bathroom, telling her he'd heard Sofia's deafening cries over the running water. Stepping into the small room, Gabby sniffled as he came into view, seeing her husband with his head poking out from the shower door, a deep frown forming over his face when he took in the sight of his teary wife and crying baby.

"What's wrong?"

"She won't stop crying. I couldn't get her to eat either, and you know how she's been lately, she never stops crying but I just- I don't know what to do. I know we think it's just colic, that she doesn't have a fever or anything but I can't get her to stop and I-"

"Hey hey hey, baby it's okay." Matt spoke when there seemed to be no end in sight to her rambling, seeing her working herself up, the tears welling in her eyes evident as Sofia kept crying. "Give me a second, hold on." He responded, leaning back into the shower to quickly get the rest of the soap off his body, not having expected his shower to be interrupted this abruptly. When he left Gabby and Sofia in the living room less than ten minutes ago, they were both fine. But clearly that had changed.

Finishing up his haphazard job of washing his body, Matt turned the water off, stepping out of the shower and reaching for his towel, seeing Gabby leaned up against the counter, tears sitting in her eyes as she tried to calm Sofia. After quickly drying himself off, he wrapped the towel around his waist as he walked towards his girls, Gabby glancing up at him.

"Let me see her." He murmured, flashing Gabby a supportive smile as his wife handed him Sofia, the girl's crying continuing as she was moved. While cradling a distraught Sofia, Matt glanced up, seeing Gabby wiping under her eyes, her emotions running high. "It's okay, babe. She'll be fine, like you said, it's just colic." He tried to comfort his other girl, reaching up to rub her arm while he kept Sofia tucked firmly into his other one.

"Yeah, uh- I mean, we know she doesn't have a fever, she's not sick or anything, as far as I can tell. It's just… all the crying."

"Did you try the pacifier?" He asked, Gabby giving him a nod as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"I couldn't get her to take it, but I don't know, maybe try again, see if she wants it now." She suggested, Matt giving her a comforting nod, bringing his hand up to cradle the side of her face.

"Alright, I'll go get one, see if that helps." He told her calmly, Gabby taking a deep breath, clearly trying to calm herself down. "Everything's good, we got this." He reminded her, rubbing his thumb over her cheek before pressing a gentle kiss to her head, Matt soon slipping past her out into the bedroom.

Gabby nearly collapsed into the counter as the sound of Sofia's cries got farther away, the new mom struggling to keep her composure as her hands came up to hold her face, Dawson forcing herself to take deep breaths.

It had been a rough week for the family, to put it lightly, their little Sofia having the hardest time of them all. In the first few weeks of her life, she'd been nearly the perfect baby. She had her moments, but overall she was just a good, happy baby; she slept extremely well, ate even better, and would only get fussy when she needed one of those two things. But that had all changed over the last week or so.

Sofia had been inconsolable, crying for long extended periods of time, mostly at night, even though there was nothing seemingly wrong with her. She would just be almost screaming, and it was jarring to the new parents. And then even when she'd tire herself out after all the crying, she'd still be fussy. It seemed like there was nothing they could do to put her at ease. The only time she really wasn't upset was when she'd be feeding, which had admittedly taken its toll on Gabby, physically and mentally.

She was sore all the time, Gabby barely having a moment where her daughter wouldn't be clawing towards her chest, and her body was paying the price. But when Sofia was nursing, that seemed to be the only time she was calm. Gabby knew she was comfort feeding, that little Sofia was wanting her for the contact more so than the food, but no matter the reason, she was still being latched onto and grabbed all the same. And it was difficult.

During the days, it wasn't so bad for the most part. But when it got later in the evening, Sofia would start up with the inconsolable crying, which had led to a lot of sleepless nights for Matt and Gabby. She wanted to be held constantly, they quickly found out she wouldn't even stop crying unless she was in one of her parent's arms, and even then it would take some time for her to quiet down enough for her to sleep.

Once she'd fall asleep, if they could get her into her bed without waking up, she'd be fine, at least for a little while, but if she woke up even the slightest bit, the crying and fussing would start again. Neither one of them really knew what to do, and the irritability stemming from sleep deprivation and worry had led to some arguments between the new parents, them nearly biting each other's heads off in some moments.

It was never anything that stuck, never anything that turned into a real fight, but their exhaustion was controlling their heads, and that was bound to lead to some issues. But they were getting through it, their petty bickering usually forgotten after a few minutes, the two dropping whatever issues immediately when one of them needed help.

Gabby knew the sleepless nights, the inconsolable baby, and the stupid, trivial bickering were bound to leave her feel a little emotional, and it had, but it was only made worse by everything else she was dealing with. She was still having a harder time than she cared to admit by being thrust into the role of motherhood, and seeing Matt taking everything in stride wasn't helping matters.

Everything seemed so effortless with him, like he knew exactly what to do, and at times she found it a bit frustrating. She knew being a mom wasn't easy, it shouldn't be easy, but she at least wanted to feel like she was doing something right. She wanted to feel like there was some part of this she was good at, and right now she didn't. She felt incompetent, like she was bad mother. And there was a nagging thought in the back of her mind that Matt was thinking the same thing.

She knew it was stupid, that she was just overthinking things and letting her tired brain run rampant. But every time Matt was the first one out of bed to get Sofia, or when they'd be in another room and he'd make a mad-dash towards the bedroom the second their daughter woke up, or when he was able to calm her down instantly, the exhausted, hormonal part of her brain couldn't help her from feeling like a failure. That Matt was shouldering more of the responsibility because he didn't think she could handle it.

It was irrational, she knew it was. He was just being Matt; her sweet, caring, attentive Matt. He was being a _dad_, doing whatever he could to help her and be there for his family. He wasn't doing it as some subliminal message, like he thought he was better at this than her. Logically, she knew he was just being the same person he'd always been, only now as a father. But she couldn't help how she felt. Even though time and time again Matt had told her how wonderful she was at all this, it didn't feel like it. And that inner-battle she was having with herself had only made this stressful situation with Sofia that much harder.

"The pacifier worked."

Gabby lifted her head up, seeing her concerned husband standing in the doorway as he held their little girl, the exhausted mom seeing Sofia eagerly sucking on the pacifier as Matt held it to her mouth. She hadn't even heard him come in, she expected his entrance to be accompanied by a crying baby, but right now she had seemed to calm down. Matt had gotten her calmed down.

"And she's feeling better now, aren't you Sofia?" He asked, his voice light as he stepped into the doorway. "Her appointment is in a few days, right?"

Clearing her throat, Gabby nodded, pushing her hair behind her ear before responding. "Yeah, um, the day after tomorrow. At 10." She confirmed, Matt giving her a soft nod before looking back down to his daughter, seeing her teary, bright blue eyes shining back at him.

"Good. I know she's fine, but the assurance will be nice. And plus, it'll be good to meet her pediatrician. I'm sure he's good, I know he was Dr. Tanner's first choice for us, but it'll be good to get her in there." He mused, Gabby giving him a silent nod in agreement.

When Sofia's colic issues first started, they weren't exactly sure what to do. But after some guidance from her dad, some long phone calls with her mother, and talking with Antonio, they were assured it wasn't anything serious. She knew colic was a common problem, both Diego and Eva dealt with it when they were born, and it was something that they would just have to deal with until Sofia grew out of it, but they still wanted to get her checked out, just for peace of mind.

And they were both eager to finally meet Sofia's pediatrician. Dr. Kevin Mitchell was the first recommendation Dr. Tanner had given them in terms of a pediatrician for little Sofia, so he became their first choice. They had been a little lost at first, unsure of what they should be looking for in terms of a pediatrician, but Dr. Tanner quickly fixed that, the woman easing their concerns by giving them a few options for Sofia. They trusted her, more than anyone, to steer them in the right direction for their baby girl, so he was who they'd gone with. And as an added bonus, his office worked out of the same building as Dr. Tanner's.

They had called and gotten everything all set up before Sofia was born, and Matt had even planned on going to meet the man, Gabby unable to with her confined bedrest, but then when Sofia came earlier, that had all gone out the window. Then with Gabby's recovery, and Sofia's health issues and being in the hospital for so long being constantly monitored, they didn't need to go to that first checkup that was typically done a few days after birth, because all of that had been done in the hospital. So they had yet to actually meet their pediatrician in person, but they had spoken to him on the phone.

After talking with her family about Sofia's problem, she'd also called his office, wanting to speak with him about it. She gave him as many details over the phone as she could, which led him to the same conclusion as everyone else; Sofia had colic. But he still insisted on her being brought by, just to be sure. And this visit would also give Dr. Mitchell a chance to meet Sofia and the family, and let him check over her himself, to make sure there were no deeper issues going on. With her medical history in her short first month of life, he insisted on them coming by, just for some reassurance.

"Yeah, it'll be good." Gabby finally replied, her slow response gaining his attention once more as he kept his gaze on Sofia. "Hopefully he can help us figure out how to deal with this a little better."

"Yeah, hopefully." He agreed, tearing his eyes away from his daughter to look back to his wife. "Although that was a good idea, by the way. The pacifier."

"Well, it was yours." She breathed out quickly, his eyebrows furrowing as he walked back into the bathroom, coming to stand beside Gabby. He leaned his body weight against the counter, mimicking her stance while they stood there, Gabby's eyes focused on their daughter.

They both just stood there for a few moments, Gabby knowing there were things on the tip of his tongue that he wanted to say, but she didn't prompt him, Dawson choosing to keep her focus on Sofia as she placed a gentle hand on her daughter's stomach, Sofia's eyes moving towards her mom.

"You wanna talk about it?" Matt asked after a couple silent moments, Gabby lifting her eyes to find him watching her intensely, a look of worry mixed with confusion settled in his gaze. She raised her eyebrows, Matt tilting his head to the side expectantly. "Whatever's going on with you." He elaborated, Gabby sucking in a deep, shaky breath as she looked away from him, refocusing on their daughter.

They hadn't really talked about it, what all Gabby was struggling with. It didn't seem like a big deal for her to bring it up, not when they were dealing with Sofia's colic, gas pains, and just general grumpiness. She didn't feel like it was worth mentioning, so she didn't say anything.

But she could tell Matt knew there was more going on with her than just the exhaustion. He hadn't pushed her, but he knew something was bothering her. She just didn't know how to talk to him about it, when she didn't even fully understand it herself. And she really didn't want it turning into a fight, because she knew that wasn't something she could handle right now.

"Gabby…" He spoke again, Gabby sighing deeply as she found his worried gaze. Gnawing on her bottom lip, she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to figure out how to explain what exactly was going on, if she could even explain it.

"I-..." She cut herself, running her tongue over her bottom lip as she looked forward, staring at the wet shower door, her gaze focusing on the lingering water dripping down the glass. "I don't understand how this is so easy for you." She said quickly, missing the look of clear confusion that covered his face.

"What are you talking about?" He asked softly, Gabby forcing herself to look at him, seeing him waiting for more of an explanation.

Blowing out a heavy breath, she brought her hand up to run over her jaw before responding. "I just- I don't know how you are handling all of this so well. I'm a Goddamn mess, all the time, and you're just… so good at all of it. I don't know how you do it, how you know what to do all the time. I can't even get her to stop crying, I can't-" She cut herself off again, choking back the air that caught in her throat as she tried to reign in her emotions.

"Hey, baby, stop. Stop." He spoke worriedly, making sure Sofia was cradled comfortably in his arm before bringing his free hand to her back, Matt rubbing up and down trying to calm her. "Take a breath, it's okay." He murmured, hating to see her getting so worked up.

"I'm fine, I'm sorry." She replied lowly, shaking her head. "I'm not even explaining this right, just forget it, I'm-"

"No. No, no, none of that." He interjected, placing his hand on her shoulder as she started to stand up straight, his grip keeping her beside him, Matt waiting until she reluctantly looked at him before he continued. "I wanna understand, I want you to talk to me."

Gabby bit down on the inside of her cheek, clenching her eyes shut as she took slow breaths, focusing on the feeling of Matt's hand running over her back. He gave her time to gather her thoughts, Matt doing what he could to silently comfort her while also keeping an eye on their daughter, the little girl beginning to squirm.

"I just… I feel like I'm failing." She murmured, Matt's eyes narrowing in confusion and worry, her words completely taking him by surprise.

"What do you mean, failing?" He questioned quickly, making sure to keep his voice soft.

"Failing her… failing you."

Matt's eyes fell closed as he shook his head, his heart tightening as her words sunk in, hating that she was feeling this way. Because it was in no way close to the truth. He wasn't sure what had happened to make her think that, if it was something that came from one specific thing, or if she'd been thinking about it for awhile, but, whatever the cause, he knew he needed to put a stop to it.

"Gabby-"

He was cut off by Sofia beginning to cry around her pacifier, the baby pushing her face into Matt's bare chest. Blowing out a sigh, Matt glanced back towards Gabby, watching as she pushed herself away from the counter, reaching out for Sofia.

"I got her." She sighed, taking their daughter into her arms, heading out of the bathroom.

"Gabby…"

"She's hungry." She responded, glancing towards him from her spot just through the doorway. "I've gotta feed her." She spoke softly, Matt nodding before Gabby kept walking, Casey assuming she was heading for the nursery.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt ran his hand over the side of his face, his mind running a mile a minute as his wife's words rang in his head.

Gabby had never been a failure. Even when things hadn't gone according to plan, she'd never failed. She especially had never failed him. Despite everything that had happened between them, he never, not once, thought of her as a failure. And, even more so, she'd never failed their daughter.

And he was determined to make sure she believed that.

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Matt pushed himself from the counter, unwrapping the towel still around his waist, hanging it back up in its rightful home before heading out into the bedroom. It less than a minute, he was clothed in pajama pants and a t-shirt, Matt running his hand through his drying hair as he padded his way out into the living room, walking the familiar path straight to the nursery.

Stopping in the doorway, Matt took in the sight of Gabby sitting in the glider, her mind clearly elsewhere as she stared at the wall, Sofia eating while resting in her mother's arms. It took him getting halfway in the room for her to register his presence, Gabby's vision snapping into focus when she saw him, flashing her husband a weak smile as he came to sit on the footrest in front of her.

Placing his hands on her legs, Matt slowly rubbed over her thighs, the action comforting her as they sat quietly, Matt's eyes on her while Gabby focused on Sofia.

"She looks happy." He murmured, his words bringing a small smile to her face as she nodded.

"Yeah, for now she seems okay." She responded, her voice barely audible, Matt running his tongue over his bottom lip as his gave her thigh a gentle squeeze.

"What's going on, Gabby?" He questioned, Gabby biting down roughly on her bottom lip nervously, Matt using his thumb to tug it out from her teeth, afraid if she bit any harder she'd draw blood. "That stuff about you being a failure, what's that about?"

Shrugging softly, Gabby ran her hand over the top of Sofia's head, clenching her jaw tightly as she tried to figure out how to express how she was feeling. "Because this is all so easy for you, and I barely feel like I'm keeping it together… I'm not keeping it together. It's all just so hard, and, I mean, I knew it was going to be, but it's just- it's harder than I could've ever thought… I don't feel like I'm a very good mom to her sometimes."

"That's not true." Matt spoke instantly, shaking his head as he squeezed her legs again, getting her to look up at him.

"But that's what it feels like." She murmured, sighing deeply. "It feels like the only thing I'm good at is this." She continued, gesturing towards Sofia, who was still feeding, Matt's eyes shining with sadness. "You're the one getting up with her in the middle of the night to change her, and console her, and burp her after I've finished feeding her. You're doing all of that, and I want to be able to help more, I want to be able to do more, but-"

"You're still recovering, Gabby." He interjected softly.

"I had surgery a month ago, I've recovered enough." She countered, Matt shaking his head as he blew out a soft sigh.

"You and I both heard Dr. Tanner when she said it takes around six weeks to recover from a c-section, and how it would probably be longer for you. You went through more than most women normally do, physically _and_ emotionally." He said gently, Gabby avoiding his eye contact. "And it's not even just the surgery, it's everything before. It's everything you dealt with during this pregnancy, it's everything this pregnancy meant for you, what all you had to come to terms with..." He spoke softly, Gabby taking a deep breath as she met his eyes again. "You need time to heal baby, from all of it."

"But I'm fine." She responded frustratedly, shaking her head. "I'm okay, I'm here with you and Sofia. I didn't die, we have the life we always dreamed of, I shouldn't be feeling like this... I don't feel like myself and I hate it." She breathed out, Matt picking up on confusion and a bit of anger in her words, knowing this was all the more difficult because she didn't understand what was going on in her own head. "And I feel stupid, and guilty, for feeling this way, but I can't help it. I don't feel like I'm good at this. And I hate that I actually feel jealous because of how easy all this is for you, because you're so amazing at this and Sofia deserves that. I just wish I could be that for her too, but I don't feel like I am and I don't know what's wrong with me." The words left her mouth faster than her brain could catch up, Matt watching her with sympathetic eyes, clearly trying to digest everything she'd just laid out. She hadn't meant to throw that all at him that quickly, but she'd be lying if she said she didn't feel a little better.

"There's nothing wrong with you." He answered sadly, rubbing his hand over her leg. "And this isn't stupid. This is hard, there's nothing wrong with how you're feeling."

"But Sofia deserves better than-"

"Sofia deserves a mom who loves her with everything she has." He cut her off, Gabby swallowing thickly. "She deserves a mom who takes care of her, who tries her hardest every day for her. And that's what she has. She has the most amazing mother. She has _you_." Matt spoke strongly, blinking back the tears in his own eyes, hating to see her this lost. He knew she'd been struggling at times since Sofia was born, but he didn't know it was anything like this. "This has all been crazy, and there are times I feel like you do, where it's all just too much. Obviously, I have no way to know what all of this has been like for you, but I do understand feeling like you're a bad parent." He told her, Gabby meeting his eyes. "There's day I feel completely lost, that I'm barely figuring this out as we go along. I feel like a mess, too. Hell, I am a mess… All of this had been so overwhelming and hard, and I never thought it was possible to function on this little sleep, but we're trying our best, yeah?" He asked her, earning a slow nod from her.

"Yeah."

"Yeah." He repeated with a soft smile. "We can't do any more than that. Trust me, there's been days where it feels like I have no idea what I'm doing, especially this last week, but then I look at her and I look at you and it's just… I don't know how to explain it, but it makes me feel like everything will be fine, that you and I are both figuring this out together and that's all we can do. Sofia is one incredibly lucky girl to have the mother she does, the mother who risked her own life to bring her into this world," Gabby blinked back the tears sitting in her eyes, the action proving useless as a few escaped anyhow. "You have done everything you could for her from the moment we found out you were pregnant. You were there for her when I wasn't handling this pregnancy well… And you have done that every day since. There is not a single person in this world that Sofia loves more than you, baby. Yeah, I'm a close second, but I've got nothing on you. She is in love with you, because you're her Momma, and she knows you will always protect her. You're the first person she wants when she wakes up, you're the person she wants before she falls asleep. You're everything to her." He preached, thankful to see a genuine, warm smile break through the tears. "You and I, we're all she knows. We're her entire world, and all we can do is try our hardest every day to take care of her. And I think we've done a pretty damn good job of that… _you_ have done an amazing job."

Gabby nodded firmly, more stray tears falling down her cheeks as she reached her arm out towards him, Matt grabbing ahold of her hand instantly. "Thank you." She murmured, Matt smiling softly, pushing himself up to press a gentle kiss to her lips, Gabby reciprocating the gesture. Matt stayed in the hunched position for as long as he could, knowing how much his wife needed this at the moment, but he reluctantly had to pull away, Matt returning to his seat on the foot rest.

Once seated, Matt glanced to Sofia, seeing their daughter still nursing, completely unfazed by the movement around her as she held onto her mom. The sight alone brought a smile to his face, this image just cementing the fact that every word he'd just told Gabby was completely true. The most important person in Sofia's life was the woman she clung to, little Sofia craving the contact with her mother.

Tearing his eyes away from their precious girl, Matt looked up to Gabby, seeing her teary eyes also focused on their daughter, his wife wearing a small smile as she stroked her thumb across Sofia's cheek.

"She is so in love with you, Gabby." He murmured, Gabby blinking tightly as she looked to her husband. "I'm sorry you've been feeling like this, I'm so sorry. But I'll tell you as much as you need me to, you are an absolutely incredible mother. It's been challenging, this past week especially, but you are doing such a great job with her. I am so proud of you, I hope you know that." He breathed out, seeing her give him a soft nod, Matt seeing a shift in her demeanor compared to half an hour ago.

"I do... I'm sorry for not talking to you sooner, just everything with her- it's all just been a lot to try and manage."

"I know, and you don't have anything to apologize for. Sofia's kind of taken it out of us here lately, but even if it's been days of no sleep, and we're tired, and I'm probably grumpy," His words brought a lighthearted smile to her lips, both of them knowing just how much truth his statement held. Though they could both get irritable when they lacked rest, Matt was definitely the more grumpy out of the two. "But no matter what the situation is, I'm right here. You know I'm always here for you."

"I do." She murmured, reaching out for his hand once more, Matt resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward.

"And, just so we're on the same page, you have never failed me." He told her firmly, Gabby's bottom lip falling in between her teeth as she breathed deeply. "Never. Not once. I never want you thinking that." Gabby gave him a nod, Matt squeezing her hand tightly. "You have never failed me, and you have definitely never failed her." He continued strongly, needing her to believe what he was saying.

"Thank you… For everything." She responded, Matt nodding softly. "And I hope you know I feel the exact same way about you." She spoke, seeing him raise his eyebrows. "You're the best dad in the world, Sofia is so lucky… I'm so lucky." The words left her lips quietly, Matt's grin widening as he lifted up her hand, pressing a kiss to her knuckles. "The things you said about how Sofia is with me, she's the exact same way with you… She loves you so much."

"The feeling is mutual." He replied, Gabby giving him a grin. "She does have some pretty amazing parents, if I do say so myself." His words turned light, earning a soft chuckle from Gabby as she looked down at their daughter, seeing her begin to pull away from her mom's chest.

"Yeah, I guess we're not half bad." She joked back, beginning to adjust Sofia in her arms, the girl automatically fussing.

"I got her." Matt murmured, Gabby nodding as she handed Sofia off to her husband, Matt grabbing a burping cloth and throwing it over his shoulder before cradling Sofia to his body, beginning to pat her back. "Yeah, you're okay. You're okay." He murmured to his daughter, doing what he could to help her.

While Sofia was being taken care of, Gabby adjusted her clothes, stretching out her back before relaxing into the chair, unable to take her eyes off her husband and baby. "I know you don't mind it, but I do want you to know how appreciative I am of how much you're doing for her… for us." She murmured, Matt glancing towards her with a bright smile.

"I know." He replied, continuing to gently pat Sofia's back. "But really, there's nothing you need to feel guilty about. I love taking care of her, and, yeah, maybe I'm doing more during the night right now, but you're the one feeding her. Which I know is draining, and you do so much for her during the day, too." He told her, wiping off Sofia's mouth while he spoke, the little girl having spit up. "Raising her, it's not about us splitting the work evenly, all that matters is that we're taking care of her to the best of our ability, and we are. You do more for her than I ever could, I don't want you thinking otherwise."

Gabby nodded slowly, her chest filling with warmth at the sight of Matt and their daughter. There was a lot going on in her head that she didn't understand right now, but one thing she was sure of was that there was no other person on this planet that she'd want to experience this all with. Matt was the most amazing father, and husband, and she knew how lucky she was to have him. She just wished she could do more to show him that.

"Are you alright?"

Gabby snapped from her thoughts when she heard his voice, her eyes coming into focus as she found his concerned eyes on her.

"You seemed to space out there for a second, is there something else you need to talk about?" He asked softly, his voice coated in worry. His words alone brought a soft smile to her face, Matt clearly confused by her reaction, but he matched her grin, his head tilting to the side slightly.

"No, no it's nothing else… I was just thinking about you, and how lucky I am. How lucky we are." She spoke, her eyes landing on Sofia as Matt was still methodically patting her back. "And how I wish I wasn't feeling like this." She added, the frown soon returning back to his lips. "I know I can't help it, it's not like I'm choosing to feel like way, I just- I don't know, I wish it was easier. I want to be able to enjoy every minute of this."

"I know you do." He murmured.

"I guess it's just hard because I don't understand it… a lot of the time I'm fine, but then other times I just feel… completely lost. But I'm trying, I really am."

"I know you are." He responded quickly. "I've never doubted that, not for a second. You can't help how you're feeling." He told her, Gabby giving him a slow nod as he pulled Sofia away from his chest, the little girl looking exhausted after her meal.

Without a word, Gabby held out her arms, Matt understanding her silent request as he handed Sofia over to her mother, knowing it would probably do Gabby some good to spend more time with their daughter. He watched with a bright grin as Gabby got Sofia situated in her arms, the little girl nuzzling herself into her mom's chest as Gabby leaned down, resting her head against Sofia's. Gabby was gently rubbing her hand over Sofia's back, the newborn stretching out as she made herself comfortable.

"Do you, uh…" He started, Gabby glancing to him as she waited for him to continue. "Do you think we should talk to Dr. Tanner about this? About how you've been feeling?" Matt questioned gently, Gabby releasing a heavy breath as she shrugged softly.

"I don't know, probably." She murmured, Matt placing his hands on her knees.

"I just want you to be okay. And I know this is something that might pass on it's own, but, I uh… when I was looking into everything before we had Sofia, I saw a lot about postpartum depression..." He spoke cautiously, Gabby not giving much in the form of a reaction, Matt watching her continuously rub over Sofia's back. "And what you're feeling, it might not be that, but it couldn't hurt for us to talk to Dr. Tanner, see if we can figure this out." Matt told her, giving her knee a gentle squeeze, the action bringing her gaze up to meet his. "I just wanna know you're alright, that's all that's important here." He finished, Gabby giving him a nod.

"We can talk to her." She responded, Matt rubbing his thumb over the inside of her knee. "If anyone can help, she can."

"Yeah, I think so too." He replied with a supportive smile. "Your check up is in a few days, right?" He asked for clarification, Gabby giving him a nod.

"Yeah, four days."

"Good, good." He murmured, looking back towards his daughter. "Is she asleep?"

"She's passed out." Gabby answered, Matt nodding as he stood up.

"Let's get her to bed, hopefully we can get a few hours of sleep before she's up again." He spoke softly, carefully taking Sofia from Gabby's arms. He knew his words were generous, that if the last couple of nights were any indication, it wouldn't be long until Sofia woke up crying, but, for both their sakes, he was praying Sofia would get some sleep tonight.

Walking slowly, Matt began the trek towards their bedroom, Gabby following close behind as they made their way through the apartment, both parents desperate to get to bed as quickly as they could, knowing they were on borrowed time before Sofia would be up again.

* * *

Matt kept his hand firmly over Sofia's stomach as his daughter was leaned against his chest, her back pressed into him as he held underneath her, making sure to keep a firm grip while the little girl surveyed her new surroundings. Today was the day of Sofia's first doctor's appointment, and the family had arrived a little early so Gabby could fill out all the necessary paperwork, which she was currently finishing up while Matt kept Sofia entertained. Although it wasn't so much him keeping her entertained than it was the few toddlers playing a few feet in front of them, the young children playing with the various toys around the doctor's office, Sofia finding their actions quite captivating.

When they first arrived to the doctor's office nearly twenty minutes ago, Sofia had been sound asleep, the drive over here lulling the girl into a deep slumber as it so often did. But with the noise of other children around her, she soon woke up and began fussing, not liking being restrained in her car seat. Casey had picked her up, trying to distract her while Gabby continued filling out all the papers, but Sofia wouldn't stop fussing. No matter how he tried to hold her, she wouldn't quiet down, not until he'd placed her against his chest, letting her look out at the world around her, and as soon as he did that, she calmed down. So he kept her in this position, his hand supporting her body while he rubbed over her chest and stomach, Matt keeping her at a leaned position so her head was supported.

While Sofia was intrigued by the world around her, Matt glanced to Gabby, his eyes moving over the paperwork she was nearly done with, seeing she'd finished filling out all of her information and his information, and she was down to the last bit.

Moving his eyes upward, he saw the concentrated look covering her face, a soft smile pulling on his lips when he noticed her tongue poking out between her teeth, Gabby diligently writing across the paper.

In the couple of days since their talk, Matt had noticed Gabby's mood improve a little bit. She seemed lighter, like she wasn't being weighed down by all those negative thoughts filling her mind, and she'd seemed happier. He knew things with her weren't fixed, that she hadn't magically gotten better just because she told him what was going on, but he did think their talk helped her. As far as he could tell it had, at least. He knew they still needed to talk with Dr. Tanner, he wouldn't feel better until he knew for sure what was going on with her, but it had been nice to see her a little less stressed, as much as she could be with a newborn.

"What are you staring at?"

Gabby's soft voice snapped him from his thoughts, Matt seeing her watching him with raised eyebrows, a gentle grin resting over her face. His own smile widened, Matt rubbing Sofia's stomach as he tilted his head to the side.

"My beautiful wife." He responded, watching as she ducked her head in what he seemed to partial annoyance and partial embarrassment.

"Uh huh, I'm sure." She responded, reaching out and running her hand over Sofia's head, the girl unfazed by her mother's actions, little Sofia too focused on the new environment around her, the girl's blue eyes wide with wonder.

"What? Isn't that my right as your husband, to be able to stare at you whenever I want?" He asked, Gabby scoffing lightly as she moved her hand down to Sofia's, the little girl instinctively gripping her mother's finger tightly in her fist. Apparently getting bored with the children around her, Sofia began pulling her mother's finger towards her open mouth, Gabby chuckling before she reached down into the diaper bag, pulling out a pacifier.

"Yeah, how about you use this instead, baby." She murmured, pulling her hand away from Sofia's mouth, the little girl fussing until her mom put the pacifier between her lips, the baby beginning to suck eagerly on the object. Matt held it in place so Gabby could sit back, both of them knowing Sofia couldn't keep it there on her own, their daughter going back to watching the people around her while she held onto Gabby's finger with a death grip.

"How old is she?"

Matt and Gabby glanced up from their daughter at the sound of the young voice, seeing a little girl who couldn't have been older than six standing right in front of them, the girl's pigtails moving as she bounced on her feet.

"She's a month old." Gabby responded with a smile, the young girl matching her grin.

"Wow, she's so little." She spoke, smiling wider when she looked back towards their daughter, seeing the baby's eyes widen when she saw the girl watching her. "What's her name?"

"Sofia." Gabby answered, the little girl taking a step closer, her dress swaying as she moved. "What's your name, honey?"

"Hanna." She responded with a toothy grin, Sofia beginning to move her arms around as she watched young Hanna.

"I think she likes you." Matt spoke lightly, seeing the look of pure excitement spread across Hanna's face, her eyes widening in delight.

"Really?" She spoke, Matt and Gabby both nodding.

"Hanna, honey come here." A woman around Gabby's age said as she came over, the Casey's assuming this to be the girl's mother.

"Mommy, Sofia likes me! Her Mommy and Daddy said so!" She said excitedly, the older woman coming to stand beside Hanna.

"I'm sorry for bothering you, she's always loved babies." Hanna's mother apologized, Gabby waving her off.

"Oh no, she's fine. You have a wonderful little girl." Dawson spoke, the older woman smiling graciously as she placed a hand on Hanna's shoulder. "Thanks for coming to say hi, Hanna." Gabby spoke to the little girl, watching as her bright smile widened even more.

"You're welcome!" She spoke animatedly. "Nice to meet you, Sofia." She spoke, patting Sofia's onesie-covered foot gently. "And nice to meet you, Sofia's Mommy and Daddy."

"It was nice to meet you too, Hanna." Matt spoke, Hanna flashing him another grin before being led away by her mother, Casey watching her as she walked away.

"She was so cute." Gabby murmured, Matt nodding in agreement as he saw Hanna sit down, the young girl waving at him once her little body got settled into the chair that was to big for her, Matt grabbing Sofia's hand and waving back, seeing Hanna smile excitedly once more.

"Yeah, she's adorable… She looks a lot like Sofia." Matt responded, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod. Little Hanna did look a lot like their daughter, the young girl having a near exact complexion to their Sofia, the girl's curly brown hair and small stature making it easy for them to envision Sofia at her age.

"Sofia Casey."

The parents looked up when they heard the nurse say their daughter's name, Matt standing up with Sofia, holding his daughter in one hand while grabbing her car seat with the other, Gabby carrying the diaper bag and their paperwork as they walked over.

"Hi, I'm Lizzie, I'm one of Dr. Mitchell's nurses, I'll be helping take care of Sofia today." She told them as they walked back, the woman taking them to their room. When they got inside, Matt placed the car seat down on the ground beside the exam table, Gabby placing her things down as well, the nurse taking the paperwork from Dawson. "If you could get Sofia down to just her diaper, we're gonna go weigh her and do some other measurements." She instructed warmly, Matt nodding as he carefully placed Sofia down on the table, the girl squirming around.

Sofia put up a bit of a fight, but Matt managed to get her undressed, leaving her onesie on the table as Gabby took little Sofia, the parents following her back out into the hallway. They got her weight first, Sofia not liking being left on the table, the little girl beginning to whimper as she waved her arms around, Gabby placing her hand back on Sofia's body as soon as she could, her touch comforting her daughter.

"You're okay." Gabby murmured, picking up Sofia and cradling her to her chest, the little girl nuzzling herself into her mother, now unsure of her new surroundings.

After getting her weight, they went back to the room, Matt sitting on the edge of the exam table while Gabby laid Sofia down on it, Lizzie beginning to process of taking her measurements. For as much as little Sofia didn't enjoy getting weighed, she hated getting her head measured much more, the baby crying when the unfamiliar item got wrapped around her head.

But soon enough it was over, Sofia having some time before she'd be examined again, Lizzie marking down everything before leaving the room, Sofia having ended up in her father's arms as they waited for Dr. Mitchell.

Matt was still seated on the table, Gabby leaning her weight into it beside him as he held Sofia in his lap, similar to the way he'd been holding her out in the waiting room, their daughter just now having calmed down.

"She did not like that at all." Matt spoke softly, rubbing his warm hand over her bare chest, trying to make sure she wasn't getting too cold.

"If she reacted like that to getting her head measured, she's gonna absolutely hate getting her shots." Gabby spoke, chuckling as she watched her husband's face pale, Matt blowing out a breath before he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Oh, baby girl, you have no idea what's coming." He murmured, Gabby laughing once more as she placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing across the back of his neck.

The parents weren't left waiting too much longer until the door opened again, seeing a young man, maybe a little younger than Matt, walk in with a warm smile on his face, the man closing the door behind him.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Kevin Mitchell, it's nice to finally meet you all." He spoke, shaking Gabby's hand and nodding to Matt, knowing he had his hands full with the baby.

"Yeah, it's nice to finally put a face with the voice. I'm Gabby, and this is my husband, Matt."

"Pleasure to meet you. And this must be Sofia." He spoke, patting the girl's leg, Sofia's eyes widening as she finally registered the new presence in the room, the baby having been too distracted hitting against her dad's hand to notice him. "She's a beautiful little girl."

"Thank you." Gabby murmured as Matt ran his hand across Sofia's stomach.

"Let me take a look at her, and then we can talk, that sound good?" Dr. Mitchell instructed, the parents nodding as Matt laid Sofia back on the bed, the little girl intrigued by everything that was going on around her.

Starting at her head, Dr. Mitchell began his complete exam, Sofia handling it surprisingly well as he checked everything from the top of her body to the bottom, the man writing down his notes as he went along. Within twenty minutes, he had finished his physical exam, Sofia clothed in a fresh diaper and her onesie, the little girl content as she sat in her mother's lap and sucked on her pacifier, Gabby holding it against her mouth.

"Well, first let me say that, from what I can tell, you've got a very healthy little girl." He spoke, Gabby and Matt both nodding with a gentle smile. "We have all her information from when she was in the hospital, and I've spoken extensively with Dr. Tanner, as well as her doctor from when she was in the NICU, so I have about all the information I can about her first few weeks. I know she was premature, and a pretty small baby, but she's been gaining weight pretty well. She's up a little less than a pound from when she was born, which for her size, is really good. She is a little underweight, but from where she started, she's doing well... I saw in your file that you're exclusively breastfeeding?"

"Yes, we are. Aside from a few days where we were both in the hospital and I wasn't able to feed her, she's only had breastmilk." Gabby explained, Dr. Mitchell nodding with a soft smile.

"And how often is she feeding?"

"Well, we had gotten into a pretty good rhythm for a bit, she'd eat every two to three hours, but then this past week or so it's been a lot more, but I don't think it's been because of hunger, I think she's been comfort feeding, I guess is what you'd call it." She spoke, earning a nod from Sofia's doctor. "I know we've talked about her colic issues, or if that's what it is, but ever since that started she's been comfort feeding a lot." Gabby finished, Dr. Mitchell writing some things down in his notes before returning his attention back to the parents.

"Yeah, I do see that sometimes, it's not uncommon, and I've seen it a lot in colic-y babies. Which, from what I can tell, is exactly what this is. I don't see any other potential problems, I believe she just has colic, which there's not much we can do until she grows out of it, but I do see a lot of babies who comfort feed. There's nothing wrong with it, contrary to popular belief. Sometimes babies just need their mother's." He explained, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "Babies can get overwhelmed just like we can, and with her colic issues, I'm sure that's part of it as well. She just wants her mom. But I know sometimes that can get difficult, physically and mentally, on you, Gabby." He spoke, Gabby giving him another nod.

"Yeah, it's been a lot. I mean, I'm happy to do it, if that's what she needs, but it has been kind of stressful at times." She admitted, Dr. Mitchell giving her a sympathetic smile.

"That's completely normal. I know there's only so much you can do if she's needing to feed, or wanting to, but what I usually recommend is doing skin to skin with her Gabby, and you as well, Matt. But give her a pacifier to suckle on instead of you, Gabby. It should still have the same effect, and give you a break." He told them, Gabby nodding in response. "And if that doesn't seem to be working, you can always trick her a little bit. Hold her like you're going to feed her, let her be in that position but just have the pacifier up against your chest and let her have that. Sometimes with comfort feeding, the position for feeding is just as comforting as the feeding itself, so that should definitely help give you a little break."

"That sounds great, yeah." She breathed out, already feeling relieved at the thought of getting a break. And she knew it would be good for Matt too, to let him get more close contact time with Sofia.

"Now, I also got a good listen to her lungs, and everything sounded good. She's breathing well. I know after that respiratory infection, her lungs had been an issue, and with premature babies there's always a worry about underdeveloped lungs, but she sounds great. From everything I heard and felt, little Sofia is a perfectly healthy little girl."

"Good." Matt responded, rubbing his thumb over Sofia's arm.

While both of them knew Sofia was more than likely fine, it was nice to have the confirmation from her doctor. It gave both of the new parents the reassurance they needed, the two knowing that would be a weight off their mind now.

"And with the colic, I know how stressful that can be for parents, especially new parents." He told them softly. "Like I said, there's not much you two can do except wait it out, but I know it's been difficult. Just try and manage as well as you can, lean on your support systems. Take breaks when possible. I know all that is easier said than done, but you'll be alright. Sofia is okay, she's perfectly fine, it's more so a matter of you two getting through this than her." Dr. Mitchell explained, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "There are some things you can do to help her, though."

"Okay."

"I can give you some pamphlets, and show you all how, but massaging her stomach can help relieve some of the gas she has trapped in her system, which'll help with her discomfort. You can also pedal her legs, that'll help as well. Also taking a bath with her works well, as long as you're careful. If she likes baths, the combination of that comfort, along with one of you, honestly works wonders. Especially if you try that before bed." He explained to them, the parents trying to take in all the information.

"I have more information I can give you all once we're done, I know this is a lot, but hopefully some of that will help." He finished, earning nods from both of them, Gabby gently bouncing Sofia in her lap.

The appointment carried on, Dr. Mitchell asking them all about Sofia and her schedule; how much she slept, how often she went to the bathroom, how long her crying fits would last. Dr. Mitchell needed to know everything, so they gave him as detailed answers as they could, them spending nearly another half hour with the man as he learned all he could about Sofia.

"Now, I don't need you back here until her two month check up, but she is going to be getting some vaccines today before you go." He told them as he stood up, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "If you can just unbutton her onesie, and get her legs free, I'm gonna go get Lizzie back in here and we'll get her those shots so you all can get out of here.

"Thank you, Dr. Mitchell."

"Of course." He told them, flashing them both a smile before he left the room, Gabby and Matt getting Sofia ready to get her shots.

It took another ten minutes for Sofia to get her shots, and she reacted worse than her parent's could've ever imagined. They were expecting it, they knew she'd hate it, but the screams that came from their little girl left them both unsettled, Sofia not calming down even in the comforting hold of her mother.

Sofia was still in tears by the time they got out of the office, Matt opting to carry her out to their car instead of putting her back in the car seat, wanting to comfort his daughter after the traumatic experience she just went through.

But, thankfully, by the time they got to the car, Sofia had calmed down, the girl nearly asleep as Matt strapped into her seat, the family soon getting loaded up into the car, Matt and Gabby both eager to get back to the apartment and just be at home with their little girl.

* * *

A chill ran through Gabby's body as she stepped out of the shower, reaching for her towel and beginning to dry her tired body off, her previously tight muscles feeling much more relaxed after her long, hot shower.

She hadn't been planning on staying in there as long as she did, but when Matt came in to check on her about fifteen minutes ago and assured her Sofia was still sleeping soundly, she mentioned something about enjoying her shower a little longer, which Matt instantly encouraged. So she ended up staying under the hot water for a few extra minutes, Gabby now feeling refreshed and relaxed.

"Damn."

His short word was followed by a whistle, Gabby narrowing her eyes as she wrapped her towel around her body, shielding her from his view as she glanced towards her husband, seeing him leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest. Matt's smile widened when he saw her glare, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.

"Hello gorgeous."

"Yeah, now I know you're not talking to me." She replied, walking towards the counter. Matt stepped inside as well, coming up to stand behind her, moving her wet hair off to the side before placing his hands on her hips. Gabby tensed slightly before relaxing, Matt moving his hands across her sides and her stomach.

"I am absolutely talking to you." He murmured, pressing a soft kiss to her damp shoulder, slowly trailing his kisses towards her neck. A gentle grin fell onto her face as he continued kissing against her skin, Gabby continuing to relax as his hands slowly roamed her body, being mindful not to touch too low near her scars.

It had been awhile since they'd been able to be together as intimately as they wanted, since before Gabby's accident while on the job at 51, and even though they both knew it couldn't go much farther than this, it was nice to be this close again. To be close without Gabby's body being inhabited by another person, for it to just be the two of them; it was nice, and they both missed it more than they realized. Even though she still wasn't entirely confident in herself.

In the month since she'd given birth, she had definitely lost a lot of the extra weight hanging around from Sofia, breastfeeding having helped a lot with that. But she still had a little bit of a belly, and some of her skin was a little looser than it had been before. She knew Matt didn't care, he'd never cared, but she was still adjusting to the fact that her body would most likely never return to how it had been before.

But feeling Matt's lips on her skin, and his hands moving over her body without a care in the world, she knew the changes in her appearance didn't matter to him one bit, and eventually she knew they wouldn't to her either.

Matt groaned against her skin, his lips holding onto her neck before he reluctantly pulled away, resting his chin on her shoulder as his arms wrapped around her stomach, Gabby placing her hands over his.

"Your shirt is probably getting wet." She spoke softly, Matt chuckling as he pressed another kiss to her skin.

"Worth it." He murmured against her. "I have a surprise for you, by the way."

"Oh yeah?" She asked with a smirk, Matt nodding slowly.

"Yeah… I may have had some ulterior motives to you staying in the shower longer." He replied vaguely, Gabby raising her eyebrows.

"And what might those be?"

"You get dressed and I'll show you." He responded, nodding towards the clothes she'd brought in, Matt pulling back from her as Gabby turned around to face him.

"What'd you do?"

"It's nothing much, but you'll see." He told her, pressing a firm kiss to her lips before walking towards the door. "Let me know when you're done." He called after walking from the bathroom, closing the door behind him. She knew he hadn't closed the door for her benefit, so whatever he'd done had to have been in the bedroom, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she went through the process of getting ready for bed.

Changed into a pair of comfortable shorts and one of Matt's t-shirts, Gabby hung up her towel before walking towards the door. "Matt." She kept her voice relatively low, even though she knew Sofia wasn't in the bedroom, their daughter having fallen asleep in her swing in the living room. But still, she didn't want to be too loud, just in case. "Can I come out now?"

Matt pushed the door open, taking her by surprise as he wore a soft grin on his face. "Hi." He spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrows.

"Hi. Can I come out now?" She asked again, Matt nodding as he moved behind her, covering her eyes with his hands. "Matt…"

"What?"

"Is this necessary?" She asked, huffing out a breath as he slowly began moving them forward, Gabby knowing they had gotten into the bedroom when she felt the change of flooring beneath her.

"Yes, it's a surprise." He responded, Gabby hearing the excitement in his voice, Matt moving her further into the room, the two coming to a stop after a few seconds. "Alright, now that we're here I'm realizing that I definitely overhyped this." He breathed out, Gabby chuckling as his hands stayed over her eyes. "This is really nothing and I'm understanding that now, and I feel a little stupid, but still, I hope you like it-"

"Babe." Gabby interrupted his rambling, feeling his breath on her neck as he let out a soft laugh.

"Right, sorry. Okay well, here you go."

Matt removed his hands from her face, Gabby slowly opening her eyes, coming face to face with the chair from Sofia's room now sitting in the corner of their bedroom. Her eyes narrowed in confusion, Gabby feeling Matt come to stand by her side.

"I figured it would be good to have in here while Sofia was sleeping in our room." He began explaining, Gabby looking up towards him. "I know it's your favorite place to nurse her, it's the most comfortable for both of you, and, I don't know, I thought it would be easier having it in here than you having to go to the nursery all the time. I should've done it weeks ago, I don't know why it didn't occur to me until now to do it, but I thought it would be easier on the both of you, since the only reason we go to that side of the apartment is to nurse her." He spoke, Gabby grinning softly. "We'll put it back in there eventually, but for now I thought you might like it here. If not, I can move it back, I know we talked about how it was good to get Sofia acclimated to her room so if you want, I'll put it back, but I thought it would be helpful for you-"

Gabby cut him off with a kiss, her hands holding his cheeks as she held him against her, Matt smiling into her movement as his hands moved to her waist, the two getting lost in each other for a few moments.

"Thank you." She whispered against his lips, kissing him again quickly before pulling back. "I love it, thank you."

She felt a warmth flood her body when she saw the goofy grin form over his face, Matt nodding as he rubbed his hand over her back.

"Of course, yeah, it's nothing. I just know all that back and forth to the nursery wasn't the most fun, so now you can both be comfortable in here." He responded with a shrug, Gabby rubbing her hands over his chest before sliding them down around his back, bringing her body into his. Matt reciprocated the gesture, wrapping his arms around her back, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "I love you."

"I love you, too." She whispered against his neck, placing a kiss against his skin.

Their quiet moment was soon interrupted by the sound of their daughter's cries flooding in through the open doorway, the parents pulling back from one another, Gabby rubbing over his lower back before stepping away from him.

"You want me to get her?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head as she moved towards the door.

"No, I'm sure she's just hungry. I'm gonna get her and bring her back, you know, since I can nurse her in here now." She spoke with an appreciative grin, Matt matching her smile as she disappeared through the doorway. Releasing a soft chuckle, Casey went back to the laundry he'd been folding while she was in the shower, listening to the sounds of Gabby soothing their daughter out in the living room.

* * *

**Well, what do you think? I really enjoyed this one, I hope you guys did to.**

**When I'm writing this story, before I do anything I always try and picture in my head how my scenes would play out on screen, and that's how I kind of follow with how to write them. It's always fun for me to think about it that way, and I think it helps me stay true to the characters, as well. I dunno, kind of just a random little thought for you guys.**

**That is one reason I wish we could've gotten to see this story play out for Dawsey on screen, aside from the obvious reasons, but I would've loved to see how they handled taking care of their newborn. Obviously, in my story, Gabby's been through more than she would've gone through on the show, so that's an added factor in her mental state, but I still could see her struggling a bit to the adjustment of motherhood. That's why I've chosen to write her this way, because I could totally see that being the case. But, we'll never know how it would've played out I guess. I just hope you guys are liking how this is going so far.**

**Thank you all so much for reading and for continuing to support this story. It means the world, I can't wait to hear your thoughts on everything. See you all next time.**


	64. Chapter Sixty Four

**Hi. First off, I just want to apologize for no update on Thursday. Last week was crazy busy, and I wasn't able to get this chapter finished in time. I didn't want to just throw something together and post it, so I decided to wait and just upload it today. And honestly, I needed a little break. I probably could've gotten a chapter up last week, but it wouldn't have been good, and I definitely would've gone a little insane trying to finish it. I've been feeling a little burnt out lately, so I decided to let myself have a few days to breathe a little bit when it comes to writing, especially because I was already super busy. But I am sorry, because I know many of you are always watching for when I'm going to update. I mentioned in my other story there wouldn't be an update until today, but I know not all of you read that one, so I just wanted to apologize here as well. Hopefully you all enjoy this one.**

**Thank you all for sticking with me. Happy reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Four**_

* * *

"How are you feeling?" Matt asked as they strolled through the park, moving slowly as Gabby pushed the empty stroller, them bringing it more for a walking aid than to actually carry their daughter.

"I'm good, babe." She responded, glancing over to see him with his hand on Sofia's back as their little girl slept against his chest. When they got to the park a little less than half an hour ago, Gabby and Matt had gotten Sofia comfortably placed against her dad in the baby carrier he had strapped to his body, keeping her safe and secure with her head resting against his chest. It was the easiest way they found to keep Sofia content when they'd be out and about, the girl almost the most comfortable when she was curled up with one of her parents, and the baby carrier allowed them to still have use of their arms. And as an added bonus, Matt absolutely loved walking around with Sofia strapped to his chest. He wasn't sure why, but it elicited a paternal feeling in him that he loved.

"You're not too sore or anything? We can take a break, there's a bench up there." He offered as they continued to slowly stroll down the paved path.

"Matt, the whole point of this was for me to actually get out and walk." She replied lightly, Matt moving his hand up and down Sofia's back as he matched her pace. "You forcing me to bring along this stroller was bad enough, we don't need to stop every ten minutes."

"Dr. Tanner said it was good to sometimes have something to use when you start moving around a lot more again." He responded with a shrug, glancing down to make sure Sofia was still sound asleep, the gentle swaying of his body while he walked keeping her deep within her slumber. "And I know we're doing this so you can get out more, but you also don't need to overdo it." He countered with a soft smirk, Gabby rolling her eyes as they kept moving, Dawson flipping him off as they walked past the nearest bench before he could offer for them to take a break. Matt's eyebrows raised in amusement, a slight scoff escaping his lips as he shook his head. "Miss Dawson, that is not very nice." He muttered, bringing his free hand around to her back, rubbing lightly down to her hip.

"That's Mrs. Casey to you- hey!" She smacked his shoulder when she felt him pinch her, Matt's hand having slid down lower than she realized as she swatted him away. "Watch it." She warned, Matt chuckling as he gave her another pinch before sliding his hand back up to her waist.

"What? Just showing my appreciation for my beautiful wife." He spoke, slowing down his steps as he leaned down, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"And I appreciate it, but maybe show your appreciation somewhere a little more private… maybe somewhere it won't get us arrested." She responded with a laugh, Casey blowing out a breath.

"Fair point. Although I can't exactly show you my _full _appreciation yet…" He replied, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"It's less than a week until I go and most likely get my all clear from Dr. Tanner, you can't hold out until then? You've already lasted this long." She mused with raised eyebrows, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he fought back a smile, knowing he needed to be careful how he answered this.

"I can hold out as long as you need me to." He answered, Gabby's glare softening slightly as Matt's smile widened. "But you can't blame a guy for missing being with the most gorgeous woman on the planet." He added, Gabby releasing a light scoff.

"Well played, Casey." She replied, Matt smirking as he pressed a kiss to her temple.

"Yeah, I thought I did okay." He spoke, kissing her again before dropping his hand from her waist, the couple continuing their walk.

"Is she still doing okay?" Gabby questioned, Matt glancing down towards Sofia again. Even though he was only able to see the top of her head, he could tell she was still asleep, the girl having not moved from her comfortable position tucked against her father's chest.

"She's doing good, you know how much she loves when we walk around with her." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod in agreement, knowing just how true his statement was. Sofia absolutely loved being held, especially by her parents. It had been that way since she was born, but it became much more apparent after her colic issues started, the girl constantly seeking the comfort of her mom and dad, which led to Gabby and Matt's fair share of days where she refused to be put down.

"Good." Gabby responded, Matt noticing how her pace was gradually getting slower as they moved, but he didn't want to say anything. He didn't feel like starting an argument, at least not unless it got to the point where he needed to, but he could see Gabby was definitely starting to reach her limit. The only problem was that this was Gabby, and she didn't like to admit defeat to anyone, most of all herself. But when he saw her wince slightly, he shook his head, coming to a complete stop, grabbing her arm in the process to stop her as well.

"We can stop." He offered, Gabby drawing a deep breath as she placed her hand over her abdomen. "What's wrong? Are you okay?" Matt's voice became frantic, Gabby immediately shaking her head, trying to ease his worries.

"I'm fine, it's just a cramp." She assured him, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he glanced down to her stomach.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." Gabby nodded, Matt pursing his lips together. "I think I just might need to call it for today." She admitted, earning an immediate nod from her husband.

"No, yeah, of course. Let's sit down for a second before going back to the car." He told her, not waiting for her response before they turned around, heading for the closest bench. When they got there, Matt made sure Gabby was situated before he locked the stroller and placed himself down on the bench beside her. Checking to make sure Sofia was still alright, he turned his attention back to Gabby, flashing her a soft smile. "What hurts?"

"It's just the same stuff, I'm still sore… More sore than I thought I'd be this far along in my recovery." She breathed out, Matt giving her a sympathetic nod, rubbing his hand over her back as he heard the frustration in her voice.

"I know… But if it means anything at all, I think you're doing great." He responded, Gabby looking up to him. "I know you've still got some lingering pain, and some days things aren't progressing as much as you'd like, but I'm so proud of you for how well you're doing." He told her softly, seeing a wide grin fall to her face.

"It means everything, thank you." She murmured, leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, the two separating after a quick moment. "I just get frustrated sometimes, but Dr. Tanner said all this was normal, so it's not even that I'm concerned about it, I'm mostly just annoyed." She continued, releasing a deep breath as she did her best to communicate exactly how she was feeling, knowing it was good for the both of them.

Gabby's appointment with Dr. Tanner last week had done a lot of good not only for Gabby, but for both her and Matt. They had gotten confirmation that everything with Gabby was looking good, she was healing well and nothing with her, physically, raised any cause for concern. And they also had the chance to talk with the doctor about everything going on with Gabby mentally as well. After hearing what all Gabby was struggling with, Dr. Tanner soon told her that she seemed to be dealing with some lingering postpartum depression. Dr. Tanner even mentioned how she was able to see some of the signs the second their appointment started, before Gabby had even told her about it, but she reassured them it was nothing that couldn't be helped. That, from both Gabby and Matt's accounts, she was already doing better, having more good days than bad, and that she seemed to be handling this major life adjustment better and better each day.

It was a lengthy appointment, filled with a lot of long talks from not only Gabby, but also Matt, Dr. Tanner wanting as much of the complete picture as possible. But it was clear what this new mom was struggling with, which led them into discussing their options and how to help Gabby. There were things she could do like counseling, and support groups, but there were other things that she could do just by herself, like making sure she was eating enough, exercising, getting enough sleep, and making time for herself; all things to just help balance her life a little bit.

The last two were a bit challenging with a newborn, but the first two were manageable, the visit with Dr. Tanner kickstarting these walks that they had begun taking as a family. It was good for Gabby to get moving around again, at a reasonable pace, as well as getting her out of the house. And it was good for Sofia to be out, too. It had ended up being a great thing for all three of them, and was something they had made a point to make time for as often as they could.

Thankfully, every day, Gabby was seeming to be more and more like her old self. She still had her hard moments where things got to be too much, or she felt like she wasn't handling everything as well as she should, but those times were becoming more and more sporadic. And when she was feeling down, Matt did everything he could to lift her spirits. He had been absolutely amazing with not only Sofia, but her as well, doing everything he could for both of his girls. If you asked Gabby, she'd say he was the main reason she was doing so much better, with him just having the ability to always know what both of them needed. But whenever his contributions were brought up, he'd always shift the focus back to Gabby, reminding her how she was the one working her way through this, he was just trying to do what he could to help. He didn't want praise for taking care of his family; Gabby was feeling better, and that's all that mattered to him.

"I know it's frustrating, but it'll get better. Just remember what she said, sometimes it can take even longer than six weeks… Especially after what you went through. What's important is that you just don't rush it."

"Yeah, you're right…" She breathed out, Matt smirking widely as he turned to look at her, Gabby shaking her head, refusing to meet his gaze. "Don't get a big head, it doesn't happen all that often."

"I know, that's why I need to enjoy this." He replied, feeling Sofia begin to shift against him, the little girl fussing. "Okay, yeah I don't think she likes me sitting down." He shifted the subject, Matt pushing himself up from the bench, beginning to move back and forth in front of Gabby, doing what he could to lull Sofia back to sleep.

From her seated position, Gabby couldn't help but watch as her husband bounced around, his hands resting against the carrier holding their daughter to his chest, Matt cooing comforting words to little Sofia, as if they were the only two people in the world.

The sight alone made her heart swell, Gabby seeing a soft smile fall onto his lips as he interacted with their daughter. There was no doubt in Gabby's mind of how much Matt loved her, the love he had for their little girl was something completely different than anything she had ever seen from him. Gabby knew Matt loved her more than anything, but the love he had for their daughter was something so completely unique and special. She couldn't explain it, she couldn't compare it to anything; it was just different. And it made her beyond thankful to know Sofia had two people who put her above everything else, who loved her with everything they had, and then some.

Drawing in a slow breath, Gabby pushed herself up from the bench, Matt watching her carefully as she moved into a standing position. "Let's get home." She told him, Casey rubbing across Sofia's back.

"You sure you're good? We can stay for a few more minutes." He offered, Gabby shaking her head as she gripped the stroller.

"I'm okay." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod before they began the walk back towards the car, Sofia soon falling back asleep once they started moving.

The family walked in a peaceful quiet, the warm October air feeling comfortable against their skin as they continued down the sidewalk, Matt occasionally reaching out to rub his hand over her back.

They had almost gotten back to the car when Matt felt his phone buzzing in his pocket, Casey dropping his hand from Gabby's back before reaching to grab his phone.

"Who is it?" She asked after seeing Matt look at the screen, but he didn't answer it.

"I don't know, I don't recognize the number." He replied, silencing his phone before shoving it back in his pocket, both of them quickly forgetting about the call once they arrived at the car, the parents eager to get back home with their little girl.

* * *

Gabby watched on in amusement from her position on the couch as Matt was laying down on the floor, resting on his stomach as he played with Sofia. Their little girl was currently doing tummy time, and not soon after Gabby had put her down, Matt decided to join her on the ground, the two Casey's thoroughly enjoying their time playing together. With Sofia now being over five weeks old, she was getting better and better at being on her stomach, and she was starting to be able to lift her head. She couldn't keep it up, but she could lift it for a second before needing to put it back down, and she was able to turn her head as well. It seemed like every day she was getting bigger and stronger, and hitting new milestones, and Matt and Gabby wanted to soak in every moment.

"There's my girl." Matt spoke lightly when Sofia turned her head back towards her dad, Matt flashing a wide smile. She moved her arm around, Matt putting his hand out towards her, giving her the chance to grab onto his finger. "You're getting so big, what happened to my little girl?" He asked softly, Sofia squirming around as she tried to pull his hand towards her mouth. "Why are you always trying to eat me? That's not very nice, Sof. But you're just so cute, I don't even care."

Matt looked up when he heard Gabby laughing from the couch, his eyebrows raising as he lifted his head up, seeing his wife smirking at him.

"Something to say from the peanut gallery over there?" He asked, pulling his hand away when he felt Sofia start to put his fingers in her mouth. "No, baby, you have other toys for that, not Daddy's hand." He spoke, Sofia fussing when he pulled his hand back, Matt grabbing one of her toys and putting it in front of her face, distracting her easily. Once Sofia had settled back down, he returned his attention back to Gabby, finding her with that same smirk on her face. "Yeah, don't think I forgot about you, what are you laughing at?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbows while continuing to move the toy around in front of Sofia's face, her eyes wide as she was intrigued by what her dad was holding.

"You're just cute, that's all." She replied, Matt playfully narrowing his eyes.

"_Just_ cute?" He challenged, Gabby shrugging softly.

"Well, you're also incredibly sexy, but right now, yeah, you're cute." She answered, Matt chuckling as he looked back to Sofia, seeing his daughter smacking her hand against the toy.

"Sofia, your Momma is hitting on me." He spoke, earning a laugh from his wife as he placed his hand over Sofia's back. "She does that a lot."

"Says the guy who was pinching my ass earlier." She countered, Matt meeting her gaze with a smug grin.

"Well can you blame me?" He responded with a laugh, Gabby rolling her eyes while Matt placed a kiss to the top of their daughter's head, Sofia continuing to squirm around underneath him.

Before Matt could even pull back, he heard Sofia begin to burp on the ground, Matt immediately feeling spit up coat his hand as he moved back from his daughter.

"You okay, baby?" He questioned even though the girl couldn't respond, grimacing as he saw his hand covered in Sofia's spit up, as well as some of it staining her mat and the toy in his hand, along with her. "I guess I didn't burp you as much as I should've, huh? That's Daddy's fault, I'm sorry. Let's get you up." He murmured, carefully picking her up off her stomach while Gabby got up from the couch.

"She's been on her stomach longer than normal, that probably didn't help." Gabby added before disappearing into the kitchen, Matt leaving the toy on the mat as he grabbed one of the many baby clothes they had all around the apartment from the coffee table, wiping off her face as Gabby came back in, holding a towel and some wipes. Slowly moving down to sit on her shins, Gabby took Sofia from Matt's arms so he could clean off his hand, Gabby doing what she could to wipe off the little girl's clothes.

Once Matt had gotten the spit up off his hand, he quickly wiped down the toy and the mat before looking to Sofia, seeing her happily sitting in her mother's arms, not caring about the fact that she'd just made a mess.

"Oh, you think this is funny, don't you?" He asked, reaching out and tickling her stomach, Sofia waving her arms around, both Matt and Gabby seeing a bright, wide smile form over her face.

Matt's eyes widened, his gaze immediately looking to Gabby, seeing the similar look of joy covering her face.

"Did she just..?"

"Yeah, she did." Gabby responded with a grin, looking back to their daughter, seeing that bright smile still there. "Look at that beautiful smile." She murmured, rubbing her finger along Sofia's cheek, the young girl continuously waving her arms around.

Although Sofia had smiled before, it was always just more of a reflex. It was nothing ever done in response to her parents. But the smile she wore right now, that was a real smile. Her first real smile, the girl's bright blue eyes shining up at her mom.

Slowly, Matt reached out, placing his hand on top of his daughter's head, gaining her attention as her eyes darted towards her father, her wide smile now shining brightly back at him, the image flooding Matt's body with an overwhelming amount of love.

"You're growing up too fast." He murmured, stroking his thumb over her forehead, Sofia kicking her legs, loving having the complete attention of both her parents.

"She really is." Gabby agreed, looking up to Matt, seeing him still watching their daughter. "I'm gonna go change her clothes." She spoke, Matt nodding as he got up off the ground. Before Gabby could even figure out how to maneuver herself up with Sofia in her arms, Matt reached down and gently grabbed ahold of her arms, helping her stand up as he shouldered some of her weight. "Thank you."

"You want me to change her? I don't mind." He offered, Gabby shaking her head as she reached out to gently tap his cheek.

"That's okay, I've got her." Gabby responded, Matt nodding as she began heading towards the nursery. It took him barely a second to follow after her, Matt not wanting to miss out on a second with his girls.

* * *

Casey opened up the oven to take a quick look at their dinner, quickly determining it still needed a few minutes before he shut the door again, wiping his hands off on the dish towel. He turned around, intent on heading back towards the bedroom where Gabby and Sofia were, but was stopped when he heard a knock at the back door, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he walked around the counter. Before he even got to the door, he saw a familiar face on the other side, Matt flashing him a smile as he got to the door, flipping the lock before opening it.

"Hey Antonio." Casey greeted, stepping aside so his brother could come in.

"Hey Casey, sorry for just stopping by, is this a bad time?" He asked, Matt shaking his head as he shut the door behind the older Dawson, locking it in place.

"No, not at all. We were just about to have dinner, wanna stay and eat?" Matt offered, Antonio nodding in response, beginning to shrug off his light jacket.

"That'd be great, thanks." He responded, Matt moving back towards the oven when the timer went off.

"It's no problem, we're having chicken pot pie, Herrmann's wife made it, so it's safe." Casey joked, earning a laugh from the detective as he tossed his jacket over the back of a chair.

"Sounds good, man."

Matt gave him a nod as he pulled the meal out of the oven, making sure it was turned off as he placed the food on the counter, knowing it would need a few minutes to cool down. "So, what brought you by?" Matt asked, Antonio glancing to him with a look Casey couldn't read.

"Oh, well, uh, I was just coming by to see Gabby. Got off work early, so I figured I'd come and see how you all were." He replied, Matt nodding as he moved towards the fridge, pulling out a beer for Antonio.

"Well, we're doing good. She can fill you in on everything, but she's feeling alright. Sofia's good, too, Gabby's feeding her right now but she should be almost done." Casey told him, Antonio giving him a nod before Matt moved back into the kitchen.

Casey got the plates and silverware set out, Matt bringing the food over just as Gabby emerged from the bedroom with a soft smile on her face. "I thought I heard a second voice out here." She spoke, placing the baby monitor down on the table before she walked towards her brother, giving him a light hug.

"Hey sis, where's the baby?" He asked, Gabby chuckling as they pulled back from one another.

"You're only here to see my kid, huh?" She questioned teasingly, Antonio shrugging as the siblings sat down, Matt getting both him and Gabby a drink before joining them, sitting down by Gabby's side.

"Well, I won't deny it… you've got one adorable kid."

"Don't I know it." Matt agreed, rubbing his hand over Gabby's back while she began getting some food.

"But to answer your question, I just got her down. She usually passes out right after she eats, but we'll have to wake her up in the next hour and a half or so if she doesn't wake up on her own, or else she won't sleep tonight. So if you stick around long enough, you can see her." Gabby explained, Antonio nodding in response.

"I'll stick around as long as you'll have me." He replied with a grin, Gabby matching her brother's smile as they began enjoying their food.

Around an hour later, they had just finished up their meal when they heard Sofia begin to fuss through the monitor, her fussing quickly turning into crying as she fully woke up, the little girl begging for someone to come get her.

"I got her." Matt spoke first, placing his napkin on the table before sliding his chair back, Gabby rubbing his leg appreciatively before he stood up, Casey heading for the bedroom.

Opening the door, Matt stepped inside the dark room, putting the door back against its frame as he listened to Sofia's cries. "I'm right here, baby." He soothed, turning on the lamp before walking to her bassinet.

The second Matt placed his hand on Sofia's chest and she opened her eyes, her cries quieted down, the young girl waving her arms around and kicking her legs in the air.

"There's my girl, you're okay." Matt murmured, Sofia smiling up at him despite the tears in her eyes, Casey continuously rubbing gently over her chest. "Yeah, there's my happy little girl." He repeated softly before sliding his hands under her, carefully lifting her out of her bed. "Did you have a good nap? You didn't sleep very long… But I guess you could just sense all the excitement happening out there with Uncle Antonio." Matt continued talking to Sofia as he took her over towards the dresser, placing her down on the changing pad. "Speaking of which, your Uncle Tony is eager to see you. Although who can blame him." He spoke, beginning the process of unbuttoning her onesie.

Having gotten rather efficient at the process, Matt got Sofia changed quickly, the little girl sucking on her fist while her father got her into a fresh diaper. "Yeah, I'm sure you feel much better now." He murmured, leaning down over her. Sofia's eyes widened when her father got closer, a smile peeking out from behind the hand in her mouth as Matt began tickling her stomach. Casey continued playing with his little girl for a few minutes, Sofia making unintelligible noises of joy as her slobbery fists moved around in the air.

"Alright, alright, if I don't get you out there soon, your Momma's gonna come looking for us." Matt spoke, placing a soft kiss on her forehead before he got her legs back in her onesie, buttoning the material back up. "Come on, little girl, let's go see your Momma and Antonio." He spoke softly, carefully picking her up and moving towards the door, using his foot to swing it open.

Walking out into the apartment, Matt slowed his steps when he saw Antonio standing at the kitchen table with a wide smirk on his face, Gabby clearing amused as well.

"What? What did I miss?" He asked, cradling Sofia in his arms.

"Nothing man, we were just enjoying the conversation you and Sofia were having." Antonio spoke with a chuckle, heat rising to Matt's cheeks as he looked towards Gabby, seeing her stifle a laugh.

"Baby monitor." She explained shortly, Matt shaking his head as he looked down towards Sofia. "Aw, don't be embarrassed baby, it was cute." She responded lightly, pushing herself up from her chair, grabbing both her plate and Matt's, taking them to the sink.

"Yeah, it was real sweet, Casey." Antonio added with a snicker, Matt shaking his head as he bounced Sofia in his arms.

"The Dawson's are mean, Sof." He whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Good thing you're a Casey."

"Hey!" Gabby called from the kitchen, Matt's eyes widening as he lifted his head, finding Gabby watching him with an unimpressed look on her face, Antonio laughing at his expense as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"...You heard that?"

"Mhmm." She hummed, narrowing her eyes at the husband.

"I love you." He responded, flashing her the grin he knew she couldn't resist, but Gabby held strong, shaking her head as she went back to clearing their dishes.

"Yeah, I'm sure. You better watch yourself… _Casey_."

"You should've kept your mouth shut, man." Antonio spoke with a laugh as he walked past Casey, patting the man's chest, stopping to play with Sofia for a second before he continued helping clear the table.

"Yeah, you think I would've learned that by now." He responded, shaking his head before he stepped further into the kitchen, coming to a stop by Gabby's side, Matt adjusting Sofia in his arms, holding her against his chest so she was facing Gabby. The girl got excited the second she noticed her mom, Sofia waving her arms around animatedly, loud, happy noises escaping her lips. "Your baby wants to see you." Matt spoke softly, Gabby narrowing her eyes at him with a slight smirk before she turned her attention to Sofia, her gaze softening instantly.

"Hello my baby." She murmured, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to Sofia's head. When she pulled back, she saw Matt had his lips puckered out with his neck leaned forward, Gabby raising her eyebrows as her head tilted to the side. Seeing her face, Matt leaned forward more, Gabby shaking her head. "Uh uh, no sir." She responded, Matt's face falling, his reaction causing a chuckle to escape her lips. "Maybe next time, you'll think before you speak." She finished, tapping his cheek before slipping past him, Matt huffing out a breath as he kept his grip on Sofia.

With help from Antonio, Gabby soon gotten the kitchen cleared while Matt held onto the baby, the three walking towards the living room so Antonio could get some time with his niece.

They had just gotten over to the couch when the sound of Casey's phone ringing filled the apartment, Matt glancing back towards the bedroom where his phone was residing. With Sofia in his arms, he began walking back in that direction, but Gabby stopped him.

"I got it, babe." She told him, Matt flashing her an appreciative smile before she turned around, Casey handing Sofia off to Antonio once he was settled on the couch.

"Man, you're getting bigger, aren't you, Sofia?" Antonio asked, the girl sucking on her pacifier as her wide blue eyes stared up at her uncle.

"She definitely is." Matt agreed, his eyes moving towards the bedroom when he heard Gabby walking back towards them.

"It's an unknown number." Gabby told him, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he stood up. The ringing stopped right before she could get the phone to him, Matt checking the number once the device was in his hands. "Is that the same one from earlier?" Gabby asked, Matt pursing his lips together.

"I think so, yeah."

"And that's the second call today?"

"Yeah."

"What's going on?" Antonio questioned from the couch, Matt sitting down in the chair as Gabby moved to go sit next to her baby and her brother.

"Matt keeps getting these calls, but he doesn't recognize the number." She explained, Antonio glancing over to Casey, seeing the man still staring at his phone.

"Do they leave a voicemail?" He asked, Matt looking up to find both Gabby and Antonio watching him.

"No, no they don't. But they've only called twice, might just be a wrong number." He shrugged, leaning forward to place his phone on the coffee table.

"Want me to look into it for you?" Antonio offered, Matt looking back up to him. "I can run the number, see who it is."

Matt's eyes flickered to Gabby, watching as she gave him a shrug, silently telling him it was his choice. "Nah, that's okay. I'm sure it's nothing." He decided, Antonio giving him a nod in response.

When Sofia began demanding attention, the topic of conversation shifted, all three of them focused on the adorable baby in Antonio's arms. She was definitely a rambunctious child, Sofia liking it best when the focus was on her.

Antonio only hung around for another half hour or so, not wanting to overstay his welcome, knowing that it was getting late and Sofia would need to be getting to bed soon. Although it had been awhile, he knew how important keeping to a schedule was when dealing with kids, especially babies, and he didn't want to disrupt that.

He had said his goodbyes to Sofia, Matt whisking her away to go change her diaper while Gabby walked him to the back door. "...So, why did you really stop by?" Gabby asked once she was alone with her brother, Antonio sliding his jacket on.

"Excuse me?"

"I know you didn't come by just because, what's up?" She questioned, Antonio taking a deep breath as his eyes flashed towards the bedroom, Gabby watching him closely as he met her gaze again. "What is it?"

"I came here to give you this." He responded, reaching into his jacket pocket, pulling out a white envelope.

Gabby's eyes fell closed the second she realized what was in his hands, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as she ran her hand over the side of her face.

"This, uh, this belongs to you." Antonio spoke, holding out the letter Gabby had given him for safe keeping.

Her letter for Matt.

The letter she'd written in case something happened to her.

"I told you I was gonna give it back to you, sis." He continued, Gabby nodding as she bit down on the inside of her cheek, reaching out to take the letter from him.

"I know, I'd just- I'd forgotten about this, honestly." She murmured, her fingers tracing over the front of the envelope, Matt's name in her handwriting shining back at her. "I was thinking about it before Sofia was born, but I hadn't thought about it once I made it through everything…" She breathed out, shaking her head before she tore her eyes away from the letter. "But thank you, for holding onto this. And bringing it back."

"Of course." Antonio replied, bringing his sister in for a long hug. "I love you, Gabs." He murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Love you too, Tonio." She murmured, rubbing his back before they separated, Gabby gripping the letter tightly in her hand.

With one more goodbye, Antonio was out the door, Gabby locking up behind him before she walked towards the table by the back door, staring at the letter in her hands that seemed to weigh a thousand pounds.

She wasn't sure what to do with this letter anymore. She didn't need it, there was no reason for her to hold onto it; she wrote it in case she died. Because there were things she needed Matt to know, things he needed to hear from her if the worst happened.

But it didn't. She was still here, with her family. She was fine, and Sofia was fine. There was no reason for her to keep this letter, and God forbid Matt ever found it. She never wanted him to read what was in here, not now. Not when he didn't have to. But something kept her from just throwing it in the trash. A part of her felt like she couldn't, and she didn't know why.

"Well, that was an experience." Matt chuckled as he came out of the bedroom, Gabby's eyes widening before she quickly shoved the letter in the drawer, turning around to find Matt standing across the room with Sofia in his arms.

Gabby couldn't help but laugh at the image in front of her, seeing her daughter clad in nothing but a diaper, Matt holding her with her back against his chest, using his other hand to keep the pacifier in her mouth, while he was down to just his boxers.

"What happened in there?" She questioned, her eyebrows raised in amusement as she crossed the apartment, Matt shaking his head.

"She apparently wasn't done going to the bathroom when I changed her." Matt spoke, Gabby grimacing as she came to a stop in front of her family, reaching out to run her hand over Sofia's head. "She peed all over me, and herself. I know you're wanting to take a bath with her, but I went ahead and washed her off a little bit, just cause, you know, it's gross." He continued, earning another laugh from his wife.

"Well, she was getting you back for that Dawson comment earlier." Gabby chuckled, Matt scoffing lightly in response.

"Does that mean I get a kiss now?" He questioned, Gabby rolling her eyes before she leaned up, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, a smile forming over her face when she felt Sofia beginning to grip at her shirt.

Pulling back from Matt, Gabby carefully released her daughter's grip on her clothes. "Yeah, you want your Momma, don't you?" Gabby asked softly, taking Sofia into her arms, the sight of Matt only in his boxers even more amusing without the cover of their baby. "Were you just hoping Antonio had already left?"

"I heard him leave. Don't worry, I made sure." He answered, Gabby shaking her head before she slipped past him, heading for the bedroom, Matt following close behind her. "I can get the bath ready, if you just wanna sit with her for a bit." He offered, Gabby flashing him a grateful smile as she directed her path towards the glider instead.

"Thank you." She responded, earning a nod from him before he went into the bathroom.

Within ten minutes, Matt had gotten the bath ready, filling the tub up just enough, the father now holding onto a naked Sofia as Gabby carefully made her way into the bathtub. When she was situated, Matt and Gabby completed the handoff successful, Gabby slowly resting Sofia down against her chest.

As she always did, the second she felt the water on any parts of her skin, Sofia started crying, not expecting the new sensation. But it took only moments for her to get reacclimated to the water, Sofia always calming down quickly, actually enjoying the warm water, along with the warmth of one of her parents.

With Sofia's colic issues, after getting some tips from Dr. Mitchell, the parents had eventually found things that worked wonders for them, one of them being taking a bath with Sofia. The only did it every few days or so, not wanting to bathe Sofia too often and cause any skin issues, but every bath she took, she took with one of her parents, both Matt and Gabby having done it at least once. But they both wished it was something they could do more frequently, knowing that Sofia slept the best on nights after she'd bathed with one of her parents.

Admittedly, every time they did this, it made Matt a little nervous. It had nothing to do with Gabby, but having his little girl in a tub that big made him a little anxious, no matter if he was the one in there with her or not. But they were always careful; the other parent was always there, and neither of them ever tried to get out or in while still holding her. They took all the precautions they could, and there was no denying how much Sofia loved her baths with her mom and dad.

Crouching down by the tub, Matt dunked one of Sofia's wash clothes into the water, completely submerging it before he pulled it out, wringing out the material before laying it across Sofia's back, helping to keep her warm.

"You guys okay?" He asked, Gabby nodding as she gave him a soft smile.

"We're good." She answered, Matt placing his arms on the edge of the tub, watching as Sofia rested against her mother's chest, the little girl gripping onto Gabby's skin.

"I'm gonna start a load of laundry, get those clothes washed. I'll be back in a few minutes." He told her, Gabby nodding as she watched him stand up, Matt leaning down to place a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

Before he left, he picked up Gabby's clothes that she had shed before getting into the tub, Matt carrying them out of the bathroom. While he was gone, Gabby slowly adjusted Sofia in her grip, resting her back against her thighs, keeping a hand on her chest to steady her. At first, Sofia wasn't too fond of being moved off her mother's chest, the little girl fussing at the loss of contact, but she had to be moved in order to be bathed, and once Gabby began slowly pouring water against her stomach, she began to settle.

By the time Matt came back a few minutes later, Gabby had already started the process of bathing Sofia, Gabby glancing up to see him watching them with a wide smile on his face, his eyes locked on the two most important people in his life.

"Do you care if I take a shower real quick?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head as she returned her attention to Sofia. "Normally I'd wait, but I still kind of smell like urine." He elaborated, Gabby chuckling lightly, pouring some water down Sofia's stomach.

"You go ahead, we're fine."

Gabby kept her attention focused on Sofia while Matt showered a few feet from them. Coming as no surprise to Gabby, pretty much the second she finished bathing Sofia and placed her back down on her chest, the young girl started rooted around, fussing until she was guided to Gabby's breast, Sofia eagerly beginning to eat.

Keeping a secure grip on her, Gabby let Sofia eat while she relaxed back into her tub, her eyes moving towards Matt as he finished up his shower. As he ran his hands over his hair, he caught Gabby's gaze through the hazy glass, a slight smirk tugging on his lips.

"Enjoying the show?" He asked, making sure to speak loud enough so she could hear him over the water, Gabby cocking her head to the side, raising her eyebrows challengingly.

"Maybe… I'll let you know once you get out here and I get a better look." She teased him, Matt chuckling before finishing his shower, turning the water off before stepping out. He felt Gabby's eyes on him while he dried himself off, Matt wrapping his towel around his waist before glancing over, finding Gabby watching him with a tired smile. His eyes moved down slightly, seeing Sofia completely content as she ate, Gabby's arm wrapped securely around her.

"How are my girls?" He asked softly, Gabby's smile widening.

"Sleepy."

"Yeah, I can tell." He murmured, coming over towards the bathtub, squatting down beside it. "Looks like someone was hungry, too."

"Yeah, she was." Gabby responded softly, Matt reaching out to rub his hand over the top of Sofia's head. "She's falling asleep, though." She added, glancing down to see little Sofia fighting her exhaustion as she tried to continue to eat.

"Well, it's been a big day, I don't blame her." He replied, watching as Sofia's grip on her mother's chest loosened. "Is she done?"

"I think so."

"Alright, I've got her, you enjoy the rest of your bath." He told her, Gabby nodding as she carefully lifted Sofia away from her chest, the sleepy girl squirming around until she was wrapped up in the warm towel, Matt cradling her against his body. "I'm gonna get her to bed, yell if you need anything."

"I will, thank you." She responded, Matt nodding before heading towards the door.

"Come on, little girl, let's get you to bed." He murmured against the top of her head as he brought Sofia into the bedroom. Grabbing her onesie, diaper, and lotion from the dresser, Matt walked towards the bed, slowly sitting down. Much to the displeasure of Sofia, he pulled her from his body, laying her down on the bed on top of the thick towel, Sofia waving her arms around as the cool air hit her. "I know, baby. I know." He spoke soothingly, patting her dry with the towel before he grabbed her lotion.

Starting with her abdomen, Matt began lathering her entire body in lotion, going through the routine he had nearly perfected as Sofia was content to lay there and get a makeshift massage. Not only did this massage make her sleepy, it helped a lot with calming her down and keeping her calm. He didn't want to jinx it, but he and Gabby had seemed to find a routine that worked well for Sofia, and helped her sleep a lot better.

Once he had finished rubbing in the lotion all over her little body, he put the new diaper on her before getting her dressed, Sofia nearly passed out at this point. Knowing it was useless to try and put her in her bed before she was completely asleep, Matt left her in the middle of their bed, keeping an eye on her while he quickly changed into a pair of pajama pants. Once clothed, he went back towards the bed, supporting Sofia's body as he carefully lifted her into his arms.

The movement caused the tired girl to cry, Matt bouncing gently as he situated her against his chest, feeling her cheek press into his skin. "You're okay, it's alright." He soothed, walking over towards the glider, placing himself into it. Once he got comfortable, he positioned Sofia against his body, letting her lay on his chest as he slowly rocked them.

The combination of the steady movement, the comfort of her father, and the warm bath she'd just taken had Sofia knocked out in minutes, the baby sound asleep as she rested securely in her father's arms. He knew he could move her to her bed, and he would, but he wanted to wait a few more moments, Matt not wanting to risk her waking up and him having to start this process all over again.

With his hand resting firmly against his daughter's back, Matt slowly rocked back and forth in the dimly lit room, humming softly as he kept his movements steady, not wanting to risk disturbing little Sofia's sleep.

* * *

Gabby slowly lifted herself out of the tub, releasing a groan of discomfort when she felt a twinge in her abdomen, the woman standing still until the pain passed before carefully stepping out of the tub. A shiver involuntarily shot through her spine, the water covering her skin making the cool air that much colder, Gabby quickly reaching for her towel and beginning to dry herself off. Glancing out the open door, she couldn't see or hear much coming from the bedroom, her limited view of the dim room not giving her a good look at what her husband and baby were doing. But considering how quiet it was, she assumed Sofia was either asleep or close to it.

Once she had finished drying off, Gabby tied the towel around her body, padding across the tile floor towards the sink, continuing her routine before bed. It wasn't all that late, but if Sofia was asleep, that meant Gabby wanted to be as well, knowing if they were lucky, it would be a few short hours before Sofia would wake up needing to eat.

After she was done in the bathroom, Gabby made her way out into the bedroom, her steps slowing when she caught sight of the adorable imagine in front of her. Matt was sitting in the glider, little Sofia curled up on his chest, the baby passed out while her dad held onto her securely, Matt also asleep as well. She wasn't surprised that he had fallen asleep, and since she could see that even in his sleep, his still had a firm grip on their daughter, she decided to let him be, Gabby choosing to wait until she was ready for bed to wake him up. But that didn't stop her from snapping a few pictures of the precious moment before she finished getting ready for bed.

Within a few minutes, Gabby had gotten changed into a loose tank top and a pair of underwear, the tired mom stepping back into the bedroom after having gone to hang up both her and Matt's towels, Gabby stretching her arms above her head as she walked towards her husband and their baby.

Placing one hand on Matt's arm that was securing Sofia to him, Gabby used her other to start running her fingers through his hair, Matt subconsciously leaning into her touch. "Baby." She murmured, seeing his nose scrunch up as she continued stroking his scalp. "Babe, wake up."

His eyes slowly opened, Matt blinking quickly as he tried to gather his bearings, his eyes darting around until he focused in on the woman in front of him, Gabby seeing a soft smile pull on his lips.

"Hey sleepyhead." She whispered as a yawn escaped his mouth, Matt registering the weight against his chest, Casey looking down to see Sofia still sound asleep.

"Hi." He responded, his voice thick with sleep.

"Let's get you both to bed, yeah?" Gabby suggested with a grin, Matt laughing softly as he nodded, letting Gabby take Sofia.

Luckily, Gabby managed to get the baby into her bassinet without waking her, Matt having stumbled his way towards their bed while she took care of their daughter. When she turned around after making Sofia didn't wake up, she let out of quiet chuckle when she saw her husband already cozy in their bed, snuggled deep beneath the covers, not waiting for her to make himself comfortable.

Shaking her head in amusement, Gabby moved around to her side, slowly climbing in, relishing in the warmth their bed provided her.

In his sleepy hazy, Matt reached out for her, placing his hand on her hip, silently urging her to come join him on his side of the bed, Gabby obliging instantly as she rolled over, finding him with his eyes closed and a gentle smile on his face.

It took her no time at all to settle into his side, keeping some distance between them to keep pressure off her body, but staying close enough to where he cold hold onto her, Gabby wrapping her arm around his waist while her head rested on his bare chest.

"I love you." She murmured after a few silent moments, a soft smile forming on her face when she heard his deep breaths, Gabby knowing he had already fallen asleep.

Closing her eyes, Gabby focused on the steady rising and falling of her husband's chest, his strong heartbeat filling her ears as she let the rhythmic sound lull her to sleep, the entire Casey family eager to get as much rest as they possibly could.

* * *

**I hope you guys enjoyed this sweet little Dawsey family chapter, it was definitely a tame one, but there is a little intrigue there. Any guesses as to who is trying to get in contact with Matt? I'm interested to see if any of you have any ideas. Coming up soon, we've got Casey finally returning to work, and everything that comes along with that. **

**Well you guys, this is the last update until Monica's episode of fire. I'll see you on the other side. Honestly, I'm still terrified of what's gonna happen. But we'll find out soon enough. No matter what, you all should expect a long rant coming your way in my next update.**

**Thanks for reading, I'm super excited to hear your thoughts! As always, if there's anything you guys are wanting to see in this story, please let me know! I'm always open to suggestions!**

**Until next time.**


	65. Chapter Sixty Five

**Hello hello hello, here's the next chapter for you guys. I hope you all enjoy it!**

**Also, for those of you who read my other story Whatever Comes Next, just know there won't be a new chapter today. I had about 3⁄4's of it written and then I scrapped the whole thing and decided to go in another direction, so I had to start over. Wish I would've realized I changed my mind before I got most of it done, but what can you do. Just know that the next update will most likely be on Monday!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Five**_

* * *

Gabby climbed down out of Matt's truck, making sure it was locked before she began walking towards the sidewalk, Dawson flipping Matt's keys around her finger as she moved down the familiar path towards their apartment. When she finally got to the back door, she slid the key into the lock, pushing open the door before stepping inside their warm apartment, Gabby immediately hearing the sound of hockey playing on the TV in the living room. Smiling softly, she locked the door back in place, slipping her shoes off and dropping her purse by the back door before walking further inside, Matt soon coming into view when she stepped into the living room.

It took Matt a few seconds to notice her, her husband slouched down on the couch, his eyes barely open as he watched whatever hockey game he'd recorded, his hand resting on his bare stomach as he sat in his pajama pants.

"I see you haven't moved much since I left." Gabby mused, Matt's eyes snapping open at the sound of her voice, a soft smile forming on his face before he even turned to look at her.

"Why would I? I'm so comfortable." He responded jokingly, his eyes finding Gabby's as she took a step further into the living room.

"Where's the baby?" She asked, her gaze bouncing around the room, not seeing Sofia anywhere in sight.

"In our room, asleep. She's been out for about half an hour, so we have some time before she wakes up." Casey answered, Gabby nodding as she walked over towards the couch, moving some of Sofia's things out of the way before sitting down on the edge of the coffee table, placing herself directly across from Matt. "How'd your appointment go?" He asked, nudging his knee against hers, that being all the contact he could manage in his current position on the couch.

"It went well." Gabby responded, Matt's smile widening as he slowly pushed himself up into a seated position, leaning forward to place his hands on her knees.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, it did." She answered, feeling him squeeze her leg softly. "My incision and everything has all healed up, she said everything looks good. She gave me a clean bill of health."

"That's great, baby." He murmured with that gentle Matt Casey grin, the one Gabby fell in love with. "I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you." He apologized, Gabby shaking her head as she placed her hand on top of his.

"Don't be sorry, you needed to be here with Sofia."

Last night when they were getting Sofia ready for bed, the baby had spit up all over her father while the two of them were in the bath together, the little girl immediately beginning to scream, obviously not feeling well. Gabby had quickly taken Sofia in her arms, doing what she could to soothe her while Matt cleaned himself up, knowing their bath was now cut short.

At first they just assumed she'd eaten too much, but when Sofia didn't settle after half an hour, they went searching for other issues, to which Gabby soon realized Sofia seemed very congested. They weren't sure if she had a cold, or if it was just normal congestion, but the problem was solved after doing some research online, both Matt and Gabby ending up in the shower with her, Gabby holding Sofia against her chest while steam surrounded them. The steam had helped considerably with their baby's discomfort, the family staying in there for awhile before it was time to get out and get Sofia to bed.

When they woke up this morning, Sofia still seemed to be a little congested, as she had been through most of the night, and Gabby nor Matt felt comfortable taking her out while she didn't feel well. It had been a long night for both the baby and the parents, Sofia seemingly wanting to be on her Momma every hour, which led to not a lot of sleep for any of the Casey's.

With Sofia still not feeling well, Gabby thought about rescheduling her appointment with Dr. Tanner, but considering she had already done that once, her six-week check up having turned into a seven-week check up, Matt forced her to go, knowing they needed to make sure she was alright. So, despite Gabby's concerns, she had left the baby and Matt at home while she went to her appointment, Dawson counting down the minutes until she would be back home.

"Everyone there missed you guys, though. Well, I think it was Sofia they missed, but they were nice and mentioned you, too." She teased lightly, Matt pinching her thigh as he chuckled.

"I know people only want me for the baby, it's fine." He laughed, Gabby's eyebrows raising.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I don't just want you for the baby." She responded softly, Matt grinning widely as he ran his tongue over his lip.

"Is that so?" He asked, Gabby nodding as she bit down on her bottom lip, Matt slowly sliding his hand further up her thigh. Gabby tilted her head to the side, grabbing his wrist before moving his hand back down to a much more appropriate part of her body, Matt pouting slightly.

"Easy there, Captain. At least buy me dinner first." She joked, Matt huffing out a breath as he leaned forward, placing his hands on her hips, pulling her up off the coffee table and into his lap. A surprised squeak escaped her lips at the unexpected movement, Gabby's legs straddling his waist as she instinctively placed her arms around his neck. "You could warn a girl." She murmured, their faces inches apart as her shins rested on the couch, Matt's hands moving along her waist.

"Where's the fun in that?" He questioned, sliding his hands down lower, cupping her in his palms as she relaxed into his embrace. "So, anything else I need to know about your appointment?" He asked, feeling Gabby play with the hair at the base of his neck as she thought over his question.

"Um, nothing I can think of. She still told me to take it easy for awhile, and to listen to my body when it tells me something so I don't overdo it."

"I can help with that." He cut in quickly, wearing a smug grin as Gabby cocked her head to the side.

"What? Paying attention to my body?" She questioned back, Matt chuckling as he leaned forward, placing a surprisingly chaste kiss to her lips, Gabby smiling softly against him as she tightened her grip around his neck.

Their movements were tame, Matt slowly dragging his hands over her, Gabby teasing the skin on the back of his neck as they kissed. When air became a priority, Gabby pulled back, resting her forehead against his as they both caught their breath.

"How'd Sofia do?" She asked after a few quiet moments, feeling him smile before she pulled back, Gabby running her hand across his forehead.

"She's good, she missed her Momma but she did okay." He murmured, sliding his hands down towards her thighs as Gabby flashed him a warm grin. "She definitely does not like the bottle as much as you… but I got her to eat." He told her, Gabby chuckling softly as she stroked her fingers over the side of his face. "She first tried to breastfeed on me, which I had no idea she could even move that quickly," Gabby stifled a laugh, shaking her head in amusement as Matt recanted his day, "But eventually I got her to take the bottle. I had to trick her a little bit, but she took it."

"Sounds like you both had an interesting morning." She mused, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Yeah, you could say that… Oh, before I forget, I had to get more breast milk out of the freezer, she drank what we had out." He told her, Gabby nodding. "I know you need to keep track of how much you have, so I wanted you to know."

"Thank you." She responded, smiling when she felt his hands moving over her back softly. "I thought what I'd gotten out would be enough, but she always has been a heavy drinker." Gabby joked, earning a laugh from her husband as he tilted his head to the side.

"Yeah, she gets that from her Momma." He joked back, Gabby's eyes narrowing as she playfully smacked him on the chest, Matt chuckling before pulling her in for a quick kiss, Gabby not fighting his advances. "But yeah, I gave her what we had out before I took her in the shower with me," He continued once they'd separated, "You know how she was still a little congested this morning, so I called Dr. Mitchell, just to be sure. He said it sounds like she could have a cold, but as long as it doesn't get any worse there's no need to bring her in. He told us to just keep doing what we're doing." Casey explained, Gabby listening intently. "But yeah, so I took another steam shower with her, that seemed to help. If the amount of snot that came out of her was any indication, I imagine she's feeling much better." Matt spoke lightly, Gabby scrunching up her nose as she rubbed her thumb over his neck. "And then after that, I tried to put her down, but she was still hungry so I fed her so more, burped her, and then she fell asleep."

Gabby grinned softly, Matt raising his eyebrows in question as he saw the unreadable expression covering her face.

"...What?" He questioned, Gabby's smile widening as she placed her hands on the back of his neck, pushing herself down into his lap, Matt drawing in a slow breath.

"Nothing, you're just such a great dad, that's all." She murmured, Matt's smile growing as he slid his hands to her waist, Gabby leaning forward to meet his lips, kissing him softly. "...It's hot." She whispered against him, Matt grinning before he deepened the kiss, moving his hands deliberately, sliding them under her shirt to rest on her back, Gabby shivering involuntarily at the contact of his warm hands against her bare skin.

They continued on for a few moments, their movements getting less and less controlled as he held her down on his lap, Gabby's hand trailing from his neck down to his chest.

"So…" Matt panted when they pulled back, Gabby pressing a light kiss to his jaw, feeling a wide smirk cover his face, "clean bill of health, huh?"

"Yup." She spoke, Matt stifling a groan as he felt her breath against his ear, Matt sliding his hands from her back around to the front of her pants, his fingers teasing the waistband of her leggings.

"That's good to know." He whispered, capturing her lips again as he began gently running his finger over the skin above her pants.

Matt didn't feel the slight way her body tensed when he touched her stomach, but he definitely registered Gabby pulling back when he pulled at the waistband of her leggings, Gabby pushing against his chest lightly.

"Wait, Matt-" She spoke, Casey pulling back immediately with furrowed eyebrows, his hands moving back to rest on her waist.

"What's wrong?" He asked, his confusion and slight worry growing when he saw her bite down on her bottom lip, Matt bringing his thumb up to gently pull it from between her teeth. "What is it?"

"Nothing, it's just- I'm not sure if our first time in months should happen out here on the couch." She responded, her eyes darting around nervously as his head tilted to the side, the confusion playing across his features only increasing.

"No, I know. I'm a classy guy, I'd at least take you to the bedroom." He joked, trying to ease some of the tension from her body, but she still looked unsure. He wasn't sure what the issue was, but he could tell something was bothering her. "...What's going on, babe?" He asked softly, running his hands along her back, the question making her lift her eyes up to meet his.

"It's nothing, really, I just-" She cut herself off, refocusing her attention back down on his chest as her fingers teased the collar of his shirt, Gabby welcoming the distraction.

"Gabby…" He prompted, tapping his fingers against her hip, giving her body a slight squeeze, the woman in his lap releasing a soft sigh before responding.

"I'd rather wait for us to have sex, if that's okay with you."

"You don't need to ask for my permission." He responded immediately, his voice laced in confusion mixed with a touch of worry. "If you don't want to, or don't feel ready to, we won't." He continued, Gabby meeting his gaze.

"No, I know that. That's not what I meant, I know I don't need your permission, I just meant that I'd probably be fine if you really wanted to, but for now I'd like to hold off." She tried to explain, but she wasn't sure she was getting across the way she wanted. "Although I know you've been left hanging high and dry here for awhile…" She added lightly, Matt chuckling as he shook his head, wrapping his arms around her back, effectively pulling her closer. "All I'm saying is that if you really want to, we can, but if you don't mind, I'd rather wait." She finished, Matt nodding understandingly.

"Well, I mean, I always want to, just so we're clear on that," He started, Gabby ducking her head as heat filled her cheeks, "but we can take this as slow as you need to, I'm not going anywhere." He reminded her softly, bringing his hand up to her face, his action causing her to look back up at him as he stroked his thumb over her cheek. "I'll wait as long as you need me to."

"Thank you." She murmured, leaning forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips, the two of them moving together slowly, relishing in the feeling of being this close again.

They broke apart when they heard some noise through the baby monitor, both Gabby and Matt looking towards the object that was sitting on the end table, Gabby picking it up to get a closer look. The parents remained silent while Sofia moved around, the little girl whining softly for a few moments before she settled again, neither Gabby nor Matt making a move until they were sure she fell back asleep.

Once they knew they were in the clear, Gabby put the baby monitor back down, returning her hands to the back of Matt's neck as his went back to her hips, their eyes locking.

"Can I ask you something?" He questioned, Gabby nodding without hesitation, moving her thumb along his hairline.

"Of course."

"Is there a specific reason you're wanting to wait?" He asked, watching her head tilt to the side slightly. "If it's just that you don't feel ready, or you don't want to, I understand, that's completely fine, but I wasn't sure if there was another reason." Matt elaborated, pushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

Gabby drew in a deep breath, running her tongue across her bottom lip as she thought over his question. "Honestly, I'm not really sure." She finally answered, Matt waiting for her to continue. "It has nothing to do with you, because believe me I want to, but I just don't feel up for it…" She trailed off, Matt nodding as he slid his hands around to her thighs. "And with either Sofia or a pump being latched onto me 24/7, I don't really feel in the mood for much right now."

Matt smiled sympathetically, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to her lips, Gabby relaxing into his hold. "Okay." He murmured against her lips, kissing her again before they pulled back.

"Why do you ask?" She questioned, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"I was just checking." He responded with a shrug, Gabby shooting him a rather unimpressed look, the action bringing a smile to his face. "What? I just wanna know what's going on with you… I wasn't sure if it had anything to do with…" He trailed off, knowing he had to be careful of how he phrased his next thought.

"With what?" She asked curiously, sliding her hands down to rest on his shoulders, Matt releasing a soft sigh before responding.

"I just know that since Sofia, or I guess even before she was born, sometimes you haven't had the highest opinion of yourself… with how you look." He spoke carefully, Gabby's face softening as she stroked her thumb over his collarbone. "So I wasn't sure if that was part of it, because if it is, it doesn't need to be. You're absolutely gorgeous, that hasn't changed." He was quick to assure her, watching as a slight smile pulled on her lips.

"I love you." She murmured, pressing a soft kiss to the side of his mouth. "That's not apart of it, or at least not really… I mean, obviously, I still look different.. I'm not sure if I'll ever look the way I did before, but when I look at Sofia, none of that really matters. And I know you don't care," She spoke, Matt quickly nodding in agreement, "and as long as I feel okay, I have no reason to care, either." She continued with a shrug, Casey smiling softly as he moved his hand down to her thigh, gripping it firmly, seeing a soft smirk fall onto Gabby's lips. "Besides, I'm pretty sure you've seen plenty of me these last seven weeks, too much for that to be an issue now." She joked, Matt chuckling as he gave her another nod. Her words held a lot of truth, Matt having seen her and her body go through changes he never even imagined since Sofia was born. But none of that mattered to him; if anything, it just made him even more impressed by how incredible his wife was.

"Yeah, I guess you're right…" He responded softly, stroking his thumb along the inside of her thigh softly. "But I just wanted to be sure." He knew Gabby had always been sure of herself, with most everything, but after everything her body went through, he knew that could take its toll on even the most self-assured of people.

"And I love you for that," She repeated, placing her hand against his cheek, her eyes searching his. "But I'm good."

"Good." He replied, giving her another quick kiss before he trailed his lips back towards her ear, pressing her body into his. "Because you are still just as gorgeous as you were the first day I met you, if not more so… My girl is fucking hot." He whispered in her ear, Gabby feeling heat rise within her body, her breath catching in her throat when she felt his lips tickling her skin. "I don't want you to ever doubt that."

His words caused her heart to swell, Gabby grabbing his cheeks and guiding him back towards her lips, the two connecting in a much more heated kiss. Pushing her hips down into his, Gabby smirked when she felt him pressing against the inside of her thigh, his thin pajama pants doing little to hide his want for her. "Yeah, it's hard to doubt it when I can _feel_ it." She spoke teasingly, Matt pulling back as he flashed her an unapologetic grin, sliding his hands along her waist.

"Well, that's the effect you have on me." He murmured, giving her hips a slight squeeze as he leaned back towards her.

"Mhmm." She hummed in response, biting back a laugh before he kissed her again, the two focusing on one another as they kept their bodies as close as they could.

It was all innocent enough until Gabby began sliding her hand down to his chest, Matt not paying much attention to it until she continued lower and lower, his body tightening when he felt her teasing the edge of his pants. It became harder for him to focus on kissing her as she moved lower, his breath catching in his throat when she gripped him through his clothes.

"Gabby…" He groaned, his head slacking to the side as she tightened her grip.

"Yes?" She asked softly, pressing kisses to his neck.

"This isn't fair." He muttered, clenching his eyes tightly as she began rubbing him over his pants, her movements painfully slow.

"I thought you'd enjoy this." She murmured in his ear, nipping at his jaw before pressing a kiss to the skin she'd just marked. "...Just because we can't do everything, doesn't mean there aren't other ways I can show you my appreciation." Her voice was tantalizingly soft, Matt tensing as he did his best to control himself, her slow movements combined with the sheer length of time it'd been since they were this close nearly causing it all to end way earlier than he liked.

Their movements were immediately halted when they heard Sofia begin to stir through the baby monitor again, Matt releasing a heavy sigh as Gabby began laughing, slowly releasing him from her grip. They waited a few seconds, but when Sofia's fussing turned into cries, they knew their little girl was awake.

She couldn't help but laugh when she saw the look of complete disappointment covering her husband's face, Gabby patting his cheek before she carefully got up off of him, Matt's hands dropping from her waist as she moved.

"I'm gonna get her, let you stay here and… calm down." She spoke, biting back another laugh as Matt narrowed his eyes.

"Yes, this is just so funny." He responded lamely, adjusting himself in his seat, trying to ease some of his obvious discomfort, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as she began walking towards the bedroom.

"I'll finish that for you later." She called over her shoulder, glancing back to him as she opened the bedroom door.

"God, you better." He groaned, unable to stop the grin that fell to his face when he heard her laugh, the sound like music to his ears as she disappeared into the room.

While Gabby stopped to turn on the lamp, Sofia's cries got louder as she waited for someone to come get her, the new mom beginning to soothe her as soon as she could. "It's okay baby, Momma's here." She murmured, placing her hand on Sofia's chest to alert her to her presence, knowing that was quicker than being able to pick her up. The second she felt a hand on her, Sofia looked up, soon finding her mom smiling down at her, the little girl waving her arms around furiously. "Hi sweet girl."

Sofia began swatting at her mother's arm, flashing her wide grin while her cries turned into loud noises of excitement, the little girl shoving her fists into her mouth the second her hands were free, Gabby carefully picking her up.

"Let's get you changed then we can go see your Daddy, alright? Yeah, you love your Daddy, don't you?" She murmured, placing Sofia down on her changing mat, the girl wiggling around as Gabby kept a hand on her.

Within a few minutes, Gabby go Sofia changed, opting to leave the little girl in just her diaper instead of trying to get her clothes back on, knowing how much her daughter loved not being constrained.

With little Sofia carefully in her grasp, Gabby headed out of the bedroom, glancing up as she walked towards the couch, seeing Matt with his phone up to his ear, the device turned away from his mouth, telling her he wasn't on a phone call.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she sat down next to him, Matt lifting his arm up to rest on the back of the couch, encouraging her to lean into his side.

"Got a voicemail." He responded, Gabby nodding as she situated Sofia in her arms.

"Is it that unknown number again?" She questioned, Casey immediately shaking his head.

"It was Boden." Matt replied, placing his phone down on the couch before moving his arm down to rest across her shoulders, leaning down to press a kiss against her head. "He must've called me earlier, but I missed it. He's just checking in." He continued, glancing down towards Sofia, placing his free hand on her stomach as the young girl's bright blue eyes focused on her father. "Hey baby girl, did you have a good nap?"

His voice automatically changed pitch when he spoke with Sofia, as it so often did in moments between the father and daughter, the little girl always captivated by her dad.

"She seemed to, she doesn't seem as congested anymore, either." Gabby responded, running her hand over Sofia's head.

"Good, that's good." He replied, smiling when Sofia grabbed ahold of his finger, the little girl waving his hand around as much as she could.

The family of three fell into a comfortable quiet, Matt focusing on Sofia until the little girl began showing her hunger signs. She started pushing her face against Gabby's chest, letting go of her father's hand and grabbing at any part of Gabby she could.

"Can you go and get me one of your t-shirts?" Gabby asked, sparing a quick glance to her husband, Matt nodding as he pushed himself up from the couch, moving towards the bedroom. "I know you're hungry, baby." Gabby murmured when Sofia began fussing, Casey reappearing within seconds, one of his old CFD t-shirts in hand.

Without a word, Gabby had Matt take Sofia for a second, quickly stripping out of her own shirt and bra while Matt bounced their girl in his arms.

"Oh, well what did I do to deserve this nice show?" He asked teasingly, Gabby rolling her eyes as she threw his shirt on over her head.

"It's not for you, dummy." She muttered, Casey raising his eyebrows in amusement before handing Sofia back to her mom. Lifting her shirt up, Gabby got Sofia positioned while Matt sat back down, Gabby leaning into his side, making both herself and their daughter comfortable while she began feeding. "I figured if last night was any indication, she's gonna be on me most of the day." Gabby began to explain, Matt rubbing over her shoulder while keeping his eyes on Sofia. "And your clothes are much comfier than mine. It's my best option, aside from just walking around topless."

"I wouldn't object." He murmured, Gabby glancing towards him with a slight grin, bringing her free hand up to tap his cheek.

"Yeah, I know you wouldn't." She agreed, cuddling into him carefully, letting herself relax while their daughter ate.

They had fallen back into that all too familiar quiet, the lack of sound comforting as Gabby kept a firm grip on their girl, Sofia clutching her mom's chest with her fist while her eyes darted around, Matt's gaze focused in on her.

"...So," Gabby spoke up, her voice gaining Matt's attention as he glanced down towards her, Gabby lifting her head from his shoulder. "What exactly did Boden want?"

"He didn't say much in the voicemail, he was just wanting to know how we were doing…" Matt trailed off, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she cocked her head to the side, knowing there was more to it than that. Blowing out a sigh, Matt brought his hand up towards Sofia, letting her hold onto his finger instead of onto Gabby with her tiny little fist. "I guess he's getting some pressure from headquarters, about me getting back to work."

Her eyebrows furrowed, Gabby adjusting her positioning to get a better look at him. "What do you mean, what are they saying?"

"I don't know much, Boden didn't give many details. But I guess they need to know sooner rather than later when I'll be back… He said they'd been on him for a few weeks, but he kept reminding them of the situation and got them to back off, but I guess it's not really working anymore."

"Well, then you'll go back to work." She replied simply, seeing a look of apprehension flicker in his eyes. "Matt…"

"What? Don't you think it's too soon?"

"Baby, she's seven weeks old." Gabby responded softly, Matt pursing his lips together. "If anything, you've probably overstayed your welcome."

"Thanks a lot." Matt muttered, feigning offense as Gabby rolled her eyes.

"You know what I mean. All I'm saying is usually dad's don't take off this long when they have newborns."

"Yeah, but they should… I mean, imagine everything I would've missed had I gone back to work weeks ago? Now I'm just gonna miss a bunch of new stuff." He breathed out defeatedly, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip. "And I know I don't have a choice, we knew this would be happening, and I want to go back to work, I do- I just hate the thought of being gone from you guys for that long…"

"I know you do." She responded softly, flashing him a sympathetic smile. "And believe me, I don't love it either. You're the only thing that's kept me sane most days, but you've gotta go to work. Sofia and I will be fine, and you know my dad will be here, and Antonio whenever he can, and Jemma too… We've got a village, babe, Sof and I will be alright." She assured him, Matt responding with a slight nod. "And you know I'll be constantly sending you pictures and videos."

"You better." He replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple. "And throw in some of you while you're at it." He murmured, Gabby chuckling softly as she felt heat rise to her cheeks, Dawson lightly shoving his side.

"Maybe… if you're lucky." Gabby spoke softly, letting herself fall back into his side. "But really, we're okay. I'm all healed up. I know I still need to be careful, but I'm fine to look after Sof. And you know Jemma or Antonio would stay the night with me in a heartbeat if I needed them to."

"Yeah, they would." He agreed, gently rubbing her shoulder.

"I think it's time for you to go back, baby. Even though I'm gonna miss you here, you need to get back to the house, to your firefighters. I think it's time." She told him, feeling his chest rise and fall slowly as he took a deep breath, clearly thinking over everything.

"...Fine." He reluctantly spoke, Gabby fighting off a small smile. "I'll call Boden. But I'm not going back until after her two month checkup next week." He compromised, Gabby releasing a soft chuckle. "I wanna be there for that, especially since she's been a little sick."

"That's fine, babe." She murmured, feeling him press another kiss to the top of her head. "I am glad that I'm gonna have you all to myself for a little bit longer." She whispered, nuzzling her head against his shoulder, feeling his grip around her shoulders tighten. "Just let Boden know, so headquarters can back off."

"I will, I'll call him back here soon. But right now, I just wanna enjoy this." He responded, pressing another kiss to the top of her head as they sat there on the couch, Casey wanting to soak in every single moment with his family.

* * *

Matt maneuvered quietly around the room, having already taken his boots, shift bag, and jacket out into the living room to deal with those items out there, Casey not wanting to risk waking the baby. It was early, Matt checking the time again, seeing he had about another ten minutes before he needed to leave.

Today was Matt's first day back on shift at 51, and to say he was feeling a lot of mixed emotions was an understatement. He was excited to get back, he absolutely was, but he was having a hard time leaving his daughter and his wife. He knew it was time to go back, Gabby was right it was past time, but actually getting himself to leave was the hard part.

He knew Gabby would be fine, and he knew Sofia would be fine, but he also knew Gabby was a little anxious about him returning to work. When he first picked up on her hesitation, he figured she was worried about being here with Sofia alone, but he soon realized it wasn't so much that as it was her worried about the job itself.

Gabby always worried about him at work, it came with the territory. But she always worried more whenever she wasn't on shift with him. When she was there, and knew what was going on with him, she never worried unless she needed to; but now, with her at home, and eventually going back to work at another company, it was harder on her. Especially with little Sofia to consider.

If something happened to him, he wouldn't just be leaving Gabby behind anymore. Before, it was just her. Not that Gabby wasn't enough for him to want to make it home every single shift, but things were different with a child. Now they had another life entirely to consider. A life that depended on him for everything. And the last thing he ever wanted to do was leave her behind; leave _them_ behind.

And he knew that was on Gabby's mind, too.

But, aside from quitting, there wasn't anything he could do to change the situation, and Gabby would never ask him to do that. All he could do was promise to be careful, which he had done, multiple times over the last few days. And promise he'd do whatever he could to come back home to his girls.

And that was a promise he had every intention of keeping.

These eight weeks with Sofia and Gabby had been some of the best, most rewarding weeks of his life, and he would do everything in his power to make sure he got to experience many more weeks like this. He was truly the happiest he'd ever been, and he wouldn't trade that for anything in the world.

And that's why he was feeling a bit anxious, too.

It had never really been an issue for him before. He knew the job, he and Gabby both knew the risks, he knew there was a chance he'd go to shift and never come back home; it was something both he, and Gabby, had accepted a long time ago. But now, everything was different. Sofia made things different, for the both of them. And he couldn't help but feel some anxiety returning to work.

But he knew once he got there, and got back into the swing of things that he'd be okay. He knew the first time leaving them would be the hardest, and once he got past that, things would get easier. But shift today would be a challenge, it was going to be hard on all of them. They just had to get past it.

Turning around to face the room, a soft smile fell onto his lips as he saw Gabby sound asleep in the middle of the bed, her head resting on his pillow. When he dragged himself out of bed an hour ago, Gabby had woken up when he did, and so had Sofia. He knew it was unavoidable, but considering Sofia had eaten less than an hour before, he knew he could get her back to sleep while letting Gabby get more rest. Before Gabby could even move, he'd placed a kiss to her head and told her to go back to sleep, Matt getting out of bed and soothing Sofia until she also fell back into her slumber. Thankfully, since then, neither one of his girls had woken up, Matt managing to get ready for shift without disturbing either of them, which was a minor miracle in and of itself.

Making sure his white shirt was completely tucked in, Matt buttoned up his pants, his gaze bouncing back and forth between Gabby and Sofia as he buckled his belt. Knowing he had limited time left, he slowly walked towards Sofia's bassinet, Matt taking a few moments to watch his little girl sleep, focusing on the steady rise and fall of her chest.

"I love you, baby girl." He murmured, lightly placing his hand on her chest. "Be good for your Momma today, alright? She's gonna need your help. I know today will be hard, it's the first day you'll spend without me, but I'll be back. Tomorrow morning, I promise I'll do everything I can to be right back here, okay? I love you so much, Sof."

Knowing it was too risky to give her a kiss, Matt spared one last glance at her before turning towards to bed, seeing Gabby still dead asleep. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her, and he knew he could easily leave right now and let her sleep for as long as possible, but he also knew Gabby would kill him if he did that. Last night she had made him promise to wake her before he left, even though that was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

Sitting down on the edge of the bed, Matt reached out towards Gabby, gently stroking his hand over the side of her head. At first she didn't stir, but soon enough she began waking up, Matt smiling when he saw her face scrunch up in confusion, her eyes slowly opening.

"Matt?" She questioned softly, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey baby." He murmured, stroking his thumb over the side of her face. "I'm about to leave." She nodded against his hand, digging herself deeper into the bed, rolling over onto her side. "I just wanted to let you know. You'll keep me updated today, yeah?"

"Mhmm." She murmured, pulling the covers up under her chin, her tired actions earning a chuckle from Matt.

"I love you, you and Sof have a good day today, alright?"

"Love you too." She responded, her eyes falling closed.

Leaning down, Matt easily found her lips in the dark, kissing her softly. He felt her smile against him, Gabby blindly reaching out for him and running her hand over his side.

"Keep your badge off the wall." She whispered against him, Matt nodding before he kissed her again, the moment far too fleeting before he had to pull back.

"I love you." He repeated, Gabby nodding as she lazily ran her hand across his side before he stood up, his hand lingering in hers before they had to separate.

"We love you too, stay safe out there baby."

* * *

Matt shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked down the hallway, his thumb twisting the wedding ring on his finger as he headed towards the conference room. His mind was elsewhere as he moved through the firehouse, a yawn escaping his lips when he opened the door, Casey desperate to get through this morning meeting so he could get some coffee and something to eat.

"There is he!"

Casey almost jumped at the greeting, not expecting to see so many faces in the room already, and he really hadn't expected everyone to be clapping, either.

"Welcome back, Casey!" They cheered, Herrmann coming to him first and giving him a hug, the man soon followed by most of the house.

"Hey guys, it's good to be back." He told them as he made his way through the group of firefighters, shaking Boden's hand before he walked to the back of the room, taking up his usual spot by Severide.

"How's the baby doing?" Herrmann asked first, sitting down on the edge of the table as he faced the back of the room, Matt seeing all eyes on him.

"She's doing good, really good." He spoke softly, everyone seeing the wide grin that spread across his face. "She was a little sick last week, but she's doing alright now."

"What was wrong with her?"

"She had a cold." Casey responded, seeing both Boden and Herrmann grimace, the men knowing how terrible a sick baby could be. "But she's feeling better, has been for a few days. And we just had her two month check up, she's doing well. Everything's good."

"And Gabby?" Brett asked, Matt nodding.

"She's doing well, too. Things are good."

"That's great, Casey. We're glad to hear it." Boden spoke, others in the room nodding in agreement. "And we're very glad to have you back."

"Yeah, we're definitely glad Garcia's gone." Otis chimed in, Boden shooting him a narrow glare before returning his attention to Casey.

"It's just nice to have you back."

"It's good to be back." He responded.

"Ah, you don't have to lie to us, Captain." Herrmann joked, shaking his head lightly. "We know you'd much rather still be at home."

Casey responded with a slight shrug, knowing he couldn't exactly argue with the firefighter's words. "Well, I can't say you're wrong, Herrmann. But it was time to get back, past time really."

"You were where you needed to be, everyone here knows that." Boden responded, Matt giving him a nod. "But it's just nice to have our Captain back with us."

Matt opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of the bells ringing throughout the house, calling all companies to an apartment fire.

"Well, no time like the present… Let's get you back out there, Captain." Boden spoke, Matt nodding as everyone filed out of the conference room, heading towards their rigs.

* * *

"And this one was when we had taken her to the park," Matt spoke as he swiped to the next picture, showing a photo of Sofia in her carrier that strapped to his chest, the little girl sound asleep. "She slept through that one, too. But she woke up towards the end, she didn't seem too impressed with everything though."

"God, you've suckered Herrmann into this too?" Severide asked when he passed the table, Matt rolling his eyes as he looked up from his phone, finding most of the eyes in the common room on him, his firefighters watching him with amused looks on their faces. He hadn't even realized they were paying attention to him, Matt too caught up in showing Herrmann pictures of Sofia to notice. "Has he gotten to the first bath pictures yet? I've seen those like twenty times." Severide joked, Matt flipping him off from his seat at the table, Herrmann chuckling lightly.

"He's a proud dad, Severide. Leave him alone." The older firefighter spoke lightly, Kelly tilting his head to the side.

"Hey, I'm just glad he has other people to show these pictures to now." Severide responded, putting his hands up in defense as he leaned against the counter. "I mean, I love the kid, but if I have to see the same picture of her laying on her stomach for the hundredth time…"

"How is she doing with that, by the way?" Herrmann asked, Matt flashing a wide grin as he began searching through his photos, Severide muttering a comment under his breath that they couldn't make out.

"She's doing great, she can lift her head up and everything." Casey responding, finding the correct picture and showing it to Herrmann. "See? I mean, it's only for like a second or two, but this was the other day. She's getting so strong."

"She looks like she's getting bigger, too." Herrmann commented, Matt's eyes widening slightly as his smile grew.

"She is! Oh man, she's growing every day, it's insane." He spoke excitedly, ignoring the snickers he heard from around the room. "She's still small, but compared to what she was when she was born, she's grown so much."

"She's beautiful, Casey." Herrmann replied, patting him on the shoulder. "You and Dawson, I'm so happy for you guys. No one deserves all this more than you two."

"Thanks Herrmann." He replied softly, taken aback by the sincerity of the man's words.

The two were interrupted by Casey's phone dinging, Matt pulling the device back towards him so he could see who was texting him. A soft smile fell to his face when he saw Gabby's name pop up, but it quickly morphed into a look of confusion when he saw the unintelligible string of letters that had been sent to him. It almost looked like Gabby had texted him on accident, like maybe she pocket-texted him or something.

"More pictures of Sofia?" Herrmann asked, Matt shaking his head as he read over the message once more.

"No, uh- it's Gabby, but I think she texted me on accident." He responded, Herrmann nodding before he went back to his newspaper.

Casey sat there, debating whether or not to text her back and see what was going on. He knew it was nothing, but he also knew it would bother him until he called and checked up on them. Glancing at the time, he knew right about now was when Sofia was in play-mode, which meant he shouldn't be risking waking up Gabby or the baby, Matt hitting her contact quickly and putting the phone up to his ear.

His frown deepened when it immediately went to voicemail, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he brought his phone back down, going back to their messages.

"Everything okay, Casey?" Severide asked, having been watching his friend the entire time, Kelly's words gaining the attention of the room, but Matt had yet to look up from his phone, the Captain too busy typing out something. "Casey?"

"Huh?" He questioned, looking towards Kelly.

"I asked if everything was okay… You look spooked."

"Oh, uh, yeah I think so. I just got a weird message from Gabby, and then she didn't answer my call, it went straight to voicemail."

"Weird how?" Kelly asked, pushing himself from the counter and walking over towards the table, Matt tilting his phone so Severide could see, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing as he read over the strange text.

"She probably just texted you accident." Severide responded with a shrug. "And she's taking care of a baby right now, I'm sure she'll call you back when she can."

"Yeah, you're right."

"I know." Kelly replied, squeezing Matt's shoulder. "I know you've got all this nervous new dad energy, but there's no need to assume the worst. You know Dawson, she's always trying to do fifty things at once, I'm sure it's nothing." He finished, Casey giving him a nod before Kelly walked away, the Captain sending the text he'd typed out moments prior.

'_Hey baby, just checking in. I wasn't sure if you meant to send that text or not, but just call me when you get a chance. I miss you and Sof so much. I hope you're doing okay, talk to you soon. Love you.'_

Matt didn't want to worry, the rational part of him told him there was nothing to worry about, and that odds were Gabby just wasn't near her phone, but when nearly half an hour had passed since he texted her and he never got a response, he couldn't help but worry.

Casey blew out a defeated breath as he hung up the phone, Matt having just finished calling their home phone for the fourth time, Gabby not having answered any of them.

"I don't know, I think I need to go to the apartment, see what's going on." Matt spoke as he paced back and forth, ignoring the many concerned eyes on him. Their Captain's demeanor had completely shifted over the last half hour, Matt now on the verge of full blown panic, all of 51 gathered in the common room.

His phone ringing in his hand instantly silenced the room, Casey glancing at it quickly before his face immediately fell. He recognized the number, but it wasn't who he was needing to speak to, Matt seeing that same unknown number calling him again, the Captain instantly ignoring it.

"Why don't you take 81 over there," Boden suggested after it was clear the phone call wasn't from Dawson, Matt looking up to him. "I'm sure Dawson and Sofia are fine, but I know you won't feel better till you see that for yourself. So go, just keep your radio on."

"Thanks Chief." He breathed out, looking around to his firefighters. "81, let's go." He spoke quickly before jogging out towards the garage, pushing his way through the double doors and heading for the rig.

"Casey." Kidd spoke, the Captain glancing towards her as he opened his door.

"What?"

Without a word, Stella nodded behind him, Matt turning around to see Gabby walking up the driveway, Sofia's carseat in hand, the woman waving softly at him, clearly unaware of his current distressed state.

"Oh, thank God." He breathed out, shutting the door quickly before he jogged towards her.

"Hey baby- What's wrong?" Her tone shifted when he got closer, immediately noticing how worried he was, Matt not stopping until he got to her, placing his hand on her arm, his eyes flickering back and forth between his wife and his baby.

"Are you guys okay?" He asked quickly, Gabby's concern and confusion only growing.

"We're fine, why?"

"After your text message, and then you never answered any of my calls." He spoke, finally letting himself relax now that he knew the two most important people in his life were alright.

"What message-Oh…" Gabby spoke softly, shaking her head. "I didn't realize anything actually sent to you."

"Yeah, it was like a weird message, it looked like you sent it on accident." He replied, pulling out his phone to show her, Gabby looking over it quickly before returning her attention to him.

"I'm sorry, I was trying to send you a picture of Sofia, but she was in my arms and squirming around.. I dropped my phone, it shattered when it hit the ground, but I guess I sent something on accident." She responded, Matt nodding understandingly, wrapping his arm around her waist as they stood at the entrance of the garage, Casey taking Sofia's car seat in his other hand to give Gabby a break. "Speaking of… I'm going to need a new phone." She added sheepishly, Matt smirking softly as he leaned forward, giving her a quick kiss.

"That's fine, babe. We'll go and get you one tomorrow." He replied, Gabby nodding as she leaned into him, resting her hand on his shoulder. "You can take mine today, just make sure you get it before you leave."

"You sure?"

"Yeah." He responded without hesitation. "I don't like the idea of you not having one, not when you're not home and you've got Sofia. And I've got phones here, I'm good."

"Okay, thank you." She responded, Matt giving her another nod. "I am sorry, though, I didn't mean to worry you." She murmured, rubbing her hand against the top of his chest. "I didn't realize I had texted you anything, or I would've called before I left the apartment."

"No, no it's okay." He assured her, pressing another kiss to her head before looking down to Sofia. "I guess I kind of freaked out over nothing…" He continued, ducking his head in embarrassment. "I think being away from you guys has been harder than I thought it would be, even though I knew it would be nearly impossible regardless… But then I couldn't get ahold of you, and I automatically assumed the worst."

"I know this is hard." She responded, bringing her hand up towards his jaw, tracing her finger along his skin. "But it'll get easier. Trust me, this morning without you was rough, but it's just an adjustment."

"Everything okay?" He was quick to ask her, Gabby giving him a slight nod.

"We're fine, Sofia just missed her Daddy… and so did I." She spoke softly, Matt giving her a sympathetic smile. "I think she could tell you weren't there, and she wasn't a fan. So I decided to come and visit you, let Sofia have some time with her dad, but then of course she fell asleep in the car." Gabby chuckled, Matt nodding with a knowing grin as he looked back down towards his sleeping daughter.

"Well, she's always loved car rides… But I'm glad you came, and I know everyone will be glad to see you, too." He spoke, beginning to lead her into the garage with his arm around her waist, the two walking in step together as they moved around the rig, heading for the double doors.

"Yeah, I'm excited to see everyone." She replied, Matt giving her a nod, pressing one last kiss to her head before they went inside, knowing there'd be a lot of people excited to see both her and the baby.

* * *

**So, there it is. I hope you guys liked this one. Looks like Matt definitely had more anxiety about going to work than he led on. We'll see how that continues to play out, if it has any lasting effects with him or with Gabby. And he still seems to be getting those weird calls, too. I guess we'll see what happens there.**

**I'm gonna talk about the episode here in a minute, but first I just wanna say thank you for the continued support on this story, I appreciate everyone who's still sticking with me and coming back each and every chapter. Your support means everything. Thank you for reading!**

**++ Below this are spoilers for last night's episode ++**

**That fall finale…. Wow. Boy is there a lot to unpack there. I have a lot of feelings, but holy shit Dawsey…. Like we knew they were still in love with each other, that's never gonna go away but… damn. I have so many mixed emotions, mostly because I'm just so sad knowing Monica's gone again. But I do like that they left the door open for Dawsey, that they left things open ended, and Gabby telling Matt to come and visit her? God, it's just all too much. Like part of me really can't believe Gabby came all the way back to Chicago just for Matt, but on the other hand I can completely believe it. She loves him so much and always will, and of course, the first opportunity she had to come back, she'd jump at the chance. Honestly, something I loved about the episode is you could see Matt slowly putting his guard down. Like obviously he was hesitant, I understand that, because he knows she's not staying, but during their dancing scene (also I can't believe we FINALLY got a Dawsey dancing scene, god I've been begging for years for that) you could see him just give in to everything he was feeling for her, that he's always felt for her, and just allow himself to live in the moment, because they both knew it'd be gone soon. They really just wanted to spend that time together, and Matt making sure to assure her that what they were doing wasn't a mistake, Jesus Christ I can't handle it. It was just so refreshing to see Dawsey again, and to see Matt and Gabby just being Matt and Gabby. And Jesse and Monica, phew, good to see all that chemistry and connection is still there, not that I'd ever doubt that. They really just have a way together on screen that is incredible to watch. I think that's one of the things I miss the most, just seeing Jesse and Monica play off one another, they have some serious chemistry that'll never go away. I am sad because of having to say goodbye to Gabby again, that'll never not hurt, but I just loved getting to see Dawsey together again. It was such a nice thing to witness. And I feel pretty good about the way they left things, under the circumstances. Just knowing how much they still love one another, it was nice to see again. Honestly I could go on about this for hours, and I'm feeling a lot of things, but really the main takeaway is that I'm just so glad we got actual confirmation that they'll always love one another. That no matter how much time passes, no matter how long they go without seeing one another, those feelings will never go away. That's my Dawsey.**


	66. Chapter Sixty Six

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you guys, ready for more adventures with the Casey family?**

**Also, before we get started, I just want to let you know that there won't be another update this week. With the holidays and everything, I'm going out of town, and won't have time to get a chapter ready for Thursday. I know my updates for both stories have been a little delayed lately, and I'm sorry about that. But I'm hoping after this week I'll get back to my Monday and Thursday update schedule. But for this week, just expect the next update to be next Monday. Thank you for your patience.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Six**_

* * *

Gabby glanced into the rearview mirror as soon as she had the car parked, her eyes immediately finding her nine week old daughter through the baby mirror attached to the headrest in the backseat, Dawson smiling softly when she saw her little girl's bright blue eyes open wide, Sofia's fist shoved into her mouth as she took in her surroundings.

"There's my sweet girl." Dawson murmured, her voice causing Sofia's eyes to widen slightly, the baby immediately searching for her mom. "It's okay, I'm coming to get you." She continued, pulling the keys from the ignition and unbuckling her seatbelt before she got out of the car. Walking around to the back passenger side of the car, Gabby opened the door, Sofia's eyes moving towards the noise, her gummy little smile forming over her face when she saw her mom. "Yeah, Momma's here." She spoke, Sofia waving her arms around excitedly as Gabby unlatched her carseat, pulling the girl and her seat from the car, using her other hand to sling the diaper bag over her shoulder. "You ready to see your Daddy? This should be a nice surprise for him, it's definitely better than just sending him pictures." Gabby said, making sure to lock her car before she turned towards the firehouse, beginning her trek inside.

While Gabby walked up the driveway, loud, unintelligible noises were escaping Sofia's lips, the young girl getting distracted by her own hands as she waved them around in front of her. Although it was a bit of a surprise to see Sofia awake in the middle of the afternoon, especially after the car ride, Gabby was glad for it, knowing Matt would enjoy getting to spend some time with his little girl.

Getting closer to the garage, Gabby soon saw that both 61 and squad 3 were out, but truck was parked in its usual place inside, all the firefighters' gear hung up on the side as usual. "Well baby, it looks like Daddy's here." She said, glancing down towards Sofia, seeing her still content in her car seat, Gabby heading straight for the double doors.

Stepping inside, Gabby immediately caught sight of a few familiar faces, seeing Herrmann and Mouch sitting in their usual spot on the couch, while Kidd and Otis were sitting at the table, playing cards.

"Hey, look who's here." Herrmann spoke excitedly, pushing himself up from his seat as Gabby stepped further into the firehouse, stopping at the entrance of the common room. "This is two visits in one week, what's the occasion?" He asked, giving Gabby a quick hug before turning his attention to Sofia, his smile widening as he looked at the baby.

"Well, I just wanted to stop by, let Matt see Sofia for a little bit." She replied, the older man nodding understandingly. After Casey's freakout the shift before last, everyone had been paying close attention to their Captain, knowing being away from his family had been harder on him than they could've ever imagined. He definitely was showing a few signs of some separation anxiety, which is not something any of them, especially Casey, had expected. But he was working through it, and Gabby did what she could to help.

She was worried about him when he was at shift, she always would be, but, for some reason, she was feeling pretty okay about everything, considering. The days and nights without Matt were hard, there was no denying it, but she was handling everything well, Gabby taking it all in stride and doing whatever she needed to for her daughter. For as worried as she'd been about being on her own prior to Matt going back to work, she'd fallen into the role seamlessly. And she liked to think her level-headedness was helping her husband, too. That seeing her doing okay, that both his girls were okay, helped ease his worries.

"Ah yeah, the Captain's in his office." Herrmann replied, patting his hand lightly on Sofia's stomach. "I know he'll be so excited to see you guys. But don't let him keep Sofia to long, I want some time with the kid." The older firefighter joked, Gabby chuckling softly as she stepped back into the hallway.

"I won't, Herrmann." She replied with a smile before she began walking down the hallway, Sofia's soft incoherent noises hitting Gabby's ears, telling Dawson her little girl was still wide awake and ready to see her father.

Pulling the door open, Gabby walked into the bunk room, seeing it completely vacant, aside from a certain Captain who was sitting at the desk in his office, diligently working on some paperwork with his door slightly ajar.

Walking straight towards his office, Gabby carefully pulled the door open, the noise gaining his attention as Matt looked up, an immediate smile displaying over his face when he saw his family.

"Hey baby." He spoke lightly, pushing himself up from his chair and walking towards his wife, giving her a quick kiss while simultaneously grabbing Sofia's car seat so Gabby wouldn't have to keep holding it. "What are you guys doing here?" He questioned once he pulled away, Gabby flashing him a gentle grin as they walked towards his bunk, Dawson sitting down while Matt placed the car seat beside her, beginning to unbuckle Sofia out of it.

"Sofia was missing her dad." Gabby replied with a shrug, her heart swelling when she saw Matt's smile widen, Casey rubbing his hand across his little girl's chest as he carefully got her unrestrained.

"Yeah? Well I missed you too, baby girl." He murmured, carefully lifting her out of the seat, Sofia's eyes widening in excitement when her dad picked her up. Supporting her head, Matt held her in his hands, the little girl waving her arms around, clearly happy to see him. "Your Momma wasn't kidding, you did miss your Daddy, didn't you?" He cooed softly, watching as Sofia shoved one of her fists towards her mouth. "What do you think, Sof, do you think Momma missed me, too?" He asked, acting like he was waiting for her to respond, his eyebrows raising as soft noises left Sofia's lips. "Oh, you don't say? She missed me more than you did? Well, I can't say I'm surprised."

Gabby cocked her head to the side as Matt spoke, her reaction earning a soft chuckle from her husband as he began slowly walking back and forth in the small room with Sofia, the baby enjoying the movement.

"Is our daughter right, did you miss me, too?" Casey asked with a soft grin, Gabby running her tongue over her bottom lip as she responded with a slight shrug.

"Maybe… you'll never know." She replied, but the smile that fell to her face gave her away, Matt's own grin widening before he continued moving back and forth, Gabby resting back on her palms on the bunk. "How's shift going?"

"Good, we've had a few calls. Nothing too bad." He told her, his gaze focused on Sofia, while Gabby kept her eyes on both of them. "What about you, how's your day been?"

"It's been good. Sofia got to spend some time with Jemma this morning so I could take an actual bath and not have a baby hanging off of me." She responded with a laugh, Matt echoing her reaction as he moved his daughter in towards his chest, Sofia nuzzling herself into her father's warmth. "But she's slept most of the day, nothing too exciting."

"I don't know, I'd say sleeping a lot is pretty exciting." Casey replied, placing his hand on Sofia's stomach. "And you're doing okay?" He asked, moving to sit down next to his wife, Gabby sitting up straight, placing her hand on his thigh.

"I'm good, Sofia's been good today. And Jemma was at the apartment until about an hour ago, so I was able to get some things done around the house. Make it look like less of a war zone." She joked, Matt smiling softly as he cradled Sofia in his arms. "Although I make no promises it'll still be clean when you get home in the morning." She added, Matt chuckling softly as he shook his head.

"Well, Sofia has been known to make a mess." He responded, tapping his finger against the little girl's chest. "But I'm glad you stopped by, I was about to send up a smoke signal, it'd been a few hours since I'd gotten any updates."

"Yes, I know you like your hourly pictures of Sofia." Gabby teased, Matt glancing towards her, his eyes flickering towards her lips before finding her gaze again.

"That's true, but I'd like my hourly pictures of you, too." He murmured, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as her head tilted to the side.

"Yeah, because that's just what we need, you scrolling through your photos, showing everyone pictures of Sofia then suddenly you get to a picture of my-"

"Alright, alright I see your point." He cut her off with a chuckle, Gabby laughing as she placed her hand on his shoulder. "But still, you know I'd be careful with anything you sent me… I always have been in the past." He added, raising his eyebrow as Gabby ducked her head.

"You do have a good track record, I'll give you that." She agreed, rubbing her hand against his shoulder. "Who knows, maybe you'll get a nice little surprise on that phone of yours tonight after the baby goes to sleep."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." She responded softly, Matt's grin widening before he leaned over, placing a soft kiss to her lips.

"I'm very much looking forward to it." He murmured, giving her another kiss, only pulling away when Sofia began hitting his chest, the action causing both her parents to laugh. "You really don't like not having all the attention, do you?" He asked, leaning down to press a kiss to his daughter's head. "Don't worry, you're still my best girl." He murmured softly, giving Sofia another kiss before he pulled back, expecting to see Gabby wearing an unamused look, but it was the opposite. She just looked… happy. "What?" He asked, Gabby giving him a shrug as she ran her hand along his shoulder.

"Nothing… I just love how much you love her." She responded, her eyes flashing down towards her daughter before finding Matt's gaze again, seeing a shy smile creeping up on her face. "Sofia and I, we got so lucky with you."

"I'm the lucky one here." He responded almost instantly, bringing his free hand up to cradle the side of her face, his thumb tracing along her cheekbone. "There is no better person on this planet to be the mother of my child… hopefully someday children," He added, watching as a soft smile appeared over her face. "I mean, Sofia would definitely be a great big sister."

"Yes, she would, but let's just cool it, she just got here." Gabby chuckled, Matt nodding with a goofy grin.

"I know, I know… and I know we'd need to have some conversations, figure out what our best options are, but I just get so excited thinking about it. Especially having Sofia right now, I'd take a million little girls just like you."

"You're getting ahead of yourself again, babe." Gabby laughed, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "Maybe let's just start with one more, and go from there… But not right now." She added when she saw his smile grow, Matt nodding understandingly.

"No, you're right… And plus I want to be able to soak all this in, give Sofia all the love and attention we can… but it's nice to think about." He added, Gabby grinning as she rested her chin against his shoulder.

"Yeah, it is… Someday. Someday we'll have that."

"Yeah, we will." He agreed without hesitation, pressing a kiss to her forehead before returning his attention to Sofia, the little girl intrigued by Matt's jacket.

"Make yourself presentable, lovebirds!"

Gabby and Matt both looked towards the loud voice that filled the bunk room, glancing out through Casey's office window in time to see Severide enter the room, the man wearing a smug grin.

"I guess squad is back." Gabby spoke with a chuckle, lifting her head up off of Matt's shoulder as Kelly walked closer, coming to a stop in Casey's doorway. "Hello Severide."

"Hi Dawson, Herrmann said you and the little nugget were here, but no one else wanted to come and get you, weren't sure what they'd be walking in on."

"What do you think we'd be doing, exactly?" Gabby asked, cocking her head to the side. Severide's eyes flashed to Casey, Matt shaking his head as he laughed, glancing back down towards his daughter.

"Don't look at me." The Captain responded, Kelly huffing out a breath as his gaze found Gabby.

"Let's not pretend that you and Casey didn't used to get all down and dirty in his office, you two didn't exactly hide it well."

"Charming, Kel." Gabby responded with a slight scoff, Severide stepping further into the office, coming to a stop in front of Casey.

"Can I see my goddaughter now?" He asked, Sofia's eyes moving towards the sound of his voice, her bright eyes opening wider when she saw Severide. "See? She loves me." Kelly spoke with a grin, Matt seamlessly handing off Sofia to her godfather, Severide holding her to his chest. "Yeah, Uncle Kelly is your favorite, isn't he, Sof?"

Gabby couldn't help but laugh at the change in Kelly's demeanor around little Sofia; it wasn't as drastic of a shift as Matt, but he definitely softened around the baby, and it sure was a sight to see.

"At least share her with Herrmann, Sev." Casey ordered, Kelly rolling his eyes before he turned around, heading out of Matt's office with Sofia in his arms, beginning to walk out of the bunk room.

"He just took my baby." Matt spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she leaned back slightly, Matt glancing towards her, cutting her off before she could correct him. "_Our_ baby. He took our baby."

"Mhmm." She hummed, shaking her head in amusement before standing up. "Let's go get _our_ baby, make sure Severide hasn't stolen her."

Casey released a soft chuckle, nodding in agreement as he grabbed Gabby's outstretched hand, standing up as she laced their fingers together.

"Yeah, honestly I wouldn't put it past him." Casey breathed out, letting Gabby take the lead as they walked out of his office, the couple heading out towards the rest of their friends.

* * *

"You ready to go sweet girl?" Gabby asked as she buckled Sofia into her carseat, the sleepy girl fighting to stay awake as she listened to her mom's voice. "Yeah, we're gonna get you home, it's been a long day." She murmured, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Sofia's head before she pulled the cover forward, preparing to shield the young girl from the early evening sun.

It was a little after six at the firehouse, Gabby preparing to take Sofia back home. She never meant to stay here this long, not liking to deviate Sofia from her routine too much, but Gabby had been having so much fun visiting with her friends, and Sofia had been an angel that she decided to stay. And it had helped that, aside from ambo, no one else had gotten called out again. Not until about five minutes ago.

Truck, squad, and ambo had all been called out to a car accident a few minutes ago, cutting their evening short as the bells rang out into the house, the loud sound startling the baby. But luckily it hadn't taken too long to get her calmed down, Gabby settling her within minutes before strapping her into her car seat, both mom and baby ready to get home.

"Hey Dawson."

Gabby looked up, seeing Chief standing at the entrance of the common room, the man wearing a soft smile on his face.

"Hey Chief."

"I didn't realize you were still here." He responded, Gabby giving him a slight nod. Boden had been around and visited with them for awhile, but he'd disappeared about an hour ago, and hadn't reappeared until now.

"Yeah, I hadn't planned on staying this long, but it was nice to spend time with everyone. Being cooped up at home for so long has me going a little stir crazy." Gabby joked, strapping the diaper bag over her shoulder.

"Want me to help you out?" He offered, taking a step forward.

"Oh, uh- sure. Thanks, Chief." She responded, flashing him a thankful smile as he grabbed Sofia's car seat, the little girl nearly asleep already as the two began to exit the firehouse.

"So, speaking of all that, being stuck at home and everything, do you know how much longer it'll be until you return to work?" He questioned suddenly, walking through the double doors, holding it open until Gabby had walked through as well.

"Uh no, I'm not sure. I've been cleared, technically, but my doctor still wants me to take it easy." She explained, Boden nodding understandingly as Gabby released a heavy sigh. "And honestly, I'm not entirely sure what my plan is with all that."

Her words caused his ears to perk up, Boden's eyebrows furrowing as they walked through the garage. "What do you mean?"

"...I've been having a hard time dealing with the SAS lately, about when I need to get back to work. And after everything I went through with them cutting my hours because I was pregnant… I don't really feel inclined to hurry back there right now." She breathed out, Boden pursing his lips together. "I know I've been off work more than I thought, but it wasn't exactly my fault. I mean, the accident and bed rest and everything… I wasn't expecting any of that. I guess my Chief is getting some heat about filling my spot if I don't get back soon, it's all just kind of become a mess."

"I'm sorry to hear that, Dawson." Boden replied sadly, shaking his head.

"It is what it is. I really love where I work, and the people there are great, but the higher ups… there's definitely a lot of hidden agendas there. And it's my fault, I'd heard all about this before I joined, but it felt like the best choice at the time… But now, I don't know. I'm just not sure if that's where I want to be."

"What does Casey think?"

"Matt is being Matt, he said whatever I want to do, he'll support me." Gabby replied with a soft smile, Boden nodding knowingly. "He hates what they're doing, but he knows how much I enjoy working there, so he just wants me to do whatever is best for me, and for our family… I'm just not sure what that is at the moment." She finished with a soft sigh, shaking her head lightly. "But it's okay, Matt and I will figure it out."

"I know you will… But, like I told you when you first came back, you always have a place here, Dawson." Boden spoke, Gabby glancing towards him, unable to read the expression on his face.

"I appreciate that Chief, I do, but I don't have a job here, and I don't want to take one from anyone else… I know the working on ambo with three paramedics was temporary." She responded, Boden shrugging his shoulders.

"It might not be." He replied, Gabby furrowing her eyebrows in confusion, waiting for him to elaborate. "I'm not talking about you taking anyone's job, but I am talking about you staying on ambo, having a three person rig permanently."

"Would headquarters even allow that?" Gabby asked, Boden nodding immediately.

"I've been talking to them, seeing if it's something that's a possibility… It is." Boden told her, Gabby drawing in a slow breath, their steps slowing as they got closer to her car. "It's just something for you to think about, Dawson."

"But why were you even talking to them about it? How did you-... Matt." She spoke knowingly, Boden giving her a soft nod.

"He may have mentioned it." Boden admitted, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek as she nodded, Boden's out of the blue questioning about her work plans suddenly making sense.

"Of course he did." Gabby replied softly, Boden flashing her a small smile.

"He just wanted me to ask, see if it was an option before going to you." Boden explained, Gabby nodding in understanding. "And, I have to admit, it would be nice to have you back here full-time, Dawson… You and Casey are family, you know anyone here would do anything for you guys, and we'd love to have you back." He told her as she unlocked the car, Boden handing over Sofia's car seat so Gabby could get her secured into the car. "Having both you and Casey here again, this is your home… It feels right, if this is something you want. Especially considering we might've not had either of you."

Boden's words caught her attention, Gabby turning back around once Sofia was secure in the back, confusion written across her face. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I know Casey had been thinking about quitting when Sofia was born." Gabby's eyes widened in surprise at Chief's words, the old man slowing his speech when he saw her reaction. "...Or him maybe taking a job at headquarters."

"What?" She asked again, Boden's head tilting to the side as realization flooded through him, the Chief drawing in a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I thought you would've known…" Boden breathed out, Gabby shaking her head as she put the diaper bag on the floor in the backseat.

"I didn't." She spoke, Boden clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, unsure of what to say. Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby held her keys in her hand, checking on Sofia one last time before shutting the door, beginning to walk around to the driver's side door. "I'll, uh, think about your offer, thanks for doing that for me, Chief." She told him, pulling open her door.

"Of course.. I'm glad you stopped by, Dawson." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod before she got into the car, thousands of different thoughts running through her head as she prepared for the drive home.

* * *

Gabby sat on the floor in front of Sofia's mat while the little girl spent some time on her stomach, Sofia captivated by the toy her mom was holding in front of her, the baby constantly trying to shove it into her mouth. With only the soft lull of the TV on in the background, Gabby heard the exact moment Matt got home, hearing his keys slide into the lock on the back door, the sound of his boots against the ground soon following as he came inside.

Glancing to the clock by the TV, Gabby saw it was a little after two in the afternoon, Matt having just returned from a small construction job he'd taken today. He was reluctant to get back into that, only having taken a few small jobs here and there in the last few weeks, but Gabby had convinced him to go, so aside from seeing him from a few minutes this morning after he got home from shift, she hadn't really had a chance to talk to him since yesterday.

"Matt?" Gabby called when he had yet to appear, the man having stopped in the kitchen for a few moments.

"Hey baby." He called back, Gabby hearing his voice come closer, her husband soon coming into view around the corner. "How are my girls?" He asked, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips before he moved to sit on the coffee table, his body behind hers as she stayed on the floor.

"We're good, she's been having fun slobbering all over Momma, haven't you baby?" Gabby asked lightly, the little girl smacking her hands against the mat before she reached for the toy again, Gabby hearing Matt chuckle softly behind her.

Without prompting, Matt brought his hands up to her back, carefully beginning to massage her shoulders, digging into her muscles the exact way he knew she liked it. Gabby released a low groan, her back relaxing as he continued his movements, her head lulling to the side.

"Your muscles are really tight, babe." He murmured, digging in deeper as he spoke, his movements eliciting a moan from Gabby, Matt stopping quickly solely to move her hair out of the way before continuing.

"Yeah, it's all the breastfeeding." She responded, Matt nodding knowingly as he continued his massage, Gabby falling back slightly into his legs. "But it feels great, thank you." She breathed out, Matt smiling softly despite her not being able to see it.

"You're welcome." He replied, beginning to rub over her back, keeping an eye on Sofia while he tended to his wife.

He smirked when she shied away slightly from his touch as his hands moved to her sides, her skin sensitive as he continued rubbing over her.

"How was your job?" She asked, a soft grin falling onto her face when she felt him press a kiss against the back of her neck.

"It was good, I finished everything up… I was glad to get back home though, I missed you guys." He answered her, slowly moving his hands up and down her back before leaving them to rest on her shoulders, Gabby letting her body completely relax back into his, resting in between his legs as her head leaned against his stomach.

"We missed you, too." She murmured, Matt running his hands up and down the front of her arms as she leaned against him, both of them watching their little girl as she lay on the ground, Gabby taking a deep breath before speaking up again. "So… I believe we have some things to talk about." She prompted, Matt's head tilting to the side slightly.

"Oh yeah?" He asked, feeling her nod against his stomach. "What about?"

"I heard you spoke to Boden." She responded, a sheepish look immediately covering his face, Matt looking down as Gabby looked up, Dawson laughing softly when she saw his guilty look. "Yeah, I found out about that."

"I know I probably should've told you." He replied, moving his hand to slide across her upper chest, keeping her close to him. "And I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go behind your back, but I just wanted to know if it was an option. I know you loved getting to be at 51 again while you were pregnant, and with how much trouble the SAS is giving you, I just wanted to know what our options were, if we had any. But I should've asked you, I-"

"Thank you." Gabby cut him off, Matt stopping immediately as a soft smile covered his face.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He asked teasingly, Gabby rolling her eyes as she rubbed her hand over his leg.

"I'm not saying it again." She joked, earning a chuckle from her husband as he continued lightly rubbing across her upper chest, the action comforting as they sat together. "But no, thank you for going to talk to him. I appreciate you doing that, because honestly I'm not sure if going back to the SAS is something I want to do."

"Yeah, I could kind of tell." Matt murmured, leaning forward to press a kiss to the top of her head, Gabby bringing her hand up to rest over his. "But I know how much you love working with Jemma, so I didn't want it to seem like I was forcing you into anything. But I also didn't want to suggest it if it wasn't something that was a possibility."

"I get it… And yeah, I would miss working with Jemma, but she's not going anywhere. I mean, she's Sofia's godmother, she's pretty much stuck with us." Gabby laughed, Matt nodding in agreement.

"So do you think it's something you want to do?" He asked softly, Gabby drawing in a slow breath.

"I don't know, I'd probably need some more time to think about it. It's a big decision, but it'd be nice to keep working together...And it would be easier to get Sofia on a new schedule, since 51's work days are much more predictable than the SAS." She spoke, Matt nodding in agreement. "What about you, what do you think?"

"You already know that answer." He replied, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Working with you is one of my favorite things, I'd love to get it to it again, forever. But this isn't a choice I can make for you, whatever you decide to do, I'll support you. But I'd love for you to come back." He told her, Gabby nodding slowly, her eyes watching Sofia.

"Yeah… it'd be nice to not be apart for so long, although it'll be hard to leave Sofia with a stranger for that long."

"I know, but we can find someone we trust. And do a lot of supervised visits. Obviously, Sofia is our first priority here, but I think it would be good for her if her parents are on the same schedule. Us both being away from her for twenty-four hours would be an adjustment, but I think that's better than us having alternating days. I mean, cause there could end up being weeks she'd only get one day with the both of us… It would be hard at first, but I think us being on the same schedule would benefit her in the long run."

"You're probably right."

"I am right." He responded with a grin, Gabby rolling her eyes. "But really, just take some more time to think about it, there's no rush. Whatever you decide, I'll support you." Matt reminded her, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, giving him a nod in agreement. "...What else was there?"

"Hmm?"

"You said we had _things_ to talk about, what else?" He prodded, Gabby releasing a heavy sigh, Matt's eyebrows furrowing. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine, it's just- Boden also told me something else while I was there…"

"What is it?"

"...Were you really going to quit?" She asked suddenly, confusion filling his body as her words hit his ears.

"What?"

"Boden said something about how you might quit, after Sofia was born… Or take a job at headquarters. He thought I knew about it, but I didn't know what he was talking about… What was he talking about?" She asked, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip as he drew in a deep breath, a thick silence filling the air around them before he finally spoke up.

"I told Kelly, back when you were still pregnant, that there was a chance I might be leaving 51 after Sofia was born, and I guess he told Boden." His words hung in the air for a moment, Matt able to tell just by her body language that she needed a minute to process the information.

"But why?" Gabby asked, Matt hearing the clear confusion in her voice. "You love being a firefighter."

"I do, but I love my family more." He responded, Gabby's confusion only growing, Matt sensing it even though he couldn't see her. Blowing out a heavy sigh, Casey tightened his grip around his wife, holding her closer to him before continuing. "...I made that decision because if something happened to you, I wasn't going to risk my life every day on shift and possibly leave Sofia without both her parents." He elaborated softly, his blunt words taking her by surprise.

She didn't say anything for a few moments, Matt giving her time to process what he'd told her, while continuously rubbing his thumb against her chest, feeling her breathe slowly.

"I… I guess I never thought about that." She eventually responded, gnawing on her bottom lip. "I don't know why I didn't, but I just- I didn't think about it."

"I'm glad you didn't." Matt murmured, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "And I hadn't thought about it at first either, not until my accident on the job… then it all kind of just hit me. So I made the decision that if something happened, I'd quit. Sofia deserved that much."

Gabby's face softened as she listened to him talk, slowly grasping his reasoning as she digested his words.

She guessed she shouldn't be surprised; it was a very noble thing to do, it was a very _Matt_ thing to do. But she never thought of it like that. For whatever reason, when she'd gone through and tried to process what all would happen if she died, she never thought about what would happen if something happened to Matt, at least not because of that. It seems obvious now, given the inherent danger of the job, but it never occurred to her. Not enough for her to think he'd ever quit being a firefighter.

But the more she thought about it, the more she realized he wouldn't have even thought twice about it. Once he made up his mind, there'd be no changing it. His family came first, and they always had. It just so happened that it just used to be her he would take into consideration, for the longest time she had been his only family. Yeah, he had the firehouse, but other than that, it was just her. He didn't talk to his mom, or his sister, or any of his extended family. It was just her, and the family he found through her. But now that has changed. It wasn't just her anymore, it was her _and _Sofia. And Matt would do anything he could for them.

She shouldn't be surprised that he would give up the one thing he could always count on for the sake of his family, but it was something that she definitely hadn't been expecting.

"Gabby?"

Matt's voice snapped her from her thoughts, Gabby blinking furiously as her mind came back into focus.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm good… Just thinking."

"About?" He questioned, Gabby leaning back further into him.

"You... And how selfless you are." She responded, her words bringing a soft smile to his face. "...And how I'm just glad it didn't come to that."

"Me too." He was quick to agree, tightening his grip on her. "Believe me, I'm thankful for that every day." His voice was soft, Gabby feeling him press continuous kisses to the top of her head, knowing his tight grip on her body was as much for him as it was for her. "But I'm sorry for not telling you, I know I should've I just- we had enough going on before Sofia was born, and then once you were okay, it didn't matter because it wasn't something I was gonna be doing, so I just kind of forgot about it."

"No, I get it." She replied quietly, stroking her thumb over the back of his hand. "I was a little surprised to hear it from Boden, but I get it." She assured him, Matt nodding as they fell into a comfortable quiet, both of them watching their little girl who was currently oblivious to the heavy conversation her parents were having, Sofia captivated by the toy in front of her.

Matt could tell Gabby was getting lost in her own head again, and while he didn't know exactly what was going through her mind, he had a pretty good idea. He always tried to avoid the topic of what could've happened to her, it wasn't something either of them enjoy talking about, let alone thinking of, so it was something they both usually tried to steer clear of, but it was unavoidable with what she'd asked him. Unless he lied to her, which he refused to do, there was no way to not bring it up.

But still, he hated making her think about it. _He _hated thinking about it. Because it didn't happen, and there was no need to dwell on the what ifs. But after months and months of accepting the fact that she could die, it was easier said than done to just forget about it. Even though it had been over two months since everything, it was still something that was hard to think about, it would always be hard to think about.

But all he knew to do was try and help her not focus on it.

"I love you so much, you know that, right?" Matt murmured after a few quiet moments, Gabby giving his hand a gentle squeeze, letting her head relax back into his stomach.

"Always… I love you, too."

* * *

It was dead quiet in the Casey home, all three members of the small family sound asleep even though it was barely 9PM. Both parents were exhausted by the time night came, as was Sofia, and after the baby's nighttime routine had been completed around seven, it didn't take long for the parents to fall asleep, either. Gabby was out by eight, wanting to get as much sleep while she could, and Matt stayed up much later than she did, Casey exhausted after his long shift and his construction job.

But their peaceful sleep was soon interrupted by the sound of Matt's phone ringing on the nightstand, Gabby immediately waking up at the noise. Matt woke up seconds later, instinctively reaching it to try and silence it, but it was too late as Sofia soon woke up screaming, the baby not liking having her sleep being disturbed, her loud wails filling the room.

"Matt…" Gabby groaned, Casey yanking his phone off the charger frustratedly, not bothering to glance at the Caller ID before he answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Matt, the baby." Gabby spoke before the person on the other line could respond, Matt opening his eyes and sitting up, Sofia's cries getting louder as she had yet to be picked up.

"I got it." He spoke to Gabby, swinging his legs off the bed. "I'm sorry, hold on a sec." He told the person on the phone before dropping it on the bed, Sofia's cries only getting louder by the second.

"Matt!"

"I'm getting her, just give me a second." He bit back, shaking his head as he moved towards Sofia's bassinet. "Hey hey hey, it's okay baby." He murmured, quickly and carefully picking her up from her bed, rocking her in his arms. "It's okay, let's go see Momma."

Walking around to Gabby's side of the bed, he waited for his wife to get into a sitting position before he handed her to Gabby, Dawson cuddling the young girl to her chest.

"It's okay, baby, I know, I'm sorry." She murmured, kissing Sofia's head as the girl pressed her mouth against Gabby's chest, the tired mom releasing a heavy sigh. "Yeah, yeah you want to eat, I know." She breathed out, Matt moving back around the bed as Gabby got situated, beginning to nurse Sofia. Both Matt and Gabby knew it was more out of comfort than it was hunger, knowing that being startled awake was the cause of her wanting to feed. But the reason didn't matter, regardless it still meant Gabby had to feed her, which meant she wouldn't be getting back to sleep anytime soon. "Matt, who's on the phone?" Gabby asked after a few seconds, Matt's tired eyes opening.

"Oh, uh, I forgot about that." He breathed out, reaching down to pick up the device, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw it was that unknown number, but this was the first time he'd picked up. "Hello? Who is this?" He asked, seeing Gabby look up at him.

"_Matthew?_"

Matt's eyes widened when he heard the familiar voice, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing from his reaction.

"What? Who is it?" She questioned, Matt shaking his head.

"Mom?" He replied back into the phone, a similar look of shock soon finding Gabby's face.

"_Hi, honey._" She responded softly, Matt placing himself down on the edge of the bed, facing Gabby before he spoke up again.

"Uh, hi mom… Has this been you calling me the entire time?"

"_Yeah, it has._"

"Sorry for not answering, I didn't recognize the number… And things have been kind of crazy around here."

"_Yeah, I can hear that… Forgive me if I'm wrong, but was that a baby crying?_" She asked, Matt hearing the hurt in her voice, wincing slightly before he answered.

"Uh, yeah… yeah, it was." He responded, his mom having gone silent. "I'm sorry you didn't know, I'm sorry for not calling, but everything's been crazy, and it's been awhile she we saw each other… I never meant to go this long without telling you."

"_... How old is-_"

"Sofia." Matt supplemented, hearing his mom take a deep breath.

"_You have a daughter?_" She asked, his smile widening.

"Yeah, I do.. Sofia… She's nine weeks old."

"_Wow… That's- congratulations, honey. I'm so happy for you._"

"Thanks mom."

"_...And her mother?_" Nancy asked, Matt grimacing slightly as he glanced towards his wife.

"Gabby." He responded simply, his mother going silent for a moment.

"_She's back in town?_" Nancy questioned, Gabby able to hear her words clearly.

"Yeah, she is… She has been for awhile."

"_Wow… I sure have missed a lot._"

"Yeah, you have… I am sorry for not calling you sooner… I should have, but everything's been kind of nonstop lately."

"_It's okay, Matthew._" She responded, even though he could hear the hurt in her voice. "_I'm just glad to hear you're doing well. I wouldn't have called this late, had I known about Sofia, but I'm glad you answered… I've been trying to get in contact with you because I'm gonna be in Chicago here soon, and I'd like to see you._"

"Yeah, of course. That'd be nice, you could meet Sofia." He spoke with a soft smile, catching Gabby's watchful gaze.

"_I'd love that._"

"When are you gonna be in town?" He questioned, reaching out and placing his hand on Gabby's shin, giving it a slight squeeze.

"_Well, I'm actually already here._" She spoke, Matt's eyes widening, Gabby's face instantly mimicking his, clearly having heard what his mother said.

"Oh, wow- Well, uh, let me talk to Gabby and let us figure out our schedule, then I can call you back?"

"_That's fine, honey. I don't want to keep you any longer, I'm in town for a bit so just whenever you're free… Congratulations to you and Gabby, I can't wait to meet my granddaughter._"

"Thanks Mom, I'm excited for you to meet her, too."

With a few more pleasantries, Matt hung up the phone, finding Gabby watching him with raised eyebrows while Sofia was still clutched onto her.

"So… that person calling was your mom?" She questioned, Matt nodding as he stood up, returning his phone to the charger, making sure to turn down the volume before placing it on the nightstand.

"Yeah, I guess so… I'm not sure why she never just left me a message, or what number she was even calling from, but she's in town and wants to see us."

"See you… and Sofia." She clarified, Matt shaking his head.

"And you. My mom loves you, Gabby. She always has." He spoke, climbing back down into bed, sitting next to her.

"When was the last time you spoke to her?" Gabby changed the subject, looking down towards Sofia, seeing her fighting her exhaustion while she continued to nurse.

"Uh… it's been awhile. I haven't spoken to her since before you got back." He responded, Gabby's eyes widening in surprise. "And actually, it was a while before that… I talked her maybe a month after you left, she knew about the divorce and everything, but after a few calls within a month of that, I never really heard from her again." He explained, Gabby giving him a slow nod.

"Well, at least you two will be able to catch up… a lot's happened since you last spoke."

"Yeah, it has. A lot of very good things." He replied, Gabby unable to fight the smile forming on her face.

"Definitely." She agreed, stroking her thumb over Sofia's cheek, the girl gripping onto her mother's shirt tightly. "So… she doesn't hate me?"

"Of course not, baby." He was quick to assure her, although she noticed his demeanor falter slightly. "I mean… when her and I last talked, I still wasn't in a great place with everything that happened, but if there's a problem, I'll talk to her. But I'm not even anticipating there being one, you've always been her favorite." He spoke lightly as he poked her side, the action getting a smile out of her.

"Okay, okay, quit it." She replied with a laugh, Matt leaning over to press a kiss to her shoulder. "I'll take your word for it."

"Good." He spoke, pressing another kiss against her before leaning up, his eyes focused on his daughter. "I am glad to hear from her, but I really wish she had better timing."

"Yeah, me too… Although that's never been your mother's strong suit." Gabby teased, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Fair enough." He responded with a chuckle, seeing Gabby beginning to shift around. "Is she done?" He asked, pushing himself up on his shin, his other leg hanging off the side of the bed.

"Yeah, she fell asleep…" Gabby responded, Matt nodding before carefully taking Sofia from Gabby's grasp, the young girl moving around before settling into her father's arms, Matt thankful she didn't wake up.

"I got you, baby girl, Daddy's here." He murmured, gently laying her down into her bed, the little girl not waking in the slightest as she got transferred to her bassinet, Matt holding his breath until she was down completely.

After waiting a few moments to ensure she was really asleep, Matt moved back towards the bed, chuckling softly when he saw his wife already laying back down, nearly passed out already as she was curled into the middle of the bed.

Without a word, he climbed back in, Gabby reaching out for him the second she sensed his presence, pulling him towards her until her head could reach his chest, Matt following her lead as she made herself comfortable.

"Goodnight… again." He murmured against the top of her head, Gabby smiling as she pressed a kiss to his bare chest.

"Night baby." She responded before sleep overtook her, focusing on the feeling of her husband's chest rising and falling beneath her, and his hand brushing through her hair until she fell into her peaceful slumber.

* * *

**And there's another one. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Looks like there's a decision that needs to be made when it comes to Gabby and her job, and we finally found out who'd been trying to get in touch with Matt. I know some of you had guessed it was Nancy, and you were correct. But it's definitely been awhile since they last talked, so there's some serious catching up to do there…**

**I'm super excited to hear your alls thoughts on this one, I hope you guys are liking watching this little family. It's definitely been fun for me to write. Thank you all so much for reading, your continued support means everything and it's the reason we've been able to make it sixty six chapters into this thing, so thank you.**

**Also, just a reminder, there will be no new chapter until next Monday. Just in case you all forgot, I wanted to remind you. Sorry again, but at least you all have some warning this time haha. **

**Until the next.**


	67. Chapter Sixty Seven

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I know you guys have had to wait a week for it, so I hope you enjoy!**

**I wanted to thank you all for all the kind words you left me on my last chapter, and also thank you all for the Happy Thanksgiving wishes you left me, you all are so sweet, and I hope you all had a great holiday as well, those of you who celebrate. **

**I saw a lot of you were glad to see it was Nancy who was calling Matt, so I hope you all like how this plays out. Happy reading!**

**A few quick things, though. First, I know I talked about how after the holiday I was wanting to get back on my Monday/Thursday update schedule, which I'm still going to try my best to do, but I'm not sure I'll be able to keep up that pace... Which leads us into our next thing.**

**I'm not sure how many of you saw, but I just uploaded the first chapter to a new little Dawsey story I've been working on. It's called If We Never Say Goodbye, and it's playing off of what happened in the fall finale. I just posted it about an hour ago, if you all would like to go check it out!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Seven**_

* * *

Casey drew in a deep breath as he skillfully unlocked the back door to the apartment, juggling the grocery bags in his hands as he carefully pushed the door open, walking inside his home. Once he'd cleared the door, he used his foot to kick it closed, Matt soon hearing the comforting sounds of Sofia's incoherent noises as he stepped further into the apartment.

"Babe?" He called out, placing the grocery bags down on the counter. "I got everything you asked for from the store, although I couldn't find the exact sauce you asked for, so I just got some plain marinara sauce and I figured you could- oh, you're not Gabby." Casey cut himself off when Jemma came around the corner holding Sofia in her arms.

"No, I'm not." She responded with a chuckle, Matt's face lighting up when he looked at his daughter, the little girl distracted by Jemma's shirt.

"There's my baby." He spoke softly, Sofia's eyes moving towards the voice, smiling wide when she saw her dad. "Yeah, Daddy's home." He murmured, carefully taking the small girl from Jemma's grip, Sofia curling into his chest. "I didn't know you'd still be here, although I am glad to see you." Matt said as he returned his attention to Jemma, flashing her a warm smile.

"Yeah, Gabby asked me to stay a little longer, she went to go take a shower." Jemma replied, running her hand over the top of Sofia's head. "We were talking a little longer than we meant to, and lost track of time. She mentioned how your mom is coming for dinner, so I offered to stay and watch Sof so she could get ready." She explained, Matt nodding understandingly as he began bouncing the little girl in his arms.

"Well, I appreciate that… I'm glad you all got some time to catch up, I know everything's been a little hectic around here lately."

"You guys have a new baby, you have a good reason. Does any of this need to be put away?" Jemma asked as she moved into the kitchen, grabbing the bags Casey had just brought in.

"Oh, some of it, yeah, but you don't have to do that."

"I don't mind." She responded before beginning to separate the cold items.

"You're a godsend, do you know that?" Casey asked, Jemma chuckling as she shook her head.

"Hardly." She responded, moving towards the fridge.

"So, you said you and Gabby had a chance to talk?" Matt questioned, hearing her hum in response before continuing. "...Did she tell you about everything going on with work?"

Jemma turned around once the question had left his lips, Matt giving his finger for Sofia to hold onto as he saw a slight frown across Norris' face.

"She did." She responded sadly, shaking her head. "I can't believe all this is happening again… Honestly, I still can't believe they got away with cutting her hours because of her pregnancy in the first place, and now this… It's frustrating for me, I can't imagine how it is for her."

"Yeah, it hasn't been fun." Casey breathed out, his eyes flashing towards his and Gabby's closed bedroom door. "Her and I… she's trying to figure out what she wants to do, but it's not an easy decision."

"I know, and I feel so bad, I wish there was something I could do. And I know everyone at our house would feel the same way… Everyone loves Dawson, but the way they've treated her through this pregnancy, and everything now, I don't blame her for not knowing if she wants to go back. And I told her that." Jemma replied, Matt giving her a soft nod.

"Yeah, I've reminded her multiple times you'd understand if she decides to leave."

"Of course, yeah. All she dealt with with this pregnancy, a little leeway is the least she deserves, and I hate that the SAS is doing this to her. Obviously, I love having her as my partner, I've learned so much from her, and I'm sure I'll never work with a better medic, but I don't want her to come back if it's not the best choice for her."

"That's good to hear… I mean, I knew that already, but we haven't had a chance to talk to you about it, and I know Gabby was a little worried about how you'd react… You're really the only thing keeping her from just accepting Boden's offer." Matt spoke, Jemma furrowing her eyebrows.

"I don't want her making this decision because of me."

"I know you don't, and she knows that too… But you are a factor." Matt spoke, Jemma's face softening. "You're her best friend, and she doesn't want to stop working with you." He elaborated. "I know we'll still see you all the time, but she's missed working with you a lot… She doesn't wanna give that up, and I can't say I blame her. You were really a saving grace for her, Jemma." He spoke softly, the paramedic stepping towards the counter. "You were- are, I should say, the friend she needed after everything that happened, and you have been ever since you two met. Yeah, we'll still see you all the time, but it'll be different for Gabby… I know one of the things she was most looking forward to after this pregnancy was getting to work with you again."

"I still say you two give me way too much credit…" Jemma spoke, shaking her head as Matt grinned softly. "And I was really looking forward to working with her again, too, but I'm not going anywhere. And that's what I told her when we talked about it. You two, you three actually," She clarified, eyeing the baby in his arms, "you all are stuck with me, no matter where Gabby's working."

"Yeah, we wouldn't want it any other way." Matt responded, glancing down towards Sofia, the baby currently playing with his finger. "Isn't that right, Sof? We love having Auntie Jemma around, huh?" His voice raised an octave as he spoke, Sofia smiling wide when her dad spoke to her. "Yeah, that's what I thought." He finished, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he looked back up, finding Jemma watching him with an amused grin. "...What?"

"Nothing." She responded with a shrug. "It's just that Gabby really was right." She spoke vaguely, Matt's head tilting to the side, waiting for her to elaborate. "...You're like a completely different guy around Sofia."

"Is that a bad thing?" He asked with a grin, Jemma shaking her head.

"No, not at all." She responded with a chuckle. "And I know for a fact Gabby _loves_ it." She added, Matt scoffing in amusement as he began moving towards the bedroom.

"How often do you two talk about me, anyway?" He asked as he ran his teeth over his bottom lip, Jemma raising her eyebrows in amusement.

"More often than you probably wanna know." She replied, Matt shaking his head as he opened the bedroom door.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right about that…" He trailed off, his voice soon turning serious. "But really, thank you for all your help today, we really appreciate it."

"Of course, no need to thank me for anything." She replied, continuing to unpack the groceries as Matt balanced baby Sofia in his arms. "I'm gonna wait around and say goodbye to Gabby, if that's alright."

"Yeah, it's no problem, you stay as long as you want. I'll go see if she's almost ready… it was good to see you, Jemma."

"You too, Matt." She responded with a smile, Casey reciprocating the action before stepping into the quiet bedroom, closing the door behind him. With Sofia in his arms, he glanced around, finding the room empty, Matt's eyes immediately moving towards the bathroom, knowing Gabby had to still be in there. He didn't hear any water running, so he assumed her to have at least finished her shower, Matt walking with a bounce in his step as he moved towards the open doorway, his wife soon coming into view.

He was about to make his presence known before he stopped himself, Matt taking in the appearance of the woman he loved more than anything. She was standing in the middle of the bathroom, staring at herself in the mirror as she smoothed her loose sweater out over her stomach, clearly scrutinizing her appearance as she looked at herself.

While he didn't know what was going on in her head, he knew exactly what was going on in his as his eyes trailed up and down her clothed figure, a small grin forming over his face as his tongue poked out between his teeth. Blowing out a light whistle, the noise gained Gabby's attention as she glanced towards the doorway, smiling softly when she saw her husband and baby.

"Damn, my girl is beautiful." He breathed out, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks before she padded over towards him, her bare feet moving quietly across the tile.

"Hello to you, too." She responded, reaching out to hold onto his waist, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips before giving their daughter a quick kiss as well.

"Hi baby." He greeted, kissing her again, both adults being mindful of the small girl in between them. "How have you been? I was talking to Jemma, it sounded like you two had a good time." He murmured, watching as Gabby's smile widened.

"We did, yeah. It was nice to get some time with her, and she was a huge help with Sofia today, too." Gabby responded, brushing her fingers through Matt's short hair. "What about you, how'd your job go?"

"It was good." He replied, relishing in the feeling of her fingers scratching over his head. "It was tiring, yeah, but I'm glad I got it done. I didn't plan on being gone this long, but I did get everything you needed from the store."

"Thank you." She responded softly. "And it's okay, Jemma was able to stay, so it all worked out fine."

"Yeah, Sofia was having a great time with her when I came in."

"Well, who can blame her?" Gabby questioned before glancing down towards the baby. "Aunt Jemma's so much fun, isn't she?" She cooed, lightly tickling Sofia's stomach, the young girl waving her arms and kicking her legs excitedly.

"How'd she do today?" Matt asked, Gabby's eyes flickering up towards him before looking back to their daughter.

"She did great. She mostly just slept and ate."

"Wow, what a life." He joked, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before lifting Sofia into her arms, the young girl happy to be held by her mother. "You got her all day, and you're already taking my baby from me?"

"Yes, I am." She replied quickly as Sofia cuddled into her mom's chest. "It's already the afternoon, your mom's gonna be here in a few hours and you need to take a shower anyway so you can help me cook."

"Whatever you say, dear." He responded, Gabby's nose scrunching up before a light scoff escaped her lips.

"Yeah, never say that again." She chuckled, pressing a kiss to the side of his mouth before he stepped past her into the bathroom, pulling the t-shirt from his body as he walked towards the shower.

"Why? I kind of like it, _dear_." He teased her, Gabby cocking her head to the side as he began unbuttoning his pants, chuckling when he saw her gaze focused on his movements. "Like what you see?" He questioned, sliding the clothing down his legs.

"It's not bad." She responded with a grin, Matt shaking his head in amusement before she disappeared around the corner. "Now hurry and clean up, I have work for you to do!" She called from the bedroom, Matt chuckling as he listened to her leave the room, his attention moving back towards his shower as he stood alone in the bathroom.

* * *

"Matt?"

Gabby's voice flooded into the kitchen from the bedroom as Matt had the oven open, the man currently checking on the food the both of them had spent the better part of their afternoon preparing.

"Yeah, babe?" He called back, grabbing the oven mitts off the counter so he could remove the dish.

"Can you check on dinner?"

Matt grinned softly, being mindful of the hot pan as he removed it from the oven, placing it on top of the counter. "Yeah, it's looking good." He responded, checking to make sure the oven was turned off before he tossed the oven mitts back down, walking towards the bedroom. When he turned the corner, he stopped in the doorway, watching as Gabby sat in the chair in the corner of the room, her foot propped up on the seat as she nursed Sofia, the little girl holding tightly onto her mother.

"Hi." She murmured, Matt's smile widening as he stepped further into the room.

"Hi babe." He responded just as softly, coming to a stop in front of her. "How are my girl's doing?"

"Well, your daughter is doing great, her mom on the other hand is feeling a little tired of being latched onto twenty four hours a day… but overall, we're both good." She responded with a soft smile, Matt chuckling before leaning down to press a gentle kiss on her forehead. "So dinner looked okay?"

"It looks great, it's out of the oven. I think my mom will love it."

"Yeah, I hope so." She replied, flashing him a weak smile before glancing down at Sofia, the little girl too focused on smacking Gabby's chest to pay attention to anything else. "I've made it for her before, and I think she liked it, so hopefully it goes well."

"It'll be fine." He assured her quickly, bringing his hand up to cradle her cheek, stroking his thumb over her skin. "She's just gonna be excited to meet the baby, and to catch up with us… Really, I don't think there's anything to worry about."

"I'm gonna be holding you to that." She murmured, Matt frowning softly, knowing this was worrying her more than she'd care to admit. He knew Gabby was nervous about spending time with his mother again, and his words of assurance wouldn't do much until after they spent some time together, and Gabby saw everything that was fine. Despite the great relationship Gabby had always had with his mom, he knew his wife was wary to see her because of how things transpired between the couple last year. But he wished it hadn't made her so anxious; this was a good thing, Matt and Gabby reconnecting with his mom, and her being able to meet Sofia, and he just wanted all of them to have a good night.

"Babe, you don't need to worry so much… It's gonna be fine." He spoke quietly, tracing his thumb along her cheekbone. "And on the off chance it's not, then I'll deal with it. Yeah, she's my mom, but if she says or does anything, I'll handle it… But I'm not expecting that, anyway. My mom loves you, Gabby. Probably more than me, and once she gets a better understanding of why things went down the way they did, it'll all be a distant memory. I really don't want you worrying about this…"

"I'm a mother now, I'm in a constant state of worry all the time." Gabby responded with a smug grin, Matt chuckling before he pressed another kiss to her head.

"Yes, I know. It's part of what makes you such an amazing mom... But maybe table this particular worry, okay?"

"We'll see." She replied, biting back a smirk as Matt let out a slight scoff, the pair getting interrupted by sharp knocking on their front door. "... Okay, well I guess we'll find out here in a few minutes."

"I'll get that, you finish up with Sof." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod as he began walking towards the door. "Take your time, okay?"

"Yeah, I couldn't rush her if I tried." Gabby replied, Matt flashing her a wide, knowing grin before he moved through the doorway, closing the door behind him to give his wife and daughter their privacy until they were done.

Expertly maneuvering the furniture in the apartment, Matt made his way to the front door, blowing out a slow breath as he mentally prepared himself to see his mom again. He was excited, of course he was, but he was also a little nervous, although not for the same reasons as Gabby. It was just the sheer amount of time that had passed since he last saw her, or even talked to her, that had him anxious. He never meant to go this long without talking to her, but the last he knew she wasn't even in Chicago, and she hadn't made much of an attempt to reach out to him, either. He knew it would probably be a little awkward at first, considering everything that's happened since their last call, but he was looking forward to getting past that, and just spending some quality time with his mom.

Turning the lock on the door, Matt pulled it open, taking a step back as he came face to face with his mom, the smile on his face morphing into a look of confusion when he saw she wasn't alone.

"Hi Matthew." She greeted with a warm smile, immediately stepping inside the apartment, bringing her son into a tight hug.

Snapping out of his confused state, he returned his mother's gesture, his eyes flashing to the unknown man still standing in the hallway as he ran his hand along her back.

"Hi mom." He replied, Nancy giving him a tight squeeze before pulling back, gripping his arms as she looked him over.

"You're looking good, Matthew. Although you definitely look like you could use more sleep." She commented, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"Well, with a new baby, Gabby and I are pretty much getting all the sleep we can." He responded, Nancy nodding knowingly.

"Oh yes, I can't wait to meet the little angel, where is she?" She questioned, glancing around the apartment, but they weren't able to see much from their position in the doorway.

"Gabby's nursing her right now, she'll probably fall asleep after but you can see her when she wakes up." Matt answered, Nancy trying to cover the look of disappointment that flashed over her face, quickly masking it with a smile.

"Very well," Nancy responded, the two being interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat, both Casey's turning to look at the man still standing outside the doorway. "Oh, yes, Henry, come in, I'm sorry honey." Nancy spoke, Matt doing what he could to hide the wince on his face at his mother's terminology for the man who was clearly more than a friend. "Henry, this is my son, Matthew. Matthew, this is Henry."

"It's nice to meet you, son." He greeted, his deep voice filling the air as he extended his hand. Nodding slowly, Matt returned the gesture, flashing him a small smile.

"Nice to meet you, too. I'm sorry, I didn't realize my mom was bringing company."

"Oh, Matthew, I'm sorry. I know I should've mentioned it, but I wanted it to be a surprise. I hope it's not too much trouble." She spoke regretfully, Casey shaking his head.

"Of course not, Mom. You know Gabby, she made enough food for an army anyway, we'll just have to set another place at the table, it's fine… Why don't you guys come in, make yourselves at home." He offered, both of them nodding before stepping further into the apartment, Matt closing the door behind them.

"The apartment looks just the same as I remember." She commented as she shrugged off her jacket.

"Yeah, it hasn't changed much." He replied, taking her jacket and hanging it up on the rack, doing the same with Henry's before leading them into the living room. "So, Mom, how long are you staying in Chicago?"

"Not much longer, I'm afraid. We're leaving here in the next few days."

"Oh, I didn't realize it was that soon."

"Yeah, Henry's gotta get back to work, so we can't stay too much longer, but I definitely want to come visit you and the family more, now that there _is_ a family." She spoke pointedly, Matt releasing a heavy sigh.

"Mom... " He started, suddenly very aware of the unfamiliar man's presence, Nancy seeing her son's glance to the man.

"Oh, sweetheart, Henry already knows everything… Or, he knows what all you've told me, you don't need to worry about that." She spoke, Matt eyeing the man carefully before returning his attention to his mother.

"Alright… Well, uh- I'm sorry I never called, after Gabby got back, and then when we found out she was pregnant… There was a lot going on before the baby, and then the pregnancy was really rough on us, everything just happened so fast, but I am sorry you found out the way you did, I know I should've called and told you sooner… We were gonna send out birth announcements, but then Sofia came earlier than planned and- yeah, it was all just a lot. But I am sorry, Mom." He spoke, Nancy nodding with a small smile.

"It's okay, honey... I won't lie to you, it hurt a little bit, but I know I haven't exactly been in your life much recently, and you had your family to worry about… I'm just glad I'll be able to meet your daughter." She spoke, Matt grinning softly.

"Me too." He responded quietly.

"Is Sofia okay?" Nancy asked suddenly, Matt's eyebrows raising in question. "You said she was premature, is she alright?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine. She's a little small for her age, but she's perfectly healthy. She did have to spend some time in the NICU, when she was first born and then she had a lung infection, so that was stressful, but ever since we brought her home she's been good. I mean, she had a cold for awhile there, and we've been dealing with some colic issues, but overall she's perfectly healthy."

"That's great to hear… Although not about the NICU. I remember how panicked I'd get when you and your sister got so much as a cold, I can't imagine having your baby in the NICU... I know that couldn't have been easy on you two." She spoke with a frown, Matt nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it definitely was hard… especially on Gabby, cause she really wasn't able to go and be with her." Matt replied gently, grimacing at the memory.

"Why?" Nancy pressed, watching as her son's frown deepened, Matt running his hand over his mouth. "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine now, but, uh-... The reason this pregnancy was so hard on us was because Gabby had an aneurysm, in her abdomen." Matt replied quietly, Nancy's lips turning down into a frown. "It was life-threatening, and we found out about it when we were trying to have a baby last year, and getting the news that Gabby shouldn't get pregnant… That's part of what caused her to originally leave in the first place, we found out about it back in May last year and it really- it really shook us, and Gabby just couldn't handle it…" He trailed off, clearing his throat before continuing. "But, uh, yeah- this pregnancy definitely wasn't planned, and truthfully, it wasn't wanted, at least not on my end, in the beginning because it could've killed her… It almost did kill her."

"Oh my God…" Nancy murmured in disbelief, her eyes shining with sadness.

"Yeah… the pregnancy was really difficult, physically and mentally, because we knew the risks and what could happen, and then during the delivery Gabby's aneurysm ruptured, and she almost died…" He breathed out, shaking his head as he pushed those memories to the back of his head. "But she's okay now, she's perfectly healthy, and so is Sofia." He finished with a smile, his mind calming at just the thought of his girls.

"I'm so glad, I had no idea all that was going on… I mean, I didn't even realize Gabby was back, but I didn't know about the aneurysm, that's awful." Nancy responded sadly.

"It definitely wasn't easy… I was pretty much on edge the entire pregnancy, and there were some other complications during it that we had to deal with… I was kind of a mess, and my head was all over the place, but they're both fine and that's all that matters."

"Yes, it is." Nancy replied with a warm smile, gripping Matt's arm comfortingly. "So… Gabby's back, you all have a daughter, are there any other major life events I need to know about?" She questioned, her son's immediate shift in demeanor giving her her answer. "What is it?" She pressed, Matt smiling sheepishly.

"Well, uh… Gabby and I got remarried." He replied, Nancy's eyes widening in surprise, her lips parting slightly.

"Oh… Wow." She breathed out, clearly not having expected that news. "...Please don't take this the wrong way, but was it because of Sofia?" She asked hesitantly, Matt immediately shaking his head.

"No, no… not at all." He responded, Nancy nodding with a soft smile. "I bought the ring before we found out about the baby, but we did get remarried before Sofia was born… We wanted to be married when she got here, and if anything did happen to Gabby…" He trailed off, Nancy's smile falling as Matt shook his head. "We just wanted to be married again."

"Well, I think that's great, Matthew." She spoke genuinely, running her hand over his arm. "I know how much you and Gabby love each other, and clearly there was more going on with you two than I realized… but I know you make each other happy, and you'll both be amazing parents to Sofia." She replied, Matt smiling warmly.

"Thanks Mom." He murmured, Nancy giving him a nod.

"But I am curious, what happened to her old ring?" She asked, watching as her son's eyebrows raised.

"Hmm?"

"You said you bought her a new ring before you found out about the pregnancy, why a new one?" She questioned again, Matt's body tensing slightly in hesitation.

He knew it was an innocent question, but he wasn't sure if it was one he could answer; or at least answer honestly. Although he was so glad to be reconnecting with his mother, and even more happy to see she wasn't upset with him, or Gabby, he wasn't sure the story of why Gabby's ring needed replacing was something he should share. Her attack wasn't his information to tell, not to anyone, let alone his mother and this random man he'd only met a few minutes ago, and the last thing he wanted to do was upset Gabby by sharing something so personal that she'd gone through. He knew the real answer to her question wasn't an answer he could give.

So he opted for a different approach; he lied.

"Oh, yeah… Well, I just thought a new ring was best. Fresh start, you know?" He covered, his words earning a nod from his mom.

"That's probably not a bad idea…" She mused, Matt nodding before glancing back towards the closed bedroom door.

"I'm gonna go check on Gabby, make sure she doesn't need anything… you two make yourselves at home, I'll get you some drinks when I get back." He told them, Nancy nodding before he stepped away, moving back towards the bedroom.

Casey opened the door quietly, not wanting to risk waking Sofia if she was asleep, Matt poking his head in to find Gabby in the same position he left her, Sofia still clinging to her mom.

"Hey." Gabby murmured, Matt opening the door just enough to slip inside before he closed it again. "Sorry this is taking so long, she's really hungry… apparently." She breathed out, Matt flashing her a warm smile as he walked across the room, sitting down on the footrest.

"It's okay, there's no rush." He responded, gently stroking the top of Sofia's head with his hand.

"How's your mom?" Gabby asked, Matt peeling his eyes away from his daughter to meet his wife's.

"She's good, she's excited to see you, and the baby… Her and Henry both." He added, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion, his gaze moving towards the closed door before looking back at Gabby. "Yeah, I had the same reaction." He chuckled.

"Who's Henry?" Gabby asked, Matt shrugging.

"We haven't exactly gotten that far, but considering she called him 'honey', and she invited him to dinner with her son and daughter in-law, I'm assuming he's not just a friend." He replied, Gabby laughing softly as she held onto Sofia.

"Your mom has a boyfriend, that's sweet." Gabby mused, earning a playful glare from her husband. "What? Women have needs, Matt." She added, her laughs getting louder when she saw the grimace covering his face.

"I love you, but please shut up." He responded jokingly, Gabby grinning as he stood up. "But, now that that's burned into my brain, I'm gonna get back out there, I just came to check on my girls.. And I didn't want you blindsided by Henry when you got out there."

"I appreciate that, and we're good, babe. She's barely staying awake, I shouldn't be much longer." She replied, Matt nodding before leaning down, giving her a quick peck on her lips.

"Like I said, take your time. I've gotta set another place at the table, anyway."

"Yes, well, your mother's_ boyfriend_ needs a place to eat." She joked, Matt groaning as he rolled his eyes, pressing his hand into his temple.

"God, I really don't like you right now." He muttered, his words earning another laugh from her.

"Yes you do." She responded, Matt grinning knowingly as he continued towards the door.

"Yes… I do." He agreed, winking at her with his signature Casey smirk before he left the room, slipping out as quietly as he entered.

As he stood against the closed door, he saw his mom and Henry standing over by the desk across the living room, their backs facing him as they looked at something he couldn't see, clearly unaware of his presence as Matt began walking towards them.

"So, your son's got himself a nice ethnic woman."

Matt's steps slowed as the words left Henry's lips, his thick southern accent filling the room as Casey's back tensed up, suddenly feeling very grateful Gabby wasn't out here yet. He could only assume they were looking at one of the many pictures of him and Gabby littered throughout the apartment, which, obviously, would've given away the fact that Gabby wasn't white, although Matt wasn't sure why it mattered.

"Gabby, yes." Nancy replied, Matt eyeing the back of his mother's head. "She's very lovely, I always knew they'd be good together… Mother's intuition, you know."

"Yeah, but didn't she leave him?" Henry asked, Matt glaring at the man as he stood behind them, the two of them still very unaware of his presence. "This is the same woman, right? He mentioned they got remarried." He continued, Nancy releasing a sharp sigh.

"Yeah, that's her… I don't know, when I heard from Matthew they were separating, I was shocked, because I know how much they loved each other- love each other," she corrected, "And after hearing just a little bit from him already, I know there's a lot that happened there that I have no idea about… There's definitely more to the story of why she left, and why she stayed… But from what I know about Gabby, I know how much she loves my son, I've never questioned that. Of course I never want to see him hurt, but I know how happy she makes him, and they're adults… If they've worked through the problems, there's no reason for me to hold any grudge against her." She continued, Henry giving her a nod. "She's a wonderful woman, and even if I never find out what all exactly happened between them, what I do know is Matt's never been happier with anyone else… She's it for him, I'm just glad she came back."

"As long as you and Matt are happy, that's all I care about." Henry replied, Matt's confusion growing as he listened to the man's words. He had no idea Henry even existed until tonight, yet the way he was talking, this man was acting like they'd known each other for years, and it was definitely strange. "She went to Puerto Rico, right?"

The more this man spoke, the more Matt understood that he really did know a lot about his life, even though the same definitely couldn't be said for him. He didn't even know this guy's last name, but from what Matt could tell, Henry knew everything his mom did.

"Yeah, she did."

"Is that where she's from?"

"No, she just went there to do aid work." Nancy replied, Henry nodding as he placed the picture frame down.

"And, uh- she does speak English, right?"

"Yes, she does." Matt cut in roughly, his voice surprising both of them as they quickly turned around. He hadn't felt the need to jump in up until this point, but he couldn't listen to whatever vaguely racist comments were sure to be coming from this man, Matt figuring it best to go ahead and step in.

"Oh, honey, you scared me, I didn't know you were there." Nancy replied, Matt's eyes focused in on the man next to her.

"Yeah, I figured." He responded, Nancy blowing out a sigh.

"Matthew, he didn't mean anything by it." She spoke, Henry shaking his head in agreement.

"No, absolutely not. No offense intended here, son. I just wasn't sure if there'd be a language barrier or not, I know sometimes with people who aren't Americans, they don't always know the language... that sometimes those people don't know English. I just wasn't sure, and I didn't want to make things uncomfortable." He added, Matt's glare narrowing as he spoke, his ignorance causing Casey's body to tense up.

"Gabby was born right here in Chicago." Matt spoke firmly, Henry giving him a nod. "She's as much of an American as I am, or as you are."

"He really didn't mean to offend you, honey." Nancy was quick to add, seeing the anger seeping from her son.

"Oh, no no, of course not. I'm sorry, I really didn't mean to upset you." He agreed, Matt running his tongue over his bottom lip before nodding, no one able to get another word in before they heard the bathroom door open, Matt turning around just in time to see Gabby walk through the door, baby monitor in hand as she shut it behind her.

"There she is." Nancy spoke warmly, a relieved smile forming on Gabby's face as she stepped further into the room, Matt relaxing at just the sight of her, his anger melting away when he saw her soft grin. Although the previous conversation had him on edge, he was glad Gabby was finally out here, and he was even more thankful that, as far as he could tell, she hadn't heard any of it. He didn't want Henry's ignorance to ruin the night for her, especially not when she was already nervous enough, and as long as nothing was said to her, Matt would be fine pretending it had never happened. Despite his intentions, his words were offensive, and the last thing Matt wanted was for Gabby to be upset over what had been said.

"Hi Nancy." She greeted as she came closer, her hands clasped together in front of her.

"Hi sweetheart." The older woman replied, bringing Gabby into a hug the second she got close enough, Gabby immediately reciprocating the action. "It's so nice to see you again."

"It's good to see you, too." She agreed, Nancy running her hand over her back before they pulled away, Gabby flashing a soft smile to man she assumed to be Henry. "Hi, I'm Gabby, it's nice to meet you." She introduced herself, shaking the man's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too, Gabby. I'm Henry."

Dawson nodded with a polite smile before she stepped back towards Matt, immediately tucking herself into his side. "I'm sorry it took me so long to get out here…"

"Oh, nothing to apologize for, you've gotta take care of your baby." Nancy spoke lightly, Matt feeling Gabby's body was much more relaxed than it had been earlier, his mom's demeanor putting her at ease. "I can't wait to meet her."

"As soon as she wakes up, you can see her." Matt spoke, Nancy nodding as they began moving into the kitchen. "Babe, do you want me to set the other place at the table, or start getting the food out?" He asked Gabby as Nancy and Henry stopped at the table.

"If you can get the food, I'll set the table." She answered, Matt giving her a nod before they both began moving around the kitchen, seamlessly weaving around one another as they got everything prepared.

Soon enough, the four of them were seated at the table, Gabby and Matt on one side while his mom and Henry were on the other, the baby monitor placed next to Matt.

"You two really didn't have to go through all this trouble, ordering in something would've been fine… I know how time consuming a new baby is." Nancy spoke as she took in the meal that had been prepared, Gabby waving her off.

"Oh, no it was fine. Matt and I were able to get it done pretty quickly, and we had some help with Sofia this afternoon."

"So you've hired help?" Nancy asked as she began putting some food on her plate, Matt shaking his head.

"No, we haven't, although when Gabby goes back to work, we'll have to. But it was just our friend, Jemma." He answered, putting a piece of chicken on Gabby's plate. "She's Sofia's godmother." He added, Nancy nodding as she got some pasta.

"Have I met Jemma?" Nancy asked, racking her brain as she tried to place a face with the name, but she was coming up empty.

"No, you haven't. We met her last year, her and Gabby work together, she's her partner." Matt explained.

"Oh, so she works at the firehouse?"

"No, she works for a private company." Gabby spoke up, Nancy's eyebrows furrowing as she glanced between her and Matt.

"You're not back at the firehouse?" She questioned, Gabby's eyes flickering to Henry before looking back at Nancy.

"Um, well, that's kind of a long story."

Seeing her look and sensing her hesitation, Nancy shot Gabby a warm smile, shaking her head. "Dear, anything I know, Henry knows, you don't need to worry about that." She spoke, Gabby giving her a weak smile before glancing towards Matt, knowing he'd let her take the lead on however much she wanted to share.

"Okay, well, uh- when I came back to Chicago, I decided to go work for this private ambulance company. They'd tried to recruit me before I left, and I thought it might be a good fit so I decided to go and work there… That's where I met Jemma."

"She must be a special woman, if you decided to have her be Sofia's godmother."

"She is." Matt cut in. "She's amazing, you'd like her."

"Yeah, so that's how we met her." Gabby finished, Nancy nodding.

"Well, I'm glad, she sounds great… So, you will be returning to work, Gabby?"

"Yeah, I am… There's some things we need to figure out, and I'm not sure exactly when, but I do want to keep working."

"And you'll be getting some help for Sofia?"

"We will. We've been looking into nannies… Someone who can be with her while we're on shift. Gabby's dad helps out a lot, and so does her brother, but we'll need something more permanent for when Gabby gets back to work." Matt answered, Nancy giving him a nod. "But we're not rushing anything, Gabby's still not a hundred percent since her surgery, and, obviously, Sofia's the priority here… We want the right fit for her."

"Yeah, I'm still haven't even decided when I'll be going back… Whoever we hire, we want to spend some time with them first, see them with Sofia, before we leave her with them for an entire day at a time."

"That's smart, yeah… But I know you two will make the best decision for your family." Nancy spoke softly, Matt and Gabby both wearing small smiles. "But you're back at work, Matthew?"

"I am, yeah. Have been for a few weeks."

"How's that going?" She pressed, Gabby taking a bite of her food while the focus was on her husband.

"It's been alright… I'm glad to be back, but it has been an adjustment for all of us. It's hard being away from Sofia for that long. But we're managing." He admitted, flashing Gabby a smile when he felt her squeeze his leg under the table.

"That's definitely always the hardest part." She replied sympathetically, "but I'm glad things are going so well for you… for the both of you." She added, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "When I called, I definitely wasn't expecting all this, but I'm so glad everything worked out, and that you two have little Sofia… I know how much you've both always wanted this, and I'm happy you finally have it."

"Thanks mom." Matt replied softly, Gabby unable to stop the small smile pulling on her lips.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt rubbing along her back.

Before any of them could say anything else, a sharp cry came through the baby monitor, Matt and Gabby both immediately looking towards the object, seeing Sofia moving around as she cried.

"I guess someone's awake." Nancy spoke with a laugh, Matt chuckling as he pushed his seat back.

"Yeah, I guess so… I got her, babe." He spoke to his wife, Gabby nodding as he grabbed the baby monitor, heading for the bedroom, the three of them watching him until he disappeared into the room.

"So, Gabby…" Nancy spoke, Dawson looking over from the door to find both Nancy and Henry watching her. "I know you've been back for awhile, but how was the work you were doing in Puerto Rico?" She asked, Gabby running her tongue over her bottom lip before responding.

"It was good, it was really good…" She answered, taking a sip of her water. "I, uh, I really enjoyed helping everyone there, the work was really rewarding, but, I uh- I just felt like it was time to come home." She finished, averting her eyes down to her plate, unsure of exactly where this conversation was headed. Although the evening had gone well up to this point, Gabby really had no way of knowing if that had solely been for Matt's benefit or not. She couldn't imagine Nancy was too happy with her after what she must've heard from Matt right after she left, she just hoped whatever resentment she'd been feeling for her had gone away, and that Nancy really did mean what she was saying.

Seeing her hesitance, Nancy sighed, the sound causing Gabby to look back up. "Honey, you don't need to feel like you have to explain yourself to me… I'm not going to pretend to understand what happened between you two. When I learned you two were getting a divorce, I was shocked. And yes, I was a little surprised to hear you were back together, but I know how much you love Matthew, I've always known it, even when you two weren't together, and I can see that hasn't changed."

"That's never changed." Gabby murmured, Nancy nodding with a soft smile. "A lot happened between us, but I never stopped loving him… I love him more than anything. Well, aside from Sofia." She added, Nancy giving her an understanding nod.

"I know you do. I've always believed you were good for my son, and I still believe that. I know I haven't been around much, but I'm just happy to see you two doing so well after everything… Whatever happened between you two, I'm glad you got through it." She spoke sincerely, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"So am I." She agreed, turning to look back towards the bedroom when she heard Matt's footsteps, a soft smile forming over her face when he walked out with a now-content Sofia in his arms.

"Oh my gosh, look at her." Nancy cooed, immediately pushing herself up from her seat, coming to meet Matt a few steps away from the table. Matt held Sofia with her back against his chest, one hand resting under her while the other held her over her chest, giving Nancy the perfect view of her granddaughter.

"She didn't want to sleep, huh?" Gabby asked with a grin as she took in the sight of her very much alert daughter, Matt shaking his head in amusement.

"Definitely not… She knew there was a party going out here." He replied, Sofia grabbing ahold of Nancy's finger, looking at the new face curiously. "Mom… this is Sofia." Matt formally introduced them, Nancy's smile widening as when the young girl began waving her arms around.

"She's absolutely perfect." Nancy mused, glancing up to her son. "Can I hold her?"

"Of course." He responded without hesitation, carefully handing Sofia over. She fussed at first, not liking to leave the security of her father's embrace, but she soon settled down when she saw her dad was still beside her, Sofia calming in Nancy's arms.

"Wow… she's beautiful, and so little." She murmured, Matt glancing towards Gabby, seeing a warm smile resting on his wife's face.

"She is small, but her personality more than makes up for it." Gabby replied.

"So, yeah, she's Gabby's daughter." Matt teased, earning a playful glare from Gabby, while his mom and Henry laughed.

"She does look a lot like you, Gabby, but those eyes… it's like I'm looking at you, Matthew. They're exactly like yours." She spoke softly, staring down at her granddaughter in wonder.

"Yeah, they are." He agreed, winking quickly at Gabby before looking back at his daughter, seeing her fascinated by the necklace around his mother's neck.

"Oh, yes, I definitely remember that well." Nancy spoke lightly, paying close attention while Sofia played with the object, not wanting her to break it or accidentally hurt herself. "She reminds me so much of you as a baby, Matthew… I'm so glad I was able to meet her."

"Me too, Mom." He responded, the smile on his face widening as he watched his mother interact with his daughter.

While this hadn't been a moment he ever expected to happen, at least not anytime soon, he was more than grateful for it, Matt feeling completely content as he stood here in the apartment, thankful to be surrounded by his family.

* * *

Matt slowly backed away from Sofia's bassinet, baby monitor in hand as he blindly moved backwards towards the bathroom, not wanting to risk waking his baby after spending the last half hour trying to get her to sleep. When he got to the slightly ajar bathroom door, Matt spared one last glance to his sleeping baby before stepping inside, returning the door to its original position against the doorframe. Turning around, Matt smiled softly when he saw his wife relaxing in the bathtub, her eyes closed as she rested her head against the back of the tub, completely oblivious to his presence.

"You wanna take a picture? It'll last longer." She asked while keeping her eyes closed, Matt smiling smugly. _Okay, maybe not so oblivious_.

"Don't tempt me, because you know I will." He replied with a chuckle, Gabby smirking as she opened her eyes, glancing towards her husband as he stepped further into the bathroom. "How's your bath?"

"Phenomenal." She responded without hesitation, rolling out her neck as Matt set down on the edge of the tub, placing his hand on her wet knee the was peeking out above the water. "The baby asleep?"

"Yeah, she is. She put up a bit of a fight though, but I think she finally just wore herself out." He responded, Gabby nodding as Matt began tracing his thumb along the side of her knee.

"Thank you for feeding her, and putting her to bed… I really needed a break." She breathed out, Matt nodding understandingly.

"Of course." He replied quickly, Gabby letting her eyes fall closed again as she focused on the feeling of his hand moving against her leg. "You never need to thank me for that, I love getting to feed her whenever I can." He added lightly, seeing a soft smile form across her lips.

"I know you do." She murmured, "But still, it's greatly appreciated. Her feedings right before bed, she's always on there for awhile, and I really wasn't up for it tonight."

"Are you okay?" He asked quickly, Gabby nodding as she turned her head towards him, opening her eyes.

"I'm fine, just sore... I needed the break." She repeated, Matt nodding as he moved his hand up her leg a bit.

"Well, if you want me to use bottles during the night, just let me know. You've got a lot of milk stored up, we'd be fine to use some of that tonight. I mean, I know I'm not you, but Sofia does pretty well with the bottle."

"Yeah, she does. And maybe, we'll see how it goes." She replied, Matt giving her another nod as he continued trailing his fingers up the inside of her leg, his hand disappearing under the water. "...Matt." She spoke warningly, seeing a sheepishly grin cover his face, feeling his thumb rubbing against the inside of her thigh.

"Mhmm?" He questioned, continuing to move his hand further up her leg.

"What are you doing?" She asked, her bottom lip tucking between her teeth.

"Nothing." He answered with a wide grin, Gabby shaking her head as she placed her hand over his, sliding it back towards her knee.

"Easy there, buddy." She joked, Matt never dropping his grin. "Your entire arm is soaked."

"So I guess I should just go ahead and join you in the bath, then?" He asked, cocking his head to the side as Gabby scoffed, shaking her head in amusement.

"You really leapt to that one, didn't you?" Gabby asked with a chuckle, Matt shrugging before pulling his t-shirt over his head, tossing it the ground.

"Sounds like a yes to me." He replied, standing up and beginning to unbutton his pants, sliding them to the ground.

"Only if you keep your hands to yourself."

"I make no promises." Matt told her, sliding his boxers off before stepping towards the tub, Gabby giving him room to slide in behind her. It didn't take much time for them to get comfortable, Matt wrapping his arms around her waist, being mindful to not touch her chest as he pulled her back into his embrace, Gabby's body resting in between his legs. Blowing out a content sigh, Matt pressed a soft kiss to the top of her shoulder, Gabby relaxing back into him as she rested her head against his collarbone. "I've missed this." He murmured, kissing her skin again.

"Me too." She agreed softly, resting her hands on each of his legs, relishing in closeness as they sat together in the tub. "...So, I think today went well." She spoke, Matt grinning as he rubbed his thumb across her stomach.

"It went great." He replied, "I mean, aside from my mother's boyfriend showing up, but everything else was great."

"Oh, so you weren't happy to meet your future stepdad?" She asked with a teasing tone to her voice, Matt narrowing his eyes as he tickled her side, Gabby shifting around in his hold.

"Yeah, not so funny now, are ya?" He asked, Gabby laughing as she pushed his hands away, Matt sliding them back around to her front. "But no, I wasn't exactly expecting that. Not at all… But I'm just glad she came, and she got to meet Sofia."

"Me too." She responded, turning her head to press a kiss to his jaw. "I know how important that was for you, I'm glad everything went well. She absolutely loved Sof."

"Oh, yeah, we couldn't pry her away from her." Matt added with a laugh, kissing the side of her head. "And she was really happy to see you, too."

"Yeah… it was nice to spend some time with her." Gabby agreed, pressing her back into his chest. "I know you said everything would be fine, but I was still a little worried…"

"I know you were, but today was a good day. I knew she'd be okay with everything, I think she was just shocked at first to hear that we'd gotten back together, and Sofia on top of that… it was a lot of information at once. But I told you, you're her favorite. She couldn't stay mad at you even if she wanted to… Guess it's the effect you have on the Caseys."

"Smooth, real smooth." She responded softly. "But you forget, I'm a Casey now, too. Again."

"Oh, believe me, I could never forget that… It's one of the best things that's ever happened to me, you being a Casey." He murmured, peppering her skin with gentle kisses. "But really, Henry aside, everything today went really well, I'm so glad we got to spend some time with my mom."

"Me too, baby." She agreed, lifting her arm up to rest her hand on the side of his head, running her wet fingers through his hair, a slight yawn escaping her lips.

"You wanna get out?" Matt offered, resting his cheek against her shoulder. "We could go ahead and get to bed."

"In a minute." She responded softly, leaning her head against neck. "I'm perfect right here for now."

With a small smile, Matt nodded against her, rubbing his thumb across her stomach as the husband and wife sat in the warm bath, both of them wanting to enjoy the moment just for them for a few more moments.

* * *

**And there's another one. Looks like the conversation with Nancy went well, which I hope you all are pleased with. I really enjoyed writing it, so I hope you all liked it as well. We've got a few things coming up here soon, like Gabby returning to work, wherever that may be.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this one, I'm excited to hear what you think. Thank you for reading!**

**Also, just a little reminder of my new story, If We Never Say Goodbye. I really enjoyed writing the first chapter, and I hope you guys enjoy it as well!**

**Until the next.**


	68. Chapter Sixty Eight

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I think you guys are gonna like this one. Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Eight**_

* * *

"So, where's Stella tonight?" Casey asked as he walked around the large living room, cradling a sleepy twelve-week old Sofia in his arms as she drank from her bottle, the little girl fighting to keep her eyes open as she watched her father, Matt smiling softly at her while she ate.

"She's closing up Molly's tonight." Kelly responded, taking a sip of his beer as Matt continued bouncing around with Sofia, doing what he could to try and get her to sleep, the movement distracting Severide as he tried to focus on the game. "And where'd you say Dawson was?"

"She's at home." Matt replied simply, Kelly nodding. "I think she mentioned something about Jemma maybe coming over, but she's just resting."

"...She didn't want to keep the baby?" Severide asked, Matt cocking his head to the side.

"You got a problem with my kid, Kelly?" He questioned jokingly, Kelly immediately shaking his head as he scoffed lightly.

"Calm down, papa bear, I was just asking. I wasn't sure why you brought Sofia when Gabby wasn't doing anything, that's all." Severide replied with a chuckle, Matt nodding as he glanced to the baby.

"We're trying to get Sofia used to being away from Gabby." Matt responded, Kelly nodding softly. "With Gabby probably going back to work soon, we're trying to get Sof ready for that, and Gabby too, if I'm being honest… Sofia's adjusted to being away from me, but Gabby, not so much. So we're trying to get her used to being away from her mom." He explained, looking back towards his friend. "I would've called and told you, but I knew we were staying in so I didn't think it was a problem."

"It's never a problem." Severide was quick to clarify, "I love the little squirt. I just wasn't expecting the tiny addition to our guys night, but she's always welcome." He added, Matt flashing him a smile. "Although don't think that I'm not gonna give you shit for walking in with that baby strapped to your chest." He laughed, Casey rolling his eyes as he continued walking around, trying to soothe Sofia to sleep.

"Yeah, I figured you'd have some comment about that." He breathed out, shaking his head. "She likes being held by me or Gabby, and I didn't have her carrier in the car, so I had to use one of Gabby's wraps… is that okay with you?" He questioned sarcastically, earning a chuckle from his friend.

"Hey, I'm just sayin! You literally had her car seat in your hand, it was funny, that's all." Severide defended with another laugh.

"She was fussing the entire ride over here, and I knew wearing her would calm her down- you know what?" He cut himself off, Severide raising his eyebrows. "I don't need to explain myself to a 38 year old man-child. When you have kids one day, you'll understand." Matt spoke, Kelly shaking his head in amusement.

"Well, even though I think you're a little insane, if I can be half the parent you and Dawson are, I think my kid will be fine." He responded, Casey glancing up to him, cocking his head to the side. "What? I can be sincere sometimes… I still think you're kind of ridiculous, but Sof is lucky to have that."

"Thanks, Sev… I think." Matt replied, Severide laughing before taking another sip of his beer, Casey slowly moving back towards the couch, sitting down easily.

"She asleep?" Kelly asked, Matt nodding as he relaxed back into the couch, placing the nearly empty bottle on the end table.

"Yeah, for now… We'll see if she stays that way." He replied quietly. "She's been doing this thing where she wakes up about ten or fifteen minutes after she first falls asleep… We don't know why, and it's got Gabby a little worried, but she always falls back asleep, eventually." He explained, Severide giving a slight nod.

"I'm sure she's fine."

"Yeah, I know… She's not like waking up screaming or anything, usually just some crying until Gabby or I get her, but it's just a little weird." Matt responded, Kelly giving him a nod as he glanced to the sleeping baby, seeing her curled up into her dad's chest.

"I mean, I don't know a lot about babies… or anything about babies, but I'm sure it's just a phase." Severide responded, Matt giving an agreeing nod. "Babies are weird, they do a lot of strange shit… Although I can't imagine it's very fun for either you or Gabby." He added lightly, Matt scoffing with a grin.

"Definitely not. I'm just hoping whatever it is, it stops before Gabby goes back to work because I don't think she could handle having another thing to worry about." He breathed out, glancing up towards the TV, checking the score of the game before looking back to Sofia.

"I take it Dawson isn't handling the idea of going back to work very well?" Severide prodded, Matt giving a gentle shrug, being careful to not move too much, not wanting to disturb the baby.

"Most days she's okay, just the normal worry. The most we've done with them away from each other is like four or five hours, and that went fine, but that's completely different from an entire day." He replied, Severide nodding understandingly. "She's kind of like how I was- still am, some days. She's worried to leave her for that long… But it's different because at least when I went back to work, I knew Gabby was with her. Now, us having to put our faith in a complete stranger… it's a little nerve wracking for the both of us."

"That's understandable… How's that going, by the way? The nanny search?"

"We think we might've found the one, actually." He responded with a grin, Kelly raising his eyebrows.

"Really? Last I heard you hadn't found anyone you thought was a good fit."

"Yeah, well that was before we met Becca."

"Becca?" He questioned, Casey nodding.

"Becca Sawyer… We met her last week." Matt elaborated, Severide's head tilting to the side.

"You've known her less than a week and you're already saying she's 'the one' to take care of your kid? Must be some woman." Severide breathed out, Matt glancing up at him.

"She's amazing. We met her through one of the people Donna recommended, and from the first time we met her, Gabby and I both just had a good feeling about her. And she's incredible with her," Matt spoke, nodding towards the baby, "Sofia loves her."

"How old is she?" Severide questioned, Matt's eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced towards his friend.

"Twenty two." He replied slowly, Kelly nodding.

"Twenty two, huh?" He asked, Matt's glare focused on his friend. "Is she, uh- is she hot?"

Casey's tongue ran over his bottom lip as he lifted his head slightly, wearing an unamused look on his face. "You wanna wait until Kidd gets back and ask me that again?" He asked, Severide shifting in his seat.

"I was just wondering, objectively… I'm in a committed relationship, I'm not gonna try and sleep with your nanny."

"Yeah, you better not. She's off limits, I didn't think that needed to be said, considering." Casey replied pointedly, Kelly holding his hands up in defense.

"I'm not asking for me…" He responded, Matt raising his eyebrows. "You hear all the time about nannies trying to sleep with the kid's dads."

"Oh, brother." Casey breathed out, shaking his head.

"What? I was just curious, wasn't sure if Gabby needed to be worried about that…"

"You 'hear all the time', huh? In porn, maybe." Matt replied quickly, Kelly smiling sheepishly before taking another sip of his beer. "And I don't know why you keep insinuating I'd ever cheat on Gabby-"

"That was only one other time." Kelly cut in, Matt rolling his eyes before continuing.

"Yeah, and that's two times too many." Matt replied, shaking his head. "But anyway, Becca's great. She's spent some time with Sofia a few different times, we had her over for dinner once, her and Gabby get along great, too."

"That's good, man."

"Yup. The only thing left is to have her actually spend the night with Sofia, and see how that goes…" He breathed out.

"And how does Gabby feel about that?" He asked, Matt looking back at Sofia.

"She's nervous. Hell, so I am. Leaving our kid with a stranger, no matter how nice she is, it's not easy, but we've gotta do it." He responded softly, his eyes tracing over Sofia's face. "We don't have a choice… We're definitely having her first night with her somewhat supervised, although I'm not expecting any issues. Becca is great, really. She's definitely a good fit for us."

Before either of them could say anything else, Matt's phone began ringing in his pocket, the ringtone mixed with the buzzing immediately pulling Sofia from her sleep.

"Shit." Matt muttered, the young girl beginning to cry almost instantly, Casey keeping her secure in his arm as he slid his other hand into his pocket, pulling his phone out to see who was calling, wanting to make sure it wasn't Gabby. "It's okay, Sof." He murmured, huffing out a breath before he silenced the call, tossing his phone down onto the couch. "It's okay, baby."

Casey tried to soothe Sofia, the girl's loud cries filling the apartment as Matt adjusted her in his arms, picking up her small hand in his, letting her grab onto his finger. "Yeah, you're okay… it's alright." He spoke softly, Sofia's cries slowly dying down as she opened her eyes, her bright blue eyes mirroring her father's. "There's my girl." He murmured, rubbing his thumb against her cheek, Sofia settling into her dad's arms, the young girl opening and closing her mouth, her tongue poking out between her lips. "You wanna finish your milk? Yeah, I bet that would make you happy, huh." He spoke, carefully reaching across his body, picking up her bottle and putting it near her lips. She fought it at first, Sofia always needing to be persuaded to take the bottle more so than when she was nursing with Gabby, but after she few tries she took it, Sofia eagerly beginning to eat the rest of her meal, her little fist gripping onto his pinky while he held the bottle for her.

Over the past few weeks, both Gabby and Matt had made the decision to split time between Gabby and the bottle for Sofia, knowing the little girl needed to get used to it for when Gabby wouldn't be there. It was a necessity, but Sofia hadn't been very fond of it at first, and she still put up a fight from time to time, the little girl preferring her mom over anything else, but she was doing pretty well with it. It had been hard at first, having to change their entire schedule, and Gabby having to make sure she kept her milk supply up, but they were figuring it out. Though Sofia was still the most content whenever she was latched onto her mom, Matt couldn't help but enjoy getting to feed Sofia more often. It was a bonding experience with his little girl that he cherished, and getting to do it more often made him ecstatic.

When Sofia was first born, it was something that made him a little sad, knowing he wasn't really able to experience that with his daughter, but he and Gabby had both decided breastfeeding was what they wanted to do for her, as long as Gabby was able. But he'd be lying if he said he didn't feel a little left out, knowing that while he could support both Gabby and Sofia during feedings, he couldn't actually feed her. He had gotten to feed her a few times when they were in the hospital, but ever since Sofia recovered from her lung infection, she'd been strictly nursing the majority of the time. So when he and Gabby decided to start getting her used to the bottle more, he was excited, although he tried to keep that to himself, knowing Gabby had some mixed feelings about it. He had let her take the lead on how long Sofia would be strictly breastfed, but when they started talking about Gabby going back to work, they knew it wouldn't be possible for much longer, and that it was time to start reacclimating her with the bottle. Although she was still solely on breastmilk, it was a big adjustment for the three of them, and Matt knew he was enjoying it the most out of all of them.

"She alright?" Severide spoke up, Matt peeling his eyes away from his daughter, who was still happily drinking away.

"Yeah, yeah, she's fine."

"Was that Gabby?" Kelly questioned, glancing to the phone sitting on the couch in between them, Casey shaking his head.

"No, it was my mom." He replied, Kelly giving him a nod.

"Oh yeah, it's been a few weeks since the big family dinner." He spoke with a smug grin, Casey rolling his eyes as he saw Sofia beginning to give into her exhaustion yet again. "So you guys are keeping in touch?"

"Yeah, we've been talking a few times a week, just keeping her updated on the baby and everything." He responded, slowly pulling the empty bottle away from Sofia's mouth, placing it on the couch before using the cloth to wipe away some of the milk on the edge of her mouth.

"They're not still in Chicago, are they?"

"No… Thank God." He muttered, Severide's eyebrows furrowing as he looked at his friend.

"I thought you said the dinner went well?"

"It did, with my mom. I just could've done without her racist prick of a boyfriend, though." Casey breathed out, Severide's eyes widening in shock.

"What?"

"Henry, he's kind of- no, not kind of. He's racist." Matt spoke, Kelly blinking quickly.

"...Oh."

"Yeah." Matt spoke bitterly, shaking his head. "I mean, he was fine with Gabby when she was there, and the baby, but he made some comments… Said I found myself a 'nice ethnic woman', and he assumed Gabby wasn't born here, oh, and that she couldn't speak English… referred to her as 'those people'."

"Jesus Christ…" Severide breathed out with a grimace, Matt nodding.

"Yeah, I know. I almost decked him."

"You didn't mention all this last time." Kelly spoke, Casey shaking his head.

"Yeah, because Gabby was right there, and she doesn't know." He replied, pursing his lips together.

"...Oh."

"Yeah, again." Matt spoke, shaking his head. "She was nursing Sofia when he was saying all that, she didn't hear any of it, thankfully... She was already dealing with enough, being worried about seeing my mom again after everything, I didn't want to add anything else on top of it."

"Are you gonna tell her? I mean, she should probably know… And does your mom know?"

"She was standing right there, and I have a feeling she at least had some idea before she brought him… He wasn't exactly hesitant to throw out his opinions, which is another reason I'm not sure why she brought him at all. But with Gabby… I don't know. I don't like keeping things from her, but it's just gonna upset her, and I'm hoping we won't see Henry again. If we do, I'll tell her, but, I don't know, I really don't want to unless I have to. I don't know if that's the right thing to do, but it's not like we're seeing him every day, they live hundreds and hundreds of miles away… and I don't want to add a racist jerk to her list of things to worry about."

"I mean, you do what you think is best, you know Gabby better than anyone… Maybe just pray there's not a wedding anytime soon or anything." Severide spoke with a chuckle, Matt shaking his head in disgust.

"God, I hope not." He breathed out, looking back towards his daughter. "I don't even know if he realized he was being racist, which I don't know if that makes it worse, or better, that it was just ignorance on his part. But either way, I don't really want people like that around my family… Hopefully we don't see him again for awhile, if ever."

"Well, good thing they're not in Chicago anymore…"

"Yeah, good thing." Matt repeated, leaning down to press a soft kiss to Sofia's forehead, the girl nuzzling herself into his chest as she slept.

* * *

Matt slid the key into the lock on the back door, keeping a firm grip on Sofia's car seat as he pushed the door open, stepping inside the warm apartment, closing the door behind them quietly as to not wake the sleeping baby. Locking the door in place, Matt took a few more steps inside, being met with nothing but silence, the apartment completely dark aside from the light above the stove being on, as well as Matt seeing some light coming out from the open bedroom door, Casey assuming Gabby had left a lamp on.

It wasn't terribly late, but Matt had been gone longer than planned as he glanced at the clock, seeing it was a little after nine. It wouldn't have surprised him in the slightest if Gabby had gone to bed already, Matt knowing both of them always tried to get whatever sleep the could, whenever they could.

Gingerly placing Sofia's car seat down on the counter, Matt moved the handle back, smiling softly at his sleeping baby before he began to slowly unbuckle the restraints. Luckily, he was able to get Sofia lifted from the seat and cradled against his body without waking her, Matt keeping both hands on his baby as he began walking towards the bedroom, being quiet not only for Sofia's benefit, but for Gabby's as well, unsure whether his wife was awake or not.

When he stepped through the doorway, he soon got his answer as he saw Gabby laying in bed reading a book, her head lifting up when she registered his presence, Matt smiling softly when he met her gaze.

"Hey baby." He murmured, heading towards the dresser.

"Hi." She responded, closing her book and placing it on the nightstand, her eyes moving towards her husband as he placed their baby down on the changing mat. "She asleep?"

"Yeah, yeah she is. She's been out for awhile." He replied quietly, slowly unbuttoning her onesie, biting down on his tongue as he worked, Matt having mastered the task of changing Sofia's diaper while she slept.

Within a few minutes, Sofia had a clean diaper and was redressed in her onesie, the girl having never stirred as Matt carefully lifted her up into his arms, carrying her towards her bassinet as he felt Gabby's eyes on him.

Casey stayed put beside Sofia's bed for a few moments, wanting to make sure she stayed asleep before he blew out a soft breath, making his way towards the closet.

"How was Severide?" Gabby asked, Matt shedding his clothes as he stood just outside the closet door, stripping down to his boxers.

"He was good, it was nice to spend some time with him." He replied, poking his head into the closet, tossing his worn clothes into the hamper.

"And Sof?" Gabby questioned, her gaze moving towards the bassinet as Matt walked to her side of the bed, sitting down on the edge, his hip resting up against her bare thigh.

"She did great, she had two bottles, and slept most of the time." He explained, Gabby nodding before looking back towards her husband, finding him watching her with a soft grin, Matt resting his hand over her thigh, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Good."

"What about you, how was your night?" He questioned, rubbing his thumb along her soft skin.

"It was nice, I cleaned up around the apartment, and got some laundry done. And I took a nice, long bath." She told him, Matt tilting his head to the side.

"Well, I sure am glad I missed that…" He breathed out, Gabby chuckling softly as she placed her hand on his leg.

"I don't know, I think you got more than enough with what I did in the shower last night." She murmured, Matt's grin widening, his spine tingling at the memory.

Even though they still hadn't had sex yet, Gabby had done what she could to make sure Matt knew just how much he was appreciated, giving him a little extra love and attention whenever they had the chance. Although with a three month old, alone time was kind of hard to come by, and then when they had the time, it was used to catch up on sleep or cleaning, Gabby tried to take the opportunity whenever she felt up for it. But even she knew that wasn't sustainable for much longer, if they way he reacted to her during those private moments was any indication. Matt had been patient with her, more so than she ever realized she'd need him to be, but she knew he was getting a little frustrated. He wasn't upset with her or anything, but she knew he missed her. And she missed him just as much.

"I could never get enough." He responded, leaning forward, pressing a firm kiss to her lips as she traced her fingers over his bicep, Matt pulling back slightly. "But I thoroughly enjoyed our shower last night, I'm very glad you decided to join me." He spoke softly, pressing another kiss to her lips before sitting up, sliding closer to her.

"Yeah, me too." She responded, sliding her hand up and down his arm.

"Speaking of… I think we need to spend some time together." He said, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "You and me, we need a night just for us. No baby, no work, no nothing. Just us." He told her, seeing the immediate apprehension that covered her face.

"Matt, I don't know…" She responded, glancing towards Sofia.

"We've gotta get used to it, babe." He replied without missing a beat, Gabby releasing a heavy breath. "I don't like it either, but we've gotta be okay with leaving her during the night. I was thinking we could use this as a trial run for Becca, see how she does taking care of Sofia throughout the night…"

Gabby pursed her lips together, moving her hands to rest over her stomach as she thought over his words, her chest rising and falling slowly as she breathed.

"You still feel good about Becca, right?" He asked after a few moments, Gabby nodding without hesitation.

"I do, yeah."

"Alright, well then we're gonna need to let her take care of Sofia for a night, because she's gonna be doing it three times a week…"

"I know." She breathed out, Matt squeezing her leg gently. "It's just hard."

"I know it is, but we've gotta do it eventually, or you'll never get back to work." He replied gently, Gabby giving him a nod. "...And we need time for us, Gabby." He added as she met his gaze. "For the past three months, and months before that, our entire life has been about Sofia. And I love it, I do. I wouldn't change a thing, but we need time for just us… I miss my wife."

Her face softened at his words, Gabby reaching out towards his arm, gripping onto him tightly. "I miss you, too." She murmured, Matt flashing her a soft smile.

"Then we should do this… Let Becca stay here for a night with Sof, and you and I can go out, have a real date. We could get a nice hotel room, and have a night for us." He suggested, Gabby raising her eyebrows.

"Hotel room, huh?" She questioned, Matt cocking his head to the side as his tongue poked out between his teeth, running along his bottom lip.

"Uh huh, absolutely. I mean, for what I have in mind, we're definitely gonna need our privacy…" He replied, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks.

"Is that so?"

"Yup… I mean, as long as you're okay with it." He spoke quickly, Gabby taking a deep breath. "If you're not ready, I understand… This whole thing isn't about sex, we can do as much, or as little, as you want to. I just miss you, baby." Matt told her, Gabby smiling softly.

She knew he had a good point. They really needed time just for the two of them. With all her attention on Sofia, she hadn't had too much time to devote to Matt. She tried, she was trying to give him her attention when she could, but it was difficult. A lot of times, they never had time for themselves, and when they did, except for the rare occurrences like last night, they were sleeping. A lot of the intimacy in their relationship had taken a back seat; it wasn't even the sex, it was other things, too. The entire dynamic of their relationship had changed, and she didn't want to say some aspects had suffered because of it, but things were different. When you lived your life solely to take care of someone else, sacrifices had to be made, and the time her and Matt spent together was one of those things.

That moment with them in shower yesterday wasn't the only instance she'd carved out time to focus on Matt, and do what she could to take care of him, but those moments had been few and far between, and they really needed time to reconnect, and get back some of the intimacy that had been lost between them since Sofia arrived.

She still wasn't sure if she felt ready for sex, but at this point she figured she probably wouldn't feel ready until they were in the moment. It wasn't Matt, it had nothing to do with him, but she was nervous. She still didn't feel like herself, but that feeling wasn't only affecting her anymore; it was affecting Matt, too. And although they were still okay, and she didn't want it to get to the point where they weren't.

And, above all that, she just missed him. She missed being with her husband, and she knew he was right; they needed a night together. A night to reconnect, and focus on just the two of them.

"Gabby?" He spoke, pulling her from her thoughts as she found his gaze, seeing him watching her closely, hesitation shining in his eyes. "What's going on in there?" He asked, shaking her leg lightly.

"...I'm just thinking about how amazing a night with my husband sounds." She responded, her chest filling with warmth as she saw the wide grin form across his face.

"Really?" He asked lightly as his smile shone brightly in the dim room.

"Really. I think a night like that is exactly what we need… And it'll be good for all of us, give Becca the chance to take care of Sof." Gabby responded, Matt inching his hand slowly up her thigh, stopping at the edge of the small shorts she'd worn to bed. "But I'm definitely gonna be having Antonio stop by from time to time… And we're allowed to check the monitors."

"Of course." He agreed, knowing it would make her feel better to be able to check in on Sofia and Becca, and it would put him more at ease, too. "We'll call Becca in the morning, get everything planned out."

"Sounds good." She responded, pulling him back down towards her, Matt grinning as she placed a soft kiss to his lips, her hand sliding around to his back as she traced over his skin.

"I'm excited." He murmured, Gabby smirking against his lips before kissing him again.

"I'm sure you are." She joked, Matt scoffing lightly, kissing her firmly before pulling back, his eyes locking with hers as his hand moved up to brush a loose piece of hair behind her ear, stroking his thumb along her cheek. "I assume you'll be getting the hotel room?"

"Leave it all up to me." He replied, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her face, his lips trailing back towards her ear. "I'll plan the entire night, all you've gotta do is show up." He whispered, his lips tickling his skin before he pulled back, Gabby's bottom lip falling in between her teeth.

"I wouldn't miss it." She responded, her eyes flickering towards Sofia, checking to make sure their little girl was still sound asleep, Matt seeing a gleam in her eye.

"What?" He asked, Gabby's smirk widening as she shifted her position on the bed, lying flat on her back as she reached for Matt, his eyes widening slightly as a goofy grin appeared over his lips.

Without a word, she pulled him down towards her, Matt adjusted his body to climb over her, hovering over her body as his knees hit the mattress on either side of her hips, his hands resting beside her head. Gabby's hands wrapped around his back, coming to rest right above the waistband of his boxers, gently teasing the skin there.

"How do you feel about getting a head start on some 'us' time?" She asked softly, Matt's grin widening as his eyes flickered towards her lips, Matt lifting a hand up to swipe him thumb across her bottom one, Gabby's mouth twitching up into a smile.

"I would love that." He murmured, leaning down and pressing his lips against hers, Gabby's hands roaming his back as they fell into that usual rhythm with one another.

They knew they couldn't get exactly as close as they wanted, not tonight, the parents unsure of when Sofia might wake up, but that didn't mean they couldn't spend the rest of their evening focused on one another, Gabby and Matt doing what they could to make up for lost time.

* * *

Gabby stood in front of the full length mirror on the back of their closet door, her hands running over her body as she smoothed out the material of a little black dress she found in the back of her closet. It was one she hadn't worn in awhile, one she knew Matt liked, and she figured it was perfect for the festivities tonight.

Smacking her lips together, Gabby shook out her wavy hair, seeing it fall just below her shoulders as she did one last once over of her appearance, wanting to make sure everything was perfect.

"Babe?"

Matt tapped on the door gently, pushing it open and popping his head inside. The second he saw her, a smile formed over his face, his eyes trailing up and down her body, a loud whistle escaping his lips as he met her eyes.

"Damn." He breathed out, heat rising to her cheeks as she took a step towards the door, opening it the rest of the way.

"Can I help you?" She asked, taking in his appearance as well, smiling softly when she noticed him wearing her favorite blue button down, paired with his black jacket and a nice tie.

"I was just letting you know I finished getting our things packed, Becca's out there with Sof already… I'm pretty sure she's not even gonna care that we're gone." He spoke with a laugh, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before following him out of the closet.

"Yeah, Sofia has really taken to her, hasn't she?"

"We chose well." He agreed, Gabby glancing at the small overnight bag on the bed that contained the things her and Matt would need during their stay at the hotel.

"Did you pack everything?"

"Sure did." He replied, picking the bag up.

"And you actually packed me clothes, right?" She asked with a smirk, Matt smiling sheepishly.

"Ah, I knew I was forgetting something." He joked, Gabby scoffing lightly as she shook her head. "I packed you clothes, babe. Don't worry... Although, just because they're there, that doesn't mean you're required to wear them."

"Mhmm." She replied with a knowing grin, taking a deep breath. "Alright, let's get out of here before I change my mind."

"Everything will be fine." He reminded her, the husband and wife walking towards the door to their bedroom, Matt opening it so they could exit the room.

"Hi Gabby." Becca greeted, Gabby smiling when she saw her walking around with Sofia in her arms, the young girl completely content as Becca was holding a soft toy ring up in front of her, the baby captivated by it. "You guys look great."

"Thanks Becca." She responded, feeling Matt run his hand along her back before walking towards the door. "So, I know you have both of our numbers, and I left Antonio's number, cell phone and work, on the fridge. I know we talked about all this already, but he'll be stopping by a few times… It's not that we don't trust you, it's just-"

"I completely understand, this is the first time you're leaving Sofia." She replied with a soft smile, bouncing the baby in her arms. "I know it's hard, but we'll be fine. And I promise to send you guys some pictures, and updates. Let you guys know how she's doing."

"Thank you." Gabby breathed out, Matt coming back to her side, holding her jacket up for her to slip her arms into. "Um, I feel like we already went over everything, but really, make yourself at home. You have Sofia's carseat in case of an emergency, you've got her schedule, you know where all her diapers and clothes and everything are…"

"Babe." Matt spoke, glancing towards his watch, knowing if they didn't leave soon they'd be late for their reservation.

"I know, I know, I'm stalling." She sighed, Becca laughing softly as she walked over towards the parents.

"It's okay, and yeah, I do. We went over everything, I'm good." Becca spoke lightly, "I know it's difficult, but in my experience, once you get out that door, it gets easier. I promise, Sofia will be fine." She assured them both, flashing them a bright grin. "Now come on, Sof, let's say goodbye to your Momma and Daddy, they're gonna be gone tonight." She cooed, Sofia waving her arms around, clearly having no idea what was being said but she loved the attention.

"Come here, sweet girl." Gabby murmured, the baby smiling when she saw her mom, Gabby taking her into her arms, Matt standing behind her shoulder, placing his hand on the top of Sofia's head. "You be a good girl for Becca, alright? Daddy and I will be back in the morning… we'll miss you so much, but I know you're gonna have a great time." She spoke softly, Sofia gripping onto her finger tightly, Gabby placing a soft kiss against the top of her tiny hand. "I love you, baby girl."

"We'll be back tomorrow, Sof." Matt whispered, pressing a kiss to her head, Sofia's eyes widening as she looked back and forth between both of her parents. "We love you."

After a few more reluctant goodbyes, Gabby handed Sofia back over to Becca, the younger woman holding Sofia securely while the parents headed for the back door. "We'll see you both in the morning."

"Bye guys, have fun." She spoke warmly, using Sofia's little arm to give them a wave before they went through the door, Matt closing it behind him, beginning to take a step forward but having to stop after nearly running into his wife.

"Gabby?"

"You sure we should do this?" She asked, Matt blowing out a soft sigh, placing his hand on her arm.

"Definitely." He responded without hesitation. "Sofia is in great hands, she does amazing with Becca… and Becca's more than qualified to look after her. We've gotta see how she does through the night, we both know that."

"No, I know… You're right, it's just-" She cut herself off, a soft frown forming over her face. "That's my baby, and I feel guilty for leaving her."

Matt's expression softened, Casey wrapping his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side as he slowly guided them down the sidewalk. "This is a good thing, babe." He reminded her, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "For all three of us."

"Yeah, yeah you're right… I know it is, it's just a lot of emotions, leaving her for the first time like this… I'm beginning to realize how you felt going back to work."

"It definitely wasn't easy, but it does get easier… Now let's go, we've got a dinner to get to." He replied, Gabby nodding as they headed for his truck, Gabby staying tucked into his side while they walked.

Despite multiple attempts from Gabby during the drive to figure out exactly what the plan was for this evening, he gave her nothing, Casey keeping one hand laced in hers while the other gripped the steering wheel. But when they got into the heart of the city, and a familiar building came into view, Gabby turned her head towards him, her smile growing when she saw the proud grin across her husbands face.

"Are we…"

"Staying where we spent our makeshift honeymoon? Yes." He answered her, Gabby giving his hand a tight squeeze before looking back towards the hotel. "I got us reservations at the restaurant in the hotel… Figured it would be nice to just be able to go back up to the room."

"I love it, baby." She murmured, bringing their conjoined hands up to her lips, pressing a soft kiss against his skin. "Thank you."

"Oh, this is nothing. We haven't even gotten to the best part yet." He replied lowly, Gabby chuckling as he pulled up to the front of the hotel.

"Believe me, I know." She responded, stroking her thumb along the back of his hand before dropping it.

Within ten minutes, Matt had gotten them checked in and they got up to their room, Casey unlocking the door before pushing it open, letting Gabby walk in first.

"Oh, wow." She breathed out. "This is beautiful." She said, looking around at the completely open floor plan. The huge king sized bed was in the middle of the room, the bathroom mirroring the bed, having large barn doors separating the two rooms. Stepping further inside, Gabby took in the full-sized couch against the wall, glancing into the bathroom, seeing the enormous, deep bathtub and walk-in shower. The room Matt had gotten last time was nice, but this… this was incredible. And it definitely set the tone for the romantic evening ahead of them.

"Only the best for my amazing wife." He murmured, coming up behind her and wrapping his arms around her waist, his hands sliding across her stomach while his chin rested on her shoulder.

"I'm definitely glad we did this." She responded, leaning her body weight back into him. "Thank you, for talking me into this… I'm so excited to spend tonight with you."

"Me too." Matt replied, placing an open mouthed kiss against her shoulder. "Now, as much as I want to fully enjoy this room with you, we should get back downstairs so we can have dinner."

Gabby gave him a slow nod, slowly prying herself from his grip before turning to face him. "I agree… Cause when we get back here tonight, I don't intend to let you leave until tomorrow." She spoke with a devilish grin, her eyes flickering down his chest as Matt swallowed the thick lump forming in his throat.

"Okay, you can't just say things like that, then expect me to willingly leave this room." He groaned, Gabby chuckling softly as she brought her hand up to his face, patting his cheek gently.

"You'll be fine, now come on, I'm hungry." She replied, pressing a soft kiss to the side of his mouth before heading for the door, Matt staying rooted in his spot. When she didn't feel him following her, she turned back around, emitting a light laugh as she saw him facing her, a soft pout resting across lips. "Oh, you poor baby." She teased him, Matt narrowing his eyes playfully. "You've waited months and months for tonight, you can wait a few more hours… And if you don't feed me, you're not getting any at all, so let's go."

"Yes ma'am." He responded the second those words, Gabby chuckling in amusement as he followed her path, the couple heading out of the room, excited to enjoy the first part of their evening together.

* * *

"God, that was so good." Gabby breathed out as her and Matt walked hand in hand down their hallway. "Didn't you think so?"

"Oh, for the bites I got of it, absolutely." He teased, Gabby ducking her head as he chuckled, Matt pressing a kiss against her hair. "I had a great time, and you can always eat whatever food of mine you want." He whispered, kissing her head again before pulling back, Gabby grabbing ahold of his arm with her free hand. "I'm just glad you had a nice time."

"I had a great time." She murmured, the two coming to a stop in front of their room. Once the door was open, Matt let her walk in first, Gabby flashing him a grin before stepping inside the room, Matt following close behind her. Before he could even get the door shut, he heard her gasp, a soft grin coming to his face as he turned around, finding Gabby staring at the room.

"What is all this, Matt?" She asked, Matt coming to stand by her side, placing his hand on her back as he took in the sight of the room, seeing it was a little different than it had been when they left, just like he planned.

"It's dessert." He responded, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

While they were at dinner, Matt had arranged for them to come in and set up their room. They had lit candles all around the room, as well as turned down the bed, but his favorite part was in the bathroom.

"Come on." He prompted, wrapping his arm around her back, leading her into the bathroom. Her smile widened when she looked into the room, seeing the bath that had been prepared for them, with a platter of different fruits and chocolate, as well as some drinks. "I chose cider, instead of champagne." He spoke softly, Gabby glancing up at him. "I know you're still not wanting to drink, because of breastfeeding, so I figured that was the better choice."

"This is too much, Matt."

"Never." He responded, rubbing his hand along her side. "You wanna get in the bath?"

"I absolutely do, but I'm gonna have to ruin the mood for a little bit…" She replied, Matt raising his eyebrows curiously. "I need to pump." He nodded understandingly, flashing her a soft smile. "I'm sorry, but it won't take too long."

"Don't apologize." He responded quickly. "Do you want me to wait for you?"

"No, no, you go ahead and get in, I'll join you when I'm done." She told him, pulling from his grip, placing a soft kiss against his cheek, Gabby moving back towards the bedroom.

"Wait-" Matt spoke, stopping her in her path, coming up behind her, sliding his hands over her hips, pressing a gentle kiss against her shoulder. "At least let me…" He trailed off, moving his hands up towards the back of her dress, slowly pulling the zipper down, ducking his head to press soft kisses against her exposed skin as the material fell to the floor, Gabby grinning as she turned around to face him. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at her, marveling at the sight of his wife in only her underwear as she grabbed ahold of his tie, pulling him towards her and kissing him passionately. He was stunned by the force of her movements, but he quickly caught up, his hands roaming over her body as he pulled her closer, the two moving frantically.

When air became a necessity, Gabby pulled back, her forehead resting against his as they both panted, heavy breaths escaping their lips as his hand ran up and down her bare side.

"I'll be back soon." She breathed out, Matt grinning as he placed another kiss to her lips, this one much more tame, feeling her smile against him before she reciprocated the action.

"I'll be waiting." He murmured, Gabby rubbing her hand over the side of his face before pulling back, Matt watching her move into the bedroom, disappearing from his view as she turned to walk towards the couch.

Blowing out a sharp breath, Matt began undressing, laying each item of clothing across the chair against the wall as he took it off, the firefighter soon stripped down to nothing. Popping a piece of pineapple into his mouth, he stepped into the warm bath, settling down into it, letting his back rest against the back of the spacious tub, Matt stretching his legs out as he relaxed into the warm, soapy water, knowing he'd enjoy this much more when his wife joined him.

He could hear her in the bedroom, Matt snacking on the fruit platter while he waited, a bright smile forming over his face when he saw Gabby walk into the bathroom about fifteen minutes later, her body wrapped up in one of their bathrobes as she moved towards him.

"How is it?" She asked, pulling her hair up in a bun.

"Great, but it'll be better when you're in here with me." He responded, Gabby smiling shyly before she undid the bathrobe, letting it fall from her body before tossing it over the chair, the thick material landing on top of his clothes.

Matt was unable to keep his eyes off of her while she stood in front of him, a gentle smile resting over his face as he took in her, Gabby noticing his stares instantly.

"God, you're so beautiful." He whispered, Gabby smiling shyly before she started to get into the tub, Matt extended a hand for her to grab onto. Slowly, Gabby sat down in the bath, Matt immediately running his hands over her shoulders before she slid herself back against him, resting in between his legs as she pressed herself into his chest. His arms slid around her stomach, keeping her close as they relaxed into the warm water, Matt placing gentle kisses along the top of her shoulder.

No words were said between them for awhile, the couple completely content holding onto one another as they sat in the comfortable silence. There'd be no interruptions, there was no needing to be quick because of the baby… it was just them, and they had all night to be together, both of them needing this more than they realized.

"How do you think Sof is doing?" Matt finally spoke up after what had to have been at least twenty minutes, Gabby grinning widely as she shifted against him, resting her head back on his shoulder.

"Well, we saw the pictures from Becca at dinner, she seemed good." Gabby responded, running her hand along his thigh. "Why? You're not regretting coming out, are you?" She questioned, teasingly, Matt immediately shaking his head.

"Never… But it's practically impossible to turn the dad part of my brain off."

"I know what you mean, I keep thinking about her, too… But tonight's for us, and I want to enjoy every minute of it." She spoke, Matt smile softly.

"I believe that can be arranged." He murmured, pressing a kiss against her neck. He started gentle, his movements innocent, but that changed quickly as his hands began moving further down her body, Matt alternating between sucking and biting on her neck, his actions causing her breaths to quicken.

"Matt…"

"Yeah baby?" He asked before pressing his lips back against her skin, smirking when she sucked in a deep breath, his hand moving dangerously low down her body.

"As much as I'm loving this bath, I think we should take this elsewhere." She breathed out, Matt grazing his teeth over her skin one last time before nodding.

"I agree… Although we should definitely come back to the tub later." He spoke softly, Gabby nodding before slowly beginning to lift herself up. He did what he could to support her movements, Matt not wanting her to fall as she climbed out of the tub, Matt soon following as she dried herself off. Wrapping the towel around herself, Gabby grabbed the bottle of cider, putting it up to her lips and taking a drink.

"Grab the fruit." She spoke before heading into the bedroom, Matt grinning widely as he tightened the towel around his waist, following her directions without hesitation. He saw as she climbed onto the bed, laying down in the middle after she placed the bottle on the nightstand, Matt gulping as his eyes trailed over her form. "You coming?"

He didn't need to be asked twice, Matt placing the fruit down on the dresser before practically throwing himself on the bed, hovering over his wife as she laughed at his eagerness, the sound being swallowed by Matt as he pressed his lips into hers. Gabby's hands came up to the back of his neck, Matt doing what he could to keep himself balanced as they picked up speed, want and desire winning out as their movements became quick and needy.

Matt trailed his kisses from her lips across her jaw and down her neck, giving Gabby a chance to catch her breath as he kissed any skin he could find, Matt leaving marks along her upper chest above her towel.

Slowly, he brought one hand up, using it to pull open the material, letting it fall to either side of her, Matt smirking against her skin.

"Matt…" Gabby moaned as his kisses moved further south, Matt placing them all the way down her breast bone before continuing down to her stomach, knowing better than to put any focus on her chest.

"So beautiful." He murmured against her abdomen, sliding one of his hands up and down her leg, using his other to quickly rid himself of his towel, throwing the object to the floor. Before things went any further, Matt kissed his way back up to her face, pressing a much more chaste kiss against her lips before he pulled back, brushing a stray piece of hair out of her face. "You're sure you wanna do this?"

Despite how desperate he was to be with his wife, he needed to know this was what she wanted, that she wasn't just doing this for him. And he wasn't gonna continue until he got that confirmation.

"I do." She responded with a gentle grin, running her hand along his bicep. "Just… go slow." She requested softly, Matt nodding almost immediately, stroking his thumb over her cheek.

"I will." He promised, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "But you gotta talk to me, I don't want to hurt you."

Gabby gave him a nod, Matt smiling softly before his lips found hers again, their hands blindly lacing together as their previously rushed movements were now soft and deliberate. Slowly, Matt began working his way back down her body, Gabby reacting to his every touch as he ignited that fire inside her while his lips traced over her skin, Gabby squeezing his hand tightly.

They took their time with one another, not wanting to rush this moment as they got reacquainted with one another after months of not being able to, sharp gasps and moans filling the room as they gave themselves to one another, Gabby and Matt eager to take full advantage of the night they had together.

* * *

**Well, I know a lot of you were wanting to see Matt and Gabby reconnecting, and I'd say they definitely did. I hope you guys enjoyed this one, I'm eager to hear your thoughts! We've still got Gabby returning to work to look forward to, especially now that the Casey's have found themselves a nanny, so we'll be finding out soon what Gabby's decision is regarding where she wants to work.**

**Thank you all for reading, your continued support and love means so much to me!**

**Until the next.**


	69. Chapter Sixty Nine

**Hello everyone! Before we get started, I just want to take a moment to thank you all for the kind words you left me on the last chapter. Seriously, I feel so lucky to have such amazing people still invested in this story, and who take the time to leave me a review. Anyone who's reading this right now, it truly means a lot to me that you're still coming back to this story. You guys are the only reason we've gotten this far, and it makes me so happy to know you all are still enjoying it. Just thank you, for all the support you constantly give me. It makes it easier to keep this going.**

**I hope you all enjoy this one as well!**

* * *

_**Chapter Sixty Nine**_

* * *

Gabby finished up cleaning the last of Sofia's bottles before placing them on the drying rack, the soapy water running down the drain as she wiped her hands off, listening to the sounds of her husband playing with their daughter in the living room.

"Oh, my girl, you're getting so strong." He spoke excitedly, a smile forming over her face as she moved towards the fridge, pulling out a bag of her breast milk, grabbing a new bottle for baby Sofia. Although she couldn't see what had Matt so excited, she knew their daughter was currently doing her tummy time, so she could only assume Sofia had been able to hold her head up for longer than normal. "Wow, look at you! You're gonna be rolling over in no time." His voice continued to flow into the kitchen as she warmed up the milk, Gabby unable to wipe the smile from her face.

When Sofia's bottle was at the correct temperature, Gabby began walking towards the living room, her steps picking up when she heard Sofia's sharp cry.

"Oh baby, baby, it's okay." Matt murmured, Gabby turning to the corner just in time to see Matt pick up their daughter as he sat on the ground, the firefighter cradling her to his chest. "It's okay."

"What happened?" Gabby asked, Matt glancing back to see her walking towards them, his eyes following her as she came to sit on the edge of the coffee table.

"Oh, she's fine… I think she just scared herself." He replied, biting back a chuckle as he bounced Sofia in his arms, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement. "She was doing tummy time, and she was doing great, by the way," He spoke proudly, Gabby shaking her head as she waited for the rest of the story. "She was holding her head up, but then I think she got tired, and her head smacked into mat… I don't think she hurt herself, just got spooked." He explained, Gabby giving him a nod as she glanced to Sofia, seeing her curled into her dad's chest, tears staining down her cheeks, but she'd already calmed down considerably. "Isn't that right, baby girl? You're fine, you just got a little scared, huh?" He asked softly, rubbing his finger over her stomach, Sofia smiling as she listened to her dad. "But you're okay, yeah you're okay, there's my happy girl." He continued rubbing her stomach, Sofia waving her arms excitedly.

Before Matt or Gabby said anything else, they both froze when they heard a giggle come from their daughter's lips, their eyes widening as they glanced at one another. A huge smile broke out on Gabby's face, Matt quickly following suit.

"Did she just laugh?" He asked in near disbelief, the sound like music to his ears as Gabby nodded, her eyes shining back at her husband.

"She did." She responded, her smile widening.

Although they had been hearing Sofia make unintelligible noises for awhile, that's all they'd been. Matt and Gabby had begun to understand what her different noises meant, whether she was tired, hungry, excited, etc., but they hadn't been anything more than babbling. This was the first time either of them had heard an actual laugh, and it was one of the best things they'd ever heard.

"Did you just laugh, Sof?" He asked, his voice an octave higher as he tickled her stomach again, the girl emitting yet another laugh. "Oh my God, you're getting so big… I can't believe it…" He breathed out, giving his daughter a kiss, Sofia smacking her hands against his face before he pulled back, looking up to see Gabby watching him with a soft smile on her face. "Our girl is perfect, isn't she?" He asked, earning a quick nod from his wife.

"She absolutely is… Even with everyone she had working against her." Gabby teased, Matt huffing out a breath before he looked back down, watching Sofia's eyes move around quickly, clearly searching for her mother.

"Oh, did you hear Momma?" He asked, patting her chest. "Yeah, I know Momma's your favorite… although she can't make you laugh like I can." Matt spoke, chuckling when he felt a smack on the back of his head. "What? Don't be jealous." He replied with a smug grin, Gabby rolling her eyes before she spoke up.

"Give me my baby." She spoke, Matt chuckling as he looked back down to their little girl, seeing her still in search of her mom.

"Yeah, yeah, I know you want your mom." He replied defeatedly, Gabby smirking as she took Sofia from Matt, the little girl perking up when she saw her mother.

"Yeah, you missed Momma, didn't you?" She murmured, cradling Sofia in her arms as she carefully stood up, expertly holding her baby and the bottle while she moved towards the couch. "I know you probably missed me because you were hungry, but that's okay, I still win." She spoke softly, flashing her husband a proud smirk as she settled into the couch, bringing the bottle to Sofia's lips. The baby's eyes widened, eagerly accepting the bottle before she began eating, gripping onto her mom's chest while she fed.

Over the past week, Sofia had gotten much more accustomed to feeding from the bottle, the young girl not fighting it nearly as much as she used to, and if she was hungry enough, she would even accept it without any hesitation, latching on as easily as she did to Gabby.

They were still breastfeeding, Gabby not ready to give that up completely, and neither was Sofia, but they were split about fifty-fifty these days when it came to eating from her bottle, and eating directly from the source. At night, they didn't bother with the bottles, it being much easier and more practical for Gabby to feed Sofia herself. But during the afternoons was usually when they bottle fed her, the parents wanting their little Sofia to be as comfortable with it as possible, knowing here in a few days when Gabby returned to work, there would be long periods of time when she couldn't nurse from her mom at all.

Matt pushed himself up from the floor, moving towards the couch and sitting down next to Gabby, wrapping his arm around her shoulders, encouraging her to lean into him while Sofia ate her food.

"She's been doing a lot better with the bottle." Matt murmured, voicing her previous thoughts as Gabby smiled softly, giving him a nod.

"She really is, which is good… Becca said she hadn't been giving her much trouble, either." Gabby added as Matt stroked his thumb against her shoulder. "I knew she'd eventually be okay with it, but it makes me feel better knowing she's not putting up much of a fight anymore… I don't want to have to worry about her not getting enough to eat." She mused, Matt nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, I understand. But I think she knows you're gonna be going back to work soon, and she's helping us out… She's always been a pretty good baby." He spoke, Gabby chuckling softly as she relaxed against her husband.

"She really has."

"Speaking of that… you still feeling good about going back?" He asked softly, pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"I am." She replied without hesitation, closing her eyes as she felt his lips lingering over her hair. "I know I'm making the right choice."

After many discussions with Matt, Gabby had come to the decision a couple days ago that she'd be returning to 51. It's what felt right to her, and it felt like the best choice for their entire family. She'd miss Jemma, and she'd miss all her friends at the SAS, but when it came down to it, she didn't feel like she could count on the company when and if she needed some leeway again, whereas she knew there'd be no hesitation on Boden's part. It wasn't that she was going around searching for special treatment, but if the last few years were any indication, things arose that were out of her control, and there were times she needed a little more leniency than normal. And, from what she could tell, the SAS wouldn't be so inclined to give her that. They were a business, first and foremost, which was fine, but that wasn't where Gabby felt she needed to be right now. And quite honestly, it wasn't where she was wanting to be.

She wanted to be at 51, she wanted to be with Matt… She wanted to be home.

So she made her decision, and had told Boden a few days prior. And now in four days, she'd be back at 51 permanently, and she had a rush of different emotions about it.

She was thrilled to be back, she truly was, but she knew leaving Sofia would be a challenge. Spending that one night away from her last week, although it was desperately needed for her and Matt's sake, it had been hard, and in the morning she was more than ready to get back to Sofia. She knew it would only be that much harder when she was nearly doubling her time away from her daughter.

But she had to do it. She had to go back to work, she _wanted_ to go back to work. She just wished there was a way she could go back, and not leave Sofia for an extended period of time.

"Well, you know how glad I am to have you back at 51." Matt responded, Gabby smiling softly as she glanced towards her husband. "It hasn't been the same since you left, and even when you were back for a bit, I knew it wasn't permanent… but now, knowing you're back for good, it makes me really happy." He spoke softly, reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. "I never would've pressured you into coming back, but I'm so glad you chose 51."

"I know you wouldn't." She murmured, a soft smile pulling on her lips. She knew he'd never try and force her into a decision one way or the other, and he hadn't. He'd left this completely up to her, all while being a sounding board while she worked through the pros and cons of each job. He had given her the time to come to this decision on her own, but when she first decided she'd be going back to 51, he wasn't able to mask his excitement, and seeing his face in that moment only solidified what she already knew in her mind; she had made the right choice.

And she'd be lying if she said Matt hadn't played a huge part in her decision. He had told her, multiple times, that he didn't want her factoring him into her choice, that all he cared about was her being happy and loving where she worked, and how he didn't want her choosing 51 because of him. Despite her promises to not factor him in, she had anyway; of course she had. There was no way she could make this decision and _not_ take him into consideration. He had been her biggest consideration, and her head and her heart had told her that being at 51, with Matt, was where she needed to be.

"Plus, now that you're back at 51, that means we can have some more… alone time, in my office." He added with a smug grin, Gabby scoffing lightly as he leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers. Their movements were slow and gentle, Matt stroking his thumb over her cheek as she pulled back slightly.

"Some alone time, huh?" She questioned, nuzzling her nose against his as they rested their foreheads against one another. "That doesn't seem very Captain-like." Her voice was light, Gabby smiling softly as she teased him, Matt brushing his nose against hers again.

"It's not… but I think for my gorgeous wife, I can make some exceptions." He murmured, before pressing another soft kiss against her lips.

In the two years that had passed since Matt became Captain, not including those five months she was in Puerto Rico, then the few before she'd begun working at 51 again, they hadn't really fooled around at the firehouse in any of that time. When he first got promoted, they had come to an agreement that drawing the blinds in his office wasn't really appropriate anymore. Though an argument could be made for it never really being appropriate in the first place, it hadn't stopped them in the past. But once he became Captain, it had never happened again, though there were times she had definitely wanted it to.

But now it seemed like that rule might be subjected to being broken, something she couldn't say she minded.

"Your gorgeous wife better be the only person you're making exceptions for." She joked, Matt chuckling as he pressed another quick kiss to her lips. "Although, first this wife of yours would have to agree to whatever your plans are…"

"I think she will." He replied without missing a beat. "I mean, I have some pretty… _convincing_ methods of persuasion." Matt added, Gabby laughing as she felt his lips against hers.

"Oh believe me, I know." She responded, Matt grinning before kissing her again, reluctantly pulling back after a few seconds.

"And plus, at the firehouse, we definitely wouldn't get interrupted by the baby." Matt added, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she glanced down to the little girl in her arms, Sofia still working on her bottle.

"You do have a point there."

In the week that had passed since their romantic night together at the hotel, the married couple had definitely been making up for lost time whenever they got the chance. Despite Gabby's initial reservations about having sex again, once they had, she definitely hadn't shied away from the opportunity to be with him whenever she could. Their first time in months had a bit of a learning curve, Gabby having to push through some of the pain and discomfort at first, but eventually it had passed, and the couple had very much enjoyed their evening, and morning. And that desire hadn't seemed to go away at all in the last week, something Matt surely wasn't complaining about. But it had been a little hard to navigate with Sofia. With her needing one or both of them at all hours, finding time for just the two of them had been another challenge they had to overcome, but they both thought they were doing a pretty good job. And it helped that they soon discovered that Sofia's mid-afternoon naps were the perfect time for them to spend time just for themselves, something both of them thoroughly enjoyed. But with navigating around a three and a half month-old's sleep schedule, they had gotten interrupted more than once, their little girl's needs outweighing their own.

But, regardless of the challenges, the past week they'd had of reconnecting with one another had been amazing, and Gabby surely wasn't opposed to taking that to the firehouse, as long as they were careful.

"Of course I do." He responded with a grin, leaning his head down against hers. "I mean, I'm not saying we should be fooling around in the showers every shift, but every once in a while… It couldn't hurt." He spoke, Gabby smiling softly as she kept her eyes on the baby.

"How romantic." She teased, Matt chuckling as he gave her shoulder a squeeze.

"Just letting you know it's on the table, babe." He whispered, pressing a kiss behind her ear. "But you know, I wouldn't be opposed to a little fun right now either… She should be falling asleep here soon." He whispered, his lips tickling her ear as Gabby felt a shiver run through her spine.

"I'm sure you wouldn't." She replied, feeling him press another kiss against her skin, her eyes falling close as she focused on the feelings he was eliciting within her, Gabby doing what she could to not let herself get too lost in him, knowing her baby was still wide awake.

"And I don't think you're opposed, either." He murmured, sliding his hand along her thigh, moving up close to her waist.

"Matt…" She warned, feeling him smile against her as he pressed another kiss to her head.

"Yes?"

"Watch yourself." She spoke, opening her eyes and glancing up towards him, Matt pulling back slightly to get a better look at her. "I bet she'll be asleep in the next twenty minutes or so… then I'm all yours." Gabby promised, Matt giving her a strong nod as he smiled warmly.

"I can't wait."

* * *

Casey sat in his office, tapping his pencil repeatedly against his desk as he tried to get through some of the paperwork he'd been putting off for a few shifts now, Matt blowing out a sharp breath as he ran his hand across his forehead. It was pretty late in the afternoon, and shift had been rather uneventful so far, something Matt saw as a double-edged sword. On one hand, he was glad to not be out on multiple calls, that being something that would only add to the paperwork he had to catch up on, but that also meant he had no excuse to _not_ finish the work in front of him, which meant he had to keep himself from getting distracted. And that task was easier said than done.

With one glance up from his paperwork, he was automatically met with multiple photos of his family, and each and every time he had to stop and admire them whenever he caught a glimpse. Some were of just Sofia, others were of Sofia and Gabby, and then there was one of all three of them, as well as the usual ones of Gabby that had been there before the baby was born. But no matter which picture caught his eye first, it would always bring a smile to his face, Matt instantly being reminded of how incredibly lucky he was to have the family he did, and an instant wave of gratitude would flow through him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to do any of this if he didn't have Gabby by his side.

The sound of his phone ringing in his pocket pulled him from his thoughts, Matt dropping the pencil in his hand before he dug out the buzzing object, Matt immediately smiling when he saw a photo of Gabby and Sofia staring back at him.

It was a newer one, Matt having taken it a few days ago after Sofia's bath, Gabby cradling their baby in her arms as she was wrapped in her hooded penguin towel, Sofia reaching her arms up towards her mom while she had a bright smile on her face. It was one of his favorite photos that he'd taken of them, and when he went through the pictures later that night, he knew he had to change it to Gabby's contact picture, Matt's entire body filling with warmth every time he saw it.

Swiping across his screen, Matt smiled when the image of Gabby popped up, his wife grinning widely as he answered the Facetime.

"I was beginning to think you were on call." She spoke softly, Matt shaking his head.

"Nah, just got distracted by the picture of you on my phone… took me a few extra seconds to answer." He responded with a wink, Gabby ducking her head as her teeth grazed over her bottom lip.

"Oh yeah?... Well, it better be one where I'm clothed." She responded with a laugh, Casey's smile widening as he glanced behind him, thankful to see his office door was shut.

"Don't worry, it definitely is… Like I'd risk anyone else seeing something that was meant for my eyes only." He replied quickly, Gabby chuckling as he ran his tongue along his teeth. "So, this call was unexpected… What are my girls up to?" He asked, watching as she rested back against their headboard in their bedroom.

"Oh, not much… Nothing but poop and spit up over here." She replied with a grin, Matt chuckling as he leaned back in his chair.

"I'm so jealous right now." He breathed out, Gabby tilting her head to the side.

"Everything okay?" She questioned, Matt nodding immediately, not meaning to have worried her.

"I'm fine, baby, just trying to avoid all this paperwork." He replied, Gabby smirking before she flipped the view of the camera, Matt's smile widening when he saw Sofia. His little girl was lying in the middle of their bed, resting on the mattress in between Gabby's legs as she waved her arms and legs around. "Oh, there's my girl." He murmured, Sofia looking around as she heard her dad's voice, but couldn't see him. "Hi baby, I miss you."

Gabby had turned the phone around so Sofia could see her dad, but she still didn't really understand, the baby giggling nonetheless when she heard her dad's voice, shoving her small fist into her mouth.

"Have you been a good girl for Momma?"

"She has… She took a really long nap this morning, she did great with her tummy time, and we just finished nursing."

"Oh yeah?" Matt asked with a smile on his face, loving to hear about his baby's day.

"Yeah, although for some reason she's wide awake now…" Gabby spoke, Matt seeing her hand come into frame as she rubbed against Sofia's chest. "Someone doesn't wanna take their nap."

"She doesn't know how good she has it, I'd love a nap right now." Matt joked, hearing her laugh.

"I can let you go, if you'd like to rest."

"Nope." He replied quickly, shaking his head.

"Alright, well I don't wanna hear about how tired you are when you get home in the morning." She teased, Matt chuckling softly. "And uh, not to change the subject, but did you get a chance to talk to Boden?" Gabby asked, flipping the camera back around to face her.

"Yup, I spoke with him earlier. We're all good to go here. Starting next shift, Ambulance 61 will officially have three paramedics." He told her, his heart filling with warmth when he saw the bright smile form across her face.

"I'm so excited." She murmured, brushing her hair behind her ear.

"Me too, baby."

The bells rang throughout the house before either could get another word in, Casey smiling regretfully when he heard truck and squad being called out to a house fire.

"That's my cue." He breathed out, pushing himself up from his chair, Gabby nodding as she turned the camera back around on Sofia.

"Say goodbye to Daddy, Sof." She spoke, rubbing her stomach as the girl babbled away.

"Bye baby, Daddy loves you." He replied, opening his office door. "I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright? Be good for Momma." Gabby grabbed Sofia's arm, giving him a slight wave before Gabby came into view again. "I love you, babe." He spoke, Gabby smiling softly.

"I love you, too. Be safe."

* * *

81 and Squad 3 pulled up to the burning house, seeing flames shooting out from the upper floor windows, the dilapidated house looking quite close to falling down. 51 had responded to calls to this house before, the building being well-known for its drug activity, amongst other things.

Hopping down from his seat, Matt immediately found Severide's gaze across the road, both men knowing the possible dangers waiting for them when they entered that house. With Boden not here, it was up to Casey to make the calls, meaning his main priority was thinking of his firefighter's safety first and foremost. And with how bad the blaze already was, he wasn't sure if entering the house was even a good idea.

"What's the plan, Casey?" Severide asked, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he glanced back to the building.

"In and out." He quickly decided. "Squad, take the top floor but be careful. Truck, in and out on the bottom. This is a quick sweep, everyone. Don't take any unnecessary risks." He ordered, watching as his men masked up, Matt knowing he needed to stay out here. That was one of the downsides to his promotion he didn't like so much, being kept outside when people needed help. He knew it was out of necessity, that there had to be a pair of eyes outside, and someone had to be in charge, but he much preferred running into the fires instead of managing the men and women inside them.

"Severide, how is it looking?" Casey asked after a few minutes, his eyes peeled to the building.

"_Not too bad, haven't found anyone yet._"

"Alright, keep me updated." He spoke, barely getting the words out before he heard a sharp cry cut through the cold December air, Casey's eyebrows furrowing as he tried to locate the sound. It had definitely come from outside, but he didn't see anything unusual, his body tightening when he heard another cry.

Following the noise, Matt picked up his radio, adjusting the dial before speaking.

"Main? This is Captain Casey from Truck 81, can you send police backup to our house fire?"

"_Sending them out now, Captain._" They responded, Matt dropping his radio as he got to the sidewalk, moving towards the sound of the noise. He couldn't be sure, but it sounded like the screaming had come from this direction, and he couldn't shake the bad feeling in his gut that something was going on; something more than someone just reacting to the fire.

As he turned the corner, he stopped in his tracks momentarily, his eyes widening at the sight in front of him, seeing a woman and her son being held at gunpoint at the bottom of the steps leading to the side door, the man with the gun aiming it right at the little boy's head.

"Please, please just stop! I'll do whatever you want, just please don't hurt my son." She pleaded, tears streaming down her face, Matt seeing her entire body trembling. But he knew that wasn't just from fear; this woman was strung out, and bad.

She had brought her son when she was here to buy drugs. And, whatever had transpired inside, now had ended with that innocent little boy being held at gunpoint.

"Hey!" Casey yelled, his voice firm and deep, stunning all three of them as the man holding the gun snapped his head towards the firefighter. When he saw him, the man immediately grabbed the little boy, the kid crying as he was held tightly with a gun pressed into his head. "Let him go." Matt spoke, taking a slight step forward.

"Get back!" The man yelled, pressing the gun harder into the boy's head.

"You don't need to do this… Just let the kid go." Matt spoke calmly, doing what he could to diffuse the situation. But he had a feeling this wasn't going to end well.

"Just get out of here, this doesn't concern you!" He yelled, gripping the boy tighter as he took a step back.

Casey's eyes flashed the boy, then to the mom, seeing her hands shaking as she glanced around, and he couldn't figure out what was going through her head, but he figured it wasn't anything good.

"_Casey, we're headed out._" Severide's voice came through his radio, but he didn't even bother trying to answer it, Matt taking another step forward.

"Get back!" He yelled, Matt putting his hands up.

Before he could say anything, the woman took off, running down the alley as she tried to get away, Matt's eyes widening as she ran, leaving her son behind. But she barely got ten feet away before the man turned around, pointing his gun and firing a shot.

And one was all it took, Matt's eyes widening as he watched her body crumble to the ground, blood staining the pavement as shock filled Casey's system, the boys loud cries filling the air. Matt did what he could to stay calm, the man returning the gun to this little boy's head like nothing had happened, like he hadn't just killed this woman in cold blood.

His gaze involuntarily flashed behind him, looking at the lifeless woman, the back of her head stained with her own blood as she lay still on the ground.

"Mommy!" The boy cried, his pleas getting cut off as the man tightened his grip, nearly choking him.

"You can walk away right now." Matt spoke, clearing his throat as he tried to find his voice, forcing himself to not focus on what had just happened. "Just let the boy go, and you can leave. I won't follow you, no one will… Just let him go." Casey tried, seeing the man staring at him closely.

Swallowing the lump in his throat, he took another step closer, his eyes focused on the young boy, Casey only now maybe a few yards away from them. "Hey buddy." He spoke softly, watching as endless tears cascaded down this child's face. He couldn't have been older than five or six, and Matt knew this child never should've been here. He never should've been brought this house, he never should've been here to witness his mother be _murdered_. He never should've been here at all.

But he was. And all Casey could do was try and get him out of here alive.

"My name is Matt, what's your name?"

"Shut up!" The man screamed, but Matt ignored him, keeping his eyes locked on the whimpering boy.

"It's okay, it's okay." He assured, taking another step closer. "What's your name, buddy?"

"Micah." He spoke through his tears, Casey smiling softly.

"It's okay, Micah… It's gonna be okay."

"I swear to God, back up! Or I'll kill him!"

"Everything will be okay, Micah, just look at me. Keep your eyes on me." Matt spoke before looking back up at the unnamed man. "Just go. Get out of here. Let him go, and run." Casey tried, but his words only seemed to anger him, Matt straightening his spine.

He had no idea what to expect, Matt taking slow breaths as this man stared straight at him, his eyes dark and angry. But when he let up his grip on the boy, Matt's eyes widened slightly, the man pushing Micah forward. Casey reached out for him, eager to get him out of here, but the boy barely got a step before the man raised his gun, aiming it directly at Micah.

He fired the shot, Matt's eyes widening in shock and horror as he heard the loud scream come from the boy before he fell to the ground, lying face down as blood stained the back of his shirt. He'd been shot in the spine, but from what Casey could tell he was still alive. He didn't notice the man step closer to him, or notice him lift the barrel of his gun, aiming it directly at his head. He didn't notice any of that, and he didn't care, Casey immediately dropping to his knees, knowing he needed to help Micah.

"Micah, buddy, can you hear me? Micah!"

"Matt…" The boy was wheezing, but he was alive.

Picking up his radio, Matt turned it to all channels, keeping it live as he tried to get through to anyone he could.

"Severide! Anyone, I need a medic now!"

"_Casey? Where are you? We heard gunshots, where-_"

"Get away from him, back up!" The man screamed, his voice echoing through the radio as he pushed against Casey, using his arms and his leg to get him away from Micah, but Matt was fighting him. It wasn't until he heard a gunshot, and felt a tremendous pain radiating from his arm that he backed off, Matt groaning in pain as his hand flew up to his arm, knowing this man had just shot him. "Get back!" He yelled again, kicking Casey in the side, Matt reluctantly scooting away, putting pressure on his arm as this man held him at gunpoint.

"You don't need to do this." He spoke through heavy breaths, the man pressing the gun into the middle of his forehead as Casey grimaced, his arm on fire.

"_Casey!_"

"Please, don't do this… Just let me help Micah…" He pleaded, ignoring Severide's voice, taking deep breaths as he tried to keep himself calm.

He knew this man would have no problem killing him. He'd just murdered a woman without a thought, he'd just shot a kid in the spine like it was nothing. Killing him, he wouldn't think twice about it, considering he'd shot him already. And that terrified him, Matt doing what he could to keep his face blank as the man stared him down.

All he could think about was his family, as he stared into this man's dead eyes. Gabby and Sofia were the only thing in his head, and he could feel his heart breaking at the thought of never seeing them again.

He hadn't had enough time. He hadn't had enough time with Gabby, he hadn't had nearly enough time with Sofia. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He was supposed to go home to them tomorrow morning, and spend the day with the two most important people in his life. This wasn't supposed to happen, but now all he could think about was how there was a good chance these were the last few moments of his life.

And that thought angered him just as much as it paralyzed him. He didn't want to leave, he didn't want to leave his family behind. He didn't want to do that to Gabby and Sofia, not like this, but it didn't seem like he had any choice in the matter.

But he had to try.

"Please, man." He spoke softly, swallowing the lump in his throat, feeling pain shoot down to his fingertips. "Please, just go… You've done enough, please…" He coughed out, shaking his head, the man's look never faltering. "...I've got a little girl at home, she's just a baby… And my wife, please don't do this to them." He pleaded, hearing the man scoff.

"You think I give a shit about your family?" He spat, pressing the gun harder against his forehead, Matt sucking in a deep breath. "I don't give a fuck about them… Although, _Matt Casey_, maybe I'll go pay your wife and daughter a visit, apologize for leaving your little girl without a father." He spoke viciously, Matt's entire body hardening as his eyes narrowed. "And then I'll have some fun with that little wife of yours, let her know how you pleaded for your life right before I shot you. I'll explain exactly what I did to her husband, right before I throw her down and show her what a real man is… I'm sure I could make her forget all about you, at least for a few hours, whether she wants to or not… Then I'll do to her what I did to you, her and your little baby girl."

Anger flood Matt's body, Casey clenching his jaw as his protective instincts took over, Matt not even thinking about the situation he was in. "I'll kill you." He spoke lowly, his voice dripping in anger. "I swear to God, you go near my family, and I'll kill you." He threatened, the man smirking wickedly as Matt heard sirens in the distance.

"I'm not the one dying today, Matt… But I'll make sure your family knows just how much they meant to you." He spoke before putting his finger on the trigger, Matt closing his eyes, his mind flooding with thoughts of Gabby and Sofia.

He heard the trigger click, Matt flinching as he waited for his world to go dark, as he waited for something to happen. But it never did, Casey hearing the man muttering sharp words under his breath as he pressed the trigger again.

"God dammit." He muttered, Matt reluctantly opening his eyes, seeing the man staring at his gun, messing with it as he tried to unjam it.

"Casey!"

Matt heard Severide's voice, but this time it wasn't through the radio, Casey seeing the man's eyes snap up, Matt following his gaze to see Severide standing maybe twenty feet away from them, police hurrying up behind him.

"Shit." The man muttered, glancing back down to Casey. "You're a dead man, Matt Casey." He threatened, whipping his gun across the side of Casey's face with as much force as he could, Matt groaning in pain as his head fell down, hearing the man take off down the alley.

There was all kinds of shuffling around him, Matt barely able to register it as he heard multiple pairs of boots running. He assumed they were chasing that man, but he didn't really care, the pain in his head blinding from the hit he'd taken to the temple.

"Casey! Casey, man are you okay?" Severide called, his voice getting closer.

"Micah." He muttered, shaking his head.

"What?"

"I'm fine, check on Micah, the boy." He groaned, Kelly placing a hand on his shoulder.

"They've got him, paramedics are working on him. He's still alive, are you okay… were you shot?" Just from Severide's voice, Matt could tell the Lieutenant had seen his arm, Casey slowly opening his eyes as he lifted his head. He could feel the blood trickling down his skin, Matt blinking quickly, wincing when some of his blood got into his eye.

"It just grazed my arm, I'm fine." He replied, clenching his eyes together tightly before opening them again, finding a concerned Severide, along with most of his firefighters, standing over him. "I'm alright, guys. I'm fine." He assured them, beginning to stand up as he cradled his left arm against his body.

"Whoa, just sit there for a second, Casey. There's no rush, just take a minute."

"I'm fine." He said again, using the side of the building and his free arm to get up from the ground, Severide helping him as much as he could.

"We need to get you to the hospital." Severide spoke, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he nodded, his mind feeling hazy as he began taking a step forward, his body unsteady. "Whoa, whoa, whoa." Kelly breathed out, grabbing ahold of Casey to keep him upright. "Let's get you on a gurney-"

"No, I'm fine." He tried, Severide shaking his head.

"You were shot, and you have a hell of a cut on your face, you're not fine." Kelly tried, Matt sighing.

"I'm okay, I'm going to the hospital, just… make sure Micah leaves before I do." He spoke softly, images of the boy getting shot flashing in his mind, Matt pressing against his eyes.

"He's already in an ambulance," Kelly spoke, Matt grimacing as he shook his head. He hadn't even noticed the boy being taken away, the pain in his head and arm making it hard to focus. "There's not anything we can do for him… We've just gotta focus on you. Now, you're sure you're okay to walk?" Kelly asked, keeping his grip around Casey's waist.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good." He spoke, leaning into Kelly as they slowly began walking towards the second ambulance, Matt grimacing as he moved. Within minutes, they managed to get him up and into the back of the second ambulance, Severide's foot resting on the ledge as Matt held his head in his hands.

"We'll meet you at the hospital, I'm gonna call Boden, let the house know what happened, but I'll call Dawson first-"

"Don't call her." Casey cut in, hissing when they removed his turnout coat, the movement aggravating his bullet wound.

"Casey…" Severide spoke slowly, Matt shaking his head.

"Make sure no one calls her, I mean it, Sev." He spoke firmly, Kelly releasing a heavy sigh.

"You got shot, man. She needs to know."

"And I'm gonna tell her." Matt countered. "But I don't want her to worry. If you call her and tell her I got shot, she's gonna freak out." He said through gritted teeth as they began assessing his wound, Casey sparing a glance at it. He had been right, the bullet only grazed him, but it took a pretty significant chunk of flesh out of his arm. "She has no one to help with Sofia, please just don't call her… I'll talk to her when I get home." He finished, Severide giving a reluctant nod.

"Alright man, I won't call her."

It wasn't that he didn't understand Casey's reasoning, because he did. The last thing he wanted to do was called Gabby and tell her Matt had been shot, because he knew no matter how many times he told her Casey was fine, it wouldn't matter. He knew Matt had a point, but regardless, Gabby needed to know. And when she finds out, he knew she'd be beyond angry that no one contacted her, and that soon enough her anger would be directed towards him. But he'd do what Casey asked, because ultimately, this was his family, and he didn't want to cause any issues.

"Thank you." Matt responded.

"We're gonna get him to the hospital, you can see him there." One of the paramedics spoke, Severide nodding as he removed his foot from the step, closing one side of the door.

"I'll see you soon, man. Don't do anything stupid." Severide told him, Matt giving a slight nod before he shut the other door, Kelly tapping against the outside of the ambulance, blowing out a heavy sigh as he watched them drive away, taking Casey to the hospital.

* * *

Matt released a heavy breath as he climbed down from the rig, his head still pounding even after spending the better part of two hours at Chicago Med. Even though he found it unnecessary, both truck and squad has stayed at the hospital while he was there. And while he appreciated it, he didn't think they all needed to be there when he was fine.

His bullet wound had been cleaned and stitched up, Matt's arm in a sling to keep his movement reduced, even though that was another thing he found completely unnecessary. He had some steri strips over the gash on his temple, and what was the beginning of what he knew would turn into a pretty ugly bruise on the side of his face. But none of that mattered, he knew he'd be fine.

He was more concerned with convincing Gabby of that fact. But, thankfully, he had until tomorrow morning to figure out how he was going to tell her what happened, and how much he was going to tell her.

He didn't want to lie to her, he refused to, but he also didn't think sharing every detail would help anything. He didn't want to scare her, and if he told her about everything that man said, he would. Sure, the guy knew he his name, but logically he knew he was probably all talk. And just because he had his name, that didn't mean he could find him. Even though the guy had gotten away, that being something Matt heard from Severide while he was in the ER, he wasn't too worried. And he didn't want to give Gabby anything to worry about, either.

"Hey Casey, how are you feeling?" Foster asked the second he walked inside, Matt giving both her and Brett a nod.

"I'm fine, really."

"Casey."

Boden's voice filled the room, Matt glancing over to see him standing at the back entrance, the Chief nodding him over. Blowing out a heavy breath, Casey walked through the common room, following Boden out into the hallway.

"What did the doctor's say?" Boden asked, skipping all the questions they both knew he already had the answers to.

"That I'm fine. I had to get stitches on my arm, they said it would probably leave a pretty nasty scar, because of how big the gash was, but it'll heal fine… And no concussion or anything. I'm good."

"And have you spoken to Dawson yet?" Boden asked with a pointed stare, Matt releasing a soft sigh.

"Not yet… I don't want to tell her over the phone, I'm waiting till after shift."

"Well, that'll be much sooner than you think." Boden spoke, Casey raising his eyebrows. "You're done this shift, Casey. Go home, see your family… Tell Gabby what happened."

"Chief, I'm okay-"

"You were shot." He replied bluntly, Matt's eyes falling closed. "Now get out of here. I want you home."

"It was just a graze, Chief-"

"That's not the only reason I'm sending you home, and we both know it." He replied quietly, Matt pinching the bridge of his nose. "What you saw today… you don't need to be here. Go home, see your baby, see Gabby… That's where you need to be right now."

Nodding slowly, Matt ran his tongue over his bottom lip, Boden placing his hand on his right shoulder. "We'll talk in a few days, and go from there. But right now, all you need to do is go be with your family."

"Understood, Chief." He replied, giving him another nod before walking down the hallway, heading for the locker room.

Within ten minutes, Casey had gathered all of his things, Matt walking down the driveway as he headed for his truck, his keys held tightly in his grasp as he walked down the concrete. When he got to his truck, he tossed his belongings in the passenger side, grimacing at the movement before he climbed inside, having to reach across his body to get the door shut.

Putting the keys into the ignition, Matt blew out a heavy breath, shaking his head as he tried to get the memories of that little boy out of his head. In his few hours at the hospital, he had tried, multiple times, to get an update on Micah, but he hadn't been able to. No one could tell him anything, or no one _would_ tell him anything, and he couldn't help but feel like that didn't mean anything good.

He had no idea what was going on with that young boy, and it made him sick. It was bad enough seeing him get shot; that man had made him believe he was letting him go, that he wasn't going to hurt Micah, and then he shot him. Just because he could. And now Matt had no idea how he was.

And he couldn't help but feel like it was his fault.

Maybe had he done something different, had he not pushed so hard, had he just stayed back and let things play out, maybe that young boy would've never gotten shot. Maybe Micah would've never had to witness his mother die.

There was no way to know if things might've gone differently, but all Matt knew was that he stepped in, and people got hurt. A woman was murdered, and a young boy had been shot. And it felt like that was on him.

He didn't even realize there were tears streaming down his cheeks until a sob escaped from deep within his throat, Casey feeling an intense pressure in his chest as tears continuously fell down his face, Matt using his one good hand to grip the steering wheel tightly, his body shaking as the weight of today hit him all at once.

Micah got shot. And could be dead, for all he knew.

His mother was dead.

And Matt almost died.

It was the last one made another sob escape his lips, Matt unable to see anything in front of him as his tears blurred his vision.

He almost lost everything today. His entire world was almost over, in an instant. Had that man chosen not to shoot him the first time, he'd be dead right now.

And he couldn't bear the thought of that.

He was so close to never seeing his daughter again, to never seeing his wife. He was moments away from leaving them, leaving Sofia to grow up without her dad, leaving Gabby to raise their daughter alone. He had almost left behind his entire world, and he couldn't handle that.

His cries got louder as he sat in his truck outside the firehouse, Matt's knuckles turning white as he gripped the steering wheel, Casey struggling to breathe as air got caught in his throat, the firefighter unable to come to terms with this.

He couldn't understand what had happened today, or _why_ it had happened. And he really couldn't understand how he was alive right now.

* * *

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she was pulled from her restful sleep, Dawson quickly trying to figure out what had caused her to wake up. While keeping her eyes closed, she listened closely, assuming Sofia had stirred and that's what had woken her, but she didn't hear a single sound come from her daughter, Gabby stretching out her back as she laid in the middle of the bed.

She was about to forget it, Gabby content to just fall back asleep, wanting to get all the rest she could when she figured out what had woken her, Gabby nearly shooting up in bed when she heard banging around coming from the kitchen.

With wide eyes, she quietly reached for her phone, picking it up and dialing Antonio's number, knowing someone was inside her home who was definitely not supposed to be there. She put the phone to her ear, her heart rate picking up as she climbed out of bed, sparing a quick glance to Sofia, seeing her baby still sound asleep in her bed, unaware of the danger just outside the bedroom.

Through the open doorway, she could hear whoever it was clearly, the intruder not bothering to be very quiet as they moved around, Gabby's breaths quickening as her brother finally picked up.

"_Gabs? Why are you up at 1AM? What's wrong, is Sofia okay-_"

"Tony." She cut him off, keeping her voice to a whisper.

"_Why are you whispering? What's wrong?_"

"There's someone in the apartment." She spoke quietly into the phone, doing what she could to keep her voice steady as she heard immediate shuffling on the other end of the line.

"_What? Where are you? Where's Sof?_" He asked frantically, Gabby gripping the edge of Sofia's bassinet.

"We're in the bedroom." She whispered, swallowing the lump in her throat as fear filled her body. "I can hear them in the kitchen, I don't know what they're doing Tonio."

"_Okay, Gabs get Sofia and hide. Get in the closet, the bathroom, just get somewhere. I'm leaving now._"

"Dammit!"

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she heard the voice come from the kitchen, recognizing it instantly, her fear morphing into confusion as she stepped towards the bedroom door.

"Wait…" She spoke into the phone.

"_What… Gabs, what are you doing?_"

"Hold on."

"_Don't go out there, Gabby, wait-_"

Gabby hesitantly stepped through the doorway, a heavy sigh escaping her lips as she saw her husband stumbling around the kitchen, clearly unaware of her presence.

"_Gabby?_"

"I'm here, I'm fine." She responded into the phone, her voice gaining the attention of Matt, seeing her husband whip his head around, his teary eyes and blotchy face immediately filling her with concern.

"Hey baby." He spoke slowly, Gabby pursing her lips together as she took in his clearly buzzed state, Dawson slowly stepping through the doorway, unsure of what was going on.

"It's just Matt." She responded into the phone, shaking her head in confusion.

"_Casey's there?_" She could hear the same level of curiosity in her brother's voice, both Dawson's knowing Matt should've been on shift right now.

"Yeah, he's here. I'm sorry for calling… I gotta go, Antonio." Gabby told him, unable to mask the concern in her voice, Antonio hearing it instantly.

"_No, yeah, I'm just glad you're okay…Call me if you need anything_."

"I will." She replied, the two exchanging some goodbyes before they hung up, Gabby walking the rest of the way to her husband.

When she got closer, more worry flooded her entire body when she finally made out the sling holding his arm in place, and when she saw the gash on the side of his head as he turned to face her, the dim light filling the kitchen making his injuries visible.

"Matt…" She breathed out, coming to stand by his side, watching him as he quickly faced forward again, clearly avoiding her gaze as he went back to the sandwich he was trying to prepare, his task made all the more difficult with his one hand. "Baby, what happened? Why are you home in the middle of the night?... What happened to your shoulder?"

"That's a lot of questions." He murmured, putting the top piece of bread on his sandwich, Gabby glancing to the mess he made before looking back at him, her eyebrows furrowed as she smelled the alcohol on him. "I'm sorry for waking you up, I didn't wake the baby did I? I tried to be quiet." His words were drawn together, Gabby placing her hand on his back, her eyes widening as he immediately stood up straight, a look of panic flashing in his gaze. "Wait- Sofia? Where is she? Is she okay?"

"Baby, baby, she's fine, she's okay." Gabby was quick to reassure him, seeing him relax as quickly as he'd worked himself up, her confusion only growing. "She's asleep in our room… Have you been drinking?" Her tone wasn't accusatory, but she was worried, though Matt seemed unfazed by the question. He wasn't drunk, but he had definitely had a few before he came home.

"Maybe just a little…" He breathed out, shaking his head as a slight smile tugged at his lips, but there was no life behind it. "But I'm fine, just hungry." He told her, picking up his sandwich with his one good arm and taking a bite. "Not as good as yours, but it'll do." He spoke with his mouth full, taking another bite before he'd finished the first one.

She gave him a few minutes, rubbing her hand comfortingly over his back as he stood there and ate his food, Gabby trying to figure out what had happened since their conversation earlier in the day. She didn't know why he'd left shift, or what had caused his injuries, Gabby not understanding why she hadn't been called when he clearly had gotten hurt at work. And she especially didn't know why he'd been drinking.

But whatever happened, she knew it couldn't have been good, Gabby unsure if she'd ever seen him like this before. Not knowing the extent of his injuries was bad enough, but the mental state he was in… that concerned her the most.

"Matt…" She spoke softly, watching as his shoulders deflated, Matt shaking his head as he finally looked back at her, Gabby frowning deeply when she saw the tears hiding in his eyes, his broken stare making her stomach drop. The look in his eyes was alarming, Gabby seeing a clear look of pain shining back at her. "What happened?"

Casey remained silent for a few moments, staring down at the kitchen counter as he took slow breaths. "I… I don't- I don't want to talk about it."

"Baby-"

"Please." He nearly pleaded, blinking back the tears sitting in his eyes as he looked at her again, Gabby close to tears as she saw him so distraught. "I just- I don't wanna get into it right now… Can we just go to bed? Please?"

Pursing her lips together, she slowly nodded, seeing her husband visibly relax as he slid his plate away. "Yeah, that's fine… Let's go to bed." She agreed, Matt nodding before glancing back to the counter.

"I should clean this up…"

"You go, I'll get it." She told him, Matt giving her a thankful nod before leaning forward, pressing a lazy kiss against the side of her head, Gabby able to feel his body trembling. "Do you need any help?" She asked, eyeing the sling his arm was in.

"Uh… probably, I don't know." He responded, rubbing his hand over his face, wincing when he accidentally touched his cut.

"Be careful." She warned him, pulling his hand away gently. "Just go in there and sit, I'll be in to help you in a minute." Gabby instructed him, Matt giving her a slight nod before stepping around her and heading for the bedroom.

Gabby stayed rooted in her spot as she watched him walk away, concern flooding her entire body as her husband disappeared into the bedroom.

She had no idea what had happened, she had no idea what had caused him to come home in the middle of the night like this. She didn't know what to think, about his physical state or his mental one, but she could only assume something terrible had happened to make him behave like this. She had every reason to fear the worst, Gabby knowing it took a lot to even get Matt rattled… But this? This was something she wasn't sure she had ever seen from him before. And she had no idea how to help him, especially if he wouldn't talk to her.

* * *

**Well… that was a rough one. Casey definitely experienced something he won't be able to forget anytime soon, and I'm sure you all can imagine, it's not gonna be easy on him, trying to get past that… easy on him or on Gabby. But we'll see what happens in the next one!**

**Thank you all so much for reading, I hope you guys enjoyed this one even though it was a little heavy. Thank you so much for the continued love and support on this story. I'm so excited to hear your thoughts!**

**Also, just so you all know, my updates on Thursday might be a little late, but I'm not sure yet. I'm having some tests done Thursday afternoon, and I don't know how long they're gonna take, so things might be a little delayed that day, but I'll get them up as soon as I can!**

**Also, again, I got the second chapter to my new story If We Never Say Goodbye posted a little earlier, if you all wanna check that out!**

**I'll see you next time!**


	70. Chapter Seventy

**Wow. Can you guys believe we've hit 70 chapters already? That's crazy to me. I'm so glad you all have stuck around with me for this long. When I first started this story back in February, I never expected it to still be going for this long, and I definitely never expected the incredible response that I've gotten from you all. It means everything to me.**

**Thank you for taking this ride with me. I hope you all like this one.**

**Happy reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy**_

* * *

Gabby released a heavy sigh as she put the lunch meat and condiments back into the fridge, her intoxicated husband having made more of a mess than he probably realized as she cleaned up after him. She had already gotten his unfinished sandwich in the trash, the plate put into the dishwasher, and the bread put away. Now all she had left to do was wipe down the counter, then she'd be able to try and get back to bed, although she had a feeling sleep wouldn't be coming so easy to her tonight.

As she finished up and began heading for the bedroom, it crossed her mind that in his current state, Matt might've not remembered to lock the door, Gabby turning on her heels, moving to check both the front door and the back door, unsure of which one he'd entered through. And her suspicions were proven correct when she got to the back door, finding it unlocked, as well as Matt having turned the porch light on by accident, Gabby shaking her head before turning it off then securing the deadbolt.

Once they were locked into their home, Gabby continued her original path to the bedroom, flipping the switch to turn the light off before she stepped into the room, coming to a stop when she saw Matt standing over Sofia's bassinet. Her baby and her husband were across the bed, Gabby taking a step forward, seeing Matt clutching the edge of her bed tightly, Sofia continuing to sleep peacefully, unaware of her dad's presence.

"Matt…" She whispered, a deep frown settling over her face when he lifted his head, his teary eyes shining back at her. "Come on." She prompted, nodding towards the bathroom, not wanting to risk waking their baby while she helped him get ready for bed.

Reluctantly, he nodded, Matt glancing down quickly to his baby, releasing a shaky breath before slowly walking away from her bed, following Gabby into the bathroom. Turning the light on, Gabby waited until he had come through the door before she slowly closed it, leaving it ajar against the doorframe so they could hear Sofia. Matt padded his way towards the toilet, putting the lid down before nearly collapsing down onto the seat, barely registering his own movements as he sat down.

Gabby followed his path, coming to a stop in front of him, standing in between his legs as she brought her hand up to his face, gently brushing her hand across his cheek. Matt let his eyes fall closed, focusing on the movement as her presence comforted him, Matt leaning into her touch, her warmth providing him with a sense of safety.

"Can I?" She asked softly, Matt opening his eyes to see her gaze focused on the sling, giving her a slow nod. Once she had the confirmation she needed, Gabby leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead while she kept rubbing her hand over his cheek, continuing the comforting action for a few more seconds before she pulled back, her hands moving towards the sling. Matt missed her touch instantly, watching as she carefully removed the object, the inebriated man letting her do all the work. Once his arm was free, Gabby slowly let it move down to his lap before she placed the sling on the counter, moving her attention to his shirt.

He wasn't wearing his usual white Captain's shirt, in fact he was wearing a long sleeve CFD paramedic's shirt, one like the kind Gabby knew most ambulances kept in the back of their rig, in case of emergencies. Which told Gabby that whatever had happened to his arm had him needing a new shirt, which was something that made her stomach turn. Had the other one been cut off of him? Had it been covered in his blood? She had no idea what his injuries were or how they occurred, and that didn't sit well with her… But as she looked back up at the closed gash on the side of his head, she couldn't help but think these injuries weren't caused in a fire, his skin red and angry around the cut, while the side of his head had started to swell slightly. It almost looked like he'd smacked into something, or that he got hit by something, and she wasn't sure which option scared her more.

"I'm gonna get this shirt off, alright?" She warned him, Matt giving her a slow nod, letting her work as she began the process of removing the clothing, saving his injured arm, or shoulder, for last. "Does it hurt?" She questioned, unable to miss how this entire time, he hadn't shown her any signs of being in pain, which she wasn't sure if that was just him, or if the alcohol had played a part in dulling whatever pain he might be in.

"Nothing too bad." He responded softly, meeting her eyes in time to see her nod, Gabby flashing him a warm smile before going back to work. When she removed the shirt, she tossed it on the ground, her eyes immediately moving to the white bandage wrapped around his bicep, her eyebrows furrowing as her gaze moved up to his shoulder, trying to tell exactly what damage had been done. With the bandage, she assumed he'd been cut, maybe gotten a few stitches, but a cut wouldn't have warranted a sling, so she couldn't help but think there was another injury she couldn't see.

"Is it just your arm? Or you're shoulder?" She asked softly, meeting his eyes.

"Just my arm." He responded, Gabby pursing her lips together as she glanced back to the injury.

"Did you get cut?" She questioned, Matt's gaze moving down in between them, focusing on the large shirt that covered her body, refusing to meet her gaze.

"...It's just some stitches." He responded, Gabby's head tilting to the side. He hadn't answered her question, and they both knew it. His answer alone would've been enough to tip her off, but his hesitation just solidified what she already knew; this wasn't just a cut.

"Matt…" She spoke lightly, Matt lifting his head to look at her, watching as her frown deepened, his teary eyes shining back at her. "We don't have to get into all of it right now, but can you at least tell me what happened to your arm… Please, baby."

He took a deep breath, Gabby bringing her hand back up to his head, gently running her fingers through his short hair, giving him that silent reassurance she was sure he needed. "I, uh.. Please, don't freak out, because I'm okay," He prefaced, her eyebrows furrowing as her entire body tensed, Gabby feeling her heartbeat quicken in her chest, unsure of what to expect. But, whatever it was, she knew it wasn't good. "But, I uh-... I got shot."

Her entire body froze, Gabby's breath catching in her throat as her eyes flashed back to his arm, tears filling her eyes as he saw her begin to panic, her chest rising and falling quickly as her breaths became more and more shallow. "Hey hey hey, baby I'm okay." He spoke instantly, her clear concern breaking the haze his mind was in. Despite everything going through his head, his focus shifted to his wife, knowing he needed to all he could to keep her calm. "I'm fine, I'm alright." He kept repeating, Gabby blinking back the tears in her eyes as she met his gaze, Matt lifting his right hand up to her waist, squeezing it reassuringly. "It just grazed me, I'm okay."

Gabby bit down on the inside of her cheek, trying to keep her emotions in check as she traced over his face, trying to see if there were any signs of deception, that he was keeping something from her as to not worry her, but with the haze her mind was in, she couldn't tell.

"I promise, I'm alright." He spoke again, like he knew exactly what was going on in her head, Gabby forcing herself to hold back her tears. "It's just a flesh wound that needed some stitches… It'll probably leave an ugly scar, but it didn't even go through any muscle. I'm fine."

He hoped if he said it enough that she would start to believe him, but based on the look covering her face, he was sure she hadn't moved much past him telling her he'd been shot, which is exactly why he didn't want her being told over the phone. No matter how many times Severide, or Boden, or anyone, reassured her and told her that he was fine, he knew she wouldn't believe them. Because even though he was sitting here with her right now, clearly alright, she still didn't believe him.

"You're sure? You're alright, there's no other damage?" Her voice was thick, emotion laced in her words as Matt gripped her waist tighter, pulling her closer to him.

"I'm fine." He spoke firmly, needing her to believe what he was saying. "I promise you, I'm alright. I wouldn't tell you I was if I wasn't. The bullet went through and through, I only needed stitches. I'm okay."

Gabby nodded slowly, gnawing on her bottom lip as her eyes darted around, Matt rubbing along her side. He could tell he'd freaked her out, rightfully so; if she'd come stumbling home in the middle of the night when she wasn't supposed to be here, telling him she'd been shot, he knew he'd be handling it worse than she was right now.

"Are you okay?" He asked gently, Gabby's eyes narrowing slightly as her gaze focused in on him.

"Me? I'm not the one who got shot." She responded, frustration evident in her voice, and he couldn't say he was surprised to hear it.

"Baby-"

"Why didn't anyone call me?" She questioned, her tone showing her anger, mixed with confusion and a little hurt.

"I asked them not to." He replied, her face hardening as she tried to take a step back, but he wouldn't let her, although she didn't fight him very hard. "Gabby, I'm sorry, but I didn't want to worry you, not when I knew I was fine." He tried, but he could tell she was upset. And she had every reason to be.

"It doesn't matter, you can't do that, Matt." She spoke, her voice unsteady. "You can't get shot and then not tell me."

"I didn't want you to drag Sofia all the way to the hospital for no reason-"

"No reason?!"

"Baby, baby, please just listen." He spoke, Gabby taking a deep breath before meeting his eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "I knew I wasn't going to be there for very long, and I knew you didn't have anyone to help you with the baby… I was going to tell you, I just wanted to tell you in person."

Gabby swallowed thickly, her throat feeling dry as her head moved down, her eyes finding the space in between them as she took a deep breath. She was angry; angry at him for not telling her, and angry at everyone at 51 for listening to him, but she knew now wasn't the time to continue fighting it. Despite him trying to reassure her, and the shock she felt go through her system at finding out her husband had gotten shot, she could tell he was barely holding himself together. He was still shaken over whatever happened, and with it being the middle of the night, the last thing she wanted was to fight with him about this.

"...Okay." She responded, pursing her lips together, meeting his tired eyes, seeing a wave of relief wash through them, Matt taking a slow breath as he nodded. "Just please, if you get hurt again, tell me." She told him, Matt giving her another slow nod. "I don't care if you think you're fine. If you have to go to the hospital, or, you know, you get shot, please... call me." She finished sternly, Matt sighing softly.

"I will. I promise." He assured her, Gabby nodding slowly, sighing softly before she stepped closer to him, Matt sliding his hand around to her back, watching her eyes trace over his face before she landed on the cut on his temple.

With her gaze focused on his head, she brought her hand up, gently stroking her fingers on the skin right beneath the injury. The longer she stared, the deeper her frown became, Matt swallowing the lump in his throat as she traced his skin.

"How'd this happen?" She asked quietly, Matt clenching his eyes shut as his hand slid down off her of her, coming back to rest in his lap as he dropped his head down. Tearing her eyes from the harsh gash along the side of his head, she took a deep breath when she noticed the immediate shift in his demeanor, Matt returning to the state he'd been in when she first found him in the kitchen, just a little more aware. "Matt…"

Clearing his throat, Matt slowly lifted his head, Gabby seeing fresh tears had formed in his eyes as she slid her hand down to his neck, rubbing her thumb along his skin comfortingly. "Uh, it, uh- I was hit, with the gun." He admitted, her eyebrows furrowing in worry, seeing his jaw begin to tremble as they locked eyes.

"Baby, you gotta tell me what happened…" She murmured, tears filling her own eyes as she saw her usually strong husband now broken, his eyes glassy as his throat bobbed up and down. The last thing she wanted to do right now was make him talk, but she couldn't leave things like this, not with him this upset. The more she heard about what Matt had gone through, the more concerned she became, Gabby blinking back her tears as she stroked his neck.

Whatever had happened on shift, whatever he had gone through, she knew it had to have been terrible. She didn't know much, in fact she knew next to nothing, but she wasn't sure she'd ever seen Matt like this before. Knowing some of the terrible things he'd gone through in his life, either with her or on his own, the fact that she couldn't recall ever seeing him this distraught was alarming.

"Whatever happened, let me help you…" She nearly whispered, Matt's breath catching in his throat as he felt his guard falling down, a lone tear escaping down his cheek. "I'm right here, you don't need to deal with this on your own." She murmured, using the pad of her thumb to wipe the water from his skin, her heart shattering in her chest at seeing him so broken, Matt sniffling as he nodded.

"I, uh- We got called to a house fire-" He started, clearing the emotion from his voice as his eyes stayed locked on her, Gabby giving him a supportive nod, continually stroking his skin for comfort. "It was just us and squad, so uh, I stayed outside." He told her, Gabby letting him go as slow as he needed to get the words out. "Everything was fine, no one was in the house… But when the guys were finishing their sweep, I heard screaming…" A grimace covered his face at the memory, Matt bringing his hand back up to her waist, pulling her closer towards him, needing to feel her near him. Gabby slid her hand around to the back of his neck, running her fingers through the small hairs there, knowing that action always calmed him in the past. "I didn't know what it was, but I could tell they were outside, and I- I went over there and…" He trailed off, shaking his head quickly as fresh tears filled his eyes, a few escaping down his skin.

"It's okay, baby." She murmured, placing her other hand on his cheek.

"He just- He was holding Micah and wouldn't let him go-" Matt choked out, her eyebrows furrowing as he began rambling, Gabby having a hard time following him. "He was threatening to kill him, and he shot her and then Micah. I tried to help him, but I couldn't and- God, I don't even know if he's okay." He cried, his head falling forward as furious tears fell down his cheeks, his shoulders shaking as his emotions took control, Matt's head falling into her chest.

Her eyes fell closed as she listened to her husband's soft cries, Gabby pulling him into her body, Matt wrapping his arms around her waist as he clung to her. She still wasn't sure what happened, Matt's words frantic and hard to follow, but she knew she couldn't ask him any more right now, her focus shifting towards holding onto him while he cried against her. "It's okay… it's alright." She whispered, cradling his head with her hand, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his hair. "It's okay."

Gabby kept her lips against the top of his head, rubbing her thumb through his hair while her other hand rubbed over his back, Matt keeping a firm grip around her waist. A few tears escaped from her own eyes as she did what she could to comfort him, her heart dropping into her stomach as he continued shaking.

She had no idea who Micah was, or the woman he talked about, but right now, Matt was her only concern, and seeing him like this was one of the worst feelings in the world, Gabby doing what she could to keep it together for him. But she was having a hard time.

Not knowing what was going on was bad enough, but seeing him like this was worse, her usually strong and stoic husband crumbling right in front of her.

The sound of Sofia's cries filtered into the bathroom, Matt immediately pulling back from Gabby, panic covering his face as he heard her crying. "The baby." He breathed out frantically, pushing himself up and hurrying out of the room, confusion and worry filling Gabby's body as she followed after him.

"Matt, she's fine." Gabby told him, getting into the room just as he got to her bassinet, quickly picking Sofia up and cradling him against her. As she got closer, she could see how tense Matt was, like he was terrified at the fact that Sofia had been crying. "She's probably just hungry, babe." Gabby murmured, placing her hand on his back, Matt glancing towards her. In the dim room, she couldn't see much, but with the light flooding in from the bathroom, she could see the tear stains down his cheeks, his eyes red and puffy. "Let me see her." Gabby spoke, holding out her arms, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw the flash of hesitance in his gaze, Matt clearly nervous to let Sofia out of his grip. "It's okay." She assured him, Matt nodding slowly before handing a crying Sofia over to her mom.

"Yeah, you're just hungry, aren't you baby?" She murmured, cradling the little girl in her arms as she moved towards the glider in the corner, Sofia pushing her mouth against her chest, feeling Matt's eyes on them as she moved.

She didn't know what was causing Matt's odd behavior, how he seemed so panicked over every little thing with Sofia. He'd gotten nervous about Sofia when he first got home, and then this… She didn't know what was causing him to be so worried, but as she sat down and saw him sit down on the foot rest directly in front of her, she knew he didn't even want to let their baby out of his sight.

"You're sure she's okay?" Matt asked as he wiped under his eyes, Sofia still fussing as Gabby nodded, lifting her shirt and getting Sofia situated, the young girl eagerly latching onto her mom as soon as she could.

"Yeah… see? She's fine, just hungry." Gabby responded softly, knowing better than to try and question why he was so panicked right now. After what happened in the bathroom a few moments prior, she knew he was struggling, and she didn't want to make him feel any worse. If what he needed right now was to be close to her and their daughter, she wouldn't question it.

Matt gave her a slight nod, keeping his eyes on Sofia while she ate, the girl clutching onto her mom.

The family of three sat mostly in silence for the nearly forty minutes Sofia spent nursing, Matt's eyes either being focused on Sofia or Gabby the entire time, but he never said a word. He seemed a little more calm than he was when Sofia first started nursing, but he was still on edge, and Gabby wished she knew how to make him feel better.

Knowing they were in for a long rest of the night, she was hoping once Sofia got back to sleep, they'd have a chance to be able to talk again. And she hoped that Matt would actually be able to get the words out this time.

"She's almost asleep." Gabby murmured, breaking their silence as Matt looked back up to her. "Do you wanna change her, then maybe we can go out in the living room and talk?" She offered, Matt sucking in a deep breath before nodding, Gabby carefully pulling a tired Sofia away from her chest, Matt gently bringing her into his arms before carrying her over to the dresser.

Once she'd fixed her clothes, Gabby stood up from the chair, walking over towards him, standing beside him as he worked on changing Sofia's diaper, Matt focusing on his task as Gabby ran her hand up and down his back. Sofia had fallen asleep by the time she'd been placed down on the changing mat, and hadn't stirred a bit while her dad changed her diaper, Matt working quietly.

When he'd finished buttoning the last button on her onesie, Matt looked towards Gabby, his wife placing a soft kiss against the outside of his arm, her hand moving lightly across his lower back.

"Do you wanna finish changing?" Gabby asked, Matt glancing down to see he was still in his blue shift pants, giving her a slight nod before he began working on his belt, Gabby pulling out a pair of pajama pants for him from the dresser. After quickly getting changed, Matt carefully picked a sleeping Sofia up from her changing mat, the little girl settling into her dad's arms easily, nuzzling herself into the warmth his bare chest provided. "You ready to talk?" Gabby questioned softly, Matt looking up from his little girl, finding the compassionate eyes of his wife staring back at him, Matt giving her a soft nod. "Alright, I can grab the monitor if you wanna put her in her bed."

"Uh, actually-" His words stopped her movement towards the nightstand, Gabby glancing at him with raised eyebrows. "I'm gonna hold her for awhile, if that's alright."

"Of course, yeah." Gabby responded without hesitation. "That's a good idea." Matt nodded with a soft smile, the father turning towards the bedroom door, beginning the walk out to the living room, Gabby following close behind him. "I'm gonna make some tea, do you want some?" She asked, Matt giving her a soft nod before continuing towards the couch, Gabby walking into the kitchen.

When she came into the living room a few minutes later with two cups of tea in her hands, she saw Matt sitting on the couch, his body facing the middle as he cradled their sleeping baby against his chest, his focus on Sofia. Gabby quietly walked to the couch, sitting herself down beside him, her leg resting against his as he looked up at the movement. Silently, she held out the mug, Matt keeping Sofia secured to him with one arm, his other taking the drink from her.

"Thanks, baby."

"Mhmm." She hummed, Matt taking a long sip before placing it behind him on the end table, the hot liquid soothing his throat.

Gabby sat quietly, deciding to let Matt take the lead, knowing better than to try and push him. Trying to pry information out of him would get them nowhere fast, Gabby knowing it best to just let him open up when he was ready.

"Micah… He's a little boy." Matt finally spoke up after nearly ten minutes of silence, Gabby keeping her eyes on her husband while he focused on their daughter. "He was at that house with his mom, the guy with the gun- I don't even know his name, but when I got around to the side of the house, he was standing there, pointing the gun at them. Then when he saw me, he grabbed Micah and held the gun to his head…" A deep frown etched into her skin, Gabby taking a slow drink as she placed a comforting hand on his thigh. "Micah, he- he couldn't have been older than six. He's just a kid, he never should've been there." He breathed out in frustration, stroking his thumb across Sofia's cheek. Gabby could tell as they were sitting here that having Sofia in his arms was calming him, making it easier for him to relive the events of yesterday, Gabby trying to prepare herself for the worst. "You know...ever since Louie, and now with Sofia… I always try not to judge other parents' decisions. I know how hard raising a kid is… but this woman brought her son to buy drugs." He spoke roughly, Gabby shaking her head sadly. "She brought her son to a damn crack house, she had to have known how dangerous it was, yet she willingly took him there. And him being there-" Matt cut himself off, shaking his head angrily. "He ended up having to watch his mother die, and then he got shot."

Gabby's eyes fell closed, her heart tightening in her chest as she got a clearer understanding of what all Matt had witnessed yesterday, and it absolutely broke her heart.

"He killed Micah's mom?" Gabby asked softly, Matt looking up from Sofia for the first time, giving her a slow nod.

"I was trying to talk to this man, to get him to let Micah go… and it's like she panicked. She took off down the alley, and the guy just turned around and shot her in the back of the head like it was nothing." Gabby grimaced, her tongue poking out between her teeth as Matt looked back to Sofia. "She was just gonna leave her son there… She had no idea what her running meant for her son, that guy could've just immediately killed Micah instead, she had no way to know, yet she just took off… I mean, obviously taking your kid to a crack house isn't really gonna win you any parent of the year awards, and I could tell the second I saw her she was strung out, but that's her kid… That was her kid and she just left him there." Gabby let him get this all off his chest, knowing that best thing she could do for right now was just let him talk. "And then once he shot her, that's when he really turned on Micah… And that boy, he was so scared, Gabby. He had no idea what was going on, he just knew something bad was happening. And I was trying to get him to focus on me, I really was, but that was just pissing the guy off and Micah was getting more and more scared, so I went back to trying to get him to let him go. And, at first, I thought it worked…" Matt spoke softly, shaking his head as the flashes of Micah getting shot played in his mind. "The guy let him go…" Gabby's eyebrows raised as those words left his lips, her immediate reaction being one of relief, until she remembered that Micah had been shot, and that there was still more to this horrifying story. "But he had no intention of actually letting him go, he only did it to shoot him." He spoke, shaking his head as he clenched his eyes shut, fresh tears filling Gabby's eyes. "He let go of him just to shoot him in the back… Micah was almost to me, then that guy just raised his gun and shot him."

"Oh my God…" Gabby breathed out, blinking quickly to try and keep her tears from falling.

"As soon as he shot him, I tried to help him, that's how I got shot." Matt told her, Gabby's breath catching her throat, those words never getting any easier to hear. "He was mad that I wasn't listening, and that I was trying to help Micah, and he was trying to get me off of him, I don't think he actually meant to shoot me then, but he did. And then, uh…" He trailed off, Gabby's head tilting to the side as Matt hesitated. "He… He kept talking about how he was going to kill me." Gabby's entire body went rigid, her ears ringing as she tried to keep listening to him, but the intense pressure rising within her chest made it difficult. "He had the gun to my forehead, and I was trying to get him to stop, I told him not to kill me, to not do that to you guys, and he just- he started saying all these things about you and about Sofia and I just- I got so angry… told him I'd kill him if he ever did anything to you all, but that just pissed him off even more…"

"Matt…" She spoke, shaking her head as she tried to digest everything she'd just been told, Matt looking up to find her eyes shining back at him, fresh tears just waiting to fall.

"I know it was stupid… Me going over there without police backup at all was stupid, threatening his was stupid, but I just- I saw that kid, and all I could think about what if this had been Sofia." He spoke, Gabby's jaw trembling as she pressed her lips together. "I'd want whoever was in my position to try and do whatever they could to help her, and that's all I could think about when I saw Micah… He was just a kid who needed someone to protect him, and I tried. I didn't know what else to do but I tried to help him, and I couldn't."

"...Do you know how he's doing?" She asked hesitantly, Matt looking up to her for a second. "Micah?" He shook his head, refocusing his attention on Sofia.

"No, I don't. I kept trying to get an update yesterday, but no one could tell me anything… or they wouldn't tell me anything. All I know is he got shot in the back, and that he was alive when the paramedics took him to the hospital, but I don't know what happened after that, I don't know if he made it." He replied defeatedly. "I know there's no way to know what would've happened had I just stayed back, but I can't help but feel like I made everything worse…"

"You just did what you thought was best, baby." Gabby murmured, wiping the tears from under her eyes. "Honestly, I probably would've done the same thing… After Louie, calls with kids were always different.. I saw him in each kid we helped, and I know it'll be the same thing with Sofia now. You were just doing what you thought was best, you're not stupid for that."

"But I should've thought of Sofia, and you… I never should've gone near him when I saw that gun. I know our jobs, I know the risk, but that? That wasn't a fire, that was a man holding a weapon and I just willingly put myself in danger-"

"You were trying to help a family." She cut in, Matt taking a deep breath. "Do I love that you jumped in before really thinking it through, no. As your wife, I don't… But I know you were just trying to get that mom and her son out of there. You were thinking as a father, and I can't say I blame you, because I would've done the same thing." She spoke as firmly as she could, squeezing his leg softly. "All that matters is that you got out of there. You tried to help, and I'm so sorry you had to witness that, I am… But you're still alive, and as your wife and the mother of your child, I'm telling you, you've gotta hold onto that."

"But I shouldn't be alive." He replied as soon as she finished, her entire body tensing, Gabby immediately shaking her head.

"Don't say that." She responded quickly, her voice unsteady as she blinked furiously.

"No, no, that's not what I meant." He spoke, his eyes falling closed as Gabby kept her teary gaze on him. "I just mean-" He swallowed the lump in his throat as he opened his eyes, being met by the sight of his daughter still fast asleep in his arms, her cheek pressed into his chest, her arms curled against him. "...He was going to kill me. He tried to kill me." The words left his lips softly, Gabby's bottom lip quivering as tears slid down her cheeks. "He told me he was going to kill me while he had the gun pressed against my head, and then he pulled the trigger." Gabby's eyes fell closed, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as she willed herself to stay calm. "The gun jammed, and that's the only reason I'm not dead right now."

Matt lifted his head up, a frown forming over his face when he saw Gabby's hands shaking slightly, her hand cradling the side of her head as she looked down at her lap. "Gabby…"

She slowly lifted her head up, Matt's frown deepening when he saw the fresh tears sliding down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I-"

"No, no, don't apologize." She cut him off, sniffling as she wiped away her tears, shaking her head slightly. "I want you to talk to me, it's alright." She assured him, placing her hand back on his leg, squeezing it gently. "...So, um, what happened after that." She encouraged him, Matt pursing his lips together, taking a deep breath before continuing.

"The police showed up, he panicked and hit me in the head with the gun, then he, uh… he-"

"He what?" Gabby questioned, sliding her hand up and down his thigh, Matt running his teeth over his bottom lip, unsure of whether he should tell her about how the man had threatened him right before he ran. He didn't want to lie to her, but with how upset she already was about everything, he wasn't sure if it was something he should tell her right now.

As he met her eyes, and he saw the fresh tears sitting in them, he knew the answer.

He'd tell her.

But not right now.

"He, uh, he ran. The police went after him." He spoke, Gabby nodding slowly.

"Did they catch him?" She asked, Matt blowing out a breath before shaking his head.

"Last I heard, he'd gotten away."

Gabby shook her head, rubbing her hand across her forehead as she took a few deep breaths. "I'm gonna call Antonio in the morning, let him know what's going on." She murmured.

"If you want to, but I'm not sure if there's anything he can do." Matt responded softly, returning his gaze to Sofia when he felt his nerves begin to rise again.

"I at least want him to know… You said he threatened to do something to me and Sofia," She spoke, swallowing the lump in her throat as Matt tensed up. "It would at least make me feel better if he knew…"

"Then you should call him." Matt responded softly, leaning down to press a kiss to Sofia's forehead, Gabby watching him closely. "Let him know what's going on."

Her eyebrows furrowed as his voice sounded a little shaky, Gabby trying to steady herself as she kept her eyes on her husband, seeing him keeping his head close to Sofia, the little girl sleeping through her father's actions.

"Baby…" Gabby spoke carefully, Matt blinking tightly, clearing his throat as he slowly lifted his head. "What's going on in there?" She asked, swallowing the lump in her throat.

For as shocked and upset as she was right now, she knew she had to push that aside. She had to be strong for Matt, he needed her to be here for him. After everything he went through, she could deal with her own feelings about it later, right now she just needed to help him through it, as much as she could.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I just-" He choked out a breath, shaking his head, "sitting here with her, with you... I keep thinking about how I almost lost this." His words were short and choppy, Gabby blinking quickly as Matt looked back to Sofia. "I almost lost my family… I thought I was gonna die. I should have died, but I didn't, and I don't-" He was having a hard time finishing any of his thoughts, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek as his jaw trembled, Gabby reaching out to place both of her hands on his leg. "When I was sitting there on the ground with that gun to my head, I thought… I kept thinking about our phone call, just before I got called out. I kept thinking about how that was gonna be the last time I ever saw you, and Sofia…" A few stray tears escaped down his cheeks, Gabby unable to stop hers as well as Matt shook his head. "I thought I was never gonna see my family again… that I was gonna leave you two behind, and that made me so angry." He admitted, Gabby's tears falling freely as Matt stroked Sofia's arm. "And I was so scared… I was scared to die."

"That's okay, baby." She murmured, Matt shaking his head.

"I wasn't scared _of_ dying… I was scared of dying because I didn't want to leave you and Sofia." He explained, Gabby's breath catching her in her throat. "All I could think about was how I wouldn't be here to see Sofia grow up, and how I'd be leaving you to raise her alone… That made me so angry, and it terrified me... And I'd never felt that way when I've had close calls before, I've never felt scared like that and it just- I'm not used to this, I don't know how to handle it." He breathed out vulnerably, blinking furiously as he continued on, his thoughts all over the place. "When I thought I was dying in that warehouse fire a few years ago, I wasn't scared," He spoke, Gabby's body tensing at the memory, her body's involuntary response still surprising her even after all this time, "I was devastated at the thought of leaving you, but I wasn't scared. I had my chance to say goodbye, and as awful as that entire thing was, I knew I'd told you everything you needed to hear, and I knew you'd be okay." He choked out, Gabby's eyes falling closed. "But this… It was like one moment everything was fine, and then the next I had a gun to my head and I was about to die. I'd be leaving you and Sofia, and I didn't want to… I just wanted one more moment with my family, but I thought I'd never get that again."

"But you will." She replied shakily, Matt looking up at her. "You are right now, and we'll have a million more moments together, all three of us." He nodded slowly, Gabby lifting her hand up to cradle the side of his face, stroking her thumb along his cheek, their teary eyes locking on one another. "I can't even begin to imagine how terrifying that was, but it's okay that you were scared, you had every reason to be… But you're alive, baby."

"But I don't know why." He cut in quickly, choking on his own breath as fresh tears flooded her eyes. "I shouldn't be alive right now, I don't understand why I am."

"But you are." She replied forcefully, Matt sniffling softly. "I don't know what happened, I don't know what caused the gun to jam in the moment and why you're sitting here with me and Sof right now, but I don't care." She spoke roughly, shaking her head. "I don't care what caused it, because it's the only reason you're here with us right now. And that's more than enough for me." She said, Matt letting her words sink in as he took a slow, deep breath. "You'll probably never know what happened or why it happened, but baby all that matters is that you're alright. You came home to me, and to Sofia. Whatever happened, I'll thank God for it every day because it means you're still here." Her tears continued to flow freely down her cheeks, Matt nodding as he focused on the feeling of her thumb moving over his skin, his heart pounding in his chest as hundreds of different thoughts swarmed his mind.

"I know you're right, I do, I just… I don't know how to get past this, Gabby." He admitted, his voice showing how lost he felt. "I don't know what to do."

"I know, but it's gonna be okay, alright? We're gonna get you through this, baby. I promise. You and me." He nodded against her hand, leaning into her touch as the couple sat on the couch, quiet tears still running down their cheeks as they fell into a heavy silence, both of them knowing just how close they came to losing each other.

To losing everything.

* * *

Gabby stepped out of the shower, releasing a heavy sigh as she reached for her towel, slowly beginning the process of drying herself off before she wrapped the material around her body, tying it against her chest. It felt like she was moving on autopilot, Gabby stretching out her tired limbs as she walked towards the counter, beginning her process of getting ready for the day.

It had been a long night in the Casey household, and Gabby was definitely feeling the effects of it. After their talk last night, it ended up being almost four in the morning before her and Matt got into bed, Sofia haven woken up crying while they were still in the living room, delaying their sleep. They weren't sure what had caused Sofia to wake up; she wasn't hungry, and she didn't need to be changed, but she had been inconsolable for nearly half an hour, something that hadn't helped Matt's current mental state. His worry was already on overdrive, but with Sofia crying for no apparent reason, that had nearly pushed him over the edge, Matt refusing to let go of her until she calmed down.

Luckily, after almost an hour, Sofia was lulled back asleep, Gabby having to start the process of trying to get Matt to bed. He didn't want to sleep, he just wanted to keep holding onto Sofia while she slept, claiming how he 'needed to keep her safe'. She knew what had happened with Micah is what caused his overbearing state, and left him with a sense of helplessness that he was projecting on Sofia.

And she knew it would be hard for him to let go of that.

But eventually, she'd managed to coax him to bed, Gabby having moved Sofia's bassinet to Matt's side of the bed, knowing he'd feel better being closer to her. By the time she finally got him into bed, it was practically morning, but she needed him to get as much sleep as he could, if possible. She'd turned off all their alarms, made sure all the blinds were closed, and silenced their phones, not wanting to risk anything disturbing their rest once they finally fell asleep.

But, regardless of her efforts, their sleep didn't last very long at all.

Gabby had waited until he fell asleep to let herself succumb to her exhaustion, but it felt like she'd only been asleep for five minutes when she was woken up by Matt nearly shaking beside her. The second she woke up, she knew he was having a nightmare, Gabby quickly waking him up to pull him from whatever was terrorizing his mind.

When he finally woke up, he had nearly jumped out of bed, his entire body trembling as he immediately went searching for Sofia, Matt asking for her frantically, unable to calm himself back down until he laid eyes on his baby.

The entire thing was alarming, to both Matt and Gabby, and, in that moment, she knew they wouldn't be getting much rest the remainder of the night.

Matt tried, as did Gabby, but he was shaken, and every time he would fall asleep, it wouldn't take long for him to wake back up. He would hold onto her with a near death grip, Gabby doing what she could to comfort him and assure him they were all fine, but she knew she wasn't helping much. Because each time she'd managed to get him to sleep, he'd wake back up within minutes, unable to keep his eyes closed for very long. And every time he woke up, so did Gabby.

And it hadn't helped that Sofia was having a rough night, as well.

Gabby wasn't sure if Sofia could sense the anxiety in the home, but their baby had one of the hardest nights she'd had in a long time, the girl practically awake from five in the morning, until now. If Gabby didn't know any better, she'd say her daughter was having nightmares, Sofia's actions almost mimicking her father's as both of them struggled to fall asleep, and then stay asleep.

It had been a long night and early morning for all three of them, and when it finally hit eight, Gabby gave up on trying to get any rest. Matt had moved to the glider in the corner with Sofia after the baby woke up again screaming, and he had been in the position for over an hour by the time Gabby got out of bed. While Sofia had been in her husband's care, Gabby had tried to get some more rest, but it proved useless, the mom unable to sleep knowing both Matt and their baby were having a hard time.

After dragging her exhausted body from bed, Gabby saw Matt still sitting in the glider, his eyes locked on Sofia while their baby, finally, seemed to be getting some sleep. He hadn't even registered her movements, not until Gabby had gotten closer, checking on both of them before she decided to go take a shower, hoping it would wake her up a little.

But it hadn't done nearly as much as she was hoping for, and she knew it was going to be a long day. One that would be hard for all three of them to get through.

With her towel wrapped around her, Gabby exited the bathroom, finding Matt exactly where she'd left him and Sofia, seeing him still wide awake while Sofia seemingly slept peacefully, Gabby thankful that at least one of them was getting some rest.

"Hi." She murmured, Matt's head snapping up towards his wife, her husband's tired eyes shining back at her.

"Hey." He responded, giving her a weak smile before looking back to Sofia.

"How is she?" Gabby asked, taking closer steps towards her family.

"Better, I think. She hasn't woken up again." He told her, stroking his thumb gently over Sofia's cheek, the baby cuddled into his warm chest.

"Well, she just needed her Daddy." Gabby spoke softly, her words bringing a soft grin to his face, Matt slowly rocking the baby back and forth. "...And how are you?"

"I-" He cut himself off, trying to think of how to answer her, Matt knowing it was useless to lie. "I don't know... I'm trying."

"I know you are." She murmured, stroking her fingers through his hair, feeling him lean into her.

"I'm sorry I kept you up all night… I should've taken Sof out into the living room."

"No." She replied, getting him to look up at her. "I told you, I'm here to help you through this, whatever that means. It's fine… It'll be okay. You'll be okay." She assured him, leaning down to press a gentle, lingering kiss to his forehead. "I love you."

"I love you, too." He replied, Gabby pressing another kiss against his skin before she pulled back.

"Do you want some coffee? I can make you some…" She offered, Matt giving her a slow nod. "Alright, I'll be back in a few minutes." She told him, stroking along his cheek before dropping her hand, making sure the towel was secure to her body before she moved towards the door, stopping by the nightstand to grab her phone before leaving the room.

As she got his coffee started, she was lost deep in thought, Gabby racking her brain, trying to come up with anything she could do to try and help him. But she wasn't sure how. She knew this was something that only time could help him get past, but she couldn't help but feel helpless, wishing there was at least _something_ she could do to help her struggling husband.

But as she stood in the kitchen scrolling through her phone, a sudden thought occurred to her, Gabby going to her contacts as she searched for one name in particular. When she found it, she immediately clicked on the name, stepping away from the counter and moving towards the living room, not stopping until she got to the entryway of their apartment, not wanting Matt to possibly overhear her.

"_Dawson?_"

"Hi Maggie, I'm sorry to bother you, are you at work?" She asked, crossing her arm over her chest, pacing back and forth by their front door.

"_Yeah, I am. How's Casey doing? He seemed kind of out of it yesterday._" Gabby could hear the worry in the woman's voice, Dawson taking a deep breath before responding.

"He's uh-... he's having a hard time." She spoke, hearing Maggie sigh softly.

"_Yeah, I was afraid of that… When I heard about what happened, I was shocked. It's awful, what he went through._"

"Yeah, it was… That's kind of why I'm calling, actually." Gabby prefaced, wetting her lips before continuing. "I was wondering if you had any update on the boy, Micah? Matt's really worried, and I was hoping you'd have some good news I could give him…"

"_Normally, I'm not supposed to share patient information, you know that… But let me pull up his chart, see what's going on._"

"You're an angel, Maggie."

"_Spread that around, would ya?_" She spoke lightly, Gabby chuckling softly as she waited for Maggie to continue. "_Alright, Micah Williams… looks like he's stable. He had surgery to remove the bullet, it just missed his spine, but he's been doing alright, considering._"

"That's great." Gabby breathed out, a smile forming over her face. "Does he… Does he have any family?"

"_His father, he got in late last night… Him and his mom had split, and his mom only had partial custody, although I'm not sure how with her drug problem, but he'll be going home with his dad once he recovers… He seems like a good man._"

"Good, that's good." She murmured, pursing her lips together. "Would we- would it be possible for Matt and I to come visit? I think it would help Matt, to see that he's okay."

"_I have no problem with it… As long his dad doesn't mind, but Micah has been asking about Matt, so I don't see it being an issue._"

"Alright. Thank you Maggie."

"_Of course. Bye Dawson_."

After a quick goodbye, Gabby hung up the phone, releasing a soft breath as she began walking back through the apartment, catching a glimpse of Matt and Sofia still sitting in the chair, her husband completely unaware of anything other than their baby. Continuing into the kitchen, Gabby fixed him a cup of coffee, preparing it exactly how he liked it before padding her way back into the bedroom, Matt looking up when he noticed her presence.

"Thank you." He murmured, Gabby nodding as she handed the mug over, sitting down on the footrest in front of the chair, Matt taking a sip before sitting it down on the table, moving slow as to not jostle Sofia awake. "Who were you on the phone with?" He asked, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "I heard you talking." He explained, Gabby nodding slowly as she ran her hands over her bare arms.

"...I was talking to Maggie." She told him, Matt lifting his head sharply, Gabby seeing a look of hopefulness mixed with worry shining back at her. "I called to see about Micah."

Matt nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat before he spoke up. "Is he-... Is he alright?"

"He's fine." Gabby saw the immediate relief that flooded his body, Matt releasing a heavy breath as he looked back down at Sofia, grabbing a hold of her hand with his index finger and his thumb. "He's stable, he's awake. Maggie said the bullet missed his spine, and he should fully recover. Said his dad's been with him."

"Thank God." Matt breathed out, leaning down to rest his cheek against Sofia's forehead, needing to feel close to his daughter.

"...I thought about maybe us going to visit him," Matt's ears perked up, Gabby watching her husband lift up his head, his eyes wide. "She said Micah's been asking about you, too." A soft smile formed across his face, Gabby matching his look. "Would you wanna go see him?" She couldn't even finish her sentence before Matt started nodding, wiping under his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, I do." He replied eagerly, Gabby resting her hand on his leg.

"Alright, well once Sof wakes up, we'll head over there, that sound okay?" He nodded quickly again, Gabby rubbing along his thigh.

"Thank you." He murmured, Gabby smiling softly before leaning forward, placing a gentle kiss against his lips. "I appreciate you calling.

"Anything for you, baby." She whispered, kissing him again before pulling back, Gabby getting up to get ready for their day.

* * *

Matt and Gabby stepped out of the elevator, walking hand in hand as Matt held onto Sofia's car seat with his other, their baby girl looking around the unfamiliar environment with wide eyes. After her restless night of sleep, they were a little surprised she'd survived the car ride without falling asleep, but they knew she probably wouldn't last much longer.

"What room is it again?" Matt asked, his grip on her hand tightening as they moved down the hallway.

"1409." Gabby responded, earning a nod from her husband as they followed the signs towards Micah's room. "Maggie spoke with his dad, he said it was fine if we just came in."

"Alright." He replied, his steps slowing down when they got closer to the room, Gabby matching his pace. They were only a few more steps away from the room, Gabby glancing from Matt to the door, seeing the small boy resting in his bed, talking with who she assumed to be his dad.

"You okay?" Gabby asked when he'd stopped completely, turning to see Matt staring at the young boy, his face blank.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good." He assured her, giving her hand another tight squeeze before dropping it, Matt moving to his door.

When he slowly slid it open, the noise caught both Micah's and his father's attention, the little boy's eyes widening excitedly when he saw who entered his room.

"Matt!" He spoke with a wide smile, Matt grinning softly as he stepped further into the room, Gabby coming in behind him, sliding the door closed. Even from behind him, she could tell Matt was already in better spirits just from seeing the young boy.

"Hey buddy." He replied, coming towards the end of his bed, placing Sofia's car seat on the ground. "How are you feeling?"

"Okay." He responded, his happy eyes bouncing between Matt and Gabby. "I was scared yesterday, but Daddy's here now and I'm okay!" He spoke innocently, Gabby smiling softly as she placed her hand on Matt's lower back over his jacket, rubbing her palm in comforting movements.

"That's great, little man. I'm so glad you're okay." He spoke, blinking back the tears sitting in his eyes, feeling himself relax more and more when he saw Micah was truly alright.

Micah's dad pushed himself up from his chair, walking towards the couple as he stopped by Gabby's side.

"Who's this?" Micah asked loudly, looking between him and Gabby.

"This is my wife, Gabby. And we brought our little girl, Sofia."

"Hi Gabby!" He replied, Gabby's smile widening.

"Hi Micah, it's nice to meet you." She spoke warmly, the little boy blushing as he moved his attention back to Matt, Casey having crouched down to remove Sofia from her carseat. "You wanna meet Sofia?" Gabby asked, the little boy nodding excitedly.

"Yeah, yeah I know you were comfortable." Matt murmured as he worked on unbuckling the baby, Sofia fussing at being moved. "You're okay, we've got someone I want you to meet."

"I'm uh- My name's Josh, I'm Micah's dad." The man finally greeted when there was a break in the conversation, Gabby glancing towards him with a soft smile.

"It's nice to meet you." She replied, rubbing her hand along Matt's shoulder before he stood up, holding Sofia in his arms.

"She's so little…" Micah spoke, almost amazed by the sight of such a small person as Matt walked around beside him, sitting down on the edge of his bed, Gabby and Josh watching on.

"Yeah, she is… You wanna hold her?" Matt offered, Micah's eyes widening excitedly before he began nodding.

"Yeah, yeah. Can I Daddy?" He asked, Josh glancing to Gabby, who gave him a nod.

"Of course, buddy, just be careful and listen to Matt, alright?" Micah nodded in agreement before returning his attention to the baby, Matt showing him how to place his arms on the bed before he put Sofia down in his lap. He wasn't really holding her so much as it was Sofia resting on the bed while Matt kept her head supported, but Micah was completely thrilled to be holding the baby, Sofia waving her arms around.

"She's so cute." He spoke lightly, Matt grinning as he watched Micah and his daughter.

"Thank you guys, for coming to see him." Josh said softly, his words gaining Gabby's attention as she peeled her eyes from the adorable sight in front of her. "Micah kept talking about Matt, but I didn't know what to tell him… Then when Maggie came and said you all were wanting to come visit, he was so excited."

"Oh, we're happy to. Honestly, Matt needed to see him, to see that he was okay." She spoke quietly, Josh nodding sadly.

"Yeah, the police told me what all happened… I still can't believe this happened, I don't know what my ex was thinking taking him there, I just-" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "I'm just glad he's okay. I don't know what I would've done had something happened to him." He finished, Gabby nodding sympathetically.

"I am, too… When Matt told me what happened, I almost couldn't believe it. I am sorry for what happened to his mother, but at least Micah will be okay." She told him, placing a comforting hand on his arm.

"He's okay because of your husband." Josh breathed out, Gabby's hand falling back down to her side as she glanced to Matt, seeing him and Micah talking while Sofia played with the young boy's hand. "Micah's just kept saying how 'firefighter Matt' saved him, and I… I can never thank him enough for that. Your husband… he's the reason my son is alive, and I don't even know what to say to tell you all how thankful I am for that."

"You don't need to say anything." Gabby spoke softly, smiling as she saw the grin across Matt's face. "Matt would do it again if he needed to, you don't need to thank him. All that matters is that your son will be fine."

"And that your husband is alright." Josh added, Gabby glancing towards him. "I overheard the nurses, they said he got shot."

"...He did." Gabby responded, pursing his lips together. "He was trying to help Micah and the guy shot him, but he's alright. It could've been a lot worse."

"Luckily, they both will be fine… I had no idea he had a daughter, or that he was married when I first heard about the guy who saved my son… Honestly, I still can't believe he did what he did at all, jumping in like that to try and save my son, but now knowing that he had a little girl at home, and you… I don't know how he did that."

"That's just who Matt is." Gabby spoke softly, her tongue running over his bottom lip.

"Well, your husband is an amazing man."

"Yeah… he really is." She spoke with a soft smile, her eyes moving back towards her husband, feeling her chest fill with warmth as she watched him laugh with the young boy.

She wasn't sure how much longer they should stay, or how much longer Sofia would be able to stay awake, but for right now, she just wanted this moment to last as long as it possibly could. Matt needed this, he needed this time with Micah to see that the little boy was fine, and that he'd stay that way. And, from what she could tell, Micah needed this, too.

And she had no problems with staying as long as her husband wanted to, Matt's relaxed demeanor giving her hope and a belief that he'd be okay. That, with time, they would all be okay, and be able to move on from this horrific thing they'd gone through.

* * *

**And there's another one. Matt opened up to Gabby about what happened, but he did leave out a little tiny detail about the man who tried to kill him, so… we'll see if anything happens there. Luckily, little Micah is okay and him and Matt got to spend some time together, which they both needed. Hopefully, this help Matt start to feel a little better and try and move past what happened.**

**I hope you all enjoyed this one. I'm sorry for the delay with this chapter, I didn't mean for it to take this long to get it posted, but I hope it was worth the wait. Thank you all so much for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think.**

**Until next time.**


	71. Chapter Seventy One

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter for you all. I won't lie to you guys, this one was hard for me to get through. I'm not even really sure why, but, the first part of this story especially, it was really difficult for me to sit down and figure this one out. It definitely didn't come as easy to me as the others have, I just hope it turned out okay.**

**I did mention briefly on my most recent update for Whatever Comes Next (which I posted yesterday) that this chapter would be a little late, but I know not all you read that, so I wanted to explain here, as well. This last week has kind of been a lot, and I had an unexpected funeral I had to attend today. It was very sudden, so that kind of threw everything off. And there's been a few other things going on that have had me a little distracted, which I know didn't help with me getting through this chapter. But I do want to apologize for the slight delay, things have just been a little crazy lately. I'm hoping once we get through the holidays, I'll be better about getting these updates out.**

**Oh, and just to let you all know, I know I mentioned I was having tests done last week, well I'm having an appointment for those on Thursday and it's right around the time I start to get my chapters posted, so the Thursday updates for my stories will probably be a little late this week, as well. Again, I'm sorry for that, but I promise to get them up as quickly as I can.**

**But, with all that said, I do hope you guys enjoy this one, I'm very eager to hear your thoughts on this chapter. Thank you for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy One**_

* * *

"How's Sofia been doing?"

The Chaplain's voice filled the office as the small family sat on the couch, Matt's eyes focused on the baby girl in his arms, Sofia latching onto his finger with her tight grip. The little girl was babbling away, her unintelligible noises having been the only sound in the room in the five minutes since they'd gotten here, until the Chaplain had finally spoke up.

"She's been doing well." Gabby spoke softly, her hand resting on Matt's thigh as she sat close to her husband, her shoulder resting against his. "I think she's been able to tell that things have been hard on us lately, though… I know sometimes babies can sense what their parents are feeling, and she's been having some trouble sleeping, which is a little unusual for her lately. So I think she knows that things are a little tough right now, but overall she's been alright. She's still our happy little girl."

"Good, that good. She's grown so much since I last saw her." The Chaplain spoke, his soft gaze moving towards the smallest Casey, Sofia's sole attention focused on her dad as he carefully waved her arm around. "How old is she now?"

"Almost four months."

"Wow… I can't believe it. It doesn't seem like all that long ago when you first told me you were pregnant." He spoke with a gentle grin, Gabby matching his look.

"I know, it's a little crazy, if I'm being honest." She replied with a chuckle, reaching her right hand across her body and resting it on Sofia's chest, the little girl's wide eyes moving towards her mother. "But I can't imagine life without her now. It's been challenging, but so rewarding. We've loved it." She finished, glancing up to Matt who gave an agreeing nod.

"It's been amazing." He added quietly, feeling Sofia tighten her grip on his finger.

"Well, I know how much you two have always wanted this, I'm so glad everything's worked out the way it has… Sofia is one lucky little girl." The Chaplain responded sincerely, Gabby smiling softly as she continued to rub over Sofia's chest, the little girl's bright blue eyes darting between her parents, a wide, happy smile covering her face. "Now, Gabby have you gone back to work yet?"

"No, I haven't." She answered, her gaze flickering to Matt, seeing her husband focused on their baby. "I, um- I was supposed to start last week, but then with everything that happened…" She trailed off, pursing her lips together. After what happened on that call, Chief had made Casey take some time off, the Captain having missed the last two shifts, per Boden's orders. Which meant Gabby had missed those shifts, as well. She was supposed to have started the shift after that awful call, and even though Matt had tried to get her to still go, she didn't feel comfortable going to work for that long when her husband was struggling. So she'd spoken to Boden and asked if she could push back her start date, the Chief not even hesitating when he told her to take all the time she needed. And when she'd heard that, she decided she wouldn't be returning to 51 until Matt was ready. "I decided it was best to wait until Matt goes back." She added, the subject of why they were here being broached for the first time as the Chaplain gave her an understanding nod.

"Yeah, I did hear you were going back to 51." He commented, Gabby's head tilting to the side slightly. "Boden filled me in, told me a little bit about the situation… I am sorry you've had so many problems with the SAS, but maybe it's for the best, you being back at 51." He spoke, Gabby nodding softly.

"Maybe, yeah… I mean, 51 is home. It's where Matt is, and I've missed working with him. Working together is how we met, it was such a big part of our relationship… it'll be nice to get back to that." She started, seeing Matt grin softly out of the corner of her eye. "And it's what's best for Sofia… The SAS was great in the sense that I wasn't having to work 24 hours at a time, but the hours were so sporadic… I only knew my schedule a week in advance, and with care for Sofia, that just wasn't going to work. There was no consistency in the days I'd work, and I didn't want to do that to her." Gabby spoke, tapping her fingers against Sofia's chest. "I just decided going back to 51 was the right choice for all of us, it's where I think I need to be. It'll be nice to be back for good."

"Well, personally, I think that's great… I'm just so proud of how far you've come, Gabby." He spoke softly, Gabby's eyes furrowing. "I know there was a time when even seeing everyone at 51 scared you, and now you're deciding to go back and work there permanently… With everything that's happened to you since last year, you've come so far and gotten through some terrible things. It just makes me proud, knowing how much progress you've made."

"Thank you." She murmured, feeling Matt lean into her side slightly, giving her silent support as she glanced to him, finding a gentle smile waiting for her.

"And you'll still be working on 61, correct?" The Chaplain asked, Gabby breaking her eye contact with Matt as she looked back to the older man, giving him a nod.

"I am, I'll be working on 61 with Brett and Foster." She confirmed, earning a nod from the man across from her.

"But you don't know when you'll be back yet?" He pressed, his eyes flashing to Matt.

"No, it'll just depend." She answered, the Chaplain nodding before he moved his attention solely to Casey, the firefighter feeling two sets of eyes on him.

"Well, I guess that leads us to what brought you all here…" He spoke softly, Matt lifting his eyes across the room. "I do know a little bit about what happened, when Gabby called and filled me in- I almost couldn't believe it. I'm so sorry you went through that, Casey." He continued, Matt nodding slowly as he felt Gabby squeeze his leg comfortingly.

When Gabby had mentioned to him a few days ago that she thought it might be a good idea for them to go and visit the Chaplain, he wasn't sure how he felt about it. He figured it couldn't hurt, that the Chaplain had always been able to help them in the past, but he wasn't sure if this was something he wanted to do, to keep reliving one of the worst moments of his life.

It had been over a week since that day, and while he felt like he was getting better, there had definitely been ups and downs. What he went through, what he saw, that wasn't an easy thing to get past, and there had been some lingering emotional trauma. He was trying to get past it, he was, but it wasn't easy.

And he knew all of this wasn't easy on Gabby, either.

Which is what made him agree to come.

It wasn't that he didn't think the Chaplain could help him, he was sure he could, but he wanted to try and get past things on his own first before seeking help. But seeing how Gabby was struggling, that was what ultimately made him decide to come.

For as hard as things had been on him, he knew they hadn't been much easier on his wife, either, even though she had done everything she could to hide it. He was sure she didn't want to burden him, that she didn't want to have him worrying about her while he was struggling himself, but he could tell she was having a hard time coming to terms with how close she came to losing him. Which is why he was sitting here right now.

"Yeah, it-... It was rough." Matt eventually replied, swallowing the thick lump in his throat before looking back down to Sofia, seeing his happy baby slowly giving into her exhaustion, although she was trying to fight it. "Probably one of the worst things I've seen on the job… if not the worst." He admitted, feeling Gabby settle herself closer to him.

"Do you wanna talk about that?"

"I don't know, I mean, I'm not sure how much you know about what happened…" He breathed out, the Chaplain's eyes bouncing back and forth between Matt and Gabby.

"Gabby told me the basics, and that you've both been having a hard time coming to terms with what happened to you… But just whatever you feel comfortable sharing, Matt. Whatever you want to talk about, or if you don't want to talk at all… Or you can just sit here and talk to Gabby. It's whatever you want to do, I'm just here to help if I can." He reminded the firefighter, Matt nodding slowly, pursing his lips together as he tried to gather his thoughts.

The Chaplain gave him a few moments, Matt remaining silent as he watched his sleepy baby, Sofia's blue eyes opening and closing as she began to drift into unconsciousness, her grip on his finger loosening. But when minutes had passed, and Casey hadn't said a word, the older man spoke up again.

"Casey if you don't want to talk that's fine, but is it okay if Gabby does?" He asked, Matt lifting his head quickly, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Of course it is." Casey replied without hesitation, a soft frown forming over his face, almost like he was offended by the question. "We're here as much for her as we are for me."

"Alright, I just wanted to be sure, I know this is a hard thing, I didn't want to make it harder." He explained himself, Matt nodding slowly before looking towards his wife, finding her soft gaze already on him.

"No, it's fine. Talk about whatever you need to, baby." He told her, giving her a reassuring smile, Gabby nodding before looking back towards the Chaplain.

"So, how have _you_ been holding up with all this, Gabby? I know you had some concerns when we talked earlier."

"Yeah, I um- All of this, everything that happened, it's been hard." She started, her words shaky as they left her lips. "It's been hard to think about what happened to Matt, and what he had to witness… to think about how I almost lost him… It's just been hard to see what this has done to him." Her voice was soft, Gabby taking slow, deep breaths as she tried to gather her thoughts, earning an understanding nod from the man across from her.

"What about it has been hard?" He asked, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing, not understanding his question, the Chaplain speaking up again before she could question him. "I just mean for you, what has all this meant for you?" He elaborated, earning a soft sigh from Dawson, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she fiddled with her fingers in her lap.

"Well, part of it is what I already said… I hate seeing him like this." Her voice was shaky, Gabby blinking back the few tears forming in her eyes. "I know he's trying, and I know this was such a terrible thing he went through, but seeing him so broken is just- it's not easy." She continued, feeling Matt's eyes on her as she blinked furiously. "I just want him to be okay, and knowing he's not, and that there's not really anything I can do to help him… Matt and I have been through everything together, we've seen each other go through every different emotion there is. We've seen each other at our worst, and at our best… but I don't think I've ever seen him this lost before, and I'm worried. I'm so worried about him but I don't know what to do or how to help him through this and it's frustrating." She breathed out, clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth. "And seeing how all this has been affecting how he is with Sofia…"

"What do you mean?" Matt interjected as she glanced towards him, her teary eyes shining back at him as they sat close together, Gabby trying to figure out how to exactly voice what she meant.

"...I think you're projecting what happened to Micah onto Sofia." She replied softly, Matt wincing slightly as he quickly looked away from her, refocusing his gaze on his sleeping daughter.

"Why do you say that, Gabby?" The Chaplain prompted, wanting to make sure their conversation continued in the right direction.

Gabby bit down on the inside of her cheek, breathing deeply as she clenched her hands together. "Ever since this happened, it's like he's been afraid to let Sofia out of his sight… Like he's afraid something bad will happen if he leaves her. And it's worrying me." She admitted hesitantly, her eyes moving down to her lap, the Chaplain taking a deep breath as he glanced to Matt.

"Do you agree with that, Matt?" He asked carefully, Casey shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"I don't know, I mean-... I know what she's talking about. I know I've been overprotective, but it's not just with Sofia, it's with the both of them." He replied, clearing the emotion from his throat before he looked to Gabby, locking eyes with her. "I know I've been a little… on edge, when it comes to you guys, but you're my family. You two are the most important people in my life. Always. There's not anything I wouldn't do to keep you two safe."

"I know that, baby, but it doesn't feel like that's what this is." She responded, running her tongue over her lips. "It's not just you being protective over us, it's you being afraid to even leave the room Sofia's in… it's you getting nervous when she goes quiet for too long, it's how you haven't even wanted to leave the house with her. You immediately panic whenever she starts crying, like something is seriously wrong with her when she's only hungry, or tired and I just- I know you said when you saw Micah standing there, you couldn't help but picture Sofia being in that position, but it feels like you haven't been able to let that go." She spoke, shaking her head slightly as she wiped under her eyes, a deep frown etched across his face as he saw the distraught state his wife was in.

"Gabby…"

"I just want you to be okay." She continued, swallowing thickly. "And I know you need time to get past this, I'm not saying you should just be okay and this not affect you, because what you went through was awful. It was terrifying, and you have every right to feel whatever you need to feel while you work your way through this… but I'm scared, baby."

"Scared of what?" He asked, blinking back the tears sitting in his eyes, Matt carefully moving his hand off of Sofia's stomach and reaching out for Gabby, wanting to do whatever he could to comfort her.

"I'm scared of what this has done to you, and I'm scared that this man is still out there, if I'm being honest…" She admitted, Matt squeezing her hand tightly. "I'm just scared of this entire thing, and I want to be able to help you through this, but I feel like I don't know how…"

"Gabby, you have been helping me." He told her firmly, Gabby meeting his gaze. "Trust me, the only reason I've gotten through this at all is because of you and Sof…" He continued, releasing a deep breath as his eyes moved down to the space in between them before landing back on Sofia, Matt hesitating before speaking up again. "I really wish this was easier on the both of us, I wish I could get past this, but I… I just can't keep thinking about Micah." He said, shaking his head. "You're right, I think that's what's making this so hard, is him." He admitted quietly, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip, trying to keep her tears at bay. "I've seen people die, I've seen kids die, hell, I've almost died before, but this… this was something completely different. This was someone being murdered in cold blood, and Micah having to see his mother die right in front of him… This guy made Micah think he'd be okay, that he was going to let him go… then he just shot him in the back because he could." Matt nearly whispered, refusing to look away from his baby. "And I can't keep thinking about it, or seeing it in my head and I just- I don't know how to forget it."

"You won't be able to forget it, Casey." The Chaplain spoke. "It's not something you'll ever be able to forget, but it will get easier to manage how you deal with remembering it. What you witnessed, it was traumatic. And there's nothing wrong with being affected by it, especially when it's barely even been a week since it happened…" He continued, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he slowly nodded, the Chaplain swallowing thickly before he spoke up again, his voice softer than before. "Gabby mentioned something about you two having gone to visit Micah?" He asked, waiting until he got a nod of confirmation from Matt before continuing. "And he's gonna be okay?"

"Yeah… He will be." Matt murmured, stroking his thumb over Sofia's soft cheek, the young girl curled into his chest. "He, um- The bullet missed his spinal cord, they were able to get it removed without much trouble. Gabby and I have been keeping in contact with his dad, Micah's been up and walking around a little bit… he's doing good. He seemed to be doing okay when we went and visited him, and his dad said that helped him. But, uh, he should be fine, all things considered."

"And how was it for you?" The Chaplain asked, Matt tearing his eyes away from Sofia, looking towards the Chaplain. "How'd you feel after visiting Micah?"

"...Better." He replied almost instantly.

"Why?" The Chaplain questioned simply, Matt pursing his lips together as he thought over his answer.

"Because I knew Micah would be okay, and I knew that man hadn't just completely destroyed an entire family."

"Okay, so if you know that Micah's alright, why do you think you've been so worried about something happening to Sofia?" He pressed, Casey sighing softly, not having an answer for him. "...Do you wanna know what I think?" He questioned once it was clear the firefighter wasn't going to respond, Matt nodding slowly. "I think with what you witnessed happen to Micah, I think you blame yourself for it. You think that maybe you could've done something more to protect him, even though nothing that happened that day was your fault… But to me, it seems like you felt like you couldn't protect Micah, so now you're doing everything you can to protect Sofia, even though there's nothing to protect her from… At least not anything like what happened to that boy." He spoke, Matt releasing his grip on Gabby's hand to wipe away some of the tears that had fallen down his face. "And then there's a whole nothing part to this altogether… something that I think is causing you to be extra protective with your family… And that's how you almost died, Matt."

Both Matt and Gabby's bodies tensed, it never getting any easier to hear those words. "I think you're so worried about making sure Sofia's okay, and making sure Gabby's okay, because you almost lost the ability to do that." He spoke bluntly, Gabby blinking back the tears in her eyes. "You almost lost your family… They almost lost you, so I think you're overcompensating… I think you're focusing everything onto Sofia and making sure she's okay, because you came close to never seeing her again. To never seeing Gabby again." He continued, Matt clenching his eyes shut, swallowing the thick lump that was forming in his throat. "I think that's a big part of why this is so hard, and I think you know that, too." He finished, Matt keeping his eyes closed as heavy emotion swept through him, the firefighter refusing to look up as they sat in a thick silence, the Chaplain breathing deeply before finally breaking the quiet. "...I know what you witnessed with that boy and his mother was awful, but there's another part to all of this entirely. You got very close to dying that day, Matt. And that's not an easy thing to get past. For either of you. It's not something that's just going to go away, but you will get past this." The Chaplain spoke softly, looking between the couple.

"But I don't even know how to get past it." Matt bit out in frustration, shaking his head as he quickly tried to calm himself down, not wanting to wake the sleeping baby in his arms. "I-... I almost lost everything. In a split second, I could've been gone. I could've left Gabby and Sofia behind, for what? Some addict with a gun?" He snapped, tears flowing down Gabby's cheeks as she listened to him, Matt unable to hide the emotion in his shaky voice. "How am I supposed to move on from that? When it doesn't even make sense that I'm sitting here right now." His words were sharp, the Chaplain letting him vent, knowing the firefighter needed to get these words out. "Obviously, I'm grateful to still be here. I'm so fucking thankful that I'm here, and that I didn't leave Gabby behind, that I'll be here to watch Sofia grow up, but it's hard because it feels like I shouldn't be. It doesn't make sense to me why I'm here, and some days it just feels like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop, like I'm just waiting for something bad to happen." He choked out, shaking his head roughly. "I should be dead, there is no logical explanation for why I'm not dead right now."

"But you're not dead, Matt." The Chaplain replied firmly, Casey taking a deep breath. "Maybe it's not logical, but you're still here for a reason, Matt. And you need to be able to accept that. You have to be able to accept that you'll probably never have an answer as to why you didn't die that day… All you can do is focus on the fact that you _are_ still here. You're still with Gabby, you're still here for Sofia… Whatever the reason, it doesn't matter. It can't matter, or you'll never get past this. You're okay, Gabby's okay, Sofia's okay… Your family is safe, you have to hold onto that."

Matt nodded slowly, the firefighter clenching his jaw tightly as his continued watching Sofia, the little girl completely unaware to the distressed state her father was in as she slept peacefully, feeling safe and secure in his arms. "I know you're right…" He murmured, stroking his thumb along her cheek. "I know that Gabby and Sofia… I know they're okay. And I know that I'm safe, it's just hard to think about how close I came to not being here... How close I came to dying." The words tasted bitter as they left his mouth, Matt refusing to look away from his girl, the weight of Sofia's body in his arms calming him. "But I know I need to get past what might've happened, I know I do… I'm trying to." He spoke, blinking back the tears in his eyes before he looked up, his gaze moving to his wife when he heard her release a shaky breath, the frown on his face deepening when he saw his wife barely holding it together. "Baby..." He spoke sadly, Gabby shaking her head as she covered her face with her hands.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She murmured, trying to wipe away her tears, but the action proved useless as new ones kept replacing the ones she was frantically wiping away, Matt sliding his hand up around her back, rubbing across her shoulders.

"It's okay." He whispered.

"You don't need to apologize, Gabby." The Chaplain spoke, Dawson nodding slightly as she tried to reign her emotions in. "What's going on?"

"It's just… I know he's still here, and I know he's going to be okay, but I came so close to losing him, to Sofia losing her father, and every time I think about that I-... it just hasn't gotten any easier." She choked out, Matt gently gripping the back of her neck, pulling her into his side. "I know you were saying how we need to get past this, I'm sorry, I'm trying to, I guess I just haven't let myself really think about it and it all just-" She cut herself off, shaking her head against Matt's shoulder. "I know this isn't about me, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Matt spoke against the top of her head, pressing kisses to her hair. "Never apologize for that, alright? It's okay." He repeated, blinking back the tears sitting in his own eyes, rubbing his hand up and down her shoulder as he cradled her body into his side, doing what he could to keep his arm holding Sofia steady.

Although this last week had been rough on him, he knew Gabby had been too focused on him to really take care of herself. Instead of letting herself deal with what happened to him, and working through how she felt about it, she'd kept her attention on taking care of him, and their daughter, and she'd tried to push down everything she was feeling, even though Matt could see right through it.

"Matt's right, Gabby." The Chaplain spoke up after a few moments, Matt never loosening his grip on her. "It's okay to be upset by this, it's okay for this to take time. You all are gonna have to get past this, yes, but that won't happen overnight. It's going to take time for you both to move on from what happened, there is nothing wrong with that." He told him, his voice strong and firm. "This affects the both of you, and you two are gonna need each other to get past this, it's not going to be something that just goes away. But, eventually, it'll get better. You two will be okay. I truly believe that." He told them, Gabby sniffling as she leaned further into her husband's embrace. "It may take some time, but you'll get past this."

Matt gave the man a nod, Casey not really focused on himself right now as he did his best to comfort Gabby, knowing she'd been holding onto her own feelings for the better part of a week.

"You know what I think might help the both of you?" The Chaplain continued after a few minutes, Gabby reluctantly lifting her head from Matt's shoulder, the couple glancing towards him, waiting for him to elaborate. "Getting back to your life." He told them simply, Matt raising his eyebrows. "You getting back to work, Gabby getting back to work… not living your life from your apartment. I think you both need that right now. Because, from what I can tell, it doesn't seem like either of you are really living right now, and there's no way you're ever going to get past this if you don't start." He spoke firmly, Matt sparing a glance to Gabby as he continued rubbing gently over her shoulder. "I think if you all get back to your lives, it'll only help you. I think you both taking some time off was the right thing to do, I know you both needed that, as well as for Sofia, but I think it's time for you two to get back, if you feel like you can." He suggested, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she looked up towards Matt, her red eyes locking with his, Casey giving her a small smile before leaning forward, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"I think that might be a good idea." He murmured against her skin, kissing her head again before pulling back. "We'll talk about it, but I think that might help." He spoke, Gabby nodding slowly before digging herself back into his embrace, the rhythmic thumping of his heart beat keeping her calm, reminding her that he was still here, the Chaplain remaining silent as he gave them some time to let all of this sink in.

Things had been hard. Since Matt's close call last week, they'd been reeling. But, like the Chaplain said, with time they'd be okay, and Gabby wholeheartedly believed that.

She had to, because she didn't have any other choice.

* * *

Gabby stared at herself in the mirror as she tucked in her long-sleeve CFD shirt, making sure everything was in place before she began zipping up her navy blue pants, her mind a thousand miles away as she got ready for work.

Today was hers and Matt's first day back at work, and she couldn't say she was looking forward to it. It had only been two days since their visit to the Chaplain, and Matt had jumped all over his suggestion that they get back to work, while Gabby was a bit more hesitant. She did think it was a good idea, she thought that her and Matt getting back into their routine would only help them both begin to move past what happened, but she thought things were moving a little too fast. She wasn't sure if Matt was ready to get back to work, and she couldn't help but think he was using the Chaplain's suggestion of returning to work as a distraction. But when she saw how sure he seemed about the idea when they spoke about it after their session, she decided not to question it too much. Especially considering how much lighter he seemed after their talk with the Chaplain.

There had been a difference in Matt since their visit with the Chaplain, her husband showing flashes of the man he was before that terrible call. Although the moments were brief, they were definitely there, Matt slowly beginning to pull himself out of the hole that day had put him in. It was little things that Gabby noticed that was giving her some hope that Matt was returning to his old self, but the main difference she saw was how he'd been with their daughter over the last couple of days. Matt had been less on edge when it came to Sofia, her husband slowly losing that nervousness he felt whenever he wasn't holding their baby girl.

He still got antsy when she was too far away, and he was still constantly needing to check up on her, but he seemed to be moving in the right direction, and if anything, Gabby knew him returning to work would improve the anxiety he felt when being away from Sofia.

Matt getting back to work would only help him, despite her reservations she knew that, and she hoped it would help settle some of her nerves, as well.

"Man, it's really coming down out there." Matt spoke, Gabby blinking quickly as his voice snapped her from her thoughts, her eyes moving towards the door to see her husband walking in with Sofia in his grasp, the happy and very awake baby resting in the crook of his elbow while her back rested against his bicep, Matt keeping a firm grip on her as he walked towards Gabby. "I'm pretty sure there's at least a foot of snow outside, if not more."

"Well, it is winter." She murmured, smiling softly when she saw Sofia's wide eyes and bright grin, the little girl sticking to her usual schedule of being wide awake too early in the morning. "Hi baby." She spoke softly, rubbing her hand across her little girl's head, her fingers moving gently through the baby's curls.

"Becca should be here in a few minutes, she called while you were in the shower… Although with this weather, it might take her a little longer." He mused, Gabby giving him a nod as she met his eyes, Matt frowning softly when he saw the look of hesitation in her eyes. "...You okay?"

"I'm alright… just a little anxious, I guess." She answered, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip.

"Because of me?" He questioned, although he already knew the answer, Gabby confirming it when she nodded slowly.

"I just want you to be okay… I know you've been feeling a little better these last few days, but going back to work… I think it's gonna be harder than we realize."

"I know, I was thinking about that earlier." He breathed out, placing his hand over Sofia's stomach. "But the Chaplain was right, we've gotta get back to our lives or this thing is going to control us forever."

"I know… but we also don't need to rush it if we're not ready." She replied, Matt releasing a soft sigh.

"I'm not gonna lie to you, I'm nervous about this… I still feel-" He cut himself off, shaking his head. "I'm still having a hard time." He spoke softly, Gabby nodding understandingly as she lifted her hand up, running her fingers through his hair. "But I feel like I've gotta do this. Because I don't know what else to do to make this better…"

"Okay." Gabby replied quickly, stroking her thumb across his temple. "I just wanted to be sure." She added, Matt giving her a nod. "But one of the good things about us working together is that I'm there, all the time… even when you might not want me to be." She teased lightly, trying to ease some of the heaviness from the room, Matt chuckling softly. "But that means that if you need me, or it becomes too much, I want you to tell me."

"I will." He assured her, Gabby leaning up to press a gentle kiss to his lips, continuing to move her fingers through his hair. "But that goes both ways, you know." He spoke softly, the pair separating as Gabby raised her eyebrows. "...I know you've been holding back sometimes, because I've been having a hard time, but I don't want you to do that." He explained, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip. "If you need anything, I don't care what's going on with me… I never want you to feel like you can't come to me."

"I know I can… I just didn't want to overwhelm you. What happened, that happened to _you_, you were going through enough already, I didn't want to add to that. But I promise, if I need you, I'll let you know." She assured him, Matt nodding slowly.

"It did happen to me, but it affects us both. And I know all this was really hard on you… Like Chaplain said, we're gonna need each other to get through this." He spoke, Sofia's loud voice filling their ears before either could get another word in, the young girl babbling loudly, hoping to regain the attention of her parents, her actions earning laughs from the both of them. "And we're gonna need Sofia, too. Yes baby, we'll always need you." He murmured, rubbing over her stomach as she laughed, waving her arms around excitedly. "But really," Matt continued after a few seconds, clearing his throat as he gained his wife's attention. "I'm always here for you, no matter what."

"I know you are." She responded, giving him another quick kiss before turning her attention to Sofia. "You're always here for Momma too, aren't you, baby girl?" She cooed, Sofia's eyes widening when her mom started talking to her, the baby crying out sounds of joy, waving her arms around towards her mother.

"Yeah yeah yeah, I know, you love your Momma." Matt spoke, handing the baby over, Gabby cradling her baby girl against her chest, Sofia immediately curling into her, gripping onto her shirt tightly.

Matt kept his eyes on his two girls for a few moments, smiling softly as he looked back and forth between his wife and his daughter, the two mirror images of each other as Sofia nuzzled against Gabby's chest, Matt knowing his daughter was never more content than when she was being held by her mom.

"How are you feeling about this?" Matt asked suddenly, Gabby lifting her head up off of Sofia's, eyeing him curiously.

"About what?"

"About leaving Sofia…" He murmured, Gabby taking a deep breath before returning her cheek to the top of Sofia's head. "I know with everything else, you returning to work kind of got lost in the shuffle… but how are you feeling about it? We both know how hard leaving you guys was for me…"

"Yeah, it's not easy…" She sighed, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her daughter's head, Gabby continually stroking over Sofia's back. "I don't know, obviously I knew it was coming, but, like you said, with everything else going on… it just kind of didn't occur to me until last night. I'm gonna miss her so much, but I know it's for the best. You and I getting back to work, it's what all three of us need." She told him, Matt nodding as he stepped towards his girls, wrapping his arm around Gabby's back, carefully pulling her into his side, Sofia nestled between her parents.

"Yeah, I think so, too… But I hope Becca's ready for the hundreds of texts and phone calls she'll be getting from us today." Matt spoke lightly, Gabby chuckling as she rested her head against his shoulder.

"Oh, don't you worry, I already warned her… She knows to expect a lot of us checking in today." Gabby responded, Matt nodding knowingly.

Gabby had been in contact with Becca a lot over the last week, seeing as how their plans had changed and they didn't need the nanny the days they originally thought they would, Gabby knowing she needed to keep her updated on what was going on with them so Sofia could be cared for. And during one of their first calls after what happened to Matt on shift, Gabby had given Becca the shortened version of events, knowing the girl needed to know what all was going on. She told Matt she'd be letting Becca know what happened, but she'd informed the nanny on what Matt had gone through, as well as warning her that, their first shift back especially, both Matt and Gabby would most likely be checking in quite frequently. Becca understood without question, assuring Gabby she'd be there for whatever the family needed, whenever they needed it.

A sharp knock on their front door pulled them from their peaceful quiet, Matt reluctantly pulling away from his family as he slowly moved towards the door. "I bet that's Becca, I'll get it- Oh, I meant to tell you," He stopped himself, Gabby's ears perking up. "Your brother texted you." He spoke, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she glanced towards the nightstand, not seeing her phone in its usual spot. "It was out in the kitchen." He answered her silent question, Gabby nodding before following him towards the door.

"What did he say?" She asked, Matt smirking softly.

"What? You think I just go around reading your texts?" He asked with a grin, Gabby tilting her head to the side.

"You and I both know the answer to that question." She responded as they got out into the living room, Matt continuing through the apartment while Gabby stayed by the couch.

"Hey, it's never been an issue before." He defended, knowing Gabby never cared if he saw anything on her phone, it having never been something that bothered either of them.

"You know I don't care, now get the door." Gabby chastised, Matt nodding before continuing to the front door, picking up his speed to get there quicker. Within seconds, he got the deadbolt unlocked, Matt pulling the door open, seeing Becca standing there with a bright smile on her face.

"Hey Becca."

"Hi." She responded, stepping inside as Matt moved back, the girl wearing a thick winter coat, her shoulders and clad head covered in snow. "Sorry I'm a little late, it's crazy out there."

"No worries, Gabby and I still have some time before we need to leave." Matt responded, Becca nodding as she placed her overnight bag down on the ground, beginning to shed her jacket. "I guess it's still snowing pretty good out there, huh?"

"Yeah, it's bad. Be careful when you head out."

"We will." He promised, the two walking into the living room, seeing Gabby standing there holding Sofia.

"Good morning, Gabby." She greeted, the mom offering her a warm smile.

"Morning Becca."

"How's little Sofia doing today?" She asked as she came to stand beside Gabby, resting her hand on the back of the baby's head.

"She's doing good, definitely energetic… But that'll probably work in your favor because I imagine she'll be taking a very good nap later." Gabby spoke lightly, Becca nodding with a laugh as she moved towards the couch. "Matt and I still have some time before we need to go, so you can just relax for a bit, or get something to eat, if you like." She offered, Becca nodding once more as she sat down on the couch, Gabby and Matt both moving back towards the bedroom, wanting to get a few more minutes with their daughter before they left.

Matt left the door slightly ajar when he followed his wife into the bedroom, Gabby sitting down on the edge of the bed as he came over to sit down beside her, hooking his arm around her waist, placing his other hand over Sofia's back.

"We should probably tell Becca not to go anywhere with Sofia today, unless it's an emergency. I mean, I don't think she would anyway, but just in case… If it's as bad as it sounds, I don't want Sofia out in that." Gabby murmured, leaning into Matt as they sat together.

"We'll mention it to her, just in case." He assured her, Gabby nodding before she pressed a kiss to Sofia's head.

"What did Antonio say?" She asked, Matt glancing towards her. "You never got a chance to tell me."

"Oh, right. He just said that he didn't have any update… I'm guessing that's about the guy." Matt spoke, Gabby nodding slightly.

"Yeah, Antonio's still be checking in with the detectives on the case. But I guess they haven't made much progress." She breathed out, shaking her head. "Hopefully, the guy just skipped town."

"Yeah, hopefully." Matt murmured, rubbing his hand along her side.

The day after that call, Gabby had stood by her word and talked to Antonio, filling her older brother in on everything that had happened, the detective horrified by what his brother in-law had experienced, soon promising his baby sister that he'd stay updated on the case and let her know what was going on. Which was something she greatly appreciated, her brother giving her some peace of mind that this wasn't going to just be forgotten.

The only problem was, the detectives working it hadn't made much progress.

They still didn't know who this man was, or where he was. And that didn't sit well with Gabby. Not when she knew how dangerous he was.

But there wasn't anything she could do about it, except let her brother and the district handle it.

"You know… I've been thinking about something," Matt cleared his throat, changing their topic of discussion as Gabby looked up, waiting for him to elaborate. "When I was out in the living room with Sof earlier, it dawned on me that we don't have a Christmas tree."

"Oh… yeah." She spoke, her nose scrunching up slightly. "Honestly, it hadn't even occurred to me."

"Well, we've had a lot going on." He replied, Gabby nodding. "But I think we should go and get one. I mean, I know it's only about two weeks until Christmas, but I still think we should have a tree."

"We definitely should… I kind of forgot it was coming so soon, but we should have one for Sofia's first Christmas." She said with a gleam in her eye, Matt nodding enthusiastically.

"That's exactly what I was thinking." He replied, pressing a kiss to the side of her head. "Maybe we could go in between shifts, take Sof and go pick a tree. It could be like a new family tradition." Matt suggested, Gabby's eyes brightening as she smiled.

"I'd love that." She spoke softly, Matt grinning wide as he rubbed along his daughter's back. "But you're sure you'd feel up for it?" She asked, her gaze softening. Although he was getting better, Gabby knew one of his main concerns with Sofia since what happened with Micah was taking her out of the house, Matt having panicked at the idea more than once over the last week. And even though all of them were making progress, she didn't want to rush it.

"Mhmm, I'm sure… I mean, baby steps, but I've gotta get past all this." He replied, Gabby giving him an understanding nod. "And I think going to get a tree would be nice for all of us. I know she's too little to know what's going on, but it'll be something we can tell her about when she's older, something we can do every year."

"It sounds nice." Gabby murmured, a soft smile covering her lips at the thought. "Maybe we can go tomorrow, if the weather isn't too bad. As long as everything today goes okay." She suggested, knowing that their first day back would most likely be a little taxing on both of them.

"Sounds like a plan, baby." He replied, pressing another kiss to her head before resting against her, a soft silence falling over the room aside from Sofia's occasional noises, the parents wanting to enjoy one last relaxing moment with their daughter before leaving her for an entire day.

* * *

"So, first shift back…" Kelly spoke up, Matt lifting his head as the two sat outside at the squad table, the Captain and the Lieutenant the only two brave enough to face the cold winter air out in the garage as they waited for lunch to be ready. "And you've already got two calls under your belt, how are you feeling?" He asked, the Lieutenant watching him closely.

"I'm alright." Casey replied, Kelly raising his eyebrows in question. "I promise, I'm good. It's nice to be back in the swing of things." He added, Severide giving him a slight nod before going back to his paper, Matt's eyes moving around the garage.

As first shift's back go, Matt would say this one had gone pretty well so far, for both him and Gabby. Them leaving the apartment this morning had been more of a challenge than he anticipated, Gabby suddenly feeling an overwhelming sense of guilt as they tried to leave. But once he got her out of the apartment and to the firehouse, she slowly began to feel better about being away from Sofia, even though it was still hard on her.

But the nerves they were both feeling were helped by the warm welcome they received the second they walked into 51 this morning. Brett, Kidd, and Foster had prepared a huge welcome back breakfast for Gabby, Herrmann making a joke about how everyone could pretend it was for Casey, too, the light feeling in the air making it easier on both the Captain and paramedic. He could tell everyone was worried about them, about _him_, but they never asked him any direct questions about it, they just tried to treat him like they normally would, which he greatly appreciated. But he could sense some hesitation on their part, Casey knowing they were all just worried. They weren't tiptoeing around him, but they were being careful, not wanting to say or do anything that might trigger bad memories for him, or for Dawson. But luckily, the more time they spent together during their meal, the more their hesitation began to fade when they saw that Casey really was okay, or that he was at least getting there.

It wasn't long after breakfast that they got their first call of the morning, the intense weather causing a ton of accidents throughout the city, one of which had ended up with a lady plowing straight into the side of a building, that call having taken them a couple of hours to clean up. Luckily, no one was seriously injured, but it had been an intense one. Then before they could even get packed up, they got called out to another car accident, snow falling down on them heavily as they went out to do their jobs.

It had been a long and busy morning, and honestly Casey couldn't have asked for a better first morning back. The quick pace was nice, it provided a good distraction from the nervousness he felt about being back, and he knew it had helped Gabby, too.

Matt knew Gabby was having a harder time than she'd let on, with her being worried about him and, on top of that, being away from Sofia, today was difficult for her. But it was times like this where Casey was incredibly grateful for the house, Kidd, Brett, and Herrmann practically having made it their mission to make sure Gabby was distracted and kept busy all throughout the morning. He knew he shouldn't have been surprised, but there was a part of Matt that had been a little worried about Gabby getting lost in the shuffle of all this. He was worried that everyone would be too focused on making sure he was okay, and Gabby would fall through the cracks.

But the second they got here this morning, he realized he had no reason to be worried, Brett and Foster having swooped in and been with her practically from the beginning of shift. Kidd had been keeping an eye on her, too, as well as Herrmann, even though the older firefighter always did, the man having a soft spot for the paramedic, but Casey was just grateful that they'd helped preoccupy Gabby today, knowing it had made being back so much easier on her. Between worrying about him, and this being her first day away from their daughter, it was a lot for his wife, and he was glad to know there were other people looking out for her besides him.

"How much longer do you think until lunch is ready, I'm starving." Severide groaned, his voice pulling Casey from his thoughts as he glanced towards his best friend.

"Well, considering all he had to do was put the pans in the oven, I'm hoping not too much longer." Casey joked, earning a slight scoff from Severide.

Their second call of the day had kept them away from the house until around one, Herrmann immediately going to put lunch in the oven when they got back. When word had spread about Dawson, and Casey, returning to shift, the entire house had pitched in to make things easier for their first day back, and that included Cindy making them lunch. She had made some lasagna and sent it with Herrmann, giving him easy instructions on how to warm it up, the woman wanting to do something nice for the Casey's on their first day back, something that was greatly appreciated by both of them.

Buzzing in his pocket grabbed Matt's attention, the Captain quickly pulling his phone out, an instant smile falling onto his face as he unlocked the device, clicking on the photo that had just been sent to him.

"That's not from Dawson, is it?" Severide asked warily, Matt rolling his eyes as he turned the screen, showing off the picture of Sofia that Becca had sent both him and Gabby.

"It's the baby." He replied, Kelly smiling softly when he looked at the image of a very happy Sofia, the young girl lying on her play mat with a huge grin across her face, her arms blurry in the photo as she was most likely moving them around in excitement.

"Man, my Goddaughter is cute… Looks like she's having an amazing time with you, though." He replied jokingly, Matt narrowing his gaze.

"You better not let Gabby hear you say that." Casey warned, Severide opening his mouth to respond, but he couldn't before they heard the double doors open, a voice quickly filling the air around them.

"Hey guys, lunch is ready." Foster spoke as she poked her head out into the garage, Severide releasing a heavy breath.

"Oh thank God."

"Thanks Foster." Casey replied, the woman nodding before disappearing back into the house, Matt and Kelly pushing themselves up from their chair.

"Herrmann better not have fucked this up, although I'm so hungry at this point I don't even care."

"Sev, we just had a huge breakfast… How are you this hungry?"

"I don't know, maybe because you made me give Dawson the last piece of french toast." He replied pointedly, Casey scoffing as they moved towards the double doors.

"It was _her_ breakfast, Sev."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever." He huffed, walking in step beside his friend. "Where is Dawson, anyway? She disappeared when 61 got back." He questioned, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

When ambo had gotten back around half an hour ago, Casey could tell as soon as he saw her that Gabby was in some discomfort when she walked through the garage, and he immediately knew the reason, Matt and Gabby having had a silent conversation before she disappeared inside, Dawson reassuring him that she was good and didn't need anything.

"Oh, uh, she's busy. But she'll be out here in a bit." He replied, Kelly furrowing his eyebrows.

"Busy? With what? She loves Cindy's lasagna, and I can't promise to save her some this time." He joked, Matt rolling his eyes.

"It's nothing you need to worry about." He replied, Kelly's eyebrows raising as they stepped into the firehouse, the two stopping in the hallway, seeing a line had already formed to wait for food. "And you one hundred percent would save her some."

"Yeah we both know I would, but that's not the point." He replied, narrowing his eyes slightly. "But now you have to tell me, what is she doing?" Severide pressed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Yeah, Kelly, trust me, you don't want to know." Matt tried again, Kelly shaking his head.

"What is it?" He pushed, Matt releasing a sigh as he looked at his friend.

"She's pumping, Sev." Kelly grimaced, immediately shaking his head in disgust as Matt chuckled softly. "You asked."

"I should've just listened to you." He replied, Casey tilting his head to the side.

"Yeah, you should've… Although, I don't know why you're so grossed out to begin with. She's providing food for my baby, there's nothing gross about that." He defended, Kelly rolling his eyes.

"Okay Daddy-dearest, cool it. I'm not grossed out, it's just.. weird- Not the breastfeeding thing." He clarified when he saw the sharp stare coming from Casey. "I get it, it's natural, it's beautiful, it's the circle of life, all that fun stuff, I don't care about that, it's just the pump thing that's weird... it's like a cow or something."

"Yeah, never say that to her. Ever." Matt replied immediately, shaking his head as Severide raised his eyebrows.

"You really think I'm trying to have a conversation with Dawson about this?" He asked in disbelief.

"Have a conversation with Dawson about what?"

Severide and Casey both jumped when Gabby's voice hit their ears, Kelly releasing a loud noise of surprise as his hand covered his chest, his reaction gaining the attention of the common room.

"Jesus Christ." Severide breathed out, Gabby's eyes darting in between both of them, Matt hearing some snickers coming from the common room as they watched on in amusement, Gabby raising her eyebrows before her pointed gaze landed on her husband.

"Nothing." Casey answered her question with a shrug, Gabby narrowing her gaze.

"Uh huh, I'm sure." She replied, Matt chuckling as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, Kelly having already made himself scarce, not wanting to face Dawson's wrath, as Matt led her into the common room. "Do I wanna know what that was about?"

"Definitely not." He replied, pressing a kiss to the side of their head as they waited for their turn to get some food.

* * *

"Well, how are you feeling?" Casey asked as he grabbed onto Gabby's hand, the couple making their way through the quickest path out of the firehouse. "We got our first shift down, you still doing alright?"

"I'm okay… I miss Sofia like crazy, though." She replied, Matt nodding as he pressed a kiss against her head. "I really just wanna see her."

"I know you do, but we'll be home with her soon. And you saw Becca's texts, she said she did well through the night, which I know you were worried about."

"Yeah, I was, but I'm glad she did okay… I just can't wait to see her." Gabby asked, Matt wearing a sympathetic smile as they moved into the garage, the two going quiet as they began to decompress after their long shift.

Overall, their first shift back had been alright. They had both managed to handle themselves relatively well, but there were some struggles along the way. As the day wore on yesterday, being away from Sofia had become more and more difficult for the paramedic, Gabby feeling the emotional effects of being away from her baby for so long, being separated from her baby taking its toll on her. But she pushed through it, knowing that Sofia was okay, and she had to be able to do this, even though she had been texting Becca for updates multiple times an hour.

But things had gotten progressively harder for both of them after a particularly bad call late in the afternoon, 51 responding to a pretty brutal car accident where a mother and young child had been killed in the crash. And Matt and Gabby had both taken it pretty hard. For Dawson, she couldn't help but think of Sofia, and the thought nearly made her throw up, Gabby unable to stomach the idea of something so brutal and cruel happening to her daughter. And for Casey, it was also him seeing Sofia in the young girl that had been killed, but everything he'd experienced with Micah had added another layer of feelings he had to work through, and it had led to a pretty rough evening for the parents, both Matt and Gabby having holed up together in his office for awhile after that one, needing some space from everyone else and each other to move on from what they saw.

Luckily, after some quiet alone time together in his office, and a Facetime call with Becca where they got to spend some time with Sofia, they were both in better spirits, the parents feeling much better after just a glimpse of their daughter. It hadn't been an immediate fix, but seeing that their little girl was alright had eased some of their distress.

Although that feeling hadn't lasted nearly long enough, at least not for Gabby.

When night had finally come and it was time to go to bed, she tried to sleep. She had tried for nearly an hour to fall asleep, but she couldn't, Gabby unable to stop thinking about Sofia. She wasn't able to stop thinking about how usually she'd be feeding right now, how in a few hours she'd wake up again, crying until she could be held by one of her parents. She hadn't been able to stop thinking about how Sofia would instantly calm down whenever she was placed in her arms, and how content she was as she'd cling to her.

All of it was creating a whirlwind of emotions within the new mother, leading to Gabby being unable to fall asleep on her own, which had her ending up in Matt's bed.

Casey couldn't say he was surprised she'd snuck into his bunk, Matt having nearly been asleep last night when he heard the soft tapping on his door, unable to see who was there because of the blinds being drawn. But Gabby hadn't even waited for his okay before she opened the door, his face softening when he saw his tired wife, Matt instantly waving her in. Without any explanation, she had closed the door behind her and climbed into bed with him, her body resting on top of his as she clung to her husband, Gabby assuming he'd known exactly what brought her to his office as he never said a word, Matt only holding onto her and stroking her back, cuddling her until she fell asleep.

It had definitely been an emotional twenty four hours, but Gabby was proud of herself for getting through it, for both of them getting through it. With everything they had been dealing with as of late, both of them being able to get back to work, and be okay at the end of it was nothing short of a miracle. And she was thankful for the push the Chaplain had given them to get back into their normal lives, them both needing it more than they realized.

Although they weren't there yet, she knew, in time, they'd both be okay... That Matt would be okay. And that was all she wanted.

"So, plan for today." He spoke up, squeezing her hand as they walked down the driveway, their steps slow to navigate through the snow and ice underneath their feet. "I say we go home, spend some time with Sof, then maybe after lunch we can go and pick out our tree." He told her, a goofy grin resting over his face, Gabby glancing up to see snow landing on his beanie-clad head, his infectious smile spreading one onto her face as well.

"Sounds like the perfect day, baby." She responded, bringing her free hand up to rub over his cheek, Matt leaning into her touch, flashing her a warm smile before they continued the path towards his truck.

He kept a firm grip on her as they navigated the slippery conditions, neither one of them noticing the man sitting in his car across the street, gripping his steering wheel tightly as he watched the unaware couple, his narrowed eyes following their every move as they climbed into their truck, setting off towards their home.


	72. Chapter Seventy Two

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you guys. Thankfully, this chapter came a lot easier to me than the last one, and I actually really like how this one came out. But before we get started, I just want to thank you all for the love you all gave me on the last chapter. You guys are seriously so nice and supportive, all your kind words mean so much to me, I hope you all know how much it's appreciated.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this one, thank you so much for reading! I'm excited to hear what you think!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy Two**_

* * *

Matt shrugged his turnout coat off his shoulders, the thick material still showing signs of how long Casey had been outside, the heavy snowfall having dumped down on the firefighters during their first call of the day. He hung his jacket up on the side of the truck before he began removing his turnout pants, Casey glancing out the open garage occasionally while he got out of his gear. Today was definitely going to be a long day, if the amount of snow and ice outside was any indication, Casey knowing firehouse 51 was sure to be busy today with the terrible weather. It had been in the low teens when he'd woken up this morning, and the temperature had only dropped since then, Matt having checked the weather before he and Gabby left for work, seeing it had been projected that the temperature could drop into single digits by this afternoon. It was definitely going to be a brutal day, and he could only hope that 81 being called out five minutes into the start of shift wasn't a sign of things to come, but he couldn't help and feel like it probably was.

Blowing out a sigh, Casey began walking away from the rig, kicking his boots against the ground as he moved through the garage, intent on getting inside the warmth of the firehouse. "Hey Otis," He called as he moved around the back of the rig, seeing the firefighter still working on getting his gear off, Casey waiting until he had his attention before continuing, "let's make sure we keep these garage doors closed today, it's gonna be a cold one." He instructed, Otis giving him a nod before Matt continued his way into the firehouse.

Shoving his hands into his jacket pockets, Matt smacked his lips together as he followed Kidd inside, the Captain sliding in through the double doors behind his firefighter, relishing in the warmth that the firehouse quickly provided him. As he walked further inside, his eyes soon found his wife as she sat at the small circle table in the common room, her eyes glued to her phone as he walked towards her, Gabby not even realizing people had come inside.

"Hey babe." He greeted as he got closer, but he never got a response, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he came to stand beside her, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Gabby."

"Hmm?" She asked him, her head snapping up towards him, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she spared a quick glance around the room. "Hey, when did you get back?" She questioned, like she hadn't realized he was the one trying to get her attention until she looked at him.

"Just a few minutes ago, is everything okay?" He asked, Gabby nodding slightly as her eyes moved back to her phone, Matt gripping the back of her chair for support before leaning down, looking at whatever had her so distracted.

"Yeah, I'm fine… Just missing our baby." She replied, Matt quickly seeing that Gabby had been scrolling through the hundreds of photos of Sofia she had saved to her phone, a sympathetic smile forming over his face as his eyes moved back to his wife, Gabby watching him with a sheepish grin. "I guess I got a little distracted, though."

"It's alright, I can't blame you. Our daughter is adorable." He spoke, Gabby's smile widening as he pressed a kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin before he pulled back, seeing her nose scrunched up as she shied away from him.

"Your face is freezing." She said lightly, Matt chuckling as he straightened his spine, pulling out the chair beside her and sitting down, scooting a bit closer to her.

"Well, it's like 15 degrees out there, it's amazing I haven't frozen to death."

"Don't joke." She replied, setting her phone down as she turned her body towards him, Matt resting his clasped hands on the table next to hers, tapping his finger against the back of her hand, seeing she seemed a bit hard to reach.

"Is everything okay with you?" He asked, stroking his finger against her skin, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I'm fine, I promise. It just still hasn't gotten any easier to leave her." She breathed out softly, knowing they weren't alone in the room as Matt gave her an understanding nod.

Gabby had been back at work for a little over a week now, and the paramedic was still having a hard time being away from little Sofia for so long. Every morning they had shift, it was a challenge for Matt to get his wife out of the apartment, Gabby struggling with saying goodbye to their daughter. It was something they were working on, and Matt did think she was getting better at handling it, but he knew Gabby was having a hard time adjusting to being a working mother.

And the way Sofia acted whenever they returned from shift wasn't helping matters.

Sofia had been alright while they were gone; after their first shift back, with the multiple updates from Becca, they knew Sofia had been completely fine. She was the same old happy baby, Sofia loving to spend her time with Becca. But what they weren't expecting was how she acted when they returned home.

The second their little girl saw Gabby, she began to cry, and the only way she'd stop was if she was in her mother's arms. For as much as she loved being with Becca, if her mother was in the room, she didn't care about anyone else. All she seemed to want was Gabby. The first few hours they were home, she'd even be fussy when Matt held her, which was something they hadn't planned on. Gabby was the only person who could get her to be completely content, and even though they knew she didn't actually know how long Gabby had been away from her, it felt like she did, Sofia clinging onto her mom for dear life anytime she could.

And that need to be close to her mom hadn't stopped even after Gabby fed her. Pretty soon after they'd gotten home after their first shift back, Sofia began showing signs of hunger, Gabby preparing to nurse her before Matt could even offer to make a bottle. But instead of the usual half hour feedings that Sofia needed, the little girl nursed for well over an hour, Sofia refusing to let go of her mom, clinging to her for comfort.

Admittedly, Matt hadn't thought much of it at first, the father thinking that maybe little Sofia had just missed the comfort of nursing after being bottle fed for an entire day. It was the first time she'd gone that long being fed strictly from a bottle, so he figured it just had something to do with that. He didn't really see it to be a big deal, which is why Gabby's tears while Sofia ate took him by surprise. It took some time to pry it out of her, but Matt had soon found out that Gabby felt guilty; guilty for being away from Sofia for so long when it clearly had affected her, Matt doing his best to follow her reasoning as she talked about how Sofia wouldn't let her go because their baby was afraid Gabby would leave her again.

He hadn't expected his wife's tears, or her insistence that her being away for so long had hurt their baby, but Matt did what he could to try and get that notion out of her head, knowing it was doing nothing but upsetting her.

Logically, Matt knew that if anything, Sofia probably just missed her mom, that she was comfort feeding because it had been awhile since she nursed, and it most likely wasn't much deeper than that. But Gabby didn't see it that way. She felt guilty for being away from her baby for so long.

Needless to say, they never it made it Christmas tree shopping that day.

The family had stayed in the next two days, Matt having to talk Gabby down more than once as she was flooded with hundreds of different emotions, the biggest one being guilt. But all he knew to do was support her, and Sofia, and constantly assure her that they were doing the right thing. Something that was easier said than done.

And it hadn't helped that Sofia's behavior had continued each morning they got home from shift this past week.

She would be super clingy, to her mom especially, Sofia refusing to be put down at all. She wanted Gabby, but if she wasn't being held by either of her parents she would scream until they picked her up. It was like Sofia could sense her parents had been gone for a long time, and even though Matt knew it was just a phase, it hadn't been easy for either of them, especially when the time came around for them to leave her again. Sofia did okay when they were leaving, the girl still too young to understand what was happening when her parents left the house; it was Gabby who struggled with that part. But it was when they'd get home that Sofia would have a hard time, the baby practically attaching herself to Gabby. Either when feeding or just being held, Sofia refused to let go, and it had been a difficult adjustment for all of them.

But they were managing. Gabby was trying her best to focus on how this was the best thing for all of them, how she needed to work, and how Sofia would be okay, that she just didn't understand what was happening but eventually she'd move past this stage. Though it didn't make it any easier to leave her, knowing the state she'd be in when they returned home the next morning.

Although, it wasn't just Sofia's behavior when they got home that he was worried about.

An unforeseen consequence of Sofia having a hard time with Gabby going back to work was that she was almost completely back to being breastfed, except for when they were on shift, which was something Matt didn't really agree with. They had gotten Sofia on a pretty good schedule when it came to feeding; she would nurse when she first woke up, and during the night, but other than that she was bottle fed. They had slowly gotten her used to the bottle, working through her resistance at first, but now she took it like a champ. They had gotten into a good rhythm with it, and now Matt feared they had stunted that progress.

Their two days at home after their first shift back, Gabby had only breastfeed Sofia. At the time, while he knew it deviated from their routine, he didn't think much of it, knowing Gabby was struggling with how Sofia reacted to them being away, Matt just assuming Gabby felt like Sofia needed the extra comfort, and that she was still holding onto some guilt for how Sofia was acting. So he didn't question it. But when this continued after their second shift back, he began to worry a bit.

And now, a week later, Sofia hadn't been bottle fed by them once. Unless they were on shift, Sofia had been strictly breastfed, and Matt had some concerns. He knew Sofia had struggled at first when they started incorporating the bottle into her feeding schedule, and he didn't want her to fall back into that. They had gotten a great routine in place, but now that routine had been altered, and Matt couldn't help but worry about it, the firefighter knowing they'd backtracked a bit. He had been a little worried when he first noticed it, but it wasn't until Becca mentioned to him that Sofia had started resisting the bottle a few times that he became concerned.

He knew Gabby was having a hard time adjusting to all of this, he knew she was just trying to do what she thought was best for Sofia, but Matt fear they had messed up Sofia's progress a bit, and he didn't want that. If Gabby was able to be around to nurse Sofia constantly, then maybe it would be different. But she wasn't, and they couldn't have their daughter refusing to take the bottle, which is where Matt feared this was headed.

But he hadn't said anything yet. Aside from a few comments about how he could make her a bottle, to which Gabby waved him off, saying she was fine, he hadn't really even gone near the topic. He knew how sensitive Gabby had been over the last week when it came to their daughter, and he didn't want to upset her, or cause a fight. Not when they were both still trying to adjust to everything. But he knew they'd need to get Sofia back on the bottle here soon, if anything just so they didn't confuse her.

But Matt knew this wasn't as easy as just telling Gabby they needed to try and get Sofia back into her routine. He knew Gabby was still holding onto guilt for being back at work, and he knew that she was just doing what she thought Sofia needed, and that was the comfort of her mom. And he couldn't fault her for that. Knowing how helpless he felt about Sofia's obvious clingy-ness towards Gabby, he could only imagine how much worse it was for his wife. When Sofia's behavior after they'd return from work hadn't let up, he knew it was going to take some time for their daughter to get through this phase, and he knew it would be difficult on both him and Gabby until she did.

They were both just trying to do the best they knew how for their daughter. Neither of them had expected Sofia to have so much trouble with them being gone, and Matt knew there was no right or wrong way to go about this; they could only do what they felt was best for her, it just so happened they didn't necessarily agree on what that was.

But he understood why Gabby was doing what she was, he understood why she was so adamant to breastfeed. It wasn't even that she was refusing to give her the bottle, it just wasn't much of a thought to her at all. When Sofia was hungry, Gabby knew she needed to be fed, and with the young girl already clinging to her anyway, he was sure Gabby just found it better to go ahead and breastfeed her, especially considering how Sofia needed to feel close to her mom. Matt knew this would be a harder compromise if Gabby was downright refusing to bottle feed her, but that wasn't what this was; it was just Gabby wanting Sofia to feel safe and secure, and one of the best ways she knew how to do that was by keeping her as close as possible, like by breastfeeding her.

She was just trying to be a good mother, and he'd never fault her for that.

"I'm so proud of you, you know." Matt spoke up, Gabby lifting her head to meet his gaze, finding a soft smile waiting for her as her husband grabbed ahold of her hand. She raised her eyebrows slightly, her head tilting to the side as she waited for more of an explanation, Matt's grin widening before he continued. "I know none of this has been easy, that all of this has been so hard on you, but I'm proud of you for how well you're handling it." He murmured, Gabby's eyes softening as a slight smile tugged on her lips, the paramedic squeezing his hand gently. "You're such an amazing mom, baby. I always knew you would be, and I saw it with Louie, but it's true. You're absolutely incredible… Sof and I, we're so lucky to have you."

Gabby ducked her head, blinking back the tears forming in her eyes as she felt him give her hand another squeeze, Matt placing his free hand on her back. "You're gonna make me cry." She joked, wiping under her eyes quickly before looking back up, finding the sympathetic eyes of her husband watching her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I just wanted to tell you that. In all the craziness that the last few weeks have been, I feel like I haven't had the chance to really tell you how much I appreciate you and how amazing you are… Things haven't been easy, between everything with me, and then with Sofia, but you've been holding us all together, and I need you to know how much that means to me."

"It kinda feels like you're the one who's been holding us together here lately," She replied, scooting forward in her chair to be closer to him, "I've kind of become a mess this past week, I never thought being back would be this hard, and I'm sorry…" She started, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he tilted his head slightly, confusion written clear across his face, "I feel like all of this turned into you taking care of me, when I should be the one taking care of you… I know being back to work, and you having to leave Sofia, I know none of that has been easy for you, but instead of helping I just kind of turned into a mess."

"We take care of each other." He reminded her, Gabby running her teeth across her bottom lip. "Just because I'm going through something, that doesn't mean you have to be okay all the time. We help each other, that's what we do."

"I know… I just wish all of this was easier." She responded, Matt nodding in agreement. "But I am proud of you too, you know." Gabby spoke, a soft smile growing across her face when she saw the one on his. "I know you coming back here, being at work and being away from Sofia, all of it was challenging for you. And then having to deal with your hormonal wife on top of it." She added jokingly, Matt shaking his head as he ran his hand along her lower back. "I just want you to know how proud I am of how you've dealt with all of this. Even though I'm kind of a mess, I can see how much better you're doing after everything. I know there's still moments when it's not easy, but you're doing a lot better baby, and I'm so damn proud of you. I want you to know that, because I don't think I voice it as often as I should."

"I know, I do." He assured her, leaning forward to press as soft kiss to the side of her head, Gabby smiling softly as he relaxed into him for a moment.

Things had been hard on him since returning to work; him trying to move on from everything that happened to him that day had been difficult. He still worried about Sofia, and Gabby, he still missed their baby whenever they were at work, but he felt like he was getting better at managing those feelings. He knew what they were doing was for the best, and he knew Sofia was safe at home with Becca. And, in a way, Gabby's behavior this last week had oddly snapped him out of the funk he was in. He'd never stop missing Sofia, even if nothing had happened, he'd always miss her, but with the constant reassurances he'd give his wife during shift, in a weird way, him saying over and over out loud that Sofia was okay, it made him start to believe it, too. He started to realize that she was fine, that he didn't need to worry about her the way he had been. He didn't need to be afraid of not being with her all hours of the day. It was like him choosing to focus his attention on making sure Gabby was okay had made him realize they actually were all okay.

And getting that confirmation from Gabby made him feel all the better, Matt knowing that it wasn't just him who thought he was doing better. Gabby actually being able to see the difference in him assured him he was on the right track; that they both were.

He still had his moments, but every day he was feeling more and more like himself. Casey knew it was a slow process, but things for him were looking up. With each call, he felt better about being back. With each day away from Sofia, he felt like he was handling the separation better. Overall, he just felt better. He was beginning to feel like his old self again, something Gabby seemed to notice, too.

"I do think the both of us are getting better." He spoke up, Gabby giving him a slight nod. "These last few weeks, they've been insane. They've been a lot to try and manage, but we got through them… just like we always do." Matt told her, a soft smile forming across her lips. "And we'll get through this thing with Sofia, too… It'll get easier, babe. I truly believe that."

Gabby nodded, pushing herself forward to give him a soft kiss, Matt smiling against her lips before reciprocating the action, his hand moving gently across her back.

"Get a room, you two."

The couple separated when they heard Severide's voice, followed by a few chuckles throughout the common room, Matt's eyes narrowing into a tight glare as he turned towards the entrance, seeing Kelly walk in, followed by a few other firefighters.

"What do you want, Sev?" Matt asked, keeping his hand on Gabby's back as Kelly walked past them into the kitchen.

"I just want to be able to enjoy my breakfast without throwing it up. You have an office, go use it." He suggested, Gabby biting back a smirk as Matt rolled his eyes, the snickers around the room getting louder. "And it's not just because of me, there are children here. So keep your hands to yourself, Casey." He added, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he looked back towards his friend.

"Children? What children-"

"Captain Matt!"

Casey turned towards the enthusiastic little voice, a bright smile immediately covering his face when he saw the young boy running towards him. He was moving with a slight limp, but he wasn't letting it slow him down as Matt stood up from his seat, his hand falling down off Gabby's back as he moved. He barely got up in time before the boy crashed into him, Matt placing his hand on his back as Micah hugged himself to Matt's legs, his head pressed into his waist.

"Micah, slow down buddy." His dad, Josh, spoke, hurrying inside quickly, Micah clearly having gotten ahead of him, the little boy's excitement making him move quickly. Matt saw Gabby get up from her seat out of the corner of his eye, coming to stand beside him as he ran his hand over Micah's back, feeling the small boy tighten his grip. "I'm sorry for just barging in like this, Micah was so excited to come and see you… I probably should've called, but he wanted to surprise you."

"No, no, it's fine. This is a great surprise." He spoke, Micah lifting his head up to look towards Matt, a wide smile covering his face. "I wasn't expecting this today, I didn't realize you were out of the hospital already."

Since that day nearly three weeks ago now when Micah had gotten shot, Gabby and Matt had kept in contact with Josh, frequently checking in on Micah to see how he was progressing. During their last call a few days ago, Josh had told Matt that Micah was doing well, that he'd been up and moving around frequently and the doctors said he was healing as expected, but the man had mentioned nothing of Micah being able to leave the hospital so soon. Although Matt was thankful the little boy had been discharged, the Captain having worried that Micah was going to have to spend his Christmas in the hospital.

"I got to leave this morning!" He spoke excitedly, bouncing on the balls of his feet as he clung to Matt's legs, firefighters forming in a group around the young boy.

"We haven't even gone home yet, he wanted his first stop to be here, to see you." Josh spoke, Matt's smile widening as he moved his hand to the back of Micah's head, the young boy keep a firm grip on Casey. "Micah, he's not going anywhere, you can ease up, bud."

"He's fine." Matt assured the father, Casey placing his hands on the boy's shoulders, Micah's eyes bouncing around at the other firefighters before he found Matt's gaze, the boys eyes shining with excitement. "How are you feeling, little man?" He asked, gently pulling Micah away from him, the little boy letting go as Matt crouched to the ground, wanting to be eye-level with him.

"I'm all better!" He spoke, placing his hand on Casey's arm, his face suddenly morphing into a look of what Matt read as concern. "...Are you all better?" He asked, worry laced in his young voice as a frown covered his face.

"He's been really worried about you." Josh added, Matt frowning slightly as he gripped Micah's coat covered arms, rubbing gently over them to try and comfort him.

"I'm alright, Micah."

"You promise?" He questioned, the frown on Casey's face deepening, hating to see this young boy so concerned.

"I promise." Matt assured him, Micah nodding before his frown was soon replaced with a smile, the young boy launching himself into Casey, the force of his movements almost knocking Matt over, in fact he would have had Gabby not steadied him, as Micah wrapped his arms around his neck, giving the firefighter a tight hug.

"Good!" He spoke, refusing to let up his grip on Matt, Casey quickly glancing up to Josh.

"Is his back healed? I don't want to hurt him."

"He's fine." Josh assured him, Matt nodding before he wrapped his arms around the young boy, Micah holding onto him tighter when he felt Casey reciprocate his hug.

"Thank you for saving me, Matt." Micah spoke, his soft voice flooding the otherwise quiet room, Matt feeling a few tears spring to his eyes as he heard the sincerity and gratefulness in the young boy's voice. Everyone was watching on at the scene heartwarming scene in front of them, Micah oblivious to all the eyes on him. "Sorry you got hurt cause of me."

"Oh buddy, this wasn't your fault." Matt murmured, feeling Gabby place a supportive hand on his shoulder. "I promise, nothing that happened to me, or to you, or to-" He cut himself off, unsure if he should mention the boy's mother or not. "Nothing that happened that day was your fault, okay? I'm just so glad you're alright."

He felt Micah nod against his shoulder, Casey looking up towards Josh, seeing a thankful look on his face. And it was in that moment that Matt realized Micah had probably been feeling the guilt about that day for awhile, the thought making Casey's heart drop into his stomach.

Micah was just a kid, a kid who didn't deserve to carry the weight of this horrific day around with him. But he was. And it was a memory that he probably would never forget.

"I'm sorry you got hurt, bud. I'm sorry you had to go through all that, but remember how I told you you'd be okay?"

"Mhmm." Micah hummed against his neck. "You kept your promise."

Casey clenched his eyes shut, willing himself to keep his tears at bay as he nodded, Matt not wanting to cry and worry Micah. "I sure did. Everything's okay." He assured him, feeling Gabby squeeze his shoulder tightly, Matt looking up to see her watching him with teary eyes, flashing him a warm smile, the sight instantly calming him down. "So Micah," He started, clearing his throat, "you finally get to go home, huh?" Matt asked, trying to lighten the heaviness that had settled over the room, Micah giving him another nod as he lifted his head up, keeping his arms around the firefighter.

"Yeah, I do." He spoke, smiling through the few tears that had welled in his eyes. "Daddy says we've got a new home, but I have a room there and everything!" He said, his excitement coming back in waves, Matt wiping away a few of the tears that had fallen down Micah's cheeks. "Daddy says I get to stay with him forever, not go only sometimes like before."

"Yeah, you will bud." He replied, supporting Micah's weight in his arms as he slowly stood up, holding onto him as the boy kept his arms around his neck, Micah resting against his forearm. "How about when you get home and you get settled, you and your dad can call me or Gabby, and we can talk for a bit, how does that sound?"

Micah's grin widened, the young boy looking back and forth between Matt and Gabby now that he was eye-level with them, his head beginning to move up and down quickly, excitement radiating off of him.

"That's what I thought." Matt replied with a chuckle, rubbing over his back as Micah relaxed into his hold.

"Can I talk to Sofia, too?" He asked, Gabby smiling as she took a step closer to them, leaning against Matt's side. "She really liked me holding her in the hospital, didn't she Daddy?" He asked, glancing back to his father, earning a nod from him before he looked back at the Casey's.

"Oh, Sofia loved you. You might just be her favorite." Matt replied, Micah wearing a proud smile over his face. "But she's just a baby, she can't talk on the phone yet… But, you know, if we did a video call, you could see her and talk to her. I think she'd really like that." He suggested, Micah giving that same enthusiastic nod yet again.

"Yes! Is Sofia here? Can I see her again?" He asked, his head moving around the room as he searched for the child.

"No sweetheart, she's at home." Gabby replied, Micah's smile turning into a frown. "But maybe one weekend when Matt and I aren't working, the three of us can come and visit you and your dad." She suggested, Micah's eyes lighting up as the words left her lips. "We could come and see your new room."

"Yes! Yes yes yes! Daddy can they come visit? Please can they come?" He pleaded, Matt tightening his grip as the boy began bouncing in his arms, Casey not wanting him to fall.

"Of course they can, Micah."

"Yay!" He cheered, earning a few laughs from around the room. "Daddy said I get to bring all my toys with me, I can show you my trains!"

"I'd love that." Matt replied, rubbing his hand over Micah's stomach, the boy's arm resting around his neck. "Now Micah, I'm not sure how much longer you and your dad were planning on staying, but I was wondering… Have you ever been inside a firetruck before?" He asked, Micah's eyes widening, the little boy immediately shaking his head, Gabby smiling as she watched her husband interact with the young boy. "Would you wanna go see my firetruck? I can show you around." He offered, Micah nodding quickly, looking towards his dad. "Do you guys have some time for that?" Casey asked Josh, the man nodding.

"Yeah, as long as you don't mind. I don't want us to be in the way." Josh spoke, Matt immediately shaking his head, beginning to walk towards the garage.

"You're not, we've always got room for our honorary firefighter." He replied, Micah's grin widening as he held on tight around Casey's neck. "Kidd... Otis, let's show Micah around, yeah?" He said, his firefighters nodding as they followed him out into the garage, Gabby smiling as she watched Matt disappear through the double doors.

"Casey is so good with that little boy." Herrmann spoke up, his eyes moving back towards Dawson, a chuckle leaving his lips as he saw her face. "Uh oh, I know that look." He teased, earning laughs from the other men and women in the room as Gabby snapped out of her thoughts, her gaze narrowing on Herrmann.

"You guys should try for one of those next, Dawson." Severide joined in, Gabby rolling her eyes as she stepped back to the table, grabbing her phone before she moved towards the hallway.

"Ha ha, very funny." She replied dryly, heading down the hallway, hearing 51's laughter as she went.

* * *

Dawson climbed out of the back of 61, kicking the excess water off her boots as the paramedics returned from their latest call of the afternoon, Gabby feeling an involuntary chill run through her body as the cold air hit her wet skin, snow having been dumping down on them the entire time they were out.

"Man, if this snow doesn't stop soon, we won't be able to even get out to get to calls." Foster breathed out as she came around to the back of the ambulance, Brett soon meeting up with both of them before the three of them began walking towards the firehouse, desperate to escape the cold. Even with the garage doors down, with the temperature now in the single digits, it was unbearably cold out here, none of them wanting to spend any extra time outside of the warmth the common room could provide them.

The paramedics soon got inside, Gabby trailing behind Brett and Foster as they went straight for the common room, Gabby's steps slowing when she saw Matt walking down the hallway, his eyes on his phone.

"Hey baby." She greeted, changing her path as she began walking towards him, Matt looking up from the device in his hands, her eyebrows furrowing when she saw the pensive look on his face. "Everything okay?" Gabby questioned, the two coming to a stop when they met up halfway to each other.

"Becca called me, but I missed it. Now I can't get her to answer." He replied, a deep frown forming over her lips as she glanced back down to his phone.

"Try again." She spoke, Matt nodding before he recalled the number, putting it on speaker so Gabby could hear.

With each passing ring, they both felt a heavy weight settle in the pit of their stomachs, but thankfully Becca eventually picked up.

"_Hey, hey I'm sorry._" She apologized, most likely for missing his previous calls. But neither parent cared so much about that, not when they could hear Sofia crying in the background.

"What's going on? Is Sofia okay? Did something happen?" Gabby asked quickly, her worried gaze locking on Matt's.

"_Sofia's okay, but uh- we do have a little problem here._"

"What happened?"

"_The power's out in the building._" Becca told them, Matt breathing deeply as Gabby pursed her lips together. "_I missed your calls cause I was talking to one of your neighbors, he told me the owner said they're not sure what caused it, but they don't know when they can get the power back on… It's been out for about half an hour, and it's definitely getting cold in here._" She continued, Casey wincing slightly. "_I've got Sofia in as many layers as I can, but she's still pretty cold. I don't know, I'm worried about her staying here. With as cold as it is outside, it's only gonna get colder in here, I don't want her to freeze._"

"No, no, I'm glad you called, you two can't stay there." Matt responded, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Alright, Becca I'm gonna call our landlord, see if he has any more information. Are you good to wait a few minutes, then I'll call you back?"

"_Yeah, no, that's fine. Sofia's okay._"

"Alright, I'll call you back in a few minutes." He told her, the two saying their goodbyes before Casey hung up, quickly going in search of their landlords number, Gabby crossing her arms over her chest as she watched him.

It took about ten minutes for Casey to be able to get him on the phone, both of them sure he was getting swamped with calls about the power, Gabby waiting for Matt to finish the call as he paced back and forth down the hallway.

"Okay," He spoke as he hung up, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "Becca was right, the power's out in the whole building, and he's not sure why. But it's only our building, which is odd." Casey said, smacking his lips together. "Every other building on our street still has power, so he's not sure what that's about. He's working on getting people out there to try and fix it, but with the weather, it's looking like it'll be awhile." He finished relaying the information from his phone call, Gabby nodding as she took a deep breath.

"What should we do?" She asked, pushing herself up off the wall. "I mean, it's like eight degrees outside, Sofia and Becca can't stay there if they don't have any heat. I don't want Sof getting sick."

"No, no they can't. It's not safe for either of them." He agreed, glancing back down to his phone as he thought over their options. "We should probably go and get them, let them stay here with us until morning."

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing." Gabby responded, Matt flashing her a soft smile. "Should we go ask Boden?"

"We should tell him, yeah. But I don't see it being a problem." Casey replied, earning a nod from his wife before they began walking down the hall, heading for Boden's office.

It took no time at all for them to get there, Gabby tapping on the door frame as she stood in the open doorway, Matt directly behind her as the Chief looked up from his paperwork, surprised to see the couple standing there.

"Dawson, Casey." He greeted, waving them in. "Something I can do for you?"

"Yeah, actually there is." Casey started, staying a step behind Gabby as they stood in front of his desk. "We were wondering if we could go and pick up Sofia, and Becca, from our apartment… let them stay here at the firehouse with us tonight." He spoke, Boden's eyebrows raising, clearly wanting more of an explanation.

"The power's out in our building, and it's not gonna be back on any time soon." She elaborated, the look on Boden's face immediately showing concern, the older man sitting up in his seat. "Normally, we wouldn't ask to have Sofia spend the night here, but-"

"She can't stay in your apartment, it's way too cold." He cut in, shaking his head. "Of course you can bring her here, I'll put 61 out of service, you guys take the ambulance, go get her."

"Thanks Chief."

"It's no problem, it's not safe for her to stay there. Casey, if you could just let them know you'll be gone, in case there's a call." Boden told him, the Captain nodding as he followed Gabby towards the exit.

"Yeah, I will." He complied, Boden giving them a nod before they moved out of his office, heading for the common room.

Within minutes, they had explained to everyone what was going on, called Becca to let them know they were on their way, and gotten loaded up into the ambulance, Matt and Gabby sitting in the back while Brett drove, Foster staying back so they had a place for Becca to sit.

"You think she's okay?" Gabby asked after a few minutes, them having ridden in mostly silence, Matt's arm wrapped around her back as they sat on the bed.

"I'm sure she's fine, Becca said she had her bundled up well. And once we get her to the firehouse, and she's somewhere she can stay warm, she'll be fine." He told her, Gabby nodding as she clenched her glove covered hands together, the thick layers of her winter coat still unable to completely protect her from the cold.

It felt like it had taken forever, and in some ways it had, Brett being extra careful as she drove through the heavily snowed upon streets, but eventually they got to their apartment, Brett parking by the curb before all three of them climbed out, heading for the door, Matt pulling out his key to get them inside and away from the cold.

But when they stepped inside, it felt just as cold in the apartment as it did out in the snow, all three of them shivering as they walked in through the back door.

"Becca?" Casey called out, Gabby frowning at the thought of her baby being stuck in here.

"Living room." She called, the three first responders walking towards the room, seeing Becca sitting on the couch, bundled up in a few layers while she cradled Sofia in her arms, the baby barely visible underneath all the clothes and blankets Becca had wrapped her up in.

"How are you guys?" Casey asked, Gabby immediately moving for Sofia, the baby fussing, clearly not liking being this cold.

"We're okay, but Sofia definitely needs to get warmed up soon. It just keeps getting colder and colder in here." Becca spoke, Matt nodding with a grimace as Gabby took Sofia into her arms, the baby crying when she saw her mother, desperate to be close to her.

"It's okay baby, you're okay." She murmured, cradling Sofia as close to her body as she could, but all the layers made it difficult.

"I borrowed one of your coats, Gabby, I hope that's okay." Becca spoke, Gabby looking up to see the girl wearing one of her paramedic coats.

"Oh, it's fine. I'm sorry this happened, but you can always borrow or use whatever, you know that." She reminded her, Becca nodding with a soft smile.

"Babe, why don't you get Sofia out into the ambulance where at least you all can turn the heaters on." Matt suggested, Gabby nodding as she cradled Sofia's chilly body against her, hoping that even though she wasn't able to do much to warm her up right now, the action alone would provide some comfort to her daughter. "I'll get some stuff for her, why don't you three just go outside, try and warm up a bit."

"Alright, thanks babe." She spoke, Matt giving her a nod before they left the apartment, Becca having grabbed her bag on the way out, following the paramedics towards the ambulance as snow continuously fell down around them.

"Becca, right?" Brett asked, the girl nodding as they got to the rig. "I'm Sylvie, one of Gabby's partners. You can go ahead and get in the passenger seat, I'm gonna get the rig started up, get some heat in there." She spoke, Becca nodding as she climbed in, Brett quickly starting up the ambulance, turning the heat all the way up before walking around to the back, opening the doors for Gabby and Sofia.

"Thanks Brett." Gabby spoke, the blonde nodding as Dawson slowly climbed into the back of the ambulance, being careful as she was holding Sofia in her arms, Gabby sitting down as soon as she could. "I know you're cold, baby. I know, it's okay." She murmured, Brett stepping in behind her and closing the doors, trying to keep as much of the heat in as possible.

"We should probably get some of those layers off of her, let her closer to you." Brett suggested, Gabby nodding in agreement as she laid Sofia down on the bed beside her, the baby immediately beginning to scream.

"It's okay, Momma's here. I'm right here." Gabby tried, but she knew until Sofia was back in her arms, it was useless to try and calm her down. With as many layers as she had on, Sofia wasn't able to really feel her mom's touches, Gabby quickly working to get the clothes off of her. When she was down to just one onesie, Brett kept a hand on Sofia to keep her from moving while Gabby unzipped her thick coat, as well as the lighter jacket she wore under it, knowing Sofia needed to be as close to her as possible.

When Gabby had gotten both jackets open, Brett carefully picked the crying baby up, wincing when she felt how cold she was, the blonde handing her to Gabby and helping her friend adjust the baby in her arms, Sofia getting settled against her chest.

Sofia was more content the second Gabby had her wrapped up in her arms, but she was still really cold, and that was something that needed to be fixed, and quickly.

"Can you grab a warming blanket? She's way too cold." Dawson spoke quickly, frowning as her cheek rested against the top of Sofia's head, feeling the temperature of her skin. Brett nodded, expertly pulling out the item from it's compartment, opening up the blanket before wrapping it around the front of Gabby, making sure Sofia was completely covered. "Thanks Brett."

"Of course, yeah. Once we get back, if she's still a little cold, maybe you could take a warm shower with her, the steam and everything, it might warm her up a bit."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over Sofia's back, feeling the baby cuddle herself deeper into her mom's embrace, finally calming down despite her discomfort from the temperature. "That's much better, isn't it, baby girl?" She whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Gabby feeling her own body warming up underneath the blanket, hoping it was having the same effect on her child.

The sound of the back door opening grabbed their attention, Matt soon coming into view as he pulled open the rig, his hands full of baby supplies.

"Is she okay?" He asked immediately, unable to see his daughter underneath the blanket, Gabby nodding.

"I think so, yeah. We're just trying to warm her up." She replied, frowning as the chill from outside began to blow into the ambulance.

"Let's get you guys back to the firehouse, where there's actual heat." Brett spoke, Matt nodding as he stepped out of the way, his eyes staying focused on Gabby while the paramedic climbed out, Casey soon replacing her in the back of the rig before she shut the door, hurrying around to the driver's seat.

"Did you get everything?" Gabby questioned, Matt nodding as he placed the bags down on the ground, sitting down on the bed next to his wife.

"I did. I got her diaper bag, and I threw in a bunch of extra clothes, blankets, wipes, and diapers. I also got some extra milk and some bottles, just in case." He told her, Gabby nodding as she leaned into his side, Matt instantly wrapping his arm around her, sliding closer to her as she held Sofia in her arms.

Casey kept a firm grip on his family as Brett began to drive off, Gabby resting her head in the crook of his neck as he slid his hand underneath the blanket, resting it over Gabby's on Sofia's back.

"She's still really cold, baby." Gabby murmured, breathing deeply as she tried to stay focused. "Brett mentioned me taking a warm shower with her, I might do that when we get back. I'm just worried about her being this cold for so long." She told him, Matt nodding immediately.

"Yeah, we'll do that when we get back." He agreed, pressing a kiss to Gabby's head. "She's gonna be fine. She's with us now, we got her." He reminded her, feeling Gabby nod against his neck, the couple falling into a comfortable silence as they waited to get back to the house, Sofia having fallen asleep during the ride.

It took almost half an hour, the weather slowing them down considerably, but they managed to get back to the firehouse, Gabby and Matt having not moved from their position, the couple waiting until the garage doors had been shut before they began to move, Brett opening the back door for them.

Despite her best efforts to move carefully, Sofia woke up before Gabby could even get out of the ambulance, Gabby doing what she could to soothe her as Matt helped her out, waiting until she was firmly on the ground before he began grabbing Sofia's bags.

"Let's get you inside, baby." Gabby spoke softly, the cold air in the garage not doing anything to help their little girl. Moving as quickly as they could, Brett held the door open for them, Matt letting Gabby in first, Becca following after him before Brett came in last, Herrmann pushing himself up from the couch when he saw them walk in.

"How is she?" He asked, concern evident in his voice, everyone in the house having been worried about the little baby.

"She's still a little cold, but I think she's doing better… She's calmed down a lot." Gabby said, looking down at Sofia. She looked to be like she was doing alright, but Dawson was still worried, Matt placing his hand on Gabby's back while his other held all of Sofia's things. Gently rocking the baby in her arms, Gabby glanced up to her husband, giving him a weak smile. "I'm gonna take her to the bathroom." She spoke, Matt nodding understandingly, scratching over her back before she walked away from him, Casey watching them until they were out of sight.

"She okay, Casey?" Herrmann asked the question everyone was thinking, Matt knowing he wasn't talking about the baby.

"She is… she's just worried."

"Well, she's a mom. Comes with the territory." He replied, Matt giving him a nod before movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention, Casey turning to see Becca by his side, shifting back and forth on her feet.

"Oh, I'm sorry, guys this is Becca." He introduced, placing his hand on her shoulder, encouraging her to take a step forward. "She's Sofia's nanny."

There was a chorus of greetings from around the room, Becca flashing them all polite smiles, feeling a little overwhelmed by everyone speaking all at once.

"I'll let you handle the individual introductions, but just make yourself at home. Unless Gabby and I are both called out, we've got Sofia handled, so just relax and make yourself comfortable. Kidd, or Brett or someone can show you around."

"Thanks Matt." She replied, Casey nodding before he stepped further into the common room, heading for the fridge, needing to get the extra milk for Sofia in the freezer before he did anything else.

"Do you guys need anything?" Kidd questioned, Matt shaking his head as he closed the freezer, beginning the walk back towards the hallway.

"No, I don't think so, at least not right now. I think Gabby's gonna take a shower with Sofia, try and warm her up a bit…" He spoke, earning nods from around the room.

"We'll be out here, Captain." Herrmann assured him. "Just let us know if you all need anything."

"I will." He replied, giving the man a thankful nod before heading down the hallway, Boden's voice stopping him before he got very far.

"Casey!"

"Yeah Chief?" He asked, turning back around to face him.

"If truck gets a call, don't worry about. Just be with you're family." He instructed, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"Are you sure, cause I-"

"I'm sure." Boden cut him off, Matt smiling softly. "Now go."

"Thank you, Chief." He replied, Matt seeing him nod before he turned around, Casey going straight for the bathrooms.

When he walked in, he could already hear the water running, Matt turning the corner to see Gabby standing outside the shower, Sofia still curled into her chest as she waited for the water to get to an acceptable temperature.

"Hey." He spoke, gaining her attention as she turned her head, Gabby flashing him a soft smile.

"Hi." She replied softly, Matt coming to a stop when he got to them. Gabby had removed the blanket from around Sofia, the material laying on the floor as he was finally able to get a good look at his daughter, the baby clinging to her mom as she fussed.

"You doing okay?" Matt questioned, Gabby giving him a slight nod.

"I'm fine, just a little stressed… I know she's okay, but all this, it- I wasn't expecting it." She rambled, releasing a heavy sigh before meeting her husband's gaze. "But I'm okay. Promise." Gabby assured him, Matt nodding understandingly before pressing a soft kiss to her temple, placing his hand over Sofia's back. "And you?... Are you alright?"

"I am." He replied with a slight nod, bringing his hand up to cup the back of Sofia's head, the young girl opening her eyes, quickly finding her father. "I'm just glad Becca called when she did."

Gabby nodded in agreement, Matt pulling away from his wife and daughter to check the water temperature. "Is it alright?" She asked softly, earning a hum in response before he turned back around towards them, carefully taking Sofia from Gabby's grasp. The baby fussed at first, not liking to leave the comfort and safety of her mother's embrace, but Sofia soon settled when she found herself in her father's arms, the young girl cuddling up into his warm chest almost immediately.

"Yeah, see, you like me." He joked, rubbing his hand over her back, hearing his wife chuckle softly as she began shedding her extra layers. "I told everyone we were gonna get Sofia in the shower, so no one should come in." He assured her, Gabby nodding as she kicked off her boots, beginning to work on getting her pants off. "Alright little girl, you're not gonna like this…" Matt breathed out, carrying her over towards the sink. Alternating hands to keep her secure against his chest, Matt managed to get his coat off, Sofia completely oblivious to his frustration as he struggled with the material, but eventually he got it, the firefighter placing it down on the counter before laying Sofia on top of it.

As soon as she was out of his grasp, the girl began crying, Sofia showing signs of how she'd act whenever they'd get home from shift, the baby clearly not wanting to be put down. "It's okay, Sof. You're okay." He murmured, keeping a hand on her at all times while he began undressing her, trying to reassure her that he wasn't going anywhere.

"You guys alright in there?" Gabby's voice floated around the corner, Matt smiling softly as he continued undressing Sofia.

"We're fine, I'll be right there." He called back, removing Sofia's diaper and tossing it in the trash. "Come on baby girl, let's get you back to Momma." He murmured, leaving her clothes and his jacket on the counter, knowing he could get them later as he cradled her against his chest, keeping one hand underneath her while his other cradled her head, the young girl gripping onto his shirt, fussing as the cold air hit her skin.

When he turned the corner, Gabby was nowhere in sight, telling him that she'd already gotten in the shower, Matt walking towards her stall, seeing the curtain half open. "Babe?"

"Yeah?" She asked, stepping into view, steam rolling out from behind the curtain.

"I've got a delivery for you." He spoke, a grimace immediately covering his face as he looked down. "Oh come on. You were only out of your diaper for five seconds." He groaned, Gabby chuckling as he pulled Sofia away from his chest, his white shirt now stained with a wet spot over his torso.

"It's just cause she missed you, she got excited." Gabby teased him, Matt chuckling softly as he pressed a kiss to his daughter's head.

"You're the only person I'd let get away with peeing on me, Sof." He murmured, kissing her again before handing her to Gabby, Sofia immediately nuzzling into her mother's warm chest, grabbing ahold of any part of Gabby she could grasp, the baby desperately clinging to her mom.

Gabby stood with her back to the water, wanting to slowly get Sofia accustomed to the stream of warm water falling down on them, steam surrounding them both as their bodies began to warm up.

"You joining us?" Gabby questioned, glancing to see Matt standing just outside her shower, his gaze focused on Sofia. When their eyes locked, a soft smile covered his face, Casey clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"Well, I wasn't going to… but since I've been peed on, a shower probably couldn't hurt." He mused, Gabby laughing softly as he began to strip out of his soiled clothes, Matt creating his own pile of laundry before stepping into the shower with them, sliding the curtain closed behind him, closing the small family off from the outside world.

Standing under the water, Matt wrapped one arm around Gabby, his hand moving along her wet back as he brought his other hand up to Sofia, stroking through her curly hair as the girl nuzzled against her mom's chest.

"She feels warmer already." He murmured, Gabby nodding in agreement as she placed her cheek against the top of Sofia's head.

"Yeah, I think the skin to skin is working." She responded, Matt keeping his eyes on Sofia as the young girl kept a firm grip on Gabby's chest, comforted by the warmth her mother provided her. "I know she was probably okay, just a little cold… But I definitely think this is helping, too. If anything, it's helping me feel better." She admitted softly, Matt grinning knowingly as he ran his hand along her back.

"It's definitely helping her." He replied, pressing a soft kiss to his wife's head. "And it's helping me, too."

She flashed him a gentle smile, leaning into his side as they stood under the warm stream of water, both of them needing this time to decompress after the busy day they'd had, Gabby and Matt just wanting to be close to Sofia. Even though they didn't necessarily like how they ended up here, the parents were thankful for this unexpected time they got to spend with their daughter, knowing they needed this just as much as Sofia did.


	73. Chapter Seventy Three

**Hello everyone! I'm back with another chapter for you all. Thank you for your kind words on the last one, I hope you all like this chapter as well. And I wanna say a quick thank you for 1500+ reviews on this story. That is just honestly insane to me, I can't believe it. Thank you so much for all the love and support you all have given me, I know I say it all the time but it truly means everything. To those who have taken the time to leave me a review, whether it was just once, or for every chapter, just know that I appreciate you so much, it means the world that you take your time to do that. Thank you thank you thank you. And even if you've never left me a review, you all still reading this story is more than enough. I appreciate each and every one of you so so much. Thank you.**

**Just so you all know, there won't be an update for Whatever Comes Next today. With the holidays and everything, I didn't have time to really work on that. I'm hoping to have updates for you guys on Thursday, but with Christmas coming up, I can't promise anything. If I have a chapter done in time, it'll be posted, but if not, just expect the update next Monday!**

**You all have been so kind and gracious, and you constantly remind me that it's okay if my chapters are sometimes late, and for me to just update when I can, which I greatly appreciate, I truly do. But I also like you guys to know what's going on, which I why I always try to tell you if there's a possibility some chapters might be late. I know there's some of you who look forward to my updates on Mondays and Thursdays, so I just try and keep you guys updated about what's going on. But yeah, I'm hoping to get at least one of my stories updated on Thursday, hopefully both. But if not, expect those next updates on Monday. And with If We Never Say Goodbye, that story just gets updated whenever I have time, I definitely have no schedule for that one.**

**Speaking of, I did get the third chapter of that story posted over the weekend, if you'd like to go check it out! You all have given me so much support on that story already, it's been incredible. If you haven't had a chance to read it, it'd mean a lot to me if you could go check it out, and let me know what you think. I'm having so much fun with that one, and I'm glad you all are enjoying it as well!**

**Alright, enough of my rambling, let's just get on with the chapter. I'm eager to hear your thoughts on this one, I really hope you like it.**

**I hope you guys have a very Merry Christmas, to those who celebrate. As we near the end of the year here, I just wanna let you all know how thankful I am for the support you've given me this year. It's been more than I ever could've imagined. **

**I hope you all have a fantastic holiday! Happy reading!**

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_**Chapter Seventy Three**_

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Matt's eyes slowly opened and closed as he sat on the couch in the common room, the firehouse in complete silence as it neared four in the morning, the father slowly rubbing his hand up and down Sofia's back as the baby slept peacefully against his chest. Casey was slouched down into the couch, trying to stay awake as he had his feet propped up on the coffee table, Sofia's entire body resting on his chest and stomach, the little girl having been sleeping peacefully for most of the night. And for that, Matt was thankful.

The day with Sofia at the firehouse had gone relatively well, but Matt and Gabby could both tell that their daughter had been a little overwhelmed in her new surroundings, being around so many people she wasn't used to see on a daily basis. She had done alright, but she was pretty much attached to either Matt or Gabby most of the day, or Becca and occasionally Severide. But aside from the four of them, Sofia wouldn't settle if anyone else held her, both Matt and Gabby knowing she'd had a very long and stressful day, on top of everything else they had been struggling with recently.

So the fact that she had gone to sleep easily was a relief to both Matt and Gabby. Aside from waking up once to eat a little over an hour ago, Sofia hadn't stirred much once she finally got to sleep, except for when she'd wake up when they called out, but thankfully they hadn't had many calls throughout the night. It took a little while for them to get her comfortable, Matt and Gabby not having Sofia's bed here with them providing a bit of a challenge. At first they tried to let her sleep on Matt's bunk, surrounding her by a fortress of pillows, but the parents quickly realized that wasn't a very good solution to their problem. Not only would Sofia not settle when she was on the bunk, Matt and Gabby felt like they couldn't take their eyes off her for a second, the bed here much smaller than their one at home. It was something both Matt and Gabby quickly knew wouldn't work for them, not if either of them wanted to be able to get any sleep, so they had to quickly devise another plan, which is how Casey ended up here on the couch in the common room. He knew Sofia would sleep much better on his chest or on Gabby's than she would in an unfamiliar bed, so they'd made the decision to just hold her and sleep on the couch for the night. It wasn't the most comfortable for either of them, but they knew it was their best option for their daughter, considering how well Sofia had been sleeping in the comfort of her parent's arms as of late.

Matt was a little surprised that she was sleeping so well, considering the loud nature of a firehouse, and how they were resting right in the heart of it, but everyone had been more than considerate of the family and their needs. When it became obvious Matt and Gabby would be resting out here for the evening with Sofia, everyone made themselves scarce by eight, not wanting to risk waking up the sleeping baby, which the parents greatly appreciated even if they felt a little bad for everyone having to clear out of the room so early.

But, despite their challenges getting Sofia to settle earlier in the night, she was completely content now, the young girl nuzzled against her father's warm chest, Matt constantly checking to make sure she wasn't getting cold.

After the scare they had earlier, the parents had done all they could to make sure Sofia stayed warm the rest of the night, Gabby having put her in a thicker fleece onesie after their shower, knowing that would do the trick and keep their little girl from getting cold. Even though Sofia was fine, that hadn't stopped Matt and Gabby from constantly checking her body temperature throughout the evening and into the night, both of them needing the reassurance that she was in fact alright.

A soft yawn escaped Casey's lips as he let his eyes fall closed, Matt methodically rubbing over Sofia's back as she slept, the firefighter trying to force himself to stay awake until Gabby got back.

Ambulance 61 had been called out probably two hours ago now, Gabby having handed Sofia back to her father as she had been the one holding her before they left. They were taking turns alternating who held her during the night, Matt and Gabby having mastered the art of moving Sofia while she was sleeping, and keeping her asleep. Although that skill wasn't so much necessary when they moved her the last time, the loud bells having disturbed her from her slumber, Sofia crying as she woke up startled, the young girl searching out for the comfort of her parents as Gabby handed her over to Matt. When she quickly realized it was her father's arms she'd been placed in, Sofia began calming down, her little fists gripping onto him tightly as he pressed continuous kisses against the top of her hat covered head. It took a few minutes, but Sofia had eventually settled, feeling safe and secure against her father's chest, the little girl soon falling back asleep, and not waking until she needed to eat around an hour later.

Since being fed, Sofia had been completely content, the little girl having fallen back asleep as Matt was burping her, Casey having slowly adjusted her down to rest on the middle of his chest, wanting her to be as comfortable as possible.

And she hadn't moved since.

The sound of the garage opening filled the otherwise quiet firehouse, followed by the sound of beeping, Matt becoming more alert as he heard the ambulance backing up, another yawn escaping his lips as he tried to make himself wake up. It took a few minutes, Matt fighting to keep his eyes open, but eventually he heard one of the doors open, Casey glancing over to see three very tired paramedics walking in, his wife trailing behind her partners.

Brett and Foster both gave him a nod and smile, turning to head straight for the bunk room, not wanting to risk waking the baby as they moved down the hallway, while Gabby kept walking forward, smiling softly when she locked eyes with her husband.

"Hey." She murmured, Matt smiling as she walked around the coffee table, sitting down on the couch beside him. "She do okay?"

"She did fine, she's been asleep for awhile." He replied softly, continuing to rub across his daughter's back, his neck resting against the back of the couch. "How was the call?" He asked, turning his head to the side, watching as Gabby turned her body to face him, crossing her leg underneath her knee while she placed her arm along the back of the couch, moving her hand towards his head as she began to run her fingers through his hair.

"It was fine, just took forever." She replied, Matt leaning into her touch as his eyes fell closed. "It's still freezing out there, the weather is so bad, it's almost like a ghost town… I swear, we didn't see anybody out there while Brett was driving."

"Yeah, I'm not surprised." He responded, his chest rising and falling steadily as he felt his exhaustion creep back in. "It's been pretty quiet, considering… But I'm just glad you got back alright, I don't like the idea of you being out in that weather."

"I'm fine, babe." She spoke, earning a slight nod from him.

"I know you are, but I still worry." He murmured, Gabby scratching his scalp lightly, her action bringing a soft smile to his face. "As your husband, the father of your child, and the person who loves you most in this world, it's kind of a given that I worry about you."

His words brought a small grin to her lips, Gabby stroking her thumb across the side of his head. "The person who loves me most, huh?"

Casey slowly opened his eyes, the smile on his face widening when he saw her watching him. "Damn straight." He responded without hesitation, turning his head to the side to press a soft kiss against her palm. "I mean, there's a lot of people who love you; your parents, your brother, everyone here, and especially our little Sofia… but none of them love you more than I do." He spoke, his voice firm despite how tired he was, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as the grin on her face continued to grow. "Although Sofia is a pretty close second."

"You're such a sweet talker when you're sleepy." She responded lightly, rubbing her hand along the side of his face before she leaned forward, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. "I love you too, you know."

"I do." He whispered, kissing her again quickly before she pulled back, Gabby settling back against the couch.

Gabby's gaze moved towards their baby, smiling softly when she saw how peacefully their little girl was sleeping against her father's chest, Sofia having not stirred since she'd gotten back. "It looks like she's comfortable."

Matt's eyes opened as his wife spoke, his gaze moving from her down to Sofia, nodding slowly before resting his head back against the couch.

"Yeah, she's slept well… I think she's finally starting to like me again." He added, Gabby shaking her head as she released a soft sigh.

Gabby was aware that Sofia had been a little more attached to her recently as opposed to Matt, that since she'd gone back to work, Sofia was having a hard time adjusting, and when they were together, more often than not she wanted her mom. And Gabby knew it had been bothering her husband a little more than he'd ever admit.

"Baby, Sofia loves you." Gabby murmured, rubbing the back of her hand across his cheek.

"No, I know she does." He replied quickly, giving her a weak smile. "And I can't blame her for only wanting you.. I mean, I go a day without seeing you, I feel the same way."

"Real smooth." She muttered, Matt chuckling softly. "But seriously Matt, Sof loves you. I know she's been a little more attached to me lately, me going back to work was harder on her than I anticipated, but we're working our way through it." She spoke, Matt giving her a nod. "It's only been a week, and I know we've all had a rough time lately, but I do think she's starting to handle it better. And one thing you don't ever need to worry about is how much Sofia loves you. I mean, look at her." Gabby prompted, Matt glancing down to his baby girl that was still sound asleep against him, the father unable to stop the soft smile that fell onto his face at just the sight of his daughter. "You're a great father, baby, and Sofia adores you. Just like I do."

Matt smiled softly, giving her a slow nod before pressing a kiss to his daughter's head. "I know she does… And I know you do, too." He replied lightly, Gabby's smile growing as she continued rubbing her hand over his head. "It's just been a little hard, because I feel like I haven't been able to help her much, and then it all gets put on you, which I know hasn't been easy." He continued, Gabby nodding as she let him vent, not wanting him to hold onto any of this any longer than he already had. "I've felt kind of helpless about all of it, because I wasn't really sure how to help either of you, but I do think you're right. I think things are slowly getting better, for all of us."

"They are." She agreed, sliding her hand down to rub against his collarbone. "She's definitely already starting to move past that phase, of her just wanting me… I mean today, it was like all she wanted was her Daddy." She murmured, Matt smiling softly as he nodded, knowing his wife's words were true, little Sofia having clung to her dad once they'd finished their shower, it taking some time before she was ready to go to anyone else. "She is struggling with some separation anxiety, I think we both know that, but it's definitely with the both of us. I think it just hit her harder with me because you'd been back to work for a while… And when you were here, I was with her. So now that we're both gone, it's a completely different thing for her." Gabby continued, Matt focusing on the feeling her hand rubbing across his chest as she spoke. "If I'm being honest, this might be the hardest thing we've had to overcome with her so far… But we're getting through it, and pretty soon she'll be fine. It's just an adjustment for all of us." Matt nodding in agreement as he turned his head to look at her, Gabby tearing her eyes from their baby to look at her husband. "We're gonna be okay."

"I know." He replied immediately, reaching out to place his hand on her leg, Matt squeezing her thigh gently. "It's been a really rough few weeks for all of us, but we're gonna get through it."

"We are." She was quick to answer, Matt squeezing her thigh once more as a soft smirk appeared over his lips, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly.

"I mean, how could we not? Seeing as how I've got a wife who _adores_ me." He teased, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully as she patted his shoulder, the paramedic just glad to see her husband in better spirits.

"Mhmm, she sure does." Gabby replied, leaning forward to give him another kiss, Matt sliding his hand up and down her thigh. "Don't forget your daughter does, too."

"Oh, I could never forget about Sof." He responded, giving Gabby a quick, soft kiss before they separated, Matt turning his attention to his daughter, kissing her on the head.

"Did she do alright while I was gone?" Gabby asked, her attention turning to her daughter now that she knew her husband was alright, her eyes moving towards the coffee table, seeing an empty bottle sitting there.

"Yeah, she did good. She woke up to eat once, but she mostly just slept."

"Did she eat okay?" Gabby asked, Matt pursing his lips together as he took a deep breath, Gabby's head tilting to the side slightly at his reaction.

"She did… eventually, yeah." He finally replied. "She's, um- she's starting to resist the bottle a little bit." Gabby released a soft sigh, the mom gnawing on the inside of her lip as Matt continued. "Becca mentioned something to me about it the other day, but this being the first time I've fed her in awhile, I finally got to see what she was talking about… She's back to acting how she did when we first started bottle feeding. She doesn't want to take it."

"Yeah, I was worried that might happen." Gabby breathed out, Matt raising his eyebrows as he turned to look at her, clearly surprised by her response, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before continuing. "I know we got her off her routine, or _I _got her off her routine…" She spoke, swallowing thickly as her eyes moved to her daughter. "I know it's my fault, but I just-... after being away from her, seeing what it did to her, I felt so guilty."

"Gabby-"

"No, I know it's not an excuse." She cut him off, Matt furrowing his eyebrows. He hadn't expected this type of reaction from her to this conversation, Matt not realizing that Gabby had been worried about her lack of bottle feeding, too. He just assumed it hadn't really been on her mind, but now that he knew it had, that made it much easier to correct the issue. "I know I messed up, we should've stuck to her routine, and in the back of my mind I knew that but I- I thought I was helping her. I thought me going back to breastfeeding more would help her feel better about being away from us, but I think I only made this harder." She spoke quickly, Matt shaking his head as he gave her thigh a squeeze.

"Baby, you were just doing what you thought was best." Matt replied gently. "Neither of us were expecting how Sofia reacted to being away from us, we weren't prepared for that… You didn't do anything wrong. I know why you felt like you needed to breastfeed her, and I know it made you feel better about everything, too." He spoke, a sheepish look covering her face as she looked down. "No one's at fault here. I could've said something earlier, but, like you said, we've had a lot going on lately, and I didn't want to upset you… but Sof's fine, we can get her back on track. I just think we confused her a little bit by changing her routine, and we need to get her back on that. She was doing well with it, and us getting her back on it will only help her."

"Yeah, you're right… We should do better about getting her back on the bottle, or I guess I should-"

"We're in this together." He cut her off, Gabby meeting his gaze. "It's the both of us, babe. But as long as we're on the same page, we'll be fine. Sof will be fine." He assured her, Gabby nodding before she shifted herself closer to him, slowly leaning down until she was resting against him, Matt instinctively lifting his arm so she could fall into his side.

Gabby relaxed into him, Matt wrapping his arm around her as her head rested against his shoulder. "You sure you don't wanna go to the bunk room? Sleep in an actual bed?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head. "You can take my office, one of us should get some actual sleep. I don't mind to be out here with Sof." He tried, but Gabby simply cuddled herself into her husband, being mindful of the baby sleeping on him as Matt slid his hand down to rest on her hip.

"I'm good right here." She replied softly, Matt nodding before he pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head, Gabby resting her head in the crook of his neck, her head a few inches away from Sofia as they both took comfort in being held by Matt.

The exhausted parents fell into a comfortable silence, Gabby resting her hand on his thigh as she felt his steady breaths underneath her, the dim light coming from the hallway being the only source of light in the quiet firehouse. Matt was alternating between rubbing over Sofia's back and rubbing Gabby's side, a content smile resting on his face as held onto his entire world.

Their peaceful quiet was interrupted by Matt's phone buzzing in his jacket pocket, both parents immediately holding their breath, hoping the disturbance wouldn't wake their sleeping baby. It had only buzzed once, telling Matt he'd gotten an email, but he wasn't focused on that at the moment, Casey silently praying that their little girl wouldn't wake up, knowing that if Sofia woke up crying, she was bound to wake up the whole house. But it soon became apparent that in her unconscious state, Sofia hadn't noticed the noise, Matt releasing a sigh of relief as Gabby carefully slid her hand into his jacket pocket, pulling his phone out.

"It's from our landlord, something about the power outage." She whispered as she looked at his phone, Matt glancing down.

"Can you read it?" He asked, Gabby nodding before she unlocked his phone, her tired eyes quickly skimming the short email.

"It doesn't say much, but it looks like they finally got the power back on." She spoke, Matt wincing slightly. With it being well after four in the morning, that meant they'd been without power for over half a day, Matt hating to even think about if Sofia had been there during all that time. "He said it looked like the electrical system had been tampered with." Her next sentence caught his attention, Matt raising his eyebrows. "I'm sure there's a story there, but he didn't say much else about it, but the good news is the power's back." She finished, locking his phone back before placing it on the couch beside her, returning her hand back to his lap.

"Well, that's a little weird… But at least we have heat again. Means we can go home in the morning." He replied, sliding his hand up and down her side, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"Yeah, it does." She replied, pressing a kiss to his neck. "Although I'm not sure how we're gonna get her home." She added, her words distorted as a yawn escaped her lips. "We don't have her carseat, and you and I came in your truck, even if we did…"

"Oh yeah." He mused, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "I hadn't really thought about that… We might need to use the ambulance again to get us home, but we can figure it out in the morning. Just try and get some sleep." He told her, Gabby nodding slowly before she closed her eyes, her own body radiating as much as exhaustion as Matt's was, both parents desperate to get at least a little bit of sleep before Sofia would wake up again.

* * *

"Babe? I'm home!"

"Hey, don't come in here!" She called back, earning a laugh from her friend sitting on the couch beside her, Gabby hearing Matt chuckle from the kitchen as he entered the apartment.

"Why? Is there something you don't want me seeing in there?" He replied teasingly, Gabby hearing him drop some bags onto the counter, Matt not having been gone to the grocery store nearly as long as she planned. Gabby had intended to start wrapping his gifts the second he left, but then Jemma had shown up moments later, and it took only a few minutes after she got there for them to get caught up in talking about work, Jemma filling her former partner and best friend in on what's been going on at the SAS. Between the work talk, and Gabby getting distracted by the sight of Jemma playing with her goddaughter, she hadn't started working on Matt's gifts until way later than planned. "Although I guess I should just be happy you're actually getting my presents wrapped a few days before Christmas this year, instead of the day of, like usual." He added with a chuckle, Gabby rolling her eyes as she placed another piece of tape on the paper to hold it down.

"Just stay in there, it doesn't concern you." Gabby shot back playfully, doing what she could to hurry through wrapping his last present, Dawson glancing to the side as she heard another laugh come from Jemma, Gabby narrowing her eyes.

"Your Momma's funny, isn't she, Sof?" Jemma asked, tickling the girl's stomach as she sat in her lap, Sofia half giggling, half screaming in excitement as Jemma played with her.

"Hi Jemma!" Matt called, the firefighter abiding by Gabby's orders as he had started putting their groceries, Jemma continuing to play with the baby.

"Hey Matt." She replied, Gabby huffing out a breath as she taped the bow on top of the small gift, Jemma pursing her lips together before she looked back towards her friend. "How has he been doing, by the way?" She asked, dropping her voice as Gabby looked to her. "After everything that happened…"

Jemma had stopped by today with the intention of checking in on her friends, knowing how hard of a time they'd been having lately. She'd tried to give the family their space after Gabby had told her of what happened to Matt at work, Jemma reminding Gabby she was around if needed, but she didn't want to overwhelm them, so she'd been supportive from a distance. She'd constantly check in with Gabby, making sure they were doing alright and that they didn't need anything, but she hadn't actually seen her friends in almost a month, not since before everything happened. So when Gabby had extended the invitation for Jemma to come see them, she eagerly accepted, Norris having missed not only Gabby and Matt, but she'd especially missed the little girl resting in her lap.

"He's doing better." Gabby replied quietly, listening to Matt as he moved around in the kitchen. "He's handling it, he's definitely in a better place now than he was when it first happened." She spoke, Jemma nodding understandingly. "He doesn't so much have bad days anymore, not anything like he was, it's more just bad moments… But he is doing better. And he calls and talks to Micah probably every other day, I think that helps." Gabby added, her eyes moving towards the kitchen. "Ever since he visited Matt at the firehouse last week, they've talked a lot. Josh, Micah's dad, says it's been helping him… It's been helping Matt, too."

"I still can't imagine what that must've been like…" Jemma spoke with a grimace.

"Awful is the only way I know how to describe it." She breathed out, shaking her head as she willed those dark thoughts of that day out of her mind. "But Matt's okay, and Micah's okay… That's all that matters." Gabby spoke, her words more for her own benefit than Jemma's, Dawson clearing her throat before she pushed herself up from the couch, not wanting to talk about that day anymore. "Alright, you can come in here." She called to her husband, Gabby grabbing his few presents from the table before taking them towards the tree, Matt coming around the corner to meet her.

"Whoa whoa whoa, those aren't all for me, are they?" He asked, eyeing the four gifts in her arms, Gabby raising her eyebrows before she bent down to place them underneath the tree, joining the few other presents that had already gotten under there.

"Maybe they are, maybe they aren't." She replied as she stood back up, Matt shaking his head.

"Baby, I told you not to get me anything." He breathed out, following her as she walked back towards the couch.

"Yes, I know you did, I remember." She responded with a smile, sitting back down on the couch, beginning to clean up the mess she'd made from wrapping his presents. "I just ignored you." She added, her words earning a chuckle from Jemma, her friend clearly enjoying the conversation happening between the couple.

"Jemma, help me out here." Matt tried, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she looked towards Norris, Jemma glancing back and forth between the couple staring at her, an amused look covering her face before her gaze landed on Matt.

"You really expect her to not get you anything for Christmas? Come on, Casey, you're smarter than that." She spoke, Gabby smirking proudly as Matt scoffed, walking towards their friend.

"Of course you're on Gabby's side, I'm not surprised. Give me my baby." He replied with a glare, even though his tone clearly showed he was only teasing, Gabby and Jemma both laughing as the latter handed Sofia to her father. "Yeah, that's right baby, you're always on my side, huh?" He asked as he cradled Sofia in his arms, rubbing over her stomach as she began waving her arms excitedly, clearly happy being held by her dad. "You wanna come help Daddy put the rest of the groceries away? Yeah, I know you do, come on, let's go baby girl." He murmured, tapping her stomach as he began walking away, Matt missing the look of pure admiration covering Gabby's face. But Jemma didn't, Norris wearing a knowing grin as she watched her friend, the content smile never leaving Gabby's face even after Matt had disappeared into the kitchen.

"He's so good with her." Jemma spoke, Gabby nodding before turning to face her.

"He really is- What?" She asked once she noticed the smirk on her friend's face, Gabby raising her eyebrows as Jemma glanced back towards the kitchen. "What's the look for?"

"Nothing… You two are just cute, is all." She replied, Gabby tilting her head to the side. "The way you look at him when he's with Sofia, it's adorable." She added, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks as she ducked her head, Jemma's smile widening.

"Well, he's an amazing dad." Gabby spoke, Jemma running her tongue along her bottom lip, sparing another quick glance back towards the kitchen before looking to her friend, Norris lowering her voice before she spoke.

"Speaking of how amazing of a father he is, have you guys talked at all about if Sofia's going to have any siblings?" She asked softly, Gabby's eyebrows raising in response. "What? I'm just curious. You two are incredible parents… you all could raise a whole army of beautiful little babies."

"You sound like Matt." Gabby responded with a laugh, Jemma shaking her head in amusement.

"So you two have talked about it?"

"No… Well, kinda- I don't know, not really." She rambled, Jemma raising her eyebrows curiously, waiting for Gabby to get her thoughts in order to give her more of an explanation, Gabby taking a deep breath before continuing. "We haven't had an actual conversation about it, no. There were some little conversations about it sometimes, but like us actually sitting down and discussing it, no." She explained, Jemma giving her a slow nod. "I mean, Sofia's only four months old, there's no rush or anything but… I know I want us to have more kids."

"I mean, seeing him with Sofia, I can't imagine he wouldn't want all the kids you'd give him." Jemma spoke lightly, Gabby chuckling as she nodded slightly.

"Yeah, he's always wanted a big family, but we've never really seriously talked about it when we had a child. I mean, when we had Louie, we never talked about having more kids. And now with Sofia, we haven't really… I'm sure he still does, but raising a child is hard. It's been amazing, but raising Sofia has been harder than I ever imagined, I'm not sure we're in any rush to have another one right now." She spoke quietly, Jemma giving her a soft nod. "And I'm not even sure what my options are with all that, anyway." She added, Norris wincing slightly. "I mean, Matt and I had just kind of accepted that Sofia was our one chance at me experiencing a pregnancy, but that was when we were hoping the aneurysm wouldn't rupture. But obviously, it did, so I don't know if that changes anything for me, health wise." She continued, Jemma remaining quiet as she let her friend work through her thoughts. "I don't know if pregnancy is still off the table for me, or if it's an option now. I mean, him and I talked a little about wanting to find out what my options were, after Sofia, but we never did… If there's even the slightest risk to me, I'm not gonna take it. Not when I have Sofia and Matt to consider. But if the aneurysm is gone, then I don't know what that means. I'd love to have another baby, to carry another baby, if I can. But I won't risk my life for it... At least not knowingly. Sofia was completely unplanned, so if that happens again, it happens. Whatever it meant for me, my only priority would be my child. But if there's any risk to me, I'm not wanting to try and get pregnant… But I just don't know." Gabby breathed out, shaking her head as she ran her hand over the side of her face. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to lay all that on you."

"Don't apologize." Jemma replied, shaking her head. "I'm always here for you, you know that." She reminded her, Gabby nodding with a soft smile. "Have you talked to Dr. Tanner about it? See what she has to say?"

"No, not yet. She's obviously who I'm gonna go to, so she can let me know what my options are. But I didn't want to make any appointment or anything until I've talked to Matt… Everything's just been so crazy, and hard, lately, it hasn't really been a priority." She replied, Jemma giving her an understanding nod. "But it's definitely something I want, and I think he does, too."

"I'm sure he does. You two were meant to be parents, you've both got so much love to give, I can't imagine he wouldn't want tons of children with you."

"Okay, well maybe let's just start with one more and go from there." Gabby spoke with a laugh, Jemma shaking her head in amusement as she patted her friend on the leg.

"You know what I mean." She responded lightly, Gabby giving her a nod.

"Yeah… I do."

"Come on, Sof. Let's see if your Momma and Jemma are gonna be any nicer to me." Matt's voice filtered into the living room, Jemma and Gabby looking over to see him come around the corner, Matt bouncing the baby in his arms as he held her back to his chest, the father supporting her weight by keeping his hand underneath her, Sofia's eyes wide as she took in her surroundings. If Matt heard any of their previous conversation, he didn't let it show as Gabby watched her husband walk over to them, his eyebrows raised as he came to stop across from them, standing by the coffee table. "What do you think, baby? Is Momma gonna be nice now?" He asked jokingly, pressing a kiss to the top of his little girl's head, Gabby's heart swelling as she watched him with their baby.

When Matt saw the look on her face, he raised his eyebrows, Casey glancing towards Jemma to see a similar look of admiration on her face. "...What?" He asked, Jemma chuckling softly as Gabby pushed herself up from the couch, Matt watching as she moved around the coffee table. "What did I do?" He questioned cautiously, assuming he'd somehow gotten himself in trouble.

But Gabby shook her head, sliding her hand across his back, leaning up to press a firm kiss to his lips, Matt stunned momentarily before he reciprocated the action, making sure to keep a tight grip on Sofia as his wife kissed him heatedly.

"What did I do to deserve that?" He murmured when she pulled back, Gabby sliding her hand down to his lower back, moving to rest on his hip as he glanced between Gabby and Jemma, seeing a clear look of amusement on their friend's face.

Gabby shrugged softly, pressing another kiss to his lips, although this one was much more tame, Matt smiling against her. "Just because." She replied, moving her free hand up to Sofia's chest, the young girl grabbing ahold of her mom's finger, babbling excitedly.

"Well, can't say I mind that." He responded softly, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as they both heard Jemma laughing from the couch.

"Would you all like me to take Sofia for a few hours, give you some time alone?" She asked with raised eyebrows, Matt's cheeks flushing as Gabby chuckled, giving Matt's hip a squeeze.

"Honestly? We might take you up on that offer." She replied, Matt's eyes widening as he slid from Gabby's grasp.

"Alright, I'm gonna be in the kitchen." He spoke, embarrassment flooding his system. "Sofia, your Momma's acting crazy." He added, Jemma and Gabby both laughing as Casey headed out of the room, Matt trying to escape the uncomfortable conversation he was sure would continue if he stayed, knowing his wife was enjoying messing with him way too much.

* * *

Dawson hopped down out of the back of the ambulance, an involuntary shiver coursing through her body as the cold air filtering into the garage hit her skin, Gabby slamming the doors closed as Brett and Foster came around the ambulance, the three paramedics beginning to walk towards the firehouse, desperate to get out of the cold.

It was Christmas Eve in Chicago, the city blanketed in white as people were out and about in droves today, the nearly unbearable cold temperatures not deterring people from going out for their last minute holiday needs. But the bad weather, combined with people's impatience this time of year had led to many accidents throughout the day, 51 having responded to multiple car accidents today alone, 61 being the last company to return from their latest call.

51 had responded to a car accident downtown, one of those many impatient people having run a light and collided with oncoming traffic. Luckily, there hadn't been any fatalities, but most of the people involved had been banged up a bit, needing 61's assistance to get them to the hospital.

"Man, has it been a day." Foster muttered, Gabby nodding in agreement as she was a step behind her two partners, rolling out her neck as they moved, her body feeling the effects of the busy day they'd had already.

"Maybe we'll get enough of a break to finally get some lunch… Even though it's almost four." Brett huffed, Foster patting her shoulder as the three of them continued walking, Emily holding the door open for both Brett and Dawson to enter through.

Most of 51 was sitting in the common room when they got inside, which wasn't surprising considering the well below freezing temperatures outside, Gabby's eyes darting around until she found her husband, Matt sitting at the small circular table behind the couch, his focus on his phone as he sat with Severide, Kidd, and Cruz. While Brett and Foster went straight for the kitchen, Gabby changed her direction towards Matt, her eyebrows raising when he still hadn't noticed their presence.

"Hey Dawson." Kidd spoke, Matt's head snapping up, a soft smile forming on his face when he saw his wife standing beside him.

"Hey baby." He greeted, Gabby flashing them all a smile.

"Hey guys." She replied, leaning down to press a kiss to the top of Matt's head. "This seat taken?" She asked, gripping onto the back of the empty seat beside her husband, Matt immediately shaking his head, Gabby nodding before pulling the chair out, her body falling down into the chair.

Matt placed his phone down on the table, turning his attention to his wife as he took her in, her exhaustion evident. "You guys get the patient dropped off okay?" He asked as he placed his hand on her back, Gabby giving him a nod.

"Yeah, everything went fine." She replied, reaching for his half finished plate that was sitting in front of him, taking a bite of his food. Matt smiled softly, rubbing his hand along her side, Gabby eyeing him as she took another bite. "Sorry, I'm starving."

"Eat as much as you want, but I made you a plate. I'll get it." He told her, Gabby nodding with a grateful smile.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt kissing the side of her head before he stood up, the Captain heading for the kitchen as Gabby continued taking bites from his plate, her stomach so starved for food that she didn't even care that his was a little cold.

"You save a plate for us, Casey?" Gabby heard Foster asked, the paramedic glancing over just as a sheepish smile covered her husband's face, Matt moving towards the counter where he'd left her foil-covered plate.

"Right… Sorry about that." He replied, grabbing a fork for Gabby. "There's plenty of leftovers, though." He added, Foster shaking her head in amusement before going back to preparing her own lunch.

With 51 having been called out just as they were about to eat, their lunch was put on hold, everyone so starving by the time they'd gotten back they couldn't wait for the paramedics to return before they started eating. But before Matt ate, he made sure to set aside food for Gabby, the firefighter wanting to make sure his wife got enough to eat. With her still breastfeeding, and Sofia exclusively drinking breast milk, it was as important as ever that Gabby was getting enough food throughout the day, and Matt was doing whatever he could to help with that.

"Thank you." She said again as Matt brought her food over, Casey pushing his plate away and setting hers down in front of her, Gabby beginning to dig into to her lunch. Matt returned to his seat, his eyes on Gabby as she eagerly ate her food, his eyebrows raised in amusement.

"What?" She asked when she felt his stares, Gabby looking up from her plate.

"Nothing. You're just cute."

"Cute? She's shoving food into her face like she hasn't eaten in years, that's not cute." Kelly replied before Gabby could, both Casey and Dawson narrowing their eyes towards the squad Lieutenant. "What?" He asked, Gabby balling up her napkin and throwing it at him, Kelly batting it away before it hit his face.

"My God, you two act like children." Kidd spoke with a chuckle, Gabby rolling her eyes before returning her attention to her food, Matt placing his warm hand on her back, rubbing in soothing motions up and down over her jacket.

"Speaking of children," Severide spoke up, Matt turning to look at his friend. "I've got my Christmas presents for Sof in my car, wrapped them and everything- Ow!" He groaned, Matt raising his eyebrows in amusement as he saw Kidd punch Severide's leg under the table. "Alright, Jesus, Stella wrapped them."

"They're from both of us." She corrected, Kelly narrowing his eyes.

"One of them is, but the others are from me."

"You guys didn't have to get her anything." Casey cut in, Severide shaking my head.

"Yeah, like that was gonna happen. She's my goddaughter, it's in the job description that I spoil her." He replied, Gabby placing her fork down. "I mean, I know she's still a baby, she doesn't understand the concept or anything, but it'll give me serious brownie points when she's older if she knows how many great gifts she got from Uncle Sev every year."

"You really didn't have to, but thank you Kelly." Gabby replied sincerely, Severide giving her a nod, a soft smile forming over his face. "Thank you both. I'm sure Sof's gonna love whatever you got her."

"You'll have to let me know, if she starts doing that thing where she waves her arms around and starts screaming, I'll know I did well." He responded, Matt chuckling.

"We'll send you a video when we open them, don't worry."

"Good."

"So, I'm betting you guys are excited for Sofia's first Christmas." Herrmann spoke up from the couch, the older man turning around to look at the parents. "I mean, I know she's still young and all, but still."

"Yeah, we are." Casey replied with a bright smile, knowing Gabby couldn't answer as she was eating. "It's crazy that it's already Christmas, and Sofia's already four months old, but we're so excited."

"Is it just gonna be you three tomorrow?"

"We're spending the morning with Gabby's family." Casey answered, Gabby nodding in agreement. "Sofia's staying with Ramon today and tonight, after shift tomorrow we're gonna go over to his place for Christmas with him and Antonio."

"Oh, I bet that'll be fun. I'm sure Sofia loves getting to spend some time with her grandpa."

"She does." Gabby responded after taking a sip of Matt's water. "She loves my dad, and he loves getting one on one time with her… He's so excited to get to be with her on Christmas."

"I bet. It sounds like you all are gonna have a nice day tomorrow. I'm glad we were able to be off on Christmas this year, that way you all will get to be there with little Sofia for her first Christmas." Herrmann replied, earning nods from the parents.

"Yeah, we are too." Casey said, continuing to rub soft patterns along his wife's back. "Thanks Herrmann."

The older firefighter nodded, flashing them both a warm smile before turning back around. It was no secret to anyone in the firehouse how the Casey family had been having a hard time lately. Between that rough call Matt had experienced, and their separate issues with Sofia, everyone at 51 knew things hadn't been easy for the small family as of late. And while there were people in the firehouse who knew more than others, they one thing everyone did know what that the family of three deserved a nice holiday together. After the ups and downs they'd had this year, everyone was just glad to see them ending the year relatively well, and Herrmann did mean what he said; he was thankful that they'd be able to spend Christmas day with their daughter. As a father himself who had to miss many holidays over the years, he knew those were moments you could never get back. And Sofia's first Christmas was something the new parents should never have to miss.

"Oh, speaking of Sofia," Casey spoke up, Gabby looking from Herrmann towards her husband, raising her eyebrows slightly as she waited for him to continue. "Did you see the picture your dad sent?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, Gabby shaking her head as she reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her phone, checking through her messages. "He didn't send me anything."

The second those words left her lips, she regretted them, Gabby looking up to see Matt watching her with a smug look. "Well well well, I guess I've become your dad's favorite." He replied with a proud grin, Gabby rolling her eyes as a few laughs were heard from around the room, their friends still listening in on their conversation.

"Yeah, I'm sure." She responded sarcastically, Matt beginning to poke her side, Gabby instantly shying away from his touch, pushing his hand way as she laughed.

"No need to be jealous babe."

"I'm not jealous." She spoke, Matt raising his eyebrows as he poked her again, Gabby smacking his hand. "Stop it." She warned playfully, Casey biting back a smirk. "And you and I both know my dad's favorite is Sofia, so calm down." She added, Kidd chuckling from across the table, the entire room amused by the banter between the married couple.

"Yeah, that's true… Well, it looks like I'm the second favorite then." He replied, Gabby rolling her eyes before reaching for his phone, picking it up off the table. "But no, he just sent it before you got back." Matt spoke, his voice no longer teasing as Gabby found the photo in his messages, a soft smile forming over her face when she saw her daughter. In the picture, Sofia was lying on her back on her play mat, holding onto one of her toys as she looked at the camera, her curly hair all over the place as she smiled widely.

"God, why is she so perfect?" Gabby asked quietly, Matt smiling as he learned forward, pressing a kiss to her temple.

"I don't know, we just did good I guess." He replied, rubbing along her shoulder. "But you're right, she is perfect." He agreed, their conversation getting cut short by the bells going off, practically everyone in the room sighing as all companies got called out to yet another car accident. As she was getting up, Gabby got as many bites of her food as she could while the other firefighters and paramedics began jogging outside.

Seeing this, Matt hurried towards the counter, grabbing an apple from the bowl before quickly catching up with Gabby as they walked towards the garage. "Here, take this." He told her, holding out the food towards her, Gabby looking up at him. "I know you're still hungry, hopefully that can help hold you over until you get back."

"Thanks baby." She replied, taking the apple from him before he walked through the door, holding it open for her to follow behind him, the two hurrying off towards their rigs, knowing they had a job to do.

* * *

Gabby and Matt both climbed out of her car once they'd parked, Matt waiting until she had shut her door before he locked the vehicle, Casey being mindful of the snow on the ground as he moved to join her on the sidewalk. They had just finished their shift at 51, the couple having made sure to take her car to work yesterday instead of Matt's truck like they usually did, knowing they'd need a way to get Sofia home after her night spent with Gabby's father. Blowing out a breath, Matt's glove covered hand reached for Gabby's before they began their trek towards Ramon's front door, both of them eager to see their baby, and get to enjoying their Christmas as a family.

"Thank you for driving." She murmured, leaning into her husband's side as they walked.

"It's no problem." He replied, knowing how tired his wife was.

It had been a busy shift all around for the men and women of 51, but ambulance 61 especially had been worked hard, the three paramedics having been away from the house more than they were there, and Matt knew Gabby was completely exhausted. Even though she was trying to hide it, he could tell she was really the effects of the long shift they'd had, and he was sure that after they finished the holiday festivities with her dad, that a Christmas Day nap was surely in their future.

"So, how do you think Sof did?" Matt asked as they neared Ramon's place, Gabby smiling softly as she clung to his side. Although Ramon had spent a lot of time with his granddaughter, this was the first time Sofia had spent the night with him. But considering they hadn't got any panicked phone calls or texts, they both figured things had gone relatively well.

"I bet she had a lot of fun… Well, as much fun as a four month old can have." Gabby responded, Matt nodding as they climbed the stairs to his apartment, Matt ringing the bell.

Within a few moments the door was opened, Gabby and Matt being greeted by the sight of Ramon and their little girl, Sofia resting against his chest.

"There's my baby." Gabby spoke with a wide smile, Sofia perking up at the sound of her mother's voice, the young girl started to struggle against Ramon's grip, clearly wanting her mom. "Come here, Sof." She cooed, Ramon carefully handing Sofia over as Gabby stepped inside, not wanting to take her girl out into the cold. "Thanks for watching her, Papa. Merry Christmas." Gabby said, stopping to greet him with a kiss on the cheek, Ramon smiling as Gabby walked further inside, giving Matt room to enter.

"Of course, she was an absolute angel." He spoke, shaking Matt's hand before closing the front door, shutting them inside the warmth of his apartment. "And Merry Christmas to you both, as well."

"Of course you were." Gabby murmured as she cradled Sofia to her chest, pressing soft kisses to her daughter's head, Sofia thoroughly enjoying the attention she was getting from her mom.

"How'd she do?" Matt asked, Ramon smiling brightly as he watched his daughter interact with her daughter.

"She ate twice during the night, finished the bottle both times. I'll say, it's been a long time since I've done this, but she did great. Slept like a champ."

"We really appreciate you watching her, Ramon." Matt told him, his father in-law clasping him on the shoulder as they walked towards the living room.

"Oh, it was no problem. I loved getting to see her. She didn't have any trouble eating, either." Ramon added, knowing how his daughter had mentioned to him that Sofia might struggle taking the bottle at first.

Both Matt and Gabby smiled at her father's words, glad to see the strides they were taking to get Sofia back on track with bottle feeding seemed to be paying off. Since their conversation at the firehouse last week, they had started Sofia back on her routine of only being breastfed by Gabby during the night, and first thing in the morning. As expected, Sofia resisted at first, but both Matt and Gabby did everything they could to help her feel just as content with the bottle as she did when feeding from Gabby, and soon enough she had adjusted. She still had her moments, but for the most part she did just fine, and both parents were so proud of her.

"It sounds like you were such a good girl, baby." Gabby spoke to her daughter, rubbing along her back as Sofia gripped her jacket, the young girl completely content in the security of her mom's embrace.

"She was." Ramon replied, the small family walking into the living room, Gabby handing over Sofia to her husband, knowing Matt wanted some time with their daughter as well, Sofia immediately curling into her dad's chest, clinging to him as she did with Gabby. "Did work go okay?"

"It was fine… Is Antonio here already?" Gabby asked when she heard noise coming from the kitchen, Matt having placed himself down on the couch, bouncing Sofia up and down in his lap.

"He is… But he's not the only one." Ramon spoke with a bright smile, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she looked towards the kitchen.

"Is someone else joining us?" She asked, Ramon nodding.

"Come on out." He prompted, confusion covering Gabby's face as she tried to think of who could possibly be joining them on Christmas. But the person who appeared in the doorway was one of the last she expected, Gabby's lips parting in shock as tears began to fill her eyes.

"Mama…" She breathed out, Camila smiling wide as she stepped towards her daughter.

"My Gabriela." She murmured, Gabby hurrying into her mother's arms, burying herself in her mother's embrace as they stood in the living room, Gabby barely registering Antonio coming out of the kitchen as well. "It's so good to see you, sweetheart."

"What are you doing here? I didn't know you were coming for Christmas." She spoke, still slightly stunned by her mother's presence. While her and her mom talked often, they hadn't seen each other in a long time; not since before Gabby left to go to Puerto Rico. Ever since her parents divorce, things between Ramon and Camila hadn't been great. In fact, she wasn't sure if they'd even had a real conversation since everything was finalized. So to have her here now was definitely a shock. Camila had planned to come for Sofia's birth, but she'd gotten sick and had to postpone. Then their plans after hadn't worked out, Camila having only seen her daughter and granddaughter through Facetime calls and photos. But to have her here now was completely unexpected, although Gabby was beyond grateful to have her entire family here.

"Well, I wasn't planning to at first." Camila replied as they pulled back, stroking her hand along the side of her daughter's head. "But sweet Matthew here, he thought it might be a good idea for me to come and be here for Sofia's first Christmas." She spoke, Gabby's wide eyes glancing back towards her husband, finding Matt watching her with a soft grin.

"Merry Christmas, baby." He replied, Gabby's eyes falling closed for a second as a content smile covered her face.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt giving her a nod before she returned her attention to her mom, knowing she'd have to thank him properly later. "I'm so happy you're here, that you'll get to spend time with Sofia… This is amazing." She breathed out, still not having entirely processed what was happening.

"Me too, Gabriela… Sofia, she's such a beautiful little baby. She's incredible, you and Matthew have such a wonderful little girl." She spoke softly, Gabby blinking back the tears in her eyes as she nodded, bringing her mom in for another hug, not wanting to take a moment of this for granted.

Their Christmas morning continued on happily, the Dawsons and Caseys having enjoyed a peaceful breakfast, all of them just happy to be spending the holiday together for the first time in years. Sofia had been passed around between everyone throughout the morning, all of the Dawson's wanting a chance to hold the newest addition to their family, the baby doing pretty well as the only unfamiliar presence was Camila, but she warmed up to her rather quickly.

Gabby was sitting in the living room, watching from afar as her mom and dad were sitting with Sofia on the floor as she played, Antonio having just left to go spend some time with his kids. Her attention was pulled from her parents and her baby as she heard Matt walk back into the living room, Gabby looking towards him just as he was sliding his phone back into his pocket.

"How's your mom?" She asked, knowing he'd been on the phone with Nancy for the last fifteen minutes, Matt having left the room to take it so he wouldn't disturb anyone.

"She's doing good, they're having a pretty quiet Christmas I guess, but she said everything's going well." He answered with a soft smile, Matt sitting down next to her on the couch, his gaze moving towards Sofia. "She said we have some presents coming our way… I'm not sure what those will be, but I'd guess they're mostly for Sofia." He spoke with a laugh, Gabby nodding as she glanced towards him, Matt oblivious to her stares. "...Your parents absolutely adore her." He spoke quietly, watching on as both Ramon and Camila played with Sofia while she laid on her back, all three of them caught up in their activity as they sat underneath the window by the Christmas tree.

"Thank you for doing this." Gabby murmured, Matt glancing towards her, finding her eyes already on him. "For getting my mom here… That's honestly the best Christmas present you ever could've gotten me. Thank you." She added, rubbing her hand along his back, Matt smiling softly as he squeezed her leg.

"Well, that's definitely not your only Christmas present, but you're welcome, baby." He replied just as quietly, pressing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I really didn't do anything, I just had the idea, and then I brought it up to them… I'm just glad she was able to get here, and that you didn't find out."

"Oh, I had no idea." She replied with a laugh, Matt smiling gently. "You definitely surprised me."

"Good." He spoke quickly, Gabby sliding her arm through his, leaning into his side as they both watched her parents play with their daughter.

"I'm a little surprised they're not killing each other right now, if I'm being honest." Gabby said after a few moments, Matt shaking his head slightly.

"I think they're doing well, all things considered…" He replied, knowing how terribly things ended between Gabby's parents. "And they both know how important this is to you, for them both to be here. You're their daughter, no matter what's going on with them, they'd put everything aside for you." He replied quietly, feeling her press her cheek against the side of his arm. "And plus there's no way anyone could be mad around Sofia… No matter what's going on, she just makes everything better." He added, Gabby smiling softly as she nodded.

"Yeah… she does." She practically whispered, her tongue darting out to wet her lips as she lifted her head, Gabby staring at the side of his face. If he noticed her watching him, he didn't acknowledge it, Matt focused on his baby as he watched little Sofia with a content smile on his face, Gabby's entire chest filling with warmth, her smile soon matching his. "...Hey Matt?" She asked, Matt glancing towards her, his eyebrows raised slightly.

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to have another baby?"

Matt's eyes widened the second those words left her lips, his grin nearly covering his entire face as she saw an excited gleam in his eye, Gabby biting on her bottom lip as she fought back her smile.

"I mean, not right now… Well, I don't think. At least not this second. But sometime soon… If you want." She rambled nervously, Matt still smiling at her, unable to wipe the goofy grin from his face. "I know you mentioned something about it after Sofia was born, but we haven't had an actual conversation, I wasn't sure what you were thinking… I know there's things we need to figure out. I have no idea what my options are, or what would be the safest way to have another baby, but I guess first I just need to know that's something you'd want…"

She had to force herself to stop talking, Matt having yet to say a word, Gabby's eyes searching his face as he stared at her. The bright grin he wore never faltered, Matt chuckling softly before he leaned forward, capturing her lips in a heavy kiss. She immediately kissed him back, her hand gripping his arm tightly.

"So… is that a yes?" She asked once they pulled back, Gabby smiling as Matt shook his head in amusement.

"Absolutely. Yes, of course I do." He replied happily, rubbing his palm over her leg. "Of course I want more kids with you, I'll take as many babies as you'll give me."

"Yeah, that's kind of what I thought." She responded lightly, Matt smiling before he kissed her again, Gabby moving her hand up to cradle the side of his face, stroking her thumb over his cheek as they pulled back. "...I know Sofia's young, and there's no rush for us to do this right now. But I would like to at least go see Dr. Tanner, hopefully sometime soon after Christmas, so we can at least know what our options are."

"Yeah, we should. Let's call and make an appointment, as soon as we can." He spoke excitedly, Gabby nodding softly as Matt looked back towards Sofia, the smile never leaving his face. "Man, just picturing having another one of her… I really am the luckiest guy in the world." He breathed out, Gabby blinking quickly as he glanced back to her. "I love you so much. Thank you, for everything… I love you and I love Sof, more than anything."

"I love you, too." She murmured, Matt grinning before the two connected for one last kiss, both of them overwhelmed with joy at the thought of expanding their family, neither of them able to wipe the smiles off their faces for the rest of the day.


	74. Chapter Seventy Four

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you all like it. Sorry about not having an update for you on Thursday, I didn't have much time this past week, but I hope you all like this one. I really enjoyed writing it.**

**I really hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and a great holiday, thank you so much for all the kind wishes and words you all left me on the last one, you all are seriously the best. I'm so excited to hear what you all think about this chapter, hopefully you like it! Happy reading!**

**Also, I am gonna try my hardest to get an update of If We Never Say Goodbye done this week. I know a lot of you are waiting on it, I'm sorry it's taking so long, I'm gonna try and get that posted soon!**

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_**Chapter Seventy Four**_

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A soft smile formed over Casey's face as he watched his wife and daughter, Gabby sitting in the chair beside him as she gently bounced Sofia in her lap, the baby clearly excited by the movement as happy noises left her lips. Gabby had her hand placed precisely over Sofia's chest, keeping her daughter in place as she played with her, trying to keep her daughter occupied while they sat in the waiting room.

Gabby was so caught up in playing with their daughter, she didn't even notice her husband's stares, Matt unable to pull his attention from the two most important people in his life as Sofia held onto her mother's free hand tightly, Gabby's index finger clasped in her fist.

"You're being such a good girl, Sofia." Gabby murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as she rubbed her hand across her baby's chest, the four and a half month old swinging her arms around as she completely captivated her mother's attention.

As his gaze moved from his baby up to his wife, his eyes stopped when the jewelry around her neck that caught in the light, his smile growing when he saw her wearing the necklace he'd given to her a couple of weeks ago.

On top of his biggest Christmas surprise to Gabby of her mom coming to visit, he had also gotten her a few other things, including the 'S' pendant currently resting against her neck. He wasn't sure how she'd like it, Matt knowing Gabby wasn't the biggest fan of wearing jewelry, but when she'd opened the necklace, and saw an 'S' stamped into the small silver circle, Matt knew he'd done a good job when she started tearing up. It wasn't that he wanted her to cry, but the fact that his gift for her, something that represented their daughter, brought tears to her eyes, he knew it meant a lot to her. And the fact that she had barely taken it off also showed him how much she loved it, Matt feeling his heart swell in his chest every time he caught a glimpse of the necklace resting against her skin.

But that wasn't the only present he'd given her, Matt having gotten her a few other little things, like a new phone case, Gabby's old one scuffed and broken from how many times Sofia had inadvertently either dropped it herself or caused Gabby to drop it, as well as a few printed out pictures of the three of them, Matt figuring she could use a few new ones for her locker at the firehouse. Most of the other things he'd gotten her were more everyday necessity type things, like things he knew she needed for how often she was breastfeeding, and a few different types of bath salts and soaps for her to try out, along with a gift certificate for her to go get an actual massage, all of which Matt knew she appreciated just as much. But his favorite gift for her, aside from the necklace, wasn't so much a gift for her as it was a gift for them, Matt having gone out and gotten her some new lingerie. It wasn't anything too crazy, it was just a simple two piece set, something he knew she'd be comfortable in, and something he knew he'd thoroughly enjoy taking off of her, and the look on her face when she'd opened it late in the afternoon on Christmas Day gave him all the assurance he needed that she liked the gift just as much. And even though they hadn't found the time to use that Christmas gift just yet, they were both looking forward to it.

"Sof, I don't think Daddy's paying attention."

Gabby's voice pulled him from his thoughts, Matt's eyes moving from her necklace up towards her face, seeing an amused expression covering her features, a sheepish grin forming across his lips as he glanced back and forth between his wife and his daughter.

"Sorry, what were you saying?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head as she continued bouncing Sofia in her lap.

"Sofia was trying to get your attention." She responded, Matt looking down to see Sofia wiggling around in her mom's lap, the little girl clearly having just noticed her father sitting beside her, eagerly wanting to be in his arms.

"Oh, I'm sorry Sof, come here baby." He replied, reaching out for his daughter, Sofia giggling as she was brought into her dad's arms, Matt holding her chest against his, her small hands resting on his cheeks. Matt began puffing them out, Sofia continuing to laugh as he filled his mouth with air and then released it, the baby clearly amused by his cheeks moving in and out, her little palms smacking against his face excitedly.

"Where'd you go?" Gabby asked, Matt stopping his game with Sofia to look towards his wife, his eyebrows raised as the little baby in his grasp continued smacking his face.

"Hmm?"

"Just now, you seemed far away… You alright?" She elaborated, Matt immediately giving her a nod, not wanting her to worry.

"Oh yeah, I'm fine." He responded, seeing Gabby raise her eyebrows, clearly waiting for more of an explanation. "I was, uh, thinking about Christmas… one of the gifts I got you in particular." He elaborated, keeping his voice low, Gabby's cheeks instantly filling with warmth as she glanced around the near empty waiting room, Dawson shaking her head slightly.

"Behave, Matt." She murmured, earning a chuckle from her husband as he patted Sofia's back.

"You asked… And I didn't say which present I was thinking about, you're the one with the dirty mind Mrs. Casey." He teased her, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she stared ahead, her gaze focusing out the large windows, watching the snow fall down around Chicago.

"Mhmm, I'm sure." She responded with a chuckle, rubbing her hand along the back of Sofia's head, the young girl pausing her smacks to her father's face when she felt her mom's hand, Sofia turning to look at her and flashing her a wide smile. "Yeah, there's my girl. Hi baby." She cooed, Sofia continuing to smack Matt's face excitedly, her hands getting more lethal, Casey having to pull his face away as the movement earned another laugh from his wife.

"Easy there Sof, let's not hurt Daddy." Matt spoke, Sofia giggling, loving having the attention of both of her parents. Casey couldn't help but smile when he saw the look of pure joy on his daughter's face, their little girl happy as she always was, even though she had no idea what was being said to her.

"It's kinda crazy to think about even having another one…" Gabby spoke up after a few seconds, Matt glancing towards her. "I mean, I know that's why we're here, but it's just… Somehow I can imagine us having more kids, but at the same time I can't imagine it being anyone other than just the three of us." She breathed out, shaking her head slightly. "I don't even know if that makes sense."

"It does." Casey was quick to assure her, Gabby looking up from their daughter, meeting her husband's eyes. "I know exactly what you mean… Of course I want more kids, that hasn't changed, but it is weird to think about." He replied, Gabby running her tongue over her bottom lip, nodding slowly as she looked back to their daughter, reaching out to grab her small hand. "I can't imagine loving someone else as much as I love her. I mean, obviously I would, but it seems impossible… And it's kind of nice, it being just the three of us right now." He continued carefully, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly, Matt unsure of what she was going to say.

"Do you think..." She cut herself off to clear her throat, Matt listening closely, waiting for her to continue. "Do we think maybe we should-"

"Gabby."

Both of them looked over to see Amanda standing in the now open doorway, a soft smile resting over her face as she looked at the family of three.

"We're ready for you, if you wanna come on back." She prompted, Gabby and Matt both nodding as they began gathering their things, knowing the rest of their conversation would have to wait.

Matt held onto Sofia tightly in his grip, picking up the diaper bag as well before he stood up, Gabby grabbing all their coats and winter gear before they followed Amanda into the doctor's office.

"We can go ahead and stop by the room first, let you drop that stuff off then we'll come back and get your weight." She spoke softly, Gabby nodding in response as they walked down the familiar hallway, stopping at the exam room Gabby had been in dozens of times, Amanda opening the door for them.

Casey walked in first, Sofia's eyes wide as she looked around the new environment, Matt sitting down in one of the chairs beside the table, adjusting Sofia in his lap while Gabby placed their coats in the seat beside him.

"I'll be right back." She told him, Matt giving her a nod before refocusing his attention on Sofia, Gabby slipping back out into the hallway with Amanda.

While she was gone, Matt got Sofia comfortable in his lap, the little girl not content until she was sitting facing forward, her back pressed up against his stomach, her body resting in his lap as he kept a secure hand on her chest.

It took only moments before Gabby and Amanda were both back, Sofia wiggling around happily when she saw her mom, Gabby stopping to press a kiss to the top of her head before she climbed onto the table.

"Alright Gabby, I'm sure you remember the drill with all this." Amanda spoke lightly, Gabby nodding with a grin as the nurse began taking her vitals, Sofia watching on in wonder. "She's gotten so big." She mused, occasionally glancing to the baby while she checked Gabby's heart rate.

"I know, she's growing up so fast." Gabby responded, her eyes locked on her baby.

Amanda was right, Sofia definitely had gotten bigger than the last time anyone here would've seen her, but the girl was still incredible small for her age. For as chubby of a baby as Matt had been, Sofia definitely took after her mother, the young girl a little smaller than a normal four and a half month old. But at each of Sofia's check ups, her doctor raved about how well she was doing, so neither of the parents were concerned really. They were told from early on that they'd be having a small baby, so Sofia's stature wasn't too much of a shock to them.

"Alright Gabby, everything with you is looking good. Dr. Tanner should be in here in a few minutes, so you all just sit back and relax." She instructed, typing a few things into Gabby's chart before pushing the stand over towards the wall, Gabby giving her a small smile.

"Thanks Amanda."

"Of course. It was so good to see you all again." She spoke sweetly, Matt and Gabby both flashing her appreciative smiles, Matt nodding in agreement as she headed for the door.

"You too." He responded, Amanda giving them a slight wave before exiting the room, closing the door behind her.

The couple found themselves in a comfortable quiet, Gabby resting back on the inclined table, her hands placed over her stomach as Matt focused his attention on Sofia, trying to keep her occupied. While he was playing with Sofia, Matt would occasionally spares glances towards his wife, seeing her chest rise and fall steadily as she laid back with her eyes closed. He had wanted to maybe continue the conversation they had started out in the waiting room, Matt desperately wanting to know what she was about to say, but he figured now wasn't the best time, considering he wasn't even sure if Gabby was still awake or not. But it was something he wanted to talk to her about soon, something that he'd been thinking about ever since she asked him on Christmas if he wanted more kids, and that was over two weeks ago. He knew it was something they needed to talk about in more detail, and there were questions they needed answers to, which is exactly why they were here, but this wasn't something that could just easily be decided in one conversation, and he was sure they both understood that.

"I wonder what all she has to say." Gabby spoke up after nearly ten minutes of quiet, Matt raising his head, a little surprised to be hearing her voice. He watched her open her eyes, her head turning towards him as she flashed him a gentle smile. "I hope it's good news… Although I'm not even sure what good news would be."

"Good news would be your aneurysm not being an issue anymore." Matt responded softly, Gabby nodding in agreement. "...If you even still have aneurysm. Honestly, I don't know much about this." He admitted. "Since yours ruptured, I don't know if it's even still there, or if it's gone now… Or if it is gone, if another one could form, I have no idea."

"Yeah, I don't either." She responded, Matt nodding slowly. "I mean, I knew about my aneurysm, but I don't know much about them in general. But hopefully Dr. Tanner knows a little more about it than we do." She spoke with a grin, Matt chuckling as he gave her another nod.

"Man, I sure hope she does." He replied jokingly, Gabby's smile widening just as the door opened, both parents turning towards the sound.

"Well, hello there Caseys." Dr. Tanner greeted with a bright smile, Gabby and Matt mirroring her look as Dawson pushed herself up, the doctor walking further into the room. "And there's the little angel, oh my goodness look at her." Dr. Tanner spoke lightly, squatting down in front of Sofia, rubbing over her chest. "Hello little girl, yes you are absolutely precious, aren't you?" She continued, Sofia nearly screaming with joy at the attention, even though she had no idea who this woman was. "She looks like she's doing well." She finished, her words obviously directed towards the parents as Sofia grabbed her hand, clearly intrigued by the woman who had given her so much attention.

"She is, she's doing really great." Gabby spoke, earning a bright smile from her doctor.

"That's amazing to hear, I'm so glad." She responded, tapping against the back of Sofia's hand before standing back up, Matt quickly distracting Sofia so she didn't get upset at Dr. Tanner walking away. "And how are you doing, Gabby? It's been awhile since I've seen you, are you still feeling okay?"

"I am, I'm feeling great. Everything's going well lately. I'm back at work, Matt and I both are. It was a rough adjustment for all three of us, but I've been back for about a month, and I think we've all pretty much got a handle on it." She explained, Dr. Tanner nodding understandingly as she sat down on the stool, sliding closer to her patient. "It took some time, but we had a lot of help getting through it. We found a great nanny for Sof, her name's Becca, she's absolutely incredible. She's helped us out so much… But yeah, all three of us are doing well. I think we've finally found a good rhythm with everything… We're just taking things a day at a time." She finished, Dr. Tanner listening intently.

"Well, that's pretty much all you can do with a baby." She replied knowingly. "But that's wonderful to hear, I'm so glad things are going well… I do have to admit, though, I was a little surprised to see your name come up on my schedule, although I am excited to see you all." Dr. Tanner prompted, wanting to hear from Gabby what exactly brought them here, even though she already knew.

"Yeah, we um… Matt and I have been talking about the idea of having more kids." She started, Dr. Tanner giving little in the form of a reaction, "so we really just wanted to come and see what all was going on with me. I mean, I know before we said this would probably be my only pregnancy, but that was before the aneurysm ruptured, so I wasn't sure if that changed anything… Really we're just here because we want to know what our options are." She rambled, Dr. Tanner smiling warmly at her before nodding, beginning to tap away on the tablet in her hands.

"That's understandable. When I heard what you were wanting to come in for, I had the same questions as you, in regards to your aneurysm. Because the thing is, until we get a look inside, it's impossible to tell, which is why I had you go and get those scans done last week before you came here." She started, Gabby and Matt both listening intently. "Every single aneurysm is different. In your case, as you know, yours ruptured. I was able to get your artery sutured, and everything was fine. Now, obviously, since your aneurysm ruptured, it's not there anymore. But I still wasn't sure what damage had been left behind because of it, which, again, is why I had you do those scans. Because even though the aneurysm may be gone, that doesn't always mean everything healed properly, and that there might be some residual problems from it rupturing… But I am happy to report that, from what I can see, everything on your scans came back clear." She spoke, seeing a cautious look of optimism cover Gabby's face, while Matt still seemed hesitant. "I didn't see any cause for concern on any of your images, your right iliac artery looked good, which was clearly my main area of concern. But everything looked great, as far as the effects of your aneurysm are concerned. You're completely healthy, Gabby."

Gabby blew out a relieved breath, sparing a quick glance to Matt who flashed her a supportive smile, unable to reach out to her as he was keeping Sofia balanced in his lap.

"That's fantastic, baby." He spoke with a bright grin, Gabby nodding, her smile matching his as she looked back to Dr. Tanner.

"So I'm okay? There's nothing to be concerned about?"

"As of now, no." Dr. Tanner replied, Matt's eyebrows furrowing at her choice of words. But it didn't seem to phase Gabby.

"And, um… it would be okay for me to get pregnant again?" She asked hesitantly, Matt rubbing his hand along Sofia's stomach, the little girl oblivious to the seriousness of the conversation around her.

"Technically, yes. It would be." She answered, Matt's confused look never lifting.

"What do you mean technically?" Casey asked quickly, Dr. Tanner's gaze flashing towards him, both Matt and Gabby waiting for her answer.

"I mean what I said, that technically it is okay for Gabby to get pregnant. There's nothing from a medical standpoint that would have me caution you against it. But, with that being said, we'd need to be careful." She began to explain, neither of the parents completely sure of what she meant. Sensing their confusion, Dr. Tanner placed the tablet down in her lap, knowing she'd need to backtrack a little bit. "Gabby, your scans came back clear. Everything looked great, I saw no signs of any residual damage from your aneurysm, I didn't see anything that would make another pregnancy be a high-risk one, but if, or when, you were to get pregnant again, we would need to keep a close eye on you."

"Why?"

"Because once you have one aneurysm, you're predisposed for more." She responded, Gabby pursing her lips together before she nodded slowly, the paramedic glancing towards her husband, his face unreadable. "So even though everything's clear right now, there's no way for me to guarantee it would stay that way throughout a full term pregnancy. With all the pressure on your system during pregnancy, and all the extra blood flowing through your body, there's no way to know if one will form. That's the only issue here, is that there's no way to know unless it happens."

"But she could also be fine, right?" Matt searched for some clarification, Dr. Tanner giving him an immediate nod.

"Yes, absolutely. This is in no way like what you went through during your pregnancy with Sofia, I want you to understand that." She replied firmly, worrying that she'd unintentionally alarmed them. "You getting pregnant is in no way a guarantee that you'd have another aneurysm, Gabby. In fact the chances are very small. I'm just telling you it's a possibility. It would be something we'd have to watch out for, which we would, but this isn't me saying you'd automatically have one. I'm sorry, I should've done a better job of explaining that."

"No, you're fine." Gabby responded, sparing a quick glance to Matt. "I think we both just get a little on edge whenever we hear anything about an aneurysm."

"That's completely understandable." Dr. Tanner replied, flashing them both a sympathetic smile. "It was your reality for a very long time, but you don't have an aneurysm right now, it's not something you need to worry about unless it happens, which there's a good chance it wouldn't. Yes, you having a previous aneurysm predisposes you for more, but that doesn't automatically mean you'll have one. I'm not trying to scare you, or talk you out of getting pregnant, just as your doctor, I have to tell you these things." She added, earning a nod from Gabby.

"I'm glad you told us, that's why we're here. We want to know if this is something I could do or not." Gabby responded softly, glancing towards her baby. "My pregnancy with Sofia… It was one of the hardest things I'd ever experienced in my life. And not just from everything that happened during it, although none of that was easy, but from a mental standpoint… I tried to enjoy it as much as I could, but there was always that thought in the back of my mind that this could kill me." She breathed out, gnawing on her bottom lip. "I'd do it all again, I'd do it in a heartbeat for her, but through my entire pregnancy me and Matt just assumed that was my only chance to be pregnant, for me to carry our children. So, whether the answer's good or bad, I just wanna know if you realistically think it's an option for us. Because we want more kids, at some point, and if I can't, or shouldn't, carry them, I want to know." She finished, Dr. Tanner's face softening as she looked between the parents.

Dr. Tanner could tell how badly they wanted this, how badly they wanted to be able to have more children, the hopeful looks on their faces giving them away as they sat across from her. And she wanted that for them. After seeing up close how emotionally and mentally jarring their pregnancy with Sofia had been on the couple, she wanted them to be able to experience a pregnancy that didn't have so many ups and downs, that wasn't a life or death situation. And while all pregnancies are different, and there's no such thing as a 'normal' pregnancy, she knew their one with Sofia had definitely thrown a fair share of challenges at them. They went through so much before their little girl actually got here, and while the doctor knew they'd both do it again for Sofia, she didn't want them to ever have to experience anything like that again.

But she had to give them all the information. She wouldn't sugar coat anything, and she wouldn't over exaggerate either. She would give them all the facts, and do whatever she could to help them come to a decision.

"I think it would be perfectly fine for you to get pregnant again, Gabby. If that's what you two decide." She answered, Gabby's entire body relaxing as she glanced to Matt, her husband flashing her a supportive smile. "Everything I'm seeing right now, there is no reason you can't have a perfectly healthy and safe pregnancy… Of course, I'd want to keep a close eye on you, but it would be nothing like what we did with your first pregnancy, not unless the situation warrants it. But from all your scans and the ultrasound images, you're looking great, Gabby." She spoke, Dawson's smile widening. "Your artery looks great, I don't really see any issues there at all. You've healed incredibly well." She added, seeing Gabby release a relieved breath, Matt cradling Sofia to his chest with one hand, reaching his other out to rest on his wife's knee, giving her a supportive squeeze.

"With everything I'm seeing here, although I do want to do my own ultrasound today, there's no reason you couldn't have a perfectly healthy pregnancy, if you all choose to have Gabby carry your child. We'd be careful, we'd keep an eye on you, and if a problem does arise we'd go from there. That kind of is the issue in these situations, is that we don't really know if there's a problem until it happens. But, again, that's only me telling you that it's a possibility. I want you two to have all the information."

"We do, too." Gabby replied, Matt nodding in response.

"So if she were to get another aneurysm, would it be the same sort of situation like we had with Sofia? Would it risk her life?" Casey asked, Gabby quickly turning to look at Dr. Tanner, wanting to see her reaction.

"There's no way to know." She responded, grimacing slightly. "Aneurysms are unpredictable, as you two have found out. If she were to get one, it could be dangerous, but it could also be nothing. The concern with Gabby's aneurysm was the location, that's why it was so dangerous, because of the amount of pressure that gets put on that part of the body during pregnancy. But _if_ she were to get another one, that doesn't automatically mean it's life threatening, or even dangerous. That's why I don't see an issue with you getting pregnant again, because the chances of you getting another aneurysm in that exact spot are very slim. Of course, it could happen, but it's a very, very small chance." She told them, earning nods from both of the parents. "But, there is still a chance, so that's something you might want to take into consideration. It's up to you two, at this point. Because, from what I'm seeing, I believe you could have a very healthy pregnancy, Gabby. If you two decide to do this, that you want to get pregnant, I'd be there every step of the way to help guide you through it in any way that I can." She told them, even though she was sure it went without saying. "And if you decide you don't want to take the risk, even though the risk is very small, and where we stand right now, there really is no risk, but if you decide you'd rather not chance anything, then I can help you go from there, as well. We can figure out what route you all would want to take, and I can send you to people I trust, who I know would be able to help you. It's just whatever you two decide." Dr. Tanner finished, taking a deep breath.

She knew she threw a lot at them, but both of them seemed to be digesting the information well, neither of them looking too uneasy or concerned, which is what she wanted. She just wanted them to have all the facts, and then come to an informed decision from there.

"Do you guys have any questions?" Dr. Tanner prompted after a few minutes, wanting to give them some time before speaking up again.

"Um, I don't really know. I'm sure I do, but I can't really think of anything right now." Gabby spoke, Dr. Tanner nodding understandingly.

"Of course. This isn't a decision you need to make today…"

"Yeah, no it's definitely something we need to talk about." Matt spoke up, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"I know it is. And you two have my numbers if you do have any questions, but there is one thing I do want to talk to you about before we move on…" She started, Gabby's ears perking up slightly.

"Is everything okay?" Casey questioned before his wife could. In the year they'd known Dr. Tanner, Matt knew whenever she said those words, they usually weren't followed by good news, and that thought had his body tensing slightly.

"Everything's fine, like I said, Gabby's perfectly healthy, everything's looking great." She assured them, flashing them a comforting smile before continuing. "But, if you do decide to get pregnant, I would advise waiting a few more months before trying again." She told them, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly. "There's nothing wrong with Gabby, I promise." She was quick to clarify, knowing Matt usually assumed the worst, Dr. Tanner turning her attention back to Gabby. "But your body went through a lot of trauma, both during your pregnancy and then during your delivery, and it's only been four and a half months since you began healing. Pregnancy is hard on the body regardless, but after everything you've gone through, I'd feel more comfortable if you waited for at least a few more months." Dr. Tanner finished, Gabby and Matt both nodding.

"I get that, and, I mean, we just started really talking about it." Gabby started, glancing towards her husband, "I don't think we're wanting to try right this second, we just wanted to know what the options were." She explained, Dr. Tanner giving her a nod.

"I definitely understand that. And if it happens, it would be fine, I don't want you to worry. As I said, medically you're alright, but it would just be easier on you if you were to wait a little bit." She responded, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "Alright, well unless you have any more questions, I wanna go ahead and do a quick ultrasound, just let me look at a few things, then you all are free to go." She instructed, Gabby nodding as she began to get ready for the ultrasound, Dr. Tanner preparing the machine as Matt focused on keeping Sofia occupied, even though the little girl was more intrigued by what was happening to her mom than she was with the toy in Matt's hand.

The scan went by quickly enough, Gabby paying more attention to Sofia than she was the images, knowing she wouldn't be able to tell much of what she was looking at anyway, and within twenty minutes, they were done.

"Well, as I suspected, everything with you is looking great." Dr. Tanner spoke as she wiped the gel off of Gabby's flat stomach, beginning to put everything back in its place as Gabby adjusted her clothes. "You all are free to go, as long as you don't have any more questions." She prompted, earning head shakes from both the parents, Matt holding the pacifier up to Sofia's mouth while she sucked on it, the little girl having been distracted by that for the past five minutes or so, Sofia beginning to get a little restless. "Alright, well, whenever you all have figured out what you'd like to do, come see me and we'll go from there. It was great to see you all again, especially little Sofia here." She spoke, sliding over to wave goodbye to the baby, Sofia beginning to laugh behind the pacifier, the object falling down into Matt's hand. "I'm glad you all are doing well."

"Thank you." Gabby murmured, Dr. Tanner playing with Sofia for a few more moments before standing up, the little girl beginning to fuss immediately.

"Oh come on now, Sof, she's gotta get back to work." Matt spoke, Sofia wiggling around in her father's lap, not liking being constrained as the nice lady who'd been playing with her began to walk away. Dr. Tanner chuckled softly as she watched Matt try and distract his daughter, the girl soon captivated by the toy Matt held in front of her face, Sofia waving her hands around before she started grabbing for it, the baby completely forgetting that she'd just been upset seconds prior.

With one last goodbye, Dr. Tanner left the family alone in the room, Gabby hopping down off the table as Matt stayed in place. It took them a few minutes, but they managed to get all three of them dressed in their winter clothes, knowing it was necessary with the cold and snow outside, even though Sofia put up quite the fight when she had the be put down to be zipped into the onesie-like puffy coat. It was a thick, fluffy onesie that covered her entire body, aside from her face, that Sofia loved once she was in, but she always resisted being put into it, as she did with most clothes. But soon enough, they were all bundled up, ready to brace the winter weather.

They said their goodbyes to everyone as they left the office, practically every worker in Dr. Tanner's practice knowing who they were, Gabby cradling Sofia to her chest as Matt led her to the elevator.

They had been walking in almost complete silence, Gabby sparing quick glances to her husband as they rode down to the first floor, Matt oblivious to her stares as he focused straight ahead, Sofia's diaper bag slung over his shoulder. When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, Matt looked towards Gabby, nodding at her to go ahead of him as they walked out, maneuvering around the few people standing there waiting to get upstairs.

"So, how are you feeling about all this?" He spoke up as they walked outside, snow immediately hitting them as they got onto the pavement.

The second Sofia registered the snow around her, the baby emitted a loud squeal of delight, Sofia flailing her arms around in excitement, both Gabby and Matt knowing how much their daughter loved the snow. They knew she still didn't even understand what it is, but that didn't matter; whenever Sofia saw it, she was happy. And both parents found it a little amusing.

"Yeah baby, it's snowing." Gabby murmured, Sofia's excitement never diminishing as they continued down the sidewalk towards the parking garage. "And, um, well I guess I'm glad to know everything's okay with me."

"That makes me feel so much better." Matt breathed out, Gabby glancing towards him with a soft smile. "I mean, I knew you'd been okay since having Sofia, but still, I didn't know what the aneurysm rupturing meant for you long term. I'm just glad it's gone."

"So am I." She agreed, Matt bringing his free hand to wrap around her back, keeping her and their baby close to him as they walked through the crowds of people out in Chicago. "I guess I'm a little worried that I might get another one eventually, but even with that, I don't know, she said there was a good chance nothing would happen. I know whenever we start trying to figure this out, it'll be something to take into consideration, but at least I'm fine right now."

"That's what's important." He replied, rubbing along her back gently. "But, uh-..." Matt cleared his throat, Gabby glancing to him. "What were you gonna say before we got called back there?"

"Hmm?"

"You started to say something, we were talking about another baby, and how we were feeling about it, and you were about to say something before Amanda came out." He elaborated, Gabby pursing her lips together before she nodded, focusing her gaze forward as realization flooded her system.

"Yeah, uh… I was. It was about all this, about us having another baby." She started, Matt waiting for her to her continue. "And I do want that, I want to have more kids with you, I absolutely do… But ever since I asked you about it, I've just been thinking that maybe it would be best for us to wait until Sofia is a little older." She replied quietly, Matt raising his eyebrows. "We've finally found a good rhythm and routine with her, and I want us to be able to enjoy that. To enjoy her. Not that we wouldn't with another kid, that's not what I mean, but just-... We went through so much with Sofia, before she even got here, and I want to be able to enjoy the time with the three of us for awhile." She breathed out, their steps slowing slightly, Gabby anxiously waiting to hear what her husband had to say.

She knew he wanted more kids, she's always known he wanted a big family, so she wasn't exactly sure what type of reaction she'd get. Gabby knew her being to one to bring up them having more children in the first place told him it was something she wanted, they both knew that hadn't changed, but she just hoped he wouldn't be upset about them waiting awhile.

"I agree."

When those two simple words left his mouth, Gabby's eyebrows raised considerably, Matt biting back a chuckle at her reaction.

"What?" He asked when she hadn't said anything, still clearly amused by his wife.

"You feel the same way?" She asked, Matt giving her a nod as they came to a complete stop on the sidewalk, standing off to the side to be out of the way, Sofia still captivated by the snow falling down around her. "Why didn't you say anything"

"Because I knew how excited you were." He replied softly, seeing a gentle grin form over her face. "And the thought of having another child with you made me so excited, too. I want that with you, I want everything with you, but I also kind of just want it to be us and Sof for a little bit." Matt continued, keeping his arm around her as they stood on the pavement. "I mean, the fact that you and Sofia are both here, and both healthy…" He cleared his throat, shaking his head as he was reminded of everything that happened to her the day Sofia was born, "...as far as I'm concerned, it's a miracle you two are both here." He finished, Gabby frowning softly as emotion filled his voice, but Matt shook his head, smiling softly at her, silently assuring her that he was okay. "I just think we should enjoy it for a little bit, before we have another one. I think you're right, I want to have some more time with just the three of us, let us get to really enjoy this time with our girl. She's already growing up so fast, as it is." Matt continued, Gabby soon matching his smile. "I don't know, I kind of like the idea of if just being us for a little while longer… I want more kids with you, that'll never change. But I think we should wait." He finished, Gabby nodding slowly before she leaned in, capturing his lips with hers.

Their movements were slow, and gentle, Matt grinning against her as he pulled her closer, being mindful of the small girl in her arms. After a few lingering seconds, Gabby pulled back, Matt running his hand along her back as he glanced to the baby in between them, Sofia babbling away as the snow fell down around them.

"So we're on the same page?" She asked, her bottom lip tucking in between her teeth as Matt brought his free hand up to rest over Sofia's back.

"We're on the same page." He confirmed with a nod, Gabby smiling before kissing him again quickly, the moment only lasting for a few seconds, the couple not wanting to stay out in the cold much longer. "But, I do think it's good we came here." He spoke as they continued walking, his arm still firmly around her as they moved in step with one another. "I mean, we won't be trying, but if it happens, it happens. We know now it won't be like what we went through with Sofia, and we'd figure it out." Matt continued, Gabby nodding in agreement. "I'm just glad to know you're okay."

"Me too." She responded as the couple entered the parking garage, Matt leading the way to their car. "I am glad we saw her, and, when the time comes, we can talk more about what our options are, but I like the idea of it just being us for awhile." She echoed his earlier statement, Matt nodding as they got to the car, Casey pulling the keys from his pocket.

"I do, too… Me and my two girls." He replied with a bright grin before opening the back door, putting Sofia's diaper bag behind the passenger seat before he turned back to his wife, finding her watching him with a similar smile.

"Yeah, let's get your two girls home." Gabby spoke lightly, Matt giving her a nod before he carefully took Sofia from her grasp. "Your daughter is gonna need to be fed here soon, and she'll definitely need a nap."

Matt began buckling his daughter into her carseat, ensuring she was secure as he fastened every strap. "And maybe while she's napping you and I could have some time to ourselves." Matt spoke as he lifted his head out of the backseat, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she tilted her head to the side, crossing her arms over her chest.

"You're still thinking about that Christmas present, huh?" She asked teasingly, a sheepish grin covering his face as he took a step towards her.

"Maybe." He replied, Gabby scoffing lightly right before he pressed another kiss to her lips, Matt gripping her waist to keep her in place against him, Gabby relaxing into him. They separated when air became a priority, a shy look covering her face as she glanced around, suddenly remembering they were very much in public. "Now come on," He spoke, smacking her hip lightly before he pulled away. "Let's get you home." He replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her head before stepping back completely, closing Sofia's door and walking around to the drivers side of the car, Gabby moving to her side as well, both of them eager to see what the afternoon had in store for them, especially once Sofia went to sleep.

* * *

Gabby finished pulling back her hair into a low ponytail, her eyes focused on herself in the mirror as she got ready for work, her dark grey long sleeve CFD shift already tucked into her pants, her boots tied into place as she prepared herself for the long day ahead. All that was left was for her to put on her watch and grab her coat and she'd be all ready to go.

The same could not be said for her husband, however, Gabby watching on as he moved around the bedroom behind her, his shift pants the only clothing covering his body as he hurried to get himself ready.

Both Gabby and Matt had woken up on time this morning, the parents intending to go through their usual morning routine on days when they worked; Gabby would feed Sofia while Matt showered, then Matt would take over once Sofia was done nursing, the father burping her and changing her, making sure their girl was content before he began getting ready for the day, the parents watching her until Becca arrived.

But this morning, Matt never made it into the shower while Gabby was nursing their daughter, and then he'd gotten a little sidetracked when he was spending time with Sofia, the Captain completely losing track of time. Which now resulted in him running around like a mad man as he hurried to get ready, neither of them wanting to be late for work.

Turning around to face him, Gabby couldn't stop the soft smile that fell onto her face as she caught sight of his wedding ring, the jewelry catching in the light as he pulled his white shirt on over his head.

"Enjoying the view?"

Matt's teasing voice filled her ears, Gabby's vision snapping into focus as she looked up towards his face, finding him watching her with a smug grin.

"Definitely." She replied without missing a beat, Matt chuckling as he began tucking his shirt into his pants, Gabby pushing herself off the dresser, feeling her husband's eyes following her as she moved. "I'm gonna go out there, get our bags together. You gonna be ready soon?" She asked as she moved towards the door, stopping to grab her phone off the nightstand.

"Yeah, I'll be done in a second." He answered, Gabby giving him a nod before she slipped out of the bedroom, closing the door behind her as Becca and Sofia came into view, the little girl giggling happily as Becca walked around with her in the living room, the nanny bouncing her in her arms. When Becca had showed up around ten minutes ago, that was when Matt realized just how late he was pushing it, Gabby having quickly taken the baby out to her nanny while Matt began to get ready.

Stepping closer towards the living room, Gabby couldn't help but smile when she saw how Becca was with her little girl. It had been something she was nervous about, Gabby and Matt being able to find someone they trusted to look out for the most important thing in their life. And it had been a long process, finding the right fit for them, but Becca was, without a doubt, that right fit. Sofia had bonded with her in a way that Gabby never really expected, but it was clear that the nanny had Sofia's complete and utter trust. Sofia knew she was safe with her, and that was all Gabby wanted. She wanted someone Sofia loved, someone Sofia felt secure with when her parents weren't around, and Becca provided her with all of those things. The bond they'd created over the past month since Gabby had returned to work was deeper than either Gabby or Matt realized, and it had been incredible to see. There was no denying how much Sofia loved her nanny, and it was obvious Becca loved her just as much.

Aside from her parents, Sofia wasn't as comfortable with anyone else. They had a beautiful connection, and, despite their struggles with getting back to work, Becca had made that transition so much easier. If not for her, Gabby knew it would've been a lot worse. Becca just had this way with Sofia, and it was something Gabby never wanted to take for granted. She knew Sofia was safe and in the best hands possible while they were at work, and it made being away from her daughter for that long so much easier.

"Hey Gabby." Becca spoke brightly when she saw her standing there, Gabby flashing her a warm grin as she stepped further into the room. "You and Matt about to leave?" She asked, tickling Sofia's stomach yet again, causing the little girl to erupt into a fit of giggles, Sofia bouncing in her hold excitedly.

"Yeah, we are, here in a few minutes." She responded, Becca giving her a nod before focusing back on Sofia, the little girl smacking her hands against her upper chest, Gabby smiling in amusement at how rambunctious her daughter was for it being so early in the morning. "Do you have anything planned with Sofia today?"

"No, not really." She replied, flashing her a warm grin. "I'd love to take her on a walk, but not if it's gonna be too cold. I'm not sure what we're doing, but I know we'll have fun, won't we Sof?" Her voice changed pitches, Sofia's eyes widening in delight as Becca gave her attention, the small girl becoming more and more excited.

"Oh, I know she'll have a great time, she loves being with you." Gabby spoke, hearing the bedroom door open behind her, the sound of Matt's boots against the ground hitting her ears.

"Yeah, we have fun together, huh Sofia?" She replied lightly, Sofia releasing another squeal of joy as Becca continued bouncing her, Matt and Gabby both watching on with smiles on their faces. "Hey Matt."

"Hi Becca." He greeted, resting his hand on Gabby's lower back as he came up behind her. "We should probably get going babe, I don't wanna be late." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod before she began walking towards Sofia, wanting to say a quick goodbye to their daughter.

Surprisingly it only took about five minutes for both Matt and Gabby to say their goodbyes to their daughter, which was a definite change from the usual twenty it took to pull the parents away from her.

"Alright Becca, we'll be back tomorrow morning. We'll see you then." Gabby said as she zipped up her thick coat, the woman nodding as she used Sofia's small arm to wave goodbye to her parents, the little girl oblivious to the fact that her parents were about to leave her. "Call us if you need anything." She added, like she did every morning before they left for work.

"I will, I hope you guys have a good day, be safe out there." Becca said the similar sentiment she told them each morning as well, all three of them having fallen into routine together these last four weeks.

With a few more quick goodbyes, the parents were out the door, Casey locking the back door in place before he and Gabby began the walk towards his truck, their glove covered hands clasped together while snow fell down around them, both of them preparing themselves for the long work day ahead of them.

* * *

Gabby pushed open the bathroom door, moving through the hallways of the firehouse as she made her way back to the common room, the paramedic stretching out her exhausted limbs while she rolled out her neck, the long morning having taken it out of her already. It was only a little past one, but it had already been a very long day for the men and women of 51, the bad weather outside keeping them busier than usual. 61 had been slammed with back to back calls, and truck and squad hadn't had it much easier, either. But luckily, everyone had been back at the house for a little over an hour, giving them time to sit down and actually get some lunch. And Gabby could only hope they had a little bit more time before getting called out again.

As she got closer to the common room, she saw Severide walking out, moving towards the double doors to head out to the garage, the Lieutenant flashing her a warm smile before he disappeared outside, Gabby walking into the room he'd just left.

Everyone was still where she'd left them five minutes ago, her eyes immediately moving towards her husband, Gabby walking back towards the chair she'd previously occupied, which happened to be right beside him.

"Hello." He greeted when he felt her presence, Gabby running her fingers along the back of his neck as she walked behind him, the paramedic returning to her seat. "You feeling okay?" He asked, knowing she'd gotten up pretty abruptly moments prior.

"I'm good." She responded with a smile, taking a sip of her drink as he nodded, Matt getting a quick bite of his meal. "Just a little tired."

"Yeah, me too… It's been quite the day. Hopefully things will settle down here soon." He replied, Gabby giving him a nod just as the door swung open quickly, the abrupt noise gaining the attention of everyone in the common room, seeing an alarmed looking Severide hurrying in.

"What's going on, Severide?" Herrmann asked, but the man ignored him, Kelly's eyes quickly finding the couple sitting together at the table.

"Casey, Dawson, I need to see you guys for a second." He spoke roughly, Dawson's eyebrows furrowing as she glanced towards her husband, seeing him wearing a similar expression, but he started to get up regardless. Whatever Severide needed to speak with them about, it clearly had him a little rattled.

"What's going on, Sev?" Casey asked, but the man said nothing as he and Dawson followed him out into the garage, leaving behind a group of confused firefighters and paramedics in the common room.

"What's wrong, Kelly?" Gabby tried as they walked through the garage, a shiver running through her body as they got closer to the driveway, her jacket not doing much to protect her from the cold winter air.

Severide continued leading them down the driveway, Matt and Gabby following along, even though they were very confused, and had no idea what was going on.

"Severide." Casey tried again, holding onto Gabby's arm as they maneuvered over the patches of snow and ice beneath their feet. "What happened?"

"I came out here to get something from my car, and I saw this." He spoke as his steps slowed down.

"What are you talking about? Saw what-"

A gasp from Gabby cut him off, Matt's eyes moving forward as he instantly saw what caused that reaction from his wife, and what Severide was talking about, Casey taking slow steps forward as he took in the sight in front of him, his eyes widened in shock as he came face to face with his truck.

His truck that had all four of its tires slashed.


	75. Chapter Seventy Five

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all. Which, I can't believe that we're on Chapter 75 of this story already, that's absolutely insane to me. But I've loved writing this story for you all, and I loved seeing your reactions to the last chapter. Thanks for sticking with me for this long, I'm sure you all are eager to see what's going to happen next.**

**Real quick, I do want to address something. I worry I confused some of you guys about the aneurysm thing last chapter, and that was not my intention. Basically, Gabby is fine. There's nothing wrong with her, she doesn't have an aneurysm or anything right now, she's completely okay. What Dr. Tanner was saying was that there is a chance she could get another one at some point in the future, regardless of if she gets pregnant again or not, just because once you do have an aneurysm, you can be predisposed to get another one. But Gabby getting pregnant doesn't automatically mean she'd have one either, she could never have one again. Or she could get another one without even getting pregnant. They two aren't necessarily related, is what I tried to get across but I'm realizing now I did a very poor job of doing. I hope that clears it up a bit maybe. Believe me, it was confusing for me too when I was researching all this. But this is the hole that Derek and the writers put us in when giving Gabby that aneurysm in the first place (which is an entirely different discussion and I hate it but it's what we're working with). But basically, Gabby getting pregnant does not mean she'd have another aneurysm. That's the short and sweet meaning of what I was trying to get across. I'm really sorry for confusing you guys.**

**Also, just so you all know, I don't have a second update for Whatever Comes Next this week. I've been sick since Monday, and I wasn't able to get it done for today. So just expect that next chapter next week. Thanks for understanding!**

**I hope you guys enjoy this one, thanks for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy Five**_

* * *

"God dammit." Casey huffed out, taking a step closer towards his truck, reaching down to place his hand on his front passenger side tire, feeling it give easily underneath his touch. Although he didn't need to feel it to know it was out of air, the obviously deflated tired telling him that already. With one quick glance, it was clear that all of his tires had been slashed. "Did you see anything, Sev?" Matt asked in frustration, turning back around to face his friend, Kelly shaking his head.

"No, just this." He responded, nodding towards his truck that was inches closer to the ground than it should've been, Matt running his hand over his mouth as he sighed. "I mean, it wasn't like this when we got back, surely one of us would've noticed."

Casey nodded, shaking his head as he looked back to his truck, knowing there was no salvaging what was done to his tires. He'd have to replace them all, and that definitely wasn't something they'd been planning on.

"Did it happen to anyone else?" He asked, Severide shaking his head.

"No, I don't think so… You think it was just some stupid kids or something?"

"I don't think kids did this." Gabby spoke up for the first time since they'd seen his truck, Matt looking towards his wife as her voice hit his ears, a slight frown covering his lips when he noticed her shivering body. In how quickly Severide had called them out here, neither of them had grabbed coats before stepping out into the freezing winter air, Matt knowing her thin jacket wasn't doing nearly enough to keep her warm.

"What do you mean, Dawson?" Severide asked, Casey stepping back up on the sidewalk, moving towards Gabby.

"You really think kids would've slashed all four of his tires?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest. "I know we've had some issues with dumb kids in the past, but this?" Gabby gestured towards the truck, Casey coming to a stop beside her, rubbing his hand over her arms. "I don't think stupid kids would've slashed all four of his tires, it looks like someone took a butcher knife to it."

Matt could tell she was upset, with good reason, but he didn't want her getting worked up about this, especially when they had no idea what happened.

"Well who else would do it?" Severide asked, Gabby shrugging defeatedly as she brought her hand up to her face, covering her mouth as she looked back towards the truck.

"I… I don't know." She murmured, Matt gripping her arm, getting her to look at him, his eyebrows furrowing in worry when he saw the uncertainty in her eyes.

"It's okay, babe. I'll call a tow truck, have them come get it, alright? It's fine." He spoke calmly, knowing she was more disturbed by this than she was letting on. "Let's get back inside, there's nothing we can do out here." He tried, Gabby's eyes narrowing as she took a step away from him.

"No, we're not going inside, I'm gonna call my brother." She responded, Matt's eyes falling closed as he took a deep breath.

"Gabby…"

"Someone slashed your tires, Matt." She interjected, narrowing her eyes. "Before you try and tell me it's nothing, it's not nothing. If it were kids, they might've just let the air out of them, or maybe done it to one, but all four of them?"

"I'm not saying I don't agree with you." He replied quickly, stepping back towards her, placing his hands on the sides of her arms, rubbing his palms up and down over her when he saw her still shivering. "I don't know what this is, it could've been dumbass kids, or not, but whatever it was, us being out here isn't gonna do anything." Matt reasoned, Gabby pursing her lips together, her eyes moving back towards his truck. "Let's just get back inside, then we can figure it out, okay?" He tried, gently grabbing Gabby's chin to get her to look away from his vandalized truck, his wife reluctantly nodding.

"Fine." She replied, Casey rubbing over her arm. "But I'm still calling my brother."

Knowing it was pointless to argue, Matt simply nodded, snow beginning to fall down around them. "Okay, you can call him. But let's just get inside, it's too cold out here." He said again, Gabby giving him a nod, sparing one last glance to his truck before turning around to walk inside, Matt hanging back momentarily beside Severide.

"Is something going on?" Kelly asked quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

"What do you mean?"

"She's acting like this was done to you guys on purpose." He elaborated, Matt pursing his lips together as he shrugged.

"I don't know… We've both had a lot going on lately, I think she's just on edge. But if calling Antonio will make her feel better, I'm not gonna stop her." Matt replied, looking up the driveway, seeing his wife halfway towards the garage.

Severide gave him a nod, the two firefighters beginning to follow in Dawson's path back towards the firehouse, Kelly patting his back. "Well, whatever the reason, I'm sorry this happened. You guys know if you need anything, everyone here has your back."

"We know… But thanks, Kelly." Casey responded, Severide giving him a nod before they continued up the slippery driveway. Gabby was a pretty good distance ahead of them, Matt keeping his eyes on her as she neared the garage, all three of them navigating the ice and snow underneath their feet, as more snow continued to accumulate around them.

Dawson was almost inside when her boot stepped on a patch of black ice she hadn't seen, Gabby feeling her feet give out from under her as her leg slipped forward, the paramedic colliding with the ground painfully, her wrist breaking her fall as she landed on her back. An immediate grimace covered her face, Gabby feeling the cold snow begin to soak through her clothes, vaguely hearing her name being called, and the sound of snow and ice crunching under boots as Matt and Kelly ran towards her.

"Damn Dawson, you okay?" Severide asked, Gabby feeling hands on her as she looked up, seeing Matt squatting next to her.

"You alright?" He asked, his eyes trailing over her, Gabby nodding as she adjusted her position, sitting up slowly, Matt helping her as he put a firm arm around her back. A light hiss left her lips when she accidentally put pressure on her left hand, a slight pain shooting up the side of her arm. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just hit my wrist when I fell, I'm fine." She responded, Matt nodding before glancing towards Severide, Kelly giving him a nod in understanding before they helped Gabby up off the ground, both of them supporting each side as they got her on her feet. Kelly dropped his hands once she was firmly on the ground, but Casey didn't, Matt keeping an arm around her back as they stood there.

"You sure you didn't hurt anything?" He asked again, Gabby shooting him a slight glare, waving him off as she took a step forward out of his grasp, Matt following closely behind her until she was in the garage.

"I'm fine, Matt. I just slipped on some ice, it's nothing." She responded with a sigh, Matt grimacing when he saw the back of her pants and jacket were completely soaked, the firefighter knowing that wouldn't help with how cold she was.

"Alright, I'm sorry if I'm being overbearing, but you fell pretty hard." He replied after hearing the frustration in her voice, Gabby's gaze softening as she turned around, her eyes flashing to Severide who had stayed a few feet back before she looked to her husband. "I'm never gonna apologize for looking after you, you know that." He added, Gabby pursing her lips together before she nodded. Even though Matt's overprotective nature wasn't always her favorite thing in the world, she knew it came from a good place, and it was never something she'd try to change. She loved him for it, even if it sometimes got on her nerves. "...Let's go get you changed before you freeze." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulders as they began walking towards the double doors, Severide staying a few steps behind them.

Casey held the door open, Gabby slipping out of his grasp as she walked in first, Matt following in after her, soon followed by Severide. The curious eyes of the common room were on them, Gabby ignoring it as she turned the corner, heading straight for the locker room.

"What's going on? And why is Dawson all wet?" Herrmann asked the questions everyone was thinking, Matt feeling Severide pat his back, Casey turning towards his best friend.

"I got it, you go." Severide replied, nodding down the hallway towards Dawson, Casey giving him an appreciative smile before heading in that direction, jogging after her towards the locker room, hearing Severide begin to explain everything that had just happened.

Matt entered the bathroom, walking through the room towards the locker room, hearing shuffling coming from the last row of lockers. When he came around the corner, he saw his wife taking off her jacket, standing in front of her open locker. Without a word, Matt moved to her side, reaching into her locker and pulling out her extra pair of pants and jacket, placing them on the bench behind her. When she had shed her damp jacket, Matt took it from her, glancing towards the back of her shirt, trying to figure out if she needed to change out of that as well as Gabby sat down on the bench, leaning over to untie her boots. As she was hunched over, Matt reached out and ran his hand along her back, Gabby stopping her movements as she glanced up to him, a sheepish look covering his face.

"Sorry… I couldn't tell if your shirt was wet." He replied, Gabby flashing him a knowing grin before returning to her task, kicking her boots off before she stood back up, his hand sliding from her back.

She began to work on her belt, Gabby getting it off and handing it to Matt before she started on her pants, sliding the wet material down her legs, Matt grimacing when he saw the backs of her thighs were slightly discolored, telling him how cold she truly was.

"Do you really think it was just some kids?"

Her voice snapped him from his thoughts, Matt looking up from her legs as she reached for her clean pants, Gabby turning towards him as she put them on. His gaze softened as he registered her question, Matt hating that she was worrying so much about this. He knew it was unsettling, their tires being slashed, but until he had any reason to think otherwise, he didn't want to assume it was anything other than some stupid kids. Or even if it wasn't, he had no reason to think it happened to them intentionally. Tires got slashed all the time in Chicago, he didn't want to jump to the worst conclusion before he had a reason to. Especially not when he could tell his wife already had.

"Honestly?" He asked, Gabby giving him a swift nod as she tucked in her shirt, zipping up her pants. "I really don't know. I do think it's a little weird, and I'm not sure why it happened to my truck. But I don't want to assume the worst about all this unless there's a reason to." He told her, Gabby shooting him an unimpressed look as she sat back down on the bench, Matt sitting down next to her.

"I think your tires getting slashed is enough of a reason to worry." She replied as she put back on her boots, Matt drawing in a deep breath.

"I meant until we know if this was done intentionally to me, or if it was random." He explained, even though they both knew Gabby was aware of what he meant. "I know you're concerned about this, and I don't think you're wrong for feeling that way, but we don't know if there's anything to worry about. I mean, we live in Chicago, this isn't really uncommon." He reasoned, Gabby swallowing thickly before she nodded, sitting back up straight once she had her boots on. "I do think you should call Antonio, if it'll make you feel better I want you too, but can you try not to worry about this too much? I don't want you stressing over all this, baby." He murmured, Gabby giving him a slow nod.

"Yeah, maybe you're right… I am still gonna call my brother, though." She replied, Matt flashing her a supportive smile. "And you're gonna get the truck towed?"

"Mhmm. I will, but I guess we should wait until Antonio tells us what to do. I'll need to call Becca too, just to let her know we probably won't get home on time tomorrow." He responded, Gabby stretching out her back before nodding.

"Yeah… I'm just glad Sofia wasn't with us when this happened." She breathed out, Matt smiling weakly as he returned his hand to her back, rubbing his palm in soothing patterns.

"Me too, but Sof's fine at home with Becca." Casey reminded her, not wanting this to spiral into Gabby worrying about their girl. "We can call in a bit if you want, maybe see if we can Facetime with her, but she's good. She's probably having a much better day than we are." He added with a smile, Gabby chuckling softly as she nodded in agreement, reaching for her jacket, beginning to slide it on.

"I think you're probably right about that." Gabby replied, wincing slightly when her wrist twisted as she slid it into the clothing, Matt not missing the look of discomfort that covered her face.

"Your wrist still hurt?" He asked, Gabby shrugging as she zipped up her jacket about halfway, before adjusting the collar and her ponytail.

"It's a little sore, but I'm good." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod as he watched her stand up, Gabby closing her locker before reaching for her phone that she'd put down on the bench. Just as she had unlocked it, the bells rang out, calling squad and ambo to a car accident, Gabby pinching the bridge of her nose before locking her phone back, sliding it into her pocket. "I guess I'll call him later." She breathed out, Matt nodding as he pushed himself up from the bench, pressing a quick kiss on her forehead.

"Everything's okay, the truck isn't going anywhere." He spoke lightly, trying to ease some of the tension from her body, Gabby scoffing lightly as she began stepping backwards.

"That's not funny." She chastised, even though Matt saw the slight smile on her face.

"Sorry." He apologized, Gabby shaking her head. "But you go to work, I'll get these clothes in the wash for you."

"Thank you." She responded, rubbing her hand over his chest before walking towards the exit, Matt picking up her clothes off the bench, watching her go.

"Be safe out there." He told her, Gabby nodding as she slowed down her steps when she got to the corner.

"You be safe here." She replied, Matt returning the nod, flashing her a comforting smile before she disappeared out of the locker room, Casey breathing deeply as he began walking in the other direction towards the laundry room.

* * *

Matt sat at the table in the common room, tapping his finger against it as he sat around 51's other firefighters. Squad had returned from the call around half an hour ago, but ambo was still out, Matt assuming they should be back here soon once they got their patient dropped off, the Captain patiently waiting for his wife to get back. But as he sat here surrounded by his friends, his thoughts couldn't help but drift off, Matt staring straight ahead, his gaze focused out towards the garage, even though his mind was miles away. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about his truck, Gabby's words ringing in his head as he tried to figure out what might have been the reason for this.

Logic told him that he was probably right, that it was nothing to be concerned about. That odds are it was done because some stupid kids were playing a prank, or were dared. Or there were tons of people in the city who had problems with firefighters, it could've just been because his truck was parked outside the station, and it had nothing to do with whose truck it was. But he couldn't shake the feeling that maybe his wife had been right, that maybe there was more to it than that.

At first, if he was being honest, he really hadn't thought much of it. It was annoying, and frustrating, but he didn't think it was anything done because of him, or Gabby. There was no reason for him to think it was something done specifically to them.

Not until he remembered the threat that man had made to him the day of the crack house fire.

The firefighter hadn't considered it at first, that this man could be behind the slashed tires, but his wife's insistence that this wasn't just some stupid, random crime got him thinking. And once he started thinking about who might've done this, it didn't take him long to be reminded of that awful day.

Matt hadn't forgotten it happened, of course not. He couldn't forget something like that. But he had done what he could to move past it. It wasn't something he liked thinking about, so he'd done what he could to move on from it. He had accepted what had happened that day, he accepted that maybe he could've died but he didn't, and he was determined to enjoy every day he had with his family. He wouldn't let that man ruin his life, not when he still had one. And truthfully, he never actually thought the man's threat was serious. He was a junky; a murderous junky, but still a junky. There was a big difference between killing someone because they were in the way, and going out of your way to come back and finish the job. Matt never saw it as anything more than an empty threat, which is why he never told Gabby.

But now he had no idea what to think. There was a large part of him that still thought it was only a coincidence, that the man who tried to kill him had nothing to do with this. It had been over a month and a half since that happened, Matt couldn't see any reason why he'd come back now. It didn't make much sense to him, that if this man had been serious, why he'd wait so long to come back, and why he wouldn't just do what he promised instead of messing with him and Gabby. None of it seemed reasonable to him, and that alone was keeping him from being completely convinced that's what this was. Had this happened a while ago, then Matt probably would've immediately assumed it to be the guy coming back to make good on his threat. But now? He wasn't sure.

But what he did know what that _someone_ had done this. Someone had come to the station and slashed his tires, he just didn't know if this was intentionally done to him or not. But if it was, he couldn't think of anyone else who would do this aside from that man.

He didn't want to assume the worst, and if he only had himself to consider, he'd probably just leave it alone.

But it wasn't just him.

Matt wasn't the only person that man had threatened that day. The crazy, drugged out murderer hadn't just threatened his life, but the lives of his wife and his baby. And that was something Matt would never risk. It didn't matter how slim the chances were that his tires being slashed were because of that man, if his family's safety was at stake, he knew he had to tell Antonio.

He had the two most important people in the world to consider, to keep safe, and he wouldn't do anything that might ever put them at risk.

Matt knew he probably should've told Antonio the second it happened. Looking back on it, he knew that. But he had been in such a rough spot after that day, he hadn't been coping with what happened, and his mind was all over the place. He wasn't himself, and it took him a long time to even be able to think straight. And by the time he'd finally started to get past everything, he figured the man was long gone. With him being wanted for murder and arson, Matt couldn't imagine he stuck around the city very long, so Casey never mentioned it.

But regardless of the actual reason behind his tires being slashed, that didn't matter; this man had threatened his family, and there was a chance he was coming back to try and make good on that promise. He couldn't keep it to himself anymore, no matter how much he wanted to move on from what happened.

He just hoped he hadn't made a mistake by not saying anything sooner.

If something ever happened to Gabby or their little girl because of him, he'd never forgive himself. As he sat here, he was already starting to be angry with himself for not telling Antonio sooner.

And he knew Gabby would be angry with him, too. She had every right to be.

His wife knew the man had talked about her and Sofia, Matt had told her that the night it happened. But what he didn't mention was how he'd threatened to come back and kill him. And he knew that was going to anger her as much as it would frighten her. She'd be so angry at him from keeping that from her, and he wouldn't blame her.

He thought he was doing the right thing, he thought it was an empty threat of a man who was angry and saw Matt as the reason the cops had come. He never thought there would be any sort of follow through, and the last thing he wanted Gabby worrying about was some crazy man coming after them, especially when Matt hadn't been making things easy on her already. He'd been a mess, but even through all that, he knew Gabby was having a hard time as well, and the last thing he wanted was to add to that.

But it wasn't something he could keep to himself anymore, even if this man wasn't behind what happened to his truck. It didn't matter if this man was long gone, he knew he needed to tell her, that he should've told her when it happened.

He'd just been hoping they'd never be in a position where he needed to.

"Hey Antonio."

Casey's eyes snapped into focus when he heard his brother's name, Matt glancing over to see the older Dawson and Ruzek walk into the common room, Antonio immediately looking to Casey. Matt was surprised to see him here, Casey not knowing Gabby had found time to talk to her brother already. But clearly she had, Matt knowing there was no other reason for Antonio to come to the firehouse, especially with Ruzek.

"Hey guys." He responded, everyone saying quick greetings to both detectives as Antonio came to a stop a few feet from the table Matt was sitting at, Adam stopping as well.

"Normally I'd say I'm surprised to see you stop by," Herrmann started, his thick accent filling the room, "But considering what happened to the Captain's truck this afternoon, I'm guessing that's why you're here." He finished with a grimace, Antonio nodding slightly.

"Yeah, Gabby called me earlier. Whoever did it, they definitely made sure that truck couldn't go anywhere." Antonio responded, his eyes moving back towards his brother. "Can we talk, Casey?" He asked, Matt nodding as he pushed himself up from his seat, giving a nod towards the conference room, Antonio and Ruzek following after him.

Matt moved past the tables, coming to stand at the front of the room, Antonio and Ruzek stopping a few feet from him. "Thanks for coming, I know you guys are busy." Matt spoke, Antonio shaking his head.

"It's fine, you all didn't know this would happen. I told Voight what was going on, he told me to come on down and bring Ruzek." He explained, Matt giving him a slight nod. He still had his problems with Voight, he always would, but he appreciated the man letting Antonio leave to come here. "How are you doing?" Antonio asked, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly. "I know my sister is upset over this, I could tell she was trying to hide it, but she seemed pretty freaked out. Wasn't sure how you were." He added, Matt giving a slight nod.

"Yeah, she's worried, but I'm alright." Casey responded, Antonio leaning his weight down on top of the table.

"Does she have a reason to be?" Ruzek asked, Matt glancing towards him, waiting for more of an explanation. "Have you guys had any run ins with anyone recently? I know we sometimes have issues with gangs, we have run-ins with them sometimes and it can get ugly. Anything like that?" He elaborated, Matt crossing his arms over his chest.

"Um, no, no gangs or anything." Matt responded, Ruzek nodding.

"No bad blood with anyone or anything?" Adam continued, Matt biting down on the inside of his cheek. "I mean, unfortunately, slashed tires in Chicago aren't an uncommon thing, that alone isn't much to go on. But if the firehouse had any run ins with anyone recently, even if it wasn't you or your shift, that could've been the reason."

"I haven't heard anything about any other shifts. Usually if something happens, we all know about it. Everything's been pretty calm around here." Casey replied carefully, Ruzek clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before he nodded.

"What about the call from last month?" Antonio finally spoke up, Matt's eyes snapping towards him, the older Dawson seeing a look he couldn't quite read flash in his brother's eyes.

"What call?" Ruzek asked, looking back and forth between Antonio and Matt.

"That crack house fire, where that mother was gunned down." Antonio replied, Adam soon nodding. Matt couldn't be sure, but he assumed Ruzek, and probably everyone else in Intelligence, knew exactly what had happened that day, if Adam's reaction was any indication. "As far as I know, they never found the guy. I don't know if this would be him, though. I mean, there's no reason for him to come back, but he's the only guy I can think of that's given the house, or you, a problem." He finished, Matt pursing his lips together as his gaze fell down to the ground. Antonio's eyes narrowed slightly, noticing the immediate shift in Casey's demeanor, the detective not knowing what to make of it.

He knew Casey didn't like thinking of that day, Antonio having a front row seat to how much that incident had rattled not only Matt, but his sister as well. It wasn't a pleasant memory for any of them, but Matt especially, Antonio could only imagine how awful that had been, seeing what he did. The older Dawson had seen a lot of gruesome things in his line of work, and he knew Casey had as well, but what the firefighter had to endure that day, that would shake the strongest of people. And with what he learned from Casey and his sister, as well as Antonio having read the report on file, he knew Matt went through a lot that day, and in the weeks after. A lot that hadn't been easy for him to get past, and Antonio was sure he didn't like having to bring all that up again.

Seeing Casey closing himself off, Antonio released a soft breath, glancing towards the man beside him. "Ruzek, can you give us a minute?" He requested, Adam nodding immediately, taking a step back towards the door.

"Yeah, no problem. I'll go talk to everyone, make sure none of them saw anything." He responded knowingly, Ruzek having noticed the change in Casey's attitude as well, understanding this was a very personal and hard thing for the firefighter. "It was good to see you, Casey. Sorry it was under these circumstances, though." Adam added, Matt giving him a nod as he lifted his head.

"Good to see you, too." He responded, Adam shooting Antonio a quick look before leaving the room, Matt sure the detective knew what it meant, even if he didn't.

Antonio waited for the door to shut completely before he turned back towards his brother, finding Matt's eyes already on him. There was a hesitant look covering Casey's face, but Antonio could only hope now that they were alone, the firefighter would be a little more transparent.

"Look man, I know that day was really hard on you… That you went through a lot. I know you don't really like bringing all that up again, and I wouldn't if I didn't have to, I'm just trying to figure out what's going on." Antonio started, Matt giving him a nod. "I don't really see why this man would come back and do this, he got away, I don't know why he'd risk that by coming back. I've still been checking in with the investigation, they haven't stopped looking for him, but as far as I know every lead they have went cold." He explained, Matt taking a deep breath. "But if this was done intentionally, he's really the only person I can think of that would be coming after you specifically."

Antonio kept his eyes on Matt the entire time, trying to get a read on the man across from him, but he was having a hard time. He could tell Casey seemed a little tense, but he wasn't sure if that was because of the topic, or if there was something deeper going on. But, whatever it was, he needed to know.

"What are you thinking, Casey?" Antonio asked, his words getting Matt to look back at him. "I mean, besides this guy, is there any other person you could see doing this?"

Casey slowly shook his head, taking deep breaths as he thought over his next words. How he was going to tell the detective about what the man had said to him before he smacked him with the gun, the words that had been left out of the report, that Matt hadn't told anyone.

"No, I can't think of anyone else who'd do this… But, uh-..." Matt spoke quietly, Antonio's eyebrows furrowing as he straightened his back slightly.

Before Matt could continue, the door coming from the hallway opened, both Antonio and Casey turning at the noise, seeing Gabby walk in, flashing them both a weak smile.

"Hey, you're back." Matt cleared his throat, Gabby giving him a nod as she came to stand by his side.

"Yeah, just got back a few minutes ago. Hey Antonio." She greeted her brother, resting her hand on Matt's back, her side pressing against his arm.

"Hey sis."

"You find anything out?" She asked, Antonio blowing out a heavy breath, shaking his head.

"No, not yet… Like Ruzek and I were telling Matt, and as I'm sure you all know, slashed tires aren't uncommon here-"

"Yeah, but all of them?" She cut in, Antonio pursing his lips together.

"It's weird, Gabs. I'm not saying it isn't, I'm just saying that with the tires alone, that's not much to go on." He repeated Adam's earlier words, his statement earning a heavy sigh from his sister. "Once I'm done here, I'm gonna go talk to Boden, see if I can get a look at the outside cameras, but from where Matt's truck is, I'm not sure if it was close enough to be in the frame."

"So you're gonna look into it?" She asked, Antonio's eyebrows furrowing as he pushed himself off the table.

"Of course I am, sis. Regardless of why it happened, it happened. I'm gonna do what I can, it's just if we don't really have anyone to look at, I'm not sure we'll be able to figure out who did it, or why." He replied, Gabby giving him a nod before glancing towards her husband, knowing he'd been quiet since she got back. She couldn't tell much from her position slightly behind him, but he felt tense underneath her touch, Gabby rubbing her hand along his lower back.

"You doing okay?" Gabby asked, his demeanor a shift in how he'd been acting before she left for her call, Matt glancing towards her, flashing her a soft smile.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"What were you saying, Matt?" Antonio spoke up, earning the attention of them both.

"What?" Gabby asked, looking back and forth between her brother and her husband, Antonio nodding at Casey to continue.

"Right. Well, uh-"

The bells blaring throughout the house stopped him before he could get the words out, Matt getting cut off a second time as he heard truck and squad being called out to a house fire, Gabby dropping her hand from his back, knowing he needed to go.

"Sorry, I gotta…" He trailed off, Antonio giving him a nod before Matt glanced to Gabby, pressing a quick kiss to her head.

"Stay safe out there." Gabby spoke as he headed for the door, Matt giving her a reassuring nod before slipping out of the door, leaving the siblings alone in the conference room.

"You doing okay?" Antonio asked after a few seconds, gaining his sister's attention as Gabby tore her gaze from the door Matt just left through, giving her older brother a nod.

"I'm alright, yeah… I'm just worried. Matt keeps saying he doesn't think this was done because of us, which I guess makes sense. I mean, I'm not sure who would, but I don't know what to think. Out of everyone's cars here, why was it ours? Especially because Matt's name is plastered on the side of it, so obviously if his vehicle was what they were looking for, it's easy to find. I don't know, I don't want to believe someone did this because it was us, but I don't know what else to think, it just doesn't seem random." She breathed out, her rambling even taking her by surprise as she saw her brother's raised eyebrows, Gabby shaking her head. "Sorry, I'm sorry… I guess this is still bothering me more than I thought."

"You're fine, sis. I don't blame you for being upset. I wish there was more I could do." Antonio replied, crossing his arms over his chest. "I'm gonna talk to Boden, see if we can get the security footage sent to the district and I'll take a look at it, but other than that if that doesn't give us much, I'm not sure what else I can do." He reminded her, Gabby nodding slowly.

"No, I know… I just appreciate your help."

"Of course, I'll help however I can." He told her, knowing his sister was more shaken by this than he initially realized, though he couldn't say he was surprised. In the past, it had taken a lot for something to rattle Gabby, she'd just always been that way. But ever since she got back from Puerto Rico, that hadn't been the case, in fact at times it had been the exact opposite. After what she went through over there, he understood it, but that was definitely something that had been a permanent change since she came home. And along with that, Gabby now had Sofia to consider in all this. He just wasn't surprised that all of this had left her a little uneasy. "I already asked Casey, but is there anyone you can think of that might've done this?" He asked, Gabby's eyes narrowing in thought. "Anyone you, or Casey, might've pissed off? Anyone the house has had trouble with?"

"I can't think of anything… The only thing I can think of is that guy who tried to hurt Matt, but isn't he long gone?" She asked, Antonio's tongue poking out to wet his lips, Gabby seeing the unsure look on his face. "...What is it?"

"It's just-... We still don't know where that man is, so I can't rule him out." He replied carefully, seeing his sister's body tense, Antonio shaking his head. "We don't know if that's what this is, we don't have any reason to think he'd come back for Casey, but it is a possibility." He tried to make her feel better, but he knew he'd failed, Antonio seeing the clear look of concern shining in Gabby's eyes. "I asked Casey, he couldn't think of anyone else who might've done this, so if it did happen to Matt _because_ it was his truck, this guy is looking like he might be our best lead."

"But you guys don't even know who he is." She murmured, clenching her hands together in front of her, nerves radiating off her body.

"No… we don't." He confirmed, Gabby taking a deep breath before looking back towards her brother.

"Do you really think this guy is coming back for Matt?" Her voice was small, like she was afraid of the answer.

"I don't know, Gabs." He replied honestly, Gabby nodding slowly. "That's what I was trying to talk to Matt about before he got called out. But, like I said, there's no reason to think he'd bother coming back to do anything to Matt. I don't want you stressing over this before we even know what this actually is, alright? I'm gonna do what I can, I don't want you to worry." He replied, earning a pointed stare from his sister, Antonio blowing out a sigh. "Alright, well I know you're going to worry, but try not to. It'll be fine." He assured her, Gabby giving him a slow nod before Antonio took a step towards her, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze. "Just let me worry about this, I promise I'll keep you updated, alright?"

"Alright." She responded, Antonio pressing a quick kiss to the side of her head before heading for the door.

"I'm gonna go see Boden, I'll say goodbye before I leave… You okay?" He asked, stopping as he placed his hand on the door, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I'm good."

"Good… Kiss my niece for me when you get home." He added, thankful to see a smile form over his sister's face at the mention of her daughter.

"I will." She promised, Antonio smiling softly before opening the door. "Thank you, Tonio."

"I got you, sis." He promised, giving her one last nod before heading out of the briefing room, leaving Gabby in there alone.

* * *

Casey blew out a heavy breath as he grabbed his bag from his locker, slinging it over his shoulder before slamming the door shut, his eyebrows raising when he caught sight of his wife coming around the corner. She was already changed out, Gabby clad in her jeans, a t-shirt, and thick jacket, her shift bag resting over her shoulder.

"Hey." She greeted softly, Matt giving her a nod. "Severide's ready whenever we are."

"Alright." He responded with a weak smile, Gabby nodding before she turned around, Matt following her out of the locker room.

The last day had proved to be a lot for the couple, neither of them having handled the stress of yesterday as well as they would've liked when they were still in the firehouse surrounded by their friends and coworkers. Everyone had tried to do what they could to keep the Caseys' mind off it, but it was clear to everyone that both Matt and Gabby were on edge after what happened, Ruzek's questioning yesterday only cementing the belief around the firehouse that this might not have been random. No one really knew what was going on, but it was clear both the firefighter and paramedic were left a little troubled, everyone focusing on keeping things around the house as normal as they could.

Luckily, in Gabby's case, it ended up being a pretty busy shift, which kept her occupied and gave her the chance to keep her mind off things. It had made the rest of the day go by pretty quickly, which Dawson was thankful for. The same couldn't be said in Matt's case, however, 81 not having been called out again the rest of the day after the call that had interrupted his conversation with Antonio. Truck had spent the entire evening at the house, not being needed until around three in the morning when they responded to a house fire. But even though he would have rather had some distractions, the ample time at the house had given Casey time to make all the calls he needed to.

He had started with calling the garage where he usually got work on his truck done, Matt explaining the situation, making it known that this was a pressing matter, and he really needed his truck done by morning. It wasn't nearly as much of a headache as he was expecting, Casey getting everything set up rather quickly, the man on the phone assuring someone would be there soon to pick up his truck. And, true to their word, a tow truck had shown up in less than half an hour, both Matt and Severide staying out there while they got his truck towed, Casey reminding them he'd be by in the morning.

After that ordeal had been taken care of, Casey had called Becca, letting her know what happened and that they'd need her to stay a little longer with Sofia in the morning until they could get home. As expected, Becca was more than willing, constantly assuring him she could stay as long as needed, that her and Sofia were fine and for them to just focus on getting his truck fixed, and that she was here for whatever they might need.

Once he'd done everything he needed to do in regards to his truck, Matt felt a little better, but he still spent the majority of the last day with a sinking feeling in his stomach, and he knew his wife was feeling the same way. Especially when they heard back from Antonio late last night, and the security footage hadn't shown much of anything. Matt's truck was barely in the frame, you could only see the front right side of his vehicle and that hadn't given them much. They were able to see that tire get slashed, and there was a person in frame for a few seconds, but they couldn't see much, at least not anything useful. With the cold weather, whoever had done it was bundled up, making it impossible to get any identifying features. All Antonio could tell was that it was a man, probably someone around Matt's age, but that last part was merely a guess. Antonio had stopped by last night to show him the images anyway, even though they all knew nothing could really been seen, and, as expected, Matt wasn't able to help much. Based on stature alone, it could've been the man who tried to kill him, but it also could've been a hundred different people. There wasn't nearly enough to be anywhere close to helpful in identifying who'd done this. All it told them was that it hadn't been the stupid kids they were hoping for. Whoever had done this was older, which had left both Matt and Gabby even more unsettled.

Casey had been holding onto the hope that it was just some dumb kids, and he knew Gabby had been as well, so finding out that wasn't that case definitely hadn't helped anything. And even though it didn't confirm anything either, it meant he needed to talk to Antonio about what really happened the day of that call.

And he still needed to tell Gabby, too.

He wanted to, he knew he _needed_ to, but he never found the right moment. He didn't want to tell her when they could be interrupted without warning, he didn't want to just drop that on her when they needed to be focused on work, so he'd decided to wait and tell her after shift, which meant he had to wait to tell Antonio, as well. There was no way he could tell the older Dawson without the younger one finding out, Matt knowing it was for the best to just wait, though that hadn't made it any easier.

The uncertainty surrounding everything was definitely the hardest part, and Matt would give anything for this to have never happened, because he knew how hard his wife was taking it, especially when he found out Antonio had mentioned to her that the person who'd done this might be the psychotic murderer who already tried to kill her husband once. After talking with Antonio, Gabby had been visibly on edge the rest of shift, and while Matt couldn't blame her, he hated seeing her so upset.

Gabby reaching for his hand pulled him from his thoughts as they got out into the garage, Matt looking towards his wife, seeing her flash him a soft smile. "You alright?" She asked quietly, Matt returning the smile as she gave her hand a squeeze.

"I'm good." He assured her, glancing down to their conjoined hands. "How's your wrist feeling?" He asked, knowing she hadn't mentioned it since right after she hurt it yesterday.

"It's fine, nothing to worry about." She replied with a gentle smile, Matt nodding and giving her hand one last squeeze before dropping it, wrapping his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his side, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as they headed for Severide's car.

To the relief of both Matt and Gabby, picking up Matt's truck hadn't taken very long at all. It was already done and waiting for them when they arrived, four brand new tires replacing the worn down, slashed ones from yesterday. And, under the circumstances, they were both relieved to have his truck back already.

Matt and Gabby exited the garage, walking towards his truck with their shift bags in their hands, Severide having just left once he knew they were good, the couple ready to get on with their day now that this was taken care of.

"Well… there's $700 we'll never get back." Casey breathed out in frustration, Gabby pursing her lips together as she climbed into the cold truck, Matt following her lead.

"I know, I hate it, too. But we didn't have a choice." She reminded him, Matt giving her a nod as they placed their bags on the ground in between them before he slid the key into the ignition, the truck roaring to life with ease.

"Ready to go home?"

"More than you know, but we should probably stop by the grocery store first." She replied, Matt glancing to her. "We have next to nothing at home, we honestly should've gone days ago." Gabby added, earning a nod from her husband. "I can call Becca, let her know we're gonna be a little bit longer."

"I don't care to go to the store, but can we go home first and get Sof?" He asked, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly. "...I just wanna see her." He added quietly, her face softening before giving him an immediate nod.

"Of course, baby." She replied, leaning forward to give him a quick kiss, Matt relishing in the contact before she pulled back, both of them eager to get home and see their baby.

* * *

"What do you think, Sof? You think we should get regular pasta sauce, or Alfredo? I know Momma prefers regular, but your Daddy doesn't, so what do you think? You're the tie breaker here." He spoke to his daughter as they stood in the aisle, holding up both options in front of her, the baby waving her arms around, smacking the regular pasta sauce first. "Yeah, I'm not surprised you sided with your Momma…" He responded with a chuckle, placing the Alfredo back on the shelf before putting the sauce Sofia chose in the cart, the two Casey's continuing down the aisle.

They had been playing this game since they first got here, Matt letting Sofia help him figure out what all they should get, even though the baby had no idea what was going on, little Sofia just happy to be out and about. When they'd gotten to the store over half an hour ago, Matt had strapped Sofia to his chest in the new baby carrier they'd gotten a few weeks ago, the parents having upgraded to the one where they could wear Sofia facing forward. And, just as they expected, Sofia absolutely loved it. For as much as their little girl loved cuddling with her parents, when she was wide awake, she absolutely loved seeing the world around her, this carrier being the perfect thing for them. It kept Sofia close to one of them at all times, and gave the little girl an opportunity to look out around her, all while keeping Matt's arms free. It was the perfect thing for all of them, and had made their lives a lot easier, even though Matt definitely always got some looks whenever he walked around with Sofia strapped to his chest.

He wasn't really sure why, he didn't know why him carrying his daughter elicited such a response from people, but he'd certainly get a lot of stares whenever he wore this. Some of it was judgement, he knew that, but what made him more uncomfortable was the looks he'd get from women. Maybe it was just the fact that he was happily married, and that there'd only been one woman in his heart for the better part of seven years, but he really didn't like the attention he seemed to get whenever he had Sofia.

It happened sometimes in the past when they'd see his ring, some woman apparently finding that a turn on, or a challenge maybe, he wasn't sure, but he'd get approached some times even after they knew he was a married man. But with Sofia, it happened more often. He wasn't sure why, but he tried to pay no attention to it, Matt more interested in spending time with his daughter.

Thankfully, no one had approached him tonight, even though he had noticed more than one woman eyeing him since they'd been in here. But he assumed Gabby's frequent presence by his side was enough to deter anyone who had thought of coming up to him.

"Alright baby girl, what do you think about our pasta choices?" He asked, rubbing his hand against the carrier over Sofia's chest, the baby smacking his arm, soft babbling noises continuously leaving her lips. "Since we went with your Momma's favorite sauce, how about we go with Daddy's favorite pasta? That sound okay?" He asked, lifting his hand up slightly, Sofia becoming intrigued by her dad's hand, the little girl grabbing ahold of his fingers, pulling him towards her mouth. She began shaking his hand around, Sofia soon seeing the shiny wedding ring on his finger, quickly becoming focused on that. That was something Sofia had started doing as of late, always becoming fascinated by any jewelry people wore, the girl equally as curious of Gabby's wedding ring, as well as the necklace she wore every day. In the past, she'd grab onto people's jewelry while they held her, but now she seemed to see it as a toy, Sofia definitely finding it interesting. And, whatever jewelry she could get her little hands on, it usually ended up with her trying to shove whatever it was in her mouth, Matt guiding his hand away from her lips but letting her keep her grip on him. "Alright Sof, let's get some pasta and get back to Momma, I'm not sure where she wandered off to."

After grabbing a single box of pasta and placing it into the cart, Matt began to head out of the aisle, hoping it wouldn't take him too long to find his wife, even though she ran off somewhere a few minutes ago now, and had yet to reappear.

With one hand on the cart, he kept his other across Sofia's stomach, the young girl watching her surroundings with wide eyes as Matt walked around, his eyes peeled for Gabby. But his steps were soon halted when someone turned the corner just as he did, Matt having to stop abruptly to avoid hitting them.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you-"

His words got caught in his throat when he saw the person standing directly across from them, their eyes widened in shock as well, that look only intensifying when their gaze moved down, seeing the baby strapped to his chest.

"Naomi…"

His voice snapped her from whatever thoughts were filling her head, the blonde straightening her spine as her gaze moved back up to him, Matt seeing a harsh look in her eye.

"...So I guess Gabby stayed." She responded sharply, Matt pursing his lips together as his eyes darted around, trying to see if Gabby was anywhere in sight. "At least I'm assuming it's Gabby, that baby looks an awful lot like her… And I know I didn't know you very well, but I can't imagine you would've gotten married already to anyone else." She added roughly, clearly having seen the wedding ring resting proudly on his finger.

Casey stood there uncomfortably, unsure of what to say to this woman who had been nothing more than a poor decision on his part. He hated what had happened, he hated knowing he'd hurt her, but above everything else he hated that he'd ever done anything with her in the first place.

"Yeah, um-" He cleared his throat, rubbing over his daughter's chest. "This is Sofia." He told her, not knowing what else to say, Naomi releasing a slight scoff.

"Well, looks like I was right about Gabby… If you managed to get her pregnant, she'd stay this time." She responded bitterly, Matt's eyes narrowing in annoyance. He knew he'd messed up, but it had been well over a year since they'd seen each other, and he really didn't understand her attitude towards him.

They hadn't been anything. She knew what he was wanting from her when they got together, even though he wasn't proud of it. But he didn't understand why she was seemingly so hung up on their brief fling, if you could even call it that. And he really didn't like how after all this time, she was still taking shots at Gabby.

"Naomi, look-"

"Hey babe, there you are. I went back to the cereal aisle, but I couldn't find you…" Gabby's voice trailed off when she came up from behind Naomi, his wife clearly stunned when she realized exactly who he'd been talking to, Gabby's body tensing slightly as she came to stand beside Matt, an awkward tension filling the air. "Um… hi Naomi." She greeted uncomfortably, the blonde looking back and forth between them, shaking her head slightly.

"Yeah, we don't have to do this…" She replied harshly before they could even pretend to make small talk, Gabby swallowing thickly as Matt's neck clenched. "Congratulations on the baby, and getting remarried. I'm glad it worked out for you two… You deserve each other." She added, although her rough and sarcastic voice sounded the opposite of genuine, the woman turning around and heading in a different direction before either of the Caseys could say anything.

The awkward tension hadn't lifted even after she walked away, Gabby having taken a slight step away from him as they stood there uncomfortably, Sofia entertaining herself as she chewed on her fist.

"I, um-"

"What else do we need to get?" She asked, her voice cutting him off as Gabby turned towards him, Matt unable to read the look in her eye.

"Babe…"

"It's fine. What else do we need?" She repeated, her tone a touch firmer than it had been seconds prior, Matt sighing softly before glancing down to the cart.

"Um, milk I think." He responded, Gabby giving him a slight nod before heading in that direction, Matt following after her.

The rest of their time spent in the grocery store had been tense, to put it lightly. Gabby hadn't said much to him, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. He knew she wasn't mad that they'd seen her, there was no way for either of them to know they'd run into her here. He didn't even know Naomi was still in the area, although admittedly, she hadn't been on his mind since the last time he saw her. Although Matt knew it wasn't their running into her that had Gabby awfully quiet, but it was probably more so the memories her presence brought up.

He wasn't proud of what he'd done. He doesn't like being reminded of the mistakes he'd made, and he knew Gabby hated it just as much. How he did something he never should've done, bringing another woman into his and Gabby's home. He hadn't cheated, they both knew he didn't, but it almost felt like he had by bringing her into their home. And considering the thought still made him sick, he was sure it made his wife feel even worse, Matt knowing how much this entire mess had hurt her.

And it didn't help that the family was already on edge already, the events of the past day having taken their toll on both of them.

So Matt left it alone while they were in the store, not wanting to make anything more difficult, even though her silence was alarming. He knew trying to have any conversation in that place would get them nowhere, and considering he couldn't get a read on Gabby, he figured it safest to wait. She didn't seem mad, or even all that upset; she was just quiet. And somehow that had been worse.

Matt finished loading the groceries into the trunk of Gabby's car as she got Sofia buckled back into her seat, the two working on their own tasks quietly. By the time Casey had finished, Gabby was already in the car, waiting for him in the passenger seat as he came up to his door. Once he'd gotten in, Matt locked the doors, effectively closing them off from the outside world, Casey quickly turning the car on to get some heat flowing through the vents.

They sat there warming up for a few seconds, Matt sparing occasional glances towards Gabby, seeing her staring down at her lap, her mind clearly elsewhere.

"I'm sorry about that."

His voice brought her back into the present, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly as she looked up towards her husband, a confused look on her face.

"For what?"

"For that in there, I know that was uncomfortable." He elaborated with a wince, Gabby shaking her head slightly.

"It's okay, it's not your fault… You didn't know we were gonna run into her." She replied, Matt running his teeth over his bottom lip, slightly surprised by her reaction. He wasn't entirely sure what he'd been expecting, but that wasn't it, especially considering her prolonged silence inside the store.

"Yeah, I definitely wasn't expecting that." He replied carefully, still unsure of where her head was at. And she wasn't giving much away, Gabby deep in thought as she stared straight ahead, focusing on the light snow hitting the windshield. "Are you alright?" He asked, but he got no response. "...Gabby?"

"Huh?" She asked, turning to see his expectant eyes on her. "Sorry, what'd you say?"

"I asked if you were okay…" He repeated, Gabby nodding quickly.

"Yeah, I'm fine… It's just- you don't think she had something to do with this, do you?" She asked quickly, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in confusion, Gabby blowing out a heavy breath. "Your tires getting slashed… do you think she was part of it?"

His eyes widened slightly, not expecting those words to come from her mouth, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip roughly. "Oh…" He breathed out, thinking over her question before responding. "Honestly, I hadn't really considered that, but I don't think so… I mean, I guess it's possible, and I know she was mad, but mad enough to do that? I don't know."

"No, I know, it's probably just a coincidence. And I know Antonio thinks it's a guy in that video, but it's just… it's weird." She replied, Matt reaching out to grab her leg gently. "I mean, you haven't seen her since I first got back, then suddenly we see her the day after your tires get slashed?" She asked rhetorically, Matt pursing his lips together as he breathed deeply, dropping her eye contact. "...Right?" She prodded, Matt looking back up to her.

"What?"

"You haven't seen her since I got back, right?" Gabby asked for clarification, her eyes shining back at him as she waited for his response, Matt's eyebrows furrowing before he immediately shook his head.

"No, I haven't seen her, or spoken to her." He confirmed quickly, not wanting her to think otherwise. "The last time I saw her was the last time you did."

Gabby gave him a nod, blowing out a heavy breath before bringing her hands up to cradle her face, Gabby leaning over into her lap. "God, I know I'm being ridiculous, there's no reason for Naomi to have anything to do with this… She's obviously still hurt, but she looked just as shocked to see us as we were to see her, I don't think she'd have anything to do with this, this entire thing is just driving me crazy." She groaned, her head collapsed into her hands, Matt frowning deeply as he squeezed her leg, trying to give her any comfort he could. "I just wish I knew why this happened, I'm gonna go insane… Like if this was random, okay.. But if it wasn't? Who would do this to you? I don't get it." She mumbled, frustration pouring from her body as she tried to take steadying breaths, Matt's eyes falling closed. "I know Antonio thinks it might be that man who tried to hurt you, but why would he come after you now? It doesn't make sense, it's not like you're able to ID him or anything, God I just hate all of this."

It was clear she needed to get all this off her chest, Matt sitting silently by her side as her words washed over him, his chest tightening as he listened to her heavy breathing.

He needed to tell her. He couldn't keep putting it off anymore. She was driving herself crazy, and he hated seeing her like this. Even though he didn't know if this man was behind this, he knew it was a possibility. And he couldn't keep her in the dark about it any longer.

"Gabby…" He spoke softly, clearing his throat, but she hadn't looked up. "Baby." He tried again, watching her take a deep breath before lifting her head, Matt seeing the exhaustion mixed with worry settled in her gaze. "There's uh… We need to talk." He prefaced, seeing the immediate confusion settle over her face, Matt knowing his tone was only bound to worry her more.

"What is it?" She asked softly, Matt giving her thigh a squeeze as he took a deep breath, slowly meeting her gaze.

"There's something I never told you… about the day that guy tried to kill me."


	76. Chapter Seventy Six

**Hello hello hello, everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I loved seeing your response to the last one. It was a little amusing to me, some of you were wanting Gabby to completely go off on Matt, while others were wanting the exact opposite. That's part of why this is so fun to share this story with you all, because of the different way you all see things and how you guys interpret the things I write. I don't know, that was just a random thought, but it was kind of entertaining seeing all that. But you guys will find out here in a second how Gabby reacts to what Matt has to tell her. Settle in. It's a bumpy one.**

**Also, thank you for the well wishes. Luckily, I've been feeling a little better, but your messages were so sweet, and greatly appreciated. Thank you for that.**

**I hope you all enjoy this one, happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy Six**_

* * *

"There's something I never told you… about the day that guy tried to kill me."

Her eyebrows furrowed as the words left his lips, Gabby angling her body slightly towards her husband, seeing the regretful look in his eye, Dawson's mouth opening partially before she closed it, trying to understand what he was talking about.

"What… What do you mean? What didn't you tell me?" She finally found her voice, confusion laced in her words, Matt knowing that confusion would soon be mixed with anger.

Pinching the bridge of his nose tightly, Matt released a heavy sigh, forcing himself to look back towards his wife before responding. "You know how I told you he said things about you and Sofia? How he was gonna hurt you guys after he killed me?" He prefaced, Gabby nodding slowly. "...He didn't just say things about you two." Matt added with a gulp, seeing his wife's eyes narrow slightly, still trying to grasp what he was saying.

"What are you talking about, Matt?" She asked again, clearly getting frustrated by him dragging this out, Matt running his hand over his mouth, shaking his head before spitting the words out.

"When he tried to shoot me and the gun jammed, and the police were coming, he said something before he smacked with the gun and ran… He threatened me." Matt felt her body tense, the muscles in her leg tightening underneath his touch as he kept his eyes on her, a million different emotions playing out across her face, Matt unable to pinpoint exactly what she was feeling. But he knew he needed to finish telling her what happened. "...Before he ran, he told me that I was a dead man."

He saw the immediate shift in her, Gabby's lips parted slightly, her eyes shining with fear before she looked ahead, her head falling down towards her lap.

They sat in a thick, tense silence for a few minutes, aside from the occasional noises their daughter was making in the back seat, Matt knowing better than to try and say anything else to her right now. He messed up, he knew he did. Regardless of how hard things had been on him after that call, he never should've kept this from her, especially not for this long. And now all he could do was give her time to digest this, knowing it wasn't easy to hear that her husband might have a target on his back.

But he was getting more and more concerned the longer they sat there and she hadn't said a word, a deep frown etched across his face as he waited for any sign from her, anything that would tell him how she was doing.

"Go to the district."

Her words were barely audible, they almost sounded muffled as they left her lips, Matt sighing softly as he squeezed her leg, but she pushed his hand away.

"Gabby-"

"Go." She repeated, lifting her head up, Matt instantly seeing the anger, mixed with worry, burning in her eyes. "We need to talk to Antonio, right now. Go."

Knowing it was pointless to argue, Casey simply nodded, releasing a heavy breath as he put the car in drive, heading off in the direction of the 21st district.

Matt did what he could to focus on the road, driving safely through the slick streets of Chicago while Gabby's gaze stayed trained on her window, Casey able to feel the tension radiating off her body. He wanted to talk to her, to try and make sure she was okay, but he didn't even know what to say. He knew she was upset, but he didn't know if that stemmed more from finding out Matt's life had been threatened, or the fact that he lied about it. And, depending on which one it was, those were two very different conversations; although if he had to guess, she was probably equally upset about both.

Not having said a word the entire drive, Matt eventually pulled up to the curb outside the district, Gabby instantly reaching for her seatbelt to unfasten it before he could even get the car in the park. Once they were securely stopped, he reached out towards her, gently grabbing ahold of her arm to stop her before she got out, Gabby turning back to look at him, an unreadable expression covering her face.

Of all the different reactions he'd expected from her, complete silence hadn't been one of them. And just as it had while they were in the grocery store, it worried him, her not saying anything worse than any other reaction she could've had. Because his wife didn't get quiet often. Only when she was beyond angry, or when she was scared but didn't want to show it, those were really the only times she got like this, and he didn't like either of those options.

"I'm sorry…" He murmured, Gabby's face unchanging. "I should've told you sooner, I know that. But I just- I wasn't able to think straight, and I didn't want to worry you. But I should've told you before now, and I'm sorry."

Gabby blinked quickly, giving him a sharp nod before continuing to open the door, getting out of the car without a word. Sighing softly, Matt followed her lead, knowing there was no possible way for this to end without a fight, Casey grabbing the diaper bag while his wife got Sofia's car seat from the back, the little girl having fallen asleep during the ride. Gabby moved the shield down, not wanting baby Sofia to get hit with snow as they walked inside, Matt walking around towards the sidewalk.

"Do you want me to carry her?" He asked, reaching out for the car seat, but Gabby turned before he could grab it, beginning to walk past him.

"I got it." She responded shortly, Matt releasing another sigh before following after her, making sure to lock the vehicle before he got too far away. He jogged ahead of her when they got to the steps, Matt walking ahead of her to get the door, Gabby giving nothing more than a soft thanks as they stepped inside the warm lobby. Casey's eyes bounced around the room before moving towards Platt, the woman exactly where she always was, Gabby walking towards her first.

"Well, if it isn't the Casey family." She greeted, flashing them both a smile, the woman always having a soft spot for the both of them.

"Hey Trudy, is my brother upstairs?" Gabby asked, grimacing slightly as the weight of Sofia's car seat pulled on her sore wrist, Matt noticing the reaction instantly. Without prompting, he grabbed the car seat from her, earning a slight glare from his wife in the process, but he ignored it, holding the handle firmly in his grasp. He didn't care if she was upset with him, he wasn't going to let her continue to hold the car seat out of pure stubbornness when it was obviously causing her some discomfort, the pain still present in her wrist being a conversation for a different time.

Noticing the tension between the couple, Trudy nodded towards the stairs, moving her hand down towards the button that opened the gate. "He should be upstairs, you can go ahead and go up there." She told them, Gabby giving her a weak smile before she stepped away from the desk.

"Thank you, Trudy." She responded, Matt giving the Sergeant a similar look of gratitude before walking in step behind Gabby, the family climbing the stairs and heading up to Intelligence.

When they reached the landing, it didn't take long for Gabby to find her brother, the detective sitting at his desk, his eyes focused on his computer, most of his colleagues doing the same. Taking a step forward, Gabby cleared her throat, gaining the attention of the room, an immediate look of surprise covering Antonio's face.

"Gabs, Matt-... what are you guys doing here?" He asked, pushing himself up from his seat, Gabby feeling everyone's eyes on her. "We're still looking into the thing with your truck, Casey, but we haven't got anywhere."

"That's why we're here." Gabby replied quickly, Antonio's eyebrows furrowing when he saw the uneasiness in his sister's demeanor, the older Dawson glancing curiously between the couple. "Can we talk?"

"Yeah, sure." He responded without hesitation, glancing back towards the break room, finding it empty. "Follow me."

With a nod, Gabby walked behind her brother as they moved towards the break room, Matt carrying a sleeping Sofia in his grasp, flashing soft smiles to the members of Intelligence. But his face hardened when he caught Voight's gaze, the man in his office, clearly surprised to see the firefighter, Matt giving him a tight nod before walking into the break room, closing the door behind him.

"What's going on?" Antonio asked as he leaned his body into the counter, Matt placing Sofia's carseat down on the small couch under the window, glancing quickly under the shield, ensuring his daughter was still asleep before he turned to face the Dawsons, seeing both of them watching him expectantly.

"Tell him." Gabby spoke roughly from her spot beside the table, Antonio's spine straightening as he heard the anger in his sister's voice, Matt releasing a heavy sigh before he walked closer to his wife.

"Tell me what?" The detective questioned, Gabby raising her eyebrows towards Matt, responding before he could.

"That guy threatened to come back and kill him." She responded, missing the look of complete shock that covered her brother's face as her narrow gaze was on her husband, Antonio's eyes snapping towards Casey.

"What?"

"The guy who tried to kill him, he told Matt he was a dead man before he ran off." Gabby clarified, Antonio raising his eyebrows before stepping away from the counter, moving closer to the couple.

"That wasn't in any of the reports, why didn't you tell me?" The older Dawson asked, his question earning a scoff from his little sister.

"He didn't tell anyone, Antonio." She replied, Matt giving her a regretful look, but Gabby didn't react, Antonio shaking his head before looking back to his brother.

"Alright, just tell me exactly what happened-"

"I just told you what happened." Gabby bit out exasperatedly, the detective narrowing his eyes towards his sister.

"I need to hear it from Matt, Gabs. Now what happened?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head as she began pacing back and forth beside the table.

"Yeah, I would've loved to hear it from him, too." She responded with a scoff, Antonio shooting her a look before returning his attention back to Matt, seeing the man more focused on Gabby than anything else.

"Casey." He spoke again, gaining his brother's attention. "Tell me what happened."

Sparing one last glance at his wife, Matt released a deep breath, looking back towards Antonio before beginning to explain everything. Although there wasn't much to explain from what Antonio already knew, he had left out a big part of what happened that day, neither the detective nor his wife looking too pleased with him by the time he finished.

"So this guy threatened to kill you before he left, after he'd already threatened Gabby and Sofia, and you didn't tell anyone?" The detective asked, clearly trying to understand what had been going through Casey's head, Matt running his hand over his mouth, taking a steadying breath.

"I… I thought I was doing the right thing, I didn't want to worry her. I didn't think he'd actually do anything." He replied, Matt wincing as his own words left his mouth, knowing how naive he sounded. "I'm sorry, I am- I fucked up, I know I did, but I just… I wasn't thinking straight after any of this happened, and by the time I finally was starting to feel like myself again, I just thought it was all over. I'm sorry." He apologized, Antonio's face softening slightly, although the same couldn't be said for Gabby.

"Alright…" Antonio started, his tongue poking out between his teeth as he tried to figure out how to respond. He didn't understand why Matt hadn't told anyone, why the firefighter had kept this to himself for so long, but he also knew how much this entire ordeal had messed with Casey's head. Antonio knew Matt would never do anything to knowingly put Gabby or Sofia in danger, which is why he knew Matt was telling the truth about why he hadn't said anything. Despite the anger and confusion he felt from Casey keeping this to himself, he knew getting upset with Matt wouldn't help anything, especially considering Gabby was already pissed off as it was. "Has anything else happened recently? Aside from your truck, was there anything else that might make you think this was him?"

Furrowing his eyebrows slightly, Matt wracked his brain as he tried to think of anything that might be cause for concern, anything that might point to this man coming back to make good on his threat, but he was coming up empty. Nothing out of the ordinary had happened recently, nothing except-

"Our power." Gabby spoke up before he could, Matt looking towards his wife, realization washing over them at the same time.

"What?" Antonio asked.

"Remember, before Christmas, when the power in our building was out." Gabby started, Antonio soon remembering his sister telling him about that, the detective taking a deep breath.

"It was just your building, right?" Antonio asked for clarification, although he already knew the answer, Matt nodding slowly. "Your landlord said it looked like it had been tampered with…" Gabby brought her hands up to cover her face as she stopped her pacing, Matt's eyes falling closed as he pressed a firm hand against his forehead, trying to will away the headache beginning to pound in his skull. "Did you guys ever hear any other explanations about that?" He questioned, Matt shaking his head as he looked towards Gabby, his wife lifting her head the second he looked to her, Casey seeing the fear shining in her eyes.

"...Do you think he did that, too?" She asked hesitantly, the older Dawson pursing his lips together, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

"I don't know. Really, I don't. I don't know if he's doing all of this, or none of it. I don't know if this could all just be a coincidence, but considering he threatened Casey, I doubt it... I think something's going on here." Antonio replied firmly, glancing out towards the bullpen. "Is there anything else? Any other weird thing that happened?" He asked, Gabby's eyes darting towards her husband, Matt seeing a look he couldn't quite read. "Any other person at all we might wanna look at, too?"

"Naomi." Gabby spoke softly, Matt clenching his eyes shut for a second, Antonio's eyebrows narrowing slightly.

"Naomi?" He asked, glancing towards his sister. "Who is- Oh…" Realization suddenly washed over him, the name triggering memories from before his sister came back, the detective looking towards Matt.

"Yeah. Naomi. Matt's ex-girlfriend." Gabby replied sharply, Casey lifting his head as he gave her a pointed stare.

"She wasn't my girlfriend, you know that." Matt responded, Gabby scoffing lightly.

"Fine. Your fuck buddy, your late night booty call, whatever you wanna call her, we saw her at the grocery store like an hour ago." Gabby spoke shortly, Casey shaking his head before running his hand over his mouth. "Matt says he hasn't seen or talked to her in over a year, so seeing her now… the timing's a little weird."

"I _haven't_ seen or talked to her." Matt repeated, not liking the tone Gabby was using, almost like she was questioning whether or not she believed him. He knew she was pissed off, and he knew she was projecting her anger with him onto the Naomi situation, but he didn't want to give her, or Antonio, any reason to think he'd been lying. "The last time I saw her was the last time Gabby did, and that was right after she got back."

"And you all think she might've done this?" Antonio asked, trying to get whatever information he could before this turned into a fight.

"I don't know, maybe. I hardly know the woman. But you're asking us to give you other possibilities, she's the only other person I can think of who has a problem with us. She was upset back when Matt ended things with her, and she didn't seem like she'd really moved past that when we saw her today." Gabby told her brother, her arms crossed over her chest as both Dawsons looked towards Matt.

"Casey, what about you?" Antonio asked, the firefighter raising his eyebrows. "Do you think she'd do this?"

Matt sighed, sparing a quick glance towards his wife, seeing her angry eyes shining back at him. "...No, I don't, if I'm being honest. I don't think she was ever even expecting to see us, let alone do something like this. Gabby said the same thing in the car, how when we saw her, she seemed surprised. Like she didn't think we'd even still be together…"

"Why do you say that?" Antonio asked, Matt's eyes flashing to Gabby. "Did she say something?" He prodded, the firefighter sighing softly before responding.

"...Back when this all first happened, after Gabby got back, Naomi told me how Gabby would just end up leaving me again." Matt spoke with a grimace, seeing the harsh stare on his wife's face, Casey knowing she couldn't be happy hearing this for the first time, especially considering the reason they were here was because of something he'd kept from her. "And then tonight when she saw Sofia, she basically said that Gabby stayed this time because I got her pregnant-" Matt stopped when he heard Gabby scoff, the firefighter watching as she rolled her eyes, the younger Dawson continuing to pace beside the table. "...So I don't even think she knew Gabby was still in town. And she looked just as surprised to see me, too… I don't think she did this." Matt spoke, Antonio giving him a nod. "But it is a possibility I guess. Like Gabby said, the timing is weird."

"Alright…" Antonio breathed out, the tension in the room palpable. "We'll look into her, too. Just to cover our bases." He told them, Gabby giving him a slight nod, her arms crossed tightly over her chest as she focused on the ground. "I'm gonna go talk to Voight, fill him in on everything then we'll go from there, okay? Just give me a minute." The detective spoke, more so towards his sister, keeping his voice steady. It was clear she was upset, and considering how she refused to even look at Matt, Antonio was sure things were bound to get worse before they got better.

Although from where he was standing, even though he may be biased, he knew his sister had every right to be pissed off. She absolutely did. But as a former husband and current father, he did see where Casey was coming from. This wasn't a black and white situation, but Antonio just hoped that he and the unit could figure this out soon, knowing the longer this went on, the more damage it could cause between his sister and Matt.

"Thanks Tonio." Gabby replied, lifting her head for a moment to give her brother a grateful, albeit weak, smile, Antonio nodding in response before moving towards the door, obvious tension still present around him. As he opened the door, he spared one last glance to his sister before he left the room, closing the door behind him.

The air around the couple was thick, Gabby keeping her eyes firmly on the ground as they stood a few feet apart, Matt's eyes bouncing towards their still sleeping baby before he focused his attention on his wife. From her body language alone, he could see she was closing herself off to him; she didn't want to even look at him, so he couldn't imagine she wanted much comfort from him right now. But he still needed to know she was okay. He'd dropped a bomb on her out of nowhere, he needed to know how she was feeling, even though he had a pretty good idea of what was going on in her head.

"Gabby…" He spoke carefully, watching as she slowly lifted her head, Matt seeing a million different emotions playing throughout her deep brown eyes, and none of them were good.

"Is there anything else I don't know?" Her voice was firm, Matt picking up on the anger she was feeling as the short words left her lips, the firefighter taking a few steps to be closer to her, knowing she was either about to break down or blow up, and he wasn't sure which one was worse. "Anything else your girlfriend said about me that you'd like to share?" She asked sarcastically, Matt pursing his lips together as he bit back his response, knowing she'd only push harder if he tried to fight her on it. "Any other people threaten your life recently? I mean, I feel like that's something I'd know about already, but apparently I don't know much of anything going on with you."

"That's not fair." He responded, her eyes narrowing instantly, Gabby's defenses rising.

"You wanna talk about not fair? Some psychotic, drugged out murderer threatened your life, and you didn't tell me. You kept that to yourself, because…? Why, exactly? Why would you not tell me when we have Sofia to worry about? Why would you think this would just go away?" Her voice was steadily raising as she spoke, her entire body on edge as Matt reached out for her, knowing this was only going to get worse.

"I thought I was doing the right thing, I thought-"

"Don't touch me, Matt." She barked when he grabbed ahold of her arm, Gabby practically ripping herself from his grasp, Casey taking a slight step back as she moved away from him, anger coming off her in waves.

"Baby-"

"No! You don't get to do that." She replied forcefully. "You don't get to swoop in and try and make this better after you spent the last month and half lying to me! This man not only threatened you, but he threatened your daughter! And you didn't tell anyone! That's not okay, Matt. You can't keep lying to me!"

"I haven't lied to you-"

"Bullshit." She cut in with a scoff, Matt having to fight to urge to reach out and try and comfort her, knowing he was bound to get snapped at again. "You lied to me about this, about Naomi-"

"I never lied to you about her." He interjected defensively, Gabby rolling her eyes.

"You never told me what she said about me, and how she apparently said things again tonight. Not only about me, but Sofia too. You not telling me is the same as lying, Matt. You keep lying to me." She challenged, swallowing the thick lump that had formed in her throat.

"I didn't tell you because I knew there was no point. Because I know how much everything that happened with all that upset you." He replied, trying to keep his cool as Gabby blinked quickly. "And I know how upset you still are about it, I know all this coming up again is why you're so angry…" He spoke, Gabby's eyes narrowing in disbelief. "Seeing her upset you enough, why would I make that worse?"

"Are you serious right now? You really think I'm only angry because we saw your ex-girlfriend?" She responded quickly, her muscles clenched in aggravation, Gabby not bothering to stop herself from rolling her eyes. "Yeah, because I care more about seeing the woman you fucked in our bed than I do about learning some guy threatened to come back and kill you. Sure, that's my only problem here." Gabby added sarcastically, Matt shaking his head before he took a deep breath.

"Clearly it still upsets you, Gabby. And I'm not saying you're wrong for it, but I know that's part of why you're so angry right now, and I-"

"God, can you please quit making this about your ex-... whatever the hell she was, that doesn't matter! This is about you lying to me, and about you keeping things from me, about you not telling me that some crazy man threatened to kill you!" Her voice was getting angrier as she spoke, Matt seeing the hurt and pain behind her rage as her eyes shone back at him. "Yeah, I don't exactly like thinking about you and Naomi, and I could've gone my whole life without ever seeing her again, but that doesn't matter when someone threatened to kill you and you kept that from me! That's the problem here, is you constantly not telling me things. Don't try and turn this into something it's not."

"Gabby-"

"I mean, this is the exact same thing you got so mad at me for before we got divorced, isn't it?" She asked forcefully, missing the flicker of darkness that flashed in his eyes, her words tearing through him as Gabby shook her head angrily. "You were upset with me because you felt like I was trying to handle everything on my own, you felt like I was leaving you out of things that affected us both, that I was keeping things from you… How is this any different?"

"Because I was trying to protect you!" He defended, Matt not liking the direction this conversation was going as he took a step closer to her, Gabby pressing her hand over her head. "I never told you what Naomi said because I knew how hurt you were, how much my mistakes had upset you already, why would I hurt you more when what she said didn't matter? And I know this thing now isn't the same, I know I should've told you after it happened, but don't throw our divorce back in my face when that situation was completely different. We had more problems than just us holding back from one another, that's not fair and you know it." He replied quickly, Gabby taking a deep breath. "I know I went about it the wrong way, but all I was trying to do was protect you-"

"I don't need your fucking protection, I need you to be honest with me." She spat, shaking her head as her anger began to come back in waves. "This affects me, too. This affects our baby, you had no right to not tell me. You keep talking about what's not fair, when the only thing not fair is you keeping this from me. You had no right, I deserved to know."

"I'm sorry." He responded as soon as she finished talking, Gabby bringing her hands up to cradle the sides of her face, the paramedic having to take steadying breaths to calm herself down, or else she'd only get more worked up. "I should've told you, I know that… But I was such a mess after it happened, I could hardly think straight. I'm sorry." He told her, Gabby clenching her eyes together tightly as she thought over his words, her thoughts going back to the days just after all this had happened, Gabby taking a deep breath before responding.

"...I know how hard all this has been on you... what that day did to you, and how much you struggled getting past it. What happened was awful, and I know how difficult it was for you to move on from that." She started, Matt hearing compassion in her voice despite her anger. "I know everything from that day messed with you Matt, I know that, but that's not an excuse for you keeping this from me for this long. This man threatened your life, you should have told me."

"I know." He agreed quickly, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she heard his soft voice. "I know I should have, and I'm not trying to use it as an excuse, but I can't take it back. I can't change it, but I am sorry. I thought I was doing the right thing-"

"Yeah, but that wasn't your choice to make, I still deserved to know-"

"I _thought_ I was doing the right thing." He repeated firmly, Gabby pursing her lips together as she breathed deeply, Matt trying to get her to understand. "I know now that I wasn't, but after it happened, I thought I was. You know I'd never do anything that might harm you or Sofia. But I messed up, and I'm sorry." He breathed out, Gabby's hands dropping down to her sides. "But we don't even know that this is him," He countered, her eyes narrowing slightly. "This could be nothing but some weird coincidences, we have no idea what this is-"

"You really think that after he threatened all of us, then our power gets cut off and your tires get slashed, you think that's nothing? Who else would be doing all this?... No one, aside from the psycho who tried to kill you once already." She replied sharply, Matt releasing a deep sigh. "The same man who murdered a woman in cold blood, who shot a kid in the back without any hesitation. You really think he'd stop at a baby? He'd have no problem doing something to Sofia," Gabby's bottom lip started to tremble as her voice faltered, Matt's eyes shining with the pain and sadness he knew she was feeling. "If the power being messed with was him, he already knows where we live. What if he comes and tries to hurt her?"

"That's not gonna happen, Gabby, we-"

"You don't know that!" She shouted, tears forming in her eyes as Matt took a slight step back, the force of her words surprising him, his heart breaking when he saw the fear and hurt in her gaze.

The sound of Sofia beginning to fuss snapped them from their heated trance, the door opening grabbing Matt's attention.

"Guys…" Antonio said after he'd poked his head in, Gabby clenching her jaw tightly to keep her tears at bay as she looked to her brother, seeing a concerned look on his face. Looking past him through the windows, Gabby saw everyone from Intelligence watching them, the paramedic taking a short, shaky breath as she realized that most, if not all, of her and Matt's argument had been heard by the detectives.

Blinking quickly to get rid of the tears forming in her eyes, Gabby looked towards her brother as Matt moved to get Sofia, knowing their baby's sleep had been disturbed by all the yelling. "Can we go?" Gabby asked quickly, hating the sympathetic look her brother was giving her. She knew he meant well, but she didn't want his pity; she just wanted to go home.

Glancing back and forth between the couple, Antonio nodded, Gabby releasing a relieved breath as Matt got their daughter calmed down, Sofia soon falling back asleep as he rocked her car seat.

"Yeah, I don't need anything else from you guys right now… But I am putting a protective detail on you." He spoke, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly. "At least for right now, just to be safe." Antonio added, Gabby giving him a nod before walking towards her family, carefully pulling the cover down over Sofia before she grabbed ahold of the handle. "I already talked to Platt, they should be down there waiting… You all don't need to do anything different, they're just there to keep an eye out."

"Okay." Gabby responded, lifting the car seat and heading towards the door. "Thanks Tonio." She murmured, the older Dawson nodding as he pulled her in for a quick hug.

"It'll be okay, sis." He spoke softly, pressing a kiss to the side of her head before they pulled back, Gabby moving the brunt of Sofia's weight to her other hand. "I'll keep you guys updated if I find out anything, alright?" He told them, Gabby nodding before she walked out of the break room, heading straight for the stairs.

Releasing a heavy breath, Matt pushed himself up from the couch, wringing his hands together as he moved towards Antonio, Casey unable to read the look on his brother's face. "...I never meant for any of this to happen." He spoke, earning an understanding nod from the detective.

"I know you didn't, and she knows you didn't…" Antonio replied, nodding out towards the bullpen, Matt glancing to see Gabby already beginning down the stairs with Sofia. "And honestly, us knowing from the beginning probably wouldn't have changed anything. We still don't know who this guy is, or if this guy is even who's doing this… But we're gonna do everything we can to find out." He promised, Matt nodding as the older Dawson clasped him on the shoulder. "...But I also understand why my sister is so upset."

"I know, I do too… I know I messed up. I just wish none of this ever happened." Casey breathed out, Antonio squeezing his shoulder before dropping his hand, Matt moving through the door.

"We're gonna do everything we can to find this guy. And we'll make sure you're protected until we do." Antonio promised one last time, Casey giving him a nod before heading in the direction his wife had gone, Matt jogging to catch up with her even though he knew he was probably the last person she wanted to be around right now.

* * *

Casey glanced to the clock above the stove as he put the last of their groceries away in the pantry, the firefighter releasing a soft sigh as he closed the cabinet door, his eyes bouncing around the quiet apartment.

It was barely even two in the afternoon, the Caseys having gotten back from the district about fifteen minutes ago, Matt and Gabby immediately going in separate directions once they got inside. While Matt was still bringing the groceries in from their late morning shopping trip, the below freezing temperatures having kept their things cold as they made the stop to see Antonio, Gabby had gotten a bottle ready for Sofia.

When they were close to home, their little girl had woken up with a start, the baby's cries filling the otherwise silent car, their inability to immediately calm her down adding to the tension that was already present. The second Matt had gotten the car in park, Gabby was out the door, rushing to Sofia's aid while he began unloading their shift bags, his wife not even bothering to wait for him before she went inside. He had seen her in the kitchen warming up Sofia's bottle while he was making his trips inside with their stuff and the groceries, but by the time he finished his last trip Gabby was gone, Matt coming inside to an empty kitchen and their bedroom door shut.

If her silence in the car hadn't been enough of a sign she needed space, the closed door was, Matt deciding to leave her alone for the time being as he put the groceries away. But now that he had completed that task, he wasn't sure what to do.

He wanted to go and be with her, and their baby. He wanted to sit down and talk to her, but he wasn't sure that was the best idea.

They'd hardly said two words to one another since they left the police station, Matt able to tell the second they got outside that the best thing he could give her right now was space. She needed time to cool off after the fight they'd had. He'd thrown a lot at her, and he knew she needed a minute to just breathe and come to terms with everything she found out today. He completely understood that.

But he didn't like the distance she was putting between them. And he definitely didn't want it to stay that way.

He deserved to be yelled at, she had every right to be upset with him, he knew that. And he didn't care if she spent the next month pissed off at him, he just didn't want her to continue to pull away from him. He could take the anger, he could take the yelling, but what he couldn't take was the silence. When Gabby would shut down and get too caught up in her own head, that's what he didn't want.

Feeling a pounding headache begin to form behind his eyes, Matt pressed against the side of his skull, shaking his head quickly before moving towards the cabinet where they housed their medicine, the firefighter quickly pulling out some aspirin. He'd seemingly had this headache all day, at least since he and Gabby finished at the store, Casey knowing the stress of today hadn't helped the pressure in his head at all.

Popping a few of the pills into his mouth, Matt grimaced as he swallowed them, the man putting the bottle away before looking around the empty apartment once more, Casey walking towards the clean living room they'd come home to.

He'd almost been hoping there'd be a mess he could clean up, that, Sofia being Sofia, had left a trail in her wake as the baby always did, his daughter leaving quite the mess behind for someone who couldn't get around on their own yet. But, to no surprise, the living room was practically spotless when they got home earlier this morning, something Matt knew was Becca's doing. She always left the apartment cleaner than how she found it, and while both Gabby and Matt had told her time and time again that it wasn't necessary, she continued to do it. It was something both parents were thankful for, although at times like this, Matt would've liked if there was something that had been left behind, something that he could use distract himself. But he was out of luck, Matt sighing as he turned towards the closed bedroom door.

Casey knew going in there probably wouldn't end well, but whatever sort of reaction she gave him was preferable to this strangling quiet, the firefighter taking the few steps towards their door, slowly turning the knob.

When he pushed the door open, he wasn't surprised to see Gabby sitting in the glider in the corner, his wife's leg hiked up onto the seat beside her while she cradled Sofia in her arms, Gabby feeding their daughter. Taking slow steps, Matt entered the room, knowing Gabby was well aware of his presence, but she hadn't acknowledged it. Without a word, he continued towards her, placing his body down on the bench at the end of their bed, wanting to keep just a little bit of space between them, figuring Gabby probably preferred it that way.

They sat in a tense quiet for a few moments, Matt watching as Sofia eagerly ate her food, the little girl's hands resting up on the bottle, the sight bringing a soft smile to the father's face. Even though she didn't have the strength to hold it up on her own quite yet, she was starting to understand the concept; that holding up the bottle meant she got fed. And over the past few days, both Gabby and Matt had noticed that Sofia had started to place her hands on the bottle whenever she ate, which was an encouraging sight to the young parents, both of them knowing this was the first step in her being able to hold her own bottle. Even though they were most likely a couple months out from that, it was encouraging, Matt and Gabby always eager to see any developments in their daughter's motor skills.

"Are the cops outside?"

Gabby's voice caught him off guard, Matt peeling his eyes from his daughter up towards his wife, seeing her gaze still focused on the baby in her arms. Knowing she'd be expecting an answer, Matt cleared his throat, leaning forward to rest on his knees.

"Yeah, they are…" He told her, Gabby giving him a slight nod in response. "I saw them while I was bringing the stuff in, they're parked across the street. I mean, they're in that unmarked car, so hopefully they don't alarm the neighbors, but they're there." He spoke softly, Gabby giving him another nod, rubbing her finger across Sofia's soft cheek, the baby smiling slightly behind the bottle.

"Good… that's good." She murmured, continuing to stroke Sofia's skin, Gabby finding the action comforting. "That makes me feel better that they're out there."

"Me too." He agreed, unsure of where this conversation was headed, but he was just glad she was talking to him. "Your, uh… Your brother said he'd keep the detail on us until they've figured this out, so that'll be good… Just for peace of mind." Matt added, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip.

"Yeah, that's probably for the best… If it is that guy who's doing this, who knows what he'll do." She replied, Matt pursing his lips together as his head hung forward, the firefighter rubbing his hand along the back of his neck, trying to relieve some of the tension that had been building up there.

Gabby was much calmer than she'd been at the district, Matt could tell that from the small amount of time he'd been in here. Though he knew she was probably still angry, that anger didn't seem to be consuming her like it had been an hour ago. But what was left was somehow worse, Matt sensing the fear, and hurt, and worry she was feeling right now, Gabby like an open book to him as he sat across from her.

She was scared, and he hated it. And it's exactly why he didn't want to tell her in the first place.

But, as Gabby had pointed out to him many times, that didn't matter. He should've told her a hell of a long time ago, and all he could hope was that she'd forgive him sooner rather than later.

"I, uh-" He started, clearing his throat. "I know I said it already, but I just want to tell you again how sorry I am." He told her, Gabby looking up at him for the first time since he had walked into their bedroom, her brown eyes shining at him. "I'm really sorry for keeping this from you. I thought I was doing the right thing, but this affects you, and it affects our girl. You deserved to know… I'm sorry, baby." Matt apologized, Gabby taking a deep breath before she looked back down, seeing Sofia begin to doze off, her bottle nearly empty.

"I know you are." She replied quietly, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek.

"You were right earlier, what you said about this being like what hurt us last time… I didn't see it that way, but you're right. I just… I didn't think this guy was serious." He spoke, Gabby looking back towards him. "I thought he was just pissed off, and probably a little scared of being caught, but I didn't think he meant what he was saying, that he'd ever actually try and do anything." Matt told her, watching as her eyebrows furrowed slightly, uncertainty written all over her face.

"...He tried to kill you the first time, I don't see how you just automatically assumed he wasn't serious." She replied, but her tone wasn't accusatory, she was just confused, like she didn't understand his reasoning. And truthfully, hearing himself say it out loud, Matt didn't understand it either.

"I don't know… I wish I had a better answer for you, but I don't. It was stupid, I fucked up and I know that." He told her, Gabby swallowing thickly. "You deserved to know, no matter how much all this messed with my head, I should've told you." He added, seeing her face soften slightly. "But me not telling you, that was completely on me… It wasn't because I felt like I couldn't, I just didn't want to scare you, when I knew I'd already freaked you out enough over this whole thing. It's a shitty excuse, I know it is, but I really thought I was doing the right thing… You and Sofia, you're my entire world. You two are the only thing that matters, and I'd never do anything to intentionally put either of you in danger."

"I know that." She responded, interjecting his rambling, Matt taking a deep breath. "I know you thought you were doing what was best, but that wasn't your decision to make, Matt. I know I don't need to keep telling you this, I know you know that you messed up. And you already know how I feel about all this, I just- this is a lot." She breathed out, Matt giving her an understanding nod. "All of this is a lot to process, so I just need a minute."

"Alright." He replied, rubbing his hands over his legs before slowly standing up, his eyes moving towards Sofia, seeing the little girl half asleep. "Do you want me to watch her for a bit? So you can get some rest?" He offered, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip before nodding, Matt reaching for their baby without hesitation. They moved carefully, not wanting to disturb her, Sofia soon cradled in her dad's arms. "I've got her for awhile, we'll be out there if you need anything." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a tight nod before he began moving towards the door, knowing the best thing he could do for her right now was give her the space she was asking for.

His steps slowed when he got to the doorway, Gabby glancing to him as he turned around, seeing a regretful look in his eye. "...I love you." He spoke softly, Gabby's tired eyes softening before she nodded.

"I love you too." She replied quietly, Matt shooting her a small smile before he left the room, pulling the door closed behind him.

The second she was alone, Gabby hunched forward in her chair, the weight of everything hitting her as she cradled her head in her hands, thick tears forming in her eyes, Dawson doing what she could to keep everything under control. But it was useless, it all becoming too much as lone tears escaped down her cheeks, Gabby overwhelmed by everything that had happened today.

It wasn't just Matt lying to her, it wasn't just that he'd kept something from her. That wasn't what she was focused on right now as her body trembled in her seat.

The man that had not only threatened Matt's life, but tried to end it, could be coming back to make good on his promise. And that terrified her. Just the thought of something happening to him or Sofia scared her to death, and she didn't know how to handle it, Gabby reluctantly giving into her emotions as she cried silently in her bedroom, the weight of all this nearly suffocating her.

* * *

Gabby tossed and turned as she laid in bed, the empty space beside her seemingly swallowing her whole as she tried to get comfortable, but failed every time. Sparing a quick glance to the clock, she saw only minutes had passed since she last looked, seeing it was nearing one in the morning, the tired mom unable to get her brain to shut off and let her sleep.

It had been a long day in the Casey household, and up until she'd gone to bed, all she wanted was sleep. But now that she was in the position to get that, it was like she couldn't get her mind to shut up. And it didn't help that every little noise she heard left her on edge, the lack of Matt's comforting warmth beside her making it hard for her to fall asleep.

She hadn't asked him to sleep out on the couch, at least not directly. But Matt had been keeping his distance from her all day, and that hadn't changed when night came. Admittedly, she did need it. She needed that space from him, and she knew it had done her some good, giving her time to let go of the anger she was holding onto, but apparently Matt thought her needing space meant he couldn't sleep in their bed. Though she hadn't done much to make him think otherwise, either.

Matt had taken care of Sofia for most of the afternoon and evening today, her husband having her out in the living room with him until a few hours ago, giving Gabby time to get some rest that she desperately needed. She had slept off and on for a few hours, Gabby doing what she could to get sleep while she knew Sofia was being taken care of, Matt leaving her alone while she rested. He had checked on her once, Gabby having heard him come in after she'd been resting for awhile, but she had been half asleep when she registered his presence, and from what she could tell he hadn't stayed long. But other than that, he'd left her alone.

When it was time for Sofia to go to bed, he'd brought her back, Matt going through Sofia's nighttime routine while Gabby went to the kitchen to get something to eat, the two nothing more than passing ships before Sofia went to sleep.

By the time Gabby had finished her meal, Sofia was sound asleep, Matt sitting on the bed waiting for his wife to get back, neither of them really saying much after she first came in. It wasn't until Matt had spoke up, asking if she needed any help with Sofia that either of them acknowledged the other, Gabby giving him a quick response to his question, telling him she was fine. Then shortly after that, her husband had disappeared back into the living room, closing the door behind him.

And she hadn't seen him since.

Gabby appreciated the space he was giving her, she truly did, because she knew she needed it. But now, as she lay here alone in their bed, all she wanted was for him to be in here with her. Regardless of how she felt towards him right now, she didn't like the idea of him being out there on his own, not with everything going on. She'd feel safer in they were all together, _she'd_ feel safer if he was here with her.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Gabby tossed the covers off of herself, the cool air hitting her bare legs as she climbed out of bed. She paused a moment to check on her daughter, seeing Sofia still sound asleep in her bassinet, Gabby waiting a moment to make sure she was okay before she continued towards the door, slowly pulling it open.

The second the door was open, she saw Matt asleep on the couch, the light from the TV making him visible in the otherwise dark apartment, Gabby slowly padding her way into the living room, placing herself down on the coffee table in front of him. She took a second to look at him, Gabby immediately able to tell he wasn't exactly sleeping peacefully, his eyebrows furrowed even in his sleep as he had the blanket pulled all the way up under his chin, Matt doing what he could to protect himself from the cooler air out here in the living room, their heat only able to do so much with the single digit temperature outside.

Taking a deep breath, Gabby reached her hand out, tapping against his arm. He didn't stir at first, Gabby applying more pressure with each tap until her husband woke up, Matt immediately sitting up straight.

"What is it? What's wrong?" He asked in an instant, Gabby shaking her head as she placed her hand on his bare arm.

"Nothing's wrong." She replied, not meaning to have worried him, Matt giving her a nod before he pressed his hand against his eyes, clearly trying to wake himself up before he looked back towards her, Gabby coming into focus. "...I just can't sleep." She told him quietly, seeing an immediate frown form over his face, Matt nodding as he pushed the blanket off himself, planting his feet firmly on the ground, their bare legs brushing against one another.

Now that he was more alert, he noticed the tension her body held, a sight he definitely didn't like to see at this hour, Matt seeing how red and tired her eyes were. He knew she'd been crying today, Matt realizing it when he went to check on her earlier in the afternoon, and again when he was getting Sofia ready for bed. And he hated it, knowing this entire thing had upset her to the point of tears. But, at the very least, he hoped getting her emotions out made her feel a little better, even though he wished he could've been there to help her through it.

Without saying anything, he reached out towards her, placing his palm over her thigh, rubbing gently across her leg to provide her some comfort, Matt unsure of exactly what she wanted from him. But it didn't take him long to find out, Gabby soon standing back up, his hand falling from her leg.

"Can you, uh-..." She cleared her throat, glancing back towards the bedroom. "You can come back to bed, if you want." She murmured, Matt tongue poking out between his teeth as he nodded, seeing an immediate look of relief cover her face, Matt waiting for Gabby to begin walking before he stood up. He knew this was her asking him to come sleep with her, that she wanted him in there even if she couldn't say it, and that was something he'd never say no to. Before following her, Matt quickly turned the TV off, placing the remote back down on the coffee table before blindly walking that familiar path to their bedroom, Matt's steps being helped by the lamp she had turned on in their room.

When he stepped inside, he saw Gabby stop to check on Sofia before she climbed into her side, Matt walking towards their bed.

"Wait, um…" Her voice stopped him, Matt raising his eyebrows as he waited for her to continue. "Could you shut the door?" She requested, seeing his head tilt to the side slightly. "...It would just make me feel better." She told him quietly, his face softening before he nodded, Matt taking the few steps back towards their door, closing it in place against the frame.

Moving back towards the bed, he saw Gabby already making herself comfortable underneath the covers, her back facing him as she rested on her side, Matt climbing into bed as well, Gabby waiting until he got situated before she turned off the light, bathing the room in darkness.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly after a few seconds, Matt resting on his back while he watched her, seeing her torso rise and fall as she took a deep breath.

"Yeah… I guess I'm just a little on edge about all of this." She admitted, Matt nodding even though she couldn't see him.

"That's okay… I am too." He told her, carefully reaching out and placing his hand on her back, feeling her relax underneath his touch. "But I'm right here, everything's alright." He reminded her, Gabby nodding slowly before she snuggled deeper into the bed, Matt dropping his hand from her back, preparing to make himself comfortable as well, the man already feeling much more relaxed at being in their bed than he did out on the couch.

Just as he got settled, he saw Gabby carefully move her arm back behind her, a soft smile falling onto his face when he realized she was reaching out for him, Matt complying instantly as he grabbed her hand. She moved their conjoined hands around her waist, effectively pulling him towards her side of the bed as he pressed his chest into her back, Matt adjusting the covers around them to get comfortable before he returned his hand to her stomach, keeping her pressed firmly against him. The longer he held onto her, the more he felt her relax, Matt stroking his thumb over her stomach, her body molding into his perfectly just as it always had.

"...I'm still mad at you." She murmured sleepily, Matt biting back a smile at how innocent her voice sounded before he nodded, pressing a soft kiss to her shoulder.

"I know, baby." He replied, kissing her again before resting his head down on the pillow. "Just try and get some sleep." He told her, Gabby nodding before letting herself succumb to her exhaustion, the woman finally feeling secure enough to fall asleep, their legs tangled while they laid together, Matt refusing to rest until he was sure she was deep within her slumber.

* * *

**So, how are we feeling? That was kind of a hard one, but it seemed to end better than it started, at least. As I mentioned before the chapter, I saw some mixed reviews about how Gabby should react, but honestly I just couldn't see any way where she wouldn't be pissed off. But hopefully it wasn't too difficult for you guys to get through, I tried to keep it tame.**

**I do have a question for you guys, or I guess I want your opinion on something. Since I first started posting one of my other stories, Whatever Comes Next, back in August, I've pretty much been posting two updates for each story once a week (aside from the last couple of weeks here), and while I've loved doing it, I don't think I can sustain that any more. I'm not burnt out yet, but I can feel myself getting there and I don't want to get to the point where writing feels more like a chore than something I enjoy doing. I love these stories too much to do that. And I just don't think I'm able to get out four chapters (sometimes five when I update my third story) a week anymore, so, I think what I'm gonna do is cut back to one update a week for this story and one for Whatever Comes Next, and see how that goes. I don't want to disappoint you guys, and I know a lot of you look forward to those updates twice a week, but I just don't think I can do it anymore. So my question is, would you all rather I update both stories on the same day (either posting both updates on Monday or both on Thursday), or would you rather I update one on Monday, and one on Thursday? I'm fine with either, it doesn't matter to me, I just want to do what you all would prefer. So if you could let me know, that would be so helpful.**

**And, I know I didn't really mention it above, but I am still definitely working on If We Never Say Goodbye, I just don't have a schedule for that one. That story is one where I just get it updated whenever I can, but that story is far from over, I have some big plans for it.**

**Well, now that I've talked enough, I hope you all enjoyed this one, even though it was kind of a rough one. But now that Gabby and Matt have both got their feelings out there, surely things can only get better for them, right? **

**Thanks for reading! I'll see you next time!**


	77. Chapter Seventy Seven

**Hello everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all! I just want to take a minute real quick to thank you for all the kind words you left me on the last chapter, seriously all of you have been so sweet to me, and you all had such nice things to say and it just made me so happy. I'm truly thankful for all the love and support I've received from all of you since I started this story. I'm so, so grateful.**

**As I mentioned in the last update, I was thinking about cutting back to one update a week for this story, and I've come to the decision to do that. The double updates were just getting way too stressful, and the last thing I want is for writing to become something I dread. So I'm hoping cutting back will help with that. I did lay out the plan in my last update for Whatever Comes Next, but I know not everyone reads that, so I'll tell you all here as well.**

**What I decided to do is update this story every Monday, and I'll update Whatever Comes Next every Thursday. When I asked you guys if you wanted both updates on the same day, or on different days, pretty much everyone said different days, so that's what I'm gonna go with. I think this will help me a lot, and it will help me get better quality chapters out to you guys. And, with If We Never Say Goodbye, that story will just be updated as I can get it done. Which, speaking of that story, I know I've kept you guys waiting with the next update and I definitely haven't meant to. I'm working hard on getting that next chapter out to you all, and I'm hoping to get it posted sometime this week. I'm sorry I haven't gotten it finished sooner, but I promise I'm working on it.**

**I do want to thank all of you for being so understanding with the change, I appreciate it so much. Really, it means a lot to me. And I do think it will be better in the long run, because it'll give me more time to really focus on the chapters, and make them better for you all.**

**You guys are amazing. And I hope you enjoy this next chapter, it's quite a long one for you all. I can't wait to hear what you think.**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy Seven**_

* * *

"This man threatened Casey during that call, as well as threatening the lives of Gabby and Sofia, and they believe he might've been the one that slashed Matt's tires last shift." Boden spoke to the full conference room, the air thick as everyone stood there silently, taking in the information their Chief was giving them.

As Matt sat at one of the back tables beside Gabby, his wife's hand clasped tightly in his, he could tell everyone was shocked at what they were hearing. That as Boden broke down everything that had happened thus far, they were having a hard time digesting the news, Casey on the receiving end of a few pitiful stares every now and then. But he wasn't so much focused on that, the Captain much more focused on the state of the woman sitting beside him, Matt understanding that while physically Gabby was beside him, her mind was a million miles away.

The last couple of days had been challenging, to say the least. And the family of three was just trying to get through it as best as they could, but it had been difficult. Gabby hadn't been handling the news very well, that this man might be coming back to try and hurt Matt, to hurt them, and it had led to a fair share of tension between them. He understood it, and he knew he deserved it, but Gabby had been very hot and cold with him over the last forty eight hours.

There'd be some moments where she needed him close, where she'd panic and worry, and she needed eyes on the two most important people in her life at all times, but in other moments, Casey could tell she definitely needed space. That there was some lingering anger towards him for him keeping this from her, and in those times the only thing she needed from him was a moment to herself. Which he always tried to give her, but it proved to be challenging when Gabby didn't want to leave the apartment.

Once they'd gotten home from the district the day before last, Gabby hadn't wanted to leave their home, and regardless of her feelings towards her husband in the moment, she didn't want him to leave either. During the day yesterday, there had been a particularly hard moment for the couple when Gabby's anger had consumed her, and the only thing she wanted was to be away from her husband. But the second he tried to leave the apartment to give her some space, she panicked and told him not to go, her anger instantly disappearing the second she saw him heading for the door. He was surprised at first, not expecting that abrupt shift in her demeanor towards him, but it didn't take him long to realize why she didn't want him to go.

She was scared. She was scared for him to leave the apartment when this man might be after them. She was scared for him to go out on his own, and she was scared to be here by herself.

And it broke his heart.

She had never come out and said that was the reason, but he knew that's what it was. He knew what it looked like when his wife was scared, and that's exactly what this was. And although it was something he hated seeing, Matt knew she had every right to be.

This situation, if it was this man coming after them, was a terrifying thing, and Matt would never fault her for how much this entire thing had upset her. He completely understood it, because it upset him just as much, the only difference being he'd had time to deal with this man's threat against his life, whereas his wife just learned about it a couple of days ago. He'd had time to process everything, but Gabby hadn't. Everything had gotten thrown at her all at once, and it had left her on edge.

This entire situation had messed with Gabby's head, that much Casey was sure of, and it only seemed to be getting worse as more time passed. She was not handling any of this well, and he couldn't blame her, but it was unsettling for him to see what this entire thing was doing to her. She would go long periods of time seemingly spaced out, her mind obviously elsewhere, Gabby usually needing prompting before she came back into the present. She would get quiet, and get caught up in her own head more often than not. And she'd have moments of anger, usually directed at him. But the thing that concerned him the most, something he noticed quite a bit yesterday and this morning, was that she'd been very anxious.

It would come in flashes, Matt knowing she was fighting an internal battle with herself to not let her anxiety grab ahold of her, but in those moments where she lost that fight, she reminded him of how she'd been when she first got back from Puerto Rico; the uneasiness, the worry, the fear… it was exactly how she'd been when she first came home, and seeing her like that never got easier. It never would get easier. Especially knowing he was part of the cause of it.

But he was just doing what he could to help her through it, to comfort her however she'd let him, Matt thankful that in those harder moments, she hadn't pushed him away. Even though he tried to respect her wishes of needing space, in those moments where he could see her struggling, he refused to let her deal with that on her own. And luckily, she hadn't rejected his help, even if she would put up a bit of a fight at first.

And in those moments where she wanted him, those times where she needed his comfort and his presence, they had spent most of that time curled up together on the couch, either with Sofia cradled in their arms, or the young girl in her swing they had for her in the living room, the soft, rhythmic motion usually lulling her to sleep instantly. But, regardless of where she was, she was never far from them, both parents feeling better with their daughter in their sight. It was how they spent large chunks of the afternoon yesterday, with Matt giving Gabby a little extra space when needed, the man making himself busy with laundry, or picking up around their home; anything to give Gabby time to work through whatever had made her need a break from him.

It was something that wasn't easy, Matt knowing that sometimes the best thing he could do for her was to leave her alone, but he felt like things were getting a little better. As she had done the first night after finding out about this man's threat, she'd had him hold her the second they got into bed last night, except Gabby had been facing him this time, clinging to him as they laid together, letting the thumping of his heart beneath her ear soothe her to sleep. And she had come to him again this morning while they got ready, with her worries about leaving Sofia at the apartment while they were at work, Matt having to talk her down off the ledge a few times. While he hated seeing her so distraught, he was at least thankful that she wasn't pushing him away so much, that she was coming to him when she needed help.

And he did whatever he could to be able to help her, though this morning had definitely been more of a challenge that he anticipated.

He knew it wouldn't be easy to leave their girl at home, not with everything going on. Even though they had filled Becca in on the situation, and they knew there would be a unit on their apartment to protect Sofia, they were still worried, especially Gabby.

She felt a lot of guilt, and even more worry, about leaving their daughter, even though they were leaving her in the more than capable hands of Becca. But it had nothing to do with her nanny, it was solely that Gabby felt like the safest place for their baby was for her to be with her parents, and Matt couldn't say his disagreed. But he knew it wasn't possible, not when they needed to work, so they had to be okay with leaving Sofia with Becca, Casey having to remind Gabby frequently that there would be cops here the entire time, and that their daughter wouldn't be leaving the apartment, Casey having told Becca not to go anywhere with Sofia unless it was an emergency. He had to constantly remind her that everything would be okay, but she wasn't really believing him. And he was having a hard time believing himself, too.

But he had to continue being the voice of reason. He had to stay calm, or he knew Gabby would sense his worry and that would only make things worse. Despite his own nerves, he had to stay level-headed, Matt knowing that was the only way he'd managed to actually get Gabby out of the apartment this morning. It hadn't been easy, but they were able to get to work on time, even though his wife had been uncharacteristically quiet since they left their apartment.

It was clear she didn't want to talk. Since they left Sofia, she had fallen into one of those moods where she didn't want to talk to him, or anyone, just like she had a few times over the last forty eight hours, which is why Matt had taken to giving her comfort nonverbally. When she got like this he would touch her, hold her, place reassuring kisses on her head, or, as he was doing right now, hold her hand. Any nonverbal thing he could do to try and keep her calm, he'd done it over the last two days, knowing how much that helped her even though she hadn't voiced it.

He was just doing whatever he could to try and help her, that was all he knew to do. But none of this had been easy, and he feared them being here at work, away from their daughter, would only make things worse.

"Now, I'm not sure how many of you noticed when you got here this morning," Boden continued, Matt's attention snapping back into focus, the Captain glancing towards his wife, seeing her still very much in her own head. "But we will be having a police detail here at the house while Casey and Dawson are on shift." He spoke, his eyes flashing to Matt, the firefighter nodding. "Everything will still be business as usual, you all can continue to do what you always do, but just be cautious. This man, if he's the one doing this, is wanted for murder and arson. So just be vigilant."

"Understood, Chief." Severide replied, his words prompting a few more nods from around the room, most everyone else too stunned to speak.

"Good… And, until the police figure out what's going on, I want everyone in the house by nine. That means garage doors down, and doors locked." He told them, a few of the firefighters glancing towards one another. "I don't anticipate anything happening. If this is the same man who Matt dealt with during that call, his issue is with Casey, not the firehouse itself, but we all need to be careful. We don't know what lengths he'll go to, so to be safe, unless you're out on a call, I want everyone inside by nine." He finished, earning a few more nods, Matt taking a deep breath, shaking his head slightly.

He hated that this was happening, the one call seven weeks ago was still causing issues not only for his family, but for the house. He absolutely hated that everyone was being affected by this, but, selfishly, he was glad for precautions happening around here until this man was found. Even though he didn't think this guy would actually try anything here, for the safety of Gabby, he felt better knowing they'd be securely locked in this firehouse.

"I'm sure you all have some questions, but right now all we can do is just be there for Casey and Dawson." Boden finished, Matt giving Gabby's hand a tight squeeze as he looked to her, the action pulling Dawson from her own thoughts as she immediately looked towards him. Matt saw the instant confusion that covered her face, like she was worried she'd missed something, but her face softened when he shot her a small smile, Gabby reciprocating the gesture before she looked ahead, finding Boden's gaze on her. "We're here for you guys, with whatever you need." The Chief spoke, Gabby nodding before she looked down to the table, feeling a bit uncomfortable as practically everyone in the room was looking at them. Slowly, she dropped Matt's hand, moving her hands down into her lap, Casey immediately moving the hand she'd dropped to her back, rubbing up and down slowly.

"Alright, well that's all for this morning. Let's have a good shift today, make sure you're careful out there. Let's just do our jobs, and get home safely." The Chief said, earning a few nods before the room began to clear. But the Casey's stayed seated, Matt not wanting to make a move until Gabby had, his wife clearly consumed by her own thoughts again, the only thing keeping her grounded being his hand moving softly along her back.

"You guys holding up okay?" Boden asked, Matt looking forward to see him and Herrmann standing in front of their table, the Captain noticing everyone else, aside from Severide, had already cleared out of the room.

Drawing in a deep breath, Casey spared one last glance to Gabby before looking back to his concerned coworkers, continuously moving his hand is soothing motions along his wife's back. "We're okay… We're handling it. This entire thing's left us a little on edge, though."

"That's understandable." Herrmann spoke, shaking his head. "I can't imagine what this must be like for you guys."

"But you know you've got everyone here." Boden added almost immediately, reiterating the same point he'd made during their morning meeting. "For whatever you guys need."

"We know." Matt responded, Gabby giving a nod in agreement as she lifted her head, Boden and Herrmann catching a glimpse of just how exhausted the paramedic looked, Gabby flashing them a weak smile.

"Thanks you guys. Really. It means a lot." She spoke, her voice raspy from lack of use, her words earning a few nods.

Before anyone else could say anything, the bells rang out, calling squad, truck, and engine to a house fire, everyone heading for the exit of the conference room as Matt slowly pushing himself up from his seat, his hand sliding up to her shoulder.

"You okay?" He asked now that they were alone, Gabby giving him a slight nod, forcing a smile.

"I'm good." She replied, earning a nod from her husband before he leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to the top of her head.

"I love you." He murmured against her hair, kissing her again before he pulled back, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"Love you, too." Gabby responded, Casey shooting her a warm smile before he walked towards the door, knowing he had no more time to spare.

"Hey Matt?" She called, stopping him halfway through the doorway, her firefighter glancing back towards her, his eyebrows raised expectantly. "...Be safe out there." She told him, his face softening before giving her a firm nod.

"Always… I love you, baby." He repeated, Gabby smiling softly before she gave him a nod, Matt hurrying out the doorway towards the garage, leaving her in the conference room alone.

And being by herself, it didn't take long for those dark thoughts to creep back into her mind; the thoughts telling her that something bad was coming, that this man was the person behind this, and he wasn't just gonna stop at some slashed tires. The thought that he'd killed before, and he'd have no problem killing again.

These thoughts that had kept her up at night, the thoughts that had made it impossible to fall asleep unless Matt was with her. The thoughts that had made her feel like a nervous wreck over the past forty eight hours.

It was all just becoming too much for her to handle. But she knew she had to, because she didn't have any other choice.

* * *

Matt sat in his office, tapping his pen against the stack of paperwork that he was desperately trying to get through, the firefighter having had his office door closed for the better part of the last hour, trying to shut himself off from the outside world so he could finish this, Casey hoping the closed door would keep his coworkers away. Since their meeting this morning, everyone had been doing what they could to try and be helpful, to try and assure Casey they all had his and Gabby's back, and that everything would be okay. And while he truly appreciated it, he was getting a little tired of the constant pitiful looks being thrown his way. He understood it was coming from a good place, which is why he hadn't said anything, but it was getting a little exhausting and he didn't like it. He never had, no matter what was going on. He knew everyone was just trying to help, but it was becoming a little tiresome, Matt finding it much easier to just lock himself up in his office when he could, especially considering they hadn't really had any calls to keep him distracted.

Aside from the one call this morning, it had been a light day for Truck 81, Casey having been stuck at the house for the better part of the morning, now bleeding into the afternoon. Which, admittedly, had given him more time and try and get through some of this paperwork that he was very much behind on. But the lack of calls had given everyone ample opportunity to try and talk to him about what was going on, and it just wasn't a conversation he was interested in having, at least not right now.

But thankfully, for as quiet as things had been for his truck, the same could not be said for Ambulance 61. The three paramedics had essentially been gone from the house since Casey got back from his only call, and while he didn't exactly love being away from Gabby for that long when he knew she was struggling, he knew the quick pace would probably be good for her. It would help keep her mind off things, keep her occupied, instead of giving her time to think over everything going on. It would give her a distraction he knew she needed, and, even better, it had kept her away from all the sympathetic looks everyone had been giving him all morning, Matt knowing that was the last thing she needed right now. Because for as much as he hated that, he knew his wife disliked it even more.

Blowing out a sigh, Casey shook his head, trying to force himself to work on the task at hand, knowing he was way more behind on his paperwork than he would've liked. It wasn't normal for him, to be this delayed on getting everything turned in, the Captain usually very good about turning in his paperwork promptly. But things had been hectic lately, and it hadn't really been on his radar as of late. And, especially now, it wasn't something he was really worried about, though he knew if not for the current circumstances, Boden would've chewed him out already for not having gotten these finished and turned in.

But regardless of him not seeing it as a priority, he knew it needed to get done, or Boden would start to get heat for his lack of punctuality. He just had to make himself focus on it, the Captain hoping this would've been able to help keep his mind off things.

But it hadn't really. At least not yet.

And, truthfully, he knew nothing could. Until they found this guy, and he at least had the peace of mind that the man was locked up, Matt knew he wouldn't be able to stop thinking about everything going on. But he knew he couldn't let it consume him, especially when he had Gabby and Sofia to worry about.

He had to look out for his family, they were the only thing that mattered here... He couldn't afford to become paralyzed by all this, not again.

The sound of his door opening pulled him from his thoughts, Matt turning around to see who had come in without knocking, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw the only person he actually _wanted_ to see right now, Gabby standing in his now open doorway.

"Hi." He greeted, tossing his pen down on the unfinished paperwork, Gabby's eyes bouncing from him to the unusually large stack of papers on his desk.

"Hey… are you busy?" She asked, Matt shaking his head as he waved her inside.

"Nope." He replied, popping the word as it left his mouth, Gabby stepping further into his office and coming to stand in front of him, Matt trying to get a read on her attitude towards him. But with her coming to him and seeking him out, he figured her to be pretty receptive to him at the moment, Matt reaching out his hand, prompting her to grab ahold of it. "In fact, I'd welcome the distraction." He added with a small grin, Gabby raising her eyebrows as he pulled her towards him, Matt spreading his legs enough for her to stand in between them before he gently pulled her down into his lap. Instinctually, Gabby wrapped her arm around his neck, her other coming to rest on his chest as she sat with him, Matt keeping a firm arm around her waist while his hand rested on her thigh.

"I probably shouldn't stay long if I'm such a distraction." She responded, Matt grinning softly at the light tone to her voice, glad to see her in a little better spirits, at least for the moment.

"You're not going anywhere." He replied, tightening his hold around her waist, stroking his thumb over her thigh. "It's been awhile since I've seen you… How's your day going? I know you've been busy." Matt said, Gabby releasing a heavy breath.

"It's okay… I've definitely been running around a lot, but it's been nice, kind of… It's kept me from having too much time to think." She spoke softly, Matt giving her an understanding nod, the firefighter glad that his earlier assumptions had been correct and the busy pace of the day had helped her. But looking at her now, he could see how tired she was, mentally and physically, and he hoped she'd have some time to rest before her next call. And it would be nice to spend a little bit of time with her as well, especially when she seemed to want to be with him.

"Yeah, today's been kind of hard so far... especially being away from Sofia. But I'm glad you've had the distraction." Gabby looked down when he mentioned their daughter, Matt seeing her take a deep breath, feeling that her body was much more tense than it had been seconds prior. "You okay?" He asked softly, Gabby clenching her eyes shut tightly before giving him a nod, her head still facing down towards his chest as her hand came up to press against her eyes, a frown immediately covering his face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's nothing- I'm just not feeling great." She told him, his look of worry deepening as he began rubbing his hand over her side, Gabby leaning more into his body. "I've had a pretty bad headache most of the day."

Sighing softly, Matt gave her a nod even though she couldn't see him, Gabby still pressing against her head until he reached up, gently pulling her hand away. The action caused her to look up, Gabby giving him a questioning look, unsure of why he stopped her from trying to relieve the pressure in her head.

"Where does it hurt?" He asked, Gabby shrugging softly.

"Kind of everywhere." She replied, Matt nodding before removing his hand from her waist and bringing it up to the back of her neck, beginning to dig into her tight muscles. He could immediately feel how much tension she was holding onto, her neck rigid as he continued to massage her with just the right amount of pressure, Gabby's head falling forward slightly, giving him more room to work.

They sat like this for a few minutes, Matt continuing the rub the area despite the tingling he felt in his arm, the odd angle a little uncomfortable for him. But he didn't care, Matt able to feel the muscles in her neck loosening, the firefighter willing to do this for however long he needed to as long as it was helping her.

"How's your wrist feeling?" He asked softly, taking a quick second to stretch out his hand before going back to work, starting to press his fingers against the base of her head, a soft moan escaping her lips when he hit a sore spot, Matt continuing to work that area.

"It's alright… It's not really sore today." She replied softly, Matt giving her a nod. Her wrist had been hurting her off and on since she slipped on the ice last shift, Casey having the feeling she might've damaged it more so than she led on, Matt figuring she probably at least sprained it. But it hadn't really been something she was too concerned about, not with everything else going on. Though that hadn't stopped Matt from occasionally asking her about it.

They fell back into a comfortable quiet, Matt continuing to massage her head to the best of his ability from the angle they were at, occasional groans of appreciation leaving her lips whenever he worked on a particularly sore or tender area, Gabby's body much more tightly wound than he even realized. Although he couldn't say it was a shock, Matt seeing first hand how stressed she'd been the last few days.

"Feeling better?" He questioned after a couple more moments, Gabby nodding as she lifted her head back up.

"It feels a lot better, thank you." She replied, returning her hand to his chest as he continued rubbing her head.

"Good… Maybe when we get home, I could give you an actual massage." He offered, ceasing his movements, his hand falling back down towards her waist, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "I know it's been awhile, but I think I could manage." He added lightly, Casey referring to the many massages he'd given his wife during her pregnancy.

"That sounds great, actually." She responded, a soft smile forming over his face. "...Though just getting home sounds great, too." She added, her voice much quieter than a moment ago, the grin on his face falling when he heard the sad tone to her words.

"Yeah, I know." He replied, rubbing along her side. "But we'll be home soon."

"It's only three o'clock, and we won't be home until tomorrow morning, that's not soon." She snapped, Matt's eyes widening slightly, Gabby releasing a heavy sigh as she shook her head. This is how she'd been with him for the last two days, seemingly fine one minute and then she'd be upset the next, and though he knew he kind of deserved it, he had a feeling this time wasn't really because of him. "Sorry, I'm sorry, I just- It feels like I can't breathe." She told him, worry instantly clouding his features as he tightened his grip on her. "I can't stop worrying that something might happen to you, or to Sof, and it's like I can't even relax for one second without thinking about him coming after us." She was doing what she could to keep herself steady, a permanent frown nearly etched into his skin as he listened to her speak, her words tearing through him like a knife. "And I know we've got the cops here, and the ones at our apartment, but I just can't stop myself from thinking about something happening to her and we're not there."

"Baby, Sofia's okay." He responded, hating to see her so upset, although he understood the feeling. "Becca's with her, she's alright-"

"But she should be with us." She replied before he could even finish his sentence, Matt taking a deep breath. "There's some crazy murderer out there who threatened us, she needs to be with her parents."

"Okay, okay, just breathe." He told her, knowing she was working herself up, and the last thing either of them needed was for her to upset herself anymore than she already was, Matt keeping his arm securely around her. "You're right, okay? You're right. Sofia should be with us." Matt agreed, Gabby taking slow breaths as she met his gaze. "Let me talk to Boden, then we can go and get her, and we'll keep her here with us for tonight, okay? Everything's fine."

"You think he'll let her stay here with us?" She asked, Matt nodding as he placed his hand on her thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"I do, yeah. He let us before, and I think the situation warrants it. The safest place for her to be is with us." He responded, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod before slowly standing up, Matt keeping his hand on her body until she was out of his reach, the firefighter soon standing up once he had the room. "So I'll go talk to Boden, and you can call Becca… let her know what's going on." He told her, Gabby nodding in response.

"Yeah, yeah, I will." She replied, Matt frowning slightly when he saw her anxious demeanor, the firefighter gently grabbing her arm, giving it a firm squeeze.

"Everything's okay, alright? Sof's fine… And she'll be so happy to see us." He added, feeling her body relax as a soft smile formed over her face, Gabby giving him a nod. "I'll talk to Boden, then we can go."

"I can just go, so we're both not out." She countered, Matt raising his eyebrows. "I mean, if I go with Brett and Foster, we should be able to get everything."

"No, that's okay, I'll go with you." He responded. "I want to bring more stuff for Sof this time… like her pack n play so she actually has a place to sleep." He continued, Gabby giving him a knowing nod.

"That's a good idea." She murmured, Matt smiling softly as he dropped his hand from her arm.

"Yeah, I mean, sleeping out on the couch with Sof last time was great, but I think we'll all be much more comfortable if she has her own place to sleep." He replied, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod, the paramedic knowing his idea was a much better plan, especially because she'd feel a lot safer with them sleeping in this office than she would out in the common room. "So I'll go with you so I can grab that, and we'll need to get Sofia's car seat and everything… As long as you don't mind me coming."

"I don't." She responded softly, giving him a small smile, Matt nodding before he began moving towards the door, pressing a quick kiss on her forehead as he passed her.

"Alright, I'll be right back." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a nod before she pulled her phone out, Casey assuming she was going to call Becca as he moved out into the bunk room, the Captain heading in the familiar direction of Boden's office.

It took him no time at all to get there, Matt walking up to the office, knocking on the doorframe as he stood in the open doorway, Boden looking up from the papers on his desk, the Chief putting his pen down before waving the firefighter in.

"Casey." He greeted, Matt stepping inside the office. "...Is everything alright?" Boden questioned before he could even respond, Casey's face giving him away.

"Yeah, yeah, we're fine, but, uh-" He cut himself off, clearing his throat as he came to a stop behind the chairs across from Boden. "Gabby and I are going to go get Sofia, bring her back here so she can be with us."

"Is she okay?" Boden asked immediately, his spine straightening as a clear look of concern spread across his face.

"She's fine." Casey responded quickly, Boden releasing a relieved breath. "She's perfectly fine, but Gabby…" Matt shook his head, sighing softly. "She just needs to be with Sofia, and honestly I do, too." Boden's face softened, the man leaning back slightly in his chair. "We want to work, we want to be here.. but being away from Sofia for that long with everything going on, it's making all this so much harder."

The Chief nodded slowly, tapping his finger on his desk, his eyes locked on his Captain. "...Is this going to become an every shift occurrence?" Boden asked, Matt running his tongue over his lips.

"I… I don't know." Casey answered honestly, unable to read the look on the Chief's face. "Gabby is so freaked out over all of this. I know this isn't really within regulations, but I don't want to tell her she can't be with our baby."

A sympathetic look covered Boden's face, the man drawing in a deep breath, running his hand over his mouth. "I don't want that either." He replied softly. "I know none of this has been easy on you two, this has been an awful situation for you guys... And Sofia being here for multiple shifts isn't exactly within the guidelines, but I know this isn't a normal set of circumstances… Go get Sofia." Boden spoke, a thankful look covering Casey's face. "We'll have you covered until you and Dawson get back."

"Thank you, Chief. Really." He replied gratefully, Boden giving him a nod as Matt moved towards the door.

"Just let me know when you get back."

"I will." He responded, giving him a nod before he continued out of the office, the Captain moving quickly through the hallways of 51, Casey stopping in the locker room to get his keys before he went back to the bunk room, his steps slowing when he saw Gabby walking out of his office.

"Hey, I just got off the phone with Becca, and I called Antonio too, to let him know Sof was gonna be with us… Did Boden say it was okay?" She asked, Matt nodding with a soft smile as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, leading her from the room.

"He did, yeah." Matt responded, Gabby smiling softly as they walked out into the hallway.

"Good… Antonio said he's still gonna leave the unit at our apartment, just in case." Gabby spoke, Matt giving her shoulder a squeeze. "I guess he just wants to be sure that the guy doesn't try to come and do anything while we're gone, I don't know." She added nervously, Matt taking a deep breath before pressing a kiss to the side of her head, keeping his grip on her tight.

"I'm sure it's just a precaution. But let's focus on the positives here, like us being able to be with Sofia tonight." He told her, feeling his wife's body relax slightly in his grip. "Let's just go get our girl yeah?" He asked, Gabby giving him a nod before they continued out the firehouse, eager to get home and see their baby.

The drive to their apartment went by relatively quickly, Gabby nearly bouncing in her seat in anticipation to get her eyes on Sofia, the paramedic having been much more anxious about being away from her baby than either of them realized. When they got home, he pulled into his parking spot, Gabby practically jumping from the truck as soon as it was in park, Matt making sure to securely lock up the vehicle before he followed after her.

By the time he got to the door, Gabby already had it unlocked, the soft sound of cartoons playing from the living room as the couple entered their home.

"Becca?" Gabby called out, Matt shutting and locking the door behind them.

"Living room." Her voice responded, Gabby continuing towards the sound while Matt stopped to switch out his truck keys for the keys to Gabby's car, knowing they'd need that to take Sofia. Dawson walked around the corner, a soft smile forming over her face when she saw Sofia doing tummy time on her mat, the baby oblivious to her parent's presence. "Hey guys." Becca greeted, Gabby flashing her a grin as she got down on the floor, resting on her heels as she sat down beside her baby.

"Hey Becca… Sorry about the change of plans." Matt spoke, the nanny waving him off as Gabby placed her hand on Sofia's back, the little girl turning her head towards Gabby. Her eyes widened when she noticed her mom, sounds of excitement escaping her lips as she began thrashing her arms against the ground, clearly happy to see her mom.

"There's my baby, hi Sofia." She cooed, carefully lifting her daughter off the ground, Sofia wriggling around excitedly as Gabby held her, the young baby reaching out for her mom, smacking her little fists into Gabby's neck and face. "Yeah, you're happy to see Momma, aren't you?" She continued conversing with her daughter, Matt noticing an immediate shift in his wife. She seemed much calmer than she'd been earlier today, Casey knowing she felt better being with her baby.

"So, is this like last time? You'll just need me for Sofia while you're on calls?" Becca asked as she pushed herself up off the ground, leaving Sofia in the care of her mother as Casey gave her a nod.

"Yeah, pretty much." Matt responded, glancing down to Gabby, smiling softly as he saw Sofia smacking her in the face, the young girl clearly not having calmed down from the enthusiasm she felt seeing her mom, Sofia having no idea he was even here. "I know we keep doing this to you last minute, we weren't expecting this but it just… it was too hard to be away from her, with everything going on." He explained, Becca shooting him a sympathetic smile.

"I get it, it's no problem. Really. Whatever you guys need me to do, for you all or Sofia, I'm happy to help however I can." She replied, Matt gripping her shoulder gratefully as Gabby stood up with Sofia firmly in her grasp.

"Sof look, Daddy's here." Gabby spoke lightly, Sofia's eyes moving to her father as he came into her line of sight, her excitement coming back with a vengeance as she began squirming around again, equally as eager to be with her dad as Gabby handed her to him, the little girl curling into his chest.

"Hi princess." He murmured, pressing a kiss to her head, the baby gripping onto her father's jacket tightly, Matt keeping one arm under her while his ran his hand over her back. "You excited to come to work with us? Everyone's gonna be so happy to see you. And your Momma and I are so glad we get to spend the rest of the day with you, huh? It's gonna be so much fun." He spoke against her head, kissing her forehead again before looking up, seeing Gabby's eyes on him and their baby, his wife looking as content as he'd seen her in days.

"We probably shouldn't be gone much longer," Gabby spoke up, running her fingers through Sofia's curls, the baby completely relaxed in her dad's arms. "Let's go pack up her stuff then we can get back." She continued, Matt giving her a nod before he turned to go to the bedroom, patting Sofia's back.

"Come on baby, you can help me get your things together." Matt spoke to his daughter, Gabby watching with a soft smile as she followed behind him, the parents getting Sofia's things together as quickly as possible so they could get her to the firehouse.

* * *

"Peek-a-boo!"

The words he'd said probably thirty times in the last five minutes elicited the same exact reaction from his daughter as they had since the first time he said them, Sofia giggling loudly as her dad moved her hands away from her face, bringing him into her view. They had been playing this game for a little while, Sofia having loved peek-a-boo lately, the girl always so happy to play with her parents. Matt was sitting on the table in the common room, his legs resting together with his feet up on a chair, Sofia's body laying against the tops of his thighs, Casey completely off his in own little world as he played this game with his daughter, ignoring the snickers and amused looks he was getting from most of his coworkers.

With a sly smile, Matt moved Sofia's little hands back over her eyes, her laughing ceasing momentarily until he moved them down once more.

"Peek-a-boo!" He said again, Sofia's infectious giggling filling the common room yet again, some of the men and women around him unable to stop themselves from smiling.

"Man, she really never gets tired of that, does she?" Severide asked as Matt rubbed his hand over Sofia's chest, Casey looking towards his friend that was leaning against the counter, the Captain shaking his head.

"Oh, she definitely does not." Matt replied, Sofia grabbing ahold of his finger. "Although you should see this when Gabby does it, I swear she laughs like ten times louder." He added with a proud grin, his eyes moving back down towards his daughter, Matt trying to distract her as she wanted to shove his hand in her mouth. "But yeah, she can play this game for hours. This, and if we give her a mirror and let her look at herself, those two things will distract her forever."

"Ah, sounds just like Dawson." Herrmann taunted from the couch, Casey shaking his head.

"You're only saying that cause she's not here to hear you." Mouch replied quickly, Herrmann furrowing his eyebrows before waving him off, even though his friend's words were true. Ambo 61 had been called out nearly an hour and a half ago, the three paramedics gone to help the citizens of Chicago while the rest of the house was bunkered down, enjoying the time they all got to spend with the youngest member of firehouse 51.

It had been a surprise when Boden told them all that Dawson and Casey had left to go get their daughter, but once hearing the reasoning, everyone understood it, and they definitely didn't fault them for it. All members of 51 were worried about the two members of their family, so they couldn't even imagine what it was like for them to be the ones it was happening to. They had tried to do what they could to be supportive, and to help however they could, but the only thing that had really seemed to help both Gabby and Matt was having their little girl around. And it was a great treat for everyone else, as well.

"Quiet down, Mouch… All I'm saying is that Sofia here definitely takes after her mother." He continued with a cheeky smile, Casey shaking his head.

"I'll make sure to let Gabby know when she gets back." Matt replied, Herrmann's face falling slightly, his reaction earning a chuckle from the Captain before Matt returned his attention back to his daughter, lightly tapping his fingers against her cheeks, the action eliciting unintelligible noises to escape her lips.

"Casey."

Matt heard Cruz say his name, the father looking up towards the double doors, his face falling immediately when he saw Cruz standing there, a familiar blonde standing beside him, her angry eyes focused on him.

The second they locked gazes, Casey's face hardened, an uncomfortable silence falling over the room, everyone, aside from Becca, knowing exactly who was here. They just didn't know why.

Clenching his neck, Matt looked away from her, glancing back down towards Sofia, the girl still happily babbling away as she waved her arms around. "Becca, can you watch Sof?" Casey asked, turning to the woman sitting at the table beside him, Becca nodding immediately. Sensing the clear tension in the room, she obliged quickly, carefully picking the baby up and placing her in her lap, Sofia fussing until she realized who was holding her, the young girl instantly settling in her nanny's embrace.

Keeping his face blank, Matt slid down off the table, ignoring the stares from his coworkers as he moved towards the double doors, giving Cruz a nod, signaling the man to walk away. "What are you doing here?" He spoke lowly, his voice firm, the woman narrowing her eyes.

"You sent cops to my work?" Naomi asked indignantly, the reporter not bothering to follow his cue by keeping her voice low as well, Casey taking a deep breath before nodding towards the garage.

"Let's go out here." He replied, Naomi shaking her head as she crossed her arms over her chest, watching as Matt walked towards the door.

"Why should we? You sent cops to my work, embarrassed me in front of all my coworkers, why shouldn't I do the same here?" She fired back, Casey's eyes flickering towards the common room, seeing everyone still watching them. "I can't believe you told the cops you think I'd slash your tires, although I have a feeling it was your _wife_ who said it was me-"

"Naomi, outside." He growled, cutting her off mid sentence. "Now."

Huffing out a breath, the woman reluctantly followed him out into the now vacant garage, her narrow eyes shooting daggers into his head as they came to a stop by the truck.

"I can't believe you actually named me as a suspect for whoever slashed your tires, are you out of your damn mind? Everyone I work with saw that little stunt you pulled."

"I didn't pull any stunt-"

"Bull." She interjected, Casey shaking his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose firmly. "They came in, asking me all sorts of questions about you, and me, and us. And Gabby… talking about how they needed to come check all their bases, make sure I didn't vandalize your damn truck."

"Naomi-"

"I'm not sure why you'd point fingers at me, when I imagine the list of people wanting to slash your tires is pretty long, if the time I've spent with you and Gabby says anything." She continued bitterly, Casey having to bite his tongue, taking a slow breath to try and keep his irritation under control. "But sending those detectives to my work? You have a lot of nerve."

"I didn't tell them to go to you work." He cut in, the blonde rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, but you obviously told them you think I might've done this… or Gabby did." She responded sharply, smacking her lips together. "...It was her, wasn't it?"

"What?"

"Gabby. She was the one who said it might've been me, didn't she?." She asked for clarification, Casey's face remaining blank. "I mean, I already know she was. A bit of the jealous type, I guess. But all this over me… what? Running into you two at the store? Is she fucking insane, how does that automatically mean I did anything to your truck?"

"Don't talk about her like that." He snapped, Naomi scoffing as she shook her head, their conversation getting interrupted by the sound of the ambulance backing up, Matt internally cursing as Naomi looked to him.

"Is that her?" She asked, walking in that direction before he could even answer, Matt following after her.

"Naomi, wait-"

"Hey!" The blonde shouted as soon as they got around the rig, Gabby coming into view as she stood at the back of the ambulance, her look of immediate confusion morphing into one of slight anger, mixed with some lingering uncertainty, Matt grimacing when he saw his wife jump at the unexpected noise. Her eyes flashed to her him, seeing an unreadable expression shining back at her, Brett and Foster equally as shocked as they saw Naomi approach Dawson.

"Naomi, don't do this here." Casey tried, but she ignored him, the blonde stopping directly in front of Gabby.

"Did you tell the cops that you think I slashed his tires?" She asked roughly, an unimpressed look shining in Gabby's eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Yes, I did." She replied instantly, her tone only angering Naomi further.

"God, I knew it." She bit out, Matt coming to stand beside his wife, unsure of how far Naomi was going to take this. "You are such a jealous bitch-"

"Excuse me?" Gabby asked, straightening her spine as this woman hurled insults at her, the blonde continuing on as if she hadn't been interrupted.

"All this because Matt and I had a relationship while you were gone-"

"Relationship?" Dawson scoffed, her eyebrows raised in an almost amusement. "Oh honey, nothing about what you two were was anything close to a relationship."

"And how would you know? It's not like you were there." She fired back, Gabby faltering slightly, but she quickly recovered. "You were gone, you left him. You up and abandoned your marriage for whatever reason, yet here you are upset about him moving on? Give me a break." She spat, Dawson raising her eyebrows.

"Well… considering we're married and have a daughter, I think it's safe to say the last thing he did was move on."

"Yeah, I think it's pretty clear why you two got married again." She shot, Gabby's eyes narrowing in anger. "Obviously we know why you're married, and why you're even still here. That kid of yours kept you around." Naomi continued, both Gabby's and Matt's bodies flooding with anger. "He got you pregnant and now you're stuck."

"You have no idea what you're talking about." Gabby interjected, Naomi ignoring her words.

"You're stuck with a guy who you didn't want to be with anymore, and you're especially stuck with that baby you didn't want."

"Do not talk about my daughter." Gabby growled, her entire body tense with rage. "Say whatever you want about me, but you do not say anything about her." Everyone could feel the anger coming off of Dawson, Naomi scoffing as she rolled her eyes, the woman shaking her head.

"Look, I don't even care about this. I don't care about your relationship, or your kid, I don't care. But what I do care about is you all blaming this on me." She replied, Matt's eyes narrowing. "Are you really that hung up on me and Matt sleeping together over a year ago that you send cops to my work? You really need to get over it. You won, you have him, so just let it go. I didn't even know you were still around, let alone you and Matt were together. I figured you'd gotten bored already and skipped town again, but I don't even care. I don't give a damn about your relationship, but don't you dare turn this around on me when Matt's the one who used me."

"You're the only one hung up on anything, here." Gabby responded almost instantly, Matt having opened his mouth to say something but he didn't get the chance. "I understand you feel like he used you, and, believe me, neither of us ever wanted that." She spoke, Naomi narrowing her eyes. "I swear to you, we didn't. Matt never meant to hurt you-"

"Yeah, I'm sure." She scoffed, cutting Gabby off. "If you're about to give me that 'it wasn't you, he was just still in love with someone else' bullshit, you can keep it. You saying sorry means nothing to me when you're trying to make me out to be some jealous ex who would slash his tires." Naomi continued angrily, gesturing towards Casey as she spoke. "So just save your fake apologies, quit trying to look like the better person here, just stop it… And since you all are so damn worried about it, I didn't do anything to your truck, Casey." She spoke roughly, her burning eyes flashing towards Matt before she zeroed back in on Gabby. "I wouldn't stoop to that level, I'm not you." Naomi spat, Dawson's eyebrows raising. "I'm not some pathetic bitch who comes crawling back to the past, like you came crawling back to Matt the second you saw that he was just fine without you." Her voice was rising as she spoke, disgust laced in her words, Gabby swallowing thickly. "Because that's exactly what happened, everyone knows why you came back. You found out that Matt was just fine with you gone, that maybe he was happier without you, and you couldn't handle it. So you wormed your way back into his life… So don't you dare accuse me of being the crazy one here, if anyone is psychotic enough to slash tires, it'd be you-"

"Enough!" Casey shouted, taking a step forward, the force of his words causing Naomi to move a few steps back, Matt standing in between them. He knew Gabby could handle herself, but she shouldn't have to, especially after the difficult few days they'd had, and Matt couldn't stand here and listen to Naomi hurl insults as his wife any longer. But despite her initial shock at his tone, she recovered quickly, the blonde glaring at him as she stood up straighter, seeing the rage shining in his eyes. "I know you're pissed off, but cut the bullshit. And leave Gabby out of this. Quit pretending like you know anything about her, or me, because you don't. You don't know anything about us, and the only thing I really know about you is that you and I ended things over a year ago, and you still haven't seemed to get over it." He spoke roughly, Gabby seeing how tense his entire body was. "So yeah, we told them that you might've done this, and after you showing up here today, it wouldn't surprise me if you had. But I didn't tell them to go to your work, I had no idea they were gonna do that, or what they were going to ask. All we did was go to the police-"

"You went to her brother." Naomi cut in roughly, Casey narrowing his eyes.

"Yeah, who, last I checked, was a detective." He bit back before continuing. "But they asked us for a list of names of people we thought might've done this, and you were on it. We had just seen you for the first time in over a year right after my tires got slashed, so yeah, we thought you might've had something to do with it. I'm sorry they bothered you at work, but we had nothing to do with that. That wasn't our fault. And you have no right to show up here and attack Gabby for something she had no control over." Matt's spoke harshly, his neck clenching tightly. "You wanna be pissed at me? You want to hate me for what happened? Fine. I don't care. But leave Gabby out of it."

Casey's chest was rising and falling quickly, the anger he was feeling causing him to take short breaths, Naomi's sharp gaze moving between the two of them. Anyone who took one look at Matt could tell he was miles past angry, the Captain trying his hardest to keep his composure.

Scoffing lightly, Naomi shook her head, putting her hands up before she took a few steps back. "...You two aren't even worth my time." She spoke, shooting a harsh glare to Gabby before she stomped out of the garage, brushing past a stunned Brett and Foster.

The air around them was thick, Gabby blinking quickly as she looked from Naomi's retreating form back towards her husband, seeing how tense and angry he was even from standing behind him, Matt's harsh glare focused on the blonde who was exiting the firehouse.

Without a word, both Brett and Foster walked towards the firehouse, not having meant to get caught in the middle of a clearly personal conversation, Gabby breathing heavily before reaching out, placing her hand over Matt's back.

When he felt her touch, it was like he snapped out of his anger, Matt's body slowly relaxing as she walked around to stand in front of him, an unreadable expression covering her features. Taking a deep breath, Matt shook his head, bringing his hand up to run over his face.

"I… God, Gabby, I'm so sorry." He breathed out, seeing her eyebrows furrow slightly. "For all of this. For everything that's happened, everything going on right now, for Naomi showing up here… I'm just sorry. All of this is my fault." He told her, Gabby's eyes softening.

He kept his gaze on her as his words hung in the air, Matt watching as she gnawed on her bottom lip for a few seconds before she leaned up, wrapping her arms around his neck, holding herself to him as she nuzzled her head into his neck. He hadn't been expecting her to hug him, but he quickly reciprocated the gesture, Matt wrapping his arms around her back, pulling her even closer to him.

The couple stayed connected for a few minutes, Matt's breathing slowly steadying the longer he held onto her, focusing on the feeling of their bodies pressed together, Gabby running her fingers along the back of his neck. When Gabby felt her husband had completely relaxed, she slowly pulled back, sliding her palm around towards his cheek, stroking the back of her hand over his skin before she dropped her it.

"Let's go see our baby." She murmured, Matt nodding as he reached for her hand, the couple heading back towards the common room.

* * *

Matt laid quietly in his bunk, his eyes focused on the back of the head of the woman curled in his bed with him, although he couldn't see much in the pitch black room. The entire Casey family had been locked away in Matt's office for the last few hours, his wife and daughter having been asleep for most of that time.

After the unexpected run-in with Naomi, Gabby and Matt had devoted all their attention to Sofia, neither of them having spoken about it since it happened. And no one in the house did, either, the members of 51 not saying a word about the surprise visit from the reporter, instead just focusing their attention on the youngest member of the Casey family, wanting to get as much time with her as possible. Gabby and Matt were always close by when Sofia was getting passed around, only taking their eyes of her when they had to go work. They had both had a couple of calls, one together and a few apart, but when they were at the house they pretty much stayed in the common room, the family trying to enjoy this time with everyone when they had the chance. Aside from Severide, no one at 51 really got to spend all that much time with Sofia, so the parents were happy to let their second family get some quality time with her. But by the time seven o'clock hit, Gabby was more than ready to get a little break, and the parents knew they needed to get Sofia to bed, too. It took some time for them to pry their daughter from Kidd's arms, but once they had, they made their way to Matt's office, ready to settle in for the night.

When they got into the room, Gabby got herself situated on the bed while Matt shut the door and drew the blinds, effectively closing them off from everyone so Gabby could nurse Sofia comfortably. While she fed their baby, Matt got Sofia's pack n play set up in between the windows and his bed, both Gabby and Matt liking that their girl would be close to them during the night.

While Sofia fed, the girl latched onto her mom for nearly forty five minutes, Matt churned through some of that paperwork he'd been avoiding most of the day, getting what he could done until Sofia had finished, Matt taking their baby so Gabby could fix her clothes. Their baby was practically asleep by the time she got done eating, Matt skillfully changing her diaper without waking her before getting her put in her makeshift bed, the little girl falling asleep easily.

Once Sofia was down, Casey hadn't really intended to go to bed so early, Matt knowing this would be a good time to get through some more paperwork, but with one look at his wife, he knew she was absolutely exhausted. He'd seen it in her demeanor throughout the day, but it had been even more prominent in that moment, so he quickly scrapped the idea of completing his paperwork and offered to lay down with her so she could get some rest, something Gabby had agreed to rather quickly. Matt had gotten himself positioned first, laying down on his side, his arm outstretched across the mattress as Gabby sat down in front of him. With her body facing Sofia, Gabby made herself comfortable, pressing her back into his chest, Matt's arm underneath her neck as she rested against his pillow, Casey having wrapped his arm around her stomach to keep her close. They had laid like that for a few quiet moments, Matt feeling Gabby relax more and more with each passing minute, her body slowly succumbing to her exhaustion. Right as she was about to fall asleep, Gabby had grabbed his hand that was hanging off the bunk, guiding his forearm across her upper chest, effectively wrapping herself up in his arms. When she had done that, he couldn't help but smile, Matt knowing him cradling her like this made her feel safe.

And that's how they'd been lying ever since, Gabby having been resting for the better part of two hours, his wife sleeping soundly in the small bunk, neither of them minding the lack of space. In fact Matt actually preferred it, knowing how much their close proximity helped her.

But for as peacefully as she was sleeping, the same couldn't be said for him.

He wasn't sure why he hadn't been able to sleep, but it was like he couldn't get his mind to shut off, Matt having done nothing but focus on the sound of Gabby's steady breathing since she fell asleep. He thought about trying to get some more paperwork done now that he was sure his wife was deep within her slumbeer, but there were a few reasons he quickly realized that wasn't the best idea. For one, he didn't want to turn the light on and risk waking Sofia, their baby having been sleeping soundly since she finished feeding almost three hours ago now. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her up, not when she was sleeping so well in her unfamiliar surroundings. And the other reason was that he didn't want to wake up Gabby, either.

He knew she hadn't been sleeping all that well recently, his wife having woken up each morning completely exhausted. She was restless, either waking up frequently during the night, or never really falling into a deep sleep. And compared to how he knew she'd slept the last two nights, Matt was aware this was the best she'd slept since before his tires were slashed, and he wouldn't do anything to risk disturbing that, considering how his arm was trapped underneath her and he knew he couldn't get up without waking her. So he had decided to stay put, Casey trying to focus on how peacefully his wife was resting, hoping that would lull him to sleep as well.

But so far, it hadn't.

He couldn't stop thinking about everything going on, about what all had happened today, and he especially couldn't stop thinking about how Gabby was handling all of it.

After the incident with Naomi, Gabby hadn't said anything about it. Though she hadn't really said much of anything at all. It kind of felt like things had at home; she didn't really want to talk to him, but she wanted him around. She seemed fine in the garage, but he wasn't entirely sure where she was at with the whole thing, Matt unable to figure out what was going on in her head. He wanted to talk to her about it, to make sure she was okay, but he hadn't had a moment to speak with her alone since it happened, not until they both came back to his office. But, considering how tired she was, he knew it probably wasn't the best time to ask her, either. So he hadn't brought it up, but he couldn't help but worry.

Naomi had no right to come in here and say the things she did to, and about, Gabby. Not only was she completely wrong, but regardless of everything that happened, Gabby wasn't at fault here. He was.

And this was just another instance as of late where his choices and mistakes had come back on Gabby. And he knew it wasn't fair to her.

Although none of it was necessarily his fault; he didn't ask for this man to threaten him, he didn't ask for Naomi to come and make a scene, but they were still things that happened because of his choices. And now Gabby was having to deal with the consequences.

Logically, he knew they both were, that they were both having to deal with all of this. But he didn't care so much about himself, and he wasn't the one that Naomi had come and attacked. Gabby was, and he felt awful.

He hated that they just kept getting one thing after another thrown at them, that it seemed like things just kept getting worse. Because he knew how much it was affecting Gabby, and seeing what all this was doing to her was breaking his heart. Matt never wanted to be the reason she was struggling, but it felt like as of late, his choices were the only thing causing it.

But regardless of how he felt, he knew she didn't blame him. Even though she was still upset with him for not telling her everything about that call sooner, she didn't blame him for this. And he knew she didn't blame him for the Naomi thing, either. Despite not having really talked about it, he knew she didn't fault him for Naomi showing up at 51. But just because she didn't blame him for any of this, that didn't mean he wasn't blaming himself. That he probably wouldn't stop blaming himself until they found this man, and figured out what was going on.

The feeling of Gabby shifting in his arms pulled him from his thoughts, Matt remaining still as his wife adjusted herself slightly, subconsciously pushing her body further back into his, the two perfectly molded together as she nuzzled her head against his arm in her sleep. Within a few seconds, Matt knew she was back within her deep sleep, his arm rising and falling as she took long, steady breaths.

Knowing they were most likely on borrowed time, with either Sofia waking up at any moment needing to eat, or them being called out, Casey figured he needed to try and get whatever sleep he could, the firefighter pushing all thoughts aside except for that of his family, the man focusing on his amazing wife and his beautiful daughter, Matt eventually giving in to the exhaustion he felt.


	78. Chapter Seventy Eight

**Hello everyone. Here's the next chapter for you guys, I'm super eager to hear your thoughts on this one. I really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I hope you all like it. Also, I wanna thank you all for the kind words on the last one, it means so much to me.**

**Happy reading!**

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_**Chapter Seventy Eight**_

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"Oh, you love the water, don't you? Yeah, I know you love showers, huh."

Gabby listened as her husband's soft voice filtered out of the shower, the tired mom relaxing in her bath as Matt took a shower with their daughter. Baby Sofia, now over five months old, was having the time of her life with her dad, the little girl giggling and nearly screaming at times, clearly excited to be spending this time with her father. It wasn't something they'd do all that often, taking their showers with Sofia, usually not unless their daughter wasn't feeling well, but recently Matt had started doing it whenever it was time to bathe their girl. He had done a few times over the last couple of weeks, and their baby girl absolutely loved it. And after their easy day at home, Matt decided to take a shower with Sofia before putting the little girl to bed.

From her position in the bathtub, the hot water surrounding her relaxing her muscles, Gabby had a perfect view of her husband and daughter, the glass boxing them in not very fogged up as Matt had kept the water at a very reasonable temperature for their little Sofia. And what she saw in front of her was a sight that would always warm her heart, Gabby watching as Matt cuddled their little girl to his chest, gently bouncing her up and down as she smacked her hands against him, sounds of excitement escaping her lips every few seconds.

He had already finished bathing her a few minutes ago, the two now playing together as the stream of water fell down on his back, Matt and Sofia off in their own little world as he continued talking to her, Gabby watching with a content smile on her face. Matt was doing all he could to keep their little girl occupied, the father knowing that at any minute Sofia would realize she was hungry and need to nurse, and Casey wanted to delay that for at least a few more moments, wanting to give Gabby a little more time to relax.

"You think smacking Daddy is funny?" Matt asked the baby, his voice light as his gaze focused on their baby, Sofia having moved to hitting her palms against his wet cheeks. "Yeah, I know you do. You think you're hilarious, your Momma's like that, too."

"I heard that." Gabby murmured, seeing Matt look to her through the wet glass, a shy smirk forming over his lips when they locked eyes.

"I love you." He responded quickly, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as a light scoff escaped her lips, Matt's grin widening.

"Mhmm."

"I do. And so does Sof, don't you baby?" He asked, turning his attention back towards the baby in his arms, Sofia giggling as her dad turned her around in his grip. The little girl's back was now resting against her dad's chest, Matt keeping an arm under her as they both faced Gabby, Sofia's squeals getting louder when she saw the glass in front of her, the baby immediately reaching out to smack her palms against it, the baby clearly amused by the sounds it was making. "Yeah, you love your Momma. How could you not? Your Momma's the best mom in the world."

"Real smooth." Gabby said, stretching out her tired arms in front of her, Matt keeping a firm hand across Sofia's chest as she continued to play with the side of the shower.

"Sof said it, not me." He replied without missing a beat, Gabby shaking her head before relaxing back into her bath, letting her eyes fall closed as she listened to Matt go back to entertaining their daughter, just as he had all throughout the day.

Their day at home had proved to be a relatively good one for the small family; as good as it could be under the circumstances.

It had been a little over two weeks since Matt's tires got slashed, and in that time Antonio and the Intelligence Unit had gotten no closer to finding the man who threatened Matt, or finding out anything in regards to who had vandalized his truck. Antonio was trying, both Matt and Gabby knew he was, but they only had so much to go on, and, whoever had done this, hadn't tried anything else since. Gabby assumed that the constant police presence around them had done the trick to deter whoever was doing this, but she also knew they couldn't live like this forever. She couldn't keep living her life nervous to leave her own apartment, but, unless they found this guy soon, she knew that wouldn't be changing anytime soon.

The only progress that had been made was Antonio ruling out Naomi as a suspect, the woman having an alibi for when Matt's tires were slashed, and there was no indication in her financial statements that led them to believe she hired anyone to do it either. Gabby knew from the start Naomi wasn't involved, that despite the weird timing, she didn't have anything to do with this. The surveillance footage of Matt's truck had pretty much told her that already, but Gabby was glad for the reassurance from her brother. But with Naomi being ruled out, that left only one person they could think of who would be doing this to them.

And without a full name, it was virtually impossible to even begin to find him.

Antonio had done what he could; he'd asked around the neighborhood where the crack house was located, he went back and interviewed everyone who was in the house that day that the police had on record, and he'd even reached out to Josh and Micah, trying to see if the young boy could remember anything else, but everything came up empty. The most they got was a nickname that a few different people corroborated, some people Antonio interviewed saying the man went by Nicky. And while it was new information, it wasn't exactly something that would crack this case wide open.

While they assumed it was short for Nicholas, that didn't really help them all that much, the common first name not doing enough to narrow their parameters. While putting the man's physical description and what they guessed to be a first name into their database had helped things somewhat, there were still way too many people to sort through. They had showed Matt a few possible suspects, some men who most closely resembled his sketch, but so far he hadn't been able to positively ID anyone. And since there was no guarantee this man was even in their system, or that 'Nicky' was anything close to his actual name, they hadn't been able to comb through every single possible man named Nick or Nicholas that fit the description. It was a tedious process, one that wasn't really getting them anywhere.

And everyone involved was getting frustrated.

It had seemingly been dead end after dead end over the last two weeks, and Gabby wasn't sure how much more of this any of them could take. Each time Antonio stopped by with some more photos for Casey to look at, and each time her brother would leave without any positive identification, it was like a little more hope was lost for all of them. It felt like with each passing day, they were getting farther and farther away from figuring out exactly what was going on, and they were faced with the harsh reality that the constant police protection and looking over their shoulders might be their lives for a while.

And it had not been an easy thing to adjust to. They weren't able to just go and live their lives, and it was becoming more and more difficult with each passing day.

Matt and Gabby couldn't do anything without first consulting whichever detail was on them at the time, they couldn't go anywhere without the police following along, Antonio insisting that there be at least two cops on them at all times. And while both Gabby and Matt felt more secure because of it, it had led to a fair share of logistical issues. There was no such thing as an easy task anymore, Matt just couldn't run out to the store to pick up a few things, everything had to be planned and everyone had to be on the same page. If any of them wanted, or needed, to go out for something, they quickly learned that meant they all had to go out. Either that, or wait for another police detail to get there so they could go with whichever parent needed to leave their home, while the other cops stayed on the apartment. It had become a logistical nightmare, which led to Matt and Gabby ultimately deciding to just spend most of their time at home, aside from work.

There were times it was unavoidable, times where they needed to go out, like for groceries or other errands. But every time they went out, they had cops with them. They were discreet, dressed in plain clothes and in an unmarked car, not wanting to raise any suspicion, but they were always there, one of them always going into the establishments with them, while the other stayed outside and kept eyes on their vehicle, being on the lookout for anything suspicious.

It was an ordeal, to say the least. Nothing was easy anymore, so they ended up just staying home whenever they could help it, the hassle more than it was worth most of the time to try and go out. But luckily, they had some amazing friends, friends who were more than willing to go and do little errands for them whenever they needed, Severide, Kidd, and Jemma having done whatever they could to make things a little easier on the family, but even that could only help so much.

Everything going on was definitely hard for them to come to terms with, and it seemed like with every passing day, they just became more and more on edge, the unknowns of all this weighing them down more than they could really understand. Gabby was struggling with this, as was Matt, both of them constantly worried for the safety of their baby, and for each other. It had been a very hard two weeks, and there were some days where it all felt impossible.

But Gabby knew the only reason she wasn't completely drowning was because of Matt. He was keeping her head above water while they navigated through this, her husband holding them all together even though he was struggling as well.

Despite her feelings towards him keeping this from her, she knew everything happening right now was in no way his fault. Even though he held onto the blame for it, Gabby never faulted him for this. Even at her angriest, she was able to understand that Matt telling them right after the call probably wouldn't have changed anything. This wasn't his fault, and she could never blame him for any of it. Especially when he was the only reason she _was_ getting through this.

The first few days were rough, there was no denying that. Gabby was having a hard time getting past him keeping this from her, but the longer this went on, the more that anger began to fade away. He knew he messed up, she didn't need him to keep reminding him of that, and truthfully, even though she still had her moments, the last thing that would help them right now was for her and Matt to be at odds with one another. She didn't want that, she never wanted that, but especially not with everything going on. She was barely handling everything as it was, the last thing she could deal with on top of it was any weird tension between her and her husband.

Things between them had definitely gotten a lot better. And, to no surprise, Matt had been there for her every step of the way, even early on when she hadn't been very receptive to it at times. Despite his own struggles with everything going on, his only priority was Gabby and their daughter, Casey shifting his focus to making sure both his girls were okay. Even though it was clear one of them wasn't.

There were good days and bad days, for both Gabby and Matt, but Gabby seemed to have more of the harder ones than her husband did, her previous anger towards the situation morphing into worry and anxiety. She'd had a lot of hard days, so much so that about a week ago her and Matt had talked about her going back on her medication for her anxiety. It wasn't something she was exactly thrilled to be doing, in fact she shut him down the first time he brought it up, but it was something she soon realized she needed. That this would only get worse if she didn't do something to help herself. So, after some lengthy conversations with her husband, and a few calls to Dr. Tanner, needing the reassurance the medication wouldn't affect her breastfeeding or Sofia, she started taking her meds again.

She hadn't used them for awhile, Gabby priding herself on not needing them anymore, but the circumstances had changed, and for her to be able to function and be able to take care of her family, she needed them. And luckily, things for her had gotten better. It wasn't a complete fix, she wasn't magically okay with everything going on, but she was managing herself much better since being back on them. She felt like she had more control over herself, which was something she desperately needed during a time where it felt like she had no control at all.

And that was all she could do, was focus on the things she knew she had a say in. That was how she was able to keep herself together, was by focusing herself on the things she could control, things like taking care of their daughter. Sofia had been her number one priority, both Gabby and Matt doing everything in their power to keep things as normal as possible for their child, even though things definitely weren't business as usual for them. Sofia staying at the house had been an adjustment, but it was one their little girl took in stride, Sofia just happy to be around more people who loved giving her attention. Their baby girl had been handling things the best out of all of them, Sofia mostly oblivious to the severity of the situation. There had been a few times where she'd picked up on her parents stress, where Sofia had sensed the tension and it would cause her to become stressed out, but those times were few and far between. For the most part, she was just their happy little girl, and the house had helped tremendously with that.

It was clear to all of them that Gabby and Matt were having a hard time, that was no secret. So with Sofia being around while they were at work, everyone at 51 had made it a priority to help out however they could. Sofia was being held constantly, she was being entertained constantly, and, Kidd and Herrmann especially, loved helping feed her during the day. It had been an entire house-effort, everyone at 51 involved in making sure that not only was Sofia cared for, but that Gabby and Matt knew they had everyone's support. Unless they were out on a call, there were always multiple pairs of eyes on Sofia at once, and it was something that really helped both Matt and Gabby.

They never stopped worrying, and they knew they wouldn't until this man was caught, but knowing that every person at 51 had their backs, and were looking out for all three of them made them feel a lot better. And it only cemented the fact that keeping Sofia at the house with them was the right choice, even though at first it wasn't something they were sure they'd be allowed to keep doing.

The first two shifts where Sofia stayed with them had been fine. Sofia loved all the extra attention, and she'd handled being in her new surroundings relatively well. The house had been great from the moment they brought her that first time, no one having any issues with the littlest Casey being around. Everything had been going well, up until the third shift where they brought her.

Somehow, headquarters how caught word of 51's Captain having his young baby stay at the firehouse with them, and suffice to say, they weren't exactly thrilled with the arrangement. Gabby and Matt weren't sure how they found out, they knew no one from second shift would've said anything, and Boden hadn't said anything, either, so the parents had no idea how they found out. But they had, and they weren't on board with it.

That shift had been stressful for the family, to put it lightly, Gabby worrying that they wouldn't be able to keep Sofia with them anymore, and the thought of having to be away from her daughter that long had led to one of her weaker moments since this nightmare started, Matt having taken her and Sofia to his office for privacy while Gabby dealt with what she was feeling. That day had been a rough one at the firehouse, up until Boden came back later that evening with some good news.

The parents hadn't even realized he was gone, but Boden had spent nearly that entire morning and through the afternoon at headquarters, and by some miracle, their Chief had gotten them to agree to letting Sofia stay. Matt and Gabby weren't sure how, especially considering hours prior it looked like a sure thing that Sofia wouldn't be able to stay with them, but Boden had managed to get them to agree to it. They don't know what all was said, they don't know what Boden did to get them to allow it, but all they knew was that their Chief went to the mat for them. He made it known that Sofia wouldn't be anywhere else other than with her parents until this man was caught. Boden didn't say much of the actual conversation, just that he reminded the higher-ups that there was a man out there who had threatened the lives of one of the CFDs best Captains, and one of their most outstanding paramedics, as well as their child, and that the safest place for Sofia to be was with her parents. Obviously, there had been more to the conversation than that, if the sheer amount of time Boden had been gone was any indication, but, whatever he'd done, he managed to get them to agree to Sofia staying with them. And the parents were eternally grateful to him for that.

It had made this impossible situation a little easier for them to manage, Gabby and Matt knowing they wouldn't have to be separated from their daughter while all this was going on. Sofia and Matt were what Gabby was clinging onto, her family is what was keeping her afloat during all this; her husband and her daughter, as well as her firehouse family. She knew she wasn't handling this situation well, but she was trying, and she knew if not for everyone she had in her corner, and her not being able to be with Sofia, this would've been all the worse.

It hadn't been easy, none of it had been, but as she watched Matt entertain their daughter while in the shower, she couldn't help but feel like they'd be okay. She couldn't explain it, and maybe it wasn't logical when there was the chance that a psychotic murderer was coming after them, but something in her gut was telling her they'd be fine, and it was an instinct she was holding onto. Especially considering how well her and Matt were navigating this together. It wasn't that she was surprised by it, she knew that even though they'd had a few struggles with it in the past, her and Matt leaned on each other for support when they needed to. But she knew this was something that could easily tear them apart, that maybe two years ago it would have torn them apart, but now it wasn't. If anything, it had only made them stronger, and she couldn't help but feel comforted by that.

"You ready to get out, baby?" Matt asked Sofia, his voice bringing her back into the present as Gabby smiled at her family, seeing Matt turn off the water. "Yeah, let's get you all nice and warm- wait, Sof no, I'm not Momma." He spoke quickly, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement as she saw Sofia trying to latch onto her husband's chest, Matt looking up sheepishly as he did what he could to distract Sofia, the little girl eagerly trying to eat. "I think she's hungry, babe." He said, Gabby giving him a nod, her smirk growing as she began adjusting her position in the bathtub.

"Bring her over." Gabby instructed softly, Matt nodding as he adjusted the baby in his arms, Sofia crying as he turned her around, clearly frustrated her father wasn't letting her eat, Gabby watching on with a smile as Matt carefully stepped out of the shower.

It was a concept Sofia hadn't entirely grasped yet, that her dad couldn't feed her the way her mom could, the little girl just seeing a nipple and going for it. The parents figured that since both Matt and Gabby bottle fed her, and they both often did skin to skin with her while bottle feeding her, that she just assumed her dad could also nurse her as well, Sofia still too young to know any different. And though it didn't happen too often, it definitely wasn't the first time she'd tried to nurse on Matt, and they were sure it wouldn't be the last. But they always got a good laugh out of it, even though Sofia would fuss every time because, as she saw it, she didn't understand why her parents were stopping her from eating.

"Come on, Sof. You'll have much better luck with Momma, I promise." Matt spoke as he got to the bathtub, the little girl squirming around in his grip, desperate to eat as she was carefully handed to Gabby.

"It's okay, baby." She soothed, quickly positioning her daughter against her chest, the young girl needing little guidance once she got situated, Sofia latching on easily. "Yeah, that's better, huh?" Gabby spoke quietly, stroking her thumb over Sofia's cheek as the girl eagerly fed, her fist gripping onto Gabby's chest tightly, wanting to be as close to her mom as possible.

"I wonder when she'll grow out of that." Matt mused as he moved back towards the shower, grabbing his towel and beginning to dry off, Gabby looking up from their daughter to her husband.

"Who knows… I guess we should just be glad she hasn't tried it on anyone else." Gabby responded with a smile, Matt chuckling as he shook his head, tying the towel around his waist.

"That's a fair point. Although part of me wants to see her do it to Kelly." He spoke with a laugh, Gabby unable to stop her grin from widening at the image of that. "I swear, he'd be so freaked out. I don't know if he'd ever hold her again."

"Oh, I'm sure he would… just maybe away from his chest." She quipped, Matt shaking his head before moving towards the sink, continuing through his routine before bed while Sofia was feeding.

The couple fell back into a relaxed silence as Matt brushed his teeth, all of them winding down for the night, Sofia the most energetic of them all as she pinched Gabby's skin while she ate, the little girl still having way too much energy for as late as it was. Although it wasn't ridiculously late, it was already past her bedtime, both parents surprised she was still as alert as she was. But this was something that had been happening the last few nights, Sofia staying up later than she should, their little girl not quite ready to go to sleep. And along with that, with as much as the girl had napped today, Gabby figured she shouldn't be too surprised Sofia was still wide awake. With the family more often than not being cooped up in the house, they were running out of things to do, Sofia usually passing the time by sleeping throughout the day longer than she normally would.

Both parents wished they could get her out more, that they could at least go and take her on walks through the park, or something along those lines, just to get her out of the apartment, but neither of them really felt comfortable doing that right now. They didn't feel safe being so out in the open, not when they knew this man's weapon of choice was a gun. Even with the detail on them, Gabby wasn't sure if she could handle being that out in the open, not with her little girl. So, for peace of mind, they mostly stayed at home, and just tried to take her out whenever they could.

And that was just another reason both Gabby and Matt were thankful that Boden had gotten everything figured out, and they were able to keep Sofia at the house with them. It gave their daughter a change of scenery, it gave her new places to see, and more people to be around. It got her out of this apartment. And even though they didn't really take her outside while at 51, the building was much bigger than their home, and Sofia loved taking walks around the garage with her dad or with Uncle Kelly. The different surroundings were good for Sofia, and that was just one of the many reasons they were glad they were able to keep her with them.

"I'm gonna go change, are you good?" Matt asked as he placed his toothbrush back in its spot, wiping off his mouth before turning to look at his wife and daughter.

"We're good." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod before he disappeared into their bedroom, Gabby refocusing her attention on Sofia, the wide-eyed girl staring up at her mom while she ate. "Hi sweet girl." She murmured, Gabby seeing Sofia smile when she realized her mom was talking to her, the girl pausing momentarily before she continued to eat, her bright blue eyes shining back at Gabby, Sofia completely mesmerized by her mother. "...I love you so much, Sof. So, so much." She whispered, stroking her thumb along her daughter's cheek, Gabby feeling Sofia's grip on her skin tighten, the girl settled comfortably in her mom's arms, feeling completely safe and secure resting against her mother.

"She loves you, too." Matt spoke up, Gabby lifting her head to see him already having reappeared in the doorway, clad in a pair of boxers as he stepped back into the bathroom, his words bringing a soft smile to her face. He moved to hang up his towel before changing his path to the bathtub, smiling warmly down at his entire world. "We both do." He added, sitting down on the edge of the bathtub, resting his hand on her knee that was poking out above the water.

"You're not half bad, either." She replied with a lazy smile, Matt stroking his thumb along the inside of her knee, watching as Sofia held onto her mom.

"Is she getting sleepy at all?" He asked after a few moments, the family enjoying the peaceful quiet.

"A little… she's fighting it though." Gabby responded, rubbing her wet hand along the back of Sofia's head, Matt nodding before he bent down and grabbed a washcloth. Slowly, he dunked the washcloth into the warm bath water, wringing it out before carefully laying it across Sofia's body, wanting to make sure she wasn't getting too cold.

Matt kept his hand on his daughter's back, gently rubbing his palm along her skin, Gabby smiling as she looked up to her husband. "She got all excited when she felt you." She spoke softly, Matt's smile widening when his gaze moved to his daughter, watching as Sofia squeezed her mom's skin tightly in her fist, Gabby grimacing slightly.

"Okay Sof, don't hurt Momma." Matt said, moving his hand towards his daughter's, loosening Sofia's grip on Gabby, letting the baby hold his index finger instead of Gabby's chest. "Yeah, that's better." He murmured, feeling Sofia squeeze his finger tightly as she continued to nurse.

"Thank you." Gabby responded, Matt nodding, catching a glimpse of the red mark on her chest. "Pretty sure that one will bruise." She added, Casey wincing slightly.

"She definitely has quite the grip."

"Don't I know it." Gabby replied without missing a beat, Matt chuckling softly as he gently moved Sofia's arm around, the girl smiling as Matt entertained her. Gabby watched on with an amused grin for a few moments, Matt clearly enjoying the game as much as their daughter. "...Babe, we're supposed to be calming her down." She reminded him, Matt shooting her a sheepish grin, the firefighter ceasing his movements and resting his hand that Sofia was holding onto down against Gabby's upper chest.

"Sorry." He responded, ducking his head slightly. "...I got distracted." He spoke, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before looking back down to Sofia, the girl's eyes bouncing around, clearly not impressed by the fact that her dad had stopped playing with her.

"I know, I know, Momma ruins all the fun." She said, Matt grinning as Gabby adjusted the baby in her arms, her limbs a little tired from holding onto Sofia.

The family of three fell back into a comfortable silence, Gabby continuously running her hand along Sofia's back while the baby held onto her dad's finger, both parents coming to a silent understanding that it'd be better if they stayed quiet, hoping that would help their little girl relax. And it seemed to be working, Gabby seeing Sofia fighting more and more against her exhaustion, Matt feeling his daughter's grip on his finger loosen.

Within ten minutes, Sofia had finished feeding, the little girl barely able to stay awake as she unlatched from her mom, the baby resting her cheek against her mom's chest.

"Is she finished?" Matt asked, Gabby giving him a nod as she stroked her fingers through Sofia's damp hair, the baby nuzzling further into her mom's embrace.

"Yeah, she's done… I think she's ready for bed." Gabby responded, Matt pushing himself up from the side of the tub, turning to face his family.

"Alright, I'll get her down, you stay here, try and enjoy the rest of your bath." He spoke, Gabby nodding with a thankful smile before she passed off Sofia to her husband, the baby fussing when she was taken away from her mom. "I know, Momma's comfy." He said to his daughter, Gabby smiling softly as she watched Matt adjust their daughter in his arms before he moved to grab her towel off the counter. Keeping a firm grip on her, he managed to get the towel around her back, cradling Sofia to his chest before he moved towards the bedroom.

Relaxing back into her bath, Gabby closed her eyes as she listened to the sounds of Matt moving around their bedroom, getting their little girl ready for bed. He wasn't being very loud, but she heard him occasionally talking to their daughter, and she could hear him when he moved to the glider in their room, Matt rocking their daughter to sleep as they always did.

Their apartment was filled with nothing but a peaceful quiet, and she couldn't help but feel content in this moment, which was something that hadn't happened too often lately. With good reason, in fact she had the best reason, but sitting here right now, she felt at ease. She was sure this feeling wouldn't last very long, but she didn't care. For the first time in over two weeks, she felt okay. And she was gonna hold onto that for as long as she could.

"Sof passed out."

She smiled when she heard her husband's voice, Gabby turning her head towards the sound and opening her eyes, finding Matt walking back towards her, a soft grin resting over his face.

"She was asleep before I even finished getting her dressed. I rocked her for a bit, but she's out." He mused, Gabby giving him a nod as he got back over to her, resuming his previous position on the edge of the tub.

"Hopefully she will be for awhile… This is kind of late for her, so if we're lucky maybe she'll sleep well tonight." Gabby responded, Matt nodding as he rested his hand over her leg, giving her knee a firm squeeze.

"I think she will, she usually does." He spoke, Gabby shooting him a gentle grin before relaxing back into her bath, Matt rubbing soothing circles along her leg. "...How's my girl doing?" He asked after a few moments, Gabby opening her eyes to look at him.

"Your girl is sleeping." She replied lightly, Matt shaking his head in amusement, squeezing her leg again.

"I'm talking about my other girl… my first girl." He elaborated, even though they both knew who he was talking about. "How are you doing, baby?" Matt questioned directly, Gabby lifting her hand out of the water to rest over his arm, scratching her fingers lightly across his skin.

"I'm doing okay." She answered softly, Matt giving her a small smile. "Today was a pretty good day."

"Yeah, it was." He agreed, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Hopefully we'll have more of those." He murmured against her skin, kissing her head against before pulling back, seeing the content smile on his wife's face. "Well, I'll leave you alone, let you get some more peace and quiet before bed."

"Nah, that's okay… I'm ready to get out anyway. I don't wanna stay up too much longer with work tomorrow." She replied, Matt nodding knowingly as he stood up. "And plus if Sof's asleep, I want to be asleep." Gabby added as she straightened her back, leaning forward to pull the drain and empty the bath.

Without prompting, Matt held his hands out for his wife to grab onto, Gabby shooting him a thankful smile before grabbing ahold of him, Matt helping her up and out of the bath. Once she was firmly on the ground, he walked around her, grabbing her towel from the rack and handing it to her, Gabby wrapping herself up in the fluffy material.

With one last kiss to her forehead, Matt left her to go through her routine before bed, the dad checking on little Sofia who was fast asleep in her bassinet before he climbed into bed. He got himself situated, the firefighter letting himself relax down into the comfortable mattress, a heavy yawn escaping his lips as a bare Gabby walked out of the bathroom a few minutes later, her hair pulled up into a bun on the top of her head. Without a word, she moved towards their dresser, pulling out a pair of underwear and one of Matt's t-shirts, tiredly putting the clothes on her body. Just as Matt had, Gabby stopped to check on their daughter, Matt watching her with a soft smile as she walked around to her side of the bed, nearly collapsing down into it.

Silently, Gabby rolled over to her husband, Matt lifting his arm up for her to curl into his side, the exhausted woman resting her head on his chest as she relaxed into his embrace. "Goodnight." She murmured softly, her gentle tone bringing a smile to his face as he ran his hand over her back, Gabby resting her arm across his waist.

"Night baby." He replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as the cuddled together, both of them eager to get as much rest as possible before getting back to work tomorrow.

* * *

Gabby climbed down out of the back of the ambulance, rolling out her neck as she closed the door behind her, Brett and Foster coming up on either side of her before they began walking towards the common room, the three paramedics having just returned from their latest call.

"Do you think they saved us any lunch?" Brett asked as she shoved her hands in her pockets, Gabby shrugging as they navigated around the rigs.

"Well, we know Dawson has lunch." Foster started with a knowing smile, "Casey always makes her a plate. But we might be on our own, Brett." She added, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully as Brett laughed, the two paramedics enjoying teasing their partner.

"I'm sure there's food left." Gabby responded, Foster patting her shoulder as they got to the double doors, Brett entering into the firehouse first, Dawson and Foster following behind her.

"Yeah, but we'll probably have to get it ourselves." Emily continued, Gabby scoffing lightly as her eyes moved around the common room, her gaze soon landing on her baby. Sofia was currently cuddled in Herrmann's arms, the man sitting with her on the couch, holding the pacifier up to her lips.

"Hello ladies." Cruz greeted, Matt looking up from his spot at the head of the table, smiling softly when he saw his wife.

"Hello… you guys save us some food?" Foster asked, her question earning multiple nods from around the room.

"Like we'd want to face your wrath if we didn't? I don't think so." Mouch breathed out from beside Herrmann, Brett shaking her head as the paramedics continued into the kitchen, Gabby stopping beside her baby. She was careful to stay out of Sofia's line of sight, not wanting to be seen by her daughter when she was so content in the older firefighter's arms. If Sofia saw her, she'd immediately want her mom, and while Gabby wanted all the time with her baby she could get, she knew it would be much easier to eat while little Sofia was distracted.

Silently, Gabby placed her hand on Herrmann's shoulder, giving him an appreciative squeeze, earning a knowing nod from the man before she continued on towards the kitchen, seeing Matt had gotten up from his seat already and was moving around behind the counter.

"See Brett, I told you, Casey had already set aside food for Dawson." Foster spoke lightly, Matt glancing towards the paramedics with a sheepish look covering his face, the man waiting for the food to warm up.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised." Brett played along, Matt finding Gabby's gaze, his smile widening when he saw her, Casey winking before reaching down to grab her food from the microwave.

"Sorry guys… I'll remember next time." He told them as he moved towards the fridge, Foster chuckling as she began preparing her plate.

"Yeah, we've heard that before." She mused, Matt grabbing a drink for his wife before heading towards the table, nodding at Gabby to sit down in her normal seat.

"You didn't have to do that." Gabby spoke, Matt giving her a shrug as he sat her food down in front of her, Gabby sitting down into the seat.

"I don't mind." He replied, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before returning to his own chair, Matt watching as she dug into her food. "How was the call?" He asked after a few moments, Gabby taking a sip of her drink before responding.

"It was fine… nothing too crazy." She responded with a shrug, getting another forkful of food ready. "How were things here?"

"Good, pretty quiet." He answered, his eyes moving towards the couch where his daughter was. From this angle, he could only see the top of her head, her curly hair peeking out from behind Herrmann. "Sofia's loved the attention, but she seems pretty happy with Herrmann over there." Matt added, Gabby smiling softly as she glanced over towards the couch.

"Has she eaten?"

"Yeah, she has." Matt responded. "Herrmann fed her, she finished her bottle about half an hour ago." He explained, Gabby nodding, sparing one last glance to her daughter before going back to her food, Matt returning his attention to his newspaper, the couple sitting in a comfortable quiet while soft chatter filled the room.

Gabby had just finished up her meal when Stella suddenly appeared by her side, the firefighter collapsing into the seat beside her, Dawson's eyes widening at the abrupt and unexpected appearance from her friend.

"Hi." Gabby spoke in amusement as she pushed her plate away from her, Kidd resting her elbows on the table as she turned to the paramedic.

"Hello." She responded, Gabby watching her expectantly, Dawson's eyes moving across the table, seeing Brett and Foster staring at her as well.

"...Do you all need something?" Dawson asked when none of the women said anything, all three of them eyeing one another before turning their attention to Gabby. "What?"

"Brett, Foster, and I were talking…" Kidd started, Gabby pursing her lips together.

"Oh, well that's never good." Gabby interjected, Stella narrowing her eyes towards her friend before she continued.

"We were talking, and we were wondering how you'd feel about a girls night." Stella suggested, Dawson's eyebrows raising, surprised by the suggestion. Seeing her immediate hesitation, Kidd was quick to continue. "I know there's a lot going on right now, and things have been hard on you lately- on the both of you," Stella spoke, eyeing Matt who was listening in on their conversation, "but I think it would be fun. We all do."

Gabby took a deep breath, wringing her hands together in her lap as she thought over Kidd's words. "...I don't know." She responded, uncertainty laced in her voice.

"Come on, I think it would be good for you, girl." Kidd encouraged, rubbing her hand over Gabby's arm.

"We've already talked a little bit about it," Brett started, Gabby meeting her friend's warm gaze. "We'd have to stay in, we know that. With everything going on, we couldn't really go anywhere, and there'd be some logistics to figure out, but I think it would be fun. We all do." Brett spoke softly, Gabby mulling over her words.

"Yeah, you know it would just be a fun night with your friends, let the husband take care of the baby for a night." Kidd said with a smirk, Gabby chuckling before glancing towards Matt, seeing him eyeing his firefighter. "...Respectfully, Captain." She added, Matt shaking his head in amusement before Kidd continued. "But really Dawson, I think it would be good for you to have a night for yourself. We could just relax, have some fun… Maybe drink a little wine." Stella suggested, Gabby's eyebrows raising slightly as she thought over the offer.

"That does sound nice…" She replied after a few seconds, Kidd smiling as she gave Dawson's arm a squeeze.

"There's my girl." She spoke, Gabby's eyes bouncing around between her friends, her tongue poking out between her teeth, running along her bottom lip.

"...We'd stay in?" She checked, Kidd nodding immediately as her eyes flashed to Casey, seeing the same look of apprehension in her Captain's eyes.

"We would. I've already told Kelly to expect to be kicked out." Stella assured both Gabby and Matt, knowing her friends were a little on edge as of late, with good reason. "I figured we could all just hang around our apartment, maybe Kelly could go and hang out with Casey and little Sofia."

The more Kidd talked about it, the more fun it sounded. For as nervous as she was to be away from Sofia, a night with her friends did sound nice. She knew it would be good for her to get a break, to have some time to unwind. And the only reason she was even considering it was because she knew Sofia would be with Matt.

Releasing a soft sigh, Gabby glanced towards her husband, finding his eyes already on her. "What do you think?" She asked, Matt shooting her a soft smile.

"I think you should do it, if you feel up for it. It'll be good for you… As long as you get her home in one piece, Kidd." Casey added, Stella laughing as she rubbed over Gabby's arm.

"I promise to take care of her." Stella promised, giving him a little salute before turning her attention back to her friend. "So what do you say, Dawson?" Kidd prompted, Gabby glancing between her friends, seeing them all watching her expectantly.

"Okay, what the hell. Let's do it." Dawson agreed, Brett clapping as Kidd shook her lightly, Gabby seeing the clear excitement radiating off her friends.

"Atta girl." Kidd spoke, patting her arm before looking around the room, her eyes landing on her boyfriend. "You hear that, Kelly?" Stella said, her voice loud enough to get Severide's attention, the squad Lieutenant lifting his head, confusion playing across his face as he waited for his girlfriend to elaborate. "Dawson's in, which means you're being kicked out." She voiced proudly, Severide shaking his head before glancing towards Casey.

"Yeah, I guess you've been banished to hang out with me and Sof." Matt added, Kelly's eyes flashing back towards Stella.

"As long as you all do it on a night where Casey and I have a hockey game to watch, I don't care." Severide agreed, Kidd waving him off before returning her attention to Gabby.

"Alright, we'll figure out a day here soon, but I'm so excited. I think it'll be fun."

"Me too." Gabby agreed, leaning slightly into Stella's side.

"You should invite Jemma, too." Brett spoke up, Gabby's eyebrows raising, glancing between them.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah, of course." Brett replied, earning nods from both Foster and Kidd. "She should come. That way we could complete the group."

"Okay, I'll invite her. I know she'll like that." Gabby spoke, Brett nodding with a soft smile.

"This is gonna be so much fun." Foster said, tapping her hands against the table.

"It sure is."

The sound of the bells going off interrupted their conversation, Sofia immediately fussing when the loud noise hit her tiny ears, the small girl still not having gotten used to the unexpected sound as all companies got called out.

"Becca…" Matt spoke as he got up from the table, the girl nodding as she was already on her way towards Herrmann.

"I got her." She assured him, Becca quickly getting Sofia and beginning to soothe her as the members of 51 filed out into the garage, both Matt and Gabby hanging back momentarily, watching as Becca cradled the girl in her arms, Sofia slowly calming down. "I got her, we're good." She repeated with a soft smile, the parents nodding before heading out towards the garage, knowing their little girl was in the best hands possible.

* * *

Casey walked around the common room, bouncing his daughter in his arms as he tried to get the little girl to quiet down, Sofia having been a little fussy over the last hour or so. The parents weren't sure the cause of it, they figured she might've just been a little tired, but they couldn't get her to go to sleep, so they had taken to walking around with her, that seemingly the only thing that would get her to settle. Or rather Matt had taken to walking around with her, the Captain unsure of where his wife was right now. He knew she was around here somewhere, everyone already inside the firehouse for the night.

Even though it was barely eight, all of 51's firefighters had settled into the house for the evening, everyone abiding by Boden's strict curfew. Though they weren't technically required to be in until nine, no one was hanging out in the garage much past sunset these days, Boden feeling better when he knew all of his first responders were safely inside the locked doors of the firehouse.

"She doing okay, Casey?" Herrmann asked as he stood up from the couch, moving towards the pacing Captain who was trying to soothe his baby, Matt sighing as he looked towards his friend.

"Yeah, she's fine, Herrmann… She's been like this for the last few nights, although she's usually not this fussy." Matt responded, grimacing as a louder cry escaped her lips. "It's okay, Sof. You're alright." He murmured, the young girl nuzzling herself into her dad's warm embrace. "I'm sorry about this, you guys." Matt addressed the room, knowing the constant sound of a baby crying wasn't the most pleasant noise.

"Nothing to apologize for, Captain." Mouch spoke from the couch, earning a few agreeing nods from around the room.

"Is she sick?" Herrmann asked, Matt shaking his head in response. "I mean, her being around all these people… She might've picked something up."

"No, I don't think so, she doesn't have a fever or anything." Matt replied, Herrmann giving him a nod. "She just seems a bit restless… Her sleep schedule has gotten a little messed up, and I think it might be finally catching up with her. And she didn't nap nearly enough today, that probably has something to do with it, too."

"Yeah, probably." Herrmann agreed, watching as Matt rubbed across Sofia's chest, the little girl starting to quiet down.

"I think I'm gonna go ahead and take her to my office, see if I can get her to go to sleep…" Matt started, his eyes bouncing around the room, still not seeing his wife anywhere. "If I can find Gabby first." He added, Herrmann's eyebrows raising. "...Has anyone seen Gabby?" Casey asked, raising his voice loud enough to where everyone could hear him, most of his coworkers shaking their heads.

"She went off down the hallway like ten minutes ago," Kidd spoke up from the table, Matt glancing towards her and Severide, "I'm not sure where she was going, though."

"Alright." He replied, his eyes moving around until he found Becca's gaze, nodding towards the hallway. "You mind to take Sofia to my office? Get her changed and ready for bed." Casey asked, Becca shaking her as she walked towards him.

"Of course not."

"Thanks." He responded, Matt carefully handing the baby over to Becca, Sofia's arms stretching out tiredly as she settled against Becca's chest, Casey surprised his daughter didn't put up more of a fight at being passed around again, but he wouldn't question it, the firefighter knowing how safe his daughter felt with her nanny. "I'm gonna go and find Gabby, we'll meet you in there."

Matt and Becca had both moved out into the hallway, but their progress was stopped when the all too familiar sound of the garage door opening filled the firehouse, Casey's eyebrows furrowing as he turned towards his coworkers.

"Is that…?" Herrmann asked, Severide standing up from the table.

"Why is the garage opening? We're all here."

"I don't know." Casey spoke, his eyes finding Kelly, giving him a nod before he looked back towards the garage. "No one should be-"

His words got cut off immediately when another noise coming from the garage filtered into the common room, this one unexpected, but unmistakable, the sound filling Matt with an immediate sense of worry and fear, his entire body going rigid when he heard the sound of his wife yelling.

Yelling out his name.

"_Matt!_"


	79. Chapter Seventy Nine

**Hello everyone. Here's the next chapter for you guys. I know a lot of you are eager to see what happens, so I won't take up too much of your time. I just want to say that I hope you guys like this one, and I'm excited to hear what you think.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Seventy Nine**_

* * *

Standing at the sink in the bathroom, Gabby finished washing her hands, the paramedic blowing out a soft sigh as she turned off the water, using the towel to pat her palms dry before heading for the door. She had stepped away from the common room momentarily, leaving her husband and her baby with the rest of 51's first responders, everyone having been completely captivated by little Sofia all day. Despite her having been coming to shift with them for awhile, they still seemed to be just as eager to spend time with the littlest Casey as they were the first time they brought her, everyone in the firehouse always itching to get a chance to hold her. Her little girl was definitely loved around here, and she felt so thankful for that.

With everything going on, with all the uncertainty surrounding them right now, to know that Sofia had a place where she was completely cared for, surrounded by people who loved her and who would do anything in their power to protect her, it eased Gabby's worries considerably. It cemented what she already knew; this was the safest place for her daughter to be. Not only was she with her parents, but she had a firehouse full of people who would put her safety above their own, even though that was something Gabby would never ask of them. But it was a reassuring feeling nonetheless, Gabby feeling most at ease when they were all in the firehouse together.

Rolling out her neck, Gabby stepped out of the bathroom, a yawn escaping her lips as she felt a wave of exhaustion flood her system. She wasn't sure how late it was, but with as tiring as these last few weeks had been, it seemed like she could never get enough sleep these days. And even though Sofia had settled into a pretty good sleeping pattern, despite the changes in being at the firehouse three nights a week, she was still a baby. A baby who was waking up a few times during the night needing to be taken care of, which meant that both Gabby and Matt woke up as well. Though her schedule was pretty consistent, it still meant Gabby was never able to get into a deep sleep, and with any potential calls on top of that, nights at the firehouse usually were not spent sleeping soundly. At least not for her.

Another yawn escaped her lips as she reached into her pocket for her phone to check the time, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing when she felt nothing but the material of her jacket. Pulling her hand back out, she began patting over her body, trying to find her cell phone, but within a few seconds it was clear that wherever her phone was, she didn't have it on her. Wracking her brain, Dawson tried to remember where she had it last, the paramedic moving slowly down the hallway as tried to figure out where it was. She didn't remember having it with her in the common room moments prior, but she knew she could've just set it down on the table without remembering, Gabby deciding to just head back towards everyone and go from there.

But about halfway back towards the common room, Dawson stopped abruptly, the paramedic suddenly remembering how she'd had her phone out in the rig after their last call. She had been showing Brett and Foster new pictures and videos of Sofia before they left the hospital, her friends wanting to see the video of Sofia rolling over for the first time.

It had been a big moment, Sofia doing it out of nowhere while she was on her play mat at the apartment, and as soon as it happened the parents tried to get her to do it again, wanting to make sure they had this memory committed to film. And since it happened, Sofia had been doing it a lot since whenever the moment presented itself, meaning everyone had to be extra watchful over the baby, making sure she was never in any situations where she could roll off the bed or the couch and fall. But as soon as Gabby had told her partners of the new development with her baby, they wanted to see the video, which she had eagerly shown them, that decision ultimately leading to Gabby accidentally leaving her phone out in the rig.

Releasing a soft breath, Dawson changed her path, the paramedic moving straight for the double doors instead of turning the corner towards the common room, Gabby pushing one of the doors open, walking into the quiet garage. Even though she wasn't sure of the exact time, she knew it wasn't past Boden's firehouse curfew yet, Gabby shoving her hands in her pockets as she moved around the front of squad's rig.

Clicking his tongue against the roof of her mouth, Gabby's steps slowed when she got closer to the ambulance, Dawson coming almost to a complete stop when she saw the garage door in front of 61 open. She wasn't sure why it wasn't down, in fact she knew Brett had put it down when they got back from their call, so it for it to be up now was strange. And looking out into the pitch black Chicago night, Gabby couldn't help the chill that moved through her spine. The feeling creeped her out, Gabby's back straightening as she looked from the open garage towards the rig that was still maybe fifteen feet away from her. Part of her felt like she should just go back inside, that she should go and get Matt, and have him come and get her phone for her. But the second she registered that thought, she shook it off, Gabby feeling ridiculous for even thinking it. The rig was right there, it would take all of thirty seconds for her to get her phone and get back inside, Gabby shaking off her apprehension before continuing towards the ambulance.

As she got closer, her eyes moved out towards the driveway, Gabby feeling that same unsettling heaviness in her gut as she stared out into the dark night, the dim street lights barely doing anything to illuminate outside around the firehouse. Shaking her head, Dawson kept her eyes forward as she got to the rig, the paramedic pulling open the driver's side door, stepping up on the side of the ambulance before leaning over the seat, going in search of her phone.

It took her only a few seconds to find what she was looking for, Gabby pocketing the device before she stepped back down onto solid ground. As she was shutting the door, she caught movement out of the corner of her eye, Gabby's head snapping out towards the driveway, her eyes narrowing as she tried to find whatever she thought she saw. But after a quick once over, she didn't see anything out of the ordinary, the sound of the wind rustling tree branches filling her ears.

Figuring her paranoia was just causing her to see things, Gabby pushed her nerves down, knowing that the high emotions of the last few weeks were getting to her, Dawson walking towards the garage door so she could close it. She wasn't sure what she thought she saw, but with as windy as it was outside, she figured the wind had just blown some leaves across the pavement, Gabby slowing her steps as she got closer to the garage door.

As she lifted her hand to press the button, Gabby's gaze flashed back outside, her entire body going rigid when she realized it hadn't been paranoia at all, the paramedic seeing what looked to be someone standing at the end of the driveway. She could barely see them, the person more of a shadow than anything else, Gabby still not entirely sure her mind wasn't playing tricks on her. Blinking quickly, she focused on what she thought to be someone there, her vision unable to make out much.

But when she saw whoever it was starting to move forward, she knew at that moment that what she was seeing was very real, Gabby immediately flooded with panic as this person started walking straight towards her. Without another thought, she slammed her hand into the button, the garage door beginning to go down as she stepped away from the slow closing door, her eyes widening in fear when the person began to pick up their pace.

"Matt!"

Her feet started moving before her brain could catch up, Gabby yelling her husband's name as she quickly began heading back towards the house, sparing one last glance outside before turning around the rig.

"Matt!" She yelled again, her head whipping back around as she moved hurriedly, her breathing picking up as she tried to see if that person had gotten inside, her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.

When she turned her head back around, she was immediately met with the sight of someone in front of her, Gabby nearly shrieking when she collided with a hard chest, feeling hands come out to steady her.

"Gabby, hey, hey. What's wrong?" Matt asked immediately, Gabby swallowing the lump in her throat as she met her husband's calming blue eyes, his eyebrows furrowing when he felt how unsteady she was. "What happened?" He questioned again, his voice much softer, seeing her clearly shaken state.

"He was here- Someone was here." She stuttered out, Matt's entire body going rigid as he looked past her, Gabby suddenly realizing they weren't alone as the entire firehouse was filtering out into the garage, crowding around them. "He was coming up the driveway, I don't know where he went." She continued, Matt rubbing over her arms before he pulled her in for a quick hug, rubbing his hand along her side.

"Alright, it's okay… it's okay." He assured her softly, the Captain glancing back to find the worried eyes of his coworkers on him and Gabby. Releasing a heavy breath, he placed a kiss to the top of her head before slowly pulling back from her, Gabby reluctantly letting go. "Brett, Kidd, can you stay with her?" He asked, the women nodding before walking towards Dawson, Gabby gripping her husband's arm as he tried to walk past her. Sensing her concern, he took a deep breath, locking eyes with her yet again. "It's okay… I'm just gonna see what's going on."

"Matt…"

"I'll be fine." He assured her, sensing how rattled she was. "I promise, I'll be okay." He pressed a lingering kiss to her forehead, Gabby nodding before he stepped away from her, the paramedic feeling Kidd and Brett come to stand on either side of her. "Severide." Casey prompted, nodding at his friend to come with him, the Lieutenant immediately agreeing as he, and a few other firefighters, followed the Captain around the rig, Matt wanting to know what the hell just happened. And why in the world anyone had been allowed to get close to the firehouse.

Boden had been one of the ones to follow Casey over towards the garage doors, Matt heading straight for the exit when he saw the inside of the garage was clear. "Casey…" Boden warned, Matt shaking his head.

"I'm fine, Chief." Matt replied sternly, his anger building as he walked outside, Severide, Herrmann, and a reluctant Boden following close behind him.

From her position close to the squad table, Gabby's eyes widened when she heard the far door open, and the sound of firefighters exiting the garage shortly there after. "Matt shouldn't go out there, what if he's still here?" Gabby asked quickly, her hands trembling as she clasped them together in front of her, Brett and Kidd sharing similarly concerned looks as they saw the panicked state their friend was in.

"I'm sure it's fine, Dawson." Cruz tried to comfort her, Brett's eyes moving around the group, seeing them huddled around Gabby. As the blonde moved her eyes back to Dawson, she could see the nerves coming off of her partner in waves, Gabby blinking quickly as she registered all the bodies around her.

"Yeah, everything's okay, Dawson."

"Guys, let's give her space." Brett spoke up when she saw everyone was making Gabby more nervous, the blonde shooting pointed stares to all the firefighters surrounding them. Taking the hint easily, they all backed off, some deciding to follow Casey's lead and go outside, wanting to see if they could be of use somewhere since it was clear Gabby was feeling overcrowded.

Brett could tell Gabby seemed a little more relaxed when there weren't so many people around her, but she was still anxious, and seeing her friend like this was unsettling to say the least. With Kidd rubbing Gabby's back comfortingly, Brett placed her hand on her shoulder, meeting Foster's worried gaze before looking back to Dawson, seeing her friend staring off towards the garage doors, knowing Casey was out there but she couldn't see him.

"Gabby…" Brett spoke softly, Dawson glancing towards her friend, Brett getting a better understanding of just how anxious Gabby was, Sylvie's heart constricting in her chest, hating to see her usually strong partner so shaken. "How about we go inside? That way you can sit with Sofia…"

Gabby's eyes moved back towards the garage doors, Brett sparing a quick glance to Stella, who gave her a nod.

"Casey's fine, Dawson." Brett assured her, knowing that's what he friend was worried about. "I'm sure he's just trying to figure out what happened… But how about we just go inside with Sofia?" Sylvie made sure to repeat the smallest Casey's name, Gabby waiting a few seconds before nodding in agreement, both Kidd and Brett leading her back towards the firehouse, hoping seeing her daughter would help take her mind off of everything.

Out on the driveway, Cruz followed the rest of 51 outside, everyone seeing Casey pacing back and forth across the pavement a few yards ahead of them, Severide clearly trying to calm him down. But it didn't seem to be working.

"You all find anything?" Cruz asked Herrmann and Boden, who had decided to give the Captain some space, knowing how angry he was right now.

"No, we didn't. No one was out here when we got outside." The Chief responded, his words earning a few sighs from the firehouses around him.

"I'm not sure who, or what, Dawson saw… but whoever it was, they're gone now."

"What's going on?"

All heads snapped up when they saw the police officers detailed to the firehouse rushing up the driveway, holding their guns expertly in their hands as they approached Casey.

"What are you guys doing out here? We said to stay inside." The other one chastised, his words only seeming to set Casey off as the Captain stopped pacing, his harsh glare focusing in on the officers as they got closer.

"He was here." Matt all but barked, anger rolling off of him as these men narrowed their eyes slightly, clearly confused by what he was saying.

"What?"

"He was here!" Casey repeated loudly. "How did you all not see him? You're supposed to be paying attention and doing your damn job! Why aren't you doing your fucking job?!"

"Casey, calm down, man." Severide tried, not wanting this situation to get out of control as he pushed against Matt's chest, but the Captain was persistent.

"He could've hurt her, Kelly!" Casey fired back, anger rolling off him in waves. "She was out here alone, and he was just standing in the driveway. God knows what could've happened had she not seen him before he got closer! Who knows what he would've done to her!"

"Where was he?" One of the officers asked, Matt's harsh stare flashing back towards them.

"She was out here alone? None of you should be alone while all this is going on." The other spoke, Matt's back tightening as a new rush of irritation flooded his system.

"Are you kidding me?" He asked, his loud voice booming throughout the otherwise quiet street. "You're seriously trying to blame this on Gabby when this bastard was right here? He was right here where we're standing and you two didn't see him, and somehow that's her fault?"

Sparing glances at one another, the cops knew how angry Casey was, but they still weren't even entirely sure what happened. "...Are you sure she actually saw someone?"

When they saw the Captain's eyes narrow further, they knew their words had only pissed him off more, the officer holding up his hand before he continued speaking.

"I just need to know. Did anyone else see anything? Or was it only Gabby?"

"She was the only one." Casey replied firmly, the cops nodding before looking back towards the other firefighters. "But if she said she saw someone, she did." He added roughly, not liking the skepticism he could feel from the cops.

"We're not saying she didn't-"

"No, but I know what you're thinking." Matt spat, Kelly sensing his friend's anger building once more. "You two aren't doing your jobs, and you're thinking an easy way of getting off the hook for this is to say she's just seeing things… To just blame it on her being 'emotional', or on edge. I know exactly what you're doing." His words were harsh, Casey's entire body tense with rage as he stared down the two officers. "But if Gabby said someone was here, someone was here. I don't know what the fuck you guys are doing, I don't know how he was allowed to just waltz right up the driveway like it was nothing. But someone was here."

"Captain-"

"I mean, are you all even paying attention? Do you just see this as some big joke?!" He continued, not even bothering to give them a chance to get another word in, Matt knowing anything they said would likely only anger him further. "This man threatened my family, he's messing with _my_ family, and you all can't even be bothered to just do your damn job and pay attention?! He showed up here, now he's messing with Gabby, and you all didn't even notice that he was standing right where we are right now? What the hell are you even doing?!"

"Casey, we've been right over there this entire time, we didn't see anyone-"

"He was here!" Casey shouted, effectively stopping their excuses, everyone sensing just how upset the Captain was. "He was right here, and you all did nothing."

"Matt, man, let's just take a minute-" Severide tried, but Casey shook his head, roughly pushing Kelly's hand down off his chest, his attention focused on the two cops in front of him.

"You're here to protect my wife and my daughter. I don't know why you got this detail, I don't know if you see it as some joke or you don't think it's a serious thing, I don't know what the issue is. But I don't care. You're only job is to protect my family… Do your fucking job." He bit out, Casey not waiting around to hear whatever bullshit was about to come from their mouths, the Captain turning around and heading back to the firehouse, passing stunned and worried firefighters as he went.

Ripping open the door, Casey stomped inside, his fists clenched at his sides as he tried to calm himself down, knowing the last thing Gabby needed was for him to storm in there clearly angry and upset. That wouldn't help anything, considering how shaken he knew she was over what had happened. And the last thing he ever wanted to do was make anything worse for her, especially seeing as how hard these last few weeks had been already.

But he was angry. He was so beyond angry he couldn't even completely understand the feeling, Matt's entire body filled with a rage he hadn't experienced in awhile. And he knew he had to get it under control, but he was having a hard time doing that. Because this was his wife; this man was messing with his wife, and that alone was more than enough to make Casey want to take the guy out. Gabby was scared enough as it was, she didn't need this man terrorizing her added on top of everything else. And that's exactly what he had done, he had done this to scare her. Matt saw it the minute she ran into him, she was terrified of whatever exactly had happened, and that was something that would never be okay with him. This man could do whatever he wanted to him, but targeting his wife was taking it too far, and Matt couldn't promise he wouldn't bash the man's head in if he ever found him.

Matt didn't care about himself in all this, he truly didn't. He didn't care about any slashed tires or threats towards him, but what he does care about is his family. His wife and daughter are the two most important things in this world, and as long as Matt was alive, there wasn't anything he wouldn't sacrifice to protect them.

Gabby and Sofia, and their safety, are what's important, nothing else mattered to him. And Matt would sooner die than let anything happen to them.

And this man was going to learn that the hard way if he didn't stop messing with his family. Because while his wife was, rightfully, scared, Matt's fear about the situation was quickly morphing into rage. He wasn't even scared anymore, but he was angry. Angry at how much this was affecting Gabby, angry at how they still hadn't caught him, angry at how different tonight could have played out had Gabby not seen the man before he got closer… Angry enough to kill this guy if he ever came near his family again. He felt nothing but rage, and he knew that feeling wouldn't go away until this psychopath was behind bars.

But he had to get a handle on it, or he'd accomplish nothing but making things harder on his wife.

Releasing a heavy breath, Matt ran his hand along the back of his neck, the firefighter reaching into his pocket to pull out his phone, Casey doing what he could to get rid of some of this anger as he went to his recent calls, pressing on the familiar name.

He put the phone up to his ear as he began pacing in front of the ambulance, Matt taking slow breaths while he waited for the man to pick up.

"_Hello?_"

"Antonio, hey man." Casey greeted, Antonio jumping in before he could say much else, Matt's tone giving him away instantly.

"_What's going on? Is everything okay?_"

Glancing back out towards the driveway, Matt released another heavy sigh, shaking his head before he looked to the ground, the firefighter swallowing the thick lump that had formed in his throat.

"No, it's not."

"_What happened_?" Antonio asked frantically, Matt registering the clear concern in his voice, the Captain hearing shuffling around on the other end of the phone, guessing the detective was already preparing to head over here.

"...I need you to come down to the firehouse."

* * *

Dawson stared down at the sleeping baby in her arms as she sat on the couch in the common room, Gabby doing what she could to keep her entire focus on her little girl. When Brett and Kidd had led her in here nearly ten minutes ago, Gabby had immediately taken a restless Sofia from Becca's arms, the nanny not questioning it as she saw her distressed state.

Once Sofia was settled in her mother's arms, the baby started to quiet down, the little girl falling asleep within minutes as Gabby held her. Brett had taken up the seat beside Dawson, while Kidd sat on the back of the couch, both friends remaining a strong, comforting presence for Gabby, glad to see being with her baby had calmed her down a bit.

Sylvie and Stella both knew Gabby was on edge, that whatever had happened out there rattled her, but they also knew there wasn't much they could do to help her. That, aside from staying by her side, nothing they did would change much of anything. So they did all they knew to do, Brett keeping a comforting hand on Gabby's leg, while Kidd rubbed over her shoulders, Foster knowing well enough to be supportive from a distance.

Though the newest paramedic to firehouse 51 knew of Dawson's struggles with her anxiety, she hadn't really ever seen any of it up close. But from what she was seeing now, she knew Gabby was having a really hard time, and Emily figured it best to stay back, and let Brett and Kidd be close by. Despite their rocky start, which admittedly was mostly her doing, her and Dawson had become good friends since she started working here, but they weren't anywhere as close as Gabby was to the rest of 51, and the last thing she wanted to do was overcrowd her in this situation.

The sound of the door opening caused everyone to look up, aside from Gabby, who refused to look anywhere other than her sleeping baby, the first responders and Becca seeing a clearly worried Casey walk into the room, his eyes immediately going to his wife. Matt walked further into the common room, taking a deep breath as he looked between Gabby and little Sofia, Gabby not even registering his presence. Without a word, Matt came and sat down on the coffee table in front of them, Gabby flinching slightly when she noticed someone new in the room, but she immediately relaxed when she met Matt's gaze, finding a soft smile waiting for her.

"...You got her to sleep." He murmured, Gabby looking down to Sofia as she held the pacifier to her mouth, Dawson giving him a nod. "She would not calm down earlier."

"Yeah, she was a little fussy." Gabby replied, her voice hoarse as she cleared her throat, Matt taking a deep breath.

"I, uh- I called your brother." Matt told her, Gabby blinking quickly before she looked up, giving him another nod. "He's on his way over right now, I told him what happened. But I'm sure he's gonna want to hear it from you…" He trailed off, giving her a small, supportive smile before continuing. "And I talked with the officers watching the house," He started, leaving out how it wasn't so much talking as it was yelling. "They didn't see anything, but the guy was gone by the time I got out there." Matt explained, his words earning a nod from Gabby as she focused her attention on Sofia.

Taking a deep breath, Matt glanced between Kidd and Brett, giving them a quick nod, silently asking them to give him and his wife some space, the two understanding instantly as they both got up, Stella rubbing Gabby's shoulder comfortingly before she walked away, Foster, Brett, and Kidd all leaving the room while Becca made herself scarce as well.

When they were alone, Matt moved to sit beside her on the couch, his shoulder resting against hers as he placed his hand over her thigh, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "...How are you doing?" His voice was light, Matt rubbing his thumb along the outside of her leg, hoping to provide her with any source of comfort.

"I'm fine." She answered quickly, Matt taking a deep breath as he gave her leg another squeeze.

"Gabby…"

"I'm okay, Matt." She repeated, forcing her eyes away from Sofia to look at her husband, Matt shooting her a less than convinced look. It was clear he didn't believe her, and when he saw the look in her eyes, he knew she didn't truly believe herself either. Blowing out a sigh, Gabby looked back down towards their sleeping baby, the paramedic nuzzling herself closer to Matt, her physical actions telling him more than her words could. Understanding exactly what she was wanting, Matt lifted his arm up and hooked it around her shoulders, carefully pulling Gabby into his embrace, being mindful of the resting baby in her arms. Once settled into his side, Gabby immediately started to feel a little more at ease, her husband's presence calming her as only he could, Matt stroking his thumb over her arm as she placed her head on his shoulder.

"How are you really feeling?" He asked after a few quiet moments, hoping to get more of an honest answer out of her now that her guard wasn't up, now that it had been just them in the common room for a few minutes, Matt knowing Gabby wasn't the best at showing vulnerability, especially when things got really hard.

He gave her a few seconds to collect her thoughts, Gabby focusing on the sound of his steady breathing as she tried to figure out how to best describe what was going on in her head. But it was difficult, considering she didn't even really know what she was feeling in this moment. "I… I don't know." She breathed out honestly, Matt rubbing his hand up and down over her arm, Gabby gently adjusting Sofia in his grasp before settling back into her husband's side. "Him coming here to the firehouse like that… How he was able to just walk right up the driveway, it scares me." Gabby admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "If he can get to us here, he can get to us anywhere and I just- I'm so sick of being scared all the time." Her words faltered as they left her lips, Matt's eyes falling closed as he listened to her, the fear in her voice causing his stomach to sink. "I'm trying not to think about it, I'm trying not to let this control me. And even these last few days, I've just been thinking about how this has gotten a little better… How I just had this feeling that everything would be okay. But now that's gone."

"Gabby…"

"He came to the firehouse, Matt." She interjected, lifting her head up off his shoulder to look at him. "He came to the firehouse, and the cops didn't even notice. This guy is obviously smarter than we gave him credit for and clearly, he's serious about what he said to you… He's not gonna stop." Gabby spoke, her voice unsteady as they locked eyes. "But I just want this to stop… I _need_ it to stop."

Her last few words were barely audible, Matt seeing the thick tears welling in her eyes, his heart crumbling in his chest as he saw how badly this was affecting her. He knew she'd been handling everything a little better the last few days, that she hadn't been nearly as on edge with all this, but any of that progress that had been made was gone; this man showing up at the firehouse had taken that from her. And that angered Matt just as much as it devastated him. He felt helpless, unable to do anything other than sit here and watch this man hurt his wife, Matt desperately waiting for the day he got the call from Antonio that they had found whoever was doing this, waiting for the day that this nightmare was over. Because right now, it seemed like it was never going to end, and Matt wasn't sure how much more of this Gabby could do take.

"I know, baby." He murmured, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she fought to keep her tears at bay, Dawson refusing to cry over this as Matt pressed a soft kiss on her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin in an attempt to provide her with any comfort. "I know you do, and I'm so sorry this is still happening… I'd give anything for this to be over." He whispered against her forehead, kissing her again before pulling back, his words earning a nod from Gabby.

"I know… And none of this is your fault. I just wish it never happened. You all responding to the call, and everything that happened that day, and everything since… All of it. I wish none of it ever happened."

"Me too." He agreed as she placed her head back on his shoulder, the warmth of his body releasing some of the tension she was holding onto as he tightened his grip around her shoulders, Matt knowing his words could only do so much right now. Nothing he said could change anything that happened, and they both knew it. He could make all the promises in the world, but they both knew they had no way to know what would actually happen. And that's what was so unsettling about all of this, was the uncertainty.

There was no way for either of them to have any idea as to how, or when, this was going to end, and that was something they were having a hard time coming to terms with. Especially Gabby.

"We're gonna get through this." He continued, knowing he needed to at least try and say something to make her feel better. "Whatever happens, you and I will be fine. Antonio's on this, he's doing what he can… and if this guy is coming here again, I'm guessing he's getting impatient. Meaning he's bound to slip up and make a mistake here soon. And when he does, your brother will find him."

Gabby nodded slowly, the air around them thick as she digested everything he was saying, his words more wishful thinking than anything else. But regardless, they made her feel better, and that was a feeling she knew she had to hold onto.

"...You sound an awful lot like a cop." She spoke up after a few minutes, Gabby feeling his body vibrate beneath her as he laughed, Matt shaking his head before pressing another kiss on her forehead.

"Well, it's all that time I've spent with your brother." He replied without missing a beat, his light tone bringing a soft smile to her face, Gabby digging herself deeper into his hold, as much as she could without disturbing their daughter, Sofia sleeping soundly despite her mother's obvious anxiety. "But I promise you, Gabby… I won't let anything happen to you. To either of you." He spoke against her hair, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she listened to his words, hearing in his voice that he wholeheartedly believed them. "I love you. Everything's gonna be fine."

"I love you, too." She responded, her eyes falling closed as she took a deep breath, Gabby focusing on the comforting motion of his hand moving up and down her arm, Matt's tight grip keeping her grounded.

They had fallen into a comfortable quiet, both of them focusing on one another as Matt kept a tight grip on her, Gabby paying attention to the steady sound of his breathing. Barely five minutes had passed before they heard the doors open, the couple looking up just as Antonio and Voight came into the firehouse, being followed by the rest of 51 and Becca. They had been giving the family their space, something Matt very much appreciated, but he knew he couldn't ask them to stay out of the common room for much longer, especially not with Boden wanting everyone inside the house.

"Gabs." Antonio breathed out when he got closer, Gabby lifting her head off of Matt's shoulder, meeting her brother's eyes, the older Dawson desperately trying to get a read on his baby sister, his eyes moving back and forth between the couple.

When he'd gotten the call from Casey less than twenty minutes ago, Antonio felt a rush of different emotions, the detective worried for his sister, but also completely appalled at the fact that this man had gotten on and off the premises undetected by the cops there to protect them, which was something Antonio had made very clear when he chewed out the officers on the scene when he got here a few minutes ago, giving them a piece of his mind and then some.

But now his focus was solely on his sister, Antonio needing the confirmation that she was okay, that she hadn't been hurt or injured, even though he knew from Casey that the man hadn't gotten close enough to touch her, let alone injure her. But what Antonio didn't know was exactly what had happened with Gabby out in that garage, and that was something only his sister could tell him.

"Hi." Gabby responded softly, giving her brother a weak smile before her eyes moved behind him, catching Voight's gaze.

"Thanks for coming, Antonio." Matt spoke up, his brother in-law giving him a nod before looking around the room, Antonio suddenly very aware of all the eyes on them.

"Yeah, of course… Uh, you guys wanna go somewhere so we can talk?" He asked, Matt nodding before glancing to Gabby.

"That's fine, yeah. But I need to get Sofia to bed first."

"Becca can take her, babe." Matt replied, Gabby catching his gaze, being met by a supportive smile from her husband. "She can put her to bed, and sit with her while we do this." He added, Gabby giving a slight nod in response before shifting on the couch, slowly moving to sit up straighter. "Becca." Matt called gently, the woman already on her way towards the parents, everyone watching as she and Gabby seamlessly handled the trade off, Sofia not even registering the movement as she subconsciously curled into Becca's chest.

"I'll be in your office with her." Becca responded softly, earning nods from both of the parents.

"Thanks Becca." Matt spoke, the nanny giving him and Gabby both a warm smile before she began moving towards Casey's office, Sofia staying asleep the entire time.

"Is the conference room okay?" Antonio asked, his voice pulling Gabby from her thoughts as she looked away from the hallway Becca had just walked down.

"That's fine." Boden replied, Matt pushing himself up from the couch, glancing back as Gabby followed his lead. "Take all the time you need."

"Thanks Chief." Voight said, his rough voice filling the room as he patted Boden on the shoulder, moving past him towards the conference room.

Without a word, Antonio followed after him, Matt and Gabby following suit as well, the firefighter walking behind his wife as they made their way into the conference room, shutting the door closed behind them.

There was a thick silence in the common room, all of 51's first responders glancing around at one another, no one sure of what to say as the events of this evening hung in the air around them. It wasn't until Boden spoke up after a few long seconds did anyone make a sound, all eyes in the room on their Chief as he talked.

"...This man is escalating." He spoke quietly, his face hardened in worry. "He came here, again. He came to our home, and had Dawson not seen him when she did, who knows what could have happened." Boden continued, every person in the room hanging onto his every word. "There's no way for us to know what will happen, I think we're all aware of that, but we have to be vigilant. We have to look out for one another, and make sure we stay safe."

"Yes, Chief." Herrmann replied, Boden taking a deep breath before he spoke up again.

"Now, I'm not sure why the garage door was left open, but that can't happen. I know this isn't what we're used to around here, but we have to be careful, and I think what happened tonight shows us why. We have to look out for each other, always. On call and here. I know this man is focused on Casey and Dawson, but the only reason for that is because Casey was the one who intervened. It could've been anyone else, and this man would still be doing this. So all of you need to be careful. We have to be smart about this, to stay safe… to make sure Dawson and Casey feel safe."

His words earned a few nods from the first responders around him, everyone in the room knowing nothing else needed to be said, because Boden was right. This problem wasn't going away, if anything it was only getting worse. And all they could do was be there for Casey and Dawson, and little Sofia, and hope this got resolved sooner rather than later.

* * *

As the door shut behind him, Matt watched as Antonio followed Voight towards the front of the room, both men focused on Gabby as she slowly moved towards them, stopping at the table and sitting down, Matt coming to stand beside her. Before any words were said, he placed his hand on her shoulder, Gabby leaning her body into his waist slightly, her eyes flashing back and forth between her brother and his boss.

"Are you okay, Gabs?" Antonio asked first, needing the answer to that before they got into anything else, Gabby giving him a quick nod, clenching her hands together in her lap.

"I'm alright… I wish this wasn't happening, but I'm okay." She replied, her words prompting a sympathetic look from her brother, Antonio nodding understandingly.

"I know, sis. And I'm so sorry. Those officers, Martinez and Anderson... I don't know what happened out there, but I need to hear it from you… Whenever you're ready." Antonio spoke, Gabby biting down on the inside of her bottom lip as she felt Matt squeeze her shoulder, the paramedic giving him a nod.

"Okay, well, uh-" She cleared her throat, Voight crossing his arms over his chest as he leaned back against the wall, Antonio staying close to the table. "I went out to the garage to get my phone from the ambulance. I knew it was before Boden's curfew, so I just figured it'd be okay." She started, Antonio nodding, silently encouraging her to continue. "But when I got out there, I saw the garage door in front of the ambulance was open… I'm not sure why it was, I know Brett shut it when we got back, but it was open. So after I got my phone, I went to go shut it, and that's when I noticed him." Gabby explained, Matt feeling her muscles tighten underneath his touch. "He was just… standing there, like he was watching me. And then he started walking towards the firehouse, and that's when I closed the garage and yelled for Matt, and tried to get back inside." She spoke softly, Matt sliding his hand around to the back of her neck. "After that, I didn't see him again. Matt and everyone came out to the garage, they went outside to look around, and I went inside with Sofia."

"Alright." Antonio replied, glancing back to Voight for a moment, the two exchanging a few silent looks before the older Dawson looked back towards his sister, Gabby and Matt both watching him expectantly. "Were you able to make out anything about the guy?" He questioned, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek, leaning her shoulder into Matt's hip.

"Um, uh… No, not really." She responded softly, feeling Matt's hand move down her back, doing what he could to comfort her. "He just looked like a guy, I don't know-... It was dark, I couldn't see anything." Her words were choppy, Gabby doing what she could to stay grounded even though she didn't necessarily like thinking back to how she felt being out in that garage.

"But it was just the one guy?" Voight spoke up, Matt's neck clenching involuntarily as he glanced to the older man, Casey still not completely comfortable around the cop that tormented him in the past. They had moved on from it, they had been polite, and the firefighter was grateful to him for how much he helped in trying to find Gabby before she came home, but regardless of all that, Matt didn't particularly like spending time around the man unless necessary. But if there was any moment that was necessary, it was this. Gabby's safety was what mattered here, and Matt knew if there was any cop you'd want helping you in this situation, it was Hank Voight. Their past didn't matter, not when Matt needed to make sure his family was safe.

"Yeah, it was only him." She confirmed, Voight giving her a nod.

"And he was just standing at the end of the driveway?" Hank pressed, Gabby nodding, the Sargent turning towards his detective, Voight shaking his head. "This doesn't make much sense." He spoke directly to Antonio, the older Dawson raising his eyebrows. "I don't know how Martinez and Anderson didn't see him, if he was right there."

"I don't know, either." Antonio replied, missing the sharp look from Casey. "I don't know them that well, but they're not bad cops. I'm not sure how he got past them, let alone how he was standing there… I really don't know what happened."

"I just told you what happened." Gabby spoke firmly, interrupting their separate conversation as Voight and Antonio glanced to her. "I know what I saw, Antonio."

"Gabs-"

"He was there, I saw him."

"I know, sis." Antonio quickly cut in, Gabby pursing her lips together as she breathed deeply. "I'm not saying you didn't, I'm saying those cops weren't paying attention." He clarified, not wanting his sister to think he didn't believe her. The second he started talking to the officers when he got here, he got the feeling that they didn't believe that Gabby had actually seen anything, and that didn't sit well with him. "And I've already dealt with them, they're not gonna be assigned to your detail anymore, I'll make sure of that. Whatever happened, it's clear this isn't something they need to be assigned on, so they won't be anymore."

"Thank you." Matt spoke, Antonio giving him a nod. "I don't know what happened out there either, but they seemed more concerned with covering their asses than they did protecting Gabby, so I think it's best they're not detailing us anymore."

"Yeah, I'm still gonna get to the bottom of why they didn't see anything, but I'm really sorry." Antonio replied, both Matt and Gabby sensing his frustration at the situation. Obviously, there was no way to know how things would've played out had they seen the man while he was here, but they all knew this had been their best chance at catching him so far. And now it was gone. "I should've had better officers on this… I _will_ have better officers on this from now on, I'm sorry you guys."

"It's not your fault, Tony." Gabby replied, Matt nodding in agreement.

Antonio opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by the sound of the bells going off, calling engine and ambo 61 to an apartment fire, Matt shaking his head as he looked down to Gabby, knowing his wife was in no state to work right now.

"I…"

"You're staying here." Casey spoke, Gabby releasing a relieved breath, Matt rubbing his hand over her back. "I think it's for the best if you stay here, Foster and Brett will be fine." He rephrased, not meaning for his first words to come out so abruptly, but it was clear Gabby had no objections, his wife immediately giving him a soft nod.

"Yeah, I think so too." She agreed, Matt scratching over her upper back. "Do I need to tell Boden?"

"I don't think he's expecting you to work right now, it's okay." Casey assured her, Gabby giving him another nod before glancing back towards her brother, finding Antonio's worried eyes on her.

"So… what do we do now?" Gabby questioned after a few quiet seconds, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she looked back and forth between Voight and Antonio.

"Well, honestly sis, we still don't have any more to go on than before, at least not yet." He told her, catching the immediate look of defeat that covered her face. "When we're done here, we're gonna get the security footage, see if there's anything identifiable on the tape. I know you weren't able to see much in the dark, but if he got close enough, we might be able to get enough for an ID. We're gonna work on that tonight." Antonio told her, Gabby and Matt both nodding. "Once we have that, we'll go from there."

"Okay."

The sound of the door opening gained their attention, Matt turning around to see Boden hesitantly standing in the doorway, Antonio nodding him in, the Chief stepping inside the room, letting the door fall closed behind him.

"Hey Chief." Matt spoke, stepping behind Gabby as Boden came up to stand beside them.

"Hey… Sorry to interrupt, I just wanted to see how things were going." He said, flashing Dawson a small, supportive smile.

"You're fine, we're almost done here." Antonio replied, Hank nodding as he pushed himself off from the wall.

"Yeah, Gabby's given us about all she can. We're gonna look at your security tapes, see if they picked up anything, but we're good here."

"Alright." Boden responded before turning towards the Casey family, seeing the clear exhaustion in Dawson's eyes, the Chief assuming it was probably as much physical as it was mental. "Well, whenever you're done, you two are dismissed from the rest of shift." He told them, seeing the immediate look of relief in Casey's eyes, Gabby releasing a soft breath. "The last thing I want to ask you to do right now is work, Dawson. And I know Casey wouldn't stay here if you were sent home, so I think you both should just get on out of here."

"You sure, Chief?" Casey asked, Boden giving him a nod.

"I'm sure. You all go home, try and get some rest. We'll see how things are going and talk before next shift, but I think it's in everyone's best interests if you all go home. We'll be fine here." Boden assured his Captain.

"Alright… thank you, Chief. Really." Matt replied sincerely. Even though he knew Boden was right, and the best thing for all of them was for the Casey family to go home, he knew he was leaving his Chief a little stranded. Though it was Boden's idea, Matt knew he was only doing this for Gabby. With one look at her, it was clear she was in no position to be working right now, it wouldn't be safe for anyone. Casey didn't doubt her abilities, he knew she could put aside her own problems and work if she had to, but he didn't _want_ her to have to. And it was clear Boden didn't, either.

"It's not a problem. We've gotten it sorted out, Kidd's already been told she'll be running the rig the rest of shift."

"She'll do great." Casey replied, Boden giving him an agreeing nod.

"She will. Everything's in good hands here, you all don't need to worry. All I want you to do is go home."

"We can do that, Chief." Matt spoke, Boden clasping him on the shoulder before his eyes moved towards Dawson, seeing the paramedic's gaze focused down on the table.

"Good. I'll get out of here, let you all get ready to go. Just keep me in the loop, Casey." Boden requested, Matt giving him a nod before the Chief began moving back towards the door, his concerned gaze still on his paramedic. "And Dawson…" He started, waiting for her to look up before he continued. "I'm really glad you're okay."

Her face softened when the words left his lips, Gabby giving him a quick nod. "Thanks Chief." She murmured, Boden shooting her a small smile before he left the room, Matt returning his attention back towards Antonio.

"So you don't need anything else from us?" Casey asked, Voight shaking his head.

"No, not right now." Hank answered, his eyes moving back and forth between the firefighter and the paramedic.

"We still have officers watching your apartment, they've been there all day, and I called them on the way over, told them what happened… So they know to be extra vigilant. And we'll follow you guys home." Antonio added when he saw the slight look of hesitation in his sister's eyes. "I'll make sure everything's good, so you don't have to worry."

"Thanks Antonio." Matt replied after a few seconds when Gabby had yet to say anything, the detective giving him a nod.

"I need to make a few calls, but we'll be out in the garage when you're ready to go." Antonio told his family, Matt nodding as his brother in-law walked towards the table, Voight already heading for the door, not wanting to intrude on this personal moment between brother and sister. Standing across the table from her, Antonio leaned down, placing his hand on his sister's arm comfortingly, giving her a reassuring squeeze. "We're gonna get this guy, Gabs… Whatever I have to do."

His voice was strong, Antonio's words conveying just how much he meant what he was saying, Gabby giving him a weak nod, feeling much more at ease with her brother and her husband beside her.

"Thanks Tony." She murmured, Antonio giving her arm one last squeeze before he walked towards the door, knowing there was nothing else he needed to say.

Casey waited for the door to close, the couple now completely cut off from everyone else, Matt continuing to move his hand along her back, knowing how much that always soothed her. He kept his eyes on her as she focused her attention on her lap, Matt feeling the apprehension radiating off her body. He just wasn't sure exactly what was causing it.

"You okay?" He asked quietly, breaking through the silence they had found themselves in.

But Gabby didn't answer him, Matt's eyebrows furrowing when he realized she was so caught up in her own head, she didn't even hear him. Sighing softly, Matt moved his hand around to her shoulder, pressing her against his side.

"Gabby." He spoke again while he squeezed her shoulder, the movement snapping her from her thoughts as she looked up to him.

"Hmm?"

"I asked if you were okay." He repeated, realization clouding her features before she gave him a soft nod.

"I'm alright, all things considered." She replied, her voice barely above a whisper, Matt responding with an understanding nod. "...I'll just be happy when this is all over."

"I know, baby." He told her, rubbing over her shoulder before pulling her into his body, Gabby's head immediately resting against his stomach as they held onto one another at the somewhat awkward angle. Her arms came up to wrap around his waist, Gabby taking a deep breath as she focused on the feeling of her husband's warmth radiating off him, his chest moving up and down underneath her head as he breathed. "It's gonna be okay… I promise, we'll be okay."

He kept whispering soothing words as they held each other in the conference room, the two taking a few extra seconds to comfort one another. He knew they needed to get ready to leave, that the sooner they got home and got to sleep, the better for all of them. But he also knew she needed this, that, even if just for a quick moment, what his wife needed from his was comfort. And that's exactly what he was giving her.


	80. Chapter Eighty

**Hello everyone, here's the next chapter for you all. I can't believe we're at chapter 80. That's just insane, honestly. I know I say it all the time, but never did I ever imagine when I first started this story (we're approaching a year since I posted the first chapter, which is even more crazy to me) that we'd still be going this long. Your constant support is why I've been able to continue this for this long, so thank you for that.**

**I really hope you all enjoy this chapter, I'm super excited to hear your thoughts!**

**Happy reading!**

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_**Chapter Eighty**_

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Gabby adjusted the blanket resting over Sofia's body as she slept in her car seat, the drive having knocked her out almost immediately when they left their apartment twenty minutes prior. She carefully lifted the car seat out of the back, checking again to make sure Sofia's little body was covered as Matt shut the door, Gabby wanting to ensure she was protected from the cold air around them, the mother trying to ignore the overwhelming amount of anxiety settling in her stomach.

"You want me to carry her?" Casey offered as they stood on the sidewalk outside the district, the man locking up the car before turning towards his wife, Gabby flashing him a weak smile as she shook her head.

"I got her." She responded, Matt giving her a nod before placing his hand on her back, the couple beginning the walk towards the front doors.

It was a gloomy day in Chicago, and Matt couldn't help but hope that the weather outside wouldn't be indicative of how this meeting with the Intelligence Unit was going to go as he walked slightly behind his wife, the firefighter pulling open the door for her to walk inside, Matt sparing one glance around the street in front of him before following her inside. He repeated the same process once they got to the second set of stairs, Matt once again holding the door open for her as the family walked into the lobby, the precinct buzzing as people moved swiftly through the building, Matt and Gabby both immediately looking towards the front desk, finding exactly who they were looking for.

"Hey Sargent." Casey greeted as they stepped closer, the older woman smiling the second she saw the small family.

Platt had always had a soft spot for the married couple. They weren't even sure why, considering she didn't seem to have a soft spot for anyone, but for some reason she did with them. And that feeling had only grown since Sofia was born, the woman absolutely in love with their little girl.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite family." She replied lightly, her hand already moving down below the desk. "I'm assuming you all are here to see Antonio?"

"Yeah, we are." Matt confirmed, Platt shooting them both a soft grin, Gabby's eyes darting around the room as they stood there, the paramedic feeling exposed in the open space. She'd tried not to focus on it, but being around all these people she didn't know was causing her nerves to skyrocket, Gabby knowing she'd feel a little better once they weren't so out in the open.

"Well, I won't keep you any longer, especially with that little sleeping baby. You can go on up." She replied, Matt flashing an appreciative smile.

"Thank you, Sargent." He responded, Platt giving them both a nod before they moved towards the stairs.

Before they started climbing, Matt reached for Sofia's car seat before he could even offer to carry her again, Gabby raising her eyebrows as he held the handle firmly in his grasp.

"I can carry her, Matt." She responded softly, Matt nodding in agreement as they started climbing the stairs.

"I know you can. But it's a lot of steps, and I know how heavy she can get. Now move, your brother's waiting for us." He chastised gently, Gabby shaking her head with a slight smile tugging on her lips before she continued up the steps, Matt walking a few steps behind her with their sleeping baby.

They managed to get up the steps without waking Sofia, a few of the detectives turning to look towards the landing when they heard the boots against the ground, both Gabby and Matt catching a few smiles from Antonio's coworkers.

"Hey guys." Upton greeted as she pushed herself up from her chair, Gabby flashing her a small smile before she glanced around the room, searching for her older brother, but she didn't see him anywhere. "How are you doing?" She asked as she got closer, her genuine words being accompanied by a few nods from the other members of the Intelligence Unit, all of them knowing just how difficult these last couple of weeks had been on the family.

"We're alright." Casey responded, placing his hand on Gabby's lower back, his other keeping a firm grip on Sofia's car seat, Matt occasionally glancing towards his daughter to make sure her rest hadn't been disturbed.

"Good, that's good." She replied with a soft smile before glancing down to the baby. "Man, she's getting so big." Upton added, Gabby's smile widening as she looked to her sleeping girl, the paramedic feeling her nerves lessen slightly with each minute she was here.

"Yeah, she's definitely growing a lot." Dawson responded, Hailey nodding as she reached out to place a hand on Gabby's arm, giving it a comforting squeeze.

"You brother is with Voight right now, but they said to just have you guys wait in the break room. They should be done here soon." Upton relayed the information her boss had told her about twenty minutes ago, earning nods from the husband and wife.

"Sounds good, thanks Upton." Casey replied, Hailey giving him one last smile before they began the walk towards the break room, Matt and Gabby both giving quick greetings to the detectives they passed along the way, neither of them missing the sincere looks of concern they were getting from each of them.

It was something they'd been on the receiving end of a lot lately, mostly from their family at the firehouse, but they weren't too surprised to see it from the member's of the Intelligence Unit, either. They, more so than everyone at 51, knew all the details of what exactly was going on in the case. They knew exactly how the investigation was going, which up to this point hadn't been great, so neither of them were exactly shocked to see those same pitiful looks everyone kept giving them.

And while they definitely didn't like it, neither Gabby nor Matt ever wanting anyone to feel sorry for them, they were a little comforted by it. Knowing there were so many people who cared, and who were doing everything they could to help, it was a nice feeling, especially with as hard as things had been for the family as of late.

Gabby stepped into the break room first, Matt following behind her, closing the door once they were both inside, the father carefully placing Sofia's car seat down on the couch underneath the window. He winced slightly when Sofia began to move around, neither Gabby nor Matt making a noise as she made herself comfortable. The little baby stretched out her arms, a heavy yawn escaping her tiny lips before she fell back asleep,

When they were sure she wasn't waking up, both parents moved towards the round table, sitting down while they waited for Antonio.

They still weren't entirely sure what they were doing here, her older brother having been quite cryptic on the phone, Antonio simply asking them to come to the district as soon as they could. Neither of them knew what to expect, they just hoped it was good news. Something to make them feel even just a little bit better, to give them some assurance that this nightmare would be over soon.

Because that's exactly what it was. It was a nightmare. One Gabby felt like she couldn't wake up from.

In the few days that had passed since the incident at the firehouse, Gabby hadn't been doing well. She was trying, Matt knew she was, but that night had rattled her more than they initially realized, and things had been very hard. She was jumpy, she couldn't sleep, every unexpected noise she heard had her on edge; it was like she was living in a nightmare, one she couldn't get out of, one that had definitely taken its toll on her.

And it was breaking Matt's heart.

It was nearly impossible for Matt to see her like this, to see her hurting, and to not be able to do anything to stop it. How she was now reminding him a lot of how she'd been when she first got back from Puerto Rico, and that alone was enough to crush him. Having experienced that with her, having had to help her through one of the lowest points in her life, Matt never wanted to see her like that again. He knew how hard that entire ordeal had been on her, he knew first hand how long it took her to recover from what she went through, and since it happened, he'd hoped and prayed there would never be another reason for her to feel like that again.

But his hopes hadn't been enough, because the woman sitting next to him right now, she was that same woman who'd come home from Puerto Rico over a year ago. And it absolutely killed him.

It killed him to know that his wife was struggling so badly, that she spent most days scared of something happening to them, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He hated seeing how much this was affecting her, and it only made him more and more angry at this man who was tormenting them. This entire thing infuriated him to the point where if he was ever alone with this guy, he couldn't promise he wouldn't kill him.

Because this man was messing with his family, he was _hurting_ his family, and that wasn't something Matt could ever be okay with. The person who had been his entire world for so long was barely holding herself together, all because of one crazy man. Gabby was fighting to not completely fall apart, and Matt knew she wouldn't be able to get past this until this man was either behind bars, or he was dead.

Quite frankly, Casey didn't care which one it was. He didn't care if this man spent the rest of his life in prison, or if he got murdered tomorrow. He couldn't find it in himself to care about what happens to the guy, as long as he was caught. And honestly, Matt almost wished it was the second one.

He knew he should be the bigger person, that he should never wish anyone dead, no matter the circumstances, and that Gabby probably wouldn't be too happy with him if she knew some of the thoughts going through his head right now, but he couldn't help it. This psychotic murderer was hurting his wife, to the point where she didn't even feel safe leaving their home. And even at home, she couldn't really relax there, either. This man had taken her sense of safety, he was messing with her simply because he could, and Casey couldn't help but feel complete contempt for this guy.

Matt had tried to rise above, he had tried to not let this consume him, but it was a battle he was losing. Because any time he thought of this man, the only thing he could think of was putting his head through a wall. How, given the opportunity, Matt would knock him to the ground and make sure he never got up again. It wasn't anything he was proud of, in fact after everything that happened with his mother when he was younger, it wasn't even something he'd probably ever admit out loud, but all he knew was that if for whatever reason, Casey got to this man before Antonio could, the firefighter couldn't promise he wouldn't kill him.

Releasing a soft breath, Matt pushed those thoughts that had been swarming his mind recently away, focusing his attention on his wife as Gabby sat beside him in the break room. Her eyes were forward, like she was focused on something across the room, but he could tell just from one look she wasn't really paying attention to anything, that she was lost in her own head.

It was something that had happened a lot recently. In fact most days it would happen quite often, Gabby getting really quiet, like mentally she was thousands of miles away.

Slowly, he placed his hands on the table, the movement gaining her attention as he reached to grab her clasped hands resting in front of her, Gabby soon meeting his eyes, flashing him a weak smile.

"You good?" He asked the question he'd probably asked her a hundred times since this mess started, Gabby responding with a slight nod.

"I'm fine… Just thinking."

"About what?" He pressed, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles.

This conversation was starting similar to the ones they had whenever she seemed to be having a harder time, Matt always doing what he could to make sure she felt okay opening up to him. They hadn't really had many problems with it as of late, but he really didn't want it to become one now. They had worked through so many of the things that plagued them when they were first married, and Casey didn't want this situation causing them to backslide into those old habits.

Gabby's first instinct when things get hard is to shut down. She's always been that way, Matt knew that from the second they became friends. She just didn't open up easily, and there was nothing wrong with that. Even though she'd gotten a lot better about it since they first got together, he knew that was just a part of her. And he would never try and change who she was, but there was a delicate balance of letting her work through things herself, and knowing when she couldn't. And they had gotten very good at maintaining that balance. Especially since all of this started, most things were too hard for her to figure out on her own, they had both come to realize that, Matt always stepping in to try and help her when she needed it. Which, admittedly, had been a lot lately.

But they had improved so much in leaning on one another, and not trying to go through everything alone, that Matt didn't want either of them retreating into that old defense mechanism. So anytime the opportunity arose, he always made sure to give her the chance to speak about whatever was on her mind, Matt aware that sometimes she needed a little prompting to really open up. But she always did.

Whether he had to go to her, and she came to him on her own, they'd relied on one another a lot since this entire thing started, and Matt knew that was the main reason they were getting through this. Even though Gabby was clearly struggling, he knew it would've been a lot worse had they both shut down and tried to get through this alone.

"What Antonio called us here for, mostly." She responded softly, Matt nodding in agreement as he gave her hands a calming squeeze. "I just hope whatever it is, it's good news."

"Me too." He replied, leaning forward to press a kiss to the side of her head before he pulled back, sliding his chair closer to her. "Maybe they finally got something off the video."

"Yeah, maybe." She spoke softly, wearing a small smile as the couple heard the door open, both Gabby and Matt glancing back to see Antonio and Voight walking in. The detectives were both quiet, the two of them immediately seeing the sleeping baby, Hank closing the door behind him as they walked to the table.

"Hey sis. Matt." Antonio greeted as he came to stand across from them, a manilla folder in his hands as Voight came to a stop beside him, the older cop leaning back against the wall.

"Hey Tonio." She replied, seeing her brother take a deep breath before he spoke up again.

"I know you guys wanna know why I brought you here, so I won't drag this out… I have some mugshots I need Casey to look at." Antonio spoke, Gabby's shoulders deflating as the older Dawson shifted on the balls of his feet.

She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but this seemed to be nothing more than the same thing they'd done multiple times over the last couple of weeks, Antonio bringing Casey in to look at a bunch of mugshots of random men. And it never led anywhere.

It was clear they hadn't made progress, that this was just another shot in the dark, and Gabby knew her husband felt the same way when she saw him give a similar reaction.

"Okay." Casey responded after a beat of silence, clearing the frustration from his voice, Matt feeling just as defeated as his wife. But he knew Antonio was trying, they all were. And he couldn't ask for much more than that.

Opening up the folder, Antonio placed a bunch of different mugshots down in front of him, Matt's eyes roaming the images of these men, the firefighter focusing to see if he saw anyone vaguely familiar.

He released a heavy sigh, Casey about to inform the detective that, yet again, he didn't recognize anyone, but he stopped himself when his eyes found the last image, Matt's body tightening as he zeroed in on the picture.

Everyone in the room saw the immediate shift in his demeanor, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she glanced back and forth between Matt and the mugshot his hand was tracing over, her husband having yet to say a word.

The second he saw that face, every horrible memory of that day came rushing back, Matt flooded with the images of that woman being murdered in cold blood, and Micah getting shot right in front of him… flashes of that man holding the gun to his head and pulling the trigger. It all came swarming back, Matt swallowing the thick lump in his throat as he was unable to tear his eyes from the photo.

"Casey?" Antonio prompted, crossing his arms over his chest as Voight pushed himself from the wall, coming to stand beside his detective.

"You recognize anyone, Casey?" Hank asked when Antonio had yet to get any type of response, but still Matt said nothing, the Captain not even registering their questions.

"Matt."

Gabby's soft voice finally pulled him from his thoughts, Matt forcing his gaze away from the photo, his eyes finding his wife's, seeing a concerned look in her eyes.

"Do you see him?" She rephrased Voight's question, Matt giving her a slight nod before turning to Antonio, grabbing ahold of the mugshot and holding it out to him.

"That's him."

You could hear a pin drop the second those two words left Matt's lips, Gabby seeing an unreadable expression on her husband's face as he stared at her brother, Antonio's eyes flickered towards the mugshot before looking back to Matt.

"That's him?" He asked for confirmation, Matt giving him a stern nod. "That's the man from the crack house fire?"

"Yes." Casey responded impatiently, unsure of why Antonio was questioning him. "The man who held a gun to my head and tried to kill me, that's him."

Nodding swiftly, Antonio grabbed the mugshot from the firefighter before quickly handing it to Voight, the Sargent walking out of the break room without another word.

"How did you find him?" Matt asked before Antonio could say anything else, the detective pulling out the chair in front of him, placing himself down into it before responding.

"We got him on the camera outside the firehouse, when he came there a few nights ago." Antonio explained, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she leaned forward slightly, Matt reaching over to place his hand on her back.

"I thought you weren't able to get a clear enough picture from that?" Gabby asked, her thoughts all over the place as she tried to grasp what all this meant. When her brother had finally gotten a look at the footage from that night a few days ago, Antonio quickly confirmed that Gabby had in fact seen someone outside, the video clearly showing a man walking up towards the firehouse before abruptly running away. But the image had been grainy, at best, and the last her and Matt knew, while Antonio was going to keep their guys on it, they hadn't had enough to get an ID.

"Our guys were able to clean it up enough for us to run it through our system." The older Dawson explained, reaching out to grab the other mugshots he'd set out, beginning to put them back in his folder. "We got an ID last night-"

"Why didn't you tell us?" Gabby asked as soon as the words left his lips, Antonio giving her a pointed look.

"Because it was after midnight." He countered, Gabby taking a deep breath as she gave him a nod, relaxing into Matt's hand that was still on her back. "And because we needed Matt to positively ID him before we went any further. We needed to know if the man outside the firehouse, the guy who presumably slashed your tires and who we think messed with the power at your apartment, we needed to know if that was the same guy who threatened Matt." He elaborated, trying to give his family as much information as he could. "But I didn't want either of you knowing we'd gotten an ID before Casey saw the photos. If you all knew we'd gotten something, it might've influenced him to just pick someone out-"

"I wouldn't have done that." Casey interjected, Antonio nodding.

"_I_ know you wouldn't have, but we have to make sure a jury knows that, too." He replied firmly, Matt sucking in a deep breath. "This'll definitely be going to court, not just for the murder and arson, but for stalking, too. We're gonna drill the bastard for whatever we can, and there's no way he won't go away for a long time, but we have to do it by the book." He informed them, the detective knowing both his sister and Casey were more than aware of this, but with the nightmare their lives had been as of late, he knew neither of them were really thinking clearly.

Matt gave him a slight nod, glancing towards Gabby, seeing her eyes focused down on the table in front of them. The firefighter rubbed over her back, pursing his lips together as he glanced back to is brother.

"...So you guys have got him?" Casey asked after a few seconds, Antonio drawing in a slow breath.

"We know who is he." Antonio clarified, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "I know it's not as good as having him in custody, but we've got an ID. There's already a warrant out for his arrest for stalking you guys, we issued it the second we ID'd him on the video, and now that we have your positive ID, we'll issue the warrant out for murder and arson." The detective explained, seeing hesitant looks on both of their faces. "We've got our best cops on this, you guys… We're gonna find him. I promise."

Gabby gave him a slow nod, the paramedic wanting to believe what her brother was telling her. But after how hard this all had been on them, she felt reluctant to trust what he was saying. She wouldn't feel safe until this man was caught. She had the utmost faith in her brother, and that would never change, but she knew she wouldn't be able to breathe again until this man was behind bars.

Glancing towards her husband, Gabby saw the same wariness in his features as he looked at her brother, Matt clearly trying to digest all of this. They sat in a thick silence for a few moments, Antonio knowing they both needed to process this. He could tell the second he asked Matt to look at more mugshots that they both thought this would be another dead end, so when it hadn't been, he could tell that shocked them a little. So he simply sat here and waited for them to say something, Antonio knowing the team was handling everything right now.

Matt mindlessly rubbed his hand over Gabby's back as his blank gaze moved back down to the table, the firefighter feeling her lean into his touch as a hundred different thoughts and feelings ran through his head, Casey unsure of which to follow.

He felt relieved, that much he did know, but it was a hesitant relief. He was glad they knew who the man was, that would only help in tracking him down and putting him behind bars, but they still didn't have him in custody. And with how this guy was clearly escalating, that wasn't exactly a comforting thought. Not when there was a possibility he could show up at any time. And, God forbid, Matt wasn't around when that happened.

Having the confirmation that the man who threatened him was the same person doing all this now was almost like a double edged sword. On one hand, he was glad to know what, and who they were dealing with. It was good they had an ID, and that they knew exactly who they were looking for. But on the other hand, knowing that the man Gabby saw the other night outside the firehouse was in fact the same man that tried to kill him did not sit well with him. This man was a murderer, a murderer who's weapon of choice was a gun, and he'd been only yards away from his wife. Had Gabby not seen him when she did, there was no telling what the outcome would've been. Matt just knew it probably would've been a lot worse.

But he had to focus on the positives; Antonio knew who this guy was. Now all that was left was finding him.

"...What's his name?" Matt asked quietly, lifting his eyes to look at his brother, the firefighter seeing Antonio's cautious gaze flash to Gabby before looking back at him.

"Casey..."

"What's his name?" Matt repeated, Gabby placing her hand on her husband's thigh, giving her brother a nod.

"Tell him, Antonio." She added, the older Dawson releasing a heavy breath as he clasped his hands together on the table.

"His name is Austin Patton."

Casey wasn't sure what he'd feel when he knew this man's name, but truthfully he didn't feel much. He thought maybe he'd feel some relief, or assurance in knowing his name. But he didn't; the only thing he did feel was anger. The same anger he'd been feeling for quite some time now.

"His middle name is Nicholas… that's where the 'Nicky' nickname came from." Antonio continued when Matt had yet to say anything. "...This guy's got a pretty long rap sheet."

"What else has he done?" Gabby asked quietly, squeezing Matt's leg tightly, the action as comforting to her as it was to him.

"...There's been some arson in the past. Assault with a deadly weapon, assault and battery… He's done a lot."

"How is he not behind bars?" She pressed, Antonio sighing softly.

"Well, he has been. In and out since he was eighteen. But he last got out about seven months ago, managed to stay out of trouble- Well, he managed to not get caught. I'm not convinced him murdering that woman at the fire was the first time he'd hurt someone else. It was probably just the first time there'd been witnesses, or witnesses that weren't too scared to talk." He responded, his words earning slow nods from the couple across from him. "But we've got every possible person on this that we can, we're gonna find him." He added, sensing the nerves his words had created.

Before anyone could say anything else, they heard the familiar sound of whining that told the parents their baby was waking up, neither of them able to react before Sofia emitted a loud cry. Gabby was out of her seat in a second, the mother walking towards her baby while Matt and Antonio stayed at the table, the sound of Sofia's cries filtering out into the bullpen.

"It's okay, baby." Gabby murmured, moving the blanket covering her daughter down, placing her hand over Sofia's small chest. "It's okay."

"Is she alright?" Antonio asked as Gabby began unbuckling the baby from her seat, the detective a little thrown by how loudly Sofia was crying, Matt unable to tear his eyes off his family.

"She is… She's been doing this a lot lately, but once one of us gets her, she usually calms down- Well, when Gabby gets her, she immediately calms down." Matt spoke softly, a small smile forming over Antonio's face as he watched Gabby comfort Sofia, the paramedic sitting down on the couch while cradling the little girl to her chest. "Is she hungry?" Matt raised his voice slightly so his wife could hear him, Gabby shaking her head as she stroked Sofia's hair, the baby grabbing onto any part of her mom that she could as she sought her out for comfort.

"No, no, she's not." Gabby responded, Matt giving her a slight nod. He didn't figure the little girl was hungry, considering she'd fed for nearly an hour before they left the apartment, but he knew it couldn't hurt to ask. "She's alright… Yeah, aren't you little girl, you're fine." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her head as Sofia clung to her.

"I see what you mean about Gabby calming her down." Antonio spoke quietly after a few moments, his voice only loud enough for Matt to hear. "I remember all that well, them going through different phases of which parent they're more attached to." He added, Matt grinning softly as he glanced to Antonio, the firefighter feeling more relaxed now that he'd been focused on his family.

"Yeah, she definitely goes through that. Some days all she wants is me, other days it's Gabby. Then there's days it's the both of us." Matt replied, straightening out his back. "But she's been very clingy to Gabby since the thing at the firehouse happened… I think Sof can tell Gabby's upset."

"Babies usually can sense those things, yeah." Antonio breathed out, Matt giving him a nod.

"Ever since then, she's been really attached to Gabby. But Sof is always able to keep her grounded, and I think it helps Sofia, too… Usually when one of us is upset, or stressed, so is she, so I think it's good for both of them to be together as much as they can… For all three of us to be together." Casey responded quietly, earning a sympathetic nod from his brother in-law.

"I know all this has been so hard on you guys, Gabby especially," Antonio started, Matt's eyes moving towards his wife, finding her completely focused on their daughter, Sofia curled into her mom's chest as Gabby gently rocked back and forth on the couch, holding a pacifier to Sofia's mouth as she tried to soothe her back to sleep. "But this should be over soon. I'll do everything I can to make sure it is." He promised, Matt giving him an appreciative nod as Antonio reached out, gripping his forearm comfortingly.

"I know… we both do. Thanks Antonio."

"Anything for family." He replied without missing a beat, his words earning a small smile from Casey before he looked back towards his wife and daughter, his entire world, Matt trying to ignore the sinking feeling in his gut that finding this man wouldn't be so easy.

* * *

Gabby walked into the living room with a prepared bottle in her hand, flashing her friend a smile as she moved towards the couch, the paramedic handing off Sofia's meal to Jemma before she sat down.

"Thanks for feeding her." Gabby spoke, Jemma flashing her a bright smile before refocusing her attention on the baby in her arms, Sofia comfortably nestled against her body as Jemma brought the bottle full of food up to her lips, Sofia taking it eagerly.

"It's no problem." Jemma replied, holding up the bottle so Sofia could eat, the little girl's bright blue eyes focused on the woman holding her, Sofia pausing momentarily as she smiled, clearly excited by the attention she was getting from her Godmother. "She's an easy baby to feed."

"She definitely is." Gabby agreed, her eyes flashing down towards her daughter. Sofia had always eaten well, even with the struggles they had in the beginning with transitioning her to using a bottle half the time. Once she got used to it, she'd done tremendously well with feeding. And they hadn't had any issues since. "She loves to eat, which is good… After she was born, her being so small, I was worried about her getting enough food. But that's definitely not a concern anymore." She added lightly, Jemma nodding in agreement.

While Sofia was still technically small for her age, she'd grown a lot since she was born, which was all the parents could ask for. Along with her being premature, she definitely had Gabby's smaller stature, which Matt had admitted to her that he loved on more than one occasion. Even as she grew, Sofia was still a carbon copy of her mother, aside from her eyes and her slightly lighter skin tone, and Matt absolutely loved it.

"Have you guys started her on solids yet?" Jemma asked, pulling Gabby from her thoughts as she glanced back towards her friend, Dawson relaxing into the couch.

"No, not yet." She answered, her words earning a nod from Jemma. "She's still only on breastmilk right now, and, as far as I know, we're not really in any hurry to change that." Gabby explained. "We'll probably wait until she's a little older before we talk about it. She's doing well, and getting all the nutrients and everything she needs from just me, so I don't think either of us are in any rush… And with everything that's been going on lately-" Gabby cut herself off, a small frown tugging on Jemma's lips as she glanced at her friend. "There's been so much change around her already, with her being at the firehouse so often, and just all the back and forth that's been happening… I don't want to overwhelm her, and add something new into the mix when things are so crazy already." She breathed out, Jemma immediately giving her an understanding nod. "I don't know, maybe that's a stupid reason. I mean it's just food, but I feel like any change, no matter what it is, is a big change for her. And I don't want to stress her out."

"That's not stupid." Norris was quick to assure her, Gabby running her tongue along her bottom lip. "It makes a lot of sense to me. You all have had a lot going on, and, I mean, Sofia's still pretty young, like you said there's no reason to rush anything. I was just curious." She replied, Gabby giving her a soft nod, Jemma drawing in a slow breath before asking her next question. "...How has that been for you guys, anyway? Having Sofia on shift with you?"

"It's been good… The house, and Becca, have all been great in helping us, and being okay with having her around. I definitely think it's the best option for us… Or, well, it was, until that guy showed up…" She breathed out quietly, a look of sadness covering Norris' face.

Since this whole ordeal started, Jemma had done what she could to be supportive, and help her friends with this however she could. Which, up until recently, mostly meant from a distance. She'd check in with them, make sure they were holding up as well as they could, and she'd run some errands for them when needed, but aside from a few short visits she hadn't seen them all that much. And she was worried.

Though they hadn't seen each other that much, Gabby and Jemma did talk often on the phone, either through calls or Facetime, Jemma making sure to be available for her best friend whenever she could. And from the conversations they'd had, she knew Gabby wasn't doing well. She'd been struggling a lot, understandably so, but it was a hard thing to witness, seeing her close friend, her family, having such a hard time. And then after what happened the other evening at the firehouse, things had only gotten harder for the Casey's, Jemma feeling sick to her stomach the second she heard what had happened.

She knew Gabby wasn't handling things all that well, and it hurt her heart to see her strong friend so lost.

Jemma, more than most, had seen a lot of how Gabby had progressed since getting back from Puerto Rico. Though she didn't know her before, she had seen how the incident that happened over there affected her. There had been a lot of ups and downs with Gabby when they first met, and Jemma had witnessed a lot of when she just couldn't handle things. But she was also there to witness her moving past it. She had seen Gabby during that awful time in her life, and she saw her pull herself out of it. She saw her return to the strong and independent woman she was sure she'd been before leaving.

But now that woman was slowly fading away. The person Gabby had become once she'd moved on from her attack, that person was disappearing a little bit every day, and she was being replaced by the person Gabby had been when she came home. And it was a terrible feeling to see her friend like this, to see her retreat into that scared woman she'd been when they first met.

Jemma understood it, Gabby had every reason to be afraid, and Jemma would never fault her for it, but it was hard to see her so broken down. To see her unable to handle her own emotions. It was jarring to witness Gabby slowly losing more and more of herself the longer this went on, but Jemma knew what she was feeling was absolutely nothing compared to how difficult this was on Gabby.

Gabby, and Matt, were the ones experiencing this, but seeing what it had done to both of them was hard. Because they were both struggling with this, just, from what Jemma could tell, in different ways. While Gabby was more so afraid of this man, and what he could possibly do, Matt seemed more to just be angry. At first he was a little scared, Jemma could tell, but now, it appeared as if that fear had morphed into rage. A rage Jemma was sure he was trying to control. The Matt she'd seen now was a complete shift from the man she'd known for well over a year, and she couldn't help but find it a little unsettling.

But, regardless of them dealing with this in different ways, Jemma knew how impossible this had been on both of them. And all she knew to do was be here for them, and hope and pray this man would be found soon.

"You don't think it's a good idea to take her anymore?" Jemma asked for clarification, Gabby giving her a slight shrug.

"No, I do, I just- I don't know, I was hoping the firehouse would be a safe place. Especially with the extra cops Antonio assigned to watch the house while we're there, but then this guy just… He just walked right up the driveway. So I'm not sure if there's actually any safe place for us at all… The thought of taking Sofia there again right now… I don't know, I don't feel great about it. I don't think I could go there with her without constantly worrying." Gabby admitted. "The best way for me to deal with all this is by focusing on Sof, and taking care of her, and it's hard to do that there because I'm not with her all the time. And now, knowing that guy's already shown up there, I'm not sure I could go out on a call and leave her there... We were supposed to be back on shift yesterday, but we didn't go… I guess Matt's been talking to Boden, and they decided we'd take off, I don't know. But I didn't really fight it…"

"You don't wanna be there right now..." Jemma asked softly, but it wasn't really a question as much it was a statement, Gabby pursing her lips together before she responded.

"I-... It's not that, I just don't want to go anywhere. When we had to go to the police station yesterday, I almost-" She cut herself off, Jemma's heart sinking into her stomach as she listened to her friend. "I just didn't handle it very well. Being out, even at the damn police station, it's all so overwhelming… And until they find this guy, I don't think that feeling's gonna go away."

"They've got warrants out on him, right?" Jemma asked, thinking back to her and Dawson's conversation last night, when they had made their plans for her to come visit today, Gabby giving her a nod.

"They do. And Antonio says they've literally got like, every cop in the city looking for him. But, I don't know... He's evaded the police before. I feel like if he really wanted to do something, he'd be able to… So I just- I don't really feel safe anywhere right now." She spoke quietly, Jemma frowning as she glanced between her friend and the baby in her arms, Sofia still blissfully unaware of what was going on around her, the little girl solely focused on drinking her milk.

"I can't imagine what all this has been like, but you know I'm here for you… And you've got the entire firehouse, and Matt. And little Sof." She added, seeing a small smile form over Gabby's lips when she mentioned her husband and her baby. "Your brother won't stop until he gets this guy."

"I know he won't… And like, logically, I know we're probably not any safer here. That the firehouse is the better place for us to be anyway, but, I don't know… I just feel better being here at home. Where I know Matt and I won't have to leave Sofia for however long when we're out on a call. I'm sure that's not very rational…"

"What's best for you is what's important." Jemma interjected, Gabby catching her gaze. "What's best for you, and for Matt and Sofia, that's all that matters right now. It doesn't have to make sense to anyone else, because it's happening to you." She told her, Dawson's face softening as Jemma continued. "I know this hasn't been easy on you, that it's brought back up a lot of memories… So you handle this however you need to."

"Thanks Jemma." She murmured, the younger paramedic shooting her a warm, comforting smile. "Really, thank you… For everything you've done to help us, to help _me_, since all this started."

"That's what best friends, and Godmothers, are for." She responded, her words bringing a gentle smile to Gabby's face. "I'm always here for you guys, and hopefully here soon, this will all be over. And everything can start getting back to normal."

"Yeah… hopefully."

As those words left Dawson's mouth, they heard the front door open, Gabby turning around from the couch to catch a glimpse of her husband walking in through the door, Severide following close behind him.

"Hey baby." Matt called, placing his bag down by their coat closet before stepping further inside. "Hi Jemma."

"Hey Matt." Norris responded before looking back down to Sofia.

"Hi… Did you guys have fun?" Gabby asked, Matt nodding as he walked around beside the couch, leaning down to capture her lips in a quick kiss.

"We did… We both still suck at basketball, but we had a good time."

After missing shift yesterday, and everything that happened at the police station, Severide had decided to get Matt out of the apartment for a little bit. There were some logistics involved, them having to plan to get extra cops assigned to Matt while he went out, but they had managed to work it out, Matt and Kelly deciding to go to the gym.

Casey was reluctant to go at first, Matt not wanting to leave his wife or daughter, but when he found out Jemma was going to be here, he felt a little less hesitant. And Kelly had really pushed him to go with him.

With being cooped up more often than not, Severide figured it would be good for Casey to go and work off some of this pent up aggression he'd been holding onto, both of them getting a workout in before playing a friendly game of basketball at the indoor court the gym had. Although it ended up being not so friendly, the firefighters knowing they'd have some bruises popping up by tomorrow.

"What about you all, did you guys have fun?"

"Oh, absolutely. Just lots of cleaning up spit up and poop here." She responded, Matt chuckling before he kissed her again quickly. "You need a shower." She added, her nose scrunching up in disgust when the less than pleasant smell of her husband hit her nostrils.

"Man, that kid is gross." Severide spoke up, coming to sit down in the chair beside the couch, Gabby wearing a less than impressed look as she turned towards Kelly, Matt sitting down on the arm of the couch beside his wife.

"No more gross than you are, Kelly." Gabby responded, the Lieutenant raising his eyebrows.

"At least I can go to the bathroom by myself."

"She's not even five and a half months old." Dawson fired back, Severide holding his hands up in defense.

"Sev, you better be careful or she won't let you stay for dinner." Casey said with a grin, placing his hand on Gabby's back.

"You all know I love Sof." He said quickly, Gabby scoffing lightly as she shook her head, Matt biting back a smile. "I just don't love the lack of control over her bodily functions, but you know I'd die for the little nugget."

"Mhmm, I'm sure… You just want free dinner." Gabby joked back, Severide shaking his head as a chuckle escaped his lips, Matt's gaze moving back and forth between his wife and his best friend, the Captain just happy to see Gabby in better spirits. He knew she did best when she was able to keep her mind off things, and it seemed like having friends over was the perfect distraction to accomplish that.

"Well, I'll never say no to free dinner." Kelly replied before leaning back in the chair, sliding down until his neck was resting against the back of it. "Although Casey never even told me what we're having."

"I don't know yet, Kelly." Gabby responded, leaning into Matt's touch as he continued rubbing her back. "I wasn't expecting guests, but since you're here I'm sure I can find something.. Do you wanna stay, Jemma?" She offered, the woman looking up the baby in her arms.

"I'd love to, if you're sure it's not too much trouble." Jemma replied, not wanting to overcrowd the little family, but Dawson immediately shook her head.

"Of course not, we'd love to have you… And I mean, Kelly's already invited himself to stay anyway, you should, too." Gabby added teasingly, Severide huffing out a breath as Jemma responded with a laugh, the sound eliciting a smile from Sofia as well.

"Well, with an invitation like that, sure. I'll stay." Jemma replied with a grin.

"Good."

Dawson turned away from Jemma when she felt Matt tap her back gently, Gabby immediately finding her husband's gaze as he continued rubbing along her spine once he had her attention. "I'm gonna go shower real quick, then I can help you figure out dinner." He told her softly, Gabby giving him a nod. Her eyes followed his movements as he leaned down to press a quick kiss on her forehead before pushing himself up off the couch, Matt heading straight for the bedroom.

"How'd he do today?" Gabby asked quietly once he'd shut the door, tearing her eyes away from the bedroom door to look towards Severide, Kelly pursing his lips together as he sat up straight in the chair, thinking over his answer carefully.

"He did alright." He responded, Gabby nodding as she bit down on the inside of her lip. "He's definitely antsy, nervous almost, to be away from you guys. Though I get it." Severide continued. "But after we were there awhile, he definitely relaxed a little bit. I do think it was good for him, to get out and to burn off some of that nervous energy, but he worries." Kelly answered honestly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath.

"I know he does… But I appreciate you getting him out for a bit." Gabby replied, Severide giving her an immediate nod as she glanced back towards the bedroom. "...Do you guys mind to watch Sof for a second?"

"Of course not." Jemma replied, Severide agreeing seconds later, Gabby shooting them both an appreciative smile before she pushed herself up from the couch. She made sure to stay out of Sofia's line of sight, knowing if the baby saw her leaving she'd most likely start crying, Gabby quietly making her way towards the bedroom, opening up the door enough to slip through it before she closed it back into place.

She was met with an empty bedroom, Gabby hearing the water running in the bathroom as she began heading that direction, the paramedic seeing the clothes Matt had set out on the bed to change into once he'd cleaned up. As she came around the corner, Gabby immediately caught sight of her husband as she walked through the doorway, Matt standing just outside the open shower door, clad in his boxers as he waited for the water to get to his desired temperature.

Without saying a word, she continued into the room, Matt glancing over just in time for her to wrap her arms around his waist, confusion evident in his features as she hugged herself to him. But he gratefully accepted the hug nonetheless, Matt adjusting to wrap his arm around her, letting her head fall against his chest. Her arm was resting low on his waist, her hand gripping his hip, settled partially over the waistband of his boxers as the sound of the water running filled their ears.

"...You really do smell." She murmured after a few seconds, Matt chuckling softly as he rubbed along her side.

"You're the one hugging me." He responded, Gabby releasing a heavy breath as she stroked her thumb along his side, her fingers moving lightly over his scarred skin.

"I know." She replied, Matt smiling softly before he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "...I'm glad you and Kelly had a good time today."

"Me too." He agreed, extending his free arm out to feel the water, finding it to be exactly how he liked it. But he didn't make any moves to pull away from her just yet, Matt finding the contact comforting. "Did you hear anything from Antonio today?" He asked, his question earning a sigh from her before she shook her head slightly.

"No, nothing yet… Everything's the same as yesterday, as far as I know." She answered, Matt giving her a nod as he continued rubbing along her side. "But, hopefully we'll hear something soon." She added, Matt smiling softly before pressing another kiss against her head.

"Yeah, hopefully." He repeated, feeling Gabby take a deep breath before she slowly pulled away from his embrace, Matt raising his eyebrows as he caught her gaze.

"I'll let you shower now, I just wanted to come see you for a second." She told him, Matt rubbing his hand over her back before she completely pulled away from him.

"It's a shame we have company, or you could be joining me." He replied jokingly, Gabby narrowing her eyes in amusement as she bit back a scoff, the woman shaking her head.

"Mhmm… maybe some other time." She responded, reaching up to place her hand on his chest, Gabby's palm resting over his heart. "We'll be out there waiting for you." She told him, Matt nodding as he felt her tap her fingers against his chest, Gabby rubbing over the area before dropping her hand as quickly as she'd put it there, Casey missing her warmth instantly.

"I won't be too long." He said, Gabby giving him an understanding nod before she moved towards the door, Matt watching her as she left. "I love you." He called after her, stopping her path as she got to the doorway, Gabby turning around with a bright smile resting across her face, that sight alone enough to bring one to his lips, as well.

"I love you, too." She replied, shooting him a quick wink before disappearing around the corner, Matt shaking his head as he went back to getting ready for his shower, the man unable to wipe the goofy grin off his face.

* * *

Casey's eyes bounced around the apartment one last time before turning off the lights over the kitchen table, the main area of their home bathed in darkness aside from the dim light above the stove that they kept on at night, Matt stretching out his tired limbs as he continued into the bedroom. The image he saw in front of him when he walked in was enough to stop him in his tracks, Matt smiling softly when he took in the sight of Gabby feeding Sofia, the baby latched onto her mom as Gabby cradled her to her chest. Gabby's eyes were closed as she was relaxed back into the glider, keeping Sofia securely held in her arms, Matt able to see the baby was playing with the top of Gabby's shirt while she ate.

It was something he'd seen hundreds of times at this point, something he saw every single day, multiple times a day, but it was something that still amazed him every time. Getting to witness how incredible of a mother Gabby was, and seeing how she cared for and nourished their child, it was something that continuously made him fall even more in love with his wife. It was the quiet moments like this where he just felt incredibly grateful for his little family, and it was like every day he was finding new ways to love them more and more.

"All the doors and everything are locked." Matt spoke up as he continued into the room, Gabby opening her eyes as she turned her head towards him, his words earning a nod from her. "And the cops are still outside." He added, just as he did every night.

"Good." She murmured before glancing back down towards Sofia, Matt placing himself down on the footrest in front of his girls.

"She doing okay?"

"Mhmm… she's about to fall asleep." Gabby responded, stroking her thumb over Sofia's cheek, the tired baby slowly losing her latch as she fought off her exhaustion. "She'll probably be out here in a few minutes."

"Good. Cause I don't know about you, but I'm ready for bed." He replied, Gabby giving him an immediate nod in agreement.

"So am I. It was a long day." She breathed out, Matt reaching out to place his hands on her thighs, squeezing her legs gently. "But it was nice to have Kelly and Jemma here… I'm glad they stayed." She added, Matt responding with a soft smile.

Both of Sofia's Godparents had been here up until around an hour ago, the four of them enjoying a peaceful evening together as they ate dinner and then hung out for awhile, the company a nice distraction for the Caseys. But when Sofia began to get a little cranky, and it was clear how tired both Gabby and Matt were, Severide and Jemma pretty quickly excused themselves, their friends leaving for the night so they could begin the process of getting ready for bed.

"Yeah, I am too. It was nice to spend some time with them." He replied, watching as Gabby slowly pulled Sofia away from her chest. "Is she done?"

His question was met by a nod, Gabby adjusting her daughter's positioning while she fixed her shirt, Sofia beginning to fuss as she was pulled away from the comforting warmth of her mother.

"It's okay, Sof." Gabby murmured, quickly placing Sofia back against her, the baby cuddling into her chest as she gripped Gabby's shirt tightly in her little fists. "You're alright."

Matt watched on as Gabby soothed their daughter, Sofia's soft whimpers quietening down once she registered the feeling of her mom, Gabby rubbing over her head as she held onto their baby.

"Yeah, you'll feel better when you get some sleep… I think all of us will." She continued quietly, Gabby talking as much to Matt as she was to Sofia, her husband giving her legs another squeeze.

Just as he was about to respond, he was stopped when they heard a loud crash come from outside, Gabby's entire body going rigid as her head snapped towards the noise, Matt's eyebrows furrowing when he followed her gaze. They weren't exactly sure what was going on, but there was something happening outside, and it sounded like it was coming from the courtyard just outside their bedroom.

"...What was that?" Gabby asked, her unsteady voice barely audible as she instinctively held Sofia closer.

"I don't know." He replied quietly, doing what he could to remain steady despite the nerves he had rushing through his system, Matt knowing if he freaked out that would only make things harder on his wife. "I'll be right back."

"Matt, don't." She practically begged as he stood up, fear flooding her body as he moved towards the door.

"It's okay, I'm just gonna see what's going on." He assured her, Gabby's leg beginning to shake as he continued towards the door, Matt stopping to grab the bat they'd kept beside their bed since this all started, the firefighter gripping it tightly in his hands as he stepped out into the living room.

Gabby stayed frozen in her spot in the corner of the bedroom, blood pumping through her ears as she held tightly onto her baby, Sofia nearly asleep in her tense arms. She didn't know what was happening, or where Matt was, but she couldn't see anything from where she was sitting, every little noise keeping her on edge.

"...Matt?" She hesitantly called out, the silence around her unnerving.

She wasn't sure if her voice was loud enough to reach him, but he didn't say anything back, Gabby feeling a crushing weight on her chest when she heard what sounded like more chaos outside their apartment, her breaths becoming choppy as she shrunk in her chair, tears filling her eyes while panic caused her entire body to tremble.

"Matt?" She tried again, desperately trying to keep herself calm.

But her calls to Matt got no response. There was no noise other than what sounded like two people fighting outside, but even then that noise eventually disappeared, leaving Gabby in nothing but silence.

She heard nothing. Nothing but the rapid thumping of her heart racing in her chest.

Nothing until the sound of two gunshots going off broke that silence.


	81. Chapter Eighty One

**Hello! I'm back with another chapter for you guys. I know you all are eager to find out what happens, so let's just get into it.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty One**_

* * *

"Matt, don't."

He heard the pleading in her voice, Casey giving her as supportive a look as he could muster. "It's okay, I'm just gonna see what's going on." He told her, keeping his voice as steady as possible, not wanting to worry her anymore than she already was. There was a small, rational part to him that was telling him to just stay inside. To just lock himself, Gabby, and their baby in this room and call Antonio, but he couldn't help himself. He needed to know what was going on, Matt stopping to grab the bat they'd kept by the bed as of late, the man giving his wife one last assuring nod before disappearing around the corner.

Slowly, he flipped the light on, the living room instantly being bathed in light, showing it to be in the same condition he'd left it in moments prior. Though that wasn't too surprising, since the noise sounded like it was coming outside. Gripping the bat tightly, Matt continued towards the door that led out to the courtyard, the firefighter unable to see anything as all their blinds were drawn.

As he got closer, there was another loud crash, Casey tensing slightly as he heard what sounded like a struggle just outside their door, Matt's heart thumping in his ears as he walked closer to the disruptive noise.

Just as he reached out to move aside the blinds, the noise stopped, Matt holding his breath as he paused momentarily before working up the nerve to look outside. When he did, he couldn't see much, Matt barely able to make out what looked to be two men wrestling someone to the ground, the firefighting starting to hear the signs of a struggle as he watched the scene unfold in front of him.

He couldn't tell what was going on, the dim security light not doing much to make out the men a few yards from his door, but he was able to see one of the guys, Matt recognizing him as one of the many cops who'd been detailed to them as of late. Which, admittedly, made him feel a little better, at least for a moment, Matt knowing they'd been alerted to the situation. But not knowing _what_ was going on was still causing some anxiety to build up in his system, Casey unsure of what to do.

Every thought in his head was screaming at him not to go outside, his brain telling him he had no business involving himself in this. Not with Gabby and Sofia here, not when the right people were taking care of it. He couldn't- _wouldn't_ endanger the lives of his family by going out there, Matt knowing a baseball bat wouldn't be able to do much against a bullet.

"...Matt?"

He heard Gabby call him, Matt just now registering the sound of her voice, the husband unsure of if this had been her first attempt at getting his attention, Casey pursing his lips together.

Matt had every intention of answering her, and he'd opened his mouth to do so, but he abruptly shut it when he saw things begin to escalate outside. Whoever they'd managed to get to the ground had somehow gotten the upper hand, Matt watching as he tripped one of the cops down, everything happening in a blur.

It was nearly impossible to make out in the dark, but what wasn't impossible to see were to the two muzzle flashes that briefly lit up the dim courtyard, the loud noise of gunshots filling his ears as he saw the man in question collapse back onto the pavement, Matt's entire body going rigid.

It was clear what had just happened; whoever had been outside their apartment had been shot. And based on how their lifeless body laid underneath the moonlight, they'd been killed, Matt unable to take his eyes off the guy who'd been shot only feet away from his wife and daughter.

This didn't entirely feel real, Matt unsure of what he just witnessed as his hand slowly moved towards the lock before he could even process what he was doing. He needed to see it. He needed to see who'd been gunned down in what was essentially his backyard. He needed to see _him_. He needed to see that this man was dead, that the man who'd threatened him, who'd been terrorizing his family, he needed confirmation that he couldn't hurt them anymore. He needed it, and he knew Gabby would too.

Without another thought, Matt slowly pulled the door open, the noise immediately gaining the attention of the two cops standing over the man.

"Mr. Casey, you shouldn't be out here." One of them spoke, coming up to meet Matt as he walked outside. But Matt wasn't focused on him, his eyes solely trained on the dead man a few yards from him. "Mr. Casey-"

"Is it him?" Matt interrupted, the cop sighing as he glanced back towards his partner. "Is it… Is that Austin?" He asked, uttering the man's name for the first time since he'd found out what it was, Casey forcing himself to look back at the cop. "Is it him?"

"It is." The cop, Matt recognizing as a man named Cassidy, replied. "It's him."

"And he's-" Casey cut himself off, clearing his throat as he took another slight step forward. "He's dead?"

"He is." Cassidy confirmed, Matt drawing in a slow, unsteady breath, his grip loosening on the bat in his hands. "He tried to get the jump on us, but we saw him… We got him." Casey gave a slight nod, his head barely moving as his eyes focused back on the man, Matt making out a dark wet spot over his clothed chest. "We already called Detective Dawson… the unit is on the way. But it's over, Mr. Casey. We got him… You should go inside, be with your family. It's done."

"I want to see him." Matt replied without hesitation, Cassidy drawing in a slow breath.

"Mr. Casey."

"I want to see him." He repeated forcefully, the cop reluctantly nodding before stepping out of the way.

Slowly, Casey began walking towards him, his steps small as he moved across the pavement, the man Matt had so often seen replaying over and over in his mind looking much different now that he lay still on the concrete, his eyes open, yet holding no signs of life.

Matt wasn't sure what he would feel when he came face to face with this man; whether he'd feel all the anger he'd been holding onto as of late, or if he'd feel some lingering fear being so close to the person who almost took everything from him. He hadn't thought about it, what it would be like to actually confront him again, at least not like this. Time and time again he'd pictured finding this man and beating the shit out of him. Of finding him and making sure he was never in a position where he could hurt anyone else again. But this? Matt hadn't thought of this… Of seeing this man again for the first time when he was already gone. It hadn't been something that he'd prepared for, and he didn't know how he'd feel now that this man was dead.

But through all the anger, and rage, and fear, there was one thing outweighing all of that. One feeling that was almost overwhelming him as he stood there in the courtyard, unable to look away from the man who had become his family's worst nightmare. And that feeling was relief.

He felt completely relieved in this moment. Relieved that this man was dead, relieved that they could finally break free from the hell their lives had become these last few weeks. Relieved that Gabby might finally feel safe again.

Every other emotion got pushed aside as an overpowering amount of relief flooded him, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he took one last glance at the man who had not only ruined his life, but nearly taken it, before turning around and moving back towards his apartment, Casey making a silent promise to himself to never think of that man's face again.

"I, um- thank you." Matt spoke, clearing his throat as he came up beside Cassidy, the cop nodding strongly. "Thank you, for everything. For everything all of you have done. Thank you."

Cassidy clasped him on the shoulder, giving him another nod before dropping his hand. "I'm glad this is over… The bastard got what he deserved." He spoke roughly, Matt unable to stop his slight nod, the firefighter agreeing with everything Cassidy was saying. "But Dawson should be here soon… just go be with your family."

Casey didn't need any more prompting as he kept moving back towards his home, refusing to look back at the scene as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him, his focus shifting as he stood in the quiet apartment. He was glad that man was dead, he truly was, but he was no longer in the forefront of Matt's mind as he continued into his home, Casey placing the bat down by the door.

This man was gone, he couldn't hurt them again. He wasn't a threat to them anymore, and Matt needed to make sure Gabby knew that.

Stepping into their bedroom, Matt's eyebrows furrowed when he saw the room empty, Gabby no longer in the rocker in the corner with their baby. "Gabby?" He called out, turning back to look around the apartment, Matt having a good view of their layout from his position in the bedroom doorway, but he didn't see her anywhere. He called her name again as he continued into the room, Matt noticing Sofia's bed was empty, the father growing a bit anxious as he walked to the bathroom. "Gabby?" He asked again, but the small room was empty, Matt unsure of where she'd gone with their baby.

His nerves started to rise, Matt jogging back out into the living room, calling out his wife's name as he hurried around the apartment, looking for her anywhere he could. But there weren't many places for him to check, Matt not finding her anywhere in the main area of their home, and she wasn't in the baby's room either, Casey feeling his heart rate picking up as he moved back to their bedroom.

"Gabby? Baby, where are you?" He called out, his hand coming up to run over the back of his neck as he stood by their bed, his eyes darting quickly around the room despite him knowing she wasn't in here.

As he looked around frantically, his eyes found the closet door, Matt knowing that was the only place left in the apartment where he hadn't looked. Without another thought, the firefighter took long strides towards the small room, gripping onto the door frame as he came through the entrance.

All of the nerves that he'd felt from not being able to find his wife disappeared when he caught sight of her, but they were instantly replaced with an overwhelming amount of worry when he saw the state she was in.

Gabby was huddled on the ground up against the wall, clutching what appeared to be a sleeping Sofia to her chest as she had her head ducked down, her body trembling almost violently. She was making herself as small as she possibly could, her breathing labored while she held onto their daughter for dear life, Matt's frown deepening as he took a step towards her, Gabby not even registering his presence.

He knew exactly what this was, he'd seen this happen to her before. It had been awhile, though she'd come close since this all started, but with one glance he knew what was happening. She was having a panic attack.

Matt knew he had to approach her cautiously, the husband seeing her chest rising and falling rapidly as she did her best to breathe, Casey not even completely sure how Sofia was sleeping through her mom's obvious distress. "...Gabby." He murmured, slowly crouching down beside her, his wife refusing to lift her head as he saw her begin to shake more, the movement jarring as he's clearly startled her. "Hey, hey it's okay. It's okay. It's me. It's Matt." He soothed, gently lifting his hand up to rest over her arm, hoping his presence could help her through this. "It's okay, we're alright."

"I-" She started, immediately cutting herself off, Gabby clenching her eyes shut tightly as she did what she could to ground herself. "I heard the gunshot."

Her voice was unsteady at best, Matt sighing softly as he placed his other hand on her leg, thankful that she'd at least realized it was him here with her. "Everything's okay. Just breathe. We're alright." He said again, stroking his thumb along her knee. "We're okay, it's over."

His last words caused her head to snap up, Matt caught off guard by the abrupt movement as her glassy eyes met his. Before she even said a word, he could see the fear and anxiety within her as they locked gazes, Casey wishing he could do more to help her.

"It's over?" Her voice was hesitant, like she was almost afraid she'd misheard him, but Matt gave her a strong nod, shuffling closer to his terrified wife.

"It's done. It's over… He's gone." Matt confirmed, Gabby drawing in as deep of a breath as could, trying to calm her racing heart, but she wasn't having much luck.

He kept his eyes on her, Matt noticing how fresh tears welled up in her eyes, Gabby doing what she could to will them away as her body continued to shake, his frown deepening even more as he gave her leg a gentle squeeze.

"We're fine, baby. It's over." He repeated, pressing a lingering kiss to the side of her head, Matt feeling her move one hand from Sofia and use it to grip his shoulder, her fingers digging into his skin. He knew she wasn't doing it to hurt him, in fact he was sure she didn't even realize how tightly she was holding onto him, but he said nothing, Matt willing to do whatever was needed for her to start feeling better. "It's all over."

He stayed as close to her as he possibly could in the position he was in, Matt being careful not to press his body into Sofia, not wanting to risk hurting his sleeping daughter, Gabby never releasing her grip on him. He continued comforting her, Matt feeling her slowly calming down as he rubbed his hand over her arm.

"_Gabby?! Matt!_"

Gabby nearly jumped out of her skin when they heard the unexpected noise of their names being called, Matt instantly whispering reassuring words into her ear.

"It's okay, it's okay. It's just your brother." He assured her, Gabby clenching her eyes shut as she tried to focus on her breathing. "We're alright."

"_Gabs?_"

Knowing she was in no state to be left alone, and she probably wouldn't let him leave even if he tried, Matt pulled back from her slightly, his assumptions proven true when she immediately tightened her grip on him.

"I'm not going anywhere." He promised, Gabby nodding quickly as she blinked back the fresh tears in her eyes, Matt pulling away far enough so his could speak loud enough without hurting Gabby's ears. "We're in here." He called, rubbing Gabby's arm comfortingly.

"_Casey?_"

"The closet." He directed, hearing their footsteps get closer, Matt turning around just as Antonio came into view, Voight and Upton standing behind him, their gazes immediately locking on Gabby, who was clearly having a hard time.

The second he saw his sister, Antonio frowned deeply, watching as she ducked her head down, focusing her attention on the baby in her arms.

"We'll be outside." Voight spoke, his voice still rough despite his softer tone, Matt giving him a nod before he and Upton walked away, leaving just the family members in the small space, Antonio's sad eyes focused on his baby sister.

He knew Gabby was in no condition to talk through what just happened, it was clear just by looking at her that she needed a minute to work through all of this. And he knew he wasn't the person she needed right now, the detective moving his gaze to his brother-in-law. "...I'll be out there, unless you guys need anything." He spoke, Matt shaking his head softly. "When you're ready to talk, just come out… Take all the time you need."

"Thanks Antonio." Matt responded after a beat of silence when Gabby had yet to say anything, his wife still very much trapped in her own head, the older Dawson giving him a nod as he took a few steps back, sparing one last worried glance to his sister before leaving the small family alone in the room.

Taking a deep breath, Matt shifted to rest on his knees and his shins beside his wife, Gabby lifting her head when she registered the movement, finding a reassuring smile from her husband waiting for her when she looked at him. "...Can I take Sof?" He asked carefully, Gabby's body tightening involuntarily as her eyes darted around his face. "We're staying right here." He reminded her, Gabby sucking in an unsteady breath before nodding, the parents carefully trading off their baby into Matt's arms. By some miracle, Sofia didn't wake up, the baby snuggling against her father in her sleep, comforted by his warmth as he cradled her with one arm.

The second she didn't have Sofia in her arms, Gabby pulled her knees up to her chest, ducking her head down towards her lap as she took slow breaths, Matt wrapping his arm around the front of her legs, grabbing on to her shoulder as he did what he could to hug her in this position. Though awkward, Gabby found herself comforted by her husband's embrace, the paramedic grabbing ahold of his arm.

"Just focus on my breathing." He murmured before he continued his slow breaths, Matt going through the steps he'd found worked best for them whenever she got like this. Though every panic attack was different, he'd found what worked for Gabby to help get her through them, Matt having a mental list in his head of what to do.

Nodding slowly, Gabby listened to his breathing, doing what she could to match his pace, the noise of her heart racing in her ears slowly fading away as she calmed down, Matt rubbing over her shoulder.

They sat in silence for a good five minutes, Matt doing nothing but breathing steadily, Gabby following his lead as they stayed huddled together in the room. With each passing second she could feel herself slowly breaking out of the fearful haze her mind was in, Gabby lifting her head up, Matt glancing to her when he noticed the movement.

"...He's really gone?" She asked tentatively, like she wasn't completely sure the first time she heard those words hadn't been a dream, Matt giving her a quick nod.

"He is." Matt assured her, Gabby drawing in a slow breath. "I saw him, he's-... he's gone."

Gnawing on her bottom lip, Gabby gave him a nod, blinking quickly as she felt a million different emotions consume her, Matt's words continuously ringing in her head.

This was over. It was done. He couldn't hurt them anymore.

And she'd never felt more relieved in her life.

But she still wasn't entirely sure she believed it.

"I love you." She heard Matt murmur, Gabby's gaze snapping into focus just as he moved forward to press a kiss to the side of her head. She leaned into him, Matt staying put as she rested her cheek against his shoulder, Gabby feeling him move his hand up to cradle her head to his body.

"I love you too." Gabby replied, taking a deep, slow breath as she faintly heard the sound of his heart beating. "And, I, uh-" She cleared the emotion from her throat, a lone tear sliding down her cheek as she slowly came to realize what all had happened. "I'm sorry… for freaking out, I just- I heard the shots and I panicked. I thought he was inside, or something worse had happened and I-" She cut herself off, Matt shaking his head as he stroked his hand over her hair.

"You have nothing to be sorry for… _Nothing_." He spoke firmly, pressing another kiss against her head. "I'm sorry you were scared, and I'm so sorry this happened," He told her, Gabby knowing he was referring to more than just this man coming to their apartment, "But it's over… We're all okay. We'll _be_ okay." He murmured, Matt well aware that even though this man was dead, that didn't mean that all the hurt and fear this ordeal had given them would just go away. They would need time to get past this, Gabby especially, but he knew they would. "I promise you, we'll be okay."

He felt Gabby nod against him, Matt ignoring the tingling numbness spreading throughout his legs from the uncomfortable position he was in, focusing his attention on keeping a firm grip on his baby while doing what he could to comfort his wife. But, to his surprise, she pulled back from him seconds later, Matt meeting her eyes as she leaned back against the wall.

"Thank you." She practically whispered, reaching out to rest her hand over his thigh, Gabby rubbing his leg in a comforting motion, Matt flashing her a small, warm smile. She didn't need to thank him for anything, they both knew it, Casey just happy she'd gotten through her panic attack. It was something that never got easier for him to witness, seeing her shut down and be so afraid, but he'd help her through them each and every time it happened, without question.

"Always." He replied, Gabby giving him another nod before blowing out a soft breath.

"...I guess we should go talk to my brother." She spoke quietly, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly, seeing Gabby's eyes flicker towards their sleeping baby before she met his gaze again.

"Are you sure? We don't have to go out there yet, if you need more time…"

"It's okay." She assured him, Matt giving her a nod before slowly getting up to his feet. With one arm holding Sofia, he reached his free hand down to Gabby, his wife grabbing ahold of it and letting him help her up off the ground. Before they exited the closet, Gabby pulled one of Matt's CFD sweatshirts down off its hanger, letting the material swallow her as she pulled it over her head. Matt helped her pull her hair out from underneath it, Gabby shooting him a weak, yet thankful smile before they slowly walked out into their bedroom.

They could hear members of the Intelligence Unit talking to one another out in their living room before they even got to the door, Matt seeing her steps slow down as they got closer, Gabby stopping before turning around to face her husband.

"You okay?" He questioned softly, Gabby nodding as she blinked quickly a few times.

"Yeah, yeah, I just- can I hold her?" She asked, her eyes moving towards Sofia, Matt's gaze softening. In his own experience, he knew Sofia always had a way of calming him down. That, aside from Gabby, she was able to ground him in a way that no one else could. And he knew she did the same thing for his wife, Matt nodding immediately.

"Of course." He replied, Gabby releasing a grateful breath before they completed the trade off, Sofia rousing a bit more than she did the last time she got handed off, the little girl stretching her arms up in the air, a yawn escaping her lips before she settled against her mother's chest, the combined comforting scent of her mom and the smell of her dad from his sweatshirt lulling her back to sleep within seconds.

Once she was settled, the family continued walking out into the living room, Gabby letting her husband go first as they moved through the door. Her eyes darted around nervously, Gabby seeing that everything in their home was just as it had always been, aside from the multiple detectives standing in their living room.

"Hey sis." Antonio greeted when he noticed their presence, everyone from her brother's unit turning to look at the husband and wife, each of them wearing their own look of sympathy.

"Hey." She responded weakly, Matt guiding her towards the vacant couch, everyone in the room standing aside from Voight, who was seated in the chair beside them.

The air around them was thick, Gabby focusing her complete attention on her daughter so she wouldn't have to catch any of the pitiful stares on her, Matt wrapping his arm around her as they sat together on the couch, Antonio and Voight sharing a knowing look with one another.

"Halstead, Upton, go help the uniforms outside… Burgess, Ruzek, go find Atwater, start taking some statements so we can get this thing all wrapped up."

"Got it." Halstead answered for the team, Jay placing a supportive hand on Casey's shoulder as he passed them, the four members of the unit heading back out towards the courtyard. Ruzek quickly shut the door behind him, which was something Matt was thankful for because he knew had Gabby been looking, from their position on the couch she would've been able to see the dead man outside their apartment, and that wasn't an image he wanted her to have. While Matt needed to see it, he needed to see with his own two eyes that this man was dead, he knew Gabby didn't need the visible confirmation. Hearing that he was gone was enough for her. She didn't need to see it to believe it, and he didn't want that image to be a memory she forever had associated with their home.

"...What happens now?"

Gabby surprised everyone in the room by being the first to speak up, Matt glancing between Antonio and Voight before turning to look at his wife, seeing her gaze trained on her brother.

"Well, to put it bluntly, this is probably the best case scenario." Antonio replied, Matt rubbing his hand up and down Gabby's arm. "You two won't need to go through a trial now, they'll be none of that. Pretty much all I need from you two is your statements, but that we can just do here… As far as you're concerned, this was nothing more than cops taking down a suspect outside your apartment, Casey wasn't even involved. So all I'll need is your statement of what happened, then we're done… You can start putting all this behind you."

Matt nodded as Antonio spoke, the firefighter feeling tension he didn't even realize he had leave his body. "Gabby was in the bedroom the entire time, she didn't see anything… Does she still need to give a statement?" He asked, feeling her lean into his side slightly as a slight grimace played over Antonio's face.

"Yeah, she does." He replied, Matt giving a reluctant nod. He understood it, but he figured it couldn't hurt to ask, knowing that with the state Gabby had been in moments prior, her having to relive everything probably wouldn't help matters. "But it won't take long. Your statement is more what we need, Casey, but we still need to hear things from Gabby." He explained, Matt glancing back towards his wife, watching as she slowly stroked her thumb over Sofia's cheek. "But after we do this, we'll get out of your way, and you all can try and get some rest."

"Alright… Thanks Antonio." Matt responded, earning a nod from his brother in-law before Antonio glanced towards Voight, Hank shooting him a knowing look.

"Casey, how about you give your statement to Voight." Matt's eyebrows raised, the firefighter sparing a quick look towards the man whom he'd had a rocky history with before looking back to Antonio. It wasn't common practice for a Sergeant to take statements like this, Casey knew that, but the figured with the complexity and importance of this case, Voight would be heavily involved with this, just like he'd been from the start. "That way I can take Gabby's, and we can get it done quicker… Let you guys get to bed."

"Okay." He replied slowly, looking back towards his wife, finding her eyes already on him, Gabby giving him a reassuring nod. He was hesitant to leave her, even if it would just be to another room, Matt feeling better when they were all together. But he knew she was in the best hands possible, besides his own, in being with her brother. "Are you okay?" He asked her directly, needing more than just her silent gestures before he agreed to this.

"I'm alright… Go talk to Voight, let's get this done." Her voice was soft, Matt nodding before leaning forward, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Okay... You good with Sof?"

"Mhmm."

Having gotten the confirmation he needed, Matt slowly pulled away from her, Gabby missing his comforting warmth instantly as he carefully got up off the couch, the father not wanting to risk disturbing his sleeping baby.

"We can talk in the kitchen." Casey spoke to Voight, Hank giving him a firm nod before heading that direction, Antonio moving to sit beside his sister on the couch as soon as Casey had walked away, the last thing Matt seeing before he disappeared around the corner being Antonio pulling his sister into a hug.

Over the next half hour, the Casey's both told their version of events in detail to the cop in front of them, Gabby's story much shorter than her husbands. But it was admittedly harder to get through as she had to keep stopping to calm herself down, Antonio doing what he could to help his sister, whereas Casey had been more stoic when speaking, Matt giving Voight the black and white version of events that had happened earlier in the evening. It wasn't nearly as hard for Matt to get through everything as he thought it might be, though he figured that had something to do with the fact that his thoughts were more focused on his wife than anything else.

This man was dead, there was no reason for Matt to worry about him anymore; his only concern now was Gabby, and making sure she was alright. But it was hard to do that when he wasn't with her.

"Alright Casey, I think that's all I need from you." Voight spoke as he closed his small notepad, Matt giving him a nod from across the kitchen table. "I'm, uh- I'm sorry this happened, but like Antonio said, this was probably the best case scenario, at least for you and Gabby." He added, Casey taking a slow breath. "Having to go through a trial… I'm not gonna pretend to know what this has been like on you guys, but I have a feeling having to go through all that, it wouldn't have been easy. Especially on Gabby."

Matt was a little thrown to hear Voight talking the way he was, to hear the compassion and concern in his voice. It wasn't something he wasn't used to hearing from the Sergeant, though over the years Casey had come to understand that while Voight's methods, often illegal, were dangerous if on the wrong side of things, if he was on your side, there'd be no stopping him. In a situation like this, he was one person you definitely wanted to have your back, even though Matt would never admit that out loud.

"Thankfully, this is over." Voight continued when Casey had yet to say anything, Matt giving him another slight nod.

"Yeah." Matt agreed, Hank pursing his lips together before he stood up, the firefighter following his action. "And, uh-" He started, clearing his throat as Voight looked towards him. "Thank you… For everything you've done- everything you all did, to get this guy."

A small smile formed over Voight's face, the cop nodding before holding his hand out, Matt reluctantly shaking it. "I'm glad everything worked out." He replied as they dropped hands, Casey drawing in a deep breath as they walked back towards the living room, finding Gabby, Antonio, and Sofia where they'd left them.

"You guys done?" Antonio asked, Voight nodding while Matt moved back towards the couch, coming to sit on the armrest beside his wife, his hand lifting up to rest over her back as Gabby shot him a weak smile. Her eyes were glassy, like she'd been crying, but she seemed to be a little less on edge than she had been when he left to talk to Voight. "Alright… Well we'll go, get everything finished up outside, but we don't need you for anything else tonight." He said, Matt feeling Gabby lean into the side of his thigh, the husband continuing to rub soothing patterns over his wife's back. "Just try and get some rest."

"Thanks Antonio." Gabby murmured, the detective nodding before he pushed himself up, Voight moving towards the door out to the courtyard.

"Of course, sis. I love you." He replied, leaning down to press a kiss on the top of her head before walking past them, stopping briefly to give Matt's shoulder a supportive squeeze. "I'll call you guys tomorrow, let you know how everything's going." Antonio added, talking more to Casey than to his sister, Matt giving him a nod and small, grateful smile before the detective followed Voight outside, leaving the family alone in their home.

Taking a deep breath, Matt glanced back down to Gabby, seeing that her red eyes looked quite heavy, her exhaustion evident as he kept up his comforting movements along her back. "Let's go to bed, yeah?" He asked softly, his words earning an immediate nod from his wife.

Matt stood up, moving to take Sofia from her arms so he could get her in bed, but before he could take her the small girl started to rouse, her little arms shooting up in the air as she stretched. And while they hoped she would just fall back asleep, it only took seconds before her sharp cry filled the air, Gabby sighing softly as she began rubbing Sofia's stomach.

"I can get her back to sleep." Casey offered, Gabby about to take him up on his offer before Sofia started pushing herself towards her mom's chest, the little girl getting frustrated by clothes in her way, the material stopping her from eating.

"That's okay, I guess she didn't get enough to eat before she fell asleep." Gabby replied, handing Sofia off to Matt so she could pull off his sweatshirt covering her body, the tired mom taking her daughter back into her arms and settling down into the couch.

"Want me to give her a bottle?" He suggested, knowing how tired his wife was, and that even though Sofia didn't have an empty stomach, she could still be feeding for awhile, if for anything just for her mother's comfort.

"No, no, I'm alright." She assured him, angling her body sideways on the couch before lifting her shirt up and guiding Sofia towards her chest, the little girl latching on as soon as she could. "Thank you though." Gabby added once her and her baby had gotten comfortable, Matt nodding before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

While Gabby took care of their daughter, Matt moved around the apartment, locking back up the door out to their courtyard, as well as checking the locks on the front and back door, even though no one had come in and out of those. Once confirming all the doors were locked and all the blinds were drawn, Matt went into the kitchen, deciding to make him and Gabby both some tea, knowing that usually helped settle her before bed. And with Sofia waking up earlier than normal to eat, he hoped she'd sleep for a few solid hours before waking them up again.

It took a few minutes, but once he'd gotten their drinks prepared, Matt turned off the stovetop before grabbing the warm mugs, Casey quietly making his way out into the living room. They could hear some movement outside as the district worked what was now essentially a crime scene just outside their apartment, but Matt tried to ignore it as he walked towards his wife. When she saw him coming towards her, she shot him a soft, thankful smile, noticing the mugs in his hands.

"I made some tea." He told her, Gabby nodding as she reached out to take the drink from him while her other arm kept Sofia against her chest.

"Thank you." She murmured, wincing slightly as Sofia pinched her skin before she took a long sip of the warm beverage, Matt sitting down next to his wife and daughter, focusing his attention on them while Sofia fed.

"How's she doing?" He asked after a few moments, his eyes moving from Sofia up towards Gabby.

"She's alright, she's grab-y tonight, but she's okay." Gabby replied, Matt smiling softly as he reached out to run his hand along Sofia's head.

"Are you hurting Momma, Sof? That's not nice." He spoke, stroking his thumb along the side of her face, Sofia's eyes darting around when she heard her father's voice and felt his touch. "Yeah, Daddy's right here, just try and be nicer to your mom." He added, Sofia loosening her grip on Gabby's chest with her little fist, the girl waving her arm around as she got excited by her dad's voice.

"...Let's hope she listens to you this much when she's older." Gabby spoke softly, Matt scoffing lightly as he continued rubbing over Sofia's head.

"Yeah, we both know she won't." He replied with a laugh, his smile growing when he saw a slight grin tug on his wife's lips.

"Yeah, probably not." Gabby agreed, running her thumb along the top of Sofia's head, the little girl loving having both her parents' attention, her blue eyes gazing up at her mother, completely mesmerized. "But you're alright, yeah Sof? Yeah, you're fine… Just a little hungry." She added quietly, Matt sighing softly as his gaze moved up to her.

"...And you?" He asked, Gabby glancing towards him. "How are you?"

Gabby pursed her lips together, thinking over his question as she looked back down at her baby. "I… I don't know, I think I'm alright?" She told him, even though her voice was laced with uncertainty. "I feel like it hasn't hit me yet, at least not fully… Right now I'm just more tired than anything." She admitted, Matt nodding sympathetically as he moved his hand from Sofia down to her lap, giving her thigh a comforting squeeze.

"I know… as soon as she's done, we'll get to bed. And I'll take care of her during the night, I know she sleeps pretty well now, but when she gets hungry or needs her diaper changed, I'll handle it. I just want you to rest." He responded softly, rubbing over her leg as she gave him a grateful nod. "And, uh… you know you can talk to me about any of this. However you're feeling, I know this has all been impossible, but I'm here for you." He added, Gabby's face softening as he spoke. "I meant what I said, we're gonna get through this, and we're gonna be fine… But it's okay that you're not right now, Honestly, I don't know if I am, either. But we've got each other, and we've got our Sof… We're gonna be just fine." He promised, Gabby blinking back a few fresh tears that had formed in her eyes, his words eliciting a strong reaction from her as he leaned forward to capture her lips in a soft, gentle kiss.

"I love you." She whispered against him, Matt smiling before giving her another kiss, this one lasting a bit longer before he finally pulled away, Gabby taking another long sip of her tea.

"I love you, too."

It took about ten more minutes for Sofia to finish feeding, Matt going ahead and getting a few clean bottles set out so he'd have a little bit of an easier time getting them prepared in the middle of the night for Sofia. When he walked back into the living room after completing his task, he saw Gabby slowly rocking their little girl in her arms, Matt quietly approaching them.

"I can take her… get her laid down." He offered, earning a slight nod from his wife before she handed Sofia over to her father, the little girl whining until she realized whose arms she was in. "Yeah, it's Daddy, you're okay. You're alright." He murmured, rubbing his hand over her small chest as a heavy yawn left her lips, Matt heading for the bedroom.

He walked her over to the dresser, carefully placing her down on her changing mat, Sofia immediately disliking being out of her father's arms. "I know, I know. It's okay." He began unbuttoning her onesie, Matt starting the process of changing her diaper, the father an expert at this task now as he skillfully changed her into a fresh one, the entire thing taking only a few minutes. As he was buttoning her onesie back up, Gabby walked into their bedroom, Matt glancing up to see their home pitch black behind her, Gabby shutting the door after she came inside. While it wasn't how they usually slept, he knew she did that at times when she needed to feel a little safer, Matt not questioning it as she moved towards their bed.

After wiping away some milk on the side of Sofia's mouth, Matt picked up his baby, knowing he'd need to rock her to sleep before he could put her down, or she'd never settle otherwise, the dad slowly moving around the room while Gabby made herself comfortable in their bed. She was laying in the middle of the mattress, Matt keeping an eye on her as he walked slowly around the room, a soft smile forming over his lips when he saw his wife make herself comfortable against his pillow.

In the fifteen or so minutes it took Sofia to completely fall asleep, Gabby had dozed off a few times, but she never really fell into a deep slumber, Matt seeing her wake back up abruptly a couple of times while he gently bounced his daughter in his arms. He hoped that once he got into bed with Gabby, she'd be able to settle down and rest, but he couldn't help but get the sense that sleep wouldn't be coming so easy to either of them tonight.

Once Sofia was finally settled in her bed, Matt slowly climbed down into his own, Gabby rolling out of the way to give him room to get comfortable. But the second he was, and he opened his arm out to invite her towards him, which was an offer she immediately accepted. She curled into his body, Gabby clutching onto him as they laid on his side of the bed, her head placed over his heart while her hand rested over his stomach.

From their close position, he could feel how rapidly her heart was beating, and while it was nothing compared to how it had been during her panic attack earlier in the night, it was still a little too fast for comfort. He ran his hand up and down her back, while his other came up to hold onto hers, Matt lacing their fingers together before their conjoined hands fell back down against his stomach.

"I got you." He murmured, Gabby nodding against his chest before nuzzling deeper into his embrace, tangling her leg with his. "Just try and sleep, I'm right here… I'm not going anywhere." He promised, Matt continuing to whisper comforting words as they laid together in the darkness, Gabby slowly letting her exhaustion take over as she focused on the steady sound of her husband's heart beat.

* * *

Gabby smiled softly when she looked at Sofia, the happy baby waving her arms around excitedly as she sat in her father's lap, Matt keeping a firm hand over his daughter's chest so she wouldn't fall off his leg, the baby captivated by her new surroundings. Even though she'd been here before, there was no way she would've remembered it; this office was brand new to her, and Gabby and Matt both could sense her excitement and intrigue.

Focusing her attention on Sofia made her feel a little more at ease, Gabby not exactly eager to meet the eyes of the older man across from her. She knew they'd have to talk, she was the only reason they were here, but the conversation she knew was coming wasn't something she was looking forward to having.

It had been five days since that man was found outside their apartment, since that man had been killed feet away from their bedroom, and to say it had been some of the most frustrating days of Gabby's life would be putting it lightly. In the time that had passed since this nightmare had ended, in some ways it felt like a separate nightmare had only begun, at least as far as Gabby was concerned.

The man was dead, he couldn't hurt them anymore. He couldn't do _anything_ anymore, and she knew that. She knew they were fine, that this was over. That the nightmare that their life had become since the call to the crack house fire was over. They were okay, all three of them were fine. This entire ordeal was done.

But it didn't feel like it sometimes.

Rationally, she knew nothing would happen to them, that the three of them were safe. But it was hard to completely let go of the caution she'd lived her life with over the last few weeks. It was hard to not feel like she didn't have to constantly look over her shoulder anymore, to feel completely secure leaving their apartment. She hadn't felt safe in weeks, and it was hard to let go of that fear.

And that's why she was here.

The man across from her had been a savior in her life more times than she could count, and once Matt suggested the idea the day before last, it was something she knew she needed to do. If not for herself, then for him, and their little girl. She couldn't keep being afraid to live her life, especially when the thing she had been so afraid of wasn't something she had to consider anymore. She didn't _want_ to live like this, and that's how she found herself at the Chaplain's office.

"How's Sofia been?" The Chaplain spoke up first, the man knowing the drill by now when it came to Dawson. She had to open up on her own, everyone in the room knew that, but she usually needed a little prompting to get talking.

"She's been doing pretty well." Matt answered, rubbing his thumb over her chest as the young girl babbled incoherently, her hands reaching out until her dad gave her his free hand, Sofia gripping his thumb tightly in her little fist. "We've been able to spend a lot of time with her, since we haven't been working, which has been nice. Usually we miss so much time with her at once, so it's been good to be with her." He continued, the Chaplain nodding as he spared a glance at Gabby, seeing the woman still refusing to look his way. "And I think she's loved it, getting all this time with her parents."

"I'm sure she has." The Chaplain agreed, placing his crossed hands in his lap. "How's that been going for you all? Being off work for a little bit?" He questioned, his gaze moving back and forth between the couple. When the Chaplain had spoken with Casey and heard a little bit about what was going on, and why they wanted to come in, he immediately gave Boden a call, wanting to get a better understanding of what had been going on. The personal things, he knew he couldn't get from anyone other than the people in front of him, but the logistical details of what had been happening was something Boden could tell him.

"It's been good." Matt responded when Gabby had yet to say anything, feeling his wife lean slightly into his side. "We needed it, the break from work after everything that happened… I think we still do need it." He added, knowing Gabby still wasn't in the right headspace to return to the firehouse. And, truthfully, he knew he wouldn't be either until she was feeling better. "But I think it's been good for us, for all three of us."

"Yeah, I think it's been good that you've taken some time off." The Chaplain spoke, Gabby giving him a slow nod, that being the first sign of communication from her other than the quiet greeting she'd given him where they arrived. "Have you guys been doing anything since you've been off?" He prodded with a raised brow, Matt glancing towards his wife.

"We've uh- we've really just been taking it day by day lately… We're focusing on trying to get past this, I guess." Casey answered honestly, earning a nod from the man across from him. "When this guy was still out there, it wasn't really safe for us to be out all that much, and it was hard with the cops detailing us, so we mostly just stayed in, unless we were working… But we really just felt safe at home."

"And now?" He asked, Matt pursing his lips together. "Now that this man isn't a threat to you anymore, have you gone out any? Tried to get back into your normal life?" He questioned, even though he already had a good idea of what the answer would be.

"Uh, no… Not really." Casey responded softly, Gabby carefully looking up at him. "We do better at home. I know it's not the best to have Sofia cooped up all day, but we just-" He cut himself off, unsure of how to explain why they hadn't been leaving their home.

He knew why. He knew exactly why they hadn't really gone anywhere, even though there was nothing keeping them from doing so. And that was because of Gabby.

Her anxiety had skyrocketed since this man came to their home, and it was clear she didn't feel comfortable leaving the apartment. Even getting her out today to come here had some challenges, he couldn't imagine trying to get her out to go to the store, or to the park, even though Matt knew they really needed to start getting out of the house. But he'd never force her, not when he'd seen first hand how hard these last few days had been. Not when he'd been there to see her panic attacks, Gabby having had two more since that night, and not when he'd been there to witness the moments she'd broken down. He'd never push her to do anything she wasn't ready for, but he was worried about her. More worried than he could fully put into words.

"We just don't really feel ready, I guess." He finished, the Chaplain giving him a nod.

"It's because of me." Gabby spoke up for the first time, Matt and the Chaplain both glancing towards her as her soft voice hit their ears. "The reason we haven't really been doing anything is because of me… why we stay at home, why we aren't working-"

"I don't feel ready to work, either. It's what's best for both of us." Matt interjected, Gabby giving him a slight nod before she continued.

"But I'm why we're staying home… Why we haven't really tried to go out or anything since this happened." She said, clearing her throat. "I know it doesn't make sense, I know we're okay, but I just-" She cut herself off, shaking her head slightly. "The thought of going out and being in a big crowd, or being around a bunch of people makes me so anxious."

"Have you been taking your medication?" The Chaplain asked, Gabby giving him a nod.

"I have been, and it's helped. Or at least I think it has." She corrected, glancing towards Matt for confirmation, which he soon gave in the form of a nod. "But even with that, I still can't help but feel like we're still in danger somehow… That something's gonna happen to us. I can't get that feeling to go away. And I've had some panic attacks because of it… and a few nightmares."

"It might not go away for awhile, Gabby." The Chaplain spoke honestly, Dawson pursing her lips together tightly. "I'm sorry, I know that's probably not what you want to hear, but everything you all went through with this… Everything this all brought back up for you, Gabby, that's not something you can just forget because the man trying to hurt you is dead. He may be gone, but he left an awful lot of pain behind, and you need to give yourself time to deal with that. How you're reacting to this is completely normal." He told her, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "I've told you this before, there's nothing wrong with needing time to deal with trauma, because that's what this is… Not only was this man tormenting you, but I'm sure all of this brought back up a lot of things from what happened to you before you came home. It's okay that you're struggling, Gabby. There's nothing wrong with that."

She gave him a slight nod, Gabby looking away from the Chaplain towards Matt, finding her husband's eyes already on her. "He's right, baby." Matt echoed, Sofia's head turning towards her mother, the baby smiling widely when she saw Gabby. "None of this has been easy, I know that, and that's okay. Both of us are gonna get through it, but there's no timetable for when that has to happen." He added onto what the Chaplain had told her. "...You saw how I was when this first started, after everything happened on that call," He spoke, Gabby giving him a quick nod, silently telling him she knew exactly what he was talking about, "I was a mess. I wasn't handling anything well, but you and Sof… you two are the reason I got through it. And I'll be right here doing the same thing for you. However long it takes, we're gonna get through this." He promised, just as he'd done multiple times over the last week, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before leaning forward to rest her cheek against his shoulder, Matt pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. "We're okay." He murmured against her skin, feeling her nuzzle closer to him.

"You're gonna get through this, Gabby." The Chaplain spoke up again. "You're one of the strongest people I've ever met, and that hasn't changed. You just need time. And I think you need to make sure you're talking about whatever's going on… Whether it's to Matt, your brother, me… whoever. You just need to make sure you're not carrying all this by yourself." He continued, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she stayed leaned against her husband, the paramedic reaching over to placing her hand on Sofia's little leg. "And I do have one more suggestion for you… for the both of you."

"What is it?"

"I think the three of you should take a trip." He replied casually, Gabby's eyebrows knitting together as Matt cocked his head to the side.

"What?"

"I think you two, and Sofia, need to get away. Go somewhere, get away for a week or so… Or even just a weekend. Take some time for your family, for each other. Give you both a chance to reset." He told them, Matt and Gabby both thinking over his words. "I think being away from the city might be good for you… Especially since you're having a hard time being out of the house, Gabby, I think this is exactly what you both need. It doesn't have to be anything crazy, I know it's still kind of cold, but even just going up to the lake, maybe getting a cabin and spending some time together as a family… It doesn't matter what it is, just anything to give you guys a chance to get away from everything here. I really think that will help you."

Gabby took a deep breath, lifting her head up to look towards Matt, Casey glancing towards her soon after. She raised her eyebrows, silently asking him what he thought of all this, Matt understanding her immediately. "I think we should." He spoke, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip. "I think it will be good for us, and for Sof… As long as you're okay with it."

Sighing softly, Gabby pursed her lips together, taking her time to think over everything. While the immediate thought had made her a little uneasy, the longer she thought about it, the more she was coming around to the idea. Everything at home had been so stressful as of late, and she couldn't help but feel like it would be nice to get away from that. That maybe the Chaplain was right, that some time away from the city is exactly what they needed.

"We should do it." She replied quietly, Matt raising his eyebrows, Gabby giving him a nod. "We should go… somewhere. I'm not sure where yet, but I think you guys are right, I think it would be good for me. For us."

"Alright." Matt responded, flashing her a small smile. "We'll figure out somewhere… somewhere simple, not too crowded. Just somewhere we can get away."

She gave him another nod before leaning back down into his side, resting her head against his shoulder and letting herself relax into him, Gabby feeling a little better than she had when they walked in here twenty minutes ago.

* * *

**Well, now that everything with that man has been resolved, Gabby and Matt can finally get on with their lives, and this kind of catapults us into the next part of this story, which I think/hope you all are gonna like. **

**Honestly, I'm not entirely sure how long I'm going to continue this, I keep thinking I'll end things at a certain point, but then I keep getting more ideas. And I've built up 81 chapters of this entire version of the show, it's kind of hard to just let it go, you know? So I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I guess as long as I have ideas, and there's still people out there who are wanting to read Dawsey, and my writing, I'll be here.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this one. Things are gonna get happier and lighter soon, which I'm sure most of you will be looking forward to. Thanks for reading, I'll see you all next time.**


	82. Chapter Eighty Two

**Hello everyone, I'm back with the next chapter for you all.**

**Last week marked the one year anniversary of me starting this story, which is just absolutely insane. I never imagined it would turn into this, and that so many of you would still be here reading this. And posting 82 chapters in a year, I definitely never pictured that. I want to thank you all for the continuous love and support you've given me over the past year since I first started posting my work. I was hesitant to ever share anything I wrote, but I'm so glad I did, and that you all are still enjoying it a year later. I just want to thank all of you who have stuck by me, I'm so appreciative of each and every one of you who reads my chapters each week. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

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_**Chapter Eighty Two**_

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Gabby hummed softly as she sat in the big loveseat in the corner of the living room, her gaze focused down on the baby nursing in her arms as the little girl's bright blue eyes gleamed up at her mom, Sofia enjoying the soothing sounds coming from Gabby as she clutched onto her chest. It was an early morning in February outside of Chicago, Gabby occasionally glancing out the window to see the light snow falling down around them, littering their usually green surroundings with patches of white. The sound of Dawson's humming was the only noise in the cabin, the soothing sounds keeping Sofia content while she eagerly ate her first meal of the day, Gabby occasionally running her thumb along her daughter's cheek.

This had been the routine they'd followed every morning over the last week since they'd been up at the lake, the cold time of year giving them the seclusion they were looking for in the small town about half an hour outside of the city. After their visit to the Chaplain's office last week, the couple soon decided they'd take the older man's suggestion of going up to the lake, Matt making a call to Severide later that day to ask if they could stay at his for a few days, a request that Severide agreed to without hesitation. And a day later, the small family had packed up everything they needed and headed up to the cabin, Matt and Gabby both desperate to get away from everything for a while. They weren't sure how long they'd be staying, the spouses coming to the agreement to just take things a day at a time. That they'd let _Gabby_ take things a day at a time.

She knew she was the main reason they were here, that while Matt did think he needed some time off work and time to spend with his family, she knew he could've done that in Chicago. Gabby was the one who needed to get away, the one that wasn't able to get past this quickly, and Matt completely understood.

He'd always had a way of understanding her, even when there were things she didn't understand herself, and in all their years together, and even the ones apart, that hadn't changed. He knew what she needed in some moments, what she didn't need in others. It was like he had a sense of how to best help her in any given situation, and that had been no more apparent than during the two weeks since that man got killed outside their home.

It had been hard on her, more so than she anticipated, but Matt had been her rock through all of it. During her weaker moments, he'd been right by her side, doing whatever he could to help her, either by taking over care of Sofia so she could get a moment to breathe, or by just holding her and reassuring her that everything was okay. He'd tell her over and over that they were okay, that it was over, Matt always letting her be the one to pull away in those moments. He stayed with her as long as she needed, without hesitation, and it had helped her more than she was sure he realized.

Though the past few weeks hadn't been anywhere near easy, she could tell she was getting better. Just the fact she was sitting in this cabin alone with Sofia, and wasn't feeling debilitatingly nervous was a clear sign of the process she'd made, and every day it felt like she was making a little bit more. The first few nights here had been a little difficult on her; where Gabby felt more relaxed being away from the hustle and bustle of the city, the seclusion of the lake had left her feeling more anxious than she would've liked. Not only had she made Matt check the windows and doors multiple times before they went to bed, she'd gotten up once after they laid down to check herself, and admittedly, she hadn't gotten much sleep, the first night especially.

And the nightmares she'd been having because of this hadn't helped matters, either.

They had first started the night it happened. That night they went to bed after speaking with Antonio and Voight, it didn't take long before Gabby was being woken up by Matt, her husband clearly worried about her as he pulled her from her unconscious state of terror. She didn't even really remember much from the first one she had, just that she woke up feeling more scared than she'd been in a while, and it took a good ten minutes of Matt holding her to calm her down, Gabby eventually falling back asleep securely in his embrace. But it had been a restless night overall, and she'd had a few more just like it since then, each one playing out the same way; she'd get woken up by Matt, he'd comfort her until she got back to sleep, then they'd talk about it in the morning. It's how they'd been handling this unfortunate situation every time, even though Gabby wished it wasn't something that was happening frequently enough to where they needed a routine to follow.

But it had been getting better. Since they'd been here, away from everything and being able to just spend time as a family, she'd only had one nightmare. It was the first night they were here, Gabby assuming it was their change in surroundings more than anything that made her so anxious, but those nerves had slowly faded, and every night she felt she was sleeping better and better.

Every fear and worry she'd been holding onto with a death grip over the last few weeks, for nearly a month, she was slowly letting go of. She didn't feel the constant need to look over her shoulder anymore, she didn't need to constantly have eyes on Sofia or Matt to know that they were okay, she was slowly feeling like she didn't need to hide anymore, and it was a liberating feeling. To feel more like her old self, to not be constantly wondering if something would trigger her into having a panic attack, or for her to go to sleep wondering what nightmare she'd have this time. With every passing day, she was getting back more and more of herself, and even though she still had some hard moments, and she probably always would, she felt so much better than she did before they came here. This time away had done wonders for her and her mental state, and she felt confident in herself that she'd be okay when they eventually returned back home, even though neither of them were quite sure when that would be.

When she sat down and thought about it, she knew if they went back home tomorrow, she'd probably be alright. That she'd be able to handle everything, and she wouldn't immediately retreat back into the scared woman she'd been for the last few weeks. Though she knew some aspects of it she didn't have that much control over, she did feel comfortable in saying that she believed she could go home and handle it just fine. But the issue was she didn't _want_ to go home just yet.

It had nothing to do with that man, or her being scared to go back home, or to go to work, even though there was still a few lingering nerves at the thought of that, but it really had nothing to do with that at all, and it had everything to do with her and her family. It was the fact that them being here this past week, being together away from the city, had helped each one of them so much, with more than just Gabby getting past everything.

It had given them all a chance to reset. It had given the parents time to really focus on their daughter, to soak in all these precious moments with her as she seemed to learn more and more each day. It gave them quality time as a family that they so desperately needed, that this entire ordeal had robbed them of for so long. And, just as importantly, it had given Gabby a chance to reconnect with her husband.

Admittedly, them finding time for one another, let alone romantic time together, hadn't exactly been a priority since she found out about Matt being threatened, especially when she'd been so mad at him because of it. But since this all had started, the more intimate parts of their relationship had, understandably, been put on the back burner. With her entire family in danger, sex wasn't exactly something on Gabby's mind, though, despite the severity of the circumstances, she couldn't be sure Matt could say the same thing. But regardless, it had been awhile for them since they had any time for just the two of them, and that was something Gabby was more than glad to have back. It had been a slow process, them waiting a bit until Gabby was starting to feel more like herself, Matt in no way wanting to take advantage of the situation or do anything until she wanted to. But by the time Gabby felt ready, they were both a little desperate at that point, Matt especially, and he had done everything, and then some, to show her just how much he'd missed her. And in the days that had passed since, they made up for lost time whenever they could, usually after Sofia went to bed, Gabby and Matt both happy to have that part of their relationship back.

And while it was the quality time with her husband that she absolutely enjoyed, getting that part of their relationship back had also helped Gabby feel like things were finally getting back to normal. That with her and Matt slowly getting back into the swing of things with their marriage, it returned a sense of normalcy that had been taken from them, and the feeling was oddly comforting.

It had been so nice to get all this time with Matt, and Sofia, that Gabby wasn't sure she wanted to leave just yet. She felt comfortable here with her husband and baby, and she wanted to enjoy this time with her family as long as she could. Being here had helped her more than she ever thought possible, and she wanted to stay in this little bubble with her family a little bit longer.

Sofia clenching down around her chest brought Gabby out of her thoughts, the mother wincing as her daughter held onto her with a painfully tight grip. "Easy Sof." She murmured, slowly helping Sofia unlatch from her, Gabby needed to readjust her daughter before she could keep feeding. But Sofia didn't like being taken away from her source of food, the baby crying as soon as Gabby moved her away from her chest. "I know you're not done, you were just hurting Momma." She soothed, Sofia cries turning into whimpers as she was guided back towards Gabby's breast, the little girl slowly forgetting she'd been upset when she was able to eat again. "Yeah, that's better for both of us, huh?" Gabby spoke softly, wiping away the tears on Sofia's cheeks before she stroked the back of her curly head.

Knowing her daughter would still be feeding for at least a few more minutes, she continued her humming, Gabby feeling Sofia smile against her before she continued feeding, the little girl clearly soothed by the sound of her mom.

Over the next ten minutes, Gabby continued feeding her daughter, the mom knowing Sofia was almost done considering the way she was slowly down how much she was eating. In fact, Gabby had a pretty good idea that the little girl _was_ done, she just always liked the comfort she got from feeding.

Gabby's attention was pulled across the room towards the front door when she heard it open, a soft smile forming over her face when she saw her husband step inside, the top of his beanie-covered head and his shoulders covered in snow as he closed the door behind him, locking it into place.

He hadn't noticed her yet in the corner, Gabby watching as he slid off his tennis shoes, Matt brushing the snow from his shoulders before ditching his jacket and hat, leaving him in his t-shirt and track pants as he hung up his coat.

"How was your run?"

Gabby chuckled when she saw him tense slightly, clearly startled by her presence as he turned around to face her, his smile growing when he saw his wife and daughter sitting in the chair they used frequently for feedings, Matt beginning to walk towards his family.

"It was good." He replied his eyes bouncing back and forth between Gabby and Sofia. "It was cold, but I'm glad I went. The snow wasn't too bad yet." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod in response.

Running was something Matt had gotten back into since they came up here, the husband and father enjoying the views the trails around them provided while he got some much needed exercise. Gabby had been a little weary at first, not only of being by herself, but of Matt going out on his own, but he always assured her he'd stay close, and he kept his phone on him at all times so she could reach him, Matt keeping those promises to her every time he went out for a morning run. It had been really good for him, mentally and physically, to get back into running, his laps around the property a nice change of scenery after he'd spent so much time lately cooped up in their apartment. And he knew Gabby getting some time where she felt okay being by herself would only help her, too. It was a hobby of his that had been good for both of them, and he'd thoroughly enjoyed getting back into it.

"Well, I'm glad you're back. The snow's only supposed to get worse throughout the day." She commented, Matt giving her a nod as he got to her, the man placing his hand down on the back of the chair before he leaned down, capturing her lips in a quick kiss.

"Hi baby." He murmured against her, Gabby smiling softly before kissing him again, Matt bringing his free hand up to stroke over her cheek.

"Hi." She echoed as he pulled back, Matt flashing her his signature grin before looking down to Sofia, the girl's eyes widened in excitement when she noticed her dad's presence, the baby still latched onto her mom.

"And hello to my other baby." He spoke lightly, adjusting his positioning to lean down and press a gentle kiss to the top of his daughter's head, Sofia waving her arms around excitedly, her clenched fist landing against Gabby's jaw.

Gabby pulled her face away as far as she could, a soft 'ouch' escaping her lips as a sheepish look covered Matt's face.

"Sorry." He replied, Gabby shaking her head softly.

"It's alright, she's been hurting me all morning, Haven't you, Sof?" She asked, turning her attention to her baby, Sofia continuing to flail her arm wildly, continuously banging against Gabby's chest and neck as her excitement got the best of her. "Yeah, that answers that." She added under her breath, Matt shaking his head as he carefully grabbed Sofia's arm, trying to stop her from hitting her mother.

"Easy baby." He said, Sofia unlatching from Gabby's chest as she wriggled around in her mother's arms. "Is she done?" He asked, Gabby nodding as she looked down, a slight grimace covering her face.

"Yeah, she is… Can you grab me one of her cloths?" She requested, Matt nodding immediately before he walked back towards the coffee table, grabbing one of their baby's burp cloths they had lying around.

"She okay?" He questioned, handing the item to his wife.

"She's fine, just slobbering all over the place." She replied with a chuckle, Matt mimicking her action as he glanced down, seeing that not only was Sofia's face covered in a lot of drool, so was Gabby.

"Man kid, what's going on with you?" He asked with a laugh, Gabby carefully wiping around Sofia's mouth before cleaning up herself as well, the task a little difficult as she tried to balance Sofia in her lap.

Seeing this, Matt quickly swooped in, taking Sofia from her mother's arms and holding her against his chest, Gabby shooting him an appreciative smile before she finished cleaning Sofia's drool off her.

"You really are slobbery, Sof." Casey mused as Gabby adjusted the shirt covering her body, relaxing back into her chair as she watched Matt gently bounce Sofia in his arms, rubbing over her back as her chest was against his. "Do you think she might have started teething? I remember reading something about babies drooling a lot when they're teething." He asked his wife, Matt glancing to her as he bounced on the balls of his feet, sounds of excitement leaving Sofia's lips as she gripped her dad's shirt.

"Maybe. Or she might be close to starting." Gabby responded, Matt giving her a nod as he leaned his head against the side of Sofia's. "Since she's not screaming her head off, or chewing on everything, she might not be there yet… but it won't surprise me if she does soon. At this age, it can start happening at any time." She added, smiling softly as she watched Matt bounce their daughter.

"Well, it's just another milestone to look forward to." He replied, Gabby resting her chin in her palm as she leaned against the side of the chair, giving him a nod in agreement. Before she could respond, both parents stopped when they heard the all too familiar sound of Sofia spitting up, Matt instantly grimacing when he felt his once dry shirt become wet over his shoulder and part of his chest. "Oh, Sof." He murmured, rubbing her back comfortingly, knowing she would probably spit up again, if history was an indication. And his assumption was soon proven correct when she spit up once more, Matt patting against her back as Gabby held out the cloth towards him. "Thanks babe." He spoke, grabbing the item from his wife and pulling Sofia back from him slightly, enough to wipe her mouth off. "You're lucky I needed a shower anyway, baby." He told Sofia, Matt walking towards the couch with his daughter.

When they got there, he placed Sofia down on the cushion on her back, her feet facing him so if she started to roll over, which was something she'd been doing a lot as of late, she wouldn't fall onto the floor, Matt quickly pulling his soiled t-shirt off and tossing it onto the back of the couch.

"You made a mess, didn't you?" Matt spoke to his daughter, Sofia screaming in delight as she had her father's attention, Casey squatting down in front of the couch. "Well, I'm glad one of us thinks this is funny." He added lightly as he began to unzip her onesie, Sofia having gotten spit up on that as well. "I bet you feel better now though, huh? I'm sure me bouncing you around didn't help much, either." He breathed out, carefully removing her arms from the clothing, Sofia babbling away as he pulled the material off her, leaving her in her diaper as he placed her dirty outfit with his. "What do you say, Sof, wanna take a shower with Daddy?" He asked his six month old, Matt beginning to tickle her stomach, the baby laughing in complete joy as her father played with her, her giggles soon turning into shrieks as she got more and more excited, her arms waving around animatedly as Matt went back and forth between tickling her stomach and patting over her chest. "Yeah, let's get you all cleaned up, baby."

Gabby watched the scene in front of her, feeling nothing but complete admiration as Matt's attention was solely focused on Sofia. It was like the entire world revolved around her, how Matt acted with their daughter in moments like this, and Gabby absolutely loved it. She loved seeing her husband with little Sof, seeing how they both lit up around one another, how they both loved spending time together. It was something she felt so incredibly lucky to get to witness, Gabby knowing she'd never get tired of watching Matt with their baby girl.

"Alright, come on Sof, let's go get cleaned up." He spoke, Matt continuing his habit of speaking to her like she could converse with him, the father gently picking her up and cradling her to his chest.

"I'll get that stuff in the wash." Gabby told him as he moved around the couch, Matt shooting her a thankful smile before giving her a nod, Sofia smacking his shoulder while she babbled away in his ear.

"Thanks babe. We shouldn't be too long." He responded, Gabby nodding, keeping her eyes on her family until they disappeared into the master bedroom. She could hear her husband moving around as she got up from her chair, the sound of the shower running filling the home while she grabbed the dirty clothes off the back of the couch. As she moved towards the laundry room just off from the kitchen, she could hear Sofia laughing from the bedroom, a soft smile covering Gabby's face as she listened to the joyous sound of her happy baby, the mother knowing Matt was surely doing something to elicit that reaction from her.

It only took her maybe thirty seconds the get to clothes started, Gabby turning off the light as she left the small room, unsure of what she wanted to do while Matt and Sofia took a shower. She knew her and Matt still needed to eat breakfast, so she figured she could go ahead and get that started, but she knew even though Matt said they wouldn't be too long, he had a track record of his baths or showers with Sofia taking longer than he planned. The father and baby both would start having too much fun, making them lose track of time, and she didn't want to make a bunch of food for it just to get cold, so she quickly nixed that option. She thought about reading, or maybe seeing if a movie or something was on TV, but when she heard her daughter's loud laugh come from the master bedroom again, Gabby suddenly got a different idea, the mother changing her path and heading for the room.

As she stepped inside, she saw the pile of what was left of Matt's clothes on the floor by the bed, Gabby quickly discarding Matt's t-shirt that was covering her body, letting it join his other clothes, Dawson sliding her underwear off as well and adding it into the pile before heading towards the bathroom. When she walked in, her smile grew when she saw Sofia and Matt through the shower door, Matt completely unaware of her presence as he let Sofia smack the falling water, her loud shrieks made louder by the echoey room.

"Yeah, that's so much fun, isn't it, baby?" He spoke, rubbing over Sofia's wet back as he kept a firm grip on her, Gabby's grin never faltering as she continued towards the shower, reaching out for the handle.

He didn't see her until she was opening the door, a soft smile forming over his face when he noticed her lack of dress, the husband immediately stepping to the side of the spacious shower so she had room to come in, Matt making sure Sofia wasn't directly under the water.

"Look Sof, Momma's decided to join us." He spoke lightly, Sofia lifting her head up towards her dad, Matt smiling softly when he met her curious blue eyes.

"Hey baby." Gabby said softly, Sofia's eyes widening in excitement when she recognized the sound of her mother's voice, the young girl immediately wiggling around in her father's arms, desperate to see her mom.

"Yeah, yeah I know, you want your Momma." Matt replied with a chuckle, the parents carefully completing the trade off, Sofia's noises getting louder when she saw her mother. "You always want your Momma." He added, Gabby shooting him a knowing grin as Sofia cuddled herself into Gabby's chest, the baby nuzzling her head into her neck.

A content grin graced his lips as he watched Gabby place a soft kiss to Sofia's forehead, rubbing over her back as the baby held onto her mom as tightly as she could, like she'd forgotten she'd just spent all morning with her. But it was something he'd never complain about getting to witness, Matt's heart swelling in his chest at the sight of his girls, his family, as they stood in the small space.

Similarly to his wife, he always felt so grateful for these moments, and time with the two most important people in the world was something he never wanted to take for granted.

* * *

Dawson moved around the kitchen as she worked on preparing hers and Matt's dinner for the evening, a soft smile resting on her face as she listened to Matt read their daughter a story as they went through her routine before bed, Casey sitting in the loveseat with Sofia in his lap as he read through the simple book. His calming voice was breaking through the noise of the water boiling, and the sauce cooking on the stovetop, Gabby choosing a simple dinner of pasta and a salad, knowing spaghetti and meatballs was one of Matt's favorite meals.

As she started working on the lettuce for their salads, she heard her husband release a huff, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she glanced into the living room, seeing Matt shaking his head.

"Oh, come on." He groaned, a look of amusement covering her face as she stopped her chopping before focusing her complete attention on him.

"Something wrong?" She called into the living room, Matt glancing up with a minor look of annoyance covering his features as Sofia smacked her little hands against the baby book he was holding onto. "What is it?"

"This book is misguiding our daughter." He spoke suddenly, Gabby raising her eyebrows in question as she stepped around the island, moving to stand towards the table.

"The firefighter book? Didn't Kelly get that for her?" Gabby asked, her eyes moving between Matt and Sofia, her sleepy daughter fighting her exhaustion as she sat propped up against her father's chest, the little girl seemingly getting small bursts of energy before she'd slow down for a few moments, this being a common occurrence when it was getting close to her bedtime.

"Yeah, and it's garbage." He huffed out, his tone completely serious as Gabby pursed her lips together, trying her best to suppress her laughter, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned into the back of one of kitchen chairs.

"Care to explain?" She asked, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he glanced down to the children's book in his hands.

"Everything in this is wrong… It's completely inaccurate to what we actually do, and what's worse is the few things they _did_ get right are all stereotypes." He breathed out in frustration, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek in amusement. "I mean, who published this crap? It's lying to our daughter, and probably thousands of other kids about what we really do-"

Matt was cut off by the sound of his wife's laughter filling his ears, Gabby unable to stop herself any longer as a few chuckles escaped her lips, Matt's eyes narrowing playfully as he met her gaze.

"Oh, you think this is funny, huh?" He asked, his tongue running along his bottom lip as her laughs got louder.

"I'm sorry babe, but you're sitting there getting upset over a children's book, it's a little funny." She replied lightly, Matt shaking his head as he put the book down, keeping a hand over Sofia's chest to hold her in place.

"It's lying to our daughter-"

"She's six months old." Gabby countered, her smile widening in amusement as Matt rolled his eyes. "Don't you think her growing up seeing what you and I do is gonna stick with her more than one book you're clearly never gonna read to her again?"

Matt raised his eyebrows, Gabby seeing a look of realization wash over his face, assuming her husband had come to understand he was being a bit ridiculous, but the look soon faded, Matt grumbling something she couldn't hear as he carefully stood up with Sofia's back securely against his chest.

"That's not the point." He deflected before he walked towards her, Gabby cocking her head to the side with a soft grin covering her face as he came to a stop in front of her, the wife knowing her husband realized he'd been a bit too critical over a book for children, though he'd never admit it, Matt gently bouncing their baby in his arms. When Sofia saw her mom, she began waving her arms around wildly, distracting both the parents from their previous conversation as they focused on their daughter's excitement. Gabby lifted her hand up, stroking her finger along Sofia's cheek before letting her daughter grab ahold of her finger, Sofia nearly screaming from joy. "Man, she's got a pair of lungs on her."

"Well, considering how she fought through the lung infection when she was born, it's not surprising they work really well now." Gabby added, Matt nodding in agreement as he rubbed over Sofia's chest.

Over the past week or so, Sofia had become a lot more vocal than she'd been before, the little girl talking more often than not. It was something that had kind of come out of nowhere, their usually calm and content daughter now babbling most of the time she was awake. While she had been vocal pretty much from the moment she was born, it usually wasn't unless she was either crying, or she got so excited she couldn't help but vocalize that. But now it was seemingly all the time, Sofia talking, or what was her version of talking, nonstop most days, especially if her parents were speaking as well. If she wasn't eating or sleeping, she was usually making some sort of noise, and Gabby and Matt had to admit they both found it a little amusing.

And, if you were to ask Matt, it wasn't in the least bit surprising. Sofia took after her mother in a lot of ways, so it wasn't a shock that his wife's love of talking had rubbed off on their daughter, which was something he'd joked about at Gabby's expense a few times over the last week.

"She's just always excited, aren't you, Sof?" Matt asked, tapping his hand over her chest as Sofia tried to pull her mother's hand towards her mouth.

"No, no, you're not gonna eat Momma." Gabby spoke, pulling her hand back and lightly tickling Sofia's stomach before she could get upset, the baby giggling as she waved her arms around in front of her. "You already ate, it's bedtime."

"Yeah, I'm gonna try and get her to settle down, I'll probably take her into the bedroom where there's less noise... I'm gonna read to her some more, that always calms her down." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a nod before leaning forward and giving her daughter a quick kiss.

"As long as you don't read that damn firefighter book anymore." She teased him as she pulled back, Gabby laughing lightly when she saw her husband's lips puckered out, clearly wanting a kiss of his own. Rolling her eyes, she leaned up to give him a quick peck, tapping his cheek gently.

"Thank you." He replied with a goofy grin, Gabby shaking her head in amusement.

"Mhmm… I'm serious about that book, don't pick it up again."

"If I do, it's going in the fireplace." He responded without missing a beat, Gabby scoffing lightly as she began moving back towards the kitchen.

"You should know better than that, Mr. Fireman." She joked as she stopped at the island, Gabby going back to chopping up the vegetables for their dinner. "Now go put our baby to bed."

"Yes ma'am." He complied, Matt turning around with Sofia in his arms. "How much longer until dinner's ready?"

"Ten minutes, maybe. But I can keep it warm, just take your time." She told him, Matt shooting her a soft grin before nodding, the father talking to his daughter while Sofia babbled back, Gabby unable to stop the smile that formed over her face as she listened to Matt converse with their baby, the small family going their separate ways as they got ready for their evening in the cozy cabin.

* * *

Casey looked up from his book as he heard Gabby's footsteps moving along the hardwood, Matt seeing her walk out of the master bedroom, baby monitor in hand as she slowly closed the door behind her, leaving it cracked against its frame. From his position on the couch, he could see the exhaustion in his wife's eyes, Gabby having just spent the last hour trying to get Sofia back to sleep.

Their daughter had gone down easily, Matt getting her to sleep in about half an hour, Sofia passed out in his arms for ten minutes of that time before he finally put her in her bed and left the room. She'd stayed asleep during their dinner, giving them time to enjoy their meal together, as well as clean up afterwards. But shortly after they'd gotten comfortable on the couch, Sofia had woken up screaming, both Gabby and Matt going to make sure their daughter was okay. When they got to her, she seemed fine, just a little spooked, the parents unsure of what had woken her so abruptly, but once Gabby had picked her up, she'd calmed down considerably. But it had been a challenge to get her back to sleep.

Both Matt and Gabby had taken turns rocking her and holding her, trying to lull her back to sleep, but she wasn't able to rest. It wasn't until Sofia had started rooting around Matt's chest that they figured maybe she was hungry, although considering Matt had given her a full bottle right before bed, they wouldn't expect her to be that hungry. But regardless, Gabby fed her, the small girl finally relaxing when she was latched onto her mother. And soon after they started is when Gabby realized she was feeding for comfort more than anything else, Sofia clearly upset after whatever had happened to cause her to wake up.

It was a little unsettling for the parents, neither of them liking to hear their daughter screaming like that, but they felt better once she'd gotten calmed down, Gabby letting her eat as long as she wanted to. It was something that didn't happen too frequently anymore, Sofia feeding solely for comfort, but it still happened sometimes, and after she had woken up as scared as she'd been, Gabby would never deny her that comfort she needed. So Gabby had made herself comfortable in the master bedroom, letting Sofia eat until she'd fallen asleep.

Gabby just hadn't expected her to be feeding for an hour.

But it was apparent that whatever had woken her daughter had really shaken her, as much as anything could scare a baby, if the tight grip Sofia held onto her with was any indication, so Gabby stayed as long as her little girl needed her.

"Hey." Matt spoke up, Gabby flashing him a weak smile as she walked towards him. "She asleep?"

"Yeah, finally." Gabby replied, placing the baby monitor down on the coffee table before she collapsed onto the couch beside her husband, Matt closing his book and placing it down onto his lap. "It took her awhile, and she fed most of the time, but she's asleep." She said, Matt giving her a nod as he lifted his hand up towards her head, beginning to lightly scratch his fingers along her scalp.

"I wonder what happened…" He mused, Gabby blowing out a heavy sigh before shrugging, letting herself relax into his touch.

"I don't know, but hopefully it doesn't happen again." Gabby replied, placing her hand on his knee, stroking her fingers over his skin lightly. "Whatever it was really scared her, I hate seeing her like that."

"Me too." Matt agreed, continuing to rub over her head, knowing how calming his wife had always found the simple action. "But I'm sure she'll be fine, it was probably just a bad dream or something… or whatever the equivalent of that would be for a baby."

"Yeah, yeah you're right." Gabby responded, leaning her body into his side, resting her head on his shoulder.

"I know you're going to, but try not to worry babe." He murmured, Gabby smiling softly as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Sof's alright, and if she wakes up again we'll get her."

Gabby nodded against his shoulder, bringing her arm around to rest across his waist, Matt kissing her forehead again.

"How are you feeling?" He asked her after a few quiet moments, moving his arm down around her shoulders, rubbing soothing patterns over her arm as she nuzzled herself into him. "I mean, I know you're worried about Sof, but how are _you_ feeling?" He clarified before she could answer, Gabby running her teeth along her bottom lip.

This was a conversation they had every night, Matt coming to Gabby and asking her how she was doing, the two having been talking openly about their emotional and mental struggles since all this had happened. Admittedly, they talked about the trouble Gabby was having more so than Matt, but Casey had been handling all of this pretty well. Now that this man was gone and his wife and daughter weren't in danger, Matt was fine, he was just worried about how Gabby was handling things. So he'd made a point to check in with her every night, doing what he could to not be overbearing, while also making sure she was alright.

It was no secret between them that Gabby's struggles with her anxiety had taken a severe hit since this entire mess started, which had resulted in some pretty difficult panic attacks in the days after that man was shot outside their home, and multiple nightmares. And since that had started, Matt had done everything he could for her, including being there to let her talk through her thoughts and feelings whenever she needed to. They definitely hadn't shied away from the topic of her anxiety, which was something that had only proven to help her over the last couple of weeks, even though some of the conversations had been more difficult than others.

No matter what it was, whether she was just feeling a little anxious, or it was a nightmare, or it had been one of her panic attacks, they talked about it. For as long as she needed until she felt better, they would talk about it, even if some of what she was saying was hard for him to stomach. Especially when the topic of her panic attacks came up.

Thankfully, she hadn't had one since they'd gotten here, but it was something he kept an eye out for, knowing that it was something that could happen at any time, regardless of how well she was doing right now. It was something that could sneak up on her, though he was desperate for it not to happen again. After hearing her explain to him how she felt in those moments, the debilitating fear, and how it made her feel like she had when she was in Puerto Rico during her attack, Matt prayed every morning and night that she wouldn't experience one ever again, even though he knew that wasn't very realistic. He knew there was no way to assure she'd never have a panic attack again, but he would give anything for her not to feel this way. For her not to be reminded of one of the worst moments of her life, for her to not feel that fear ever again.

It was something he knew was so difficult for her to get through, something that broke his heart every time he thought about her experiencing that, but what he focused on was that he knew she was getting better. Every day, he could see the progress she was making, and that was all he could ask for. She was making progress in moving past all this, as well as making progress in not being hesitant to open up to him. Matt had done what he could to make her understand that she could always come to him, and that he wanted to know if she was ever feeling that way again, and luckily all the progress they'd made over the last year had never been more apparent than since this all started, Gabby reaching out to him often whenever she needed it. Whereas for awhile, before everything between them blew up, at times her instinct was to deal with things on her own, she'd gotten a lot better at coming to him, and Matt had gotten better at being there. She had come to him as often as he sought her out, and he could see how much that had been helping her work through all of this.

"I'm doing okay." She responded after a few moments, tucking her head into his neck as they sat together on the couch, Matt giving her a slight nod. "Today was a pretty good day overall, I think."

"Good, good." He responded quickly, tapping his hand against her arm lightly. "It seemed like you were doing well… Today was nice, it kind of reminded me of the old days- well, plus a baby." He clarified lightly, Gabby chuckling as she slid her hand across his stomach. "I don't know if that makes sense."

"It does." She answered, pressing a kiss to his t-shirt covered chest. "I know exactly what you mean… Spending the day just the three of us, it was nice. I think being here has been good for us. I know it has been for me."

"It has been good for all of us." Matt replied, pressing another kiss to her head. "I think all of us needed a break from everything… And what's good for you _is_ good for all of us. If you're not okay, none of us are, baby." He murmured, feeling her release a soft sigh. "I think we all needed this." He added, Gabby nodding against his body, continuing to rub her palm along his waist.

"I love you." She spoke quietly, a soft grin forming over his face as he moved his hand down to her hip, keeping a firm grip on her.

"I love you, too." He responded, placing his cheek down on the top of her head, Matt feeling her hand slide underneath his t-shirt, resting along his stomach just above the waistband of his boxers, Gabby rubbing along his skin in a soothing motion. This was something she did often when they'd cuddle together, whether on the couch or in bed, Gabby liking to feel his skin against hers in moments like these, Matt assuming it was some sort of comforting action for her. "...I spoke with Boden today." He said after a few seconds, his voice filling the quiet air as he felt Gabby continue to move her hand in soft circles along his skin.

"How's everything at the house?"

"It sounds like everything's going well. They miss us, and they're worried about us, but they're good… He was wanting to know if he knew when we'd be back." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a slight nod. "I told him I didn't know, that we were still taking it a day at a time. That when I knew anything, I'd tell him, but right now we hadn't talked about it." He explained, pausing for a moment before speaking up again when she hadn't said anything. "...Have you thought about it at all? About going back home?"

Gabby thought over his question for a few seconds, trying to best figure out how to answer his question. "I don't know… I know we probably should get back to Chicago." She breathed out, lightly scratching her fingers over his stomach. "We need to get back into our life, and work-"

"Not if you're not ready." He cut in softly, Gabby nodding in response.

"No, I know… But I was thinking about this earlier today actually." She told him, Matt's ears perking up as he listened to her, Casey not knowing this had been on her mind. "And I do think I'm ready. I think I could go back home, and back to work, and be fine… Getting away was exactly what I needed, and I am feeling a lot better- a lot like myself."

"I'm so glad." He murmured.

"I am too. But I guess I've just gotten comfortable in our little bubble here with the three of us, and I didn't wanna leave it yet."

"I get it." He replied softly. "And part of me feels the same way. I've loved this time the three of us have gotten, I think it was the best thing we could've done, getting time together as a family. And I know, if we're all ready for it, that we need to get back into our lives… but we don't have to do that quite yet. We can stay here for a few more days, I have no objections to that."

"I'd like that." She responded, a small grin forming over his face as he heard her soft voice.

"Then we'll stay a little while longer." He told her without hesitation, a smile of her own growing on her lips, Gabby snuggling deeper into him.

"Thank you." She murmured, Matt nodding as he pressed another kiss to the top of her head.

Gabby released a heavy breath as she relaxed into her husband's embrace, feeling completely content in this moment, just as she usually did after they'd finish their nightly chats. There was a lot of good that had come from this little getaway, but the time she got with him at the end of every day had to be one of her favorite parts. It had given them back that emotional connection in their marriage that they'd lost a bit of during this whole ordeal, Gabby feeling like they were finally themselves again.

As they continued sitting on the couch, Gabby couldn't help but continue to run her hand along his stomach, the action calming as silence surrounded them. And she could only assume it had a similar effect on Matt, until she felt him tense slightly underneath her touch before he relaxed. For as quickly as it happened, she could only assume it was involuntary, that his body was just reacting to her being close to him, but regardless it brought a smile to her face, an idea soon popping into her head as she pulled her hand out from under his shirt.

Without a word, she sat up, Matt opening his eyes as he lifted his head up off the back of the couch, his eyebrows raised in question as she stood up. "You going to bed?" He asked softly, Gabby simply shaking her head, leaning down grab the book from his lap and place it on the coffee table, Matt's body tightening when he instantly recognized that look in her eye. It was something he'd seen from her often, a look he knew led to things he always thoroughly enjoyed as she hooked her leg up and sat down on top of him, Gabby straddling his lap as his hands landed on her waist.

Before he could say anything, her lips found his, Gabby kissing him hungrily as her arms wrapped around his neck, Matt running his hands along her sides as they gradually moved together. It was nothing too frantic, but there was a need and a desire behind their movements that Matt loved, both of them getting lost in each other as they sat on the couch.

Things started to pick up as he grabbed the edges of her shirt, the couple disconnecting long enough for him to remove the item of clothing from her body, leaving her top half completely bare as he threw the shirt aimlessly behind the couch, Gabby soon completing the same task with his before capturing his lips again, her hands cupping his cheeks while his roamed her bare skin, being mindful of her sensitive chest as he kept his attention mostly to her back and sides.

With each passing second, their actions got more intense, Matt trailing his lips from hers across her jaw down to her neck, no doubt leaving marks behind as he claimed her, Gabby grounding her hips down into his. Then without warning, he held onto her hips and flipped her down onto the couch, a gasp of surprise escaping her lips as she laid down on her back against the cushions, Matt immediately hovering over her as he found her lips again.

Each movement between them was deliberate and full of want, Gabby and Matt not slowing down until they were both completely bare, their actions then becoming a little less needy as they began to take their time. They had all night to show one another just how much they were appreciated, and that was exactly what they did, Matt and Gabby focused on nothing but this moment as he laid over her on the couch, their bodies moving together in that euphoric rhythm they'd perfected long ago.

* * *

Severide shoved his hands in his pockets as he moved through the hallways of 51, the firefighter gearing up for what was sure to be another long day ahead of him at the firehouse. Rolling out the tension built up in his neck, Kelly turned the corner into the common room, seeing most of the house already there, some of them enjoying their breakfast while others were mentally preparing for the day.

"Morning Severide." Herrmann greeted as Kelly passed the couch, the squad Lieutenant giving him a nod before heading towards the kitchen. Along the way he got a few more greetings, Kelly responding in similar fashion as he made his way towards the fridge. "...Any word on Dawson and Casey?" Herrmann asked, Kelly looking up to see the man turned around on the couch.

"Yeah, I spoke with Casey last night, they're-"

"Good morning, guys."

Severide stifled an eye roll as he heard the voice of Captain Garcia filter into the room, Kelly looking over just as he entered the common room, a bright smile plastered on his face as he unknowingly interrupted their conversation.

A few weak greetings were given, Herrmann nodding towards the man before looking back towards Kelly, clearly wanting to know what he was about to say, but Garcia spoke up before he could.

"Looks like I'll be here for at least another shift…" He breathed out, stopping by the couch as everyone glanced towards him. "Gotta say, I wasn't expecting to be here this long, but I've always loved this house, so I'm not complaining." He added lightly, the first responders glancing around at one another uncomfortably.

When Garcia had been tasked to take over for Casey while he was out, the house had been less than thrilled. It just seemed like every time he was here, he caused some sort of trouble, usually in regards to Casey and Dawson. He brought in a weird vibe to their firehouse that they didn't necessarily like, one they couldn't say they'd miss once he was gone. While the replacement for the first few shifts of their usual Captain being away had been kept in house, once headquarters had been notified that Casey would be gone longer than two or three shifts, they decided to send in an actual replacement, which, of course, ended up being Luke Garcia.

Severide wasn't sure how the man, being a Captain and all, had managed to go this long without finding a permanent position at another house, although Kelly's instincts told him that headquarters had probably tried, and they'd managed to not be good fits. And knowing Garcia as well as he'd come to know him over the course of the last eight or nine months, Kelly wouldn't at all be surprised if that had been the case, the squad Lieutenant knowing first hand how abrasive and borderline inappropriate the man could be.

"I definitely wasn't expecting to be here for almost two weeks, that's for sure… But the amount of times Casey's taken off, it almost feels like this is my house." He joked, unimpressed looks covering most of the faces of firehouse 51.

"Well, it's not like he doesn't have a good reason." Severide responded instantly, catching Stella's eye as she sat at the table with Brett and Foster, his girlfriend raising her eyebrows, clearly wondering how far this conversation was going to go before it got a little heated, as things so often did when Garcia was around.

"I was just making a joke, Severide." He replied with a chuckle, holding his hands up in the defense, the man's face faltering slightly when he saw the looks he was receiving from his temporary co-workers. "Look, I do feel bad for what happened to them… You all haven't really said much about it, but having a crazy psycho murderer coming after you, with that kid they've got, I'm sure that wasn't easy." His voice almost sounded sincere, but Kelly wasn't exactly jumping at the chance to give Garcia any credit. "I mean, I heard that the guy attacked Dawson in the garage," His words gained the attention of the entire room, looks of confusion filling their faces as they glanced at one another. "That he like, had her pinned up against the ambulance and tried to kill her?"

"Where did you hear that?" Herrmann asked the question everyone else was wondering, the Captain raising his eyebrows.

"That's what everyone's saying around the department… That Dawson was attacked and then had some sort of nervous breakdown. I figured that's why they'd been gone so long, though I can't say I blame her. Sounds like hell."

"I don't know who told you that, but that's not what happened." Severide cut in, Garcia looking back towards him as Kelly stood in the kitchen. "The guy was here, but he didn't get into the house. He didn't get near Dawson, and she's fine." He continued, Garcia running his tongue along his bottom lip.

"I'm just telling you what I heard, but if it didn't happen that way, thank God. I'm glad it didn't, could you imagine? She'd probably never feel safe here again." Garcia replied offhandedly, Herrmann pursing his lips together as he caught Kelly's gaze, the men sharing a knowing look.

It had been something they'd talked about, Severide and Herrmann, on a few different occasions since this all went down. It had been a concern of theirs, especially after they'd spoken to Casey, how that Dawson might feel a little scared to come back here. And no one would blame her if she did. Even though it hadn't gone down the way Garcia thought, it had still been a terrifying experience, one that could've been much worse than it was. And the two firefighters couldn't help but think that was part of why it had been nearly three weeks since Dawson and Casey had last been on a shift, because Gabby was nervous to come back here.

They absolutely hated the thought of that, that she didn't feel safe in this firehouse anymore, and they both hoped they were wrong; that after everything Dawson had been through, she just needed a little extra time to bounce back than she would've had something like this happened before everything in Puerto Rico. Both of them were holding onto the belief that she'd be fine coming back here, that she just needed some time, because the alternative was too sad a thought for them to stomach.

"And didn't the guy like, break into their home? I mean, Jesus, I would've had a breakdown, too." Garcia added when no one had said anything, Severide shaking his head, getting ready to once again correct the misinformed Captain, but Herrmann cut him off before he could.

"Severide, what were you saying?" He steered the conversation away from Garcia, Herrmann knowing this back and forth could go on all day. It was obvious the Captain had no idea what he was talking about, and considering he never really liked to listen to other people, they could sit here and give him the full story until they were blue in the face, but there was no guarantee he'd even believe them. "You said you talked to Casey?"

Garcia's ears perked up at those words, Kelly giving Herrmann a nod before responding. "Yeah, I did. Him and Dawson got home yesterday evening. They'd been there for a few hours before he called me, he said they were all doing fine." He replied, being as vague as he could while giving Herrmann the information, knowing there was one too many people in this room right now.

"Good, that's great."

"Yeah, it is… Sof's doing well, Gabby's doing better… He said they talked about it, and they're thinking of returning next shift." Kelly added, his eyes flickering towards Garcia, seeing him deflate slightly, before he looked back to Herrmann. "I guess them getting away was exactly what they needed."

"Well, I don't care what it was, I'm just glad they're alright." Herrmann replied, earning a few nods in agreement from around the room. "It'll be nice to have them back."

Herrmann's sentiment was agreed on by everyone in the room, all except one, as the usual members of firehouse 51 nodded, all of them more than ready to have their Captain and paramedic back. They knew it was best for them to take that time off, that they needed to work past all that had happened, but everyone in the firehouse was looking forward to getting them back. Once they did, things would finally start to feel like they were getting back to normal around here, and that's all they wanted.

* * *

**And there's another one. I know there wasn't much going on in this chapter, but this was pretty much just to close up the previous part of the story, so we can get into the upcoming storylines, but I hope you all still enjoyed it. I always love getting to write sweet Dawsey family moments, even though I'll always be bitter about never getting to really see that on the show. But it looks like the time away from the city was good for them, Matt and Gabby got some time to reconnect, and all of this can finally get put behind them and we can get to what's coming next. Speaking of, I'm really excited/a little nervous for the next part of the story that I'm mapping out right now. I think it's gonna be really fun for me to write, and I just hope you all enjoy it as well.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Until next time.**


	83. Chapter Eighty Three

**Hello! Here's the next chapter for you all, I'm very eager to hear what you think. I hope you all enjoy this one, thanks for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty Three**_

* * *

"Alright Sof, let's do this." Matt spoke excitedly as he bounced the seven month old in his arms, Gabby watching on in amusement as Sofia giggled loudly, Matt continuing to play with their daughter while she got her food ready. "I know you've hated this so far, but I have a good feeling about today, baby. You've got this."

Gabby raised her eyebrow as Matt continued bouncing her gently, Casey holding onto one of her tiny little hands with his own, Sofia's laughs turning into excited screams, their baby loving this time with her father.

"Yeah, you're gonna do great with food today, aren't you Sof? I know you are. Momma and I both do." He continued, Gabby smirking softly as she grabbed the small jar of baby food, holding that and a little spoon in one hand as she walked towards her husband and her baby.

"Alright, enough playing. It's time to eat." Gabby interjected their fun, Matt smiling softly before giving her a nod, Matt walking the few steps towards Sofia's highchair. After some careful maneuvering, Matt got his daughter securely fastened in her chair, the baby still not quite used to the position as he worked on getting the bib around her neck, Sofia smacking her hands against the white tray attached to her seat.

"Yeah, you're ready to eat, huh?" Matt asked, pinching her cheek gently between his fingers as she continued to bounce up and down in her chair, Gabby preparing a small spoonful of food as Matt directed his attention towards his wife. "It's like every time we put her in here, she gets super excited, until she remembers what she's in here for and then she gets very upset." He told Gabby with a laugh, his words earning a slight scoff from her as she tapped the spoon against the rim of the jar.

"I think she's just excited because you get excited, but you're right, she won't like us here in a second." She agreed as she looked towards her happy baby, both parents knowing she wouldn't stay that way for long.

The process of transitioning Sofia over to solid food hadn't necessarily gone as smoothly as either of them hoped, the little girl putting up more of a fight than they anticipated. While she was intrigued by food, and enjoyed playing with it, eating it had been the problem. They had started slowly introducing her to solids a few weeks ago, shortly after they got back from their much needed getaway up at the lake, and to say Sofia wasn't a fan of food was putting it lightly.

They started easy, mixing a little bit of baby cereal with breastmilk, so there'd be some familiarity for her, but Sofia had been resistant. It was, as her husband had so eloquently described, breastmilk soup, and their baby girl didn't like it much. Every time they tried to feed her some, she'd immediately push it back out of her mouth, and while they knew that was a normal reflex at first, the first few times they tried she wouldn't eat at all. On separate occasions they'd tried to get her to at least eat a little bit of it, but she refused, Sofia only content to play with it as opposed to eating it, which had admittedly left Gabby a little frustrated. It wasn't so much that Sofia was resistant towards food, they knew this would take time, but it was how much breastmilk was being wasted because she wouldn't eat that was stressing Gabby out. For as hard as Gabby had worked to make sure she could continue providing food for Sofia, it was definitely a little maddening to see so much of it ending up in the trash. It had been a long and hard process, breastfeeding Sofia for the last seven months, but Gabby and Matt had come to the agreement that, for now, as long as Sofia wanted to nurse, they'd continue it. But just because it was easy for Sofia, didn't mean it was easy on Gabby, and seeing so much perfectly good breastmilk being wasted day after day had become very frustrating for the mom. So they quickly moved onto other options, Matt having been the one to suggest them trying other baby food when he saw how discouraged his wife was getting because of it.

But Sofia hadn't been much of a fan of anything they'd given her. They'd tried a bunch of different foods, some of which Sofia absolutely wouldn't even go near, and others their baby would end up getting a few bites of, but she was definitely nowhere near getting enough for it to be sustainable. They were still very much at the stage of the process where Sofia was getting used to food, while still getting practically all of her nutrients from nursing. Which was expected, they knew this wouldn't happen overnight, and that all babies go through these stages at their own pace, but all that mattered to them was that Sofia was making a little bit of progress. It wasn't much, but she did seem to come around to the idea more and more each time they tried to feed her.

But one thing they knew for sure was they couldn't force her into it. If she wasn't ready, she wasn't ready, and they didn't want eating to become something that she was scared of, or that would only cause more problems down the road, so they'd taken it slow. They would try for a while, and if she ate, then she ate, but if she was too resistant to it, and she'd reached her limit, they'd stop and either give her a bottle or let Gabby nurse her, the parents trying to walk the thin line of knowing they needed to get her to eat, and nudging her into eating. It had been a learning experience for all three of them, but overall the parents felt like they were doing pretty well, even though Sofia was still putting up a bit of a fight.

And while she wasn't the biggest fan of eating the food, playing with it, however, was something she very much enjoyed. It was messy, Sofia usually ending up being covered with whatever pureed food they'd try to give her, but they felt like it was helping her warm up to it. When they'd put a little bit of her food down on the highchair in front of her, her hands would immediately start smacking it, and while this little game usually ended with baby food not only all over their daughter, but on the floor and sometimes on them, Sofia would almost always end up eating it. She'd start by eating it off her hands, and then once she realized she didn't mind it, and that what her mom or dad were feeding her was the same as what she'd just been playing with, she'd usually feel inclined to eat a little more.

The parents weren't sure if that was normal, if a lot of kids needed time to warm up to food, or if their daughter was just a little strange, but regardless, they were slowly finding what worked for them and Sofia. Getting her fed and used to solid foods was the main goal here, so neither parent really cared about how they got there, as long as they did.

"Alright Sof, are you gonna be a good girl for Momma and Daddy today?" Gabby asked, her voice higher than usual as she spoke to her daughter, Sofia squealing in delight as she wiggled in her seat, her gummy smile widening when Gabby got closer to her. "Yeah, I know you're excited… Let's hope it stays that way." She added softly, Matt chuckling as he shook his head, watching on Gabby moved the spoon towards Sofia's mouth.

Sofia watched her mother's movements with intrigue, the baby continuing to smack her hands against the highchair. "Come on, Sof, open up."

The second Sofia opened her lips the slightest bit, Gabby put the spoon in her mouth, Sofia immediately shying away as she instinctively pushed the food out of her mouth, Gabby quickly using the spoon to wipe it off her face.

"Did she eat any?"

"A little, I think." Gabby replied, getting another spoonful ready to go, Sofia continuing to squirm as she slowly started to realize why she'd been constrained in the highchair.

Gabby fed her again, but the cycle continued, Sofia refusing to eat much of the pureed food being given to her, the baby starting to fuss as she reached her arms out towards her parents. This happened a few more times, Gabby trying to feed her but Sofia rejecting it, the little girl's mouth starting to stain from all the uneaten food that had touched her skin.

"Do the dancing thing." Gabby instructed her husband suddenly, Matt raising his eyebrows towards his wife as she shot him a similar look back.

"What?"

"The dancing thing." She repeated pointedly, Matt blowing out a heavy sigh. "C'mon, no one's here to see you look like an idiot, it helped last time." She added, Casey shaking his head.

"You told me I didn't look that stupid." He huffed out as he began walking towards the counter, grabbing Gabby's phone and putting in the password to unlock it before going to her music, pulling up the playlist of children's songs they had for Sofia. His words elicited a laugh from his wife, the memory of Matt dancing around and singing to their baby while they tried to feed her forever ingrained in her brain.

"I lied." She responded with a soft smirk, Matt shaking his head as he walked back towards his family. "But it was still really cute. Plus Sof loved it, and that's what matters." She added, Matt sighing softly before shuffling the songs, Sofia's spirits instantly being lifted as he turned the volume up.

"Yeah, you like music, huh?" Matt asked as he placed the phone down on the kitchen table, Sofia bouncing up and down in her seat from pure excitement.

Without needing any more prompting, Matt began dancing and singing along to one of the many children's songs that was now stuck in his head, Sofia giggling and moving along with her father as he grabbed her hands, gently moving them around.

Gabby knew she should be trying to get Sofia to eat, but she took a moment to just enough the view, Matt's terrible dancing and even worse singing bringing a joyful smile to her face as she watched her husband and daughter. There was something about the way Matt was so open and vulnerable with Sofia, how he'd do anything and everything needed just for something as simple as getting her to eat solid foods, that made her heart swell in her chest. There was a softness to him that had been present ever since Sofia was born, and there was not a day that went by where Gabby didn't feel so lucky to be able to witness this. Even if his singing could make her ears bleed.

But Sofia loved it, and that's what was important.

Once she'd had her moment to soak up the endearing view, Gabby waited for the right second to try and get Sofia to eat, the mom waiting until she had stopped laughing before putting the spoon in her mouth. But, despite this having worked last time, Sofia immediately spit the food back out again, Gabby sighing as she quickly wiped off her daughter's face.

"Come on, baby. Daddy's making a fool out of himself for you, the least you go do is eat."

"Hey!" Matt spoke, halting his terrible singing as he playfully glared at his wife, Gabby's smile widening when they locked eyes.

"It's not like I'm wrong, now keep going." She instructed, Matt blowing out a sigh before he continued dancing around, the movement gaining Sofia's attention once more, little laughs soon being heard from their baby.

But despite Matt's best efforts, Sofia still wasn't eating much, most, if not all, of the food either ending up on her face, or on her bib.

"Do you think we should just let her play with it again? I mean that's usually the only way she'll be interested in it at all." Matt asked once the third song had ended, the firefighter feeling a bit fatigued from all the dancing around he'd been doing. He could run into burning buildings all day long, but dancing and singing nonstop for ten minutes really took it out of him.

"I don't know, maybe." Gabby replied, pursing her lips together as she looked at her little girl, the baby's eyes moving back and forth between her parents. While that was usually the most effective way of getting her to eat anything, both of them really only like to use it as a last resort, at least until she was able to handle less messy foods.

"Come on, Sof, you gotta work with us here." Matt spoke, the baby continuing to fuss as Gabby got another spoonful of food. "It's really good, and I'm sure you'd like it if you just-"

Matt was cut off by his wife abruptly shoving the spoonful of baby food into his mouth, Sofia's fussing stopping immediately when she saw her dad eat the food, Matt grimacing as he turned to look at Gabby.

"What the fu- Oh God, that's disgusting." He groaned, Gabby kicking his leg immediately, Matt shooting her an annoyed look before forcing a smile onto his face when he saw his daughter watching him. "I mean... wow, that was so good!" He pretended, ignoring the gross taste lingering in his mouth as Sofia continued smacking her hands around.

"Eat it again." Gabby told him as she brought the spoon back to his lips.

"What? No, I don't-"

He was cut off again by Gabby forcing it into his mouth, Sofia beginning to giggle at the sight in front of her.

"Stop doing that." He spoke quickly, Gabby shaking her head.

"She's not crying anymore, act like you like it." Gabby bit out under her breath, Matt forcing another smile onto his face as Sofia started reaching out towards them again. "Yeah, you want some Sof? Daddy loves it." Gabby spoke, getting some more on the spoon and putting it up to her daughter's mouth, Sofia hesitantly taking it. But this time she didn't spit it back out, Gabby's and Matt's eyes both widening as they looked to each other.

"She ate it." Gabby said, even though it was obvious to both of them she hadn't spit the food out, Matt nodding with a soft smile.

"See if she'll eat more." He encouraged, Gabby nodding before feeding more to their daughter, Sofia swallowing it. She was still a little cautious with it, or stubborn depending on which parent you asked, but she was eating it, which was all they cared about.

After a few bites, Sofia started to reject it again, but once Gabby had, again, forcibly shoved the food into her husband's mouth, Sofia would begin to eat again, the sight amusing her as her and her dad shared the food.

"God, if I would've known it was this easy, I would've done this weeks ago." Gabby breathed out as she wiped a little bit of food that missed Sofia's mouth off with the spoon, the mother preparing another bite for her daughter.

"We're gonna have to figure something else out from now on, I'm not eating that again, that stuff is disgusting." Matt complained, Gabby shooting him a pointed look, both of them knowing that despite what he said, if it got Sofia to eat, he would in fact continue eating it, as well. But it made him feel a little better pretending he had some say in the matter. "What are we feeding her, anyway?"

"It's just carrots." Gabby responded with a laugh, completely ignoring his complaints.

"Well, those are the grossest carrots I've ever eaten." He breathed out, but there was a slight smile that pulled on his lips as he watched Sofia take another bite.

"She's eating them, that's all that matters." Gabby replied, Matt nodding in agreement.

"You're right… I just can't believe how stubborn she is." Matt breathed out, Gabby smirking as she continued feeding Sofia, the little girl taking the food relatively easily at this point, though she still hesitated every few bites. "I mean, clearly she likes it, she just wouldn't eat it."

"Considering who her parents are, are you really surprised she's so stubborn?" Gabby asked with a laugh, Matt pursing his lips together as he suppressed a chuckle, the father running his hand over his mouth.

"Fair point." He agreed, knowing both he and Gabby were two of the most headstrong people he knew, and when he took a second to think about it, it wasn't at all shocking that their daughter was the same way. "I'm sure she just sees this as some fun game, but I still don't understand why I'm the only one who has to look like an idiot while trying to get her to eat." He added, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly as she turned to face her husband, Matt raising his eyebrows as he saw the less than impressed look covering her face.

"Okay, well considering I'm the one who's had a baby attached to my boobs for the past seven months, how about we just call it even." She replied sharply, raising her eyebrows challengingly, like she was almost daring him to fight back.

But he knew better, Matt flashing her his signature Casey grin as he took a step towards her, Gabby's glare never lifting. "...So, the next time we feed her, should we just start with feeding me baby food?" He asked with a smile, Gabby's face softening as he reached out to grab her hip, pulling her closer to him. "Or do you think we should still try the dancing thing?"

"Nice save." She murmured, Matt grinning from ear to ear before he leaned forward, placing a hard kiss on her lips, the force of his actions stunning her slightly as they separated.

"I love you. And you're incredible." He continued, stroking his thumb along her hip as they momentarily got lost in one another. "Everything you do for our girl… You're an amazing mom, babe."

"Mhmm." She hummed as her chest filled with warmth, Gabby pressing a much gentler kiss on the side of his mouth before pulling out of his embrace, returning her attention to Sofia as she fed her daughter another bite of food. "You're not so bad, yourself." She replied, watching with a soft smile on her face as Sofia smacked at her high chair, the little girl sitting happily while she ate. "I'm just glad she's starting to get the hang of this."

"Me too… although I never had any doubt, cause you're such a smart baby, aren't you Sof?" He asked his daughter, reaching out to rub his hand over her curly hair before leaning down to press a soft kiss on her forehead, the baby loving the attention. "Yeah, you're figuring this out."

"We all are." Gabby responded softly, Matt flashing her a bright grin before giving her a nod, the husband wrapping his arm around her waist as they stood in front of their daughter, continuing to feed her as much as she'd eat.

"Yeah, we are." He agreed, pressing a gentle kiss on Gabby's shoulder, the parents finding themselves thankful to be able to experience yet another moment like this with their daughter.

* * *

Gabby tightened her ponytail as she walked behind Brett and Foster towards the firehouse, the paramedics having just returned from dropping off their patient from their latest call, all of them hoping to get a few moments of downtime before being needed again out in the city. From the moment shift started, it had been non stop calls for ambulance 61, and all three of them were exhausted, as it was well into the afternoon now and they'd hardly had a moment to stop and catch their breath. Days like this didn't happen all too often, but when they did, they were brutal.

Dawson jogged to catch up to her friends as Foster held the door open for her, Gabby shooting her an appreciative smile as they walked into the firehouse, Gabby seeing most of 51 seated throughout the common room, but she quickly noticed one person in particular was missing.

"I thought I heard you guys get back."

Gabby stopped just outside the common room as she heard her husband's voice, a soft smile forming across her face when she saw her husband walking down the hallway, wearing a grin of his own as he moved towards her.

"Yeah, we just did." She replied, Matt nodding as he placed a quick kiss against her temple, wrapping his arm around her shoulders before leading her into the common room, Gabby's hands still resting in her pockets.

"How was it?"

"It was fine, nothing too bad. I'm a little tired, though." She breathed out, Matt giving her a nod as they moved towards the long table, Gabby slipping out of his hold so she could sit down next to Brett, Kidd and Foster having taken up residence across from them.

"I bet, you guys have been busy. Are you hungry? There's a lot of food left over from lunch."

"No, we ate while we were out." She replied, Matt nodding as he rubbed his hand over her back. "Thank you, though."

"Okay… Let me get you some water." He spoke, turning and walking away towards the kitchen before she could even respond, Gabby quickly hearing some snickers from her friends, the paramedic turning to find a bunch of amused looks watching her.

"Someone's awful attentive today." Foster joked, Gabby scoffing lightly as Kidd and Brett nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, what'd he do, Dawson? Casey in the doghouse?" Kidd added, Gabby shaking her head with a soft smirk.

"No, he didn't do anything… We had a long night with the baby." She replied, looks of understanding immediately covering their faces. "And with the busy day we've had, well, he's just being Matt."

"Is Sofia alright?" Sylvie asked, Gabby giving her a nod.

"She's fine, just teething." Dawson replied, Kidd grimacing slightly.

"I'm guessing that's not fun for any of you." Foster added, Gabby shaking her head as she leaned back into her chair.

"It's definitely not. But Matt and I are fine, I just feel bad for Sof." She breathed out, glancing to see Matt moving around in the kitchen. "She wasn't really able to sleep much, and she wanted to be held constantly. If we put her down, she'd scream until one of us picked her back up."

"That had to have been rough." Kidd spoke, Gabby shrugging softly.

"It was definitely a long night, a lot of things we tried weren't really helping her. The only thing that really helped was us massaging her gums." Gabby explained, Stella raising her eyebrows.

"Didn't that hurt?" She questioned, Gabby's head cocking to the side. "Aren't baby teeth like super sharp?"

"None of them have broken through yet." Gabby told her with a soft laugh, Kidd nodding in understanding. "So Matt and I took turns holding her and massaging her gums, between that, and letting her chew on our fingers, that seemed to help. When we'd do that, that was the only time she wouldn't be crying or fussing."

"Yeah, I've heard teething babies are bite-y." Foster said, Gabby blowing out a heavy breath.

"Oh, they are. I know it's because she's in pain, but she wants to chew on everything, and she does. That, and there's a lot of drool. But overall, she's doing okay with it, she's just uncomfortable and wants one of us to hold her." Gabby told them, earning a few nods from her friends. "But the gum massage thing helps a lot, and we've got this teething pacifier for her that is a life saver."

"Were you guys able to get any sleep last night?"

"Not much, Matt especially. He eventually got her to fall asleep while he held her in the rocking chair, so the two of them just slept there, but even Sofia didn't get much rest. She was very cranky this morning, so she'll either be passed out most of the day, or Becca's gonna have her hands full." Gabby breathed out, Brett shaking her head.

"Becca's a saint." Kidd replied, Dawson nodding immediately.

"She sure is."

Their conversation was interrupted by Matt coming back over to the table, placing a cup of water as well as a plate of fruit down in front of his wife, Gabby looking up at him with a raised eyebrow, to which he just shrugged.

"I figured a snack couldn't hurt." He spoke, Gabby flashing him an appreciative smile before popping a piece of fruit into her mouth, the paramedic soon realizing she actually had been kind of hungry, something Matt must've known even though she didn't.

"Thank you." She responded, Matt grinning before leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head, rubbing his hand gently along the back of her neck and her shoulders.

"So I hear that not only are you husband of the year, but you're making your case for father of the year, too." Kidd spoke up as she leaned back in her chair, Matt standing up straight as he looked towards his firefighter.

"What?" He asked, clearly confused.

"We were talking about Sofia and her teething." Gabby supplemented, Matt nodding in understanding before a soft frown pulled on his lips.

"Oh, that… yeah, it's awful, my poor baby." He said while shaking his head, his words earning a few laughs from the women around him, Matt looking back and forth between all of them in question. "...What?"

"Nothing." Kidd replied, Matt raising his eyebrows as he glanced back down to his wife.

"You're just cute, baby. That's all." Dawson spoke, Matt huffing out a breath as he continued rubbing over her back, shaking his head slightly.

"So Dawson, teething baby aside, are we still on for Molly's tomorrow night?" Kidd asked, Gabby looking from Matt towards the expectant gazes from her friends.

Last shift, all the ladies from 51 had tentatively planned to have a night out at Molly's, the four of them never having got the chance to actually have that girls night they'd talked about well over a month ago. They had a good reason, the best reason, as shortly after they'd discussed doing that, the crazy psycho murderer stalking the Casey family had come to the firehouse, then showed up at their apartment, so their girls night definitely wasn't high on the list of priorities. But now that things were back to normal, and Dawson was doing well, they wanted to have a night to spend together, to let loose and have some fun.

"Yeah, we are." She replied, glancing back towards her husband, who gave her a supportive nod.

"And Jemma's still coming?"

"As far as I know." Gabby answered. "I'll call her here in a bit and double check, but last I heard, she said she'd be there."

"Excellent." Kidd responded with a grin, tapping her fingers against the armrest of her chair as her gaze moved towards Casey. "Hope you can handle watching the baby for one night, Captain." She joked, Matt scoffing lightly as he gently gripped the back of Gabby's neck, running his fingers along her skin.

"I think I'll be fine, Kidd." He replied, Gabby smirking softly as she leaned back into his touch.

"I hope so. I don't want any panicked calls to Dawson while we're out having fun, the girl needs a night to let loose." Stella continued, Gabby shaking her head as Matt raised his eyebrows.

"Oh, she does, does she?" He questioned, glancing down to his wife just as she looked up towards him, Gabby biting back a smile.

"Apparently… Or, according to Kidd, at least." Dawson replied, scrunching up her nose as Matt's smile widened.

"Well, I hope you all have fun." He responded, leaning down to capture her lips in a heated kiss, Gabby stunned momentarily as they heard hollers from around the common room.

"Easy Captain, we already know she's yours." Herrmann called from the couch, laughs being heard around the room as Matt pulled back, Gabby's eyes widened slightly.

"Yeah, get a room, you two." Cruz continued, Matt rubbing his thumb along the side of her neck as he looked back to Kidd, ignoring the comments from the firefighters around him.

"Just try and make sure she gets home in one piece." He told her, like his little, or not so little, show of affection hadn't happened, Gabby still trying to catch her breath as she felt heat flood to her cheeks.

"Don't worry, Captain, she's in good hands." Kidd promised, giving him a little salute as he began walking away from the table, Matt nodding in response.

"Although I'm sure he'd rather her be in _his_ hands." Foster muttered under her breath, Gabby ducking her head as Kidd and Brett broke out into laughter, the sound causing Casey to stop as he got halfway towards Severide, his eyebrows raising in question.

"...Do I even want to know?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head as she partially covered her face with her hand, Kidd biting down on her tongue to keep herself from laughing any harder.

"Nothing you need to worry about, Cap." Foster instructed with a grin, Matt shaking his head before continuing towards the other table, Gabby shooting Foster a playful glare. "What? It's not like I'm wrong." She added with a chuckle, Kidd and Brett both nodding in agreement as Gabby shook her head, returning her attention back towards the food in front of her as she ignored the teasing looks from her friends.

* * *

"Herrmann!" Stella yelled from the table, Gabby wincing slightly at the loud volume of her friend's voice, the man in question looking up from behind the bar. "Another round, please and thank you."

"Do you really have to scream?" Brett asked, grimacing slightly as well from Kidd's voice, the alcohol in her system causing her to be louder than she normally would.

"Well, I got his attention, didn't I?" She asked before downing the last of her drink, Gabby watching in amusement before she took a sip of her own.

Dawson was still on her second drink while some of her friends were on their fourth, the paramedic deciding to take it slow since it had been awhile since she'd consumed much of any alcohol. For the first few months of breastfeeding, Gabby had continued to abstain from alcohol, the mom finding it easier than having to get rid of breastmilk that she'd rather be able to keep for her baby. And since she didn't really have any desire to drink anyway, she just continued to stick to nonalcoholic beverages. But recently she'd slowly started having a glass of wine here and there, or a beer at times, just whenever she wanted one, which wasn't often, but she always planned ahead, making sure there was more than enough breastmilk stored up for Sofia while she waited for the alcohol to leave her system. It was something she felt a little unsure about at first, drinking alcohol when she knew that was food wasted that her baby couldn't have, especially since breastfeeding had been quite taxing on her, but eventually she came to realize there was nothing wrong with her drinking every so often. That, as long as she made sure the alcohol had cleared her system before feeding Sofia, it wasn't something she should feel guilty or weird about. And, a night like tonight especially, she wanted to do this for herself, to have a good night out with her friends. But, even though she was more than ready to have some fun, tonight was the first time she'd had anything more than a glass of wine or a beer since before she got pregnant. And the last thing she wanted to do was get completely plastered after only having been here an hour, Gabby unsure of how well she'd be able to hold her liquor after not having had any in so long.

"You better speed up, Dawson, or I'm gonna take yours." Kidd spoke with a bright smile, Gabby shaking her head as she slid the full shot glass towards her friend.

"Go ahead, maybe I'll catch up later." She spoke with a laugh, Stella shooting her a look before downing the clear liquid, slamming the glass back down against the table.

"That is one thing that's changed about you since the baby, Dawson… You used to drink more than anyone I'd ever met." Stella said, Gabby raising her eyebrows as the women around them laughed. "Now you have one shot and tap out."

"Stella, we've been here an hour, I'm not done yet." She replied as Herrmann walked over with a tray of drinks, placing them down on the table. "But trust me, I can be just as much fun, with or without alcohol."

"Oh, don't I know it." Kidd spoke under her breath, shooting Dawson a knowing look before sipping on her beer.

Even with Kidd's insistence all night of trying to get her to drink more, Gabby had been having a fun night out with her friends. It had been too long since she'd had a chance to just hang out with them, with no baby and no husband to worry about for a few hours, and it felt nice getting time just for herself, especially after all the stress she'd been under the last couple of months. And it was especially good to be able to do it at Molly's.

Kidd had been the one to suggest her bar, and while Gabby couldn't be sure, she had some assumptions that Stella had decided on Molly's because everyone knew Dawson was comfortable here. It was something she'd noticed her first shift back at work almost three weeks ago now, that everyone had been handling her with kid gloves. She couldn't say she was surprised, and one thing she didn't know was if Casey had played any part in that or not, but everyone had been keeping a close eye on her since her and Matt came back to work. And the paramedic had a guess that Kidd's insistence that they do their night out at Molly's, instead of going around different places in Chicago as they usually would, was for her benefit.

But, regardless of the reason, she was having a great time here, and it was nice to be in some place so familiar, somewhere she felt at home. Since her and Matt's little getaway, she'd been doing a lot better. She definitely was feeling like her old self again, despite the few moments when she'd sometimes get overwhelmed. It didn't happen too often anymore, but her first few shifts back, there'd been a couple of times where everything became a little too much for her to handle, and she needed a minute to gather herself, usually in Matt's office with him with her. And it was something she hadn't really been able to hide from her coworkers.

It's not that she was embarrassed, at least not so much anymore, but she just didn't like the attention. She didn't like everyone worrying about her, especially when after a few moments alone with her husband, she was fine. But she knew their hearts were in the right place, and, to their credit, they never really approached her about it. They'd simply either check in with her, or usually Matt, to make sure she was alright, then they'd go on about their day as if nothing happened. She could tell they were trying to treat her as normally as they could, even if they were a little more attentive over her than they'd usually be. Foster and Brett especially, they'd been mindful of her on calls, doing what they could to keep her out of stressful situations, something Gabby knew for a fact that Matt _had_ spoken with them about, even though he wasn't aware she knew. But overall, everyone had done what they could to treat her as they normally would, but they'd also been watching out for her when they felt they needed to, everyone just wanting to make sure their paramedic was doing alright.

While being looked after the way she had been lately wasn't her favorite thing in the world, it had eased up a bit over the last week, Gabby assuming all of them had seen that she was in fact fine, and didn't need to constantly be checked in on. They were still mindful of what all she'd been dealing with, but they tended to let her be and only check in if they felt it was warranted, and it felt good for things to be returning to normal.

And it really felt good for Gabby to have this night out with her friends, for her to have a chance to just, as Kidd put it, let loose and have fun, Molly's being the perfect place for her to do that.

"So, Dawson, it's been an hour and we've made it without any family talk," Kidd prefaced as she took a sip of water, clearly trying to even out her alcohol intake, "so I'll bite. How's the baby?" She asked, Gabby raising her eyebrow slightly.

"She's amazing." Gabby replied with a bright grin. "The teething stuff still isn't the most fun, but overall she's great."

"Good, good… and the hubby?" Kidd asked with a slight smirk, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek.

"He's amazing, too." She answered, catching the smiles from her friends. "Everything's as pretty damn close to perfect as it can get."

"That's good." Stella spoke, rubbing Gabby's back as they sat beside each other, Gabby catching Jemma's soft smile from across the table. "You deserve it, Dawson." Her sincere words caused Gabby's smile to widen, the paramedic giving her a soft nod as she reached for her glass.

"Thanks Stella… Tell me, how are you and Severide?" Gabby asked with a raised brow, Kidd matching her look.

"We're doing great, actually. Living together, it's an adjustment, but we're managing it. Honestly, I'm just glad we're past the 'being afraid of commitment' thing."

"Kelly's finally all grown up." Gabby joked, Stella nudging her shoulder before looking towards her other friends.

"What about you all, how are your alls love lives going these days?" Kidd asked, Gabby looking towards them as well.

"Nonexistent." Foster breathed out before downing her shot, Gabby suppressing a laugh. "I'm still managing to have some fun, but there's no one serious." She added with a shrug, Kidd nodding before looking towards Brett, everyone seeing the blonde avert her eyes down to the table.

"Uh oh, I know that look." Kidd spoke up, Brett's cheeks turning red as she looked towards her friends.

"What?"

"Sylvie's got a boyfriend." Stella teased, Gabby raising her eyebrows as Brett shook her head. "Oh come on, Brett, you're like the worst at hiding anything. Who is it?"

"I'm not seeing anyway, but I-" She cut herself off, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing when the blonde looked her way. "I've been talking with this guy, again, I guess."

"Who is it?"

"...Antonio."

Gabby's eyes widened in surprise as Brett watched her, everyone glancing back and forth between Dawson and Brett.

"Really?" Gabby asked, Sylvie giving her a slight nod.

"Wait, Antonio- as in her brother?" Emily questioned, Brett shooting her a knowing look.

"Yeah, he and I- we used to date. We were together for awhile, broke up, then got back together and then broke up again, but… we've been hanging out again." She explained, her eyes staying locked on Gabby. "I wasn't sure if he said anything to you or not, we're still just kind of finding our footing again… And I know you've had a lot going on, so we didn't really want to say anything, when it wasn't a priority."

"I think that's great." Gabby spoke up, Brett relaxing instantly.

"Yeah?" The blonde asked with a soft smile, Dawson nodding immediately.

"I do, I think it's awesome. You and my brother were always good together, I'm glad you all are trying to work things out." Gabby told her, Sylvie's smile widening. "I know you all had some problems to work out, but, I mean, look at Matt and I… if you love each other, and make each other happy, there's no reason you can't figure things out." She added, Brett giving her a strong nod.

"Thanks, Gabby."

"I can't believe you kept this from us." Kidd spoke up, shaking her head in amusement. "Although you have seemed a bit chipper lately, I should've known it was someone… But enough about that, what about you, Jemma?" Stella asked, everyone turning their attention to the youngest of the group. "I'm sure Dawson knows, but none of us know much about you, aside from the fact you're good as hell at your job… So, let's start with the fun stuff, you seeing anyone? Boyfriend? Girlfriend?" Stella asked, Jemma chuckling softly as she glanced towards Dawson.

"I have a boyfriend, his name is Marcus." She replied, unable to stop the smile that formed over her face when she simply mentioned him.

"How long have you two been together?" Emily asked.

"Almost two years now." She answered, Kidd raising her eyebrows.

"My God, I don't think I had anything close to that serious of a relationship when I was your age." She huffed out, Jemma laughing as Gabby nodded in agreement.

"Me neither." Dawson added before sipping her drink. "But the two of them are so cute together, Marcus is so sweet."

"Yeah, he's not too bad." Norris replied with a grin.

"Do you think he might be the one?" Brett asked, Jemma raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, is he your Casey?" Kidd asked, Gabby nudging Stella underneath the table, the firefighter chuckling before looking back towards Jemma, finding the girl's cheeks tinted red.

"I'd like to think so." She replied honestly. "I mean, we've talked about it… settling down, and everything. I think we're both serious about our relationship, and we've talked about the future and everything."

"So marriage, kids, all that stuff?" Emily asked, Jemma giving her a nod. "Do you all want to have kids?" She continued, Jemma eyebrows raising slightly, Brett shaking her head.

"You can ignore her, she doesn't have a filter." Sylvie replied, Jemma shaking her head.

"No, it's fine… Uh, we've talked about it. We both want kids, at some point. We both want to get married. But we're still so young, we're not in any rush." Jemma answered, her eyes finding Gabby's.

"Yeah, Jemma's practically a baby herself." Dawson added, her words earning a few laughs. "And Marcus is, what, just a few months older than you?" Gabby checked, unsure of it she'd remembered correctly, Jemma giving her a nod.

"Yeah, he is. We're both still very young, I don't think either of us are ready to do all that yet. We're still getting settled into our careers and everything, I know there's no right or perfect time to have kids, but we aren't in any hurry." She told the group, her words earning a few nods.

"Can we see a picture of him?" Brett asked, Jemma nodding with a soft smile as she grabbed her phone from the table, quickly deciding on a photo of the two of them to show the three women who hadn't met her boyfriend.

"Oh, Dawson was right, he is cute." Kidd spoke up, Jemma's blush deepening as she glanced towards Gabby. "You two would make adorable kids."

"What about you, Stella?" Gabby interjected, Kidd handing the phone back to Jemma as she glanced towards her friend. "You and Kelly talked about that at all? Marriage? Kids?" She asked, smirking at the look of horror that crossed Stella's face.

"Oh, God no." She breathed out, Brett and Foster chuckling in amusement. "I mean, if by talk about it you mean that's something neither of us want right now, then yes. We have talked about it."

"So no baby Severide's will be coming anytime soon?" Foster asked with a grin, Stella scoffing heavily.

"Not from me." She was quick to reply, Gabby shaking her head as she laughed. "But it is funny, he's slid into that uncle role so well with Sofia, but sometimes when I'm holding her or playing with her, I'll see a flash of panic in his eyes… like he's worried Sof is gonna change my mind about wanting kids. It's pretty funny." She spoke with a laugh. "But no, I think living together is about as committed as we're getting right now. All the other stuff, I'm not sure if that's for us." She finished, Gabby giving her an understanding nod.

"I don't think kids are for me, either." Foster chimed in. "I can hardly handle a relationship, I don't think I could raise a child… and plus, all I've ever heard is that kids completely mess up the parents' sex life." She added jokingly, Gabby rolling her eyes as the women laughed. "I'm sorry, but selfishly I'm not ready to give that up yet."

"I'm sure Dawson could field that one." Kidd spoke up with a raised eyebrow, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly. "What do you have to say about that, does having kids ruin your sex life?" She asked with a smirk, Gabby scoffing as she saw multiple pairs of expectant eyes on her.

"...All I'll say is that in my experience, that hasn't been the case." She replied vaguely, Stella giving her a knowing look before laughing, their friends joining in.

"I'm sure it hasn't." She replied with a chuckle, Gabby shaking her head as she took a sip of her drink.

"You know, Matt would be mortified if he knew we were talking about this." Gabby spoke, Foster waving her off.

"Well, it's a good thing he's not here." Emily spoke, earning an eye roll from Dawson.

"But speaking of sex and babies," Kidd interjected.

"Oh God." Gabby muttered under her breath, bracing herself for whatever was about to come out of her friend's mouth.

"Has that been something that's been discussed, Mrs. Casey?" Stella asked with a smirk, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"What?"

"You and Matt planning on procreating any more?" She asked, Gabby raising her eyebrows at her friend's choice of terminology. "Any plans to add any more Casey's out into the world?"

"We've talked about it, yeah." Dawson answered vaguely, Kidd rolling her eyes as she nudged her friend with her elbow.

"You gotta give us more than that." She huffed out, Gabby catching Jemma's eye, knowing her former partner already knew of the answer to Stella's question.

"We do want more kids, yeah." Gabby told her, Kidd shooting her a soft smile before downing the last of her beer. "But I think right now we're wanting Sofia to get a little bit older before we actively start deciding how we're gonna go about it." She explained, the group sharing knowing, slightly worried, looks.

"Would you be able to get pregnant again?" Brett asked, Gabby catching her gaze. "I mean, I know how scary it was the first time, but I wasn't sure if it was still risky."

"Technically, I can." She told them. "The aneurysm and everything is gone, so that's not a concern anymore. All my scans have been good, but I'd still need to be watched kind of closely if I were to get pregnant again… It's just something Matt and I would have to decide on, how we want to have another baby." She spoke, all of them hanging on her every word. "But more kids is definitely a part of the plan."

"Good, that's good. I say the more little Casey's running around, the better." Kidd spoke up first, Gabby shaking her head in amusement.

"Yeah, I can't blame you guys for wanting another kid. I don't even really like children, but Sofia is like the most perfect child I've ever met." Foster added.

"If I were you two, I'd want a hundred more just like her." Stella continued, Gabby's eyes widening as Jemma and Brett both laughed.

"Alright, alright slow down a bit, you sound like Matt." Gabby replied, Stella grinning as she gave her a shrug.

"I'm just saying… It's not my fault you two made the cutest kid on the planet. Those Casey and Dawson genes man, they're something else." She said, shaking her head before moving onto her full beer.

"She has a point." Brett said. "Sofia is really the perfect mix of both of you, she's precious."

"She is perfect, I'll agree with you there." Gabby responded with a soft smile. "Although hopefully our next baby, whenever we have them, they aren't as stubborn as Sofia is." She said, all of the women laughing as Gabby shook her head. "I swear, I love that little girl but she's so stubborn-"

"So, she's you." Kidd joked, Gabby rolling her eyes before taking another sip of her drink, their conversation getting interrupted when she felt her phone buzz in her back pocket. Opting not to respond to Stella's shot at her, Gabby reached for her phone, soon seeing she'd just received two messages from her husband, one being a video, which was followed by a short text.

'_Just because we missed you… and Sof is having a hard time getting to sleep._'

"I know who that's from." Stella's voice filtered into her head, Gabby looking up from her phone to see all eyes on her. "That's Dawson's 'Casey smile'. Is he missing you already?"

"Kidd, he misses her when we're on a call for an hour, of course he is." Foster responded with a chuckle, Gabby waving them off before unlocking her phone.

"What does he want?"

"I don't know, it's a video." Gabby replied, turning up the sound of her phone before she clicked the video, thankful that the noise in the bar wasn't too loud.

As she hit play, she could see Matt as he was clearly propping his phone up against something, Gabby able to tell he was in the living room, her husband waving to the camera before he situated himself on the ground. She could hear him talking to who she assumed was Sofia, Gabby's suspicions soon proven correct when she saw him lift their baby up, the little girl smiling widely as he held her in front of him. Matt was holding her under her arms, gently bouncing Sofia up and down as she laughed loudly, the baby completely enamored by the attention her father was giving her.

Though she couldn't see it in the video, the edge of the coffee table cutting off some of her view, she knew Matt was helping Sofia stand, the parents having been doing this for awhile to help their baby get used to the position, even though she was nowhere close to standing yet. But it was just another thing they got to do with their daughter that Sofia absolutely loved, the small girl's body being swallowed by her dad's hands as he continued bouncing her up and down, letting her feet move against the floor.

"_Yeah, you love that, don't you Sof?_" She heard Matt say, Gabby knowing that more than likely he'd momentarily forgotten he was even recording, considering how most every time he played with Sofia, it became like they were the only two people in the room.

"Oh my God, that's adorable." Kidd breathed out, the woman having leaned over to watch the video with Gabby.

"_See? You're getting so big and strong. Pretty soon, you're gonna be crawling, and then you'll be able to stand all on your own, and then comes the big one… You'll start walking. But let's hold off on that for awhile, alright? I'm not ready for you to be that big yet._"

Matt continued talking to Sofia before he'd lift her up, blowing kisses against her stomach, the baby clad in nothing but a diaper as she played with her father, Sofia's loud screams of excitement being heard by all the women at the table.

"_Alright Sof, tell Momma bye!_" Matt spoke with a grin as he positioned himself and Sofia towards the camera, gently grabbing the baby's arm and shaking it as if to wave to her mom. "_Tell her that you'll see her here in a little bit, probably at some very inconvenient time, like two in the morning. But that's okay, isn't it? Yeah, you can't help it. We know you wanna be sleeping just as much as we do._" He said, pressing multiple kisses on the side of Sofia's head before looking back towards the camera. "_We love you, and we'll see you later!_"

Matt had Sofia wave one last time before the video stopped, Gabby feeling warmth spread through her chest as a huge grin formed over her face.

"Oh, I know that look." Kidd spoke up, Gabby lifting her head towards her. "Dawson might be about to ditch us early, and go home to start working on baby number two tonight." She said, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks as she ducked her head slightly, Dawson placing her phone down on the table. "I'm sure the Captain would be all for it."

"Whatever has you so obsessed about mine and Matt's sex life, you better not be bringing that up to him next shift." Gabby warned her, the group laughing as Stella shook her head.

"All I'm saying is if you break the news here in a few months that you're pregnant again, no one will be surprised." Kidd teased, Gabby raising her eyebrow challengingly.

"Well, I'll guess we'll find out in a few months then, won't we?" She responded with a proud smirk, Stella raising her eyebrows in amusement as Gabby reached for one of the many shot glasses Herrmann had brought over, Dawson downing the liquid quickly as she heard the laughter from her friends.

* * *

Casey yawned heavily as his gaze focused on the TV, the tired father doing his best to pay attention to the hockey game happening in front of him. The game had been played earlier in the evening, Matt just now getting the chance to watch it as he'd had some trouble getting Sofia down, the baby still in a lot of discomfort with her teething. But eventually, she'd gotten to sleep, and he'd managed to get her in her bassinet without waking her, Matt sneaking out of the room with the baby monitor as quickly as he could shortly after that.

Looking towards the clock, he saw it was nearing midnight, Matt's eyes feeling heavy as he continued to force himself to stay awake. He had thought about going to bed many times over the last hour, but not only did he want to finish watching the game to see if the Blackhawks won, he also wanted to wait up for his wife. He had no idea how long she'd be out, Matt knowing a night with her friends was exactly the kind of evening she needed, but he didn't want to be asleep when she got here. He wanted to make sure she got home safely before he went to bed, even though with every passing minute that was becoming more and more difficult, Matt doing what he could to fight off his exhaustion.

Just as his head had fallen forward again, Matt heard the back door open, his head snapping up as he sat up straight on the couch, the husband suddenly feeling very awake as he heard his wife come in.

"Babe?" He called as he heard her shut the door, his eyebrows lifting slightly as he heard what sounded like Gabby very much struggling with getting the door locked, Matt getting ready to push himself up from the couch before he heard the sounds of her walking through the kitchen. He could hear her dropping a few of her things as she moved, Matt unsure of what kind of state she'd be in when he saw her, but his question was soon answered as she came around the corner, Matt instantly able to tell that his wife was definitely a little tipsy. She wasn't drunk, he could tell she still had her wits about her, but she was clearly buzzed.

She smiled brightly when she saw him, Gabby kicking off her boots and shedding her leather jacket on the chair before walking towards him, her eyes glazed over as she got closer to him.

"Hi." He murmured, Matt taken by surprise when she didn't sit next to him, but instead chose to sit on him, Gabby placing her thighs on either side of his body as she straddled him, her arms resting around the back of his neck.

"Hi." She repeated as his hands instinctively moved to her waist, Matt rubbing along her hip as she relaxed into him. "And Severide says hi." She added, Matt knowing Kelly had been tasked, thanks to Kidd, with making sure all the women got home safely after their night out, Casey nodding with a soft smile.

"Did you have a good night?" He asked, although he was sure he knew the answer before she could even respond, Gabby giving him a quick nod, her carefree state causing his chest to fill with warmth.

"I did, it was fun. I'm glad we went." She murmured, her fingers tracing a lazy pattern along the back of his neck, Matt leaning forward to give her a quick kiss.

"Me too. I'm glad you had a good time." He responded, Gabby flashing him a soft smile.

"How's the baby?"

"She's alright, I just got her down a little while ago, but she was out… I'm hoping she sleeps for awhile." He told her, Gabby nodding before she moved back towards him for another kiss, Matt taken by surprise by the neediness of her actions. But he wouldn't question it, Matt groaning into her mouth as she pushed herself down onto him, his boxers giving him barely any protection against her movements.

He wasn't sure what had gotten into her, aside from the fact that she was always a little more frisky whenever she had some alcohol in her, Gabby maneuvering them as she practically fell down onto the couch, pulling him down on top of her in one swift motion. A sound of surprise left his lips, Gabby kissing along his jaw and his neck, any skin that she could find really, as she tugged at his t-shirt, Matt helping her as he sat up long enough to remove his shirt, tossing it haphazardly to the side. While they were separated, Gabby began taking off her shirt as well, Matt streamlining the process as he nearly ripped it from her body, leaving her upper half covered by nothing but a black lace bra that he'd seen a hundred times, his eyes darkening at the sight of her heaving chest.

Quickly, he moved back down towards her, capturing her lips in a heated kiss as his hand ran over her bare stomach, Gabby shivering underneath his touch before his hand continued further south, beginning to expertly work at the button on her pants, Matt getting them undone and the zipper slid down in record time.

"Wait… wait, wait." Gabby spoke quickly as she stopped kissing him, Matt pulling back instantly the second he heard her.

"You okay?" He asked, his eyebrows furrowed in worry as she nodded, Gabby running her warm hand along his lower back, keeping him from going too far.

"I'm perfect." She responded quickly, Matt nodding as he waited for her to elaborate. "I just need you to remind me that the next time I pump, I have to throw all that milk in the trash."

A soft chuckle escaped his lips, Matt raising his eyebrows before he nodded. He knew she wouldn't need the reminder, but there was something so endearing about her asking him that it brought a soft smile to his face, Gabby scrunching her nose up slightly.

"...I'm sorry, that wasn't very sexy, was it?"

He laughed again, Matt shaking his head in amusement as he ran his hand over the side of her face.

"I love you."

She could hear the complete and utter honesty in his voice, Gabby's wide, genuine smile causing his heart rate to quicken, Matt not having time to say anything else as she reached up and pulled his face back towards her, the couple picking up right where they left off, both of them eager to make the most out of the rest of their night together.


	84. Chapter Eighty Four

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you enjoy it. Can't wait to hear your thoughts.**

**Happy reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty Four**_

* * *

"Casey!"

Matt ducked down when he heard the familiar voice filter out of the car they were standing around, the Captain looking through the broken window to find the eyes of his wife on him, Gabby keeping her hand placed firmly over the bleeding wound on the victim's stomach.

"How much longer till we can get her out?"

He could hear the slight desperation in his wife's voice, Matt keeping his expression calm despite the nerves he felt rushing through his system, the firefighter not liking the current situation they'd found themselves in.

When they pulled up to the car accident on this bridge nearly fifteen minutes ago, all of them could tell it had been a pretty rough crash. The car they were currently surrounding had appeared to be hit pretty hard from the back, the other driver having fled the scene before they arrived, leaving the woman in pretty rough shape. It was impossible for them to know the extent of the accident, but with as damaged as the car was, they could only imagine this woman had crashed into the railing pretty hard.

When Casey got ahold of the scene in front of him, it had quickly become clear to him that they'd need to get a paramedic in that car. For as damaged as the frame was, they needed someone in there to stabilize the victim while they worked on finding a way to get her out safely. But before he could even ask, Gabby had stepped up, his wife knowing what he was about to say before he got the chance to. And while her being the one to go in the smoking car wasn't his first choice, he'd never try and stop her from doing her job. So between him and Herrmann, they'd gotten her lifted into the car, Gabby maneuvering the crushed metal as she did what she could to help keep this woman stable.

And, to her credit, she'd done a great job, although that wasn't surprising. The victim was unconscious, which, considering her extensive injuries, Matt couldn't help but think that was for the best, but Gabby had done everything she needed to do to get her stabilized, and now she was just waiting on her husband and his firefighters to help get both of them out.

"We're almost there, Dawson." He replied, flashing her a supportive smile before looking back across the vehicle for a split second, seeing his firefighters working diligently, while Brett and Foster waited close by with the gurney, ready to get the victim to the hospital.

Gabby nodded before looking back towards the woman, Matt seeing the sweat glistening across her skin, the temperature inside the car getting hotter and hotter, his softened gaze hardening slightly when he noticed the blood on her face. It wasn't hers, but it was unsettling nonetheless, Casey swallowing thickly before standing back up, his rigid gaze focused on his firefighters.

"Let's speed this up." He barked, the men and women nodding as they continued to work.

They knew their Captain was feeling a little uneasy. That Dawson being the one inside this car had left him on edge, and how the tension radiating off of him probably wouldn't go away until their paramedic was safely out of the car.

Coughing from inside the vehicle grabbed Matt's attention, the Captain bending back down quickly, seeing smoke beginning to push out of the vents on the dashboard. It wasn't much, but smoke was smoke, and Gabby being in the vehicle unprotected from that left a heavy feeling in his gut.

"Mouch, get the extinguisher ready!" He ordered, placing his hands on the door frame as Gabby coughed again, Matt watching her hide her mouth against her arm. "We're almost done, Gabby." He murmured just loud enough for his wife to hear him, his tough Captain exterior long gone as Gabby nodded, the frown on his lips being replaced by a look of relief as they finally got the crushed car apart, creating enough of a hole to get the backboard in there and get both the victim and Gabby out safely.

Things began moving quickly after that, Casey sounding off orders as he came around towards their side of the car, his firefighters getting the unconscious woman out of the car and onto the bed, Brett and Foster immediately going to work.

The second the woman was clear, Matt pushed his way towards the car, reaching in to help Gabby out as quickly as possible, her rough coughing only continuing to worry him as he pulled her to solid ground. He got her as far away from the vehicle as he could, Mouch working on extinguishing the smoke now that Dawson was clear, Casey keeping his hands on her arms as she took a slow breath.

He saw her eyes darting past him, Matt knowing she was looking back towards the other paramedics who were currently working on the injured woman.

"Are you alright?" Matt asked softly, giving her arm a gentle squeeze.

But she didn't respond to him, Gabby unable to tear her gaze away from the limp woman strapped to their gurney.

"...Gabby."

Her eyes snapped into focus, Dawson looking up towards her husband, seeing his obvious concern shining back at her.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay?" He asked again, his glove covered hand stroking her arm, Gabby giving him a quick nod, watching as his eyes trailed over her face.

"I'm fine." She replied, her own voice sounding foreign to her before she cleared her dry throat, Matt nodding as he raised his hand up towards her face, doing what he could to wipe some of the blood off her forehead, the firefighter making sure to not press too hard into her skin.

There was quite a bit of soot covering her face, the smoke hitting her in the car having mixed with the sweat on her skin, but Matt knew his glove could only do so much, the firefighter meeting her eyes as he dropped his hand back down to her arm. "You sure?"

"Mhmm." She replied, giving him a small smile. "How could I not be? I had the best Captain looking out for me." She added lightly, trying to ease the tension of the situation, Matt scoffing softly as he shook his head. "But really, I'm good." Gabby told him, her gaze moving back towards Brett and Foster.

He knew she was telling him the truth, he could tell from her body language. She was fine. She was a little rattled, but she was alright. It happened often in their line of work, that some calls just left more of a mark than others, and there was nothing wrong with that. From what he could tell, this was nothing more than that; this call had shaken her more than one normally would, but in a few hours she'd be fine. She just needed some time and she'd be good. Everyone in the firehouse had calls like that, and he could tell from having a few seconds to look over her that that's all this was. But, just because he knew she'd be alright, that wouldn't stop him from keeping an eye on her the rest of the day.

"Alright… But physically, you're feeling okay?" He questioned, slipping back into the protective husband mode easily. "I know you breathed in some smoke, and you were kind of cramped in there, you didn't hurt anything, did you?" He continued, Matt taking a step back so he could get a better look at her, Gabby shaking her head as his eyes moved over her form.

"I feel fine." She responded, but he didn't give her any sign that told her he'd heard what she said, his eyebrows furrowed as he continued looking for any signs of injury. "...Babe." She spoke, Casey looking up. "I'm okay." She assured him, Matt taking a deep breath before nodding. "I gotta go… but I feel alright. I promise."

"Okay." He replied, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to the side of her head, Matt grimacing slightly as Gabby's usual scent was being overpowered by the smell of smoke. "But if you start to feel bad or sick or something…"

"I'll let you know." She told him before he could finish his thought, Matt smiling softly before giving her a nod, Gabby mimicking his action before she stepped away from him.

Casey watched her as she jogged towards the rig, his eyes following her until she disappeared into the back of the rig with Brett, Kidd closing up the doors before 61 pulled away, sirens blaring as they headed off towards med.

Blowing out a sigh, Casey shook his head, his eyes moving back towards his firefighters, seeing all of them working on getting the scene cleaned up. He hadn't meant to abandon them once they'd gotten everyone out, but he'd been a little preoccupied by the worry he felt for his wife during this call, it had distracted him a little bit. He knew he should've been more professional, that he should've focused on the job first. But he hadn't, and he couldn't really say he regretted it.

"Dawson okay, Captain?" Herrmann asked as Matt approached them, Casey nodding as he felt all their eyes on him.

"She's fine, as far as I can tell." Casey answered, his firefighters nodding as he moved to help them. "Let's get this cleaned up, so we can get out of here."

"You heard the Captain!" Herrmann called, waving his arm around in the air, Matt shaking his head in amusement before he got back to work, the men and women around him following suit.

* * *

Casey stretched out his neck as he stood at the coffee pot in the kitchen, the Captain needing a pick me up even though it was well into the afternoon, 51's busy day starting to catch up with him as he poured his umpteenth cup of coffee for the day. As he prepared his drink the way he liked it, he tried to shake out some of the exhaustion present in his body, Matt barely registering the chatter of the first responders around him, all of them taking the second to relax while they had it.

After taking a sip of his coffee to make sure it was just as he liked it, Matt turned to head back towards his seat next to Severide, the Captain not paying much attention to what was going on around him.

It wasn't until he heard an all too familiar noise that he realized 51 had some guests in the house, Matt's head snapping up when he heard his daughter's senseless babbling, his eyes landing on little Sofia who was being held in her grandfather's arms, Ramon walking into the common room.

"Ramon, hey." Casey greeted, haphazardly placing his coffee cup down on the table before moving to meet his father-in-law in the entrance to the room, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked between his daughter and Ramon, trying to see if there was an visible reason as to why they were here.

The visit wasn't unwelcome, but it definitely hadn't been planned, and Matt couldn't help but assume that something might've been wrong, as Ramon hadn't mentioned anything about coming by to visit the firehouse during his day with Sofia.

When the parents had been made aware of Ramon's day off from work, along with his desire to spend more quality time with his granddaughter, they quickly agreed to give Becca the day off, and let Ramon watch Sofia for the day and through the night. It was something they all were excited for, both Matt and Gabby knowing how much Ramon loved getting one on one time with their little girl. And Sofia loved it just as much. Though she was still a little too young to understand much of what went on around her, Sofia absolutely loved being with her grandfather. She would get almost as excited to see him as she would whenever she was around her parents, or Becca, and Matt and Gabby were glad she felt comfortable around Ramon. They were so happy their daughter was forming a strong bond with one of her grandparents, and the both of them were more than willing to let Sofia spend as much time as possible with him, but Matt couldn't help but think something might've happened for the elder Dawson to show up here unannounced.

But from first glance, Sofia seemed to be fine, the baby continuing to babble away as she took in her surroundings, the smallest Casey not having yet noticed her dad's presence.

"What are you guys doing here?" Matt asked as he got closer, Sofia's eyes widening when she registered the familiar sound of her father's voice, the baby beginning to get visibly excited as her eyes darted around until she saw him. Her excitement then went through the roof, Matt's smiling widening when Sofia reached her arms out towards him, sounds of joy escaping the little girl's lips as she became desperate to be in the arms of her father. "There's my girl." He murmured, grabbing ahold of Sofia under her arms as he secured her in his grip, the little girl immediately reaching for any part of him that she could, her tiny fists gripping the collar of his shirt as she bounced up and down in his arms.

"We were at the park just down the road, and I thought it would be fun to stop by." Ramon finally answered Matt's question, the firefighter giving him a nod as a few of his coworkers huddled around him, everyone always loving to see the baby.

When Sofia noticed a few of the unfamiliar faces around her, the little girl not with these people enough to be able to really remember most of them, she tightened her grip on her father's clothes, like she was trying to pull herself closer to him, Matt's white shirt no doubt getting wrinkled in the process, but he didn't mind, Casey rubbing his hand along his daughter's back as he looked to his father-in-law.

"How'd she do?" Matt asked, keeping a firm hold on his little girl as she continued bouncing in his arms, the father not wanting to risk her falling as she continued to mess with his shirt, the soft sounds of her babbling filling his ears.

"Oh, she did great." Ramon spoke with a proud grin. "We went on the swing, she had a great time."

"Yeah, she loves that." Matt replied, unable to stop his smile as well as he looked back towards his daughter. "You love swinging, huh?" He asked, rubbing gently over Sofia's back before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"She didn't really like being around other people, though." Ramon added, Matt nodding as his eyes moved from him back to his baby. "She seemed to get a little clingy when other people were around."

"Yeah, she's going through that phase." Matt replied, Ramon nodding as he stepped further into the room, Casey offering to take the diaper bag from him.

"Little Sofia doesn't like being around strangers, huh?" Herrmann asked from the couch, Matt turning around as Ramon headed that way, the older Dawson greeting the older firefighter before sitting down next to him. "I remember that stage well." He added with a chuckle, Matt nodding as he placed the diaper bag down on the long table, the Captain leaning against the furniture as he felt Sofia continue to play with his collar.

"Mhmm… she's definitely at that stage." Casey agreed, rubbing his hand softly up and down Sofia's back as she held onto him.

He and Gabby had noticed it starting a few weeks ago, but now at eight months old, Sofia's hesitance around unfamiliar people had seemed to really hit its stride. They knew it was normal, that a lot of babies developed some stranger anxiety, especially around this age, but it had definitely hit Sofia out of nowhere. Aside from himself, Gabby, Becca, Ramon, Jemma, and occasionally Severide, Sofia didn't want to be around anyone else. And she especially didn't want to be held by anyone else.

Whenever in a large group, or when they were out in public with a lot of people around, she would cling to one of the few she felt comfortable with, although she was always most at ease with her parents, or Becca. But even now, with just a few firefighters around, Matt could feel how tightly Sofia was holding onto him, like she was only comfortable when she was as close to her dad as possible.

It hadn't gotten to the point where she would cry or start to scream if others tried to hold her, but she definitely didn't like it. She would fuss, and pull away from anyone who wasn't her parents, or someone she felt safe with. So Matt and Gabby didn't force it, they didn't make her go to anyone she didn't want to be held by. They knew this was just a phase they had to work through, that there'd be times where she only wanted him, or Gabby, or Becca. It wasn't anything they were worried about, but Matt did feel bad whenever Sofia was around too many people, because he knew it stressed her out.

"She sure is." Severide huffed out from the other table, the Lieutenant getting up and walking towards Casey. "Let's see, are you gonna like me today, Sof?" He asked as he got closer, Matt raising his eyebrows as he looked between Sofia and Kelly, all eyes in the room on them as Severide walked up to the baby.

Sofia didn't seem to notice him at first, but when he held his hands out as if he was wanting to hold her, the little girl immediately shied away from him, Sofia digging her head into her father's neck, curling her small body into his chest and turning away from the firefighter.

The reaction got a few laughs from around the room, Kelly shaking his head as Matt bit back a smirk, Casey holding onto his daughter a little tighter as she hid against his neck.

"So that's how it's gonna be, huh?" He asked, shaking his head as he sat next to Casey on the table, Sofia occasionally peeking out from the safety of her father's embrace, but she never pulled back very far before she dug herself into his hold again. "Can't believe you're treating me like this, Sof." He said with a scoff, Matt rolling his eyes.

"You knew there was a 50/50 shot she was gonna ignore you, you should've expected disappointment." Casey replied, tapping his hand gently over Sofia's back. "Yeah, it's not your fault, is it?" Matt continued, clearly talking to his daughter as he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "Severide is scary, I know."

"Oh brother." Kelly muttered under his breath, shaking his head as some more laughter was heard around the room. "This right here is why the little squirt won't let me hold her, you coddle her too much." He continued, though from his tone everyone in the room knew he was joking.

"I think you upset Uncle Kelly, Sof." Casey continued talking to his daughter, the little girl stretching out her arms before curling back into her father's chest, clearly content right where she was.

While with most people, it was pretty clear as to whether Sofia felt comfortable being held by them or not, she had been very hot and cold towards Severide, which, admittedly, Casey found a little amusing. He wasn't sure why Sofia had such polar opposites with her uncle in particular, but she just did. There were times she'd be completely fine with him, and even seek him out and want him to hold her, but then there other times, like now apparently, where she wanted nothing to do with him. It wasn't something any of them really understood, although Kelly like to attribute it to Gabby, often claiming that Sofia was 'in one of her moods, just like Dawson'. Though that was something the Lieutenant was smart enough to not say around the paramedic.

"Her and I used to have a good thing going on, but she's changed." Severide continued dramatically, an unimpressed look covering Casey's face as he raised his eyebrows.

"She's eight months old." Matt replied dryly, Kelly waving him off. "And you act like you're the only person she does this with, she acted the same way with Antonio the other day. Sometimes she just feels more comfortable with me, or Gabby. Don't be so dramatic."

"Man, it really doesn't take much these days for your 'protective dad mode' to come out, does it?" Severide asked with a chuckle, his words earning an eye roll from Casey, although the Lieutenant had a point. Matt was _very_ protective over his family, even in situations where it didn't necessarily warrant it. "But anyway, don't think I'll forget this when you're older, Sof."

"You'll forget this the next time Sofia wants you to hold her." Stella spoke up from the kitchen, Kelly narrowing his eyes towards his girlfriend while the first responders around him laughed at his expense. "What? You're giving the Captain a hard time, acting like you're not the biggest softy when it comes to that baby."

"She has a point, Lieutenant." Cruz echoed, Kelly rolling his eyes before looking back towards Matt and Sofia, seeing his friend wearing a smug grin while Sofia's bright blue eyes were focused on him, despite the young girl still burrowed deep within her father's grip.

Blowing out a sigh, Severide shook his head before crossing his arms over his chest, his gaze softening as he continued looking at the baby. "Yeah, yeah, alright… Maybe they have a point." He conceded, Matt chuckling softly as he continued rubbing lazy patterns over his daughter's back. The movement from his laughter caused Sofia to push back away from his chest, enough that she could see her father, the baby smiling when she saw the look on her dad's face, Sofia showing off the two small teeth that had poked through her gums on the bottom row.

Kelly couldn't help but smile when he saw the look on Sofia's face, the baby beginning to smack her dad's cheeks as she went back to bouncing in his arms. Clearly, the apprehension she felt when she realized she was in a room full of new people had started to melt away, Sofia slowly beginning to act more like the energetic and rambunctious baby she'd been from the moment she was born.

"Yeah, Uncle Kelly's funny, isn't he?" Matt asked, a giggle escaping his daughter's lips as one of her fists grabbed at his shirt, the other continuing to smack her dad's cheek. "Yeah, yeah, I know you're excited."

"So, is Gabriela out?" Ramon spoke up from the couch when there was a break in the conversation, Matt adjusting Sofia's weight in his arms as he looked towards the man sitting beside Herrmann.

"They're dropping off a patient at med." Herrmann replied first, his thick accent filling the room as Ramon nodded. "Should be back pretty soon, though."

"Yeah, we finished up the call about an hour ago, so they should be back anytime." Casey added as Sofia grabbed ahold of his thumb, pulling it towards her mouth. "No, no, Sof." He murmured, the girl beginning to fuss as he pulled his hand away before she could start biting him, Matt securing the baby against him with one arm before he reached over to grab the diaper bag, the father beginning to sort through it. Quickly, he found one of her many teething rings, Matt holding it out in front of the little girl.

"Oh, sounds like they just got back." Otis spoke, Matt faintly hearing the sound of the ambo backing up as Sofia grabbed the teething ring from him, holding onto it in her little fists before bringing it towards her mouth, the baby immediately beginning to chew on it, the item in question quickly being covered in slobber, as well as some drool rolling down her chin onto her shirt.

"Yeah, that's better than chewing on Daddy, huh?" Matt murmured, rubbing his hand over Sofia's head before pressing a kiss to her forehead, Sofia completely preoccupied by the object in her hands.

Casey looked up when he heard the door open, his eyes immediately searching for his wife as he saw 51's paramedics enter the firehouse. But it was soon apparent that they were one short, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as Brett and Foster came into the common room, but Gabby was nowhere in sight.

"Hey guys." Kidd greeted, Brett giving her a nod.

"Hey… and hello Miss Sofia." Sylvie greeted the baby, rubbing over the girl's back before she continued further into the common room, Foster following behind her as Sofia looked towards the person who'd touched her before her attention refocused on the teething ring in her hands.

"Your drop off go alright? You guys were gone for awhile." Stella asked them as they got closer to her, Matt continuously looking towards the door, waiting for his wife to come in as well.

"Yeah, yeah, it was fine. We were just restocking." Foster replied, Kidd giving her a nod before going back to the snack she was eating, Matt glancing back towards the paramedics.

"Hey, where's Gabby?" He asked before they could continue talking, both Brett and Foster looking back towards him.

"She's out in the garage." Emily responded, Matt nodding before his eyes moved towards the double doors again.

Knowing there was no reason to question them any further, Matt secured Sofia in his arms before pushing himself off the table, the baby continuing to chew away happily on her teething ring as Matt moved towards the garage.

"Come on, Sof. Let's go find Momma." He spoke softly, rubbing over her back as he got to the doors. "I know she'll be excited to see you."

Pushing the door open, Matt stepped out into the garage, the decently warm April air flooding into the apparatus floor through all the open garage doors. His boots hitting the ground were the only sound that could be heard in the otherwise empty room, Sofia too preoccupied with the teething ring in her mouth to be babbling away like she normally did as Casey walked the familiar path towards the ambulance.

When the rig came into view, he saw the back doors had been left open, Matt continuing towards the ambulance, expecting to see his wife in the back. But as he came around behind the doors, his mouth open to greet her, it quickly fell shut when he saw the rig was empty, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he continued around towards the front of the rig.

"Gabby?" He asked as he walked to the passenger side door, thinking she might've been still sitting inside. "Baby, you out here?" He spoke as he got to the front, but those seats were also empty, Casey's confusion only growing as he looked back towards the firehouse.

It had quickly become apparent that, despite her having been out here when Brett and Foster came inside, Gabby had gone somewhere else in that short amount of time, Matt finding himself alone out here in the garage. Figuring they must've just missed each other, and that she was somewhere inside the firehouse, Matt blew out a sigh before walking around the front of the rig, intent on heading back to the common room.

But his path was immediately halted when he heard a strange noise coming from just outside the garage, confusion filling his features as he turned to look out into the driveway. When he didn't see anything out of the ordinary, he just assumed he was hearing things, but then he heard the sound again, Matt immediately walking in that direction when he registered what sounded like someone throwing up.

As he stepped out into the driveway, an immediate frown covered his face when he saw Gabby hunched over by the side of the house, her hand resting up against the brick wall as she emptied the contents on her stomach into the dirt and grass beneath her feet.

"Hey hey hey, Gabby." He spoke quickly, Matt rushing the few feet towards her, keeping Sofia firmly in one arm as his free hand reached out to rub her back, Gabby tensing slightly under his touch, the paramedic not having heard him come up behind her. "It's okay." He murmured soothingly, Matt wincing as he heard her gag.

Gabby relaxed the second she realized who was behind her, Matt gently pulling her ponytail back out of the way, letting her hair rest against her back before he continued rubbing soothing motions over her lower back. Her hands were resting against her knees as she waited for the nausea to pass, a grimace covering her face as she tasted the bile in the mouth, her throat burning from the continuous hacking she'd been doing for the past five minutes.

She continued to take slow breaths, her hands shaking slightly while she focused on the feeling of Matt rubbing her back, her eyes clenched tightly as felt sweat gathering on her forehead.

"You alright?" Matt asked cautiously, the frown never disappearing from his face as he adjusted Sofia in his grip, the baby still completely distracted by the teething ring in her hands, unaware of the fact that her mother was just inches away from her.

"Yeah, yeah-" She cut herself off as she cleared her throat, Gabby spitting out the last of the bile in her mouth before she slowly stood up straight, the paramedic ignoring the pounding pressure in her head. "I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

Taking a deep breath, Gabby turned around with the intention of assuring him that she was okay, but her train of thought got derailed when she saw the baby in her husband's arms, Sofia being the last thing she was expecting to see as she faced Matt.

"What's Sof doing here?" She asked as she cleared her throat again, Matt's worried eyes never leaving her as his gaze trailed over her body, the firefighter looking for any other signs of distress. But when he saw none, he eventually met her eyes again, Matt's face softening before he answered her question.

"Your dad is here, he decided to stop by with Sof." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod. "I guess they went to the park just down the road, and he figured he'd bring her by." Matt added, Gabby forcing a weak smile before looking towards her baby, reaching out to run her hand over Sofia's back. "...What's wrong?"

Gabby looked away from Sofia back towards her husband, seeing that same look of worry that he usually wore whenever she or their daughter were concerned, Dawson shaking her head as she ran her fingers lightly through Sofia's curly hair, the baby continuing to babble while she chewed on her toy.

"Nothing, I just got sick." She replied softly, her voice sounding a little hoarse as she spoke.

The second those words left her mouth, she could tell her husband wasn't convinced, Matt's eyes narrowing in concern as he lifted his free hand up to her face, resting the back of his hand over her forehead. His frowned deepened when he felt the sweat building up on her skin, Matt shaking his head as he did what he could to check her temperature.

"Matt, I'm fine-"

"You don't seem fine." He interjected quickly. Moving his hand down from her forehead, he rested his palm over her cheek, Gabby knowing he was doing this more for comfort than anything else, the paramedic taking a slow breath as she let herself relax into his touch. "Do you still feel nauseous?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head slowly. "You wanna go into the garage? Get out of the heat?"

While it wasn't all that hot outside, Gabby's skin felt pretty warm to him, and he didn't want her out in the sun any longer than she had to be. But he also didn't want to try and take her inside if she was still feeling a little unsteady.

"Yeah, that's fine." She replied, Matt dropping his hand as she began to walk back towards the rig.

He stayed close to her, trying to gauge her condition as she walked slowly into the garage, Matt keeping a hand on her back as they moved towards the ambulance, the small family coming to a stop by the open back doors.

"Why don't you sit down." He suggested gently, Gabby nodding as she sat down onto the floor of the rig, her feet resting against the ground as Matt perched his foot up on the step. "...So you just felt sick?" He asked as he kept his eyes on her, Gabby giving him another nod as he tried to understand what exactly happened.

"Yeah… It kind of just hit me out of nowhere when we got back. But I'm alright, I don't feel sick anymore." She replied, clearing her throat again after she spoke, Gabby still trying to get the taste of vomit out of her mouth.

"Have you been feeling sick at all?" He asked, Gabby raising her eyebrows, wondering why he was pressing this so much. "I mean, you haven't mentioned anything about not feeling well lately, but I'm just trying to check off all the boxes here." He added with a soft grin, Gabby shaking her head slightly in response. "Or, uh-" He cut himself off, clearing his throat before continuing. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?" He questioned, confusion covering her features as she waited for him to elaborate. "From the call… I know you said you were okay, but are you sure? You were in that car for awhile." Matt finished, Gabby pursing her lips together as she shook her head again.

"No, I'm alright… If anything, I might've just gotten overheated, from being in the car and everything." She replied softly, Matt nodding in understanding. "But I feel better now. Promise."

There was a flash of something he couldn't read that flickered in her eyes, but as quickly as he noticed it, it was gone, Matt knowing better than to push any harder right now. He knew if something were actually wrong, she'd tell him, so he dropped it, the firefighter placing his foot back on the ground before moving to sit down beside her in the back of the ambulance.

Before he could even get situated, Sofia began wriggling around in his arms, the baby having finally noticed her mother's presence, sounds of frustration leaving her lips as she reached out towards her mom but couldn't get to her.

"Hi baby." Gabby cooed, reaching out to take Sofia from her husband's arms, Matt skillfully catching the slobbery teething ring as Sofia dropped it in the handoff before it could hit the ground. As soon as Sofia was in her mom's grasp, she cuddled into Gabby's chest, the little girl content to just be with her mom for a moment as she held onto Gabby's shirt tightly.

"Yeah, you'll help Momma feel better, won't you, Sof?" Matt murmured, Gabby smiling softly as her husband reached out to rub along Sofia's back, the baby nuzzling herself against her mom, her head buried against Gabby's neck.

The family sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, Matt having wrapped his arm around her back, his hand rubbing lightly up and down her side as they enjoyed this quiet moment together. But, even in their silence, she could feel him holding something back. Like there was something he wanted to tell her, but he wasn't saying it, Gabby feeling his eyes focused on her intensely.

"Matt…" She eventually spoke, turning towards him as a sheepish look covered his face, Gabby shaking her head slightly. "What is it?"

"What?"

"Whatever you're wanting to say, what is it?" She repeated, Matt raising his eyebrows as his tongue ran along his lower lip, Gabby raising her eyebrows challengingly as well, Casey releasing a soft sigh before giving in.

"It's nothing, I just… If you're not feeling well, I can go talk to Boden." He told her, Gabby pursing her lips together as she realized just how concerned he was after finding her outside the firehouse. "And I know your dad wouldn't mind dropping you off at home."

"Matt…"

"I don't want you working if you're not feeling well." He continued worriedly. "Our jobs are dangerous enough as is, I don't want to risk something happening because you're sick. If you really are feeling better, then okay… But if you're not, I think you going home is worth considering."

"Babe, I'm alright." She told him for what felt like the fiftieth time, Matt eyeing her skeptically. "Really, I am. I'd tell you if I weren't."

He could hear the slight edge in her voice, Matt knowing she was getting a little frustrated with him, the firefighter nodding as he rested his hand on her hip.

"Okay… You know I'm gonna worry about you, but I'm sorry you got sick." He replied, running his teeth along his bottom lip before continuing. "And I'm sorry for being overbearing." He added with a soft smile, Gabby scoffing lightly as he leaned into his side.

"It's alright. It's not like that's surprising." She responded teasingly, Matt's smirk widening before he leaned forward to press a quick kiss to the side of her head. "I love you." She murmured as he pulled back, Matt bringing his free hand up to rest over hers that was holding Sofia against her chest, Casey nodding softly.

"I love you too." He replied as the small family continued to sit together in the back of the ambulance, wanting to enjoy this quiet moment they had before it was sure to get interrupted by citizens out in Chicago who might need their help.

* * *

"I bet you're feeling a lot better now, huh Sof?" Matt asked as his daughter laid on the bed, the father gently drying her off with her towel as she wriggled around beneath him. Casey had just finished giving the little girl a much needed bath, Matt reaching for the clean diaper he'd grabbed seconds prior before putting it on her, Sofia beginning to chew on her fist while her dad got her dressed.

About half an hour ago, shortly after Matt had finished feeding Sofia, which mostly consisted of her playing with the food while he tried to get her to eat it, as he was beginning to clean up, the baby had accidentally made quite the mess through her diaper. It wasn't pretty, and it had led to Matt immediately taking her to get a bath, knowing him cleaning up the carnage from lunch time would have to wait, as this was much more pressing.

It was something that had happened plenty of times since she was born, Matt completely unfazed by any of Sofia's bodily functions at this point, but it was the timing of this one that Casey didn't like so much, seeing as how Gabby had been out on the apartment when it happened. Normally in these situations, if the mess got on more than just their baby, which of course this time it had, one of them would clean the baby while the other cleaned up the aftermath. But with Matt on his own this afternoon, cleaning up her high chair had to wait as his first priority was Sofia.

"Your Momma's gonna be glad she missed that one, baby." He continued talking to his daughter as he lathered her skin with lotion, which was something they always did after bath time, Sofia babbling away as he gently rubbed over her chest and stomach. "Which, speaking of, I wonder when she's gonna be back… she really timed that well, didn't she?"

When Gabby had abruptly left the apartment earlier today while Matt was playing with Sofia, she didn't say much as to where she was going, just that she had some errands she needed to run, and that she'd be back later. But he didn't expect her running out for a few errands to mean she'd be gone for nearly three hours. And though he had planned on calling her once he finished feeding Sofia, just to make sure she was alright, those plans quickly changed, for obvious reasons, and he hadn't got the chance to reach out yet. But he definitely wanted to.

Since they'd gotten home from shift this morning, there had been a weird feeling in the air around them, Gabby being a little distant from him. He wasn't sure why, but she'd been acting kind of strange around him for the past week or so, really ever since she'd gotten sick at the firehouse last week. It was a little weird, he could tell something had been bothering her but she hadn't mentioned whatever it was, so he figured it best to just wait it out. Pushing her in situations like these never worked out well, and even though Gabby didn't shut down the way she used to, she still needed to do things in her own time. It was just who she was, and he'd never try to change that. But he had tried to do a good job of subtly reminding her he was here to talk, if anything was ever bothering her, although he wasn't sure just how subtle he was actually being.

But regardless, whatever had her acting a little off, he knew she'd come to him if she needed to. For now, he was more interested in knowing where she'd run off to a few hours ago, and when she'd be back.

"Alright my sweet girl," He started as he slid her arms into her onesie, completing the task of getting her dressed as he zipped up the clothing. "Let's go play and wait for Momma, alright? Hopefully you'll be able to see her before nap time." He spoke lightly, Sofia squealing at the sound of his voice, Matt hovering over her before pressing multiple kisses all over her face and her stomach. Loving the attention, Sofia began nearly screaming from excitement, Matt continuing to kiss her all over her face, the loud giggles from his baby like music to his ears.

They continued this game for a few minutes before Matt picked her up, Sofia babbling away as he carried her out of the bedroom, the little girl looking around at her familiar surroundings while Matt took in the sight of the mess left behind.

He knew he needed to clean up, but before he did, there was something else he wanted to do first, Matt walking the few steps towards the counter to grab his phone. Seeing he still didn't have any missed calls or texts from his wife, he quickly called her, Matt putting the phone up to his ear as he felt Sofia smacking her hand against his chest.

He waited and waited for her to pick up, but she never did, the call eventually going to voicemail, Matt sighing as he hung up the phone, putting it back down on the counter before looking towards his daughter.

"Okay Sof, you're gonna have to give Daddy a second to clean all this up while we wait for Momma to come home." He told her, Matt walking towards the living room to get a few things he knew he'd need. Grabbing her play-mat, he carried it over towards the kitchen, placing it down right in front of the entrance to their bedroom before sitting Sofia down on top of it. From here, he had the perfect view of her from pretty much everyone in the apartment, but especially from the kitchen. He could keep an eye on her while he got this mess cleaned up, and just as importantly, Sofia could see him. While she preferred being held over pretty much anything else, she was usually okay if she could still see her parents, which meant Matt would have some time to get this place cleaned up as he waited for Gabby to get back.

Sofia sat there while her dad moved back towards the living room to grab a few toys for her, the baby having mastered the art of sitting up on her own, her curious eyes watching her father closely as he came back with a few of her favorite blocks, one of her favorite toys that lit up and made noise whenever she'd hit it, and a very beloved stuffed animal, Matt knowing those would keep her occupied long enough for him to clean the kitchen.

After giving Sofia her toys, and seeing the baby was immediately interested in what had been placed in front of her, Matt began the process of cleaning up the mess Sofia had made. He started with her highchair, wiping that down as thoroughly as he possibly could, the father hearing sounds of excitement coming from his daughter as her toy continued making noise whenever she pressed against the different buttons. He spared glances her way occasionally while he cleaned up, Matt needing visual confirmation that his little girl was okay even though he could hear her playing.

It took about ten minutes for him to get her highchair cleaned, and for him to get the food that Sofia had been playing with off the floor, the area looking relatively spotless considering the mess it had endured nearly an hour ago. Blowing out a heavy breath, Matt eyed the dishes that were piling up in the sink, Casey knowing that he should probably work on cleaning those up while he had the time. With Sofia occupied, he knew it would be smart to go ahead and get the rest of the kitchen taken care of so they wouldn't have to do it later, even though it wasn't something he necessarily liked doing.

But just as he was about to start working on those, he heard the music Sofia's toy was playing abruptly stop, Matt turning to look back towards his baby, seeing Sofia still smacking the toy with her little hands.

"Oh boy." He muttered under his breath, knowing Sofia was not going to be happy that her toy wasn't working. And his assumption was quickly proven correct as Sofia immediately began fussing the moment she understood that her toy had stopped playing music and lighting up, despite her still hitting against it over and over.

Knowing his few moments of time where Sofia was distracted were now over, Matt walked back to his baby, the little girl clearly becoming frustrated at the situation.

"What happened, Sof?" He asked as he crouched down beside her mat, the girl's fussing quieting slightly when she noticed her dad's presence. Matt tested the toy out quickly, pressing down against a few of the buttons that usually got it to play sounds or light up, but none of them were working. Knowing the toy wasn't that old, Sofia only having had it for maybe a month or two, Matt quickly figured that they must've just put some bad batteries in it, the father looking towards his daughter as she reached out towards him, clearly wanting to be picked up. "Come here." He murmured, grabbing ahold of her underneath her arms and picking her up, Matt grabbing the toy once she was settled in his grasp before he stood up off the ground. "Let's see if new batteries can get this thing working again, huh? Then you can have your toy back and Daddy can finish cleaning up the kitchen." He spoke to her as if they were having a conversation, Sofia's fussing having subsided once she was comfortably in her dad's arms, the baby distracted by her fist that she was currently chewing on as Matt walked over towards the counter by their back door. "Alright, last I checked we kept our batteries in here somewhere." He breathed out as he pulled open the first drawer, Matt rifling through it.

He continued the process through a few drawers, the father unable to find what he was looking for. As he got to the last one, he pulled it open, moving things around in search of some batteries. But he couldn't find any. Moving his hand towards the back of the drawer in one last effort to try and find the thing that would make his daughter happy, he was disappointed to not feel any batteries, but there was something else that caught his attention, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he grabbed onto what felt like paper. Considering this was a drawer where they kept scissors, tape, pens, and apparently not any batteries, he found that to be a little odd, Matt assuming some piece of paperwork had accidentally gotten placed in here as he pulled out whatever it was.

But he was quickly proven wrong when he saw the envelope in his hand, his confusion growing when he read his name that was printed across the front.

Matt wasn't exactly sure what he was looking at. With no postage, and simply just his first name written across the front of the white envelope, this wasn't something that had been mailed here. And judging by the fact he most definitely recognized the writing to be Gabby's, it was clear this was something she had written to him.

Something she'd written, but hadn't given him.

Turning it over, he saw the envelope was sealed shut, Matt's tongue poking out between his teeth as he tried to think of what this could possibly be.

What would she write him but not just tell him? Why would she have hidden it away instead of giving it to him? How long ago had she written it?

None of this was really making that much sense to him, but regardless of his questions, the only thing he did know was that this was a letter to him from his wife. And he wasn't sure if it was something he should open or not.

But he didn't have time to think over what he should do as he heard the familiar sound of the front door unlocking, Matt quickly shoving the letter back into the drawer out of instinct just as Gabby stepped inside their home. She didn't see him at first, even though they had a straight view of one another, Matt quickly shutting the drawer as she closed their front door, the father walking with Sofia towards the living room.

Gabby noticed him as soon as she began to walk further into their home, Matt seeing that his presence took her by surprise as her eyes widened slightly before she relaxed, Gabby flashing him a small, albeit weak, smile as she placed her bag on the table by the front door.

"Hey." She greeted before kicking off her shoes, Matt adjusting Sofia in his arms as he walked to meet up with her in the living room.

"Hello… I was about to send out a search party, I wasn't sure where you went." He spoke lightly, Gabby rolling her eyes as she came to a stop less than a foot away from him, her hand reaching out to rub over Sofia's back.

"What were you guys up to?" She asked, completely ignoring his comment as the baby noticed her mother's presence, Sofia practically lunging into Gabby's arms.

Matt's eyebrows furrowed slightly when she dodged his words about where she'd been, but he chose not to focus on it, the husband smiling softly as he watched Sofia hold onto her mom tightly, the baby smacking lightly against Gabby's chest as she was excited to be with her mom, clearly having forgotten all about her frustration with her toy minutes prior. "Well, we had quite the morning." He told her as they moved towards the couch, Matt's hand ghosting over her back as they walked.

"Oh you did, huh?" She asked as she made herself comfortable, Matt sitting down beside his wife and baby.

"We sure did… We watched some cartoons, played for a bit… Sofia ate pretty well, even though half of it ended up on the floor. Then after she ate, well- she made a mess." He told her, Gabby nodding in understanding as Sofia sat in her lap, the little girl facing her parents. "So we got her all cleaned up. And I was working on cleaning the kitchen when you got here." He finished, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she gently bounced her legs up and down, Sofia thoroughly enjoying the movement.

"So you weren't kidding, you really did have quite the morning." She repeated his earlier words, Matt scoffing lightly as he shook his head, the husband bringing his arm up to rest on the back of the couch, his hand moving to massage her scalp lightly.

"Yeah, we did… Speaking of, do you know if we have batteries?" He asked, lifting up Sofia's toy that was still in his free hand, Gabby raising her eyebrows before nodding towards their desk in the living room.

"There should be some in there." She replied, Matt glancing back to the direction she'd gestured before nodding.

"Ah yes, the place I didn't look. Of course." He responded jokingly, his words earning a chuckle from his wife as she shook her head. "Her toy stopped working, so I was looking for some. But I didn't make it that far, yet." He added, swallowing thickly as his mind went back to the letter he found, Matt trying to decide if it was something he should bring up right now or not.

He was curious, and wanted to know about whatever was in that letter. But as he saw the exhaustion written across her face, combined with how strange she'd been acting as of late, he figured it was best to just drop it for now, though forgetting about it was much easier said than done.

"Yeah, there should be some in there." She replied, her voice snapping him from his thoughts. "And if there's not, we'll get some… We can't have that toy out of commission for too long, Sof loves it too much."

Nodding in agreement, Matt relaxed back into the couch, placing the toy on the cushion beside him as Gabby fell into his side, a calm quiet falling over them aside from the noise coming from the TV that was still playing Sofia's cartoons that had never gotten turned off. There was still a bit of a weird feeling in the air between them, but Matt couldn't tell if that was just from him, and his curiosity at whatever was going on with his wife, or if she was feeling the same uneasiness he was.

But regardless, he ignored it for now as he pressed a soft kiss against the side of her head, Matt feeling her relax more into him as they cuddled together on the couch. Whatever was going on, they would talk about it, and soon, but right now he just wanted to enjoy some nice peaceful time with his wife and his baby, and forget about everything else.


	85. Chapter Eighty Five

**Hello everyone! I'm back with the next chapter for you all. Thank you all for the kind words you left me on the last one, I'm glad you all enjoyed it. Hopefully you all like this one, as well.**

**Before we get into it, I just have a quick question for you all. Do you all enjoy the long chapters, or would you prefer shorter ones? I'm just curious as to which you all prefer.**

**I hope you all enjoy this one. Thanks for reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty Five**_

* * *

Matt tapped his finger against the table rapidly as his eyes scanned over the images in front of him, the firefighter staring at the laptop curiously as he tuned out the noise around him. It was a relatively uneventful day at Firehouse 51, for Truck 81 at least, which had led to a lot of downtime for Casey and his firefighters. The Captain had tried to do a few things to keep them busy and ready to go at a moment's notice, Matt even opting to do some drills with his team before lunch time, but even that hadn't lasted too long. He didn't want to run them ragged, and put them through drills just for the sake of killing some time, so aside from a few drills, and having them clean the rig, Casey hadn't had much for them to do. It had just been an easy shift for them so far, despite the fact that Squad 3 and Ambulance 61, the latter especially, had seemed to have been run all over Chicago today.

While for him and his crew the workload had been light today, 81 only having been called out once at the start of shift, that had not been the case for 51's other companies, the firehouse's paramedics having been gone most of the day. That had seemed to be happening a lot these last few shifts, more so than usual, where 61 would be gone most of the day, being called out over and over, barely having time to take a breath. Casey wasn't sure what the deal was, or why things had been so chaotic throughout the city as of late, but he could only hope it slowed down soon, especially for Gabby's sake.

With this nonstop pace Ambulance 61 had been on for their last few shifts, it had really been taking it out of Gabby. She was exhausted, seemingly all the time, Matt finding her more often than not taking naps during their off days during times she'd usually be wide awake. And every morning after shift over the last week, as soon as they got home, Gabby would go and lie down, usually sleeping, or at least staying in bed, until noon while Matt watched Sofia. And that definitely had him worried.

He didn't mind being the one to take care of Sofia while Gabby got some rest, in fact he encouraged it. He was all for her getting the sleep she needed, but what had him concerned was how often she was needing to rest. It was something that was definitely out of the ordinary for her, her coming home and passing out for hours, even after nights where she got a decent amount of sleep. He couldn't help but feel like there was something else going on, something causing her to not get a full night's rest even when she had the option. And he was pretty sure it was the same something causing her distant behavior.

It had been about two weeks since it first started, since she'd been acting a little strange, especially towards him, and he still wasn't sure what was causing it. A few days ago, he'd finally given in and asked her about it, Matt not liking the weird, almost tension between them, but she gave him next to nothing in response. Though that wasn't the only time he'd asked, either. Over the past week, he'd asked her multiple times about what was going on with her, and if something was wrong, but each time she'd brush it off, saying she was fine and that she was just tired. But she didn't seem fine to him, and he was a little worried.

He kept telling himself that if something were seriously wrong, she'd come to him. That if she needed help, she would let him in, but clearly whatever was going on with her, she didn't seem to want, or need, his help. It hadn't led to any fights, or even any disagreements between them, probably because Matt didn't push back too hard, but there was just a weird feeling around them. Everything between them felt off, and he didn't know why, but it concerned him.

And he could tell the firehouse was starting to take notice, too.

When he and Gabby would act a certain way every day for years, it's noticeable when that dynamic changes. And that's exactly what had happened. They weren't in sync the way they usually were, there had been an obvious shift in their dynamic over the last few weeks, and Matt had a feeling everyone noticed.

Whereas before, him and Gabby were usually together during shift, whether sitting together in the common room, or spending time together in his office, regardless of where they were, if they were both in the house at the same time, they were usually together. It was just habit, it was them wanting to be with one another when they had the time to. But that desire had shifted over the last couple of weeks, at least it had on Gabby's end, and there was definitely a strange feeling surrounding the couple. Gabby was no longer sitting out with everyone, or seeking shelter in Matt's office when she wanted some time to herself; she was just content to be on her own. She'd go where people weren't, usually ending up in the bunk room, or staying out in the ambulance, and when she was with everyone, she usually wasn't all there. She'd seem very far away, and hard to reach. Like even though she'd be sitting there with everyone, her mind was a million miles away.

It was very unusual behavior for her, and it had left everyone a little concerned. But there was nothing Matt could do if she wouldn't talk to him, because the last thing he wanted was to push her too hard and make whatever this was worse. But if she didn't come around soon, he might not have any other choice.

He knew she'd been through a lot recently, that everything life had thrown at them in the eight and a half months since Sofia had been born, not to mention everything they'd been dealing with before that, a lot of it had rattled Gabby. Understandably so. Her especially, she'd been through a lot, but in all that time, no matter what was going on, she hadn't acted like this. She hadn't been this distant from him in a long time. Truthfully, the last time he could remember her acting like this, was how things had been between them before she went to Puerto Rico.

That thought alone was enough to fill his stomach with dread, and even though they were in a much better place now than they were then, this distance she was putting between them reminded him an awful lot of how things had been for them then, and he hated it. He absolutely dreaded even the thought of them being in that place again, he _refused_ to let them ever be in that place again. And he knew Gabby didn't want them back in that place, either.

In all of this weird tension and distance that had been between them the last two weeks, that was one thing he was certain of. That whatever was happening now, was nothing like how things were between them back then before they fell apart. They weren't those people anymore. But regardless, the distance she was clearly putting between them left him a little worried, and he wasn't sure how much longer he could wait for her to come to him, especially when there were things he needed to talk to her about, as well.

Things like that note.

The note he found last week that was addressed to him, the one he still hadn't found the courage to read yet. The one that Gabby had clearly hid away, some place where she didn't intend for him to find it, which was another part to this altogether.

He didn't know if he should just read it, and deal with whatever was in that letter afterwards. Or if he should ask her first, even though doing that ran the risk of him never seeing what was inside it. If he went to her and tried to talk about it, especially with how things were between them right now, part of him couldn't help but feel like she'd hide the letter away and he'd probably never see it again. And, selfishly, he wasn't sure if he wanted to risk that.

Clearly, that letter was for him. She had written it for him, and he was dying to know what was in it.

"Why are you looking at townhouses?"

Casey jumped slightly as Severide's voice broke his train of thought, Matt glancing up to see Kelly hovering over his shoulder, clearly staring at his computer screen. Looking back to his laptop, Matt quickly closed it, taking away the images of the different places he'd been looking at over the last half hour or so, Kelly huffing out a breath before moving to sit down beside his friend.

"What do you want, Severide?" Casey asked, the Lieutenant putting his hands up in defense as he leaned back in his seat.

"Well, you're in about as good of a mood as Dawson is." He shot back, Matt releasing a heavy sigh as Kelly dropped his hands down to the arm rests of his chair, Severide raising his eyebrows expectantly. "Speaking of… is she doing okay?" Kelly asked, tapping his finger quickly against the furniture he was sitting on. "After how that call went down today… I don't know, Dawson's not usually like that."

Clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth, Casey mimicked Severide's position, leaning back in his chair as he thought over how to answer him. Matt knew this talk was coming after what had happened on truck's lone call this morning, if anything Casey was just surprised it had taken this long for Kelly to mention it.

The call earlier today, the one that had left all of them a little on edge, was one where every company in the house had been needed. There was a pretty bad accident a few blocks from the firehouse that required all hands on deck, one that had inevitably caused some tensions to flare between Dawson and Severide.

The call itself wasn't anything too tricky. Even though the accident was pretty brutal, it was a situation they'd dealt with hundreds of times before, but Gabby and Severide instantly butted heads, which was definitely out of the normal for them. Rarely, in all the years they'd known each other, had they gone at it on a call. Casey couldn't even remember if they'd _ever_ gotten into it on a call, but today that had changed.

_Casey grimaced as he hopped down from the rig, the Captain putting his helmet on his head before he walked towards the scene, his mind racing to try and figure out how to best help those involved in this horrific crash. _

"_Truck, get extinguishers on that vehicle, now!" He barked, his firefighters quickly going to work._

_It was only two cars, but, from what he could see through the flames, for as much damage that had been done, at least one of the drivers had to have been going way above the speed limit for being on a residential street. One car was completely crushed from both sides, the vehicle sandwiched in between the other car and some steps leading up to someone's home, both cars having ended up partially on the sidewalk. The car that had taken the most impact was essentially compressed from both sides, the passenger side having crushed inward on impact. Casey figured they'd gotten lucky to not have crashed into any homes, that they'd hit the concrete stairs before hitting anything else, but the sight definitely wasn't pretty, and he couldn't imagine how anyone in the crushed car would've been able to survive._

_But they had to take things one step at a time, the Captain knowing they couldn't do anything safely until the fire was out, then every move afterwards had to be done carefully. One misstep could endanger the lives of however many people were in those vehicles, if they were even still alive._

"_61, I'm not sure what we're dealing with here." Casey spoke as he looked to the paramedics, his firefighters having just gotten the fire out. "Once we have a read on the victims, we'll go from there." He told them, his eyes landing on Gabby, watching her nod in response before he returned his attention to the scene, Severide already on the other side of the damaged vehicles. He was standing up by the hood, it being impossible to get to the car from the passenger side. "How's it looking, Severide?" Casey called, watching as Kelly waved some of the smoke out of the air, trying to get a decent look into the car._

"_Hello? Can anyone in there hear me?" Severide called out, Matt grimacing as he got a look at the man in the car beside him. He was bloody and unconscious, Casey waving 61 over to help as a second ambo pulled up to the scene._

"_Can one of you go help Severide?" Casey asked as Brett got a collar on the unconscious man inside the damaged car. _

"_I got it." Dawson offered, Foster giving her a nod as Gabby stepped around Casey to head for the more damaged car, everyone on the scene knowing the victims inside that vehicle were bound to be in much worse shape._

_Casey wasn't sure exactly what had started the fighting between Dawson and Severide, the Captain focused on the victim in front of him as Brett and Foster worked diligently as soon as 81 had gotten him out, but when he heard Gabby snapping at Kelly, he knew things were not going as smoothly over at the other vehicle._

"_Severide, we can't wait, and you know that." Gabby's voice echoed through the busy street, Kelly shaking his head as he reached for her arm as she moved towards the car._

"_You can't go in there, we have to get the car moved first."_

"_If we move the car before she's stabilized, we could end up doing more damage." Dawson fought back before Severide could even finish his sentence, Gabby ripping her arm from his hold. From their conversation, Matt guessed there was only one victim inside the second vehicle, which he could only feel a bit thankful for. _

"_Dawson, it's not safe." Severide tried again, Matt seeing Gabby's entire body tense. "Look at that car, no one can get in there before we get the doors off, the entire thing is crushed." He spoke as squad started the process of moving the first car now that the man was out, Gabby scoffing as she shook her head. _

"_I can fit. I can crawl in through the back window, and at least get a collar on her." She tried, Matt seeing Kelly's eyes narrow._

"_No, you can't. These cars were just on fire, there's no telling if that'll happen again." He spoke, keeping his voice firm. "If the car goes up in flames and you're in there, we might not be able to get you out in time. You're not going in there." _

_Matt couldn't see her face, but from the look Severide gave her, Casey could only assume the look she was giving him wasn't pleasant, Gabby shaking her head before continuing towards the vehicle._

"_Dawson, stop!" He nearly shouted, but she wouldn't listen._

"_You're not gonna stop me from helping this woman."_

"_Gabby-" Matt interjected as he stepped closer, knowing this situation was about to reach the point of no return if he didn't intervene._

"_You know better than anyone you can't go in there right now." Severide spoke up, placing his hand on her arm to stop her, but she violently ripped herself from his hold yet again._

"_Don't touch me, Severide." She snapped, Kelly's eyes widening at her tone as he glanced towards Casey, Matt shaking his head, the husband clearly unsure as to why she was so insistent, especially when Severide was right. And they all knew he was right. She had no business going into that car, not until it was safe for them._

"_Dawson…" Casey tried again, hoping his use of her last name and the tone in his voice would get her to stand down, but it didn't. She either didn't hear him, or she ignored him, Gabby looking towards the car as she tried to find the best way for her to get to the back._

"_Dawson, you're not going in there." Severide spoke again. "My guys are almost ready to get this thing moved, a few more seconds won't hurt anything."_

"_It's not just because of the time!" She nearly shouted, her sudden anger taking them all by surprise. "Maybe if you'd listen to me when I say something, you'd know that. We both know the car will shift when we move that other vehicle, which could hurt her. I at least need to get a collar on her."_

"_Dawson-"_

"_I'm going in." She spoke roughly, her narrow eyes focused on Kelly. "And you can't stop me from helping her. Last I checked, you weren't in charge here."_

"_And neither are you." He snapped back, Gabby's eyebrows raising as her face hardened._

"_Severide…" Matt tried to diffuse the situation, but he was not having much luck as neither of them were listening to him._

"_You're not in charge anymore, either." Kelly continued. "You're not the PIC anymore, and you haven't been for a long time. You don't call the shots here, so stand down."_

_Gabby's expression became unreadable as the words left his lips, Matt shaking his head as he glanced back and forth between the two first responders, neither of them dropping their glare from the other. _

"_No one goes in until the car is moved. And that's an order." Casey spoke roughly as he shifted completely into Captain mode, waving his hand at Cruz, telling the man to start backing up the rig now that the chain was attached to the car. "Severide's right, it's too dangerous. Once we have a safe entry, you can go in Dawson." He continued, Gabby's tongue poking out between her teeth before she gave a quick nod, clearly not happy with the order she'd been given._

"_Fine… Captain." She spoke harshly before walking away from them, anger rolling off her in waves as she got out of the way, Matt unsure if her anger was directed at him, or at Severide. But regardless, it wasn't something they could deal with now. What was going on with them didn't matter, not until they got the woman out of this car._

"I just… I don't know what else I was supposed to do." Kelly continued, pulling Casey from the memory as he glanced towards his friend.

"Well, the shot about her not being the PIC anymore didn't help anything." Matt replied, Severide shaking his head as he released a deep sigh.

"It wasn't a shot at her." He defended himself. "It's the truth. She's not the PIC anymore."

"You know what I mean, Severide." He said pointedly, Kelly running his hand over his mouth.

"I wasn't trying to get into it with her, but she wasn't listening to me." Severide spoke, sitting up in his chair. "I mean, and you agreed with me, we all knew it was too dangerous for her to go in. I don't know why she was fighting it so hard… I know she was concerned about that woman, we all were, but Dawson putting herself in danger wouldn't have helped anything."

"I agree with you, Sev. I do." Matt said, taking a deep breath before continuing. "She shouldn't have been try to go in there, and I'm not really sure why she was so insistent. She knows better, she just…" Casey trailed off, waving his hand in the air to tell something he wasn't sure how to verbalize, especially in a room full of firefighters.

"She's been acting weird lately." Severide cut in when Matt hadn't said anymore. "She's been… off. And she has been for a few shifts now." He continued, watching Matt expectantly, the Captain giving little away in the form of a reaction. "And I just… I don't know, man. Is she alright?" He questioned, Matt pursing his lips together as he thought over how to answer him. But Kelly kept speaking before he could. "...I swear, the last time she was all over the place like this is when she was pregnant." He added lightly, Matt raising his eyebrows as an unamused look covered his face.

"Charming as always, Severide." Matt replied with a scoff, Kelly chuckling as he shook his head.

"I'm just saying… You sure you don't have another little Casey in there?" He asked, Matt's expression unreadable to his friend. After a split second when Casey hadn't responded, Kelly's eyes widened, Matt immediately shaking his head when he realized what his friend was thinking. "Oh, don't tell me…"

"Severide-" Matt tried, but Kelly wasn't listening, the Lieutenant shaking his head as a smirk covered his face.

"I can't believe I didn't realize it sooner… I mean, it makes sense. The way she's been acting the last few weeks, and you're looking at new places- _bigger_ places to live." He spoke with a proud grin, Matt rolling his eyes before he shook his head. "You really knocked up Dawson again, didn't you?"

"Whoa, Gabby's pregnant?" Herrmann's surprised voice came from the couch, gaining the attention of the entire room as everyone looked to Casey with wide eyes.

"Oh brother." Matt breathed out, rubbing his hand over his head.

"You guys are having another kid already?" Cruz asked, Casey shaking his head.

"No, we're not-"

"It would explain why she's been in a mood lately." Otis interjected, Casey's narrow eyes landing on his firefighter, Otis closing his mouth immediately. "Sorry, Captain." He apologized quickly, ducking his head as Matt looked back to the room, seeing everyone still staring at him.

"When did you guys find out?"

"She's not pregnant." Casey spoke firmly, earning a few confused looks from everyone, Matt sighing before he kept talking. "She's not, guys. Really… Kelly's just running his mouth." He added pointedly, glaring towards Severide before looking back to the room, his gaze landing on Herrmann. "But I promise, we're not expecting anything."

"But she is alright?" Herrmann asked after giving Casey a nod, Matt raising his eyebrows. "I won't say she's been in a mood," He started, shooting a look towards Otis, "but she has seemed a bit… un-Gabby-like. Kind of all over the place. She doing okay, Captain?" He questioned, Matt feeling the eyes of the room on him.

"She's fine, Herrmann." He replied simply, Casey unsure of what else to say.

Clearly, she wasn't fine. But with him not knowing _what_ was bothering her, he didn't even know how to begin to explain it to everyone else. Though even if he did know, it wouldn't be something he'd share with the house, anyway. Unless they'd discussed it ahead of time, they never shared their personal business in house, they usually just liked to keep things between them, or a few chosen individuals.

But, regardless of that, he knew everyone was worried. That they had been worried about her for awhile, and though he couldn't say he blamed them, he didn't know _what_ to say. Because he didn't know what was going on either.

At least when he knew what was happening with his wife, he could give some vague explanation as to what was going on. Not enough to divulge any information he couldn't share, but enough to ease their concerns. But now, he wasn't sure what to tell them. Because he had the exact same worries as they did.

"Alright, so she's not pregnant." Severide spoke up, the room going back to their own conversations as Matt looked to his friend. "But something is up with her… I hope she knows I wasn't trying to upset her earlier"

"She fine, Sev." He repeated, Kelly giving him a nod. "And I know you weren't. Just talk to her about it, I'm sure she's sorry, too." Matt added, Severide clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth just as the bells went off, Casey listening as truck was finally called out again. Pushing his chair back, Matt stood up as Severide stayed planted in his seat. "But really, just talk to her when 61 gets back… We don't need you two at each other's throats." He said lightly, patting Kelly on the shoulder as he passed by, Severide giving him a nod as his friend headed out towards the garage, Matt leading his firefighters to the rig as they prepared to go help the citizens of Chicago.

* * *

Gabby released a heavy sigh as she stepped down from the rig, the paramedic stretching her neck out before closing the back doors, Brett and Foster coming around to meet her from the seats upfront. All three women were beyond exhausted, their long day proving to be quite taxing on them. With it now nearing seven in the evening, this being the first time ambo had been back to the house since well before lunch time, Gabby could only hope their night wouldn't be nearly as eventful as their day.

Staying a few steps behind her partners, Gabby's hands hung at her sides as she walked towards the firehouse, her eyes moving towards the squad table as they came through the maze of rigs parked in the garage. As soon as the table came into view, Dawson's eyes locked with Kelly's, the firefighter wearing a hesitant look on his face as Gabby's steps slowed down.

Running her teeth over her bottom lip, she nodded across the garage, Kelly understanding her silent request instantly as he got up from his comfortable chair, Gabby starting to walk down past the double doors to give them some room to talk.

Once far enough away from the prying ears of the firehouse, Gabby turned around, watching as Severide walked towards her, the paramedic crossing her arms over her chest tiredly as he came to a stop about a foot from her.

"...You guys have been busy today." He commented, Gabby nodding in agreement, the air around them thick as they both stared at one another. Drawing in a deep breath, Kelly shook his head slightly, running his hand along the side of his face before continuing. "I'm, uh- I'm sorry about that call earlier." He told her, Gabby raising her eyebrows.

"You're not the one who needs to be apologizing." She replied quickly, her words earning a shrug from the firefighter.

"I was a little harsh… I know you were just wanting to help, and I could've handled it better." He tried, Gabby pursing her lips together.

"I think you handled it about as well as you could've." She told him, Kelly watching her closely. "I was- I wasn't thinking. I knew we couldn't get into that car, I just… I don't know-" She cut herself off, a look of concern covering his features.

"...Are you doing okay, Dawson?" He asked softly, Gabby meeting his eyes. "You just… You seem a little- not like Gabby." He added carefully.

"I'm fine." She said, flashing him a soft smile. "I think all these calls might just be catching up with me, but I'm okay." She played it off, Severide responding with a hesitant nod. "I'm just sorry for earlier. You and I don't usually go at it like that… That's usually yours and Matt's territory." She spoke with a soft laugh, Severide scoffing in amusement before her face turned serious again. "But really, I'm sorry Kelly."

"I'm sorry, too." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod before he stepped forward, wrapping her up in a tight hug. Dawson reciprocated the gesture, Kelly rubbing her back and giving her a quick squeeze before pulling back, Gabby keeping her hand on his shoulder for a moment. "Are we good?" He asked, Gabby nodding immediately as she gripped his shoulder comfortingly.

"We're good." She assured him, Severide nodding with a soft smile, Gabby matching his look before she started to walk away. But she didn't get very far before she stopped herself, Severide raising his eyebrows as she looked towards him, Kelly seeing the heavy exhaustion in her eyes. "And, uh… thank you. For stopping me earlier." She spoke quietly, Severide pursing his lips together before he gave her another nod, Gabby shooting him an appreciative look before disappearing into the firehouse.

As she stepped inside, she saw most of the first responders in the common room, all of them unwinding from the day, some of them still eating dinner as they talked amongst themselves. But Gabby wasn't really in the mood to eat, nor was she in the mood to chat either, Dawson quickly taking a right down the hallway, heading off towards the bunk room.

She knew it was still too early to actually go to sleep, though with how tired she was, she felt like the second her head hit her pillow, she'd be out, Gabby opening the door and stepping into the bunk room. It was quiet, which was something she was thankful for, Gabby quickly noticing that all the other bunks were empty.

As she walked towards the bed that had been hers for years, her steps slowed when she instinctively looked towards Matt's office, seeing her husband hunched over his desk as he diligently worked on paperwork. Her body came to a complete stop, Gabby taking the moment to watch him while he didn't notice she was there, the paramedic drawing in a deep breath as he continued working.

Gabby knew things had been off with them lately, that there was a weird feeling in the air around them, and that it was entirely her fault it was there. She hadn't intended to separate herself from him, or cause there to be any weirdness between them, she just needed a second to breathe. And, as he always did, he was giving her that space. Even though he'd tried talking to her a few times, he never pushed too hard, even though she knew he wanted to.

But, to his credit, he didn't. He would try to talk, then when it was clear she didn't want to, he'd leave it alone, and just continue to be there for her even though he didn't know what was going on with her. And truthfully, she didn't know what was going on with her, either.

And that's why she hadn't talked to him about it. Because she didn't understand what was going on in her own head.

It should've been good news. It _was_ good news. It was what they both wanted, so she couldn't understand why she felt so weird about it. She didn't understand this heavy feeling that always seemed to be present in her gut, and the worry she felt anytime she thought about it, so she hadn't said anything to him. Because she didn't know _what_ to say. She didn't know how to explain to him what she was feeling, and what she was thinking. So she said nothing.

But by doing that, it had created a weird distance between them. One they both knew was there, and one she absolutely hated. And she was sure he hated it just as much.

Blowing out a soft sigh, Gabby decidedly changed her course of direction, her feet taking her towards Matt's office, his door slightly ajar as he continued working away at the seemingly never ending pile of paperwork he had to deal with as a Captain. Running her tongue along the inside of her lip, Gabby hesitantly pulled his door open enough for her to stand in the doorway, Matt not noticing her until she brought her hand up, knocking gently against the frame.

Matt glanced back to see who was at the door, the firefighter turning around completely when he saw it was his wife, Casey dropping his pen down on his desk as he greeted her with a soft smile.

"Hey baby." He spoke, Gabby matching his smile.

Despite the weirdness between them, Matt had continued treating her as he always would, minus the space he was trying to give her. But aside from that, he acted the same around her, the husband hoping that would help her feel comfortable opening up to him when she was ready.

"Hi."

"Did you guys just get back?" He asked, Gabby giving him a nod, her eyes flickering towards his bunk before looking back to him, seeing he still had that same, soft grin on his face.

"Yeah, just a few minutes ago… Can I come in?" She questioned, Matt's eyebrows furrowing before he immediately nodded, unsure of why she even felt the need to ask.

"Of course." He replied without missing a beat, Gabby flashing him an appreciative smile before she stepped inside his office, closing the door behind her. Matt, truthfully, was a little surprised she was seeking him out; she'd come to him a few times, but it wasn't something that had happened all that often the last few weeks, though he wouldn't question it, especially not now. "Did you eat?" He asked as he watched her sit down on his bed, her hands clasped together in her lap as she met his eyes again, Matt immediately seeing how tired she was. Which wasn't all that surprising, considering he hadn't seen her since before lunch "The guys made some chili… it's not as good as mine or anything, but it wasn't too bad." He spoke lightly, Gabby giving him a weak smile.

"I'm not hungry, thank you though." She replied, Matt nodding even though it didn't really answer his question. "I kind of just want to lay down, if that's alright." She said, Matt's eyes moving over her tired form. "I know you're busy, so I can-"

"Stay." He spoke gently, Gabby releasing a soft breath before nodding, Casey watching as she began to make herself comfortable on his bunk. But it was clear after a few moments she couldn't quite get relaxed, Matt never taking his eyes off of her as she shifted around on his bed.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Gabby looked towards her husband, finding his eyes immediately as he leaned forward in his seat. "Will you…" She cut herself off to take a breath, Matt raising his eyebrows as he waited to hear what she was going to say. "Can you lay with me, just for a few minutes?"

Gabby saw the immediate look of surprise that covered his face, though she couldn't say she was shocked to see it, the paramedic quickly covering her request. "Unless you need to finish your paperwork."

"It can wait." He replied before pushing himself up from his chair, the firefighter moving to draw the blinds on his windows and door, Gabby watching him as he moved around the small space. Once they were completely cut off from the rest of the firehouse, Matt moved back towards his bunk, the small lamp on his desk giving them a little bit of light as Gabby moved to the edge of the bed by the wall, giving him room to lay down.

Without another word, Matt laid down on his back, extending his arm out, giving her room to fall into his side, which she immediately did. Gabby curled up against her husband, her head falling into the familiar position of resting over his chest, her forehead pressed up against his neck as he wrapped his arm around her waist, keeping her secure against his body as his other arm came around to hold onto her. It was a comfortable position for them, one they were in often, Matt feeling her body relax as she wrapped her arm around his chest.

They did nothing but lay in silence, Matt continuously rubbing his hand up and down her side in a soothing motion, the firefighter feeling her breathing even out as she nuzzled her cheek against his chest, both of them finding comfort in being close to one another, which was something they hadn't done nearly enough of as of late.

* * *

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she slowly came into consciousness, the sun streaming in through the windows telling her it wasn't too early in the morning as she slowly opened her eyes, it taking a few moments for her vision to adjust to being awake as she regained a sense of her surroundings. After a second or two she remembered where she was, Gabby realizing she was still in Matt's office.

Last night after coming to lie down in here, 61 hadn't been called out until well after midnight, Gabby reluctantly pulling herself from Matt's grip to head out towards the garage. Then by the time ambo got back, 81 had been out on a call for about half an hour or so, Gabby deciding to go back to Matt's office to continue her sleep, which she did easily. Aside from her waking up when Matt returned, Gabby feeling him wrap his arms around her waist when he slid back into bed behind her, she hadn't woken up again during the night. By some minor miracle, 61 hadn't been called out anymore. Or if they had, she'd slept right through it.

As she slowly pushed herself up from Matt's bunk, she soon realized she was alone in his office, Gabby stretching her arms out above her head, shaking the lingering stiffness from her muscles before she got up, it taking a few seconds for her body to completely wake up after having been in one position for too long. Sparing a quick glance down at her watch, Gabby saw they still had about twenty minutes left until shift change, the paramedic deciding to go out and see what everyone else was doing.

Unsurprisingly, the bunk room was empty when she stepped out of Matt's office, Gabby rolling out her neck as she continued towards the door, intent on heading to the common room where she was sure most of the house was. The second she stepped into the hallway, she could already hear the TV blaring, Gabby continuing in that direction, seeing almost everyone in the room as she turned the corner.

"Hey, there's Dawson." Herrmann greeted with a grin as she walked into the common room, Gabby flashing him a small smile. "You hungry? There's plenty of food." He offered from his usual seat on the couch, Gabby shaking her head.

"I'm alright, thanks though, Herrmann." She responded, the older man giving her a nod before his attention went back to the TV, Gabby continuing further into the common room. It didn't take her long to notice that while almost everyone from second shift was in here, there was one person in particular who wasn't, Gabby's eyes meeting Severide's as she continued walking. "Where's Casey?" Dawson questioned, her words earning a few glances from her coworkers.

"He's in with Boden." Severide was the first to respond, nodding towards the hallway. "He's been in there for probably half an hour or so, I'm sure they'll be done soon." He added, Gabby giving him a nod before continuing towards the long table.

Most of the seats were filled as everyone was enjoying their breakfast, but Matt's usual seat at the head of the table was empty, Gabby deciding to take up residence there while waiting for shift to end, the paramedic crossing her legs as she leaned back in the chair, her eyes moving to the laptop that was sitting directly in front of her.

She immediately recognized it to be Matt's, Gabby tapping her finger against the table as she partially listened to the small talk going on around her. Glancing to her watch once more and seeing she still had some time before the end of the shift, she reached for his laptop, pulling it closer to her before opening it, Gabby deciding she'd check her email, and maybe find a few other things to do to kill some time.

The second the laptop came to life, Gabby was greeted by a photo of her and Sofia that Matt had as his wallpaper, a soft smile forming over her face as she typed in his password. The photo was an older one, Sofia maybe only three or four months old at the time, but Gabby knew it to be one of her husband's favorite pictures, seeing as how not only had it been his laptop wallpaper since it had been taken, but it had been the background on his phone for quite some time, as well as him printing a copy out and putting it in his office. He absolutely loved that picture, even though it was nothing special. It was just a photo Matt had taken of them at the apartment, Gabby sitting on the couch, holding their little girl in her lap. They probably had at least twenty other photos exactly like this, but for some reason Matt loved this one, and because of that, seeing it always brought a smile to her face.

But that smile quickly disappeared when she unlocked his computer and saw Matt's web browser open, her eyebrows furrowing when she was met by the image of a townhouse. Her eyes moved around the screen, Gabby quickly seeing that he had at least ten tabs open, all of which were different listings for new places to live. Some were apartments, but most of them were townhouses, Gabby pursing her lips together as she quickly looked through all the new homes he was looking at.

Clearly, he'd been thinking about them moving, and soon, if the sheer amount of listings he had up was any indication, but apparently that wasn't something he planned on telling her about, Gabby's face hardening as she slowly closed the laptop, her spine straightening she pursed her lips together.

"You alright, Dawson?" Kidd spoke up, Gabby's eyes snapping into focus as she looked up towards her friend, seeing a few pairs of eyes on her.

"Huh?"

"You good?" She repeated. "You seem a little tense there."

"Oh- Uh, yeah." Gabby replied, clearing her throat. "I'm fine." She forced a weak smile, Stella giving her a nod before she went back to her breakfast, Gabby swallowing thickly before biting down roughly on her bottom lip, the paramedic trying to figure out why her husband hadn't told her he was looking at new places for them to live.

That wasn't something you hid from your spouse, that wasn't a decision he could make for them, and the longer she sat here thinking about it, the more upset she became, Gabby's neck clenching as she stared down at the table.

She was pulled from her thoughts when she felt a hand run along her shoulders, Gabby looking up to see Matt come around beside her, his palm running along her back as he flashed her a bright smile.

"Good morning." He greeted, leaning down to place a soft kiss to the top of her head, Gabby's face remaining blank as he pulled back, Matt raising his eyebrows in question as he felt how tense she was. "...Something wrong?" He asked, Gabby eyeing the room before looking back to her husband, knowing this wasn't a conversation they could be having here.

"Can we talk?" She questioned quietly, her voice rigid. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion, Matt sensing a hostility from her that he didn't understand, the Captain nodding immediately.

Gabby quickly pushed herself up from her seat, Matt stepping out of the way so she had room to get up, the firefighter following her wife out of the common room, ignoring the curious stares as he went, Gabby leading him out into the garage, knowing they'd have privacy out there.

She walked over towards the door, Matt keeping maybe a foot of space between them as she turned around, her narrow eyes focused on him.

"What's going on?" He asked as he crossed his arms over his chest, his question only seeming to annoy her further. He had no idea what she was so upset about, considering the last time they'd spoken was last night when she came to his office, and things were fine. "Did something happen?"

"When were you gonna tell me?" She questioned back, her words only confusing him further as he took a slight step forward, Matt having no idea what she was talking about.

"Tell you what?"

"How you were looking at new places for us to live." She replied quickly, realization settling over his face as his shoulders relaxed.

"Oh, that. Yeah, I started looking yesterday." He replied nonchalantly, Gabby's eyes narrowing. "I was thinking it might be time for us to start- why are you looking at me like that?" He asked when he saw her clear disdain at the situation. "Is this because some of them were townhouses? Because I know you didn't used to like those, but I was thinking it might be something to consider. It could be a good option for us, it keeps us in the city, but gives us space for everything- what?" He asked when he saw the deepening glare forming across her face. "What's wrong?"

"Were you ever going to tell me?" She asked, Matt only more confused by her anger.

"Of course, I just-"

"Why were you hiding it?" She continued, Casey shaking his head.

"I wasn't hiding anything." He defended, taking another step forward before placing his hand on her arm, but Gabby shrugged out of his touch. "I just started looking yesterday, I figured we could start talking about it soon, why are you upset?"

"Because you didn't tell me!" She fired back almost immediately, Matt's eyes widening at the tone in her voice.

"Gabby…"

"You should've told me, Matt. Us picking up and moving, that's usually something you'd tell your wife." She continued, Casey shaking his head.

"I was going to tell you." He replied quickly. "I wouldn't have done anything without talking to you, I didn't _do_ anything, I was just looking at different listings… Why are you so upset about this?" He asked her again, Gabby's eyes narrowing at him once again.

"I'm not upset."

"You're pissed off at me because of this, and I don't know why." He responded, Gabby bringing her hand up to run along the side of her face. "Do you not wanna move? Is that what this is?" He asked, Gabby taking a deep breath. "Because we both knew we'd have to move eventually. We both want more kids, and we don't have room to grow in that place-"

"So that's what this is about." She cut him off, Matt's eyebrows furrowing.

"What?"

"This is about us having more children." She elaborated, the look of confusion on his face only further agitating her. "You're looking at new places to live because you're thinking about having more kids."

"Well… yeah." He replied, unsure of why she seemed so surprised by that. They both knew they were having more children at some point, and that they couldn't add to their family comfortably still living in that apartment. None of this was new information, so he wasn't sure why she was so mad at him. "We only have the one another bedroom, which Sofia is going to start sleeping in soon. It's something we need to think about-"

"I thought we agreed we would wait." She snapped, Matt's eyes widening slightly. "We both agreed it was too soon, that we didn't want another kid right now."

"I know that." He replied carefully, unsure of how she was going to react to him. "But I was just thinking it couldn't hurt to-"

"So you've changed your mind." She cut him off again, Casey shaking his head. "You want more kids now, even though we agreed to wait."

"No, that's not what I said." He said, taking a deep breath as he tried to understand why she was acting like this. She was combative, and he didn't know why. "I still think we should wait, like we agreed on. But we don't need to leave finding a new place until we're ready for another kid." He spoke quietly, seeing Gabby's hard exterior soften slightly, like she was coming to understand his reasoning behind this. "...I'm sorry for not mentioning it to you, it was just something I started looking at yesterday for a few minutes, then I didn't think about it again. But I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." He added, watching as she bit down on her bottom lip, Gabby avoiding his gaze as she gave him a nod.

"Okay." She murmured, blinking quickly as she looked past him, anywhere other than him. "I'm sorry for just assuming, I didn't-" She cut herself, shaking her head. "I'm sorry."

Matt's eyebrows furrowed in worry, his concerns for her over the past few weeks coming back full force as he took another step towards her, thankful when she didn't pull away this time. "Gabby, what's going on?" He asked carefully, her eyes snapping towards him. "There's something wrong, you've been pushing me away for weeks… what's going on?"

He saw a flash of something in her eyes, like she wanted to talk to him, Gabby's mouth parting slightly as he waited for her to say something. But just as she was about to, the door from the firehouse opened, Gabby quickly closing her mouth, Matt releasing a frustrated breath as he turned back to see Herrmann and a few other firefighters leaving.

"We should get home." She spoke softly, Matt shaking his head.

"Gabby…"

"We need to get back to Sofia." She added before slipping past him, Casey running his hand over the back of his neck roughly, the firefighter feeling nothing but worry for his wife as he watched her disappear into the firehouse.

* * *

Matt moved around the kitchen with Sofia securely in one arm as he worked on getting the last of the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, the father doing his best to complete the task while his daughter was smacking her little hands against his face and pulling on his shirt. Normally this was something he'd do while Sofia was sitting in her highchair, or when she was distracted by some toys, but neither of those options were possible today, not with Sofia clinging to him all morning.

She'd been going through this phase for awhile, Matt unsure if this was being caused by the same reason why Sofia didn't like being around strangers, or maybe it was her teething, he wasn't sure, but regardless of the reason, his little girl did not want to be put down. Ever. She wasn't happy unless she was being held by either him or Gabby, or Becca when they were one shift, and it had been a little challenging to navigate. With both him and Gabby around, it wasn't too bad, but considering he was on his own right now, it made things a little difficult on him, his wife having been gone for well over a few hours now ever since she abruptly left the apartment not long after they got home.

Things between him and Gabby had been off, to say the least, since their talk this morning at the firehouse. The ride home was tense, Gabby clearly not wanting to talk about what they had gotten so close to discussing back at work. And the second he parked, Gabby was out of the truck and heading inside, leaving him to grab their bags while she went and relieved Becca of her duties.

The morning had been alright, both of them too preoccupied with their baby to really focus on the elephant in the room. But that was until Gabby had left only an hour after they'd gotten home, rambling out some excuse of how she was supposed to meet Jemma and she'd forgotten before she was out the door, leaving him and Sofia alone.

And they'd been by themselves ever since, Matt doing what he could to not focus on whatever was bothering his wife so much, but it wasn't all that easy. He was worried about her, he'd been worried about her, and after this morning, that concern had only continued to grow.

He thought they'd been making progress. That last night when she came to his office, when she sought him out, that things were heading in the right direction, that she was coming around to the idea of letting him in on whatever was clearly causing her to act so unlike herself. But after this morning, he couldn't help but feel like they were in a worse place than they'd been before. All because of those stupid listings.

Matt knew that wasn't the cause of whatever had her so upset, or at least it wasn't the main issue, but he had no idea why him looking at a few new places for them to live had elicited such a reaction from her. He didn't understand it at all, and if she wouldn't talk to him, he wasn't sure he'd ever understand it.

Just as he finished loading the dishwasher, Matt heard the back door open, the father looking over in that direction as Gabby stepped inside their home, the two locking eyes instantly before she shut the door, locking it in place.

"Hey." She greeted quietly, Matt flashing her a soft smile as he stood behind the counter, adjusting Sofia in his arms.

"Hi." He replied as she dropped her keys and her bag by the front door, Gabby kicking her shoes off before stepping further into their home, his wife coming to stand across from him as they were separated by the counter. "How was Jemma?"

"She was good… Said she missed Sof." She responded, her words widening his smile as he looked down to his daughter, seeing she was still focused on pulling at his shirt.

"Well, I can't blame her for that." He said, Gabby nodding as she glanced towards her daughter, both of them feeling the slightly uneasy shift in the room.

"How'd things with you two go?" She asked, clearing her throat after she spoke.

"It was fine. Sof ate pretty well.. I still gave her a bottle, but she only drank about half of it before she was full, so I'd say that's progress." He answered lightly, keeping the smile on his face, Matt trying to stave off her obvious nerves.

"Good, that's good…" She murmured, her eyes darting down to the counter as she pressed her palms into the hard surface, Matt keeping his gaze locked on her. "...Um, would you, uh-" She cut herself off, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as she lifted her head up, Gabby meeting his gaze. "Is now a good time to talk?" She asked softly, Matt nodding the second he registered her question.

"Yeah, of course." He replied, Gabby running her teeth over her bottom lip before she gave him a nod, the couple heading for the living room.

When Sofia caught sight of her mom, she immediately wanted to be held by her, Matt handing her off to Gabby once his wife was situated on the couch, Casey taking up the spot right beside her, angling himself towards her so they could see each other while they had this much needed discussion.

He wasn't sure what had caused her to want to talk now, whether she might've discussed things with Jemma first and then come to him, or if she came to this realization on her own, either way, he didn't care. He just wanted to know what was going on so he could help her.

"I know… I know I've been kind of hard to reach lately, and I'm sorry about that." She started, her voice barely above a whisper as her eyes stayed focused on their daughter, the young girl sitting comfortably in her mother's lap while she played with the toy her dad had given her.

"It's okay." He responded when she paused, Gabby cautiously looking up at him. "I know something's been wrong, or at the very least something's been bothering you… I'm just worried about you, baby."

"I know you are, and I know I haven't helped things by being so distant, I just-" She cut herself off again, Matt pursing his lips together as she took a deep breath, Gabby clearly struggling to get out whatever she needed to say.

He didn't know what was going on with her, he truly didn't, but after his conversation with Severide yesterday, and then him having some time to think back over her behavior the last few weeks, a picture was forming in his mind of what was going on. He was starting to have some suspicions as to what was happening, but even if what he was thinking was true, he wasn't sure why it would've caused her to pull away from him, that thought, and a hundred others, swarming his mind as he waited for her to continue. But she didn't.

"...Can I ask you something?" He spoke up when she had yet to say anything, Gabby giving him a slow nod in response, Matt taking a deep breath before continuing. "Please don't be mad at me for asking you this, but… are you pregnant?"

Matt saw the way her face faltered the second he asked the question, Casey inching closer to her as he noticed her body tense, her reaction giving him a pretty good idea as to what the answer was. But still, he needed confirmation from her.

"It's just… you've been acting off lately, for a few weeks now. And you've been sick." He said, Gabby remaining quiet as she rubbed up and down Sofia's back. "And then you got really upset with me for looking at new places to live, you kept saying over and over how we weren't having more kids right now… almost like you were reminding yourself that that's what we decided." He continued, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "I don't know, I'm just trying to figure out what's going on with you… And if you are pregnant, that's great news." He added with a gentle smile, Gabby's face giving nothing away. "Obviously, we didn't plan for this right now, I know that. But that's what we talked about… How we wouldn't be trying, but if it happened, it happened." He said, Gabby nodding slowly, as if to tell him she remembered the conversation. "Is that what this is? Are you pregnant?"

Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat, Gabby slowly shook her head, seeing the immediate confusion that covered her husband's face. "I'm not pregnant."

Slowly, he nodded, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he gave himself a second to let her words sink in. While he hadn't had this thought in his head for very long, he still needed a moment to process it, not only because, while unexpected, he'd love to have another baby if it happened, but also this just meant now he truly had no idea what had been going on with her.

"Alright…" He responded softly, his tongue poking out between his teeth to wet his lips before he continued. "Then what is it?" He asked again, Matt moving his hand up from the back of the couch to rest on her shoulder, doing what he could to comfort her, Gabby releasing a soft sigh. "What's going on?"

"...I, uh… I'm not pregnant, but I thought I was." She murmured, her voice barely audible as confusion covered his features.

"What?"

"I _thought_ I was pregnant." She repeated, Gabby adjusting Sofia in her arms, the baby getting a little more clingy as it neared her nap time, Matt watching as their daughter cuddled into her mom's chest.

"Okay…" He spoke carefully, unsure of exactly what to say, Gabby continuing to gently rub her hand along Sofia's back, the action comforting her as much as it was the little girl.

"I, um- some of the signs were there. The sickness, the irritability, and everything… It didn't really cross my mind until that day at the firehouse when I got sick out of nowhere, and you found me outside. After that, I started to think that maybe I was pregnant…" She explained to him, Matt nodding understandingly as he kept his hand firmly on her shoulder. "So when we got home, I took a pregnancy test, and it was positive." She continued quietly. "And that- that freaked me out, if I'm being honest."

"Why?" He asked before he could stop himself, Gabby looking towards him, blinking quickly before she answered him.

"Because we said we weren't wanting more kids right now… We decided to wait, and when I saw that positive test-... I don't know, it just felt like I'd messed up-"

"Gabby…" He interjected, shaking his head. "You getting pregnant isn't 'messing up', it's something that would've been great news, even though we weren't planning on it… and if anything, it would technically be my fault." He added lightly as he tried to diffuse some of the heaviness in the room, Gabby unable to stop the small smile that formed over her lips, even though it quickly fell, Matt mimicking her concerned look as a thought crossed his mind. "Is that why you didn't tell me?... You thought I'd be mad?"

"No, no it wasn't that." She replied, shaking her head as she felt Sofia nuzzle her face against her chest. "The whole thing just kind of threw me, I didn't know how I felt about it… And not even with us just wanting to wait, but with everything Dr. Tanner told us when we asked her about it." She told him, Matt nodding understandingly. "I know she said that I'm fine, that there's no reason to think I can't have a healthy pregnancy, but it still scared me- the thought of being pregnant again." She spoke honestly, a frown forming over his face. "It was like for a second, all the fear I felt during my pregnancy with Sofia came back, and that scared me. So I didn't know how to handle that. And I was worried about us having another baby so soon… Then I felt guilty for not being happy about it, and it was all just a lot at once, and I kind of just needed a second to breathe, I guess."

"I get that, I do… But you still could've told me." He told her, Gabby nodding slightly. "You didn't have to go through all that alone."

"I know, and I'm sorry. I really am. And if I had been pregnant, I definitely would've told you, but I wanted to confirm it first." She spoke, pausing to take a breath. "I wasn't really thinking straight, I know I should've told you when I took the test, but I just couldn't really process it… I felt like I needed to know for sure before I said anything, so I made an appointment with Dr. Tanner, and went to have her do a blood test to see." She explained, Matt giving her another sad nod.

"And you weren't pregnant?" He asked, Gabby shaking her head.

"No, I'm not… Dr. Tanner said I must've just gotten a false positive or something, because all my bloodwork was normal." She told him, Matt nodding before his gaze moved down to Sofia, Gabby keeping her eyes on him. She couldn't tell what he was thinking, and it was driving her crazy; though she guessed this was how he'd felt with her over the last few weeks. But regardless, she wanted to know where he was at, especially considering by the look on his face, she couldn't help but feel like he was upset. "...Are you mad?" She asked softly, Matt instantly looking up towards her when he registered the question, confusion filling his features.

"No, of course not." He replied quickly, rubbing his thumb over the top of her shoulder. "Why would I be mad?"

"For not telling you… for not being pregnant." She responded with a shrug, Matt sighing softly. "I wasn't sure if you were disappointed that we're not pregnant yet… or maybe relieved, I don't know." She rambled. "And seeing those listings this morning, that kind of freaked me out, because I thought maybe you'd changed your mind… that you were wanting to start talking about more kids already."

"I really didn't mean to stress you out with that." He interjected, placing his other hand on top of her thigh. "I'm sorry that worried you, it really was just something I did kind of on whim."

"It's okay… I know I kind of overreacted, I just- This whole thing really just messed with me a little bit, and I got caught up in my own head. But I'm sorry."

"You don't need to keep apologizing." He responded. "Especially for not being pregnant, or if you do get pregnant, that's nothing you ever need to feel bad about, okay? Not because of me." He told her, Gabby giving him a slow nod before he continued. "I'm sorry you were going through all this, and worried about what I was thinking, but I'm still in the same place I was before… I like it being the three of us for now, but if it happens, we'll be fine. And we'll love that little baby just as much as we love our Sof." He spoke, his words bringing a soft smile to her face. "What's meant to happen will happen. But you can always come to me. With anything, baby." Matt told her, Gabby nodding in understanding, Matt flashing her a warm smile before adjusting himself on the couch, extending him arm out. "Come here."

Slowly, Gabby leaned herself into his side, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulders to keep her close as she propped Sofia up against her chest, the little girl nearly asleep as Gabby got comfortable in the arms of her husband. She let herself completely relax into him, Gabby feeling like a heavy weight had been lifted from her chest as she felt him press a few soft kisses to her forehead.

"Are you alright?" Matt asked softly, rubbing his hand up and down her arm as he rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"I am… Feeling better now." She replied, Matt nodding as he brought his other hand around the front of his body, resting it on top of Gabby's over Sofia's back. "And I'm glad you and I are on the same page with all this." She breathed out, Matt stroking his thumb along the back of her hand. "I still think waiting is the right thing for us… All of this, it just kind of solidified that for me." She explained, Matt giving her another nod. "I think I'd like to wait until she's at least a year old, if not a little longer… I just want to be able to enjoy her growing up. To be able to be completely focused on her. After all we went through just for her to get here-" Gabby cut herself off, shaking her head as Matt tightened his grip around her body. "I just want it to be the three of us for a little while longer."

"I'm perfectly fine with that." He murmured, Gabby releasing a deep breath before cuddling further into his embrace, Matt holding onto her tightly as the family of three relished in this quiet moment. They both felt about a hundred pounds lighter than they did half an hour ago, the couple glad to now have everything out in the open as the heavy uncertainty that had been following them around for the past few weeks was long gone, Gabby and Matt both content to just sit quietly as they held onto one another, their little girl soon falling asleep in the embrace of her parents.


	86. Chapter Eighty Six

**Hello! Here's the next chapter for you all! I want to thank you for the feedback on the last chapter, it means a lot to me that there are so many of you who are still enjoying this story, and coming back to it every week even though we're 86 chapters into it. I can't fully express how much the support means, but I appreciate each and every one of you so much. And w****ith all the craziness going on in the world right now, I just wanna say that I hope all of you are staying safe, and that you all are doing alright under the circumstances. This coronavirus thing is definitely insane, but hopefully this can serve as a little escape from reality for you all for a little bit.**

**I hope you guys enjoy this one, thanks for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty Six**_

* * *

"Yeah, that's my girl… Look at you, Sof."

Matt's energetic voice filled Gabby's ears as she sat on the couch, her eyes moving from the laptop screen to the sight of her husband and daughter, the former sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table while helping their baby stand up. A soft smile formed over her face as she watched her family while they were unaware of her gaze, Matt supporting Sofia under her arms while her feet were planted firmly against her dad's lap, the little girl moving her legs up and down as her feet pressed into the tops of his thighs.

"You're gonna be walking any day now, I can tell. I'm so proud of you." Matt continued talking to his daughter as if she was the only person in the room, Gabby keeping her attention focused on them as Sofia kept bouncing up and down, the little girl unknowingly working on the strength in her legs. "That's it, Sof. Good job, baby." He continued to praise her as she moved her feet along his legs, Matt leaning forward to press kisses all over her round cheeks, their daughter screaming in delight as he continued kissing her face, Gabby's smile widening as she watched them.

They'd been doing this for awhile, Matt or Gabby holding her up while letting her feet rest on their legs, the parents letting her get used to the position of standing and letting her figure out the basics of the learned skill. While she wasn't really anywhere close to being able to walk, standing was something they were slowly getting her to master, the baby having been able to stand with a little bit of help for a few weeks now.

And while standing was probably one of Sofia's favorite things to do, that wasn't the only task she'd been working on lately, their little girl absolutely loving to crawl around as well. It was something that had come out of nowhere, and honestly surprised the parents the first time it had happened; luckily, they were both home, and Gabby was able to get the milestone on video, but it had happened rather quickly. For the longest time, Sofia seemed to have no interest in crawling. She was great at sitting and supporting herself, and she was able to stay in the position to crawl, and she would scoot sometimes, but she didn't seem too impressed by the idea of it. Then one day, that suddenly changed, and now it was impossible to stop her from moving. She loved any and all activities that had her up and moving around, whether that be crawling, or standing with the help of her parents, whatever it may be, she loved it, and the parents were just trying to help her wherever they could.

It was something they were working on, Matt or Gabby letting her stand by herself while they kept their hands under her arms, the parents ready to catch her when she'd inevitably start to fall, but Sofia loved it. They weren't sure why, although, being her mother's daughter, Matt liked to think Sofia enjoyed the freedom of it more than anything else. Because while she absolutely loved being around her parents, and being held by them, there were many times over the last few weeks where her personality had started to shine through, and Matt and Gabby were getting a glimpse into just how independent their little girl could be. She loved being able to crawl around on her own, and being able to explore things at her own pace, and, as the parents quickly found out, she especially loved trying to pull herself up.

Everything had kind of happened at once, and definitely taken them by surprise, but soon after Sofia had started crawling around like crazy, she'd started trying to pull herself up on her own. Whatever piece of furniture, or person, she could grab onto, she'd do what she could to stand up by using them for support. And while she hadn't been very successful yet, the baby usually falling back down onto her butt before fully completing the task, she was determined. Despite her not being able to actually do it yet, Sofia was a very stubborn little girl, and she hadn't let her failures deter her from trying again and again.

Neither of them were sure if she was close to being able to stand on her own yet, but that wasn't the point. The point was she was trying, and very determined to do so, the parents always making sure there were at least one pair of eyes on their daughter at all times now that she was mobile, both of them always there to help her whenever she needed it. They spent a lot of time helping her stand, and getting her used to the idea of being upright, both Matt and Gabby hoping that, when she was ready, it would only help their little girl be able to stand on her own and begin to learn how to walk. But they were also patient with the process, because despite their baby's independence and her desire to want to try new things, they knew better than to rush her, both of the parents knowing their nine month old only did things at her own pace.

"Man, you're growing up so fast." Matt continued speaking as he pulled back from giving her kisses. "You need to stop getting so big, baby. Momma and I can hardly keep up with you." He told her, the little girl smacking his cheeks as her bright blue eyes locked on her father's.

Keeping a firm grip on his daughter, Matt carefully leaned back until he was lying flat on his back against the rug, Sofia giggling as he held her above him, supporting her body weight with his hands as he held her up, her little legs kicking at the air furiously as her arms reached down towards her father. Carefully, Matt began moving her up and down, bringing her close down to his face before lifting her back up into the air, the father playing the game he'd often play with her, Sofia loving every second of if as loud sounds of excitement left her lips. As she did every time, Sofia would reach out for her dad's face whenever he brought her down close to him, then laugh whenever she was pulled away, the baby entertained by the simple up and down movement.

As Gabby watched her husband and daughter play together, she was unsure of who was enjoying the time together more, Matt or Sofia, as the father made sound effects every time he'd lift Sofia up and down, the noise only adding to their daughter's loud laughter.

"She's going to throw up on you."

Gabby's voice broke Matt out of his moment with Sofia, the father keeping a secure grip on his daughter as he glanced towards his wife, finding her head cocked to the side as she was already staring at him. Scoffing lightly, Matt shook his head before continuing to play with Sofia.

"Nah, she wouldn't do that to her Daddy." Matt replied as he continued the movement, Gabby chuckling as she placed the laptop down on the coffee table before scooting to sit on the edge of the couch.

"She _has_ done that to her Daddy." Gabby countered, a knowing grimace tugging across Matt's features at his wife's words, both of them knowing they were true. "Many times, has she done that to you. In fact, a few of those times were from you doing exactly that right there." She added with another laugh, Matt huffing out a breath before he continued playing with Sofia, the little girl loving every second of it.

What Gabby said was right, this little game of theirs had led to Sofia throwing up on her father before, more than once, but that didn't stop him from continuing to do it, Matt knowing how much Sofia loved this time together.

"Okay, those times… That was poor planning on my part." He defended, Gabby raising her eyebrows in amusement. "I did it right after she'd eaten… That wasn't smart. But we haven't fed her yet, so I think I'll be okay." He told her, Gabby smacking her lips together before she nodded, her eyes flickering back to the now-blank computer screen.

"Alright, well when you're done riling her up right before we need her to eat," She started, giving him a pointed look, "I found another place that might be good to check out."

"Oh yeah?" He questioned, sitting up with Sofia still securely in his grip, Matt adjusting her in his arms so her body weight was resting up against his chest, Gabby nodding as she picked up their laptop from the coffee table.

It had been a couple of weeks since Matt had started looking at places for them to live, a couple weeks since he found out about her pregnancy scare, and things for them had pretty much gone back to normal. They'd talked a few times about where their heads were at, Matt making sure to be there for her whenever she'd need a shoulder to lean on, but overall they were both doing well, together and individually. Things between them were finally feeling secure again; they felt solid, and both of them were more than happy to have a sense of normalcy back in their relationship. Pretty much everything in their lives was back to normal, everything except the house-hunting they'd been doing recently.

Over the last couple of weeks, the couple had spent more time out looking at new places to live than they had in their own apartment, or at least that's what it felt like to Gabby, the husband and wife seemingly out looking at homes every off day they had. After their talk about her pregnancy, or lack-there-of, it hadn't taken long for them to broach the subject of looking for somewhere else to live, and they'd been full steam ahead ever since. When Matt told her he wanted to start seeing some places, she immediately agreed, Gabby excited at the possibility of finding their next home, though what she hadn't expected was for them to be looking nonstop. But even though it was a little overwhelming, she was enjoying it, the thought of them finding somewhere to live, and a new place to eventually grow their family exciting both of them.

But what wasn't as exciting was the actual process of seeing all these different places. They'd gone to look at some apartments, ones bigger than their place now, a few townhomes, and even a couple houses, though they were a little ways out of the city. They were open to anything at the moment, the couple unsure of exactly what they were wanting, but so far in their search, they hadn't exactly found anything they were both in love with.

With their uncertainty as to what kind of home they were looking for, it had led to them seeing a bunch of different places kind of all over the map. Matt's favorite places that he'd seen so far were a few of the townhomes, while Gabby hadn't really leaned one way or the other. She didn't seem to have the aversion to a townhouse that she did a few years back, but them not knowing exactly what they were wanting meant they were looking at _everything_. And that had become a little stressful at times, considering they hadn't found anywhere yet that both of them loved. But they knew they couldn't rush it, that they hadn't really been looking all that long, and they'd rather take some time and find the right place for them, than pick somewhere so just they have a bigger place to live.

"What kind of place is it?" He asked, Matt rubbing his hand along Sofia's back as he held onto her, the baby clearly not happy that he had stopped their little game.

"A townhouse." She answered, Matt nodding before he carefully got him and Sofia up off the ground, the father walking around the table to sit down on the couch next to his wife, Gabby adjusting the laptop in her lap so he could get a clear view of the screen.

When Matt saw the first picture, which was of the outside of the building, he was immediately impressed. It was a modern two story building, located maybe ten minutes from the firehouse based off the address on the listing, which was a huge plus for them, Matt watching as Gabby slowly clicked through the photos.

"It's got four bedrooms, three and a half baths… All open layout, which is good. We'll be able to keep an eye on Sof from anywhere." Gabby spoke lightly, Matt flashing her a knowing smile before looking back towards the images. "I'm not sure how old the building is, but it looks relatively new. All the appliances and everything look up to date."

"It definitely looks like it's worth checking out." He told her, Gabby nodding in agreement as she continued slowly scrolling through the photos so her husband could continue to see what this townhouse had to offer.

"It's in a good school district, too." She commented as she scrolled through the photos of the first floor, Matt raising his eyebrow in amusement as he looked towards her. "I know we're a ways off from that, but it's something to think about." She defended when she saw the look on his face, Matt chuckling in amusement before leaning over to press a kiss to her cheek.

"You're right, baby." He murmured, pressing another quick kiss against her skin before he moved his attention back to the computer, both of them continuing to look at the townhome.

They had no idea if this place they were trying to find right now would be their forever home, but they wanted a space big enough for it to be, so they were planning as if wherever they decided to live, they were going to be there for the foreseeable future. They wanted a place they could grow into, one that would be big enough for them whenever they decided to grow their family, while also not being painfully far away from the firehouse and in a safe neighborhood. And, from what they could tell, this place seemed to check off those boxes.

"Wait, this place has a garage, too?" He asked as she stopped on a photo of the outside of the building.

"Mhmm." She replied with a smile. "It's off to the side here." She explained, clicking on the street view so he could see the full picture. From what she could tell, the way these townhomes were set up, there was a line of units all connected together, forming a nearly complete rectangle around the block, with a driveway in the opening between the homes, giving everyone street access from their garages. "It'll almost be like a house, with the garage and everything, and there is a fence." She told him, Matt chuckling as he continued looking at the computer screen. "But I thought the garage would be nice, for safety and everything. Coming home late some nights with Sofia, they'd be no more standing on the side of the road while getting her out of the car, you know?"

"Yeah, that would be nice." He agreed, knowing that was always something they were mindful of. Though their neighborhood was relatively safe, one thing they didn't like so much was the walk they had to their apartment from where they parked. Especially when they had Sofia with them. While they hadn't had any issues on that front, they weren't naive to the fact that this was Chicago, and they had to be vigilant, especially late at night. So being able to park in a garage, and not have to constantly look over their shoulders while getting Sofia out of the car was a nice perk. "Especially when we have more kids, if anything we just wouldn't have to worry about them running out into the street, or anything like that."

"Yeah, that's kind of what I was thinking." She echoed his words, Gabby reaching out to run her hand through Sofia's curls before continuing to show him the townhouse. "The place has a courtyard too, kind of like here… So it'll give Sof a safe place to play outside while we're home."

"The price isn't too bad, either." He commented, Gabby giving him a nod. When they started this process, they both were aware they'd be having to pay more than what they were paying now for their apartment. A bigger place to live meant it would be more expensive, they knew there was no way around that. But, within a reasonable price, it was something they could manage. They had finally finished paying off all of Gabby's and Sofia's hospital bills, and Matt's hospital bills from his accident on shift nearly a year ago now had long been taken care of. The only expense they still had from that was his occasional visits to go see his doctor about his knee, just to make sure everything was still going okay there and he wasn't re-aggravating anything, but other than that, everything hospital-wise had been taken care of. Of course, there were other expenses that were pretty permanent, like the usual bills, and paying Becca to take care of Sofia, but with his Captain's salary, his construction work, Gabby's salary, and her work at Molly's, they were definitely doing fine. They were living comfortably, and getting a bigger place was something they could swing right now, even if it meant Matt might have to take on a few more jobs here and there.

"It's definitely not. We might have to strap down a little bit, but we both were kind of expecting that anyway." She agreed, Matt giving her a nod. "I think we should go check it out, if you want to." She spoke, tearing her eyes away from the screen to look towards her husband. "It seems like they have a few available units open, but from what I can tell they're all pretty standard; same layout and everything, if you wanna go look and see what we think."

"I'd love to." He responded, his words bringing a soft smile to her face. "The place looks great, I definitely think we should go check it out." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a smile before looking back at the computer.

"I'll call and set up an appointment for us to go see it."

"Sounds good, babe." Matt replied, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head before getting up from the couch with Sofia firmly in his grasp. "Now c'mon Sof, it's time to eat some lunch." He resumed talking to his daughter, Gabby watching with a soft smile as Matt moved through the living room, the wife keeping her eyes on him until he disappeared around the corner into the kitchen. Even after they were out of her view, she could still hear them as she reached for her phone that was resting on the end table, Gabby doing what she could to tune out the sounds of her husband talking and her daughter babbling away as she dialed the number for the realtor, Dawson knowing that once she completed this call, she could go and continue enjoying time with her family.

* * *

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes this morning."

Gabby's steps slowed as she and Matt walked through the maze of rigs in the garage when the paramedic heard Kidd's teasing voice, the harsh look on her face not going unnoticed by the female firefighter as she glanced back and forth between her Captain and her friend. Casey shook his head when he was sure Gabby wasn't looking, Stella raising her eyebrows in question as Matt pressed a quick kiss to the side of his wife's head before continuing inside, leaving Dawson and Kidd alone in between the rigs.

"Something wrong?" Kidd asked once she heard Casey get inside, the firefighter unsure of whether Gabby's sour mood had anything to do with her husband or not. "Hope there's no trouble in paradise or anything… things finally just got back to normal around here between you two."

Gabby cocked her head to the side, an unimpressed look covering her face as Kidd raised her hands in defense.

"Look, I don't know what was going on, but for a while there, things between you and the Captain were a little off. Everyone could tell." She spoke, shooting Gabby a pointed look before continuing. "So spill, what happened?"

"Nothing happened between Matt and I, we're good." She replied, Stella nodding as she leaned her body weight against the truck, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was just a long night with the baby, I didn't get much sleep the night before, and Sofia was up most of the night last night…" She explained, Gabby watching as realization settled over her friend's face. "And I may have snapped at Matt a few times, last night and this morning, so that was probably what that little look he gave you was about."

"You saw that, huh?" Kidd asked with a smirk, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly as a weak smile tugged at her lips.

"Of course I did." She responded without missing a beat, mimicking her friend's stance as she leaned against the rig. "He's not as subtle as he thinks he is."

"Yeah, that's never really been his strong suit." Kidd added with a slight laugh before looking back at her friend. "So what's going on with the baby? She okay?"

"She's fine, just stubborn." Dawson breathed out, her words earning another chuckle from Stella, the firefighter shaking her head in amusement.

"Well, we all knew that… I mean, look at her parents." She teased, nudging Gabby's arm with her elbow, the paramedic huffing out a breath, although she wasn't able to stop the small smile forming across her face.

"Yeah, yeah I know- Matt and I are stubborn. But I was hoping we'd have at least a year before Sof started acting like us." She joked, Kidd shaking her head slightly before she raised her eyebrows, waiting for more of an explanation from her friend, Gabby releasing a sigh before continuing. "We've slowly started trying to transition Sofia to sleeping in her room." Dawson started, Kidd immediately nodding in understanding. "She's been napping in there for about a week now… I mean, I know plenty of people wait until their kids are at least a year before moving them into their own room, but-"

"You and Casey want some alone time." Kidd interjected, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "You need some space to practice for baby number two that doesn't involve the couch, I get it." She spoke with a smug grin, Gabby scoffing as she shook her head.

"I regret telling you that."

"Well, I mean, you were a little drunk when you told me, poor Casey though, he looked absolutely mortified." Kidd responded, chuckling at the memory of Gabby telling her about what had happened that night when she got home after their girl's night out at Molly's a while back. Had they not been a few shots in, Gabby probably never would've told Kidd about her and Matt's time spent together after her friends teased her about another baby, but with the alcohol in Gabby's system, she didn't seem to have much of a filter that night. And while Dawson, nor Kidd, had the greatest recall of their night out with Matt and Kelly, both of them remembered Casey doing everything he could to get his wife to stop talking once he realized what she was telling Kidd about, and the look of pure embarrassment on his face when he couldn't get her to stop fast enough. "But enough about you and the Captain, back to what you were saying. Continue." Stella prompted, Gabby shooting her a knowing looking before releasing a soft breath.

"Yeah, anyway- so she's been napping in her crib, and she's been doing alright with it. It took her a few days to get used to it, but now she sleeps in there fine for her naps. But the night before last we decided to try and have her sleep in her room during the night, and, yeah- she's struggling with it." Gabby breathed out, Kidd flashing her an apologetic look. "She doesn't seem to like being in there alone during the night, I don't know if we need to wait a little longer or what, but it hasn't been going all that smoothly."

"Sounds rough, Dawson." Kidd murmured, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"Kind of, yeah… And mostly I just feel bad for Sof. I know any new thing for babies is a big adjustment, and two nights isn't enough to tell us if we're doing the right thing or not, but, I don't know, it's just hard seeing her so upset, especially when there's really no reason for us to be pushing this right now." She spoke, Kidd listening intently as Gabby continued to vent. "We just decided to try it because we thought it might be time, but if the last two nights were any indication… I don't know, Matt and I are trying to decide what to do. But I don't think she's ready… And plus, because of all this, Sofia was comfort feeding most of the night last night, which definitely wasn't so fun for me." Gabby added, watching a grimace covered Kidd's face.

"I don't know much about that, but it doesn't sound like a great time… And I didn't realize you were still breastfeeding." Stella spoke, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly. "It's just every time I see the kid, I feel like she has a bottle."

"We're still breastfeeding. We're working on more and more solid foods, and she's getting pretty good at handling them, but aside from that, she's still on breastmilk." Gabby explained, Kidd giving her a nod. "We've got it down to where she's using a bottle probably seventy five percent of the time, but sometimes she just prefers me-"

"Well, I'm sure the Captain feels the same way." Kidd interrupted, Gabby scoffing as she shook her head.

"Even when we're talking about Sofia, you still can't stop yourself from making jokes about mine and Matt's sex life, can you?" Gabby questioned with a chuckle, Stella waving her off before she shrugged. "But _anyway_, she hasn't really cared one way or the other lately, whether I feed her, or we give her a bottle, but last night, she only wanted me… So it was a long night." She breathed out, Gabby pushing herself up off the rig. "Eventually we got her down, we gave in and let her sleep in our room, but there wasn't much actual sleep happening, for any of us."

"I'm sorry, girl." Kidd spoke as she followed Gabby's actions, the women starting to walk inside, Dawson not wanting to be late for shift as she still had to change.

"It's fine… Just another one of the joys of parenting." She spoke, Kidd chuckling as they got to the double doors.

"Yeah, but I know both you and Casey wouldn't want it any other way." Stella told her as they rounded the corner down the hallway, a soft smile falling onto Gabby's face.

"No… We definitely wouldn't." She agreed softly, securing her bag over her shoulder as they continued to the locker room, Kidd wrapping her arm around Dawson's shoulders while they walked.

"So, I've heard all the bad stuff, what about the good stuff?" Kidd asked, Gabby glancing towards her. "Anything fun or exciting happening in the Casey household?" The second Dawson heard the question, a soft smile tugged on her lips, Kidd matching her look instantly. "Yeah, I figured there had to be something, what is it?" She questioned, dropping her hold on Dawson as they got into the otherwise empty locker room, Gabby moving to her locker.

"You know how Matt and I have been looking for a new place?" Dawson asked as she put in her combination, the paramedic opening the metal door once she got the lock off.

"Mhmm."

"Well, we found somewhere we really like… Like really, _really_ like." Dawson spoke with a wide smile. "I showed it to Matt the other day, and we're going to go check it out after next shift."

"Oh, I wanna see." Kidd spoke excitedly, Gabby nodding as she pulled her uniform out of her bag.

"I'll show you once shift starts." She replied as she began changing. "I fell in love with it the second I saw it, but I think Matt likes it more than I do." She added with a laugh as Kidd placed herself down on the bench. "I've caught him a few times looking at the pictures of the place, I know he's really excited to go and see it… And I don't want to get my hopes up, we've seen pictures of a lot of great places that just didn't end up being for us, but- I don't know, I have a good feeling about this one."

"That's great, Dawson." Kidd told her, Gabby nodding before sliding her CFD shirt on over her head. "I know how eager Casey's been about this whole moving thing, although I know it's just cause he wants to fill up a new place with a bunch of little mini-Dawson's." She added with a smug grin, Gabby shaking her head.

"How many times have I told you now that we're waiting to have another kid?"

"At least ten." She replied without hesitation. "I just don't believe you." Kidd spoke, pushing herself up from the bench after checking the time on her watch. "But, all jokes aside, I really hope everything with this place works out, and it's the home of your dreams." She said, all teasing gone from her voice.

"Thanks Stella." Gabby responded softly, Kidd giving her a nod as she began backing out of the room.

"Of course… I still wanna see those pictures, though!" She reminded her loudly, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as Kidd disappeared out of the locker room, leaving Dawson to finish getting ready for shift.

* * *

"Are you sure we shouldn't do this another day?" Gabby asked as Matt pulled up to the curb, the husband putting the car in park before turning towards his wife. "We didn't really plan on doing this with Sof… I don't know if maybe we should just reschedule." She elaborated, her eyes moving to look across the street, seeing part of the building they might be calling home one day, Casey shaking his head as he looked at his daughter through the rear-view mirror, seeing her bright blue eyes shining back at him through the mirror they kept on the headrest of the backseat.

"We'll be fine." Matt assured her, looking away from his daughter towards his wife.

While going and seeing the apartment they'd both fallen in love with today had always been a part of their plan for this week, doing it with Sofia had not been. When they first made the arrangements to see the townhouse this morning, Severide was supposed to go relieve Becca of her duties once they got off shift, their nanny having an appointment she needed to get to, and watch Sofia at home while Matt and Gabby came straight here. But something came up at the last minute, the parents still not exactly sure of what happened, all they knew was Severide wasn't able to go and be with Sof. And with Becca not being able to stay later than maybe half an hour or so, they were a little stuck and had to change their plans.

With Antonio and her dad both working, Stella needing to be at Molly's for an early shipment, and Jemma on shift, they weren't able to get anyone last minute to watch Sofia while they went and looked at this place, so they had no choice but to bring her along, which was something they'd hadn't done as of yet when going to look at potential new homes.

"If anything, her being here will help give us a feel of if this place really could be for us." He continued with a bright smile, turning off the engine before unbuckling his seatbelt. "We'll get a good sense of whether this place is child-friendly or not, you know… for Sof and however many more little Casey's we have running around." He added, his words bringing a soft smile to her face before she scoffed, Gabby shaking her head.

"Yeah, yeah, I get your point. Let's just go before we're late." She replied, shoving his shoulder lightly before the family began getting out of the car, the cool May air hitting their skin as soon as they got out.

Jogging around to the sidewalk, Matt opened the back door to start working on unlatching Sofia's car seat from its holder, the baby chewing on her fist as sounds of excitement left her lips when she saw her father.

"Should we take her car seat?" Matt asked before he got much farther in the process, the father looking towards his wife who was standing just behind him.

"Yeah, let's take it." She replied, Matt giving her a nod before continuing to get her seat out, Matt making sure to pull down the shade to shield her eyes from the bright sun before pulling her car seat out. "We can get her out once we're inside, but I'm not sure how long we're gonna be here, and if she wants to nap I know she'll be more comfortable in her seat."

"That's a good idea." He murmured, holding onto Sofia's car seat in one hand while he grabbed the diaper bag with the other. Once he was clear of the door, Gabby shut it before reaching into his front pocket to grab the car keys, Matt's eyebrows raising suggestively as she grabbed onto what she was looking for. "Not out in public, babe." He teased, Gabby scoffing lightly as she pulled the car keys out and clicked the lock button.

"Don't get so excited." She responded, putting the keys back in his pocket before tapping her hand against his stomach. "Now put your tongue back in your mouth and let's go."

"Yes ma'am." He replied, Gabby grabbing the diaper bag so he wouldn't have to carry everything, the mother slinging it over her shoulder before reaching out for Matt's hand, the family checking for traffic before they headed across the street towards the townhomes. "Which one are we seeing again?" Matt questioned as they got onto the sidewalk, giving Gabby's hand a squeeze as she surveyed the homes in front of them.

"1449 is the address number." She answered softly, her gaze bouncing around until she figured out which direction they needed to go, Matt following her lead as she began walking. "I'm pretty sure it's the one on the corner up here."

As they got closer to the townhouse, their steps slowed when they got in front of the unit that could soon be theirs, the couple taking in the outside of the home. There were huge bay windows on both floors, accompanied by large windows across the front of the brick building, the rather large townhome seeming a bit daunting now that they were standing in front of it. It somehow managed to look bigger than it did in the pictures, and they could only imagine what was waiting for them on the inside.

"You ready?" He asked, Gabby nodding before they took the few steps towards the front door.

The front entrance to their home was directly on the sidewalk, which Matt couldn't help but think would be a little helpful where strollers were concerned, the man taking in his new surroundings as Gabby rang the doorbell. The front door was mostly glass, kind of like their back door at their apartment, but it was already covered by what he could only assume was a fitted curtain to give privacy. He also quickly noticed that the glass in the door appeared to be double-paned, which was a nice touch, Matt knowing that while it was better for insulation and would help save money with their heating and air conditioning, it was also a little bit safer, the husband and father unable to look around much more as the door opened, the family coming face to face with a man who was maybe a little younger than Matt.

"Hello, you must be the Casey's." He spoke brightly, stepping aside to let them in, Matt and Gabby dropping hands before she stepped inside first, Matt following in after her. "Gabriela Casey, right?" He asked as he closed the door behind them, Gabby nodding with a soft smile.

"Gabby's fine." She told him, the man nodding.

"It's nice to finally meet you in person." He replied, before looking towards Matt.

"This is my husband, Matt Casey." Gabby greeted, Matt flashing him a smile before reaching out to shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Sam Chambers." He responded.

"You too."

"And this is our daughter, Sofia." Dawson added, Matt turning the car seat around in his grip, giving Sam a view of the baby who'd been babbling away from the moment the family came inside.

"She's beautiful." Sam replied before looking back towards the parents. "You've got a lovely family."

"Thank you." Casey responded.

"And I'm assuming the family is why you're looking for a home like this?" Sam asked, Gabby and Matt both nodding.

"Yeah, we're in the market for a bigger place." Gabby answered as Matt began looking around the large room. "Where we live now is great, but, eventually, we're gonna grow out of it. And we'd rather not wait until that happens before we move… We don't want the added stress." She spoke with a slight laugh, Sam nodding in understanding.

"I get it, and that's very smart. You all are planners… I like it." He said lightly, Gabby and Matt sparing a knowing glance between each other before looking back towards him. "Now, I'm sure you all are eager to get a look around the place, we'll start inside and make our way upstairs, let you all get a feel of everything, then we'll go and I'll show you the garage, and outside and everything." He told them, Gabby nodding.

"Sounds great."

"Can I have a second to just get her out of here?" Matt asked as he glanced down towards Sofia, knowing his daughter would begin to get restless if they left her in her carseat too much longer.

"Of course, yeah." Sam responded, holding out his hand towards the furnished living room, Matt walking over towards the couch and placing Sofia's carseat down on the edge of the sectional, the baby waving her arms around animatedly as she smiled up at her dad.

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you're all excited." He murmured, Matt beginning to unbuckle Sofia from her seat as Gabby and Sam walked further into the home.

"So, what do you all do for a living, if you don't mind my asking?" Sam questioned, wanting to learn more about his perspective buyers.

"I'm a paramedic with the fire department, Matt here is a firefighter- a Captain, actually." She answered, Sam nodding with a soft smile. "And Matt also does some construction work."

"Gabby owns a bar, too. Molly's." Casey added, the father turning around to face them with Sofia in his arms. "Her and a couple of the guys we work with, they run the place."

"Wow… You two seem to keep busy." Sam joked, Gabby and Matt both nodding before their eyes began moving around their potential new home. "Alright, well are you all ready to get started?" He asked.

"Absolutely." Gabby replied, Sam flashing them a bright smile before beginning the tour.

As promised, they started downstairs, which consisted of the living room, kitchen, half bathroom, laundry room, and the master bedroom. Everything looked exactly as it did in the pictures, but what the pictures didn't give justice to was how open everything was. The living room and kitchen was one big open room, with enough space for a pretty decently sized kitchen table. The living room itself was a good size, big enough for them to entertain if they chose to, but the kitchen had to be Gabby's favorite part. With the up-to-date appliances, the large pantry, and huge island, Gabby fell in love with it the second she saw it. And the amount of natural light that flooded into the room from the windows on both walls made the place that much better, both Matt and Gabby loving it more and more with every room they saw. Especially when they stepped foot into the master bedroom.

It was probably the same size as the one they had now, but with the huge windows and light walls, it felt very inviting, and seemed so spacious. But what sold Gabby on the master wasn't even so much the room itself, but the size of the closet. Compared to the small walk-in they had now, this closet was probably double the size, and could easily fit all their clothes, and then some. For Matt, he didn't care so much about the closet, but he absolutely loved the bathroom. Everything was up to date, with a huge tub and a giant shower, along with double sinks, giving them all the room they would need. The longer they spent here, the more they got a great feeling about this place, and that only continued as they went upstairs.

The upstairs consisted of three bedrooms, one of which had its own bathroom, and then another full bath in between the two others, all of the rooms being a decent size, along with a small family room at the top of the steps that centered it all. It was close to the size of their small living room now, Gabby picturing them maybe putting a TV and couch up here, or possibly turning it into a makeshift office space for her and Matt, but those were decisions that could be made later should they decide to live here. The bedrooms themselves weren't huge either, but they were comfortable, and compared to a lot of other places they'd looked at, they were a decent size.

From everything they'd seen so far, this place was even better than they realized, and even though they hadn't voiced it out loud, neither one of them wanting to speak too freely in front of the realtor they'd just met, from a few shared looks between the two of them, they knew this place was a serious contender.

"All the hardwood was replaced earlier this year, and the appliances were upgraded last year, so you all won't have to worry about that." Sam spoke as they walked back downstairs. "And I'll take you guys to get a look outside, let you see the garage and the courtyard."

Walking over to the door just outside the laundry room, Gabby and Matt followed Sam out into their garage, the couple immediately impressed by the size. There was definitely space for Gabby's car, or a bigger family car if they needed to upgrade in the future. And though it was technically a two-car garage, Matt knew with the construction stuff attached to his truck, they wouldn't be able to park both cars in here and he'd have to park out on the street, but he didn't care so much about himself. As long as it would work for Gabby, that's what mattered to him.

"This is great." Gabby spoke, glancing towards Matt who nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, it is… Plenty of room for your car. And we'd have some space to put an extra fridge out here if we wanted to, for drinks and everything. Or maybe hook up a bike rack on that wall." Her nose scrunched up in amusement as Matt began rambling, Gabby knowing he usually did that when he'd get excited about something. Seeing the look on her face, Matt stopped talking quickly, his cheeks turning red before he looked over the space again. "Or we could just park in here." He added.

"It's a great space, isn't it?" Sam asked before pressing the button on the wall to open the door, the bright sunlight immediately starting to filter in as the garage door opened. "You can just drive straight in here from the street, it's very easy and convenient. And then down in the middle of all the units is the courtyard. Just a place for Sofia to be able to run around outside, get some fresh air and everything. It's completely fenced in, and there is a lock on the gate, which can only be opened with your house key. And the only entrance is from the inside, there's no gate out by the sidewalk, so there's no risk of her getting out into the street or anything like that." He told them, both Gabby and Matt nodding as they stood just outside of their garage, looking down the dark brick road that led to all the other units. "We can go down and take a look at it, if you like." He offered, Gabby and Matt both agreeing.

During the walk in between the units, they couldn't help but notice how quiet the neighborhood was; it was peaceful almost, which was not something they were used to. But they loved it.

After seeing the courtyard, they went back to the unit they were looking at, Gabby and Matt giving the main floor one last once over before they got ready to go, Sofia barely awake in her dad's arms as her head was tucked into his neck.

"Well, I hope you guys liked what you saw… I know finding a new place to live can be tough, but if this place has what you and your family are looking for, I'd love to help get you all settled here. I could definitely help knock off the price a little bit, get you guys a good deal if you decide you wanna live here. But all my information is on that paper, whenever you all have some time to think it over and come to a decision." He told them as Matt slowly began moving Sofia into her carseat, the baby fussing at the movement. "And for what it's worth, I think you and your family would be happy here. There's a lot of young families in this complex, like you all, and I think you'd like living here."

"Thank you." Gabby replied, gripping the paper tightly as she glanced down to her husband, watching as he gave Sofia her pacifier, trying to lull her back to sleep. "We definitely like the place, we just need to talk about it some more… But I'll let you know when we decide." She told him, Sam flashing her a warm smile before nodding.

After a few more pleasantries, the Casey family left, Matt and Gabby walking back to their car the same way they left it, the parents hand in hand while Matt held onto the car seat carrying a sleeping Sofia.

"So… what are you thinking?" Matt asked, checking for traffic before leading his girls across the street.

"Honestly?" She questioned with raised eyebrows, Matt immediately giving her a nod, keeping his gaze focused on the street while they crossed, wanting to make sure no cars were coming. "I love it." She breathed out, Matt shooting her a soft smile as they walked in front of her car onto the sidewalk, the couple coming to a complete stop once they were safely out of the street. "What about you?"

"I love it, too." He agreed instantly, Gabby's smile widening as he adjusted his grip on the car seat. "I knew I liked it, and that the pictures looked great, but I was still going into it kind of cautious, because I wasn't sure what we'd be walking into… But I loved it, I think it's a great place." Matt continued, Gabby nodding almost immediately.

"Me too." She replied. "I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the layout and everything, but I really like it… The only thing I'm a little unsure of is us being on a different floor than Sof." She added, Matt giving her an understanding nod.

"I get it, I was thinking the same thing. But the master is right next to the steps, we'll have baby monitors and everything, and plus she's not an infant anymore… I think once she gets used to sleeping in her own room, everything will be fine." He told her, Gabby tilting her head to the side as she thought over his words.

"Yeah, I guess you're right." She spoke, a soft smirk tugging on her lips. "And I think it would be pretty hard to find a place that had every single bedroom on the same floor, unless we moved out to the country." She said with a laugh, Matt's face scrunching up when he saw the adorable grin on her face.

"I don't really see us as country people." He chuckled, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before nodding. "But, I agree with you, I love the layout… I love how open everything is, and how big the rooms are. It's definitely the best place we've seen so far."

"That's what I thought, too." She spoke with a gentle smile, Matt giving her hand a squeeze. "I know we need to sit down and really talk about it, but I kept just picturing us living there."

"Yeah, I was doing a little bit of that, too." He told her, Gabby shooting him a knowing grin. "...I may have been picturing Sof's nursery in one of the rooms upstairs." He said sheepishly, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"I get it… I was picturing how we'd set up that little family room upstairs." She admitted, her words causing his smile to widen. "It's definitely bigger than the pictures made it seem, and I was thinking maybe we could put our furniture from our living room now up there." She told him, Matt raising his eyebrows. "I mean, I'm not sure if the furniture in that place was just to show the house, but the couch and chairs we have now would be way too small in that living room, so I was thinking we'd get new stuff there, but we could keep the old stuff upstairs… Our TV and everything. It should all fit, and I don't wanna just get rid of it." She rambled, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip as he watched on in amusement. "Or if you wanted, we could turn it into kind of a makeshift office space, or we could use one of the extra bedrooms as an office. I don't know, maybe we could just do it like our place now, and have the desk out there against a wall or something-... I'm getting ahead of myself." She cut herself off when she realized how much she'd been talking, Matt shaking his head with a bright smile on his face as he leaned forward to close the distance between them, Casey pressing a quick kiss to her lips.

"You are, but it's cute." He told her, Gabby smiling before she kissed him again, the two enjoying the quiet moment for a second before they separated. "And like you said, we can talk about it more later, but I do think that's a good idea, the living room and office combo." He added, Gabby giving him a nod before they moved towards her car.

"Yeah, I think so, too. Maybe if we have a place for our desk where it can't become a dumping ground, we'll actually be able to use it." She spoke lightly, Matt chuckling as he fished around in his pocket for the car keys. "And plus, if we have a little office space, we'll be able to keep all our paperwork and everything in order."

"What? You don't like our current system of just tucking it away into the drawers?" He asked sarcastically, Gabby scoffing before shaking her head.

"Considering I'm the one who ends up having to go and organize through all that, no, I don't like it." She replied, Matt shrugging before opening the back door. "Plus I'd love to have a desk again that wasn't covered in baby clothes and toys… Oh, and not to mention maybe if we had a functioning desk, I'd be able to get caught up on all those letters my mom keeps sending us." Gabby breathed out, shaking her head as a slight laugh left her lips. "I swear, I love the woman, but her refusal to send an email is crazy to me. Although I can't say I mind getting to print out little photos of Sof to send her, but still… I'm super behind on those, maybe we can sit down and take an updated family photo to send her here in the next few days- Matt?"

She cut herself off when she realized her husband had stopped responding, Gabby pausing before she was about to climb into the front seat, her eyebrows furrowing when she caught a glimpse of how tense Matt looked.

"Babe."

"Huh?"

"You okay?" She asked, Matt glancing back to look at her once he finished getting Sofia secured into the car, seeing the look of concern on his wife's face.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good- Just was thinking about the house." He covered, Gabby giving him an unsure nod before glancing down to her watch, realization covering her face as she released a heavy sigh.

"Dammit." She muttered under her breath, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"What?"

"I told Kidd I'd meet her at Molly's to help with inventory for a bit, do you mind to drop me off?" She asked, Matt shaking his head as he shut the back door. "I didn't realize we were gonna be here this long."

"It's fine, I don't mind." He replied, Gabby flashing him a warm smile before stepping forward, pressing a firm kiss to his lips as her hand covered his cheek.

"Thank you, baby." She responded, kissing him again before sliding into the passenger seat, Matt shutting her door before jogging around to the driver's side door, preparing to head towards the bar.

* * *

Matt sat on the couch in the living room, nursing his glass of water as he stared blankly at the TV, Casey not paying attention to whatever was currently playing at a low volume, the man only keeping enough focus to occasionally glance at the baby monitor that showed his daughter napping in her crib. He'd been sitting here alone for over an hour now, Sofia having not woken up since she fell asleep at the townhouse. Aside from stirring a bit when he changed her diaper and got her into a onesie so she'd be more comfortable, she never completely woke up, the baby having been sleeping from the moment her body hit the mattress. But while his daughter was currently resting peacefully, the same couldn't be said for him as his mind was running rampant.

He hadn't been thinking about it. For a few weeks, he'd managed to forget about it, or at least push it aside while he focused on taking care of his wife and daughter, so it wasn't completely taking over his thoughts. But today it had seemed to come back with a vengeance; especially after Gabby mentioned writing those letters to her mom.

The second she said the word, it was like a switch had flipped in his head, and he hadn't been able to think of anything other than that letter she'd written to him. The one with his name clearly scrawled across the front, the one sitting in that drawer over by the back door, like it was mocking him, as he sat so close to it but couldn't force himself to go and get it.

He didn't want to read it without talking to her. Regardless of it clearly being meant for him, it felt like a complete invasion of privacy to go and read that note when she hadn't been the one to give it to him. Though there were hardly any lines that could be crossed between them and their relationship, he felt like if he were to go and read that letter, he'd be breaking her trust. That he'd be going and doing something behind her back, and that didn't sit well with him, so he never read it.

But he was desperate to know what was in it. And he knew the only way he'd ever find out was if he talked to her about it.

Casey nearly jumped out of skin when he felt a hand touch the back of his neck, Matt's vision startling into focus as he turned to look up, finding his wife's concerned eyes on him as she stood behind the couch, Matt feeling his hand get a little wet as he spilled some of his water on the arm rest when she'd surprised him.

"Baby…" She spoke worriedly, her hand continuing to move in calming patterns along the back of his neck, Matt's body relaxing now that he knew it was only Gabby.

"Hey, I'm sorry… Didn't hear you come in." He replied, Gabby nodding slowly as she stroked her thumb along his hairline. "Did Kidd drop you off? I could've come and gotten you."

"It's fine, she didn't mind." Gabby replied. "...And I didn't mean to scare you, I thought you heard me." She responded carefully, Matt shaking his head.

"No, I didn't… Lost in my own head, I guess." Matt told her, flashing her a soft smile as she dropped her hand from the back of his neck, Gabby walking around to the front of the couch and placing herself down on the coffee table. "Sofia's still sleeping." He commented, Gabby sparing a glance at the baby monitor on the end table. "She's been out since we got back." He spoke, Gabby nodding as she leaned forward, resting her hands on his knees.

"...You sure you're alright, babe?" She asked, sliding her hand comfortingly along his thigh.

"Hmm?"

"You seem kind of… far away." She elaborated. "Is everything okay? Is it about the townhouse?" She questioned, Matt's eyebrows furrowing before he shook his head.

"No, no- it's nothing like that." He answered her, Gabby giving him a slow nod.

"But it is something." She replied, Matt drawing in a deep breath as his eyes flashed down to his lap. "What's going on?" Gabby questioned, giving his leg a supportive squeeze.

"Can I-..." He started, Gabby watching him closely. "Can I ask you something?" He questioned, confusion filling her features as her body leaned forward slightly.

"...Yeah." She replied carefully, unsure of where this conversation was headed, and why he felt the need to even ask her that, Matt smacking his lips together before he continued.

"Um, awhile ago- maybe a month so now, I was here with Sofia… It was that day you'd come home, and I was looking for batteries for her toy and couldn't find them." He told her, seeing her thinking over his words for a moment before she nodded.

"Yeah, I remember." She responded, Matt nodding.

"Well, when I was looking for some batteries, I found something else… Something I think was for me." He spoke, seeing her confusion only growing as she waited for him to continue. "There, uh- there was a letter addressed to me over in the drawer…"

Her entire body went rigid as the words left his lips, Gabby pulling away from him as she sat up straight, Matt watching her cross her arms over her chest while her gaze dropped to the ground, the husband knowing that was something she did to protect herself. Clearly, whatever was in that letter couldn't have been good, if this was the reaction him even mentioning it had elicited from her.

"I haven't read it." He quickly told her, Gabby slowly looking up to meet his gaze, Matt seeing an unreadable look in her eye. "I wanted to, I still do, but… I didn't." He told her, Gabby's chest rising as she drew in a deep breath. "I figured you didn't give it to me for a reason, so I didn't look at it." He repeated himself, Gabby giving him a slow nod, but she didn't say anything. "But, I, uh-" He cut himself off, blowing out a heavy breath. "It's been driving me a little crazy, not knowing what it is… I just don't know what you would've written me, but not told me, and your reaction just then tells me you don't really want me to read it and I'm just- I'm confused, baby… And worried, if I'm being honest."

Pursing her lips together, Gabby nodded as her hands dropped down her lap, Matt watching as she nervously ran her palms over her legs before she abruptly stood up.

"Gabby…" He spoke when she began walking away, but she didn't say anything, Matt keeping his eyes on her as she headed for the kitchen. He lost sight of her pretty quickly, but he could hear her moving around, his wife reappearing within maybe thirty seconds, this time with that familiar white envelope in her hands.

His eyes bounced back and forth between her and the letter, Matt feeling the tension her body was carrying as she returned to her seated position on the coffee table, her leg shaking up and down as she slowly met his gaze.

Before she said a word, Gabby held the letter out to him, Matt slowly taking it from her, seeing that familiar handwriting shining back at him.

"Gabby…"

"I didn't give it to you because I didn't need to." She murmured, Matt tearing his eyes away from the letter to look back at her, confusion evident across his features. "But it is for you… I wrote it for you, and you can read it, if you want."

"I don't…" He trailed off, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek.

"I wrote that for you, or to you, I guess, back before Sofia was born." She told him, Matt's eyebrows lifting slightly. "And, I, uh- I had Antonio hold onto it, to give to you if I-" She cut herself off, Matt feeling his heart nearly collapse in his chest as the realization of what this was washed over him.

This was a goodbye letter.

She had written him a letter in case she died, in case bringing Sofia into this world killed her. He was holding onto a note that contained what could've been her last words to him, and the thought made him nauseous.

"If something happened to me, I wanted you to have that." She continued when he had yet to say anything. "I, um… After Sofia was born, and we got back home, Antonio gave it back to me… It kind of surprised me, to be honest. I'd forgotten about it, with everything that happened during the delivery, and then the problems Sofia had, it wasn't on my mind." She explained, Matt giving her a slight nod. "Then when he brought it back, I just- I panicked, I guess… I didn't know what to do with it. It felt wrong to throw it away, but I didn't know if I should give it to you or not, so I put it in the drawer… But I wrote it to you, and you can read it, if you want to."

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt gave her another nod as he brought his hand up to run over his mouth, the husband hesitantly looking back down to the letter he was holding.

When he'd thought over all the possibilities of what this could be over the last few weeks, a goodbye letter never crossed his mind. Maybe it should've, but it didn't. Ever since both his girls made it through the delivery okay, he hadn't thought about it. He didn't like focusing on the fact he could've lost the two most important people in his life, because they were okay. They made it through, they were fine; there was no reason for him to linger on the what-ifs.

"Matt…"

Gabby's soft voice pulled him from his thoughts, the firefighter swallowing the thick lump in his throat before looking back up to her, his eyes finding hers immediately.

The second he laid eyes on her, a soft smile formed over his face, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion, unsure of why he was looking at her like that. But he wasn't so much focused on her reaction, Matt's eyes tracing over her face, taking in every feature he'd committed to memory years ago, her warm brown eyes filling him with a sense of safety that only she could give him. His gaze moved down, Matt watching as her chest slowly moved up and down, her steady breaths just another reminder that she was still here, that what she'd planned for by writing that letter hadn't happened.

Her and Sofia were both here, they were both fine, and that was the only thing that mattered to him at this moment.

Placing the letter down on the couch beside him, Matt reached out for her hand, Gabby giving it without question even though she was still a little confused, a soft sound of surprise leaving her lips when he gently pulled her up off the coffee table.

"Matt-"

But he didn't say anything, Casey guiding her down towards him, giving her no choice but to straddle his lap as he pulled her down onto the couch, Gabby's knees resting on either side of his hips before he dropped her hand, Matt's arms quickly circling around her waist. She felt it immediately, how tightly he was holding onto her, Gabby feeling a heavy feeling settle in her gut as she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting the side of her head against his. She could feel him pressing gentle kisses to the base of her neck and her shoulder, Matt rubbing his hands along her back.

"I love you so much." He murmured against her neck, Gabby nuzzling her head against his as he pressed another soft kiss to her skin.

"I love you, too." She responded, moving one of her hands up to the back of his head, Gabby running her fingers through his short hair.

A soft silence fell over them, the husband and wife holding onto each other as they sat in their living room, Gabby feeling Matt's hands settling on her waist as she placed her head against the top of his shoulder.

"...Are you okay?" She asked after a few quiet moments, Gabby feeling him nod slowly before pressing another kiss against her shoulder.

"I am." He replied, Gabby scratching his head lightly as she nodded. "Are you?" He questioned back, Gabby slowly lifting her head, pulling back enough to meet his eyes. "I mean… Bringing all that up again, I know how awful it makes me feel, but I know how terrible that was on you, and- I didn't mean to bring all that back, I didn't know." He apologized, but Gabby shook her head, leaning forward to press a soft kiss against his lips.

"I'm fine." She murmured, adjusting her weight so she was centered on top of him as her hands slid down from his neck to rest on his chest, Matt nodding in response as he continued moving his hands up and down her side. Gabby's gaze moved down to the couch, her eyes finding the letter that he'd placed beside them, his name written across the white paper shining back at her. "...Aren't you gonna read it?"

She finally asked the question she'd had since he put the letter down, Gabby knowing how eager he was to know what was inside of that envelope, Matt waiting until she looked back up at him before he nodded.

"I will… But not right now." He responded, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "Right now I just want to focus on you." He added, Matt leaning forward to capture her lips in a firm kiss, Gabby nearly melting into him as she reciprocated the action, the husband and wife getting lost in one another as they sat together on the couch, neither one of them wanting to take the time they had with each other for granted.

* * *

**And there's another one. I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot, hopefully you guys enjoyed reading it. I'm sure some of you are anxious to see what was in that letter, but at least Matt now knows what it is now, and him reading it is coming, I promise! Also, it looks like the Casey's might've found their new home, which I actually spent a lot of time looking up places in Chicago for sale, trying to get an idea of some things on the market and everything like that. But yeah, it definitely looks like there might be a move coming here soon.**

**As always, thank you all for reading this chapter, I can't wait to hear what you think!**

**Stay safe, everyone. Until next time.**


	87. Chapter Eighty Seven

**Hi! Here's the next chapter for you all, which hopefully can serve as a little distraction from everything going on right now. Although fair warning, this one does get quite emotional. But I really enjoyed writing it, and hopefully you enjoy reading it.**

**I hope you all are staying as safe as you can, and that you and your families are doing alright during this crazy time.**

**Thanks for reading.**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty Seven**_

* * *

Casey sat on the stool at the end of the bar, watching as his wife moved effortlessly behind the counter, serving some customers maybe ten feet away from him as he nursed his first, and what he planned to be his only, beer of the night. They were heading into their third hour here at Molly's, Matt deciding to come along with Gabby while she worked her closing shift tonight at the bar, the parents having planned this night kind of at the last minute. Though they had known Gabby's schedule at Molly's for a few weeks, Matt hadn't planned to come with her until this morning, the couple deciding it would be nice to have a night out together with their friends.

Tapping his finger against his half-full glass, Matt saw Gabby move away from the group she'd just finished serving before she continued further down the bar back towards her friends, Casey watching as she picked up her conversation with Kidd, Brett, and Foster as if she'd never left, the firefighter working behind the bar with her while her fellow paramedics were sitting across from them. He couldn't be sure what they were talking about, but Matt wasn't too focused on the actual topic of their conversation as he was just watching his wife, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw how carefree she was. How a bright grin formed across her lips at something that had been said to her, how she pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear that had fallen down in front of her face, how her laugh broke through the other noise in the bar, the sound causing his smile to widen slightly.

As she pulled away from her small group to tend to some more customers, Matt couldn't help but keep his gaze on her while she moved, the Captain completely captivated by the love of his life. Well, one of the loves of his life, the other hopefully being fast asleep at home.

"You know, if you two weren't married, your staring would be kind of creepy."

Severide's taunting voice pulled Casey from his thoughts of his wife as he turned to see his best friend place himself down on the bar stool beside him, Kelly nodding down the bar towards Gabby before looking back at his friend.

"Hell, even though you are married, it's still a little weird." Severide added, Matt scoffing before taking a quick sip of his beer.

"Hi Severide." He greeted, ignoring the firefighter's comments as Kelly settled in beside him. "What brings you by tonight?"

"Came to see Kidd… The same reason you're here for Gabby." Severide replied knowingly, sparing a glance to his girlfriend, Kelly flashing her a smile when he caught her gaze before returning his attention to Casey. "But really, why are you staring at Dawson? Have there been a lot of guys hitting on her tonight or something?" Kelly asked with a chuckle, both men well aware that some nights at the bar, there were more new faces than usual, meaning Dawson and Kidd often got propositioned more than once while working the bar. "Because I'm pretty sure the wedding ring on her finger is more than enough to tell people she's taken."

"No, nothing like that." Matt responded with a slight laugh, his eyes moving back to Gabby, seeing her hand a fresh drink to Foster before walking away from her friends, Casey looking back at the firefighter beside him.

"Then what is it?" He asked, Matt pursing his lips together before drawing in a deep breath, Kelly's eyes narrowing slightly at Casey's demeanor. "...Something wrong?"

"I…"

"Well, hello Severide."

Both men turned towards the sound of Gabby's voice as she came to a stop in front of them behind the bar, Matt finding her gaze immediately, flashing her a warm smile.

"Hey Dawson."

"Can I get you something to drink?" She offered, pressing her palms down against the counter, Kelly nodding as he glanced towards Matt.

"I'll have what Mr. Dawson is having." He replied, his words earning a slight glare from Casey while Gabby couldn't help but laugh, the paramedic shaking her head in amusement before turning around and grabbing a beer glass from the back wall. "So, with both of you out tonight, who's watching the little squirt?" Severide questioned, knowing his previous conversation with Matt was now temporarily on hold.

"My dad." Gabby responded while filling up his glass, Kelly nodding in response. "He texted me about half an hour ago, said Sof had been asleep for a while." She added, clearly now addressing her husband. "He didn't try to put her in her crib, though. She's in our room."

"That's probably for the best." Matt breathed out, Gabby nodding in agreement as she handed Kelly his beer.

"The whole sleeping-in-her-room thing still not going so well?" Severide asked before taking a sip, seeing the parents share a knowing look before Matt spoke up.

"She's doing a little better… But it's hard enough for Gabby and I to get her to bed, it's better for Sof to just be where she's most comfortable when we're not there." He responded, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, it's getting easier. Slowly." Gabby added with a soft smile. "She's warming up to the idea… But Matt's right, unless it's us or Becca, we don't try to have anyone else put her down in her room." She spoke, her words getting interrupted by Kidd calling out for her.

"Dawson, I need you back down here!" She yelled, flashing the three first responders a smile as she waved her over, Gabby nodding in response before looking back towards her husband and friend.

"Well, duty calls." She spoke, her gaze flickering back and forth between the two firefighters before her eyes landed on Matt. "You need a refill or anything, babe?" She questioned, Matt shaking his head as the smile on his face grew.

"I'm good, thank you, though." He responded, Gabby nodding before she pushed herself up over the bar, Matt's eyes widening slightly as she grabbed the front of his shirt, taking him by surprise when she placed a heated kiss against his lips. It took him a few seconds, but his mind soon caught up as he began kissing her back, Matt leaning forward as she tightened her hold on his shirt, no doubt wrinkling the material as she had it crumpled in her fist. Casey faintly heard Severide blow out a whistle beside him as Gabby deepened the kiss, Matt reciprocating the gesture as he continued to lean closer to his wife, lifting his hand up to grip her neck.

"Dawson!" Kidd's loud voice broke them apart, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as Matt opened his eyes, finding his wife's warm gaze staring back at him, their faces still inches apart. "You can make out with the Captain later, get your ass over here!"

Shaking her head slightly, Gabby dropped the hold on his shirt while he simultaneously let go of her neck, both of them reluctantly separating after her unexpected display of affection. Without a word, Gabby tapped Matt's cheek before beginning to walk away, the paramedic flashing him a wink before turning to face forward, Casey watching her walk away.

Blowing out a heavy breath between his teeth, Matt shook his head before picking up his beer and taking a long sip, Kelly chuckling by his side.

"Well, that was something." Severide replied, following Casey's lead and taking a drink, Matt raising his eyebrows. "But, really, what's going on?"

"What?" Matt asked as he placed his glass back down on the bar.

"With you and Dawson, you were acting weird before she came over here…" He elaborated, Kelly watching his friend carefully as Matt picked back up his beer and finished it off, Severide's eyebrows raising as Casey downed the large amount of alcohol still left in his glass. "What's going on? I mean, you two seem fine. More than fine, actually, if that was any indication." He continued, waving his hand in the air, referring to the show Dawson and Casey had just given Molly's.

"Because we are." Matt replied, clearing his throat.

"Then what is it?" Severide pushed, Casey drawing in a deep breath before bringing his hand up to run over his mouth, Kelly waiting for some answer from his best friend.

"I just… I wanna make sure she's doing alright." He replied softly, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing as he glanced back across the bar, seeing Dawson laughing at something Stella was telling her.

"Did something happen?" He questioned, tearing his eyes away from Gabby.

"No." Casey answered quickly, Kelly tilting his head to the side, Matt releasing another breath before clenching his neck. "Well- not really, I guess."

"You're gonna have to give me more than that." Severide told him, Matt sparing another quick glance to his wife before looking back towards Kelly's expectant gaze.

"We're fine." He clarified, Kelly nodded as he waited for Matt to continue. "Things are just a little..." He trailed off, knowing he wasn't doing a very good job of explaining himself, Matt shaking his head before continuing. "Yesterday, uh, I found out that before Sofia was born, Gabby left me a letter." He spoke quietly, wanting to keep this conversation just between them.

"Alright…" Severide said, his single word laced in confusion, clearly unsure of where this was headed. Sensing the uncertainty, Matt released a heavy sigh before just blurting the words out.

"She wrote it for me in case she died during the delivery." Matt spoke bluntly, Kelly's eyes immediately widening in surprise. "It was a goodbye letter."

Kelly sat stunned for a split second, trying to digest the information before he shook his head, Severide's eyes moving back towards Gabby as he blew out a heavy breath. "...Shit, man." He muttered, Matt nodding in agreement before clearing his dry throat, Casey suddenly wishing he'd taken Gabby up on her offer for a refill.

"Yeah." He agreed, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he started messing with his empty beer glass, tapping his finger on the side of it to distract himself. "There's kind of a long story there, but she gave it to me yesterday… So, that's brought up a lot of stuff."

"...And?" Kelly pressed, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"And what?" He questioned back.

"What did it say?"

Matt's tongue poked out between his teeth, running it over his lips before he shook his head, shrugging in response. "I don't know." He answered, Severide raising his eyebrows questioningly. "I haven't read it yet."

"Why not?" Kelly continued to interrogate, Matt sighing heavily before his eyes moved back down the bar to Gabby, seeing her now in the midst of a conversation with Herrmann, the Captain keeping his gaze on her as he answered.

"I… I don't know… I've gone to read it a few times, but every time I'm about to open it, I just- I can't." He responded quietly, missing the look of sadness that flashed in Kelly's eyes.

"Are you going to?" Kelly asked, Casey tearing his eyes away from his wife to look back at his friend, Matt giving him a slow nod.

"I am. I want to… I think. But I haven't been able to get myself to open it." He replied, Kelly patting his shoulder comfortingly. "Each time I've picked it up, I just… I can't stop thinking about how that letter could've been Gabby's last words to me.. Her last words to _anyone_… And thinking about her sitting down, writing her goodbye to me… it kills me because I can't even imagine what that felt like for her. Knowing there was a possibility I would've ended up getting that letter… that she could've died." Matt breathed out, shaking his head as he was suddenly at a loss for words, Severide squeezing his shoulder tightly, doing what he could to comfort his friend. Releasing a sharp breath, Matt pressed his fingers into his temple, trying to get rid of the growing ache inside his skull, the Captain quickly glancing at his wife to make sure she was still out of earshot before continuing. "So this all just... this has brought all that up again- her nearly dying. And you know how hard that was on us…"

"I do." Severide confirmed softly, the Lieutenant looking towards Gabby as well, seeing her still chatting away happily with her friends. "But she seems to be okay… I mean, I know she's usually good at hiding her feelings sometimes, but she seems to be alright to me."

"No, I know… She has been. It was a little hard talking about it when I asked her, but other than that, she's been okay." Casey agreed, Kelly removing his hand from Matt's shoulder before taking another drink. "Hell, I think it's affecting me more so than her… But I'm just trying to make sure she's alright." He explained, Severide nodding in understanding.

"You guys haven't talked about it at all?" He questioned, Matt looking up at him before shaking his head.

"No, not since I asked her about it yesterday." Matt responded. "When she gave me the letter and I didn't immediately read it, she asked me if I was going to. And I told her I was… Then she asked me again this morning if I'd read it yet and I said no, but that's been it… I think she's just waiting for me to be ready to read it." He said, the Captain getting everything off his chest as he continued tapping away at his empty beer glass.

"Well, I don't really know if there's anything I can do to help with this," Severide started, Matt glancing up at him. "But, whatever that letter says, all you can do is remember that she's still here… That both her and Sofia are here, that they're healthy." He continued, Matt giving him a slow nod. "Your family's fine, man."

Sucking in a deep breath, Matt nodded before flashing him small smile. "Yeah, you're right… Thanks, Sev." He replied, Kelly nodding supportively before taking another sip of his beer.

Across the bar, Gabby smiled brightly at the customer in front of her, giving him a thankful nod when he placed a twenty into the tip jar, the paramedic ignoring his stares while she headed back over to her friends, the sound of Kidd's laughter filling her ears before anything else.

"Damn Dawson, what is that? Like the fifth guy who's done that tonight?" She asked, her words causing Brett and Foster to laugh while Herrmann huffed out something under his breath.

"Well, we've got an appreciative crowd tonight." Dawson replied with a wink, Stella shaking her head in amusement.

"Yeah, well most of the guys must've missed that little gift you gave Casey earlier… I don't think they'd waste the money if they knew they didn't have a chance." She chuckled, Gabby rolling her eyes before tossing the white bar rag over her shoulder, glancing back to Christopher as he worked on getting the last of the beer glasses set out.

"You need help, Herrmann?" She asked, earning a look from the older man.

"What? You mean now that I'm done with it? Nah, I'm fine. Thanks." He replied, an edge of sarcasm to his tone. But Gabby simply ignored it, flashing him a bright smile, Herrmann unable to stop himself from smiling, too.

"Well, just thought I'd ask." She replied with a laugh before returning her attention back to her friends.

"So Dawson, back to the townhouse…" Foster spoke, reminding Gabby of the conversation they'd started that had been interrupted by some customers, a look of realization covering Dawson's face.

"Oh, right! Yeah, it was great. Matt and I loved it." She replied, her eyes moving down the bar towards her husband, seeing him deep in conversation with Severide. "It was a great place… We don't want to be too hasty or anything, and we want to talk about it some more, but we both love it. The neighborhood is great, it's a huge place, and the price isn't too bad… It's not too far from the station, or from here. It honestly checks all our boxes, but it's a big decision, so we want to weigh all our options." She told her friends, earning nods from all of them.

"Yeah, that's probably the way to go, but from the pictures you showed me, the place looked beautiful." Brett replied, Gabby flashing her a wide grin.

"It was even better in person." She responded, Gabby feeling Kidd slide past her to go serve a customer further down the bar. "Most of the places we've seen, they're either not as nice as the photos make it seem, or there's just something off about them… But this place." She spoke, shaking her head slightly. "It was even better than we thought it'd be. I really think it could work for us, especially further down the line when we have more kids and everything… There's plenty of space for us."

"Don't let Stella hear you mention more kids." Sylvie warned jokingly. "I swear, she's convinced you're pregnant already." She added, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully as she released a heavy breath.

"I know she is... Though I believe it's just wishful thinking at this point." Dawson replied with a laugh. "I don't think I've ever seen someone more invested in two people having kids…"

"Yeah, she definitely is on-board for more little Caseys running around." Foster agreed.

"Aren't we all." Herrmann chirped from a few feet away, Gabby raising her eyebrows as an unimpressed look covered her face. "What, kid? I'm sorry, but we've all seen how much you two have gone through to get here, and we know how much you've both always wanted kids… You can't fault us for being invested." He spoke, his sincere words causing a small smile to pull on her lips. "And plus, it took you two so long to get it together, we all suffered through those ups and downs," He added with a smug grin, Gabby scoffing as she pressed her hands into the edge of the bar. "So, yeah, all of us want to see you two have more kids."

"I'm so glad mine and Matt's life is such a common topic of discussion around here." Gabby replied sarcastically, Herrmann shrugging as he walked past her, patting her on the shoulder as he moved.

"What did you expect? It took seven years for us to get here… Hell, and that's just from when you two got together. It's even longer if you count all the years you were in love with him but he never knew." Herrmann responded, Gabby feeling heat rise to her cheeks, the paramedic suddenly glad that her husband was further down the bar. It wasn't that her long-time feelings for him were a secret, but they were definitely something he teased her about whenever given the opportunity. And she didn't like being reminded of the fact that while Matt may have been oblivious to her feelings for him since long before them being together was even a possibility, the rest of the house had been well aware of how much she'd liked him.

"Yeah, yeah, okay, I get your point." Gabby conceded, hoping to steer the conversation away from her crush on her now-husband, Herrmann chuckling as he grabbed a bottle of liquor off the back wall. "But that still doesn't mean any of you have a say in Matt and I having more kids, especially you, Stella." She continued as the firefighter walked back over to here, Kidd raising her hands in defense.

"Don't I know it.." She replied under her breath, jumping right in even though she'd missed part of the conversation, Gabby opening her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a rather large group of customers coming in all at once, the three behind the bar knowing their conversation with their friends would have to be put on hold for the time being.

* * *

"The back door's locked, babe." Matt spoke as he stood in the doorway to the stockroom, Gabby looking up just as he turned the light off in the back room before he walked back into the bar. Flashing him an appreciative smile, she gave him a nod as she picked up another one of the stools, placing it upside down on top of the table.

"Thank you." She replied, Matt shooting her a warm smile before helping her complete the task of getting all the stools up off the ground.

The husband and wife were the only two people left at Molly's, Matt having helped escort the last customer out around fifteen minutes ago before turning off the outside lights and locking up the front door, making it clear they were no longer open for business so they could start getting ready to head home. It was late, like it was all the nights Gabby had to close up, Matt having sent Ramon a text a few minutes ago saying they'd be leaving soon, the both of them working quickly so they could get out of here and get back home to their daughter.

"Thanks for coming out with me tonight. And helping me close up."

Matt looked up when he heard her voice, finding her watching him as she put her last stool up on the table.

"Of course." He replied softly, continuing to get the last of his chairs on the bar. While he wasn't able to do it often, Matt usually staying back at home with Sofia while Gabby worked late, any time he could come and help her close, he jumped at the opportunity. Not only did he like getting to spend some time out with her while they were with their friends, he also felt better about her not being here alone this late at night. Not that he didn't think she could handle herself, because she absolutely could, but the thought still made him a little nervous, especially with everything they'd dealt with over the last few months. "I'm glad we came… You seemed to have a good time with Kidd and everyone." He added with a pointed stare, Gabby chuckling as she walked over to him.

"Yeah, I did… I swear, I don't know what's gotten into Stella lately, but she has less of a filter than normal." She replied, scrunching her nose up in amusement as she waited for Matt to handle the last bar stool. Once he'd finished, as soon as he turned towards her, she stepped forward, Gabby wrapping her arms around his waist as she slowly pushed them back until he was pressed into the bar, Matt instinctively resting his hands low on her hips. "But I had a good time. Tonight was nice." She added, locking her fingers together behind his back as she felt his hands move over her sides.

"It was." He agreed, his hands settling around her back before he slid them into her back pockets, effectively pressing her body into his. Gabby smirked at the action, the paramedic cocking her head to the side as she caught his sly grin.

"Can I help you with something?" She questioned lightly, feeling him give her a squeeze as she moved her thumb back and forth over his lower back.

"I'd just like a moment alone with my beautiful wife." He replied, Matt feeling warmth spread through his chest when he saw the content smile that formed over her face, Gabby leaning forward slightly so their faces were mere inches apart.

"Is that so?"

"Mhmm." He hummed, flashing her a soft smile. "I mean, I had a good time, but I barely saw you tonight." He continued, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she slowly slid her hand underneath the back of his shirt, rubbing her fingers along his back just above the waistband of his pants, a knowing look covering his face as he felt her skin against his.

"Well, you seemed to be a little preoccupied with Kelly all evening." She responded with a grin, Gabby pushing herself forward until her lips were just barely touching his. "I didn't want to get in the way of you two." She added, a low chuckle escaping the back of his throat, Matt not getting the chance to respond to her as she pressed a gentle kiss against his lips.

Their movements started slow and soft, Matt gripping her in his palms as they both leaned into the bar, Gabby deepening the kiss and allowing him entrance as they picked up their pace. She scratched her fingers lightly over his lower back, the action causing a chill to shoot through his body as he kept her close, a soft moan escaping his lips as they moved together.

The two of them became completely lost in one another, neither of them sure how long they'd been standing there as they continued their pace, Gabby pressing her hips into his occasionally, thoroughly enjoying the moans and groans she was eliciting from him. When her need for air became too great, Gabby pulled back, sucking in deep breaths as Matt moved his lips along her jaw down to her neck, attacking every inch of her skin he could find as he heard her pants in his ear. Without warning, Matt used his strength to spin them around, a surprised squeak escaping her lips as Gabby's back was suddenly being pushed into the bar, Matt pinning her against the counter while he continued to pepper her neck with kisses.

Gabby gave herself completely to the strong feelings of desire and want that were growing inside of her, her mind focused on nothing but the feeling of Matt's hands all over her body, his lips trailing back up towards hers before reclaiming them with his own, Gabby gripping any part of him she could as he pressed his hips into hers, keeping her firmly against the bar. She could feel the effect she'd had on him pressing into her thigh, Gabby smirking against his lips as Matt deepened their movements, his hands bracing himself against the bar.

A slight gasp left her lips when he pushed against her yet again, Matt pulling back instantly when he recognized the noise to not be one of pleasure, but one of discomfort.

"You okay?" He murmured, Gabby nodding as she moved her hand to rest over her back, pressing against her spine slightly.

"I'm good… The bar isn't the most forgiving thing in the world." She responded, Matt nodding as he moved his hand behind her back to rest over hers, gently rubbing over the sore spot.

"Sorry." He replied softly, Gabby shaking her head as she leaned back into his hand. "I guess I got a little carried away." He added with a sheepish grin, Gabby leaning forward to press a much more tame kiss to his lips, the couple slowly coming back down to reality.

"It's fine… But we probably should get out of here. I don't want to keep my dad waiting too much longer." She told him, Matt nodding in agreement before giving her another quick kiss.

"You're right." He breathed out once he pulled back, Matt lifting his free hand up towards her cheek, stroking her skin gently before he leaned back in. "But you and I will definitely be finishing this another time." He murmured, Gabby's smile growing before he captured her lips in a passionate kiss.

A few seconds later, they reluctantly pulled back, both of their chests heaving as they fought to catch their breath, Gabby unable to stop the smirk from forming over her lips when she was reminded of the clear effect she had on him as their hips were still pressed together.

"Yeah, we'll definitely have to finish this later… Wouldn't want to leave you like that, _Captain_."

Matt bit back a groan, the combination of her teasing voice and her hips pressed into his not helping his growing problem as the firefighter released a sharp breath, Matt shaking his head before stepping away from his wife, knowing if he didn't, they'd end up making Ramon wait at the apartment a little longer.

"Yeah, we need to get out of here." He muttered under his breath, the sound of Gabby's laugh causing a soft grin to cover his face, Matt watching as she grabbed her purse off the bar and walked towards him.

"Don't worry, babe, I'm sure the ride home will give you enough time to sort that out." She continued to joke at his expense, her eyes moving down towards the very obvious bulge in his jeans, Matt shifting to try and ease his discomfort as they continued towards the door.

"You keep this up, we won't be going home just yet." He told her with a gleam in his eye, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as she watched him walk out the door, Matt holding it open for her to follow after him, both of them knowing if not for Sofia, they'd be heading right back inside this bar and finishing what they started.

* * *

Casey walked out of the bedroom to a completely quiet apartment, the man scratching the back of his head as he looked between the kitchen and the living room, trying to decide whether he wanted to get something to eat or not. Seeing as how it was nearing two in the afternoon, Matt quickly decided he should at least get a little something to snack on, considering he hadn't eaten since dinner last night at the firehouse. Blowing out a sigh, he changed his course of direction to the kitchen, the tired firefighter padding around the room as he searched for something to eat.

It had been a long night last night at 51, the entire house called out to an apartment fire a little before eleven that kept them out all throughout the night, 81 and squad 3 not rolling back into the station until around five this morning. Unfortunately, there had been a few casualties, but with the extent of the fire, truthfully they were lucky only a couple lives had been lost.

It definitely hadn't been the type of night that any of them were expecting, and no one in the house had been able to get any sleep after that call. So when the tired parents had gotten home this morning, after Becca had left, they quickly decided they'd take turns getting some rest, knowing one of them needed to be with their daughter. Matt, knowing how exhausted his wife was, and how she had plans to go out around lunch time with Jemma, offered to watch Sofia first, Gabby more than thankful to be able to rest for a little bit.

While the morning had been relatively easy with his little girl, his exhaustion had almost gotten the better of him a few times, and by the time Gabby had emerged from the bedroom a little after eleven, it took less than a minute for Matt to go lie down. He had vaguely heard Gabby tell him she'd be taking Sofia out to lunch with her and Jemma, something she'd decided the second she saw how tired her husband was, Dawson wanting him to get all the sleep he could and not have to worry about waking back up before she left. Then the second his head hit the pillow, he was out, Matt sleeping like a rock up until about five minutes ago, the man still feeling a bit of lingering tiredness in his limbs as he moved around the kitchen.

After preparing his simple meal of a sandwich and some fruit, Matt began to make his way to the living room, a slight yawn escaping his lips while he walked, Casey soon coming to understand he might be going back to bed here after he ate.

Stopping in front of the couch, Matt placed his plate down on the coffee table before he stretched his back and his arms, his muscles tight from being in the same position for an extended period of time. While working out the kinks in his body, Matt's eyes moved around the apartment, noticing that in her time in between waking up and leaving to go out, Gabby had cleaned up a bit of the mess Matt couldn't be bothered to deal with in his tired state, the husband making a mental note to thank her later as he rolled out his neck.

Just as he was about to sit down, a flash of white caught his eye, Matt immediately feeling that familiar sense of dread form in his gut when he looked at the letter that had seemed to be taunting him for days now, the envelope still sitting over on the desk just where he had left it the last time he tried to read it. Drawing in a deep breath, his conversation with Severide from the other night began playing over in his mind, the Captain feeling his feet moving towards the desk before he even registered his own actions, the sight of his name scrawled out on the paper becoming clearer as he moved across the room.

Before he gave himself a chance to hesitate, Matt roughly picked up the envelope, holding it tightly in his grasp as he walked back to the couch and sat down, Casey opening it quickly without a second thought.

He wasn't sure exactly what was waiting for him in this letter, he had no idea what to expect from what could've been Gabby's last words to him, but all he did know was that he couldn't keep putting it off. Despite how hesitant he was to read this, Matt knowing it wouldn't be easy to get through, he knew that the longer he waited, the harder it would be, on the both of them.

Pulling the folded paper from the envelope, Matt took a deep breath before slowly opening it, the husband seeing her words written out in front of him. Before he even started reading, he noticed a few smudged ink stains from what he could only assume to be her tears, Matt trying to prepare himself the best he could as he slowly started reading her goodbye to him.

_Dear Matt,_

_Let me just start off by saying I'm sorry. If you're reading this right now, I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I'm not there with you, and our baby… I'm not sure how long it's been- a week, a month, a few months… I don't know when Antonio would've given you this, if he waited a bit or gave it to you immediately, or how long it's taken you to read it… I don't know how long I've been gone, but I just need you to know how incredibly sorry I am that I'm not with you right now. I'd give anything, absolutely anything, to be with you and our beautiful baby girl. But I'm not, and I'm so sorry._

_I know this is what you were scared of.. Why the beginning of this pregnancy was so hard on us. You were scared to lose me, and you weren't willing to risk it. You didn't want to risk losing me, and I guess this proves that you had every right to be afraid. You had every right to be as scared as you were, and I understand that. I do… But I also know that, regardless of what happened to me, you are so in love with our little girl. You are being the absolute best dad you can be for her, there isn't a doubt in my mind about that. Our daughter is the luckiest girl in the world to have you as her father… And I know you were worried about how you'd be as a dad, you were worried about how you'd feel if something happened to me, but let me tell you right now, I'm not worried one bit. Because, despite all the uncertainty around this pregnancy and what it means for me, there is one thing that I am absolutely certain of, and that is that you are more than enough for our daughter, Matt. You are more than enough. I never want you to doubt that. I just wish I could be there to tell you in person. _

_But I'm not, and that's okay. It's okay because you have our amazing little girl… I'm not sure if we ever got around to choosing a name, knowing us I'm sure we didn't, but regardless of that, I know she's the most beautiful little girl in the world. And I can only hope that I got the chance to meet her. That, before everything happened, I was able to see our girl at least once. Hopefully, we got that.. That we got the chance to be a family, together. Even just for a moment. But if not, if things didn't work out, then that's alright. Because we're still a family. We will always be a family, even though I'm not there. I hope you'll help make sure she knows that._

_And I hope our little girl knows just how loved she is. Which, with you as her father, I know that won't be an issue. She's had you wrapped around her little finger for awhile now, and she's not even born yet. I know the second you'll meet her, she'll always know what it feels like to be loved… Just, when she's old enough to understand, please make sure she knows how much I love her, too… That I wish I could be with her, and be there to watch her grow up. I want her to know how sorry I am for not being able to be there for her, and that I would give anything for things to have been different… But I also want you to make sure she knows that I don't regret it, that this isn't her fault. I'll never regret bringing her into this world. I need you to make sure she knows that. I need you both to know that. I'll never regret the choices we made to keep her. Never. Even if it takes me from you._

_I won't lie to you, baby… I'm scared. I can't pretend and say I'm not, because I am. I'm scared I'll miss it. That I won't be there to see our beautiful little girl grow up into an amazing young woman… That I won't be able to be there with you to experience that. That I'll miss out on the rest of our lives together… I'm terrified of that, of leaving you two, although I guess if you're reading this, that means it happened… But, like I said, I don't regret it, Matt. And I know you don't, either. Which is part of why I'm writing you this, because I don't want you to feel guilty… Nothing that happened to me is your fault. I don't want you to feel guilty, or wrong, for enjoying life with our daughter. Because that's all I want. If I can't be there, the only thing I want is for you two to have an amazing life. I want you and our daughter to be happy..._

_You have to be happy for her, Matt. I need you to be happy. And I don't know if you are right now, though I imagine being around our kid, it's hard not to be… But I need you to promise me you'll be happy. Promise me, right now, that you'll try. At some point, no matter how long it takes for you to move past this, that you'll be happy. That's all I want for you, Matt. That's all I've ever wanted, is to give you the life you dreamed of… The life I know you've wanted for the longest time. I'm just sorry I'm not there to live it with you, like we always planned. But it's okay. It is, because you have our baby girl, and I know right now that she's the most important person in your world. She would be whether I was there or not… That, I'm sure of. But I need you to do what I can't, I need you to show her love, and compassion, and happiness. I need you to show her just how incredible life can be, and be there for her the times when it isn't. I need you to show her enough for the both of us._

_But I hope you'll never stop telling her about me… Maybe it's selfish of me to ask you to do that, I don't know, but I want her to know about us. I want her to know how happy we are, how much we love each other, how much we love her… I know it might sound stupid, but if you can tell her about me, and about us, maybe it'll feel like I can still be in your alls lives, even though I'm not able to physically be there… I know she'll never know me, she'll never know her mom. And I'm sure, down the line, they'll be someone else filling that role, being the mother for her that I didn't get the chance to be. Which is what I want for her. I do. When you find someone, I want our daughter to have a person she can turn to. A person she trusts, that she sees as her mom. I want her to have all of that, because she deserves to have a mom._

_And I want you to have someone, too… Please don't be afraid to move on. I want that for you, and for our daughter. I want you both to have everything… Everything I'm not able to be there to give you. Just… try not to forget about me. And know I'll never forget about you._

_I love you so much, Matthew Casey. I will always love you. Nothing can ever change that. You made me the happiest I've ever been, and there's not a day that goes by where I don't feel incredibly lucky to be your wife. Thank you for loving me, for being patient with me, for giving me the best years of my life… You are an incredible man, and you'll be an amazing father. Just know I'm watching over you, over the both of you… You'll always have me, baby. _

_I love you, Matt. _

_Take care of our girl._

_\- Gabby_

He could barely make out the last few paragraphs through his blurred vision, Matt feeling a heavy pressure settling against his chest as tears continuously slid down his cheeks. He found it becoming harder to breathe, his silent cries quickly turning into sobs as the letter fell from his shaking hands, Matt trying his hardest to fight against his overwhelming emotions as her words continuously replayed in his head.

But it was a fight he lost.

* * *

Gabby spared a glance down to her sleeping baby nestled comfortably in her car seat, the mother doing what she could to move as quietly as possible as she slid the keys into the front door, hoping Sofia stayed asleep long enough to get her into her crib where she could finish her nap. Slowly turning the key in the lock, Gabby bit down on her tongue as she pushed the door open, stepping into their home slowly before closing the door behind them and locking it into place. Walking further inside, Gabby placed her purse down on the table by the front door before slowly moving through the entryway to their apartment, intent on heading for Sofia's nursery.

But her steps slowed when the living room came back into view, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing when she caught a glimpse of Matt sitting on the couch, his demeanor immediately worrying her as she saw him hunched over, his hands gripping his head. She could see how tense he was from here, Gabby quickly changing her course of direction, the wife beginning to move towards the couch.

"Matt?" She asked, but she got no answer, more worry flooding her body as she got closer, Gabby stopping beside the piece of furniture to carefully place Sofia's car seat down onto the ground, the baby thankfully staying sound asleep, Gabby keeping an eye on her for an extra second before returning her attention to her distraught husband. From a quick glance, she saw his uneaten lunch sitting in front of him, Matt seemingly unaware of her presence as his hands shook slightly. "...Matt?"

Her soft voice reached his ears the second time, Matt's head snapping up when he registered his name being called, Gabby's frown immediately deepening when she saw the state he was in. His eyes were red, his tear-stained cheeks causing a heavy feeling to settle in her gut as she looked at him.

She was desperate to know what was wrong, to know what had caused him to be in so much pain, Gabby opening her mouth to ask him what was going on, but she quickly slammed it shut when she caught sight of what was on the ground beside his feet. Seeing her letter laying there, Gabby quickly came to understand what was going on, her face softening before she took the last few steps towards her husband, Gabby drawing in a slow breath as she sat down next to him, Matt furiously wiping away the tears on his skin.

"I…" He tried, his voice hoarse before he cleared his throat, Gabby placing her hand on his back, tears filling her own eyes when she saw some still sitting in his, threatening to spill over. Slowly, Gabby lifted her free hand up towards his face, wiping away another tear that had just fallen. "I don't even know what to say." He spoke shakily, Gabby giving him a nod as she blinked back her own tears.

She understood exactly how he was feeling right now, because it's how she'd felt the moment she wrote him that letter, Gabby just hadn't been sure if this moment would ever come. She'd been wondering if he was ever going to read it. From the instant she gave it to him, she'd expected him to read it immediately, but he never did, and they hadn't really talked about it since, Gabby unsure of what to say to him until he knew what was in it. But even now, she still didn't feel like she knew what to tell him. These weren't pleasant memories for either of them. She hated reliving it, she hated thinking about the fact she almost lost everything, how she almost left behind the two people she never wanted to be without, and Gabby was sure he hated being reminded of it just as much as she did.

"I'm… I'm sorry." He eventually murmured, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion as they locked their teary gazes on one another. "I'm so sorry, baby."

"For what?" She questioned, a lone tear sliding down her cheek as she cupped his face in her hands, making him look at her, Matt drawing in a shaky breath before responding.

"I know how hard all of that was, the pregnancy and us being worried about Sofia's birth and everything… But seeing it all written down like that, everything you were feeling, what all you wanted for us… I could hardly think past the next day when all this was going on, I don't know how you were able to do that… How you had to think about how things would be without you there." His words were unsteady, Gabby swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat as she wiped away another tear that had fallen down his skin.

"I… It wasn't easy." She admitted, Gabby sniffling as she tried to gather her thoughts. "It was- it was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do… To think about what your lives would look like after she was born, and me not being able to see it." She spoke, Matt's eyes falling closed as he lifted his hand up towards hers, cupping her wrist tightly. "But I wanted- I _needed_ you to have that letter, if something happened to me." Gabby continued, Matt slowly opening his eyes to see more tears sliding down her cheeks. "I needed you to know it was okay, and that you two would be okay. And I know all of that, I wouldn't have had time to tell you when she was born, so I wrote it down… And I guess, I don't know, I figured maybe it would give you some comfort, too. That you'd always have that letter, that it was a physical thing you could hold onto, and look back on, whenever things got hard… I don't know, maybe it would've just hurt more than it helped, but I-"

Gabby was cut off by Matt slamming his lips into hers, the desperate action catching her off guard as she felt every emotion he was holding onto, his fresh tears hitting her skin as they moved together. His grip on her wrist tightened, both of them pouring every feeling they had into this moment, as the memories of some of the most difficult days of their lives came rushing back.

When they finally separated, neither of them moved very far from one another, Matt pressing his forehead against hers as they tried to steady their breathing, Gabby trying to compose herself as everything hit her all at once.

"You're okay." Matt breathed out after a few quiet moments, his voice adding to the sound of their heavy breaths in the otherwise silent room. She wasn't sure if he was saying those words for her benefit, or for his own, like he was reminding himself that she was okay, but regardless of the reason they comforted her just as much as they did him, Gabby clenching her eyes shut as he kept repeating himself over and over. "You're okay, you and Sofia are both fine… Both of you are alright."

Her breath caught in her throat, Matt opening his eyes to see his wife slowly crumbling in front of him, the husband acting on instinct as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his chest as they huddled together on the couch, Matt pushing his own feelings aside as he did what he could to comfort the woman clutching onto him.

They knew this would never completely go away. That the feelings they had when remembering how much they went through- that _she_ went through, to bring Sofia into this world, those would never disappear. But, with time, they'd be easier to deal with. That this crushing feeling would eventually become lighter. But until that happened, until they could look back on all of this and not be confronted with this feeling of hopelessness, they knew they had each other to help get them through this. They had each other, they had their daughter; and they knew they'd be fine.

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**Well, I hope you guys liked this one. Hopefully Gabby's letter didn't disappoint. I definitely cried a little bit while writing it.**

**I'm sorry this chapter was a little shorter than normal, but now that Matt's read the letter, that kind of kickstarts us into what actually is the next big part of this story. Everything the letter brought up and what they're feeling are going to play a big role in this story moving forward, and I'm excited to get there. I hope you all are interested, as well.**

**Thanks for all the positive notes you all left me on the last one, your continued support this long into the story means so much to me. Thank you all for continuing to read my work, and I can't wait to hear what you thought of this one.**

**Stay safe, everyone. I'll see you all next time.**


	88. Chapter Eighty Eight

**Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all.**

**There were a few of you asking for some M Rated scenes to be incorporated into this story, and while I usually don't put them in this one, I decided to add one in this chapter. It's not anything too crazy, but I hope you all don't mind.**

**I hope each of you are doing okay, and staying safe. Thanks for reading!**

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_**Chapter Eighty Eight**_

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Casey rolled his key ring between his fingers as he walked down the hallway towards his front door, the exhausted man more than ready to finally be home after his long day across town, the construction job he'd agreed to do this afternoon having taken many more hours than he originally planned for. A heavy yawn escaped his lips as he shoved his key into lock, Matt turning it quickly and pushing the door open, the familiar surroundings of their inviting apartment welcoming him home as he stepped inside, Casey quickly closing the door and locking it in place behind him. Stepping further into the room, he discarded his keys and wallet on the small entryway table, Matt sparing a quick glance around the corner while he kicked off his worn boots.

"Gabby?" He called into the relatively quiet apartment, Matt seeing the TV still on in the empty room, the cartoon surely meant for Sofia softly filtering through the air as he continued his path through the living room, the man going in search of his family. "Baby?" He tried again, glancing to the clock on the wall before moving towards the kitchen. But as he got closer, he heard the soft sound of the shower running, Matt changing his course of direction towards their bedroom as he rolled out his stiff neck.

As he stepped into their room, the noise of the shower got louder, Matt moving his hands down towards his waist as he began to undo his belt buckle. Casey slowed his steps to complete his task before tossing his belt down onto the bench at the end of their bed, a small smile forming over his face when the sound of his wife's soft singing filled his ears.

It was something she'd started doing more often recently, Gabby singing to little Sofia any time their daughter needing soothing. It was something their baby absolutely loved ever since she was born, but lately she'd become even more captivated by the sound of her mother's singing voice, and it was the quickest way the parents knew how to calm their baby down whenever she was anxious.

Matt's smile grew as he walked into the bathroom, the husband hanging back by the door as his wife and daughter soon came into view. He could see them through the slightly fogged shower door, Gabby unaware of his presence as she continued softly singing to their little girl while she cradled Sofia to her chest. Peeling his t-shirt from his body, Matt tossed it to the ground by the sink before walking closer to the shower, his hands moving towards his pants as he began working on getting those off as well. He paused long enough to kick his jeans off, his grin continuing to spread across his face as Gabby was still oblivious that he was home, Matt taking a second to enjoy getting to see her and their daughter while she was completely in the moment.

Not wanting to scare her while she was holding their daughter, Matt reached out towards the door handle before slowly pulling it open, the noise quickly gaining her attention as her head snapped towards him. He saw the second realization settled in as she stopped singing, Matt pulling the door the rest of the way open while she carefully turned towards him, the water falling down her back.

"Hey baby." She greeted softly, rubbing her hand up and down Sofia's wet back. "I didn't hear you come in."

Matt saw his wife's body shiver slightly, the abrupt change in temperature sending a chill through her as Sofia nuzzled against her chest.

"Did you just get back?" She questioned, Matt nodding as his hands moved towards the waistband of his boxers, Gabby raising her eyebrow slightly at the movement.

"Would you and Sof mind some company?" He asked with a gentle smile, Gabby shaking her head as a grin of her own formed over her face.

"Never." She responded verbally, Matt quickly sliding down his boxers and kicking them off to the side before he stepped into the shower, closing the glass door behind him. The two quickly maneuvered themselves in the space, Gabby moving so Matt could stand underneath the steady stream of water, knowing he'd want to clean himself up as soon as he could after his long day of work. "How was the job?"

"It was good." He answered as lathered shampoo through his short hair, Gabby nodding before looking down towards Sofia, seeing those familiar bright blue eyes staring up at her.

"Hi baby." She murmured, stroking the back of her hand against Sofia's soft cheek, Gabby missing the loving look in her husband's eyes as he watched the two of them. "Were you able to finish up everything?" Gabby's words were now clearly aimed at Matt, Casey nodding as she lifted her head to find his warm gaze, Gabby looking from one pair of engaging blue eyes to another.

"Mhmm, I got everything done." He replied as he continued washing up.

"Good, that's good." She responded, Gabby taking a step closer to him as Sofia's eyes darted around the small space. "Well, you didn't miss much around here, just Sof and I hanging out."

"Oh yeah?" He questioned with a gleam in his eyes, Gabby's grin growing as she gave him a nod.

"Yeah… We played with some blocks, Sof kept trying to get into anything she could find. She took a great nap."

"God, I'm so jealous." He breathed out, Gabby shaking her head in amusement as he reached his arm out, silently encouraging her to continue closing the distance between them, Gabby obliging quickly. "Hey Sof." He greeted, the little girl smiling up at her father when she saw him, sounds of excitement escaping her lips as she reached out for her dad. "Yeah, you want Daddy, don't you? Come here, baby." He reached out for their growing girl, the parents completing the handoff carefully before Matt held the baby against his chest. "Did you miss me today? Cause I missed you, and Momma." He spoke to her, Sofia grabbing ahold of his finger as she waved her arm around, Matt pressing a kiss to the side of her wet head.

"Yeah, she did… We both did." Gabby answered, Matt flashing her a smile as he gently bounced Sofia in his arms. "I'm not sure if you're hungry, but there's a plate for you in the oven." She told him, Matt groaning in satisfaction as he nodded.

"I'm starving, thank you." He replied gratefully, Gabby giving him a nod before reaching for her shampoo, the mom taking the time to wash her hair now that her arms were free. "Sorry I missed dinner, and that I was gone all day. I had no idea the job was gonna take that long." He apologized, unable to stop his wandering eyes from trailing over his wife's form as she washed her hair, Gabby seeing the slight smirk tugging on his lips.

"Eyes up here." She teased him, Matt's smile widening as his gaze moved up her body before finding her eyes, Gabby shaking her head slightly as he ran his teeth over his bottom lip. "Try and remember that our daughter is right there, Matt."

"Oh, I know… But I'm just planning for later, once she's asleep." He replied quickly, Gabby scoffing lightly before gently tapping his hip with her palm, signaling him to move so she could wash the shampoo from her hair.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." She said under her breath, Matt grinning before returning his attention to Sofia, the baby still focused on playing with her father's hand. "But I'm glad you're home, that'll make bedtime a little easier." Gabby told him, moving away from his less than appropriate conversation, Matt giving her a nod as he kept a firm grip on their daughter.

"I am too, I hate missing putting her to bed." He responded, his gaze moving back and forth between Sofia and Gabby. "How'd dinner go, though?" He questioned, finding Gabby's gaze. "Did she eat okay? I know she- Ouch!" Matt quickly pulled his hand back when he felt Sofia bit down onto his finger, Gabby suppressing a laugh as the baby began fussing. "Sof, you can't bite Daddy." He chastised gently, rubbing his thumb over the side of his index finger where there were the imprints of two little baby teeth.

Her teeth had begun to break through a few weeks ago, and now their ten month old daughter was sporting two very small, yet very sharp, teeth on her bottom row; teeth she was putting to very good use with whatever she could get near her mouth. With her actively teething, she was in some discomfort a lot of the time, meaning she loved having things to chew and gnaw on, especially when she'd gone awhile without it. And sometimes, him and Gabby had become what she'd try to chew on to soothe her discomfort.

"I thought we talked about this, Sof." He continued while he adjusted the baby in his arms, Sofia's fussing continuing as Matt rubbed along her back. "I told you, if you're gonna bite anyone, you bite Momma." He spoke sarcastically, Gabby narrowing her eyes.

"Ha ha." She replied dryly, Matt wearing a proud smile before lifting his hand up to the back of Sofia's head, the dad rubbing through her hair lightly. "But to answer your question, she ate very well." Gabby responded, Matt glancing down to his daughter as her whines slowly started to quiet down, Sofia having gotten distracted by the sound of her tiny hand smacking against his wet chest.

"Good."

"So well in fact, that's part of why we're in here." Gabby continued, Matt nodding understandingly. "She definitely made a mess, and got food on me in the process, so I figured a shower would be good. But she ate almost all her food."

"Yeah, I saw how messy the high chair was before I came in here." He replied with a soft grin. "But that's great, Sof. Good job, baby." He praised his daughter while she continued to smack against his chest, the baby laughing when water would bounce off his body.

The family continued on with their shower, Sofia loving playing with the water as it fell down in front of her, both Matt and Gabby fine to let her play for as long as she wanted, knowing the more energy she expelled now, the easier it would be to put her down to sleep later.

When it was time to finally get out, Matt stepped around Gabby, who was currently holding Sofia, and pressed his hand against the glass, the pressure causing the door to open. "I'm gonna go and get her ready for bed." He told his wife, Gabby nodding as she stood with her back under the warm stream of water.

As his feet landed on the soft rug, Matt reached for his towel that was hanging up by the shower, the man quickly drying himself off before tying the towel around his waist and turning back towards his girls. Reaching out to grab Sofia's small animal towel from the wall, Matt held it out before Gabby carefully handed their daughter over to him, the parents getting her bundled up in her towel so she wouldn't be too cold before Matt held her to his chest.

"I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Take your time." He encouraged her. "I'm just gonna go and get her changed." He spoke, Gabby giving him a nod before he shut the shower door and walked towards the bedroom.

Wanting to take care of Sofia first, once they were in the bedroom, Matt headed straight for the door, the father carrying his clean baby through their apartment towards her nursery. Padding across their hardwood floors, Matt soon made his way to their daughter's room, the soft light from her lamp illuminating the nursery as he carried her towards her dresser and placed her gently down on top of her changing pad.

Casey began going through the routine of getting little Sofia ready for bed, the father making sure to dry her off completely before opening up the top drawer and pulling out a fresh diaper. As he continued through the process, he stopped to play with her every few moments, Matt pressing soft kisses to her stomach as the baby squealed in delight, before he began lathering her body in lotion, making sure to massage her arms, legs, and stomach gently as he went.

By the time he got her into her onesie, nearly ten minutes had passed, Matt wanting to spend as much time with his baby as possible before they began to wind down for the night, after he'd missed out on most of the day with her. After zipping up the item of clothing covering her, Matt carefully picked Sofia up, cradling her against his chest before walking back out of the room, quickly finding his wife out on the couch. As he got closer, he took in her attire, Matt seeing her in one of his t-shirts and a pair of shorts, her damp hair hanging down over her shoulders.

"You mind watching her for a sec?" He asked as he came around the front of the couch, Gabby eyeing his current lack of dress before shaking her head, her smile widening as Matt handed their daughter off to her.

"Hello my sweet girl." She murmured, Sofia all but launching herself into her mother's arms, Matt waiting to make sure they were settled before he turned away from them, the father moving towards the bedroom so he could begin to get ready for bed as well.

* * *

Gabby rocked slowly in the glider set up in the corner of Sofia's room, the mom brushing her hand through her daughter's hair while the little girl nursed. It was getting late, or late for Sofia anyway, Gabby doing what she could to lull the baby to sleep, Sofia's hand gripping her mother's skin tightly while she fed. The only noise in the room was that of the sound machine they used to help their baby girl sleep through the night, the soft white noise that helped her rest better filling their ears as Sofia fought her exhaustion. Gabby could see her eyes slowly closing every few seconds before she'd become alert for a moment, the baby clearly not wanting to completely give in to her tiredness just yet.

While the baby kept nursing, Gabby looked up when she heard footsteps approaching, her eyes immediately finding her husband's as he stepped into the room, Matt wearing a soft smile on his face.

"Hey." He voiced softly, not wanting to disturb their daughter as he walked closer to the chair, Gabby flashing him a warm smile.

"Hi."

"She almost asleep?" Matt questioned, reaching out to rub his hand over the top of his wife's head before he leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

"She is, yeah." She replied as she felt Sofia lose her latch, the mom looking down to see her daughter nearly asleep. "You mind to put her to bed?"

"Of course not." He responded without hesitation, Gabby giving him an appreciative nod before they slowly transferred Sofia into his arms. She fussed at first, the baby tired and not liking her rest to be disturbed, but as Matt walked around the room, gently rocking her in his arms, she quickly settled, Sofia nuzzling into his chest as he moved around the room.

"Thank you." Gabby spoke after she'd adjusted her shirt, Matt nodding while the mom grabbed the baby monitor.

"It's no problem." He replied with a grin. "I'll be in there once she's asleep." He added, Gabby nodding before she headed for the door, leaving Matt and Sofia alone in the nursery.

Over the next few minutes, Matt continued to move around the room, trying to ensure that Sofia was sound asleep before he put her in the crib, the father knowing if he didn't, it would make this process ten times harder. He could feel his daughter's weight completely relaxed in his arms, Sofia's mouth open slightly as she was turned towards his chest, a soft smile forming over his face as he watched his sleeping baby.

As much as he didn't want to leave her, he knew he couldn't hold onto her all night, Matt waiting a few more long seconds to make sure she was still asleep before he walked towards her crib. Moving as carefully as he could, Matt gently placed the baby down in her bed, Sofia not moving a muscle as she continued to sleep peacefully. Reaching across the mattress, Matt grabbed the small plush teddy bear that was turned over in the corner and pulled it out of the crib, placing it on the footrest near him.

The stuffed animal, that had become a comfort item for their daughter, was something she always wanted to have around, Matt knowing she'd want it the second she woke up in the morning. She'd had the toy ever since she was born, Gabby and Matt not even able to remember who'd given it to her, but recently she'd grown quite attached to it. Especially when Matt or Gabby weren't around, Becca had told them how Sofia always wanted her teddy bear. And even when they were there, she still liked to have it at arm's length, the parents always making sure they had it when they went out, or their daughter would not be happy.

Sofia absolutely loved her little stuffed animal, and the parents were happy to make sure she always had access to it, except for when she was sleeping. Even though their daughter slept like a rock, and rarely moved around much, if at all, they didn't quite feel comfortable letting her sleep with things in her bed yet, so keeping her favorite toy near the crib would have to do, its placement on the footrest making it easily accessible for whichever parent would be up with her first.

Reaching down into the crib, Matt lightly ran his hand over the top of Sofia's head, the little girl sleeping right through the movement as he spent a few extra moments with his baby.

"Goodnight Sof." He murmured, stroking his thumb over her head before slowly pulling away. "Sweet dreams, baby."

With just her night light left on, Matt slowly backed out of the room, leaving her door slightly ajar before continuing back towards the living room, the father turning off the lights as he went aside from the one just in front of their entryway closet, the parents liking to have some light in the apartment for when they'd inevitably need to go check on Sofia during the night.

After checking to make sure their front door was locked, Matt continued through the living room, the man stopping to check the door to their courtyard before continuing towards the kitchen, Casey needing the assurance him and his family were secure inside their home. Once he'd checked all the doors and turned off all the lights, Matt headed towards their bedroom, a light yawn escaping his lips as he walked through the doorway. Gabby was already in bed, his wife sitting on top of the covers as she read her book, Matt grinning softly as he saw her bottom lip tucked between her teeth, clearly completely immersed in her book.

"Sof's asleep." He spoke up as he moved towards the bathroom, Matt seeing her lift her head up out of her book, giving him a nod.

"That's good… Hopefully she'll sleep through the night." She replied before looking back down to the page she was reading, Matt nodding as he continued into the bathroom, the man needing to finish up getting ready for bed before he could join his wife.

When he reemerged into the bedroom a few minutes later, Matt paused in the doorway as he saw Gabby in the same position he'd left her in, her legs bent while her book rested against her thighs, Matt unsure if she even realized he'd come back into the room. As he drew in a deep breath, he couldn't help but take a second to enjoy the view. At some point before getting into bed, she'd discarded the shorts she'd been wearing for most of the evening, leaving her in nothing but his shirt and a pair of underwear, her hair tucked behind her ear while she focused on the words in front of her. There was nothing special about her attire, or lack thereof, but Matt couldn't help but think she looked absolutely radiant as she sat there in his shirt.

And he knew she'd look even better once it was on the floor.

Deciding that sleep could wait, Matt peeled his t-shirt from his body, the material dropping silently to the ground as he walked towards the bed, Gabby still unaware of his actions. She had yet to look up at him, not even as the bed dipped when he climbed onto the mattress, Gabby too focused on the pages in front of her, until Matt grabbed the book and gently pulled it from her grasp.

"Hey, I was reading that." She whined before looking up, Gabby immediately seeing the want and desire in his darkened eyes, the wife cocking her head to the side as he leaned across her, placing her book down on the nightstand. Gabby took a slow breath as she felt his body heat hovering over her, the feeling gone as quickly as it came when Matt pulled back, his body weight resting over his heels as he stared at her. "Babe…"

Without saying a word, Matt placed his hands on her bare legs, his warm palms running over her smooth skin before sliding up to her hips, Gabby relishing in the feeling. Her eyes fell closed when she felt his hands slide up her hips underneath her shirt, Matt's fingers teasing the skin just above her underwear, before he gripped her waist and quickly slid her down the bed, the action taking her by surprise as a squeak left her lips, Gabby now flat on her back as Matt settled in front of her. Her breathing became shallow as he placed his hands on her knees, Matt nudging her legs apart, giving him room to settle in between them while he watched her. With the backs of her thighs resting against the tops of his, Matt leaned forward, grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it up until it rested just below her breasts, Gabby's breathing becoming quicker as he ran his hand along her abdomen.

"Baby…" She spoke again, Matt flashing her a knowing grin before he slowly leaned down and began peppering her stomach and rib cage with gentle, open-mouthed kisses, Gabby lifting her hand up to run through his short hair. Any skin he could find, his mouth was covering it, Gabby feeling that familiar warmth pool in her stomach as he toyed with the edge of her underwear, each of his kisses slow and deliberate. He could feel her scratching the side of his head lightly, Matt smirking when he felt her body tense underneath his touch, his simple kisses eliciting a strong reaction from her.

As he trailed his lips along the front of her stomach, moving from hip bone to hip bone, Matt slid the tips of his fingertips underneath the top of her underwear, gently lifting it up before letting it snap back against her skin. He repeated the action a few times before he hooked his fingers underneath the material and quickly pulled it down to her thighs, Gabby sucking in a sharp breath as she instinctively lifted her hips up off the bed. It took some maneuvering on his part, but he'd managed to get her underwear off her body, Matt tossing it to the floor before he began kissing his way back up her thighs, his hands rubbing up and down her legs.

When he got close to where she wanted him, Matt smirked before moving back up to her stomach, his grin widening when a soft groan of frustration left her lips, Gabby's eyes still clenched shut as she laid on her back. He let his hands roam her skin freely for a moment, Gabby drawing in slow, steady breaths as she focused on the feeling of her husband hovering over her, the woman content to let him proceed however he wanted, knowing both of them would thoroughly enjoy whatever he had in mind.

Matt stopped his movements when his lips got to just below her chest, the man pulling back and gently bringing her with him, Gabby watching him quizzically as they both sat up, unsure of what he was wanting. But her silent question was quickly answered when he yanked his shirt off her body, leaving her completely bare to him as he slowly guided her back down onto the bed, Gabby's chest heaving up and down as he quickly got rid of his boxers, leaving them both in the same state of undress.

As he drew in a deep breath, Matt took a moment to soak in the view, Gabby watching him closely as his eyes trailed over her body, his grin widening as he took her in before he looked back up at her.

"God, you're beautiful." He murmured, his words flooding her body with warmth before he leaned back over her, capturing her lips in his as his hands came out to steady himself against the mattress on either side of her head. Their movements started slow, Gabby moaning as she felt his warm skin against hers, before he gradually picked up the pace. She reluctantly pulled back when air became an issue, Matt moving his lips across her skin as she sucked in deep breaths, Gabby feeling her husband continue to move his lips further down her body as he kissed over her upper chest before moving down her breastbone. Knowing better than to focus on her chest for too long, Matt continued his path down her stomach, Gabby's breaths becoming more and more shallow as he got closer to her waist, his hand running lazily along the inside of her thigh.

He knew he was teasing her, Matt focusing on each and every reaction his movements were eliciting from her as his hand continued inching closer to where she wanted him. "Matt…" Her breathy voice caused the blood in his body to rush south, Matt sparing a glance up to his wife as he saw her hand gripping the comforter beneath them, her body trembling as she felt his breath on her. "Don't be mean." She groaned as she felt his hand ghost over her, Matt grinning as he pushed her legs apart even farther, giving him all the access he needed.

"I'm not being mean." He murmured, Gabby fidgeting underneath him as he adjusted his positioning above her.

"You are, you're-" She cut herself off as Matt slid a lone finger into her, Gabby sucking in a sharp breath as he slowly moved in and out of her.

"I'm what?" He asked her, keeping his pace painfully slow as he methodically moved his arm, his gaze flashing back up towards his wife as he saw her staring towards the ceiling, taking deep breaths.

"You know exactly what you're doing." She bit out in frustration, a proud smirk covering his face as he pulled back completely. A displeased groan left her lips, Gabby's body showing just how irritated she was by his constant teasing.

"Yeah, I do." He replied softly against the front of her hip, Matt grazing his teeth over her skin as he slid two fingers back into her, hearing her breath catch in her throat as he began moving a bit quicker. Before she could say anything else, his mouth moved to the most sensitive part of her body, short whines escaping her lips as he nipped at her skin, Matt doing everything he knew she liked as he continually picked up speed.

"God- Matt…" She choked out, her mind in a haze as pleasure consumed her, Matt taking his time as he worked diligently. While he knew exactly what to do to help her reach the edge, he held back slightly, Matt knowing she loved when he worked her up like this, even though she'd rarely admit to it.

It almost felt like time was standing still, the passing minutes feeling like hours as Gabby's hand moved up to his head, gripping his short hair tightly in her fingers as he continued to build up his pace, her mind focused on nothing but Matt when her release hit her suddenly. It took her and Matt both by surprise, but he continued on through her finish as her body writhed around underneath him, an almost unbearable feeling of pleasure coursing through her as heavy pants and whines left her lips.

Her thighs were trembling as Matt gradually eased her down from her high, her grip on his hair loosening as her hands collapsed down onto the mattress beside her, all modesty long gone as her body tried to recover from her husband's efforts. While she continued taking deep breaths, Gabby felt him begin kissing his way back up her body, his movements much more tame this time around as his lips eventually made his way back to her neck, her shaky breaths hitting his shoulder as he marked her skin.

Rubbing his hand over her stomach, Matt waited for the signal she was good to continue before he hovered himself over her, Gabby's legs hooked up around his waist as his hands rested on either side of her head.

"I love you." He murmured, his smile widening at the lazy grin that covered her face, Gabby bringing her arms up around his back, effectively pulling him closer.

"I love you, too." She responded, Matt lifting one hand up to brush her hair away from her face, the look of love shining in her eyes flooding his chest with warmth. As her hands roamed over his back, her fingers lingered over the burn scars covering different patches of his skin, Gabby flashing him a comforting smile before he reached down in between them and lined himself up to her entrance, Matt slowly sinking into her.

She drew in a deep breath as he stalled inside of her, Matt pressing kisses against her jaw as he waited for the go ahead to continue, which he soon got as Gabby rubbed her hand along his lower back, giving him a nod before he slowly began moving. They started slow, both of them just wanting to completely enjoy the moment as his lips found hers, Matt swallowing her moans as his body completely covered her.

Gradually, they picked up their pace together, Gabby tightening her legs around his waist to keep him close as he thrust in and out of her, her hands sliding to his upper back as she began clawing at his skin, her nails leaving their marks as Matt began kissing her neck. It felt as if with each thrust, he was gaining speed, Gabby's teeth sinking into his shoulder while he moved quickly, Matt keeping himself balanced as he felt himself nearing the edge of release.

They continued moving together, both of them falling into their familiar roles as they dedicated themselves to this moment, Matt and Gabby getting completely lost in one another while doing everything in their power to hold onto this time together for as long as they possibly could.

* * *

Gabby turned around to place her knife in the sink before returning to her spot at the counter, the paramedic tuning out the chatter around her as she picked up a piece of apple off her plate, Dawson taking a bite out of it before returning her attention to the email pulled up on her phone. Her eyes danced across the screen, taking in the information she needed before continuing to scroll down, Gabby popping the remaining bite of fruit into her mouth as she crossed her foot over her ankle, completely oblivious to her surroundings. As she continued to look through the page of information sent to her, she mindless snacked on the food she'd prepared herself, Gabby alternating between taking bites of her sandwich, and the apples and peanut butter she'd put on the side, the paramedic hoping she'd be able to finish at least most of her lunch before 61 got called out again.

Just as she'd gotten to the end of the email, she felt a pair of hands slide along her waist, Gabby tensing slightly at the unexpected touch. But she immediately relaxed when she felt that familiar warmth radiating off her back, Gabby smiling softly as she glanced back to find her husband standing behind her, Matt resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He murmured, one of his hands coming to rest on the counter in between her waist and her arm, while the other stayed on her hip. "I said your name, but I guess you didn't hear me."

"I didn't, but you're fine." She responded, leaning back into him slightly as she grabbed another piece of apple, dipping it into the peanut butter before holding it up to her husband's mouth, Matt graciously accepting the bite before Gabby ate what was left of that piece. As they stood there together, Gabby couldn't help but notice how close he was standing to her, the wife a little surprised at his very obvious display of affection in a room full of first responders, though none of them seemed to be paying much attention to them. It wasn't that they often shied away from little touches and kisses while at work, but they also didn't really flaunt their relationship around the house either, especially not with him being a Captain. But clearly, he wasn't too worried about keeping up appearances right now as Matt continued to stay close to her, Gabby feeling his thumb rubbing along her side as she picked up her sandwich to take another bite.

"Why are you eating in here?" He questioned as Gabby placed her food back down, Matt tapping his fingers against the counter while he waited for her to finish chewing before she could answer.

"I was reading the thing headquarters sent me, and, I don't know, I was focused on that, I didn't really make it that far." She responded softly, her hand moving to rest against his, Gabby rubbing her finger against the wedding band placed proudly on his hand.

"About the training thing?" He questioned back, tilting his head towards hers slightly.

"Mhmm. I was just reading over what all it would actually be." She replied as she grabbed her water, Gabby downing a few sips before placing it back down onto the counter. Knowing he'd be curious, Gabby picked up her phone and unlocked it before holding it out for him, Matt pulling away from her before he grabbed the device and began looking over what she'd been sent. The Captain leaned his body into the counter, staying close to his wife as his arm brushed against hers while he read over the email. "It sounds like it would be a good bit of work, but nothing too crazy." She continued after he'd had a second to start reading. "Just me going around to a few different houses, working a shift with their medics and trying to help things run a little smoother… I don't know, it sounds interesting."

A few shifts back, Gabby had gotten a call from headquarters, which admittedly she first believed to be some sort of reprimand, but it had ended up being the exact opposite. They'd offered her the task of going around to different houses and trying to fix up a few issues within some of the different ambos. It was something that had taken her a bit by surprise, Gabby telling them she'd need some time to think about it, while she figured out more about what would be expected of her, and also so she had time to speak with Matt. But after learning more about it, it seemed like something worth considering. Not only would she be able to get to go and help make the CFD a little better, she'd also be getting paid extra for her work, which, with everything they had going on, was a pretty big factor playing into her decision.

"It sounds great, baby." He spoke as he looked up from her phone, his excitement bringing a smile to her face.

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely." He replied, Gabby seeing a proud twinkle in his eye. "And I think it's great they asked you to do it. This seems like a pretty big deal, and the fact they came to you… They must think pretty highly of you over there."

"Well, it has been a few years since I've gotten into any trouble." She responded with a laugh, Matt shaking his head as he handed her back her phone, Gabby sliding it into her pocket. "But, yeah, I won't lie, that kind of made me feel good… Them asking me to do this." She admitted, Matt's grin widening as he ran his hand over her back.

"It should." He told her, his bright smile filling her chest with warmth. "You should be proud of yourself, this is awesome." Matt continued, the husband nudging her side repeatedly until he was able to get a smile out of her.

"Yeah, yeah, okay. You're right." She gave in, Matt smirking before he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. "So what do you think?" She asked him as he pulled back, Matt tilting his head to the side. "Do you think I should do it?"

"I do." He replied, Gabby nodding softly. "I think if this is something you wanna do, you absolutely should. I'm sure there'd be a little bit of an adjustment, depending on when you'd be working at different houses, but we'll figure it out."

"Yeah… I mean, from what I can tell, some shifts would overlap with mine here, so I'd miss a few of those. But then also there'd be some that are the day before or day after ours, so I'd probably be working some double shifts here and there." She told her, Matt nodding as she spoke. "Which I don't mind to do, but it would leave you alone with Sof more than normal-"

"Ten months in, and you still don't trust me with our baby." He interrupted jokingly, Gabby scoffing lightly as she gently tapped her hand against his cheek.

"You know that's not what I mean." She replied with a laugh, Matt grinning before he turned his head to kiss her palm, Gabby stroking her hand over his cheek before dropping it. "I'm just saying it would put more of the workload at home on you."

"Which I'm completely fine with." He promised her, Gabby nodding in response. "Sof will be taken care of, and if I've got a job or something, you know there's a line of people who would willingly watch her for us." Matt reminded her, watching as she pursed her lips together before giving him another nod. "But I think if this is something you wanna do, and you'll be alright working those extra shifts, you definitely should." He encouraged her, Gabby meeting his gaze. "They asked you to do it for a reason, they think highly enough of you as a medic that they want you to go into other houses, and try and train people to work more like you do. Basically, the CFD wants multiple Gabbys all throughout the department."

"I don't know if I'd go that far." She cut in with a smirk, Matt grinning as he continued to rub his hand along her back.

"But you know what I mean. It's great they asked you, and if you want to do it I think you should." He spoke, Gabby nodding with a soft smile on her face.

"Yeah… I think I might want to." She responded, Matt flashing her a knowing grin. "I mean, you're right about it being nice they thought of me for this. I think it would be fun, too. And plus, the extra money won't hurt anything." She added, Matt drawing in a deep breath. While the Casey family was living comfortably, with them trying to buy a new home soon, along with their usual, everyday expenses, some extra income definitely couldn't hurt.

"No, it won't. But I don't want that to be why you do this." He told her. Even though they both thought this was a good opportunity for her, they also both knew this was something that would be a lot of work, and it would be very time consuming. And Matt didn't want her taking the offer for the wrong reasons.

"It's not… It's just an added bonus." She assured her with a soft smile, Matt nodding as he watched her take another bite of her lunch.

"Okay. Well, I think if this is something you wanna do, you should. And we can figure out everything else as we go."

"Alright.. Thank you." She responded, leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his lips. "I'm still gonna think about it some more, but I'm leaning towards saying yes."

"Saying yes for what?" Severide interrupted as he walked up towards the counter, the Lieutenant leaning his body weight against the hard surface as he looked between the couple, Matt glancing to Gabby, who nodded.

"Gabby got asked to go help out at some other firehouses." Matt responded, Kelly raising his eyebrows before giving her a nod. "Apparently there's some houses that have a few issues within their ambos, either from a personal standpoint, or an efficiency one, so they want Gabby to go in and see what she can do."

"Well, looks like all those years of pissing off the higher ups finally paid off." Severide responded with a grin, Gabby narrowing her eyes playfully as Matt stifled a laugh.

"Ha ha, you're hilarious." She spoke, Kelly chuckling at her tone before his face softened.

"I know. But really Dawson, that's great. If anybody can fix whatever issues they've got going on, it's you."

"Casey here said the same thing." Gabby replied, leaning into Matt's touch as he slid his arm around her waist. "I'm not sure if I'm gonna do it yet, but I'm thinking about it… We may need you to pull some extra babysitting duty if I do, though." She warned him, Kelly immediately nodding before moving towards the coffee pot.

"Of course, whatever you guys need." He told them as he poured his drink. "I'm happy to watch the little squirt."

"Yeah, now that she's not afraid to be around you." Casey joked, Kelly rolling his eyes as he placed his mug on the counter.

"Hey, I'm just glad she finally grew out of that phase where she didn't like anyone who wasn't you two… She realized that hanging out with Uncle Kelly is much more fun."

"The good thing is you didn't take it personally." Matt muttered under his breath, Severide shooting him a glare as Gabby laughed softly, the paramedic shaking her head at the two men. "But yeah, if Gabby decides to do this, we'll get her schedule and have a better idea of what's going on, but we might need some extra help with Sof." He explained, Severide shrugging lightly.

"That's fine, just let me know."

"Thanks Sev."

"Yeah, we really appreciate it, Kelly." Gabby echoed, Severide waving his hand in the air before taking a sip of his coffee.

"It's nothing." He spoke, his words earning nods from the parents, Kelly glancing back and forth between the two of them. "So, any more news on the home front?" He asked, changing the conversation to something that had been a frequent topic around the firehouse lately, Gabby and Matt both shrugging.

"Nothing new, really." Dawson responded, none of them able to get another word in as the bells rang out, signaling 61 to a house call. Blowing out a sigh, Gabby pushed herself away from the counter, Matt's hand falling off her back as she moved.

"Want me to put your food in the fridge for when you get back?" He asked as she moved around the counter, Matt seeing she still had well over half her lunch left on her plate.

"That's okay, you can finish it if you want." She told him as she tightened her ponytail, Matt giving her a nod as he slid her plate towards him.

"Be safe out there." Matt told her as she walked through the common room, Gabby nodding before she continued out of the firehouse, Casey returning his attention back to his friend.

"So, nothing new on a new casa de Casey?" Kelly asked, Matt raising his eyebrows at the firefighter's attempt at Spanish before shaking his head.

"It's all still pretty much the same. We've seen a bunch of places, some better than others, but we keep going back to that townhouse." Matt responded before picking up Gabby's sandwich, the Captain taking a bite.

"Yeah, you both really loved that one." Kelly spoke, Matt giving him a nod.

"We do, yeah… It's a great place. Great for our family, and it'd be good for later down the road. The neighborhood is good. Everything about the place is great."

"Then why haven't you two just taken the plunge already?" Severide questioned curiously, Matt responded with a slight shrug.

"We're talking about it, we just need to make sure it's the right place for us." He replied before eating the rest of the sandwich, Matt chasing it with a sip of water once he'd finished. "It's too big of a thing for us to rush into, so we're trying to see all our options. But I think we're getting to the point where we know we're probably not gonna find a better place… With every new place we're seeing, I just keep comparing it to that townhouse, and I'm pretty sure Gabby's doing the same thing. So I think we're getting close to being ready to pull the trigger and try and get that place."

"That's great, Casey." Severide responded, Matt nodding with a soft smile. "From the pictures Gabby showed me, it looks like a good fit for you all."

"I think so, too." Matt spoke, glancing down when he felt his phone beginning to buzz in his pocket. Holding his hand up to signal Kelly that he needed a second, Casey reached into his pocket and pulled out the device, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw the familiar name across the screen, Matt quickly answering the call.

"Hello?" He asked, Severide watching Matt as he listened to whoever was on the other end of the line, Kelly's spine straightening when he saw the color drain from his friend's face, Matt's next words coming out quickly. "...What?! What happened?"

Casey's frantic voice caught the attention of the room, everyone turning to look towards the Captain, seeing his obvious distress.

"What's going on?" Severide asked, but Matt ignored him, Casey walking around the corner as he headed for the garage, his entire body tense.

"Okay, I'm on my way. I'll be there as soon as I can." Matt spoke quickly into the phone before he hung up, his steps gaining speed.

"What happened?" Herrmann asked, everyone watching as Matt came to an abrupt stop in the entrance to the common room, his hand running over his mouth as he shook his head.

"81, we gotta get to med. Now." He ordered, his choice of destination raising red flags in the minds of the members of truck as they got up from their seats.

"Casey, what happened?" Kelly asked as Casey continued towards the double doors, the Captain barely bothering to slow down as he pushed the door open, Matt shooting death glares to his firefighters who weren't moving fast enough for him.

"Truck, hurry up!" He nearly shouted, his worry and fear clear to everyone in the room.

"Casey." Kelly tried again, Matt's eyes finding his friend's as Kidd was the last of his firefighters out the door.

"I've- I've gotta go…" He breathed out shakily. "It's Sofia."

* * *

**... I'm sorry. ****I hope you guys liked this one, and I'm eager to hear your thoughts, even though I'm sure some of you will be mad at me for how I ended that, haha. But thanks for reading! I'll see you all next time.**

**Stay safe, everyone.**


	89. Chapter Eighty Nine

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you enjoy it. Thanks so much for reading, for all the feedback you all gave me on the last chapter.**

**Stay safe, everyone.**

* * *

_**Chapter Eighty Nine**_

* * *

"Otis, Goddammit drive faster!"

Casey's frantic voice filled the rig while they drove through the busy streets of Chicago, sirens blaring loudly as Otis did what he could to navigate the traffic around them.

"I'm trying, Cap." He replied, although Matt barely registered his voice as he continued staring out the window, his leg bouncing anxiously while Otis laid on the horn. The Captain's eyes darted around outside the windshield, Matt smacking his hand against the dashboard in frustration as Otis had to hit the brakes, the nervous energy in the rig growing with each passing second.

"Captain, what happened to Sofia?" Kidd asked the question they'd all had since the second he ushered them out of the firehouse in a hurry, the same question they'd asked him a few times since they left the station, but he still hadn't given them an answer. And that left them all a little anxious.

"Otis!" Matt barked.

"I'm sorry, Casey."

"Casey, what happened?" Mouch tried, Matt sucking in a deep breath as he kept his eyes peeled on the road.

"I… I don't know." He spoke quickly. "Becca said they were at med, that she fell, I don't-" He cut himself off, his words jumbled as he ran a hand over his mouth, the firefighters in the back sparing worried glances as they saw how unsettled their Captain was.

It wasn't the first time they'd seen him this rattled, but it didn't happen often. No call, or case, or victim could ever get him this upset; _nothing_ could get him this upset. Nothing except his family. Gabby and Sofia were the only two people in this world who could have their usually steady leader so uneasy, and everyone in the rig knew it.

"I'm sure everything's fine, Casey." Herrmann spoke up when they neared the hospital, his words falling on deaf ears as Matt couldn't be bothered to focus on anything happening around him, the firefighter looking out the window as Otis turned into the parking lot.

He had the door open before the truck was at their destination, Matt practically jumping out of 81 before Otis could even the rig stopped, the Captain holding onto his radio to keep it from bouncing as he ran inside the hospital. His mind was only focused on one thing as he hurried into the familiar building, Matt's eyes bouncing around the emergency room as he looked for any recognizable face he could find, but he was coming up empty. Not wanting to waste any more time without knowing what was going on with his daughter, the firefighter came to an abrupt stop in front of the nurses station as he saw a woman he'd seen around here before, but didn't know very well.

"Where's Sofia Casey?"

The nurse looked up quickly, clearly surprised by his sudden appearance in front of her, her eyes darting around before looking back towards the stressed man.

"Sofia Casey, where is she?" He asked again, his frantic voice filling the room as the nurse remained calm, holding up her hand in front of her.

"Okay sir, you said Casey?" She questioned, Matt drawing in a short breath, his impatient nature getting the better of him as he nodded quickly.

"Yes, Sofia Casey. She's my daughter, she's ten months old." He replied shortly, his gaze bouncing around the busy room as he tried to find anything that could help her figure out where his little girl was. "I don't know what happened, I got a call from her nanny that said they were here, and I need to see her."

"Alright, Mr. Casey, let me just take a look and find out where she is-"

"Shouldn't you know that already?" He asked exasperatedly, the woman looking up from her tablet.

"Sir-"

"How many 10 month old babies could you possibly have in the ER?!" He continued firmly, Matt shaking his head as he quickly ran his hand over his mouth.

"Mr. Casey, this isn't my usual department, just give me a second-"

"My baby girl is on this floor somewhere, and if you don't tell me where she is, I'm about to go to each room until I find her, now goddammit, what room is she in?!"

"Casey!"

Matt turned towards the voice calling him, his eyes widening slightly as he locked gazes with Maggie across the room, the firefighter quickly abandoning his position at the desk and running towards his friend, his body rigid with worry as he jogged towards her.

"Where's Sof? Is she alright? Becca didn't say much on the phone, I don't-"

"Matt, she's okay." She interrupted his concerned rambling, Matt sucking in a deep breath before nodding, Maggie placing a comforting hand on his arm. "I'll take you to her, but she's fine, alright? She's okay." Maggie spoke calmly, Matt nodding before they began walking down the hallway.

Within seconds, they'd gotten to the room Matt could only assume his daughter was in, the distressed father soon hearing the familiar sound of his daughter's cries as they got closer. Quickly stepping around Maggie, Matt roughly slid the door open, pushing aside the curtain before he came face to face with his crying baby. With one glance, he could see that Sofia was inconsolable, Matt's eyes raking over his daughter's form as she was being cradled by a clearly unsettled Becca, the little girl stripped down to her diaper as her nanny rocked her back and forth.

The second she registered a new presence in the room, Becca's head snapped up, seeing Matt hurrying towards her side with his eyes focused on his daughter.

"What happened? Is she okay?" He asked hurriedly, Matt reaching out for his daughter the second she was within reach, Becca carefully handing Sofia to her father. Cradling her against his chest, Matt's eyes moved over his daughter's face as loud cries escaped her lips, Casey looking for any signs of distress. "Sshh, Sof, it's okay. You're okay." He murmured, rubbing his hand over the top of her head. "It's alright, baby. Daddy's here."

He continued doing what he could to soothe her, even though he had no idea what had happened to his baby. From what he could tell, there were no physical signs of trauma. But between Sofia's crying, and how shaken Becca looked, it was clear _something_ was the matter, and he couldn't go another second without knowing what that something was.

"Becca…" He spoke, Matt keeping his voice steady as he felt Sofia grip onto his shirt, the baby desperately clinging to her dad for comfort. "What happened?" He questioned again, Becca taking a deep breath before she opened her mouth.

"We, uh- we were at home, and we were playing in the living room. Sof was using the couch to pull herself up, like she's been doing-" Becca started, Matt nodding in understanding. While she still wasn't very sturdy, Sofia had been continuing to work on mastering the task of pulling herself up off the ground, and Matt knew better than anyone had often the overzealous baby would push her limits. "And I… I don't know, I looked away for a second, and she fell backwards and hit the back of her head against the side of the coffee table."

Matt grimaced at the information, the firefighter shaking his head before he looked back towards his daughter. Her crying had quietened down slightly, the baby clearly still upset but feeling better now that she was in the safety of her father's arms.

"I know there's the bumpers on the corners, and you and Gabby had been talking about putting them around the entire thing now that she's moving more… But I should've been watching her, this is completely my fault and I'm so sorry, Matt."

"It's okay, Becca." He replied softly, shaking his head slightly. Despite it happening while the young nanny was watching Sofia, Matt didn't blame Becca for this. Sofia had been a force lately, and it was hard enough for both him and Gabby to keep up with her, he could only imagine how difficult it was for Becca on her own. "...So she hit her head?"

"Yeah, I saw her just as she was falling. She hit right here." Becca told him, lifting her shaky hand up towards the back of Matt's neck before she tapped her fingers against his hair, just over the bottom of his skull to show where Sofia had hurt herself. "At first she was fine…" Becca continued as she pulled her hand away. "She was crying, but she settled pretty quickly. And I thought she was okay. I was about to call Gabby, and let her know what happened, tell her that I thought Sofia was alright, but I wanted to see what you all wanted me to do. If you wanted me to bring her here, or have Gabby come look at her… But before I could do that, Sofia started screaming, and then she began throwing up and I just- I panicked." Becca breathed out, her hand coming up to run over the side of her face as Matt focused on Sofia.

"So I brought her straight here. I know babies fall a lot, that Sofia has fallen before, but with her getting sick, I didn't want to chance anything, or leave it alone just in case something was wrong. So we came here, and once she got into a room is when I called you… I tried calling Gabby, but she didn't answer. And I know I should've called sooner, but I- I was so focused on Sof, and making sure I got her here, I'm sorry-"

"Becca, it's okay." He interjected, effectively cutting her off, Matt giving her a strong nod. "It's fine, I'm glad you brought her straight here. You don't need to keep apologizing." He continued, Matt rubbing his hand over Sofia's bare chest as a source of comfort. "Gabby and I both trust you with Sofia, we know you'd never do anything to hurt her, and trust me, I'm glad you were more focused on getting her here than worried about us. It's okay." He repeated, Matt sensing just how much this entire thing had shaken the nanny. "I promise, it's okay." Casey assured her, Becca giving him a slight nod before he looked back towards his daughter, her teary blue eyes shining up at him. "Have any doctors looked at her yet?"

"Um, yeah-" She started, Becca clearing her throat before continuing, "they had just left before you got here… They ran a few motor skills tests on her, checked her reflexes and everything, and all of that went fine. The doctor said she looked alright, that if anything she'll probably just have some bruising and swelling, and her head might be a little sore for a few days. As far as he could tell, she's completely fine. But they said they want to do an MRI, just to be safe." She told him, Matt sucking in a deep breath before nodding.

"When are they doing that?" He questioned, Matt stroking the back of his hand over Sofia's cheek, the baby nuzzling her face against his chest as occasional whimpers still escaped her lips.

"Here any minute." She answered, Matt giving her a nod before he slowly began walking around the room, doing what he could to continue soothing his little girl. "She does, uh… the back of her head's a little swollen, from where she hit the table. They gave her some medicine when we got here- it wasn't anything stronger than tylenol, I think. But she hasn't thrown up again since we've gotten here, though I wasn't able to clean up all of it before we left the apartment, so there's a bit of a mess back at home." She continued, Becca trying to give the father as much information as she could.

"It's fine, that doesn't matter." He replied softly, before leaning down to press a gentle kiss to Sofia's forehead. As he pulled back, he felt his daughter's grip on his shirt tighten, the baby never taking her eyes off her father as a soft smile fell to his lips. "Yeah, it's okay, baby. You're safe, you're fine." He murmured, rubbing his hand over the top of her head before kissing her again.

"Should I try to call Gabby again?" Becca interrupted the moment between the father and daughter, Matt pursing his lips together before he released a heavy breath.

"No, no, I'll call her." Matt responded, knowing the second his wife found out about them being at the hospital, she'd freak out. And he knew he needed to be the one to tell her. "Do you mind taking her for a second?"

"No, of course not." Becca replied immediately, the woman coming up to his side as Matt refocused his attention on his daughter. He was hesitant to move her from his arms, especially since she'd just gotten calmed down, but he needed to call Gabby now. Honestly, he knew he should've called her the second Becca contacted him, but he had no idea what he was walking into, and he figured it best to wait until he had some more information before calling her. The call he had to make would be hard enough, he didn't want to talk to her when he had no idea what was going on.

"Okay Sof, you're gonna be with Becca for a minute, okay baby?" He murmured, even though the little girl had no idea what he was saying to her, Matt slowly pulling her away from his chest before handing her over to the nanny. Sofia didn't like the movement at first, the little girl fussing when she was taken away from her dad, but when she realized who's arms she'd been placed in, the baby soon settled as Becca cradled her to her chest. "Yeah, it's okay." He spoke softly, reaching out to rub his hand over the top of her head carefully. Though he knew she'd hurt the back of her head, he wasn't sure if the medicine she'd been given had ended whatever pain she might've been in from her fall, and the last thing he wanted to do was make anything worse for his daughter.

Once Sofia was clearly content in Becca's arms, or as content as she was going to be with anyone other than her parents, Matt carefully stepped away, doing his best to make sure Sofia didn't see him leaving before he slowly slipped out of the room, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he went. Drawing in a deep breath, he dialed his wife's number before putting the phone up to his ear, Matt grazing his teeth over his bottom lip as he quickly tried to work through what he was going to tell her.

But as her phone continued to ring, Matt blew out a sharp breath, the firefighter bringing his hand up to his face as he paced the hallway outside his daughter's room. When he got her voicemail, Casey shook his head before ending the call and sliding his phone back in his pocket, Matt knowing he had to use the next best way of communicating with his paramedic.

Reaching his hand up to the radio strapped over his chest, Matt made sure he was on the right channel before he spoke up.

"61?" He asked, clearing his throat as he moved around the corner, Matt trying to get away from the busy emergency room. "Ambulance 61?... Gabby?"

"_Matt?_"

Gabby's voice flooded in through his radio, Casey drawing in a deep breath before responding.

"Hey, sorry- are you still on your call?" He questioned, rubbing his hand along the back of his neck. "I tried calling your cell, but I couldn't reach you."

"_We're about to head to the hospital, what's wrong?_"

He could hear the worry in her voice, and he couldn't say he was surprised it was there. Matt needing to get in contact with her while she was out on a call was something very out of the ordinary, and Gabby knew there were only a few reasons he'd need to get a hold of her that urgently. And none of those reasons were for anything good.

"Okay, well, uh, when you get to med, let Foster and Brett handle the drop off…"

"_Matt, what's going on?_" She asked quickly. "_Are you okay? Are you hurt?_"

"I'm fine." He answered, Matt shaking his head before releasing a heavy breath, knowing he just needed to get the words out. "...But Sofia's here."

"_What?!_" His wife's panicked voice came through the radio, Matt pulling it back slightly as a grimace covered his face. "_What happened?! Is she okay?_"

"She's fine, she's alright." He was quick to assure her, as he heard a few muffled words from Gabby, Matt assuming she was saying something to one, or both, of her partners. "...She was trying to stand up by the couch at home, and she fell and hit her head against the coffee table-"

"_Oh my God_."

"Baby, she's okay." Matt responded, pressing his hand against the back of his neck. "Becca brought her in just to be safe, but they said she looks fine... They want to do an MRI-"

"_I thought you said everything was fine?_"

"Gabby-"

"_If they're wanting to do a scan, that means something could be wrong, she could-_"

"Gabby, hey, hey- it's okay." He did his best to calm her down, though without being with her, the task was a little more challenging. "It's just precautionary. Becca said she was throwing up-"

"_She was throwing up?!_"

Matt released a soft sigh as she cut him off, the husband wishing more than anything in this moment that he could be having this conversation with Gabby in person.

"She was at home after it happened, but Becca said she hasn't gotten sick since they've been here." He explained, doing his best to remain as calm as he could. Despite his concern for his daughter, he knew he needed to remain as steady as possible, or that would only freak out Gabby more. "She was crying a lot when I got here, I was able to get her calmed down, but Becca said they just want to do a scan, to double check and make sure everything's alright before they send her home. I haven't seen her doctor yet, but I'm gonna talk with them, to hear from them what's going on... But I was just with her, and I'm about to go back in there with her, but she's doing fine. She's upset, and I think a little scared because she doesn't know what's going on, but she's okay."

His wife went silent for a moment, Matt hearing her draw in shaky breath as he slowly began walking towards his daughter's room. He could hear people shuffling around through the muffled noise from the radio, accompanied by the sound of a door slamming, and sirens blaring.

"Gabby?"

"_We're on our way now… I'll be there as soon as I can._" Her voice sounded unsteady, Matt only able to imagine how worried she was right now.

"Okay. I'll see you in a bit." He told her, hearing her release another heavy breath. "She's alright, baby. I promise." He did what he could to comfort her, but he knew Gabby; until she was here, with their little girl, she wouldn't truly believe anything he was saying. And he couldn't fault her for that, because he was the exact same way.

"_Stay with her until I get there._" Gabby requested, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "_I don't want her to be alone, I want you with her._"

"She's not alone, babe. I won't leave her, I promise."

"_Okay… I'll be there soon._"

After a few quick goodbyes, Matt dropped his radio back down to his chest while he continued towards Sofia's room, the father moving quickly as to not be away from his daughter any longer than he had been already. As he came back around the corner, he was surprised to see the door to Sofia's room open, and the curtain around the bed pushed back, Matt quickly noticing that it was no longer just his daughter and Becca in the room anymore.

"Oh, there he is." Becca spoke up when she saw him come in, Matt looking back and forth between the doctor standing next to the bed and his little girl, Sofia still fussing in Becca's arms. It wasn't anything near the wailing she'd been doing when Matt first got here, but she was still clearly in some discomfort, and he hated it.

"You must be Sofia's father?" The doctor asked, Matt nodding as he reached out to shake the man's hand.

"Matt Casey, yeah." He replied, before moving towards Sofia, Matt instantly taking her back in his arms. Her cries got louder when she was moved, but the second she recognized it was her dad holding her, she calmed considerably, Sofia holding onto him with a death grip as he cradled her body against his chest. "How is she doing?" He asked once Sofia had gotten situated, Matt rubbing his hand over the top of her head as she was tucked into his neck.

"She's alright, Mr. Casey… Little Sofia here has a pretty nasty bump on the back of her head, but there was no cut or anything." He spoke, Matt giving him a nod. "With a child Sofia's age, I'm sure you know that falls happen. But from all the tests we've done already, like I told your nanny here, Sofia seems fine. We gave her some medicine, just to help with any pain, and we'll give you a prescription to take home of, essentially liquid tylenol, to give her later, but there will be instructions with all that." He explained, Matt nodding again as he rested his cheek against the top of Sofia's head, hearing soft whines still coming from his daughter.

"Becca, can you hand me her blanket?" Matt asked, interrupting the doctor for a moment as he turned towards their nanny. "She's a little cold."

Without a word, Becca complied with the request as she moved towards the little girl's diaper bag, pulling out Sofia's blanket that they took with them everywhere and handing it over to Casey, the father adjusting her in his arms as he got her covered by the comforting material.

"Sorry…" Matt spoke, the man waving him off.

"Nothing to apologize for, I know it's a little cold in here." The doctor responded, his eyes moving down towards Sofia before looking back to Casey. "I'm not sure if Becca here told you, but we're still wanting to do an MRI on little Sofia here."

"She did… It's just a precaution?" He questioned carefully, catching the older man's gaze. "There's not anything you're not telling me, you're just wanting to be sure?"

"Yes, Mr. Casey." He replied. "It's completely precautionary. All her reflex tests went well, and her motor skills seem fine. I'm confident that she's alright, but for peace of mind, I'd rather have 100% certainty. For as young as she is, I don't want to take any risks. So, with her symptoms, the vomiting and everything, we just want to be sure before we send her home." The doctor explained. "I think with her getting sick, since it hasn't happened again, it probably had more to do with her being upset, and because she's in pain with her head hurting, than anything neurologically wrong. But, like I said, I'd rather be safe in this situation before we send her home."

"I appreciate that, thank you."

"Of course… We're gonna go ahead and get Sofia ready to take for her scan. Since she is still a baby, to get the images we need, we're gonna have to sedate her." Matt felt his stomach drop the moment those words left the doctor's mouth, his secure grip around his daughter tightening slightly. "I know this probably isn't at all what you were expecting today, but it's completely safe. She'll be fine. We will need your signature, just to say you approved of her getting the scan, and taking the sedation. But she gets it orally, we won't need to stick her with a needle or anything. She'll just get a little tired, and then fall asleep. And then she'll wake up in an hour or two, which'll give us some time to look over everything. With the nature of what happened, I'm gonna look at them as soon as I can, and get back to you, let you know what's going on. But that's pretty much how this is gonna go. Our nurses here will get everything taken care of, Sofia's in great hands." He finished explaining, Matt nodding as he digested all the information.

"Okay… Can someone be with her? While she's getting the scan?" He asked, clearing his throat as the doctor looked towards him. "I mean, I know she'll be sedated, but I… I'd rather my wife or I be with her, if possible."

"Someone can be with her, Mr. Casey." He replied with an understanding smile. "I know this is all kind of scary, for you and Sofia, but you, or your wife when she gets here, can go with her. You can be with her the entire time."

"Thank you." Matt responded, earning a nod from the man before he moved towards the door.

"We'll get that paperwork for you to sign, then start prepping her for her scan. Then I'll be back in a little bit when I have the results for you all." The doctor explained, Matt giving him a slight nod before he left the room, Casey moving his attention back to his daughter.

The next few minutes went by quickly, Matt having read over the paperwork they wanted him to sign as Sofia was cuddled against his body, the firefighter sitting down on the bed so he could keep his daughter calm while they gave her the medicine. Once he'd signed all he needed to, they gave Sofia the sedative, his little girl taking the medication as they used a syringe to feed it to her. He couldn't be sure what it tasted like, but by the strong smell of grape that he got when it was close to Sofia, he imagined it wasn't too terrible, and Sofia had taken it pretty well. She put up a little bit of resistance, as she did with most things, but eventually they got her to take it, and now they were just waiting.

Casey continued to sit quietly on the bed, Becca having moved out into the hallway while Matt gently rocked his baby to sleep, the sedative working rather quickly on her little body as Sofia fought against her exhaustion. But even in her tired state, Matt could tell his daughter still wasn't quite herself. The events of the day had very obviously taken their toll on Sofia, and despite how nervous he felt for her needing to be sedated, he could only hope her getting some sleep would help her feel better, because it was clear she didn't feel well right now.

Just as Sofia's eyes fell closed, Matt looked up when he heard a familiar, frantic voice flooding into the room, the husband catching a glimpse of his wife through the glass doors as she spoke with Becca, Casey hearing the young nanny explaining what she could to Gabby before his wife rushed into the room, her eyes shining as she looked between him and their baby.

"She's okay." He spoke first before she could get a word out, Gabby sucking in a deep breath before she nodded, Matt seeing the amount of tension his wife was holding onto as she stepped closer to the bed. "She's alright, babe… They're about to take her for her scan."

"Is she asleep?" Gabby asked softly as she came to a stop beside the bed, Matt taking a second to look over her face while she was focused on their daughter, the husband seeing tears threatening to fall that were hiding in her eyes. It was obvious his wife was upset, that hearing their daughter had been hurt and was in the hospital had rattled her. But, thankfully, with each passing second, he could see her calming down a bit.

"Almost, yeah… They gave her a sedative for the scan, to keep her from moving around." Matt told her, Gabby giving him a quick nod, the paramedic clearly not surprised by that like he had been. "They said one of us could go with her… be there while she was getting the scan done." He spoke up, Gabby's teary brown eyes pulling away from her daughter to look towards her husband, Matt seeing the near desperate look shining back at him. "...I was thinking that you could go with her, and I'd go talk to the guys, maybe try and get ahold of Boden and let him know what's going on." He told her, seeing the look of relief that flashed in her eyes.

"...Thank you." She murmured, both of them well aware that until this moment, he hadn't thought about not going with her for a second. But after getting one look at his wife, Matt wanted her to be the one with their daughter. Gabby needed it, and he knew this wouldn't take too long.

Before either of them could speak up, a few nurses came in, both Matt and Gabby glancing up at them as they came to a stop at the foot of the bed. "Hi… we're all ready to take Miss Sofia to get her scan." One of them spoke, Matt nodding before he slowly got himself up off the bed, the father making sure to not jostle his daughter. Although he didn't really have to worry about waking her, he still didn't want to move her around too much, Matt patiently waiting for them to get the bed flat before he gently laid Sofia down onto it. The second his little girl was down, the nurses moved in, Matt and Gabby both getting out of the way while they got her situated comfortably and securely in the bed that was much too big for her.

"Alright, we're ready to take her… Are one of you coming with us?"

"I am, yeah." Gabby spoke up, her voice hoarse as Matt ran a supportive hand along her lower back, pressing a kiss to the side of her head while they watched them push the bed out of the room. Gabby spared a glance at her husband before following their daughter, Matt giving her a supportive nod as she walked towards the door. "Will you be here when we get back?"

"Of course… Now go be with our girl." He encouraged her, Gabby nodding quickly before she turned and left the room, Matt stepping out into the hallway as he watched her hurry towards their daughter.

Matt waited until they were out of sight before bringing his hand up to his head, the tired and worried father pressing his palm harshly against the side of his skull, doing what he could to alleviate the headache that had been present since before he arrived, Casey shaking his head slightly before heading towards the waiting room. His legs felt heavy as he moved, the firefighter unsure of who all was still even here, if anyone from 51 was at all, Matt rubbing his hand along the back of his neck as he maneuvered around the busy ER. As he turned the corner at the nurses station, his steps slowed when he caught sight of the waiting room filled with their firehouse family, Matt seeing not only his firefighters from 81 waiting around, but Brett and Foster were here, along with Boden, and everyone from squad, Becca completing the group as well. The entire firehouse had showed up for them, the Captain unable to hide the look of surprise from his face as he got closer.

"Casey, hey-" Herrmann spoke up, the older man seeing him first as his words gained the attention of the entire group, a few of them standing up as he walked closer. "How's Sofia?"

"She's, uh- she's doing okay." Matt spoke once he found his voice, the man coming to a stop as the group huddled around him, concern and worry radiating off of them as he had their complete attention. "Gabby's with her, they're gonna do an MRI, just to make sure there's no damage or anything."

"The little rascal must've hit her head pretty hard, huh." Herrmann continued with a grimace, Matt nodding slightly.

"From the looks of it, yeah. But she's okay… She'd calmed down, and they gave her some medicine to sedate her, so I'm hoping her getting some rest will help."

"Good, that's good."

"Yeah, I, uh… I'm just glad she's okay." Matt spoke, his eyes quickly finding Boden's in the crowd before the Captain nodded towards the hallway, the Chief understanding his silent request. "But thank you all, for coming here. Gabby and I, and Sof, we all appreciate it."

"Of course, Captain."

"Yeah, we wouldn't be anywhere else. Thankfully, she's alright."

Matt gave them a few nods, Herrmann clasping him on the shoulder before Casey slowly pulled away from the group, Boden following him to a more quiet part of the waiting room, the strong look of concern never leaving the Chief's face.

"So they're doing an MRI?" He spoke up first, Matt nodding as he crossed his arms over his chest, Boden giving his Captain a once over, seeing how shaken his firefighter was over this whole thing.

"Yeah, um, they just want to be sure they don't miss anything. Sofia didn't get cut or anything, but the back of her head is swollen. And she had been throwing up, she was practically screaming when I got here… so they just want to check and make sure there's no other issues before we leave." He explained, Boden giving him a nod as the older man kept his eyes on Casey. It was clear Matt was on edge, the Chief watching as Matt leaned his body weight back into the wall, his Captain shaking his head angrily before running his hand over his mouth. "God, this- it never should've happened."

"Casey…"

"Gabby and I were just talking about putting covers around that entire table." Matt cut him off, guilt sweeping through the father's body as he caught Boden's gaze. "When Sof started crawling, we made sure to put those bumpers on the corner, because we didn't want her to get hurt. And now that she's been trying to walk... we should've been more careful, we should've just covered the entire thing."

"Casey, these things happen." Boden spoke softly, Matt drawing in a deep breath.

"...She could've seriously gotten hurt."

"She could've. But she didn't." The Chief replied, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Sofia's fine. She's gonna get those scans, they'll come back clear, and everything will be fine. Your little girl is alright, Casey."

Glancing down towards the ground, Matt gave him a slight nod, the father thinking over the man's words before glancing back up towards his boss. "Thanks Chief." He responded softly, Boden giving him a tight squeeze on his shoulder before dropping his hand back down towards his side. "And, uh- I'm sorry I just ran out of shift." Casey continued, Boden furrowing his eyebrows as Matt looked up. "When I got that call, I panicked, and I didn't really think about anything other than getting here."

"It's fine, Matt." Boden replied. "You have nothing to apologize for, not where your family's concerned." He continued, Matt responding with a thankful nod. "As soon as you left, Severide came and told me something had happened to Sofia, and we all came here as soon as we could. But you don't need to be sorry for leaving. This is where you need to be."

"I appreciate that, Chief." Matt said, Boden nodding strongly.

"Which is why whenever Sofia's been cleared to leave, I want you and Dawson to just go home. And be with your baby." Boden told him, Matt running his tongue along the inside of his cheek. "The only place you two need to be right now is with your daughter."

"Thank you." Casey replied, Boden flashing him a comforting smile before they slowly began to walk towards the group, Matt trying to shake this nervous feeling that had been settling in his gut since he found out his daughter had been hurt.

* * *

Gabby laid on her side on the edge of the uncomfortable hospital bed, her arm propping her head up while her free hand was resting over her daughter's stomach, the sleeping baby nestled protectively into her side. It was the same position they'd been in for over an hour, ever since Gabby and Sofia got back from their daughter's scan, and the little girl had yet to wake up from her sedation, Gabby focusing on the steady rise and fall of her baby's chest while she slept peacefully. It had been a long day for all of them, Sofia especially, and they wanted their little girl to get as much rest as she could while they sat quietly in the ER room, the door shut and the curtain drawn, successfully isolating them from the world going on around them as both parents kept their focus on their daughter.

While Gabby was snuggled up with their little girl, Matt was sitting on the opposite side of the bed, his legs hanging over the side as he faced his girls, his hand resting on top of Gabby's thigh as a way to keep himself close.

"How much longer do you think it'll be?" Gabby asked softly, tearing her eyes away from her daughter to look towards her husband, Matt giving her a soft shrug as he met her gaze.

"I'm not sure, babe… They said it might take a few hours." He reminded her, Gabby giving him a slight nod before refocusing her attention on Sofia, the wife feeling her husband squeeze her leg gently after he spoke.

"Hopefully it'll be here soon… I just want to get her home." She murmured, Matt nodding in agreement.

But before he could respond, Sofia started shifting around beside her mother, both parents watching her closely as they recognized the signs of their daughter waking up, her little arms stretching out above her head as she quietly began to fuss. But the more awake she became, the louder her cries got, Sofia crying out the second she was fully conscious.

"Sshh, sshh, baby it's okay." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over her daughter's bare chest, the baby turning towards the sound of her mother's voice. "You're okay, Sof." She continued to soothe her, Matt inching closer towards his distressed daughter as Gabby placed a kiss to her forehead, the baby's cries continuing.

"Do you think it's her head?" Matt asked as Gabby slowly sat up in bed, Sofia's wailing getting louder when she couldn't feel her mom next to her anymore.

"I'm not sure, she might just be a little scared." Gabby responded. "A lot's happened today, she could just be overwhelmed… Come here, Sof. It's okay." She spoke softly, Gabby standing up before carefully picking up her daughter.

Matt watched intently as she moved around the small space with their crying baby, the father unsure of what to do while Gabby continued to try and soothe her. If this were any other situation, Matt would know how to help his distressed daughter when she got like this. There were only a few things that could be causing her constant crying, those reasons usually involving her either being hungry, needing to be changed, or she wanted to sleep. But in this instance, he didn't know whether to follow his instincts or not. It could easily be one of those things, or it could be something more, something having to do with her fall earlier today, because despite the constant assurances that his baby girl was alright, they still hadn't gotten her MRI results back yet. And until they did, Matt wasn't sure he'd be able to completely believe that she was alright, and he knew his wife felt the same way.

But the longer Gabby walked around cradling Sofia, the calmer their daughter became, much like she'd done earlier when Matt arrived at the hospital. They knew their little girl was upset, Sofia needing more than her usual amount of comfort from her parents as Matt adjusted his positioning on the bed, the father wanting to have a better view of his wife and daughter.

"Yeah, you're okay, Sof. We've got you, Momma and Daddy are right here." Gabby murmured before pressing a kiss to the top of her head, Matt seeing his wife grimace as she pulled back.

"What is it?" He asked quickly, Gabby shaking her head slightly.

"Nothing, it's just- her head… It really is swollen." She replied with a wince, Matt frowning before he stood up and walked towards her, his hand reaching out to gently rest over the back of his daughters head. It was a little difficult to see with her curly hair, but he could definitely feel the swelling underneath his palm as he cradled the back of his daughter's head.

"Oh, Sof…" He breathed out, Matt shaking his head before leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head, Sofia calming down considerably in the warm embrace of her parents. "I'm so sorry, baby." He practically whispered, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as she heard her husband's voice crack, Matt pressing another kiss to the top of Sofia's head before standing up straight, his worried eyes finding Gabby's teary ones. "...You alright?" He questioned, Matt's focus shifting to his wife momentarily as he reached out to place his hand on her arm, Gabby nodding slowly.

"I'm fine, I just… I can't remember the last time I was ever as scared as I was when you called me." She spoke quietly, sadness shining in his eyes as he gave her arm a firm squeeze. "In fact, I'm sure the only other times I've been that scared are when you've been hurt." She added, Gabby shaking her head before glancing down to the baby in her arms. "And I guess- I don't know, I just hate that this happened. I don't blame Becca or anything, this could've just as easily happened with us, but I hate that our little girl got hurt, and we weren't there."

"I know… so do I." He agreed, Matt drawing in a deep breath before continuing. "But she's alright. She's gonna be just fine, and here soon we can take her home, and do nothing but hold her and love on her, and we'll spend the rest of the day making sure she doesn't have the chance to hurt herself again." He added lightly, his words bringing a soft smile to her face.

"That's not funny." Gabby replied, though she couldn't hide her grin as Matt rubbed her arm slowly.

"You're right… But she's okay, baby." He repeated, taking a step closer to the two girls that were his entire world, Gabby locking eyes with her husband before nodding slowly.

Before she could respond, Sofia began whining again, both parents looking down at their daughter as she began nuzzling her face against Gabby's chest, the baby opening her mouth against her mother's shirt.

"Are you hungry, Sof?" She asked softly, Gabby adjusting the baby in her arms as Sofia's fussing got louder, the little girl clutching at her mother's chest. "Okay, okay, come on, baby." She murmured as she moved back towards the bed, Matt walking around the other side before he sat down first, the father holding out his arms to take Sofia from Gabby so his wife could get ready to feed her.

The second Sofia was in her dad's arms, the baby immediately moved towards his chest, her wide, blue eyes filled with determination as she tried to understand why her parents weren't feeding her. "It's okay, Sof, Momma just needs a minute." He spoke, stroking his daughter's cheek softly, Gabby untucking her shirt before she sat down on the bed next to her husband.

"Come here, baby." She murmured, the parents completing the familiar tradeoff as Gabby held her little girl in her arms. Moving as quickly as she could, Gabby adjusted her clothes and guided Sofia towards her chest, the baby latching on eagerly as she began to feed. "Yeah, you were hungry, huh?" She breathed out, Gabby leaning back into Matt's side as her husband wrapped his arm around her shoulders, the two settling against the bed while Gabby held onto their daughter. She was very conscious of her grip, Gabby being mindful to not hold the back of Sofia's head as she didn't want to risk hurting her daughter, Sofia gripping onto her mom's necklace while she ate.

"She alright?" Matt asked after a few moments, his eyes locked on his daughter as Gabby nodded, before she wiped away a few of the tears resting on Sofia's cheeks.

"Yeah, she's okay." Gabby responded as Sofia began to wriggle around a bit, clearly trying to get comfortable. It was difficult to feed her the same way she normally would with the injury to the back of their daughter's head, so they were both definitely having to adjust.

"And you?" He questioned, Gabby lifting her head up to meet his gaze. "Are you alright?"

Biting down on her bottom lip, she nodded, Gabby slowly looking back down to her daughter. "I am… I'll just feel better when we have her scans." She told him, Matt nodding in understanding as he rubbed his hand over her shoulder before looking back down to his daughter. His eyebrows furrowed when he saw fresh tears filling Sofia's eyes while she continued to nurse, Gabby slowly wiping them away while the baby held onto her mom as tightly as she could. "It's okay, Sof… Everything's okay." She whispered soothingly as Matt placed his hand gently over Sofia's side, both parents doing whatever they could to make their daughter feel as safe and protected as possible.

Today had been a lot, for all of them, but it was especially hard on Sofia when she was old enough to know things were different from what she was used to, but she couldn't understand why, that alone leaving their baby very stressed and overwhelmed. But Matt and Gabby were doing what they could to alleviate that, knowing their little girl always felt better whenever she could feel both of her parents.

While Sofia continued to nurse, for what the mother could only assume was part-hunger, part-comfort, Gabby began to hum one of her daughter's favorite songs she'd sing to her, the little girl looking up at her mom with wide eyes as she focused on the sounds she was making. Every so often, Gabby would transition between singing softly, and continuing to hum, the gentle noise calming Sofia down. She continued the proven method of relaxing their little girl, Sofia's eyes beginning to droop as she felt comforted by her parents, Matt rubbing his hand along her leg as an extra reminder that he was close by.

Just as Gabby finished the song, they were interrupted by the sound of the door sliding open, Matt looking up as Sofia's doctor stepped around the curtain, the man soon flashing them soft smiles. "Hi, sorry to interrupt… I can come back when she's done nursing, if you'd like?"

"No, no, it's okay." Gabby responded, the man nodding before he completely came into the room, making sure to secure the curtain back in place for privacy before he walked towards the bed. "How are her scans?" Dawson asked before he could get a word in, the mother desperate to know what was going on with her baby.

"Everything was clear." He replied, watching as both parents released heavy sighs of relief. "Little Sofia is just fine."

"Oh, thank God." Matt breathed out before he pressed a kiss to the side of Gabby's head, Gabby releasing a thankful breath of her own.

"All her scans were great, she's completely fine. She'll probably be in some pain for a few days, her head will most likely be a little tender, but she's alright. The medicine we're sending you all home with, which a nurse will be by to give you shortly, should help with a lot of her discomfort. But you're little girl is fine, and you all are free to leave here shortly."

Gabby nodded slowly, her eyes falling closed for a split second before she opened them again, her gaze moving down towards her daughter who was nearly asleep.

"Thank you." She murmured, before looking back up. "Thank you for taking care of her."

"Of course, Mrs. Casey." He replied, as Gabby felt Matt give her shoulder a squeeze. "A nurse will be in here soon, to help get you all get ready to go, but you are free to leave… I'm just glad she's alright."

With another nod, the man left the room, leaving the relieved parents alone with their daughter as Matt leaned his head down to rest on Gabby's, the two taking a moment to decompress after the stressful day they'd had. Sofia was still nursing, but barely as the baby continued to fight off her exhaustion, her need to be comforted by her parents outweighing her fatigue as her bright blue eyes fought to stay open.

"You're okay, Sof." Gabby whispered, blinking back a few tears of relief that had formed in her eyes, the mother feeling like the heavy weight of the day had finally been lifted off her chest. "We're gonna get you home."

The next half hour went by in a blur, Gabby finishing up feeding their daughter while Matt handled everything with the nurses, the father taking care of all the paperwork and getting their daughter's medication, both parents just eager to get their little girl home. While Gabby burped their little girl, Matt stepped out to make a call to Boden, the firefighter having to leave his boss a message as all of 51 were out on a call, Casey relaying the information that Sofia was fine and they were heading home, before he came back into the room and continued helping Gabby and Becca get their girl ready to leave.

With little resistance from the baby, Matt changed her diaper before getting her dressed back into her onesie, Gabby sitting beside her daughter's head while Matt got her ready, Sofia happily focused on her mom. Since she'd been fed, and gotten another dose of medicine a few minutes ago, Sofia seemed to be in much better spirits. She was acting a lot more like herself, which, truthfully, made both the parents' hearts ache, knowing how much pain and discomfort their daughter was in when her medication wore off. But nothing could be done about that now, nothing except them getting their baby girl out of this hospital and back into the comfortable surroundings of her own home.

"Alright, you guys ready?" Matt asked, earning nods from both Becca and Gabby.

"Beyond ready." Gabby breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement as he watched his wife carefully pick up their daughter, being careful to not let her head move around too much as she cradled the little girl against her chest.

With their paperwork and medication in hand, Matt led them out of the room, the husband stepping back so Gabby and Becca could walk ahead of him, his hand resting on his wife's back as they moved through the busy emergency department.

"Matt?... Gabby?"

The parents stopped in their tracks as they were almost to the exit when they heard the familiar voice, both Matt and Gabby turning towards the sound as they watched the woman they knew well approach them, a soft smile forming over her face.

"Tina… Hi." Gabby spoke, surprise laced in her voice as they saw the woman they hadn't seen in a few years. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you all, as well." She replied brightly, Matt and Gabby flashing her warm smiles as Dawson adjusted the baby in her arms.

"What are you doing here? Everything alright?" Matt questioned as he continued to rub his hand along his wife's back.

"Oh, yes I'm fine. I'm just here for a case, checking in on a little girl… What about you two? It looks like things have definitely changed since I last saw you both." She replied, eyeing the baby who was tucked into her mother's chest. "Who might this be?" She asked, Sofia lifting her head slightly as Gabby rubbed her back, the baby turning to look at her unfamiliar surroundings before hiding back against her mom's chest.

"This is our daughter, Sofia." Matt replied, Tina smiling softly at the family. "And this is Becca, our nanny." He added, Tina and Becca exchanging pleasantries before the woman looked back towards the baby.

"A daughter, wow… I'm so happy for you both." She told them, the genuine smile on her face bringing grins to theirs as well.

"Thank you… Normally, Sof here would be a little more energetic, but it's been kind of a long day." Matt breathed out, Tina's look of joy morphing into one of worry, her eyes moving back towards the baby.

"Everything alright? Is she why you all are here?"

"She is, but she's okay… She fell and hit her head." Matt explained, Tina's obvious concern growing. "So we've been here for awhile, but she's fine, just a little worn out."

"I'm glad she's okay." She replied softly, Matt and Gabby both nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, so are we." Gabby mused, pressing a kiss to her daughter's head before looking back to Tina. "I know this isn't really a good time for us to catch up, and I know you're very busy, but maybe Matt and I could stop by your office sometime. We could bring Sof, let you get to meet her on a normal day." She suggested, seeing the bright smile return to the woman's face.

"I'd love that." She responded, the woman glancing down towards her watch before taking a slight step away from the family. "I've gotta get going, but we'll definitely do that soon… It was so great to see you all again." She spoke, placing her hand on Gabby's arm as she passed them, Matt echoing her sentiment before she continued into the emergency room, leaving the family alone.

"Well… that was unexpected." Gabby spoke softly, glancing towards her husband who gave her a nod.

"...Who was that?" Becca questioned before they continued towards the exit, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"That was Tina, she works at DCFS." Matt replied, Becca raising her eyebrows. "She helped us out a lot… back when we were fostering Louie."

The dots connected in Becca's mind the second she heard that name, the woman giving an understanding nod before they walked outside. While the nanny didn't know much about the situation, she knew enough. When she first started working for the Casey's, it didn't take long for Becca to notice the few pictures around their home with them and a child she didn't recognize, the nanny originally mistaking him to be their nephew. But when she brought it up to them one day, it had led to a brief conversation of who the boy actually was, Becca learning a little about their son and what had happened a few years ago.

"So…" Matt spoke up again as a heavy feeling had settled in the air around them, it never getting any easier to think about the son they lost. "How about we get our girl home?" He said, his eyes landing on Gabby who'd clearly been deep in thought since the run-in with Tina. Drawing in a deep breath, she nodded, Matt wrapping a supportive arm around her shoulders.

"Yeah… let's go home."


	90. Chapter Ninety

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all! I'm so sorry there was no update last week, I was working on a new oneshot I posted, and then I was focusing on If We Never Say Goodbye, and getting the next chapter of that up. And I just didn't have the time to devote to this chapter, or the Whatever Comes Next update. But that's coming this week, as well!**

**I hope you all enjoy this chapter, things are definitely gonna start to get… I'll just say interesting, here soon. Thank you so much for reading, I can't wait to hear your feedback!**

**Stay safe, everyone!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety**_

* * *

Matt stepped into the living room, full bottle of milk in his hand as his eyes immediately found his wife and daughter, Gabby cradling a clearly cranky Sofia in her arms as the baby wailed in displeasure, desperately wanting something to eat.

"I know, baby." She murmured, stroking the top of Sofia's head as Matt hurried up his steps towards the couch.

"Sorry, sorry." He apologized as he handed her the bottle, Gabby shaking her head as she shot him a weak smile.

"It's fine, babe." She replied, taking the food from him and bringing it up to Sofia's lips, hoping that her daughter would calm down once she started eating. But when the baby registered the bottle, her cries got louder, Sofia moving her head away and waving her arms around, pushing the food away from her mouth. Sighing softly, Gabby shook her head as she tried to feed her again. "C'mon Sof, I know you're hungry."

But her efforts proved useless as Sofia continued to struggle, the baby pushing her face towards Gabby's chest eagerly, her wails only continuing to get louder.

"Want me to try?" Matt offered, seeing his wife struggling to feed their girl. But Gabby shook her head, the woman handing the bottle back to him before adjusting her baby in her arms.

"No, no it's okay… She wants me." She breathed out tiredly, Gabby balancing Sofia in her lap before she lifted up her shirt and unclipped her nursing bra, lifting her daughter towards her chest as Sofia latched on eagerly. The baby's bright blue eyes were locked on her mom while she began to feed, Gabby wiping away the tears on her daughter's skin as she adjusted them back into the couch. "Yeah, you're alright." She spoke before releasing a soft sigh, Gabby glancing over to see Matt placing the full bottle down on the coffee table. "Sorry, I just- I didn't feel like fighting her."

Matt nodded understandingly as he watched Sofia grip onto her mother, a few stray tears still falling down his daughter's cheeks before Gabby wiped them away. "It's okay." He assured her, tearing his eyes away from Sofia and shooting his wife a soft smile. "I'll put this back in the fridge in a minute." Matt added, Gabby giving him a nod before focusing her attention back on their little girl, seeing she'd calmed down considerably in the few moments she'd been feeding, Sofia happy now that she had the comfort of her mom. Which wasn't unusual as of late.

The little girl had been doing this a lot recently, having resistance towards the bottle regardless of who was trying to feed her, and she had been ever since the fall she'd taken last week. She hadn't wanted it at all, all she wanted was to nurse from her mom. Whenever they'd try and bottle feed her, she put up a fight every time, much like she had months ago when they first introduced it to her. She would push it away, and refuse to latch onto it, the little girl usually crying as well.

There were times they were persistent, Gabby and Matt pushing through until Sofia would reluctantly take the bottle. But there were other moments, like today, where they just didn't have the energy to push her, and Gabby would give in and nurse their little girl. Though Sofia was doing alright with her solids, and she didn't have any problem sitting in her highchair and eating whatever food her parents gave her, Sofia was still getting the bulk of her food from Gabby. And her putting up so much of fight against being given breast milk through the bottle, had led to her nursing a lot more frequently than Gabby was used to, which hadn't been the easiest on the mother. To go from nursing less than half the time, to Sofia constantly wanting to be on her, it was a little stressful for both Gabby and their daughter. But they were working their way through it, the parents hoping this phase of Sofia being extra clingy would pass soon.

After the baby's visit to the hospital last week, Sofia's desire to be with her parents wasn't all that surprising. They couldn't even imagine what their little girl had gone through, how she'd clearly been scared after what happened, but she wasn't able to understand what was going on. Thankfully, Sofia was alright. The swelling on the back of her head had gone down considerably, and they'd finished out Sofia's prescribed medication a few days ago, and things were slowly starting to get back to normal for the family of three. But that had been a very hard day on all of them, and the parents were fine to give some leniency from Sofia's usual routine, knowing the extra comfort their daughter needed was something they'd just have to ride out.

"She okay?" Matt asked after a few moments of quiet, Sofia hadn't not made a sound since she began eating, Gabby lifting her head up to look towards her husband.

"Yeah, she's alright now." Gabby assured him, flashing him a soft smile before drawing in a slow breath. "So… are we still on with Sam tomorrow?" She questioned, Gabby gently removing Sofia's little hand from her chest so the baby would stop pinching her skin.

"We are." Matt assured her, lifting his arm up to rest on the back of the couch behind Gabby, his fingers coming up to scratch gently over her shoulder. "I talked to him earlier while you were in the shower, we're supposed to meet him at the townhouse at 10… He said he was happy to hear from us, that he's excited for us to see the place again." He explained, Gabby's eyebrows raising slightly.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." He confirmed with a nod. "He said that he had a good feeling about us, but when he went so long without hearing from us he wasn't sure… But the place we saw is still available, and I told him that we both still really love it. We just want to do one last tour of it before making our final decision." He told her, Gabby nodding in agreement.

A few days ago, the couple had come to the conclusion that the townhouse they'd loved was the place they wanted to call home. They'd seen so many places, all of which were good and had things the couple loved about them, but no place had given them that same feeling as the townhouse did. That place felt like home the second they stepped inside, and they both knew it. They just wanted to go see it one last time before deciding to take that leap.

The couple had been wanting to talk about it more before Sofia's trip to the hospital, but that unexpected event put everything with their new possible home on the back-burner for a few days. But now that they were sure their little girl was alright, they didn't want to wait anymore. They wanted to get started on the next phase of their life together, their life with their little family. The family that would, in time, continue to grow. And that was not something that could be done in this apartment, despite how much they loved it here.

The sound of Gabby sucking in a sharp breath grabbed his attention, Matt noticing her flinch slightly as she quickly moved to adjust the baby in her arms.

"You okay?" He asked, his eyes flashing between the feeding daughter and his wife as Gabby carefully pulled Sofia off of her for a moment, the baby immediately fussing as she reached out for her mom.

"I'm fine, she just bit down pretty hard." She responded as she moved Sofia back towards her, the baby regaining her latch the second Gabby was within reach. "I'm not going anywhere, it's alright Sof." She spoke to the baby in her arms, stroking her daughter's smooth cheek as Sofia continued to eat, Gabby shaking her head slightly before looking back up at her husband. "I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

"Oh, nothing- I was just talking about my conversation with Sam. I'm excited to go see the place again… I know every home we've seen since then, we've kind of been comparing to that one, so hopefully it's exactly how we remember it." He told her with a gentle smile, Gabby giving him a quick nod.

"And you said we're meeting him at 10 right?" She questioned, Matt nodding despite the fact he'd just told her that moments prior.

"We are. I figured that'd be best… Keeps us out of Sofia's napping window, so by the time we get back home we can feed her then put her down for a nap." He explained his reasoning, Gabby nodding in agreement before she leaned into his side slightly, Matt meeting her halfway as he shifted himself closer to his girls.

"So you think we're okay to take Sof with us?" She asked, Matt's eyebrows furrowing slightly.

"Yeah, of course." He replied lightly, stroking his thumb over Gabby's shoulder. "She did fine last time. I'm sure she'll want one of us to carry her, but I think it'll be good to take her again. We can let her crawl around, get a better feel for the place that, hopefully, will be our home soon." He added with a soft smile, Gabby matching his grin before giving him a nod.

"Sounds good." She responded as Matt reached out to rub his hand along Sofia's arm, the baby's eyes darting around when she felt his presence. "I really hope all this works out…" Gabby murmured, Matt continuing his soothing movements against his wife's shoulder. "As much as I love living here, I'm excited to start somewhere new… and I really think this place is perfect for us."

"I do, too." He agreed gently, leaning forward to press a kiss to the side of her head, nuzzling his nose against her hair as they sat together on the couch. "Everything's gonna work out just fine… I have a good feeling about it." He told her, Gabby lifting her head back slightly to look at him, Matt seeing the soft smile covering her face.

"Oh you do, huh?" She asked teasingly, Matt nodding with a bright grin.

"I do." He replied knowingly, the man leaning in to press a firm and quick kiss against her lips, the force of his movements stunning her as he pulled back, Matt smirking when he saw the dazed look on her face as she slowly opened her eyes, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip shyly when she noticed his stares. "I have a great feeling about this. I truly think this place is supposed to be our home."

"I do, too." She replied, her voice soft as her lips turned up into a smile, Matt mirroring her expression as he lifted his hand up from her shoulder to cradle the back of her head, the man nudging her forward as their lips connected in another heated kiss, Gabby more than ready this time.

* * *

Casey hopped down out of the rig, his eyes immediately moving towards the parked ambulance directly across from him, the vehicle telling him that Gabby was still here as 81 and squad 3 had just returned from a call to a car accident. Luckily, as far as he knew, no lives had been lost, but it was a pretty rough scene nonetheless. One where Matt couldn't help but feel a little grateful that Gabby hadn't been there for.

"Hey Captain." Herrmann called as Matt stopped his path towards the firehouse, Casey looking back to see the older firefighter hanging up his gear before he jogged to catch up with him.

"What's up, Herrmann?" He asked as he stopped between the rigs while squad moved back to their table.

"Any news on when we're losing Dawson yet?" The man questioned, Matt raising his eyebrows as his arms crossed over his chest.

Gabby's new assignment from headquarters had been no secret around the house, in fact it didn't take long at all for the entire firehouse to know Gabby would be missing a few shifts here and there while she helped out the department. But while the house knew Dawson would be splitting her time between 51 and some other stations, no one had any details yet. And rarely a shift went by where Herrmann didn't ask either him or Gabby about it.

"Nothing yet, Herrmann." He replied, the older firefighter giving her a nod. "I do know that she's supposed to be hearing from them today or tomorrow, to find out when she'll start doing shifts at other houses, but we don't have her schedule yet or anything." He explained, Herrmann nodding once again. "I think she was supposed to start a few days ago, but with Sofia getting hurt, that kind of delayed everything. But I imagine here soon we'll be without her for a little bit."

"Sounds good, Captain. Just wasn't sure if you knew yet or not." He said, Matt shaking his head as he took a few steps backwards towards the double doors.

"We don't, but we probably will here soon. As soon as we know something, we'll tell you guys, though." He assured him, Herrmann nodding before Matt turned around, the firefighter intent on heading inside but Kelly's voice stopped him.

"We still on for tomorrow night, Casey?"

Matt turned to face his friend, confusion covering Casey's face as Severide watched him expectantly, realization soon covering Kelly's features.

"You forgot, didn't you?"

"What am I- oh, the guys night." Matt spoke suddenly, Kelly shaking his head at the terminology.

"Okay, just because Dawson called it that doesn't mean you have to." Severide replied quickly, his words earning a few laughs from the squad guys. "But you coming over for beers, is that still happening?" He asked, Matt wincing slightly.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I'll need to check with Gabby, I think we both kind of forgot about it." He admitted, Kelly clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he shook his head again. "Sorry Sev, but we've kind of had a lot going on recently… Your off hand comment about me coming over for beers slipped my mind, I'm sorry."

"Easy there tiger, it's fine." Severide replied with a chuckle, Matt's body relaxing slightly, knowing he'd been a little more sarcastic than he probably needed to. "You're busy being a family man, I get it… With the baby, Gabby's new gig, and the move, you have a lot on your plate, I get it." He told his friend, Matt flashing him an appreciative smile, but the grin soon fell when the next words left Kelly's mouth. "I'm gonna be holding it against you for the foreseeable future, but I get it." He added smugly, Casey suppressing an eye roll.

"Move?" Cruz asked once Severide had finished talking, Matt turning towards the man. "You guys are moving?"

"Oh man, did you get the townhouse?" Herrmann asked excitedly, inserting himself back into the conversation as Casey clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

"It's not officially ours yet-"

"But the Casey's are on the move." Severide interrupted him, leaning back in his recliner. "They're about to be homeowners."

"Alright, let's not get ahead of ourselves." Matt spoke, but his words did nothing for the cheers and congratulatory claps he was receiving.

It had been a few days since they'd gone and seen the townhome again, when they went to make sure they were positive this was where they wanted to spend at least the next few years of their life, if not many years past that. And while they went into the visit knowing there was a good chance this would be the place for them, they hadn't expected the showing to end with them putting in an offer before they left. But they had, neither Matt nor Gabby wanting to waste any more time when they knew this was where they wanted to live, and then everything had progressed rather quickly after that.

It took less than a day for Sam to get back to them, the realtor giving them the good news that the owners of the building had accepted their amount. Truthfully, Matt and Gabby were both a little shocked it had happened as fast as it did, the couple expecting the negotiating to be more of a headache, but everything went easily enough for the anxious buyers, and they'd been able to continue to the next steps of that perfect townhome becoming theirs.

"Do you know when you're moving in?" Herrmann asked, Matt giving him a soft shrug in response.

"We don't have any exact dates.. We haven't closed on the place yet or anything, but most of the paperwork's in order. We just have to go sign one more thing tomorrow, then we're really just waiting. But barring any issues with the inspection, I'm hoping we'll get the keys here in a few weeks." He said, Herrmann nodding with a bright grin.

"Well, that's great Casey. I'm really happy for you two." He replied, his words earning some nods in agreement from the rest of the firefighters. "And I can't wait to see this place when you are all moved in and settled."

"Yeah, we'll have to bring you all by. Maybe we'll have a little housewarming party or something, I don't know I'll have to talk to Gabby. But the place is great, we love it." He told them, Herrmann clasping him on the shoulder supportively as Matt gave him a nod, the Captain beginning to break away from the group. "And Sev, for tomorrow how about you bring some pizza, Gabby and I will have the beer, and you can come by the apartment and help us pack?" He offered, Severide's eyebrows furrowing as Casey continued towards the doors.

"That does not sound like as much fun as our guy's night…" He called back, Matt giving him a knowing look.

"I thought we weren't calling it that?" He shot back before disappearing out of sight, Casey unable to hear whatever smug remark Kelly surely gave as he stepped through the double doors. Moving into the firehouse, Matt's eyes looked around the nearly empty room, seeing Brett and Foster taking up Herrmann's and Mouch's spots on the couch, while a few guys from engine were spread throughout the room. But the one face that he was looking for, he couldn't find.

"Where's Dawson?" He asked, looking towards the two paramedics, knowing they were his best shot at getting an answer.

"She went to lie down." Brett replied, tearing her eyes away from the TV for a moment as Foster did the same thing.

"Is she okay?" Casey asked, his eyes flashing down the hallway.

"Yeah… She said she had a headache, was gonna try and sleep it off." Foster explained, Matt giving them a nod and quick 'thank you' before heading down the hallway, the firefighter making his way to the bunk room.

The second he stepped inside, his eyes moved towards Gabby's bunk, which he immediately found empty, the man's eyebrows furrowing as he stepped further into the room. Figuring she might've just gotten up to go to the bathroom or something along those lines, Matt continued through the room, making the quick decision to go check the locker room to see if he could find her, but his steps slowed when he caught sight of his office. In one glance, Casey quickly noticed that all the blinds on his windows were shut and his door was closed, the Captain changing his path towards the small room, knowing he hadn't left his office like this before he left for 81's last call. The closer he got, he could hear Gabby's soft voice flooding out of the room, confusion filling his features as he reached for the handle and slowly pushed the door open.

Casey's eyes immediately found her, seeing his wife sitting on his bed with her phone up to her ear, her back leaned against the wall to make her comfortable while she was pumping, Gabby flashing him a small smile before continuing on with her conversation. Wanting to ensure his wife's privacy, Matt quickly stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, effectively shutting them off from everyone else in the firehouse as he moved to stand at the end of his bed, Gabby keeping her warm eyes on him.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Gabby responded to whoever was on the other end of the line, Matt hearing a voice but he was unable to make out what they were saying, the firefighter turning around and grabbing his chair, spinning it to face the bed before he sat down, Casey unsure of how much longer this call would be lasting.

"Okay, so Station 126 next shift?" She questioned, pursing her lips together as she waited for her answer. "...And you're sending me the full schedule later today? … Alright, sounds good. Thank you."

After a few more cordial goodbyes, Gabby pulled the phone away from her ear, ending the call before looking up towards her husband, finding his soft gaze on her.

"Hi." She spoke softly, placing her phone down on the bed beside her as she relaxed back against the wall.

"Hey… Everything okay?" He questioned, Gabby raising her eyebrows. "Foster said you had a headache." He added when he saw the confusion on her face, Gabby giving him a slight nod.

"Oh, I'm fine. It was just a tension headache, I think… But I took some ibuprofen, and was able to lay down for a bit, so I'm feeling better." She explained, Matt giving her a nod as she flashed him a small smile. "And sorry I kind of took over your office." She added with a sheepish look, Matt cocking his head to the side. "I decided to try and nap in here..."

"I was a little curious about that, since you do have your own bunk out there Mrs. Casey." He teased her, Gabby's smile growing slightly before she shrugged.

"Yours is more comfortable." She replied simply, earning a hum from her husband as she gestured down towards her chest. "And plus I knew I'd need to pump anyway, so it was easier to just nap in here." She added lightly, Matt leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on the edge of his bed.

"You can be in here whenever you want, babe." He reminded her softly, even though he knew he didn't need to. Though Matt's office had always kind of been a place for both of them, ever since Gabby had returned to work after having Sofia, it had been the place she used whenever she needed to pump, the cozy space giving her all the privacy she needed while letting her be comfortable as well. "So what was that about?" He asked, his gaze flashing towards the phone sitting beside her, it taking Gabby a second before she realized what he was asking her.

"Oh, uh- it was the call about the training program, they were calling about my schedule, and to make sure I'm still good to do this and everything." She replied, Matt giving her a supportive nod.

"So next shift?" He asked, catching her gaze.

"Yeah… It'll fluctuate depending on the day, but they're supposed to send me my full schedule later." She told him as she finished pumping, Gabby sitting up before she began detaching the device from herself. "But they said most of my shifts at other houses line up with my shifts here, there's just a few times they don't. So it looks like you'll be without me here for a bit." She continued to explain, Matt keeping his eyes on her while she adjusted her clothing. "And there will be a night or two a week where they need me at headquarters, so I can keep them updated on how things are going."

"That's alright." He responded, flashing her a warm grin when she met his gaze. "I know you're looking forward to this, and it's a great opportunity for you. A few shifts apart is nothing, it'll be fine." He assured him, his smile widening. "This is a great thing, babe." He finished, his eyebrows furrowing when he saw the look that flashed across her face. "...Isn't it?"

"Is it." She was quick to reply, her tone causing him to worry as she pushed herself up off the bed, Gabby giving him a weak smile, nodding towards the pumps in her hands. "I'm just gonna go clean this stuff off." She told him before continuing towards the door, but he stopped her.

"Gabby." His voice was soft, Dawson glancing back towards him just as she got to the door. "Come here." He prompted, the man extending his arm, holding his hand out to her and waving her towards him. Sighing softly, Gabby pursed her lips together before walking back towards him, the woman stopping to place the items in her hands on the bed before reaching for his hand, Matt immediately guiding her down to sit in his lap. The movement caught her a little off guard, but she fell easily down onto him as his arm wrapped around her waist, keeping her secure in his grasp as she instinctively circled her arm around his neck. He caught her gaze once she'd settled, Matt offering her a gentle smile as he ran his hand over her side. "What's going on in there?" He asked, bringing his free hand up to tap his finger against her temple before he moved it down to wrap around her body, Matt's hands clasping together on her hip as he waited for her to open up.

"It's nothing really, I just-" She stopped herself for a moment, Gabby placing her hand on his chest, running her fingers along his collarbone as she slowly met his eyes. "You sure you're alright if I do this?"

His face softened the second he registered her words, a slight hint of uncertainty covering his features as he tightened his hold on her. "Of course I am." He replied without hesitation, Matt unsure of what had led her to question otherwise. "Why wouldn't I be?" He pressed, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before continuing.

"It's just that we've got a lot going on right now, with the townhouse, and Sofia… and just our lives in general. And this isn't just me going to work at another house for a few shifts, this is gonna be something that's pretty time consuming. There's gonna be some extra burden on you while I'm doing this, and there will be days I'm not around as much to help you out." She did her best to explain what was going on in her head, Matt remaining quiet while she spoke, the man continuing to rub soothing patterns over her hip as she leaned into him. "I just… I feel a little bad, I guess. Because even though it's just a few shifts, and a few hours some other nights, I want to make sure you're okay with me doing this." Gabby told him, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly as she released a slow breath. "I know when we first found out, you were on board, but we haven't really talked much about it since…"

"I'm gonna tell you now what I told you when you first got asked about this, and it's that I think this is something great for you." He replied, smiling softly as he gave her side a squeeze. "You're gonna be amazing at this, and for headquarters to come to you, asking for you specifically to do this- that's a big deal. So however much slack I need to pick up around the house, and with Sofia, I don't mind… I know this is a big undertaking for you. It's more than we initially realized it would be, but I still think it's definitely something worth doing." He assured her, his words gradually easing her worries, Gabby sliding her thumb over the top of his chest just below the collar on his shirt. "Sof and I will be good… I mean, she doesn't love me like she loves her Momma, but it's pretty close." He added with a soft grin, Gabby scoffing lightly as she shook her head.

"Sofia is obsessed with you, and we both know it." She replied, Matt cocking his head to the side.

"Even better." He responded quickly, Gabby narrowing her eyes playfully for a moment before her face softened, the wife seeing him purse his lips together as his eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"What is it?" She questioned softly, Matt catching her gaze, the man remaining silent for a moment before speaking up.

"Was it just me?" He asked, his words causing an unsure look to flash in her eyes. "Why you were having some second thoughts about doing this… Was it just because of me?" He elaborated, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek. "Because the last time we talked about it, you were all excited to do this…" He pushed, wanting to make sure he had the full story, Gabby's demeanor telling him there was more to it.

"I… It wasn't _just_ that." She admitted, Matt nodding as he waited for her to continue. "I did want to check and make sure that you were still fine with everything, but… I'm just worried about Sof." She breathed out quietly, a frown forming over his face as he tightened his grip. "I know she's better, that she's fine, I _know _that. But she's still acting like something's wrong… Like she doesn't feel well, and seeing her like that breaks my heart."

"I know." He murmured supportively, Gabby rubbing her hand over his chest.

"And being away from her more than I normally would… I feel guilty, knowing she needs us and they'll be times I can't be there."

Matt shook his head the second she finished talking, hating the look of doubt and uncertainty he was seeing in her eyes. "Babe, she'll be fine… She is fine." He tried, but his words weren't doing much to appease her worries.

"But when I'm doing this, when I'm away from her, if it's not an entire extra day, it'll be those nights they need me at headquarters… and that's when we've had the most trouble with her. She's only been wanting me before she goes to sleep, and I… I feel bad, knowing they'll be some nights I won't be able to be there." She told him, Matt nodding understandingly.

"I know you're worried about her." He spoke softly. "I am, too… But every night we've been on shift since she got hurt, she's gone to bed without us. Tonight, she'll be going to bed and neither of us will be there, either." He reasoned, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as his words washed over her. "But we know that Becca's got her and she's fine. I know this has been hard on all of us, but Sofia's doing better. She's completely fine… But she is still a baby, and this whole thing just scared her. That's why she's wanted us more than usual, but deep down you and I both know she's alright." He told her, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip before nodding in agreement. "...And, truthfully babe, I think her getting some distance might be good for the both of you." He added carefully, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she immediately opened her mouth to say something, but Matt squeezed her side, the look in his eyes silently pleading with her to let him continue. "Just hear me out… We need to try and get her back into her normal routine. That's truly the best thing we can do for her. Since all this happened, she's been attached to both of us, but you especially… she's only wanted you. And I get it, you're her mom and you make her feel safe, so she seeks you out… Can't say I blame the kid." He added lightly, seeing a small smile tug at his wife's lips. "But she also knows she can wear us down… She is one smart little baby, and we've definitely given in to her a lot more than we usually do. But I think maybe getting a little bit of distance will help her, because she'll realize there's no other option, that she can't just continue to cry until we give her to you, and she'll understand she's still okay… That she's still safe, and that nothing is gonna happen to her. I think she needs that, and I think you do, too." He explained, unsure of how his words would be perceived by his wife.

But to his surprise, she slowly nodded after a moment, Gabby drawing in another long, deep breath as she adjusted herself in his lap. "Yeah, maybe…" She conceded, Matt raising his eyebrows slightly. "You might be right, I don't know… I know I've definitely been the one she wears down faster these days." She added with a soft smile, Matt's grin widening as he gave her a knowing look.

"Well, I didn't wanna come out and say it, but…" He spoke teasingly, Gabby shaking her head as the smile stayed on her face. "But really, I know how worried you are. That's part of what makes you such an incredible mom. You're the best mom our daughter could've ever had. But you're also one of the best paramedics the city of Chicago has ever had." He said with a twinkle in his eye, Gabby cocking her head to the side. "You're being recognized for how incredible you are at your job… They came to you for this because they want more people in the department to work the way you do. This is a great opportunity for you, one that I'm so glad you're doing… But I also think it's a good thing for Sofia, too. It won't be too much, but it will be some extra time to help things with Sof get back to normal." He finished, Matt breathing in slowly as he watched Gabby, trying to get a read on how she was feeling.

"...Maybe you're right." She repeated, her voice much stronger this time as a proud look covered his face. "Okay, don't give me that, I'll take it back right now." She added quickly, Gabby trying to stand up but he wouldn't let her, Matt tightening his hold around her waist as a goofy grin appeared over his lips.

"You can't take it back, you already said it." He replied jokingly, Gabby rolling her eyes but she relaxed back into him anyway, both of them knowing she didn't actually want to go anywhere. "But really babe, I think this thing honestly came around at the right time. I think it's going to be great for you, and I think it's gonna help out the department a lot. And more people are gonna learn how badass my girl is." He spoke strongly, Gabby biting down on the inside of her lip as she fought back a smile. "You're gonna go and do this, you're gonna be incredible, and the days you can't be at home, or some nights when headquarters needs you, Sof and I will be fine." He told her strongly, Gabby's smile growing before she nodded.

"Thank you…" She murmured, stroking her hand along the back of his neck. "I am excited to do this, I really am, I just worry-"

"You're a mom, babe. Of course you're gonna worry." He interjected, Gabby raising her eyebrows before he leaned in, pressing a quick kiss to her lips. He felt her smile against him, Gabby relaxing into his hold just as he pulled back, Matt's hand sliding around to her back, gently encouraging her to lean forward before he cradled her body against him, Gabby hugging herself to him. "But Sof is fine, and I'm fine… We're both good. And however much time you need to devote to this, we'll figure it out. You don't need to worry." He assured her, Gabby nodding as she tucked her head against his neck, breathing in the smell that was completely Matt as he ran his hand lazily up and down her back.

As it so often happened in the busy firehouse, their moment was interrupted by the bells going off, calling 81 back out yet again, Casey releasing a soft sigh as Gabby pulled back.

"Better get out there, Captain." She told him before standing up, Matt keeping a hand on her waist until she was out of reach, the man soon getting up, too.

"Yes ma'am." He replied, Gabby rolling her eyes as he leaned in to give her another quick kiss, the paramedic barely having time to reciprocate before he slid past her towards the door. "Oh, and before I forget," He started to speak, Matt pushing the door open, "Kelly's coming by tomorrow to help us pack… Told him we'd have beer."

"So your guys night turned into a packing night with your wife and baby, huh?" She asked with a soft grin, Matt's smile widening as he took another step out into the bunk room.

"Yeah it did… But that sounds like the perfect night to me." He responded, Matt giving her a quick wink before letting go of the door and jogging towards the direction of the garage, knowing there was work to be done.

* * *

"I can't believe I let you talk me into that just for some beer." Severide huffed out as he collapsed down onto the couch, Matt looking up from his spot next to his friend, Kelly bringing his beer up to his lips as he spared a quick glance towards Casey.

"All you did was sit here, drink beer and eat pizza, and play with Sof while Gabby and I packed… I don't think it was anything especially taxing for you." Casey replied, locking his phone and putting it down on the armrest of the couch, Severide shooting him a look.

"...Well I had to buy the pizza." He countered, Matt rolling his eyes before reaching for his own beer that was sitting on the coffee table. "And plus babysitting isn't free." He added before taking another sip, a heavy scoff leaving Casey's lips as he shook his head. "But you and Dawson did seem to make some progress… I mean, the place is a wreck, and I don't remember you all ever having this much crap when I lived here," He shot, earning a slight glare from his friend, "but we got more done than I thought we would." Severide finished, Matt giving him a nod in agreement.

Though Severide had helped more with the baby than with the actual packing, him keeping Sofia occupied had made things go a lot smoother than they would've without him. At first Gabby was a little unsure of how Sofia would be with him, especially when both her and Matt would still be home but they wouldn't be with her, but thankfully, the little girl had been fine. She fussed a bit at first, like she always did when taken away from her parents, but as soon as Severide distracted her with one of her favorite toys, she was content. And that had made the entire process go a lot easier.

With the Casey's still not having an exact date of when they'd be getting the keys to their new home, it was hard for them to pack up too much of their stuff, the parents not wanting to be without anything they might need for them or their daughter over the next few weeks. So they'd tried to stick to things they knew wouldn't be needed, like all their fall clothes and winter gear, as well as different odds and ends throughout their home that didn't get used very often. They had tried to pack up whatever they could, the couple having spent the better part of their evening stacking filled, labelled boxes by their front door while Kelly handled the baby.

And after a few hours of work, they'd gotten as much packed as they could this evening, both of them deciding to stop when it was time for Sofia to go to sleep, Gabby having taken their little girl into the nursery to nurse her and get her ready for bed around fifteen minutes ago, leaving Casey and Severide to finish up the last box of things before they relaxed for the night.

"So, how are you feeling about all this?" Severide asked, pulling Casey from his thoughts as he looked towards his friend. "Moving out of this apartment? I mean, this place has been through a lot with you and Dawson…" He spoke, Matt nodding slowly before taking a long sip of his beer.

"Honestly? I know it's time, but I do feel a little sad about leaving… Gabby and I have been through a lot here, so it'll be weird." He answered, Kelly giving him an understanding nod. "This was the first, and only, place we've lived together. It's where we raised Louie, and where we brought Sof home for the first time, so it's gonna be a little weird not being here anymore… But there's also a lot of hard memories here, too." He breathed out, Matt running his hand over his mouth as he was bombarded with different memories of them here in this home. "So I guess part of me is excited, because we're… I don't wanna say getting a fresh start, because Gabby and I are good- great, even. But moving to a place where there's not a lot of painful memories associated with it… I'm looking forward to that." Matt told him, Severide giving him another nod. "I think this move is gonna be great for us… and aside from all that, it's necessary."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah… We have no room to grow here. When Gabby and I first got this place, we got it thinking we'd be here for our first kid, and then eventually move into some place bigger… Obviously, it took us longer than we thought to get here, but we knew when we bought this place it wouldn't be somewhere we could live forever. Not if we wanted a bigger family." Casey explained, seeing a small smirk forming over Kelly's face.

"So that's back on the radar, huh?" He asked with a gleam in his eye, Matt watching him expectantly. "More kids for you and Dawson?"

"I don't know if on the radar is accurate because we haven't talked about it recently, but we said we'd come back to it after Sof turned one, and that's coming up here soon. In less than two months, she'll be one… Which is crazy to think about." Casey replied, shaking his head in near disbelief at how quickly the time had gone.

"I can't believe it, either." Severide spoke, shaking his head slightly. "It doesn't feel like all that long ago you guys were in the hospital with her."

"I know." Casey agreed, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before continuing. "But yeah, I don't know, we really haven't talked about it much recently, so I'm assuming nothing with what we're wanting has changed… Though it might change here soon." He breathed out, Severide picking up on the odd tone in his friend's voice as he raised his eyebrows.

"Why do you say that?" He questioned, catching Casey's unsure gaze, the blonde releasing a heavy sigh before responding.

"I don't know, it's just… I'm still not entirely sure we know how we're gonna be having another kid." Casey told him, confusion covering Severide's face.

"What do you mean? Wouldn't you just… get pregnant?" He questioned, the Lieutenant deciding against making any inappropriate jokes at the expense of his friend. "I mean, you said Gabby got the all clear, that she's fine…"

"She is fine." Casey was quick to assure him. "She is, and she probably would be fine throughout another pregnancy. But since she already had one aneurysm, there's a chance another one could form, and I don't… I don't know if I can go through that again, Sev." He admitted, the words tasting bitter as they left his mouth, Kelly raising his eyebrows.

"...So you two aren't getting pregnant?" He asked, Matt quickly shaking his head.

"I don't know what we're doing, we hadn't really gotten around to discussing it yet… We said for right now if it happened, it happened, but we weren't going to be actively trying. And that when Sofia got older we'd talk about it. But we haven't had that discussion yet."

"But you don't want her to carry another kid?"

"That's not what I'm saying." Casey clarified, Severide giving him a nod. "All I'm saying is we haven't gotten around to talking about it… I'm sure conversations about it are coming, considering Sof's birthday is coming up, but we haven't made any decisions as to what we're doing yet." Matt told him, Kelly pursing his lips together as he sighed heavily.

"Yeah, it sounds like you and Dawson need to talk." He replied with a chuckle, Casey shaking his head slightly before taking another sip of his beer, Severide mimicking his actions, a comfortable quiet falling over the room for a fleeting moment.

"Did I, uh…" Casey started, breaking the quiet as Kelly looked back towards him. "Did I tell you we saw Tina?"

Severide's eyebrows furrowed in question, Matt seeing the wheels turning in his friend's brain as he tried to place the name, Kelly's eyes widening slightly in realization seconds later.

"Oh- Tina… the DCFS lady?"

"Mhmm." Casey hummed in response, Kelly smacking his lips together before nodding slowly.

"Wow… haven't heard that name in awhile." He breathed out.

"Yeah, Gabby and I hadn't seen her in a long time. Not since everything with Bria and her father, and that was over two years ago now." Matt replied, taking another quick drink of his beer. "It was nice to see her, but it was definitely a little strange."

"Where did you see her?" Severide questioned as he adjusted his positioning on the couch.

"At the hospital, when we were there with Sof. When we were leaving, we ran into her. Complete fluke thing." Casey explained as he tapped his finger against the edge of his bottle.

"What was she there for?" He pressed, Kelly still a little unsure as to why Matt was bringing it up.

"There was a little girl… I don't know much about the situation, Tina said she was just there to check on her. But it was one of her kids she's trying to place, I guess she'd gotten hurt and was at the hospital, so Tina was there, too." Matt elaborated, running his tongue along the inside of his cheek as Severide gave him a nod. "And we said we'd go and visit her."

Kelly's wide eyes opened even more, a look of surprise covering his face as he caught Casey's confused gaze. "The little girl?" Kelly asked, realization settling across Matt's features before he quickly shook his head.

"Tina." He clarified, Severide's face softening as he nodded in response. "We're gonna visit Tina."

"Oh, yeah okay, that makes more sense." Kelly spoke with a chuckle. "For a second there, I thought you were about to tell me that you two were gonna foster another kid." He added, Casey furrowing his eyebrows slightly as he shook his head once more.

"No, uh- No… That hasn't really been something we've- not since before everything happened, I don't think… Yeah, no." Casey stumbled over his words, Kelly watching him closely as Matt averted his eyes across the room. "That hasn't really been something we've talked about in awhile." He settled on once he'd regained himself, Severide nodding slowly as he saw Matt take another drink, this one much larger than the last few. "But anyway, we told Tina we'd come by and see her, so I guess Gabby and I are gonna go do that sometime here soon."

Severide nodded again, the man keeping his eyes on his friend as a weird feeling settled in the air around them, Kelly noticing Matt's tense demeanor as the blonde was looking everywhere except him. He wasn't entirely sure what had caused Matt to suddenly become a little distant, but he could only imagine it was because of the topic they were walking around. But what he didn't know was what exactly about it was weighing on Casey's mind.

"...Would you want to?" Severide suddenly asked him, Matt's head turning back towards him, a questioning look covering his face.

"Want to what?"

"Adopt." Kelly spoke suddenly, Matt pursing his lips together. "Or foster another kid." He continued, seeing the blank look on his friend's face. "...I wasn't sure if that was something you or Gabby would want to do… after Louie." He said carefully, Casey drawing in a deep breath before he ran his hand over the side of his face, the man remaining quiet for a few moments as Kelly's heavy words hung in the air.

"I, uh-" He started, clearing his throat before speaking again. "I would, yeah. Of course I would." He replied, Kelly giving him a nod. "The Louie thing… What Gabby and I went through with him, I know parts of us will never heal from that. They just won't. But that entire situation… it wouldn't have to be like that again, if we were to try and adopt." He spoke as steadily as he could, Severide flashing him a supportive smile. "But I would love to adopt a child, if we decided to take that route… But, like I said, it's just not something we've really been able to talk about yet." He finished, Severide nodding again as Matt shifted in his seat.

"Well, I'm sure you guys will go with what's best for you all… But I was serious about you needing to talk to Dawson." He added lightly, dispersing some of the heaviness in the air around them as Matt chuckled softly.

"Yeah, I know Sev." He responded, Kelly shaking his head slightly before the men went back to their beers.

* * *

Gabby hummed softly as she rocked back and forth in the chair, cradling her baby in her arms as little Sofia fell deeper and deeper into her sleep, the baby that had been nursing five minutes ago now dead to the world in her mother's secure embrace. The grip Sofia's little hand had on her shirt had loosened, Gabby continuing to hum while she slowly stood up, doing everything she could to ensure her daughter stayed asleep as she transferred her into her crib. Wincing slightly, Gabby slid her hands out from underneath her baby, Sofia settling down into her mattress as her thick onesie kept her warm. After adjusting her shirt, Gabby placed her hand on top of Sofia's chest, the mother feeling the steady breaths she was taking in her sleep. After a few reassuring seconds of knowing that her daughter was alright, Gabby slowly walked away from the crib, leaving the dark room as quietly as she could, Matt and Kelly's voices hitting her ears as soon as she stepped out into the hallway. Gently pulling the door closed behind her, Gabby left it slightly open against the frame, her head turning down the hallway towards the living room as she heard Kelly speak.

"_Would you want to?_"

Gabby took another step down the hallway as she heard Matt question what he meant, Gabby unsure of what the two friends were talking about, until Kelly's next words halted her in her tracks.

"_Adopt… Or foster another kid._" Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she took in Severide's words, her confusion growing more and more with each passing second, as well as the heavy feeling that had started to settle in her gut. "_I wasn't sure if that was something you or Gabby would want to do… After Louie_."

Severide's last words caused her eyes to fall closed, Gabby feeling an immediate wave of sadness wash over her as she thought of her son; the same wave she'd felt when they'd spoken of Louie after seeing Tina. It was a feeling that never went away, a pain that hadn't seemed to dull even after all these years. There would always be a piece of herself that felt missing, with them not having their son anymore, and she knew Matt felt the same way.

"_I would, yeah. Of course I would._" Matt's voice filled her ears, Gabby taking another step closer to the living room, the woman stopping just around the corner as the men came into view, her eyes focused on the back of her husband's head as he and Severide sat on the couch. "_The Louie thing… What Gabby and I went through with him, I know parts of us will never heal from that. They just won't. But that entire situation… it wouldn't have to be like that again, if we were to try and adopt._"

The heavy feeling in her gut only got worse as Matt continued to speak to his friend, Gabby tuning them out as she thought over what she'd heard, the woman surprised to hear how strongly he still felt about all this. She wasn't sure why his words left her a little stunned, but they did. Adoption hadn't really crossed her mind as something they'd be considering, not after everything with Sofia went okay, and Dr. Tanner told them everything was fine. Though they'd made comments here and there about how they'd decide to expand their family, adoption just hadn't been something she'd thought about, so hearing how Matt spoke of it now caught her off guard.

She knew he'd been wanting to look into adoption, before she went to Puerto Rico him going to that agency without her was a big part of what had started the downward spiral of their relationship. But she always just thought him looking into them adopting was because he didn't want to lose her. That the only reason he was pushing so hard for it was because he was scared of her getting pregnant.

But clearly, that wasn't the case. From what little she heard, it seemed to be something that was still very much something he wanted, and the thought of that scared her a little.

All the fears she had, every reason she was terrified to try and adopt, none of those had gone away. She'd never forget the feeling of Andre showing up on their wedding day, or how hopeless and lost she felt when they lost Louie weeks later. She'd never forget the pain both her and Matt went through having to give up their son. It was a deep, emotional scar that would forever be a part of her, and there was nothing that could ever make it completely go away. That fear of having another child taken away from them, it was ingrained in her, and she wasn't sure she could open herself up to that again. To open herself up to constantly worrying whether or not someone would show up on their doorstep and come take their child away. She didn't know if she could handle another loss like that again, not when she knew how excruciatingly painful it was.

But for whatever fear she had, it didn't seem like Matt felt the same way. Though she knew how much losing Louie affected him, and how he still hurt from that, it wasn't enough to deter him from thinking about adoption. And Gabby wasn't sure how she felt about that; she wasn't sure if this was something she could do or not.

All she did know was that they would need to talk. That before they made any decisions about expanding their family, there were discussions that needed to be had, more discussions than she initially realized. And that whichever way they decided to go about bringing another child into their family, it was a choice they'd have to make together.

And despite how nervous the topic made her, she had all the faith in the world that they would.


	91. Chapter Ninety One

**Hello! I'm back with the next update for you all, I really hope you like it. Thanks so much for reading! I can't wait to hear your thoughts!**

**Stay safe, everyone.**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety One**_

* * *

Dawson looked up towards the unfamiliar firehouse, her eyes watching as different firefighters and paramedics walked in and out of the garage, Gabby taking in her new surroundings quickly as she sat in her car.

Station 126 was nestled in between bigger buildings in the heart of Chicago, the short driveway leading up to four different garage doors, all the rigs sitting in their spots as small groups of firefighters were hanging around them. The two story building was a bit different than what she was used to, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before reaching for her phone, knowing she needed to get inside sooner rather than later if she didn't want to be late.

With her hand on the door handle, Gabby stopped her movements when she saw she had a few messages from her husband, a smile coming to her face before she even unlocked her phone, the woman taking a second to check what he said before she went in.

Swiping across his name, she quickly unlocked her phone, her smile widening when she was met by two messages from Matt, along with a picture. Her eyes were drawn to the photo first, Gabby clicking on the image of her husband and daughter together in the living room, Matt holding Sofia up against his body with their cheeks pressed together, a wide smile over both of their faces. Sofia was clearly a little distracted, one of the baby's hands pressed up against Matt's other cheek as if she'd been smacking him, but the photo made Gabby's heart swell in her chest, her smile growing as she took a moment to look at her family.

This morning when she left, she had to leave their apartment earlier than she normally would if she was just going to 51, the drive to 126 a little further than she was used to. Combining the extra distance, with her never having been here before, she'd ended up leaving their home about half an hour earlier than she would on a normal day as to not risk being late. But that promptness had caused her to miss out on some quality time with her daughter and husband, which was something she was definitely feeling a little sad about.

Releasing a soft sigh, Gabby clicked out of the photo, her eyes scanning over the message he'd sent with the picture first, seeing a quick little '_We're proud of you, Momma_', followed by an unintelligible string of letters and numbers, telling Gabby that Matt had let Sofia send her own little message as well.

But the second message he'd sent, Gabby knew immediately this one was just from him, the paramedic biting down on her lip as she fought off her ever-growing smile.

'_My girl's gonna kick some serious ass today. 126 is lucky to have you, and I can't wait to hear all about your day tomorrow morning. I'll check in with you later.. Stay safe out there. I love you baby._'

Running her tongue along the inside of her cheek, Gabby sent him a quick message back to let him know she'd gotten there safely, as she'd promised before leaving their home, as well as giving him the similar sentiment to stay safe, Gabby adding her own 'I love you' before hitting send. Knowing she really didn't have much time, she quickly got out of her car, Gabby grabbing her shift bag out of the backseat before locking up her vehicle and jogging across the street towards the firehouse.

The closer she got to the garage, the more she was able to hear the chatter from the different groups of firefighters, Gabby's eyes quickly scanning the two small packs of men before making her choice of which to approach, the paramedic straightening out her back as she walked up to them.

"Hey Radley, we get a new transfer or something?" One of the men spoke up before Gabby could even get to them, the man watching her closely as she walked up.

"What?" Another firefighter asked, the first man nodding towards her, the gesture gaining the attention of the entire circle as they all looked to her, Gabby not letting their gazes slow her progress towards them. Before she could even get a word out, the same firefighter, the one Gabby assumed to be Radley, looked her up and down, eyeing her attire before looking back to his group. "...Maybe Eddie finally kicked it, the man's older than dirt." He replied, earning some laughs from the other men around him.

"Nah, Eddie was here this morning, the old man was complaining about something with his wife… And I saw Jimmy, he was here early." The first man spoke again, his eyes moving up and down her body as well. But unlike Radley, Gabby could tell he wasn't just looking at how she was dressed, the man's gaze causing her eyes to narrow tightly. "What can I do for you sweetheart?"

"You can start by calling me Dawson." She replied instantly, her firm voice causing some of the men to laugh as the firefighter raised his eyebrows.

"Feisty." He muttered under his breath, Gabby stifling an eye roll before turning her attention to one of the other men.

"I'm Gabby Dawson, a paramedic with the CFD. I'm here to assist with your ambo." She told them, adjusting her bag over her shoulder as she saw a few knowing looks cover their faces. "So if one of you could point me in the direction of your Chief, or one of your paramedics."

"Ah yeah, Chief mentioned something about that, sorry honey- I mean Dawson." The first man corrected himself, a smug grin forming over his lips. "I'm Aaron Jones, but everyone calls me AJ. This here is Martin Carlson, Marty for short, and Leon Vasquez, goes by Lee. And that's Lieutenant Radley, runs our truck." He introduced her to the small group, Gabby giving them a polite smile.

"It's nice to meet you all." She replied cordially, seeing by their uniforms that they were all firefighters. "... Are either of your paramedics here?" She questioned, watching as AJ smirked before nodding.

"Hey Jimmy!" He shouted without taking his eyes off of Gabby, Dawson seeing movement out of the corner of her eye as she looked towards the ambo, watching as a man came around from the back. He looked to be maybe a little older than her, the man she assumed to be Jimmy immediately flashing her a warm smile when he saw her. "The girl coming to teach you and Eddie how to do your jobs is here… Don't let the wife see her, though... she might get jealous." He added with a wink, Gabby not bothering to stop her eye roll this time as she walked away from the group, hearing them chuckle as she went.

"Hey, you must be Gabriela Dawson." He spoke as they met up beside the rig, Gabby giving him a slight nod, the woman a little weary of him considering the greeting she'd just gotten from the firefighters. "Sorry about them… I'm James Neilson, the PIC here on ambo 96." He told her as they continued to the back of the rig, Dawson raising her eyebrows in question, the man immediately understanding her confusion. "Everyone here calls me Jimmy… Radley called me that my first day and it stuck, but I prefer James."

"Well, I'll call you James, then." She replied as she dropped her guard slightly, Gabby already feeling a little more relaxed around this man than the other first responders she'd just met. "And I usually just go by Gabby, or Dawson at work."

"It's nice to meet you, Dawson." He responded, shaking her hand just as they came to a stop at the back of the rig.

"You too."

"And, uh-"

"Jimmy!"

They were cut off by the sound of a rather loud voice filling the garage, both paramedics turning to see an older man stomping towards them, his heavy steps getting closer to them as Neilson took a step forward.

"What's up, Edwards?"

"Chief wanted to know if the new medic was here… Guessing by the looks of it, she is." He's gruff voice replied as he came to a stop a few feet from them, the man shooting an unimpressed look Dawson's way. From first glance, he definitely seemed to be one of the older paramedics she'd seen out in the field, Gabby guessing he was maybe older than Mouch, his narrow gaze focused on her for another second before he looked back to James. "He said to bring her by after breakfast, or whenever… Just sometime this morning." He spoke nonchalantly, the man not even bothering to look at Dawson again before he turned and walked away, Gabby raising her eyebrows slightly before looking back towards Neilson, watching as he took a deep breath before shaking his head.

"Sorry about him… My partner, Kenny Edwards-"

"Eddie, I'm assuming." She cut in lightly, James flashing her a soft smile before nodding. "...You all are big on nicknames around here."

"Yeah, our Chief, Chief Sommers, he loves them. I'm not sure why… But everyone has a nickname. I'm sure you'll have one before the day's over." He replied with a light chuckle, Gabby shaking her head slightly before glancing back towards the doors. "But Eddie, he's- he's definitely more of a traditionalist…" He spoke carefully, Gabby cocking her head to the side. "When it comes to the job, and how it's done. He doesn't like-"

"Women." She cut in knowingly, seeing the slight wince that covered Neilson's face. "He doesn't think women should be on the job, I get it… I get that vibe, from more than just him." She replied, glancing back towards the group of firefighters who'd greeted her when she got here.

"Yeah, uh, the entire house is kind of… set in their ways. So when we were told we had a new paramedic coming in to help us, well Eddie wasn't really happy." He told her, Gabby seeing the slight tension written across his face. "Chief and I both told him to make sure he treats you with respect… But he's definitely like some of the other guys here… I am sorry though, and I hope no one said anything to make you uncomfortable."

"It's fine, we're good. I've dealt with worse." She told him, seeing his eyebrows furrow slightly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Your house like this, too?" He questioned, Gabby immediately shaking her head.

"Oh, no- not at all. Everyone there is great… We've got four women in the house, and everyone's fine with it. It's not really anything that's a problem there. But I've just seen a lot of different houses during my years in the CFD… I know some aren't as progressive as others." She told him, James nodding in response.

"Well, I wish I could tell you this house was one of the better ones, but I don't wanna lie to you… I'm sorry, I feel like headquarters kind of threw you to the wolves here."

"You don't need to apologize, I can handle some insecure men." She replied lightly, her words causing James to chuckle as he gave her a knowing look.

"Well, that's good cause we've got a few of them around here… But I for one am glad to have you, Dawson. I'm hoping you can help Edwards and I out a little bit… Make things run better for the both of us."

"That's what I'm here for." She replied with a nod, Dawson sparing a quick glance down to her watch before looking back up at the paramedic. "So, do we need to go see him?" She questioned, Neilson tilting his head to the side slightly. "The Chief? Or do we need to wait until after morning briefings? I know that shift is about to start." She added, her eyebrows knitting together in confusion when she saw him laugh. "...What?"

"Nothing, it's nothing- just… this house is probably a lot different from what you're used to. Everything here is very… laid back, is a good way to describe it." He told her, Gabby mimicking his stance as she crossed her arms over her chest. "No one really cares about chain of command, or structure really. We don't do the whole morning meetings thing, not unless someone got in trouble, got hurt, or died." He spoke bluntly, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before nodding.

Dawson knew the job she was taking on was going to be one filled with challenges, that by going into new houses and having to adjust the way their paramedics operated, she was bound to be met by some resistance. But even after just a few minutes here, she could already tell Station 126 was going to be more of a challenge than she anticipated. It was one thing having to get two paramedics to conform to a new way of doing their job. But when that mentality was ingrained into the entire house, she knew that would automatically make things more difficult, Gabby taking a second to soak in just how different this place was from 51.

"But to answer your question, Eddie was right, we can really go see the Chief whenever. So I figured I'd give you the tour first, let you get the lay of the land, then we'd go see Sommers." He explained, Gabby pausing for a moment before giving him a nod in agreement, the woman stepping back so he could get the back doors of the rig closed before they headed towards the firehouse.

* * *

Dawson sat in the back of the rig, her eyes moving over the layout of 96's supplies before looking back down to the list in her hands. And just like most everything else here at Station 126, the way they had their ambo laid out didn't make a whole lot of sense.

In her short time at this firehouse, she'd already been able to tell why headquarters had assigned her here first, her four and a half hours on the job giving her a pretty clear understanding of some of the issues at this station. From a strictly professional standpoint alone, the way they ran their ambo had a lot of problems. Everything from how they stocked it, to how they worked together out on call, there were obvious issues that needed to be addressed.

In their two calls this morning, both non-emergent, Gabby had the chance to get a good feel of how ambulance 96 ran things. Since the men were able to handle things on their own, it had given Dawson the ability to stand back and observe how they worked together, Gabby needing to see them in action before she could try and help them improve. And even from just two outings, Gabby was already able to see some immediate problems they had, the most pressing of which seeming to be that Edwards didn't respect Neilson as his PIC. Gabby wasn't sure if it was his ego, if he wasn't able to accept having to listen to someone younger than him, or if he just sincerely didn't see the issue with not following James' lead. But whatever the reason, it didn't matter. It was something that had to change, and all she was focused on was how she could make that happen.

But luckily for her, even with the chain of command issue, their problems were nothing that couldn't be fixed, as long as she could get some cooperation from the paramedics. Which, with James, that wasn't anything she was worried about, Dawson having struck up a nice friendship with Neilson in their limited time together. But Edwards, however, she knew would be a different story.

In all her years on the job, or even on this planet, she wasn't sure if she had ever met anyone more set in their ways than him. And it didn't help that he clearly didn't trust, or respect, her. In their short time together at the house, and the calls they'd been on this morning, she could tell Eddie had no belief in her ability as a paramedic. And how he clearly had an issue with her being the person headquarters brought in to help fix things around her. Whether it was some offhand comment about her presence, or him joking to Neilson about how they needed to 'be on their best behavior around the girl', it was obvious this man didn't think very highly of her. Her presence alone, either out on calls or simply in the house, had the older man on edge. And from her quick interactions with the other first responders in this house, it seemed like most everybody else here felt the same way.

She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, and she was sure their dislike of her came from a few different reasons, but it was pretty obvious to her early on this place didn't like outsiders. How no one here, aside from James, and truck's candidate Parker, liked her being here in the capacity she was. Either they were staring her up and down like she was a piece of meat, or they were staring because they didn't seem too impressed with a woman in their firehouse. She could tell some were just annoyed by her presence, while others seemed too excited by the idea of finally having a woman around, and truthfully she couldn't decide which was worse.

But she didn't care. She wasn't brought in to be liked, she didn't come here to make friends and play nice. And she certainly didn't come here just to be ogled at. She was here to help this ambulance run more efficiently, and in turn, be better equipped to help the citizens of Chicago. That's what she was focused on, not how the men here were clearly stuck in the stone age.

Though if there had been one bright spot in all of this, it would have to be James. For as sexist and unprofessional as the rest of the house seemed to be, Neilson was the exact opposite. He'd been welcoming from the moment she got here, and had done his best to help her with whatever she needed. He'd given her the tour, as promised, before their first call of the day, and then taken her to meet the Chief when they'd found the time. Which, to James' credit, the man was exactly as he'd described; very laid back and not at all formal, which was a complete shift from what she was used to with Boden. But James had been very helpful and kind to her so far, he was a complete shift from everyone else. And while she felt grateful for that, she couldn't help but feel a little bad for him being stuck here with these people he clearly didn't get along with.

Buzzing in her pocket pulled her from her thoughts, Gabby biting back a smirk as she had a pretty good idea of who was calling her before she even looked at her phone, her suspicions proven correct when she grabbed the device and saw the familiar photo of Matt and their baby shining back at her, his contact written across the screen. Shaking her head in amusement, Gabby answered the call, putting the phone up to her ear as she released a soft breath.

"You lasted longer than I thought you would."

Her words elicited an immediate chuckle from her husband, the familiar sound causing her smile to widen as she leaned back against the wall, letting herself relax in her seat.

"_What? You expected to be hearing from me sooner?_" He asked, Gabby practically able to hear the smile on his face.

"I was expecting to hear from you about three hours ago, so yeah, I was... But I'd say you did pretty well." She teased, hearing the sound of his laugh fill her ears once more.

"_Well, I tried my hardest… But I won't lie, I thought about calling you like five other times since this morning. And I probably would've caved in sooner had we not gotten called out._" He admitted, Gabby biting down on her tongue as she shook her head. "_So how's your day going? How's the house?_"

Gabby drew in a slow breath as she thought over his question, the woman pursing her lips together, trying to figure out what to tell him.

"_Gabby?_" He questioned when he noticed her silence, Matt picking up on her hesitation instantly. "_Is everything okay?_" She could hear the worry in his voice, Gabby swallowing thickly before responding.

"Yeah, yeah I'm good…"

"_What is it?_" He pressed, moments like these reminding Gabby just how well her husband was able to read her, without even seeing her.

"It's nothing, just… this house has been a good reminder of how a lot of the CFD is still not as progressive as we'd like to think." She told him, resting her head back against the wall of the rig as she crossed her legs, Gabby hearing him intake a slow breath, but he had yet to say anything. "...Matt?"

"_What happened?_" He asked, Gabby hearing the tension in his voice as she shook her head.

"Nothing happened." She was quick to assure him, hearing him release a short breath on the other end of the line. "They're just being men."

"_Meaning?_"

"Meaning they're pigs… They don't have a single woman in this house, and I'm not sure they ever have, so me being here is an adjustment for them. One they're not really liking. But I'm fine." She told him, Gabby hearing nothing but his breathing as he remained quiet. "Babe…"

"_They didn't do anything?_" He questioned, his concern evident.

"No baby, they didn't."

"_And you're not just telling me that so I don't come down there?_" He asked her as soon as she finished speaking, Gabby cocking her head to the side.

"Matt… I love you, but you're being a bit overprotective." She told him softly, hearing him huff out a breath. "Trust me, if they had done anything, I wouldn't still be here… And I would've handled it myself." She added, Matt chuckling softly before he responded.

"_Yeah, I don't doubt that for a second._" He replied knowingly. "_You've always been able to look out for yourself... But still, that doesn't mean you should have to deal with bullshit from these guys when you're just there to do your job. So if something does happen-_"

"Then my husband is gonna come and beat them up, I know." She cut in teasingly, her words causing them both to laugh as Gabby placed her free hand in her lap.

"_Well, as long as we're on the same page._" He chuckled, Gabby rolling her eyes playfully as he continued. "_But I am sorry the house isn't great, baby. I know how much you were looking forward to this_." He told her, Dawson shrugging slightly despite the fact he couldn't see her.

"Eh, it's alright, I've dealt with worse. And I'm only gonna be at this house for a few shifts before moving to the next one… Plus it's not all bad. The PIC, James, is great."

"_Oh yeah?_"

"Yeah, he's really nice." She continued, bouncing her leg up and down softly.

"_What about the other paramedic?_" Casey questioned, Gabby taking a deep breath before responding.

"Uh, yeah, he's kind of like the other guys in the house. He's older, pretty set in his ways… he doesn't seem to like change. But it's fine, James balances him out pretty well. But overall things are going alright." She replied, the sound of footsteps approaching gaining her attention as she turned to look out the back doors of the rig, seeing Neilson step into view, Gabby giving him a soft smile before gesturing towards her phone. "Hey babe? I gotta go."

"_Alright, well-_" Matt's words got cut off by the sound of the bells at 51 going off, Gabby faintly hearing them through her phone as they rattled off who all was needed. "_Looks like I gotta go, too_." He spoke back up again, Gabby hearing him shuffling around.

"Okay… I'll see you in the morning. Stay safe."

"_I will. Love you, babe._"

"Love you, too." She replied with a soft smile before pulling her phone away from her ear, Gabby ending the call as she looked up at Neilson. "Hey, sorry about that… Husband called." She told him, James waving her off as he stepped closer to the back of the rig, the paramedic perching his foot up on the back step.

"It's fine… What's your husband do?" He questioned, Gabby angling her body towards him, the smile on her face growing as she glanced down to the wedding band placed proudly around her finger.

"He's a firefighter, a Captain, over at 51 where I work." She explained, James nodding with a soft grin.

"I'm sure that's nice, getting to work together." He replied, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"It is. We love it." She told him, stretching her back out slightly. "But aside from firefighting, he also has a construction business that he does on the side."

"Construction?" James questioned almost immediately, Gabby noticing the way his ears perked up slightly.

"Mhmm… He's been doing it for forever. Pretty damn good at it, too." She boasted, watching as the man thought over her words. "Do you need some work done around your house, or something?" She questioned after a few moments of quiet, James slowly giving her a nod.

"Yeah, actually, I do… My wife's been on me about fixing up our back porch. She wanted it done before summer, but clearly that didn't happen." He spoke with a laugh, Gabby mimicking his look. "But I've been looking around for someone to do it, or to help me do it, but everyone I found was just way too expensive… I'm not sure how much he charges, or if I've looked into his business already…"

"Well, it's not really a big operation or anything, it's just him." Gabby replied with a grin. "But it's Casey Construction… Matt Casey, is my husband's name. I can mention it to him, and you all can talk and see what all you're wanting done. I'm sure you could work something out." She told him, watching as his smile widened before he nodded.

"That sounds great, yeah… I know it'll make my wife happy. She's been wanting to be able to let Patrick, our son, play around out there, but it's definitely not kid-friendly at the moment." He explained, Gabby giving him an understanding nod.

"How old's your son?" She questioned, not missing the way James' face lit up when she mentioned the boy.

"Just turned one." He replied proudly, Gabby's grin widening as Neilson fished around in his pocket, the man pulling out his phone and tapping the screen a few times before holding it out to her, showing her a photo of his little boy. From first glance alone, Gabby could definitely tell James and Patrick were related, Dawson not needing to see his mother to know that kid was all his dad.

"Oh, he's adorable." She replied brightly, James nodding in agreement.

"He is… I love that little guy." He breathed out, sparing another glance at the picture before looking back towards Dawson. "What about you? You and Matt have any children?" He questioned, the bright smile that immediately formed across Gabby's face answering his question before her words could. "Alright, lemme see a picture." He spoke lightly, Gabby smirking softly before reaching for her phone, going in search of a photo to show him, the woman picking a more recent one of her daughter and husband as she held it out for him to see.

"That's Sofia… And Matt." She added with a laugh, James smiling at the picture.

"You've got a cute kid, Dawson." He told her, Gabby nodding in agreement as she placed her phone back down in her lap. "How old is she?"

"Ten and a half months." She answered, James nodding as he shifted his positioning at the back of the rig. "She's… well, she's just like me. So she's a handful, but she's incredible."

"Yeah, unfortunately Patrick is a lot like me, too." He replied with a laugh, Gabby shaking her head with a soft smile covering her face. "But I can't imagine my life without him." James breathed out, Dawson giving him a knowing look.

"I understand exactly what you mean." She agreed, a soft smile forming over her face as she took a moment to think about her family, Gabby quickly snapping back into reality, finding James' eyes on her. "...What about your wife?" She questioned, watching as his eyebrows raised slightly. "What does she do?"

"Her name's Megan, she actually works at headquarters." James told her, Dawson's eyebrows furrowing in realization as her head cocked to the side.

"Wait- Megan Neilson? I think I know her." Gabby replied, James giving her a nod. "I met her, during one of my first meetings about this entire training program… She's the one who really got this all started, didn't she?"

"Uh, yeah, she did." He responded. "She actually told me about you before you got here, about what all you've accomplished within the department, and outside of it… She really talked you up." He joked, Gabby laughing softly

"Well, hopefully the real thing isn't too much of a disappointment." She spoke lightly, James shaking his head in amusement. "But is that how you two met? Through the department?" She questioned, Neilson nodding.

"Yeah, kind of… We actually met out on a call. She used to be a paramedic, but she got injured in the line of duty about two years ago." He explained, Gabby frowning softly before giving him an understanding nod. "She wasn't able to be out working anymore, so she got a job at headquarters."

"I'm sorry to hear that… I didn't get to spend too much time with her, but she seems great." Gabby replied, her words earning a soft smile from him. "And at least she's alright… Injuries on the job, unfortunately they're pretty common. But luckily she's okay."

"Yeah, that's kinda how we looked at it, too… The accident, her partner didn't make it." He told her, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she felt that dull pain creep back up in her chest, the same pain she felt every time she thought of Shay. "So, all things considered, she was very lucky. It was an adjustment, and sometimes still is, but she loves what she does." He continued, snapping Dawson from her thoughts of her late best friend as she gave him a knowing nod.

"That's great, I'm glad she's doing well." Gabby responded softly, the woman clearing her throat before shifting the subject. "So uh, since you'll be needing to talk to Matt, maybe we could all get together sometime?" She offered, James raising his eyebrows as a smile formed over his face. "We could let the kids play together, and you and Matt could figure out what all you need his help with with your home."

"That sounds great." He replied almost instantly, his excitement at the idea causing her smile to widen. "I'd love that, and I know Megan would, too."

"Good… We'll set something up sometime soon." She told him, the paramedic unable to respond as the bells rang out above them, signaling the entire house to an apartment fire, the new friends knowing the rest of their conversation would now have to wait.

* * *

Blowing out a tired breath, Gabby slid her key into the lock on the front door, the woman lazily turning it until she felt it give, Dawson pushing the door open and stepping into her warm and inviting home. The second she set foot inside their apartment, she could hear the familiar sound of Sofia's cartoons playing on the TV, Gabby vaguely hearing Matt's voice as well, the man singing along to the song being played loudly through the apartment. Placing her bag down on the ground, a content smile formed over her face as her husband came into view, Gabby seeing Matt perched on the couch with Sofia in his lap, the baby clearly loving his singing and being bounced by her father as she was clapping her hands wildly, her laughs combined with Matt's off-key voice filling Gabby's chest with warmth.

It was clear he hadn't heard her come in, Matt continuing to sing like he and Sofia were the only two in the room as she moved further into their home. When she came around the side of the couch, Casey abruptly stopped his singing as he turned to look at her, a sheepish look covering his face as Gabby shook her head in amusement, the baby's laughs morphing into squeals of excitement when she caught sight of her mother.

"...How long have you been home?" He asked with a hint of embarrassment in his voice, Matt turning down the volume on the TV while his wife walked the rest of the way towards them, Gabby's grin widening before she leaned down to press a soft kiss to the top of his head.

"Long enough to know your voice is getting a little better." She teased him, Gabby feeling Sofia grab onto her as she was bent over, the baby desperate to see her mom. "Hi baby, oh I missed you so much." She murmured, pressing a similar kiss to the top of her daughter's curly head before picking her up.

"Did you miss me so much, too?" Matt asked with a smug grin, an unimpressed look covering her face as she raised her eyebrows, the mother adjusting her baby in her arms as Sofia was pulling on the collar on her CFD shirt.

"Eh, I guess." She responded with a shrug, Casey shooting her a playful glare before Gabby sat down beside him on the couch, Matt's hands instinctively coming out to rest on her back to help guide her into her seat. "What time did you get home?" She asked, turning to her husband as she settled Sofia in her lap, the baby cuddling into her mother's chest.

"About half an hour ago… Becca said Sof slept well, she only woke up once. And she was eating when I got here. Said she didn't have any issues with the bottle at all, so hopefully Sof's past that." He relayed the information Becca had given him, Gabby nodding with a soft smile as she rubbed her hand up and down her daughter's back. "And then Sof and I were just waiting for you to get home… How'd the rest of your shift go?" He asked, Gabby seeing a nearly tense look in his eye; like he was expecting to hear something that he wouldn't like. But she merely shook her head, her soft eyes causing him to lose the slight frown on his face.

"It was fine, babe. Some of them started to come around to me being there, but even if they don't- my job isn't to worry about the firefighters. I'm more focused on fixing things within that ambo."

"Yeah, but didn't you say one of the guys on the rig acted the same way?" He pushed, Gabby pursing her lips together before nodding.

"He does, yeah… But he'll just have to get over it. He was doing a little better with the whole thing by the end of shift, but he's got a really superiority issue. I found out that Neilson kind of took, or was given, the title of PIC a few years back. But Edwards had it before him, so ever since then there's been problems with him letting Neilson be in charge." She explained, Matt giving her an understanding nod as he listened to her talk about her day. "He doesn't want to listen, to me or to James, but he's got to. I know he doesn't like me coming in and telling him things he already knows he's supposed to be doing, but I don't care. If he doesn't start following protocol, it's not gonna be my ass on the line when I turn in my report of this house."

Her snarky works brought a wide grin to his face, his eyes shining proudly as she tilted her head to the side.

"...What?" She asked with a laugh, Matt shaking his head slightly as a chuckle escaped his lips.

"I like when you get all assertive… it's hot." He replied shamelessly, Gabby rolling her eyes as the smile on her face grew wider, heat flooding her cheeks while a knowing look flashed across her features.

"Trust me, I know more than anyone how much you like that." She shot back, Matt ducking his head slightly before he cleared his throat, Gabby smirking proudly as she saw how much her few words had affected him.

"So, uh- your shift was alright?" He asked her again, obviously trying to change the subject as a soft laugh escaped her lips. "Nothing I need to know about?"

"No baby." She assured him, lifting her hand up to rub over his chest while her other one kept Sofia firmly secured against her. "Really, it was fine. It started off a little rough, and I don't think I'll be lifelong friends with most of them, but it was fine. I mostly just hung out with Neilson, and put people in their place when needed."

"That's my girl." He murmured, flashing her a proud wink as she settled back into the couch. "So, tell me about this James guy." He prompted, Gabby smiling softly as his arm came up to rest behind her along the back of the couch.

"He's great, a really nice guy. Great paramedic, too… I think you two are gonna get along great." She told him as Matt raised his eyebrows, not missing the phrasing his wife used.

"What do you mean? When am I gonna be seeing him?" He questioned, immediately seeing the shy smile that covered Gabby's face.

"...He needs some help with some renovations around his home." She replied softly, realization settling in across Casey's features.

"Ahh."

"Yeah, so when he found out you work in construction, I mentioned something about you two getting together and seeing if you could help him." She explained, Matt rubbing his hand along her shoulder. "But then that turned into all six of us getting together-"

"Six?" He questioned, his eyebrows knitting together in wonder as Gabby gave him a nod.

"Six. You, me, and Sof. James, his wife Megan, and his son Patrick." She elaborated, Matt nodding in understanding as Gabby continued. "His son is only a little older than Sofia, he just turned one, so we figured some playdates for the two of them might be good… And Megan, she works in the department. I've actually met her before, so James and I thought it would be good to all get together." She said, earning another nod from her husband. "Cause, you know, I never really thought about it, but you and I don't have a lot of friends…"

Matt scrunched his nose up at her words, his eyebrows furrowing as he opened his mouth to respond. "What? We have friends." He defended, Gabby cocking her head to the side. "Everyone at 51, and Jemma, and…" He trailed off, Matt racking his brain as he tried to think of other examples, but he was coming up empty, his hesitation causing a smug look to cover his wife's face.

"Exactly." She responded quickly, Matt shooting her a playful glare. "But even aside from everyone at 51, we don't have any friends that are married, with young kids like Sof. So when I learned more about him, I was thinking it'd be nice to all get together, see how well Patrick and Sof get along, and how well we all get along." She explained her reasoning, Casey nodding knowingly.

"Yeah, I'd never really thought about it that way, but I guess you're right… And it'll be nice for Sofia to have a little friend to play with." He agreed, sparing a quick glance down to his baby before looking back up to Gabby, flashing her a warm smile.

"I was thinking the same thing." She responded softly, Gabby feeling him squeeze her shoulder as she took a deep breath. "So what about you? How was 51?" She asked, adjusting Sofia so the baby was sitting upright in her lap facing her as Gabby held onto the little girl underneath her arms, gently starting to bounce her in her lap as she could feel Sofia getting a bit restless.

"It was good. Nothing too crazy going on… Everyone missed you, though." He told her as they locked gazes. "And it was a little weird… going to shift without you. And not having you with me throughout the day."

"You know, most people don't work with their spouses, and they do that every day." She replied with a teasing grin, Matt huffing out a breath before he adjusted his positioning on the couch to face his body towards her.

"I don't care about most people, all I know is I missed my wife." He told her with a soft grin, Gabby matching his look as he reached out to squeeze her thigh gently. "Those other people, they don't know what they're missing out on… I love getting to work with you."

"I love working with you too." She replied, eyeing him skeptically as he raised his eyebrows. "...You're awful sweet this morning." She added with narrow eyes, Matt giving her a slight shrug as he rested his head in his palm, his arm bent on the back of the couch. "What'd you do?"

"I didn't _do_ anything." He responded with a laugh. "Just letting my wife know she was missed. I don't see a problem with that." He said, a wide grin covering his face as she cocked her head to the side.

"There's not… it's just usually when you're this nice out of nowhere, you've done something." She replied, reaching out towards the coffee table to grab one of Sofia's toys as the baby was squirming around in her lap.

"Nope, I'm innocent." He responded, putting his hands up in defense as if to help his argument, Gabby rolling her eyes at the childish action as a sly smile tugged on his lips. "...But, there are a few things I wanna talk to you about."

"There it is." She muttered, her narrow eyes focusing back on her husband as he immediately shook his head.

"No, it's nothing like that." He assured her with a chuckle, Gabby fighting off a smile as she bit the inside of her lip. "It's nothing bad, in fact one thing you're really gonna like."

"Mhmm… lay it on me, what'd you do?" She continued to tease him, Matt rolling his eyes before responding.

"Nothing babe, but I was just wondering what you were wanting to do about Tina?" He questioned, the smile on her face faltering slightly as she pursed her lips together. "It's been a couple weeks since we saw her, and I know she's expecting to hear from us, I just wasn't sure when you were wanting to go for a visit." He continued, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her cheek. "I know you're pretty busy, with all this training stuff, so I figured we can just work around your schedule, see if we can find a day we could go and stop by."

Gabby gave him a slight nod before looking back down towards her daughter, the baby focused on the plush toy in her hands as Dawson thought over what he was asking her. She knew they needed to go visit Tina, that it was _her_ idea to go and see her. But that was before she'd heard Matt's conversation with Severide about adoption… A conversation they had yet to talk about. And now the whole thing left her a little uneasy.

It wasn't even so much Tina herself. The woman had done a lot for them, she'd helped them as much as she could with the whole Louie situation, and Gabby knew it would be nice to spend some time catching up with her. Seeing Tina wasn't the issue, but it was more the idea of what Tina represented. And how Gabby still wasn't sure how she felt about Matt's eagerness to adopt. She hadn't had time to sit down and think about it, and they surely hadn't found the time to discuss it.

"Gabby?"

The sound of her name pulled her from her thoughts, Gabby's vision coming into focus as she looked towards Matt, seeing his eyes on her.

"You alright?"

"Sorry, yeah- I'm good.. I was just thinking." She replied, Matt giving her a slow nod, opening his mouth to respond but she cut him off before he could get a word out. "And that's fine, we can look over our schedules and figure out something." She told him, Matt watching her closely for a second.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, absolutely." She responded with a soft smile, Casey nodding slowly as his eyes bounced back and forth between his wife and daughter. "What was the second thing?" She continued, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip as he quickly tried to decide whether he should press her to find out what had caused her obvious shift in demeanor, or if he should just drop it for now. Deciding on the latter, he shot her a soft smile, Matt reaching out to place his hand on her arm, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she saw the grin on his face widen. "...What is it?"

"I got some good news yesterday." He told her, seeing her interest pique as she turned towards him slightly.

"What?" She asked, Matt grinning from ear to ear as he gave her arm a squeeze.

"Two weeks." He told her simply, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing in confusion as he gave her nothing else to go on.

"What?" She questioned, seeing the proud look in his eye. "Two weeks for what?"

"We close in two weeks."

Her eyes widened the second those words left his lips, a huge smile covering her face as she locked gazes with her husband, Matt's excitement growing when he saw how happy she was.

"Really?" She asked, Matt nodding quickly.

"Mhmm. Fourteen days from now, we'll have the keys to our new home." He told her as Gabby's smile widened, which he didn't think possible, before she leaned forward and placed a heavy, heated kiss to his lips, the mother being mindful of the baby in her grip as Matt pulled her closer.

"Oh my God." She spoke against him, Matt pressing another kiss to her lips before they pulled back, excitement radiating off both of them. "That makes me so happy." She murmured, Matt nodding in agreement as he brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know… Me too." He responded, stroking his thumb along her temple as he cradled the side of her head in his palm. "Two weeks and we'll have our dream home… You, me, and Sof."

Her eyes fell closed in contentment, Matt's chest flooding with warmth as he took in the joy written across her face, the man unable to stop himself from leaning forward to capture her lips in another kiss. The action caught her off guard, but she quickly recovered, Gabby reciprocating the gesture as they relaxed into one another, Matt bringing his free hand around to rest on Sofia's back, keeping all three of them close.

"I love you." She whispered against him, feeling his lips curl up into a smile before he kissed her again.

"I love you, too."

* * *

"So, you move in a week, huh?"

Gabby and Matt nodded eagerly at the woman across from them, the parents sitting in the same room they'd found themselves in multiple times before, Casey holding Sofia in his lap, his hand resting over her chest as he kept her back pressed into his stomach, making sure his daughter was securely within his hold.

"Yeah, here in about eight days, we get the keys and start moving in." Gabby responded brightly before looking towards Matt, finding her husband wearing a similar smile as he glanced at her.

"Well, you weren't kidding when you said I've missed a lot." Tina spoke with a laugh, the couple both nodding in agreement as an easy feeling settled around the room.

The Casey's had been here for a little over half an hour, both of them glad to finally have been able to make it to come visit her. It had taken a few days for them to find a time that worked for all three of them, with Gabby's busy training schedule, but lucky they'd been able to carve out some time this afternoon to catch up with each other, Gabby and Matt having given Tina an update as to what all had gone on since the last saw each other over two years ago. And though they'd definitely given her the toned down version of events, they were glad to be spending some time with the woman who'd been such a big part of their lives when they had Louie.

"But I'm glad to hear things are going so well for you all, and with Miss Sofia here." She continued brightly, Matt flashing her a warm smile. "I know how badly you all wanted to be parents, I'm happy everything's worked out."

"We are too." Matt responded, leaning down to press a soft kiss to the top of Sofia's little head as the baby was distracted by the toy in her hands.

"And, uh, speaking of, while I have you guys here…" Tina spoke up again, Gabby glancing at her as she saw the hesitation in the woman's eyes. "I know it's been awhile since we've spoken about him, and I'm not sure if you've kept in touch with Andre much, but I do still regularly check in on Louie." She told them, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek roughly as she felt Matt reach out to place a hand on her leg, keeping his other one firmly over Sofia's chest. "And he's doing amazingly well… He's happy, and he's healthy, surrounded by so many people who love him… I just wanted you all to know that." She told them, her voice soft as Gabby blinked back the tears beginning to well in her eyes at the thought of her son. "He's absolutely thriving, and that wouldn't have been possible if not for what you two did for him."

Matt squeezed her leg tightly, Gabby's eyes moving down towards the ground as she did what she could to keep her emotions in check.

"We're glad to hear that." Matt spoke up after a few heavy seconds, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she clasped her hands together tightly in her lap. "That's all we wanted for him… As hard as that was, we just want him to be okay."

"I know you do… And he is." She assured them, Gabby sucking in a deep breath as she slowly lifted her head back up, giving Tina a quick nod before she forced a weak smile, the woman shooting her a sympathetic look.

"So, um-" Matt spoke up again, clearing the emotion from his voice before continuing. "What about you?" He kept the conversation going, never removing his hand from Gabby's leg. "How are things here?" He questioned, Tina sighing softly as she placed her clasped hands on top of her desk.

"Well, unfortunately, things are about the same around here… Too many kids, not enough places for them to go." She replied sadly, Matt giving her a nod as a slight frown tugged on his lips. "The state has gotten a lot stricter about who can foster and adopt, and the paperwork has become a nightmare, too… creating more hoops that need to be jumped through before people can even foster children, let alone think of adopting. Which has, unfortunately, caused some people to look into other options, and we've got more kids than ever before." She explained, Gabby shaking her head sadly as she felt Matt give her leg another squeeze.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Casey replied, Tina giving him a sad nod. "That can't be easy."

"It hasn't been, but we're doing what we can… We have a lot of amazing kids just waiting for places to go, and we are placing a lot of them. It's just becoming more difficult." She explained, earning nods from the parents.

"I, uh-" Matt started, clearing his throat before continuing. "I understand if you can't say anything, I've just been a little curious since we saw you at the hospital, but um.. How's that little girl doing?" He questioned, Gabby's eyes snapping towards him once she'd registered his question. "I wasn't sure if she was there for anything serious, I was just wondering if she was alright."

Tina smiled softly before nodding, her eyes flashing back and forth between the couple. "She's doing okay." She replied softly, Matt giving her a nod. "Caitlyn, is her name… she's doing fine. She's, uh… she's actually an interesting situation." Tina began carefully, seeing the intrigued look on Casey's face. "We have a family who wants to adopt her… who are trying to adopt her, but like I said, they're working through a mess of red tape right now, and it'll probably be at least a few more weeks, if not upwards of a month, before she'll be able to go home with them." She explained, Matt nodding in understanding. "So Caitlyn, she's five years old, she's pretty much been getting bounced around places, until we can find somewhere a little more stable while she waits for her family. And we thought we'd found a good fit for her, but it ended up being more of a nightmare for the poor girl… The foster parents she'd been placed with… it wasn't a good situation. They had some other kids, and, well, I still don't have the full story, but she ended up falling down the stairs." A look of horror immediately covered both Matt and Gabby's faces, Tina shaking her head sadly. "That's why she was in the hospital, she had a few injuries from that."

"Oh my God." Gabby murmured, Matt shaking his head in disbelief.

"Yeah… I'm not sure if she was pushed, or if it was just an accident, but we had to remove her from the home. Obviously, she couldn't stay there, so we've got her back in a children's home for now."

"That's awful, is she doing okay?" Casey questioned, his concern evident.

"She is." Tina replied, Matt releasing a soft, relieved breath. "She's alright, thankfully. Aside from a mild concussion, and some bumps and bruises, she's okay."

"Good, that's good." Gabby replied, Matt agreeing with a nod.

"I'm glad she's alright, but that's just…" He trailed off, shaking his head sadly. "You don't know what's gonna happen to her?"

"No, we don't. Not while we're waiting for the paperwork to come through… we're just trying to find somewhere to place her for now." She told them, Tina glancing back and forth between them as she saw Matt nod. "But, uh… all of this, this issue with Caitlyn, is part of why I was so happy to hear from you guys." She started carefully, Gabby's entire body tensing as the words left her lips, Matt glancing to his wife when he felt her leg tighten underneath his touch. "Because, well- there's not really a good way to ask you all to consider this, but we've been trying desperately to find somewhere for her to go until this paperwork issue gets sorted out. Somewhere stable, especially with all she's gone through, and after running into you at the hospital… I can't help but keep thinking of you all." She told them, Gabby's breath getting caught in her throat as Matt was unable to tear his eyes from his wife, both of them knowing exactly what she was trying to ask them.

"I wasn't sure if it was something you all would be interested in, or willing to do, and I'm not trying to pressure you into this at all. I don't even know if it's appropriate for me to be asking you this, I'm just trying to think of anything I can to help this little girl… But would you all be open to the idea of fostering Caitlyn?"


	92. Chapter Ninety Two

**Hi everyone! I hope all of you are doing well, and staying safe. And that you all enjoy this new chapter, I know a lot of you were looking forward to seeing where this goes. So I hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Two**_

* * *

"_Would you all be open to the idea of fostering Caitlyn?_"

"_I know you all have Sofia to consider…_"

"_Caitlyn's a wonderful little girl, she just needs people to look out for her._"

"_This isn't a decision to make lightly, but with how wonderful you all were with Louie… I think this would be a perfect fit for her._"

"_Nothing has to be decided today, and I'm not trying to pressure you into anything, I just wasn't sure if you all would want to do something like this._"

Tina's words bounced around her head as Gabby stared out the window, the woman having been lost in her own head since they left the office nearly twenty minutes ago. To say she was shocked at what had transpired from their visit to DCFS would've been an understatement, Tina's request nearly knocking her over as Gabby had been uncharacteristically quiet since then.

Back at the office, when it became clear to the DCFS agent that she had definitely taken them by surprise, Gabby having been completely silent while Matt stuttered out something about them needing to talk about it, she'd soon changed the subject, but the rest of their visit had been uncomfortable, to say the least. Gabby hadn't been able to pay attention, and Matt was barely able to form a coherent thought as well, the parents not having stayed much longer before they made a quick exit, Casey rambling something out about needing to get Sofia home as they said their goodbyes to the woman.

And since they'd left the office, neither of them had said a word to one another. Aside from one quick comment about being ready to go home, they hadn't spoken, both caught up in their own heads about what Tina had asked of them, the only sounds in the car being Sofia's incoherent babbling coming from the backseat.

With his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly, Matt's eyes moved towards the rear view mirror, sparing a quick glance at his baby through the mirror they kept on the headrest of the backseat before he looked towards his wife, Casey seeing her head turned towards the window, just as it had been their entire drive, her body completely closed off to him as her eyes faced forward. And just as she was physically closed off from him, she'd mentally closed herself off as well, because for the first time in a long time, Matt had absolutely no idea what was going on in her head.

The second Tina brought up them fostering Caitlyn, Matt would be lying if he said he wasn't a little interested in the idea. From the way it sounded, it was nothing permanent; it was a little girl needing a stable home for a few weeks until she could go and be with the family who wanted to adopt her. And he knew he and Gabby could provide that stable home.

But he also knew it was nowhere near that simple, not for them. And especially not for Gabby. If their last conversation about the topic was any indication, Gabby nearly crying, telling him she couldn't, and _wouldn't_, adopt, he could only think she wasn't too open to this idea. That taking in a child, even just for a few weeks, was something she probably wasn't too eager to do. Not after how the situation with Louie, from her own words, nearly broke her.

And from how she'd been completely quiet ever since it was brought up, he figured she still felt the same way. That her stance on adoption, and fostering, that none of it had changed. But that was just it, was that he didn't actually know. He didn't know how she was feeling, if this was something she'd even consider, or if she'd already made up her mind. He had absolutely no idea what was going on in her head.

All he did know was that they needed to talk, and soon. But he knew it wasn't going to be an easy conversation.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt pulled into his parking spot outside their apartment, the man putting the car in park before turning back towards Gabby, seeing her yet to make a move, like she hadn't even realized they were home. Pursing his lips together, Matt unbuckled his seatbelt before reaching out towards her, the man placing his hand gently over her thigh. His touch made her jump slightly, Gabby being abruptly pulled from her thoughts as she blinked quickly, her vision coming into focus before she began to recognize her surroundings. Swallowing the thick lump in her dry throat, she turned to look at her husband, seeing a regretful look in his eye.

"Sorry…" He apologized, Gabby shaking her head slightly before forcing a weak smile onto her face. "I just wanted you to know we were home." Matt added, watching as she gave him a nod before moving to unbuckle her seatbelt.

"Thanks." She murmured as she pushed her door open, Matt releasing a heavy sigh before following her lead and getting out of the car as well.

They made their way inside in the same silence they'd been in since leaving DCFS, Matt having gotten Sofia and her car seat out of the back while Gabby grabbed the diaper bag, the parents completing their tasks seamlessly before heading towards their apartment. Casey let her lead the way as he carried their rambunctious daughter in his arms, the young girl intrigued by her surroundings as she clung to her father, the family coming to a stop just outside their back door as Gabby slid the key into the lock.

Without a word, they walked into their home, the thick feeling in the air around them only seeming to grow as they stepped inside, Gabby waiting for Matt to walk past her before she shut the door, the woman locking it in place before turning towards her husband, finding him standing at the island in the kitchen. He adjusted the baby in his arms, Sofia continuing to babble as she grabbed onto her dad's shirt, her other hand shoved towards her mouth as she began chewing on her fist. Matt watched his wife as she stepped further into their home, Gabby coming to stand beside him as she placed the diaper bag down on the counter, her bottom lip tucked between her teeth while her eyes darted around the room, Dawson looking anywhere but the curious eyes of her husband.

"So, uh…" He started, swallowing thickly as Gabby took a slight step away from him. "About what Tina-"

"I have to be at headquarters tonight." She cut him off, blurting out the first words she could think of, even though Casey was already aware of her schedule this evening. "So I'm gonna go try and take a nap, if you don't mind watching after Sof?" She asked, Matt biting his tongue before giving her a reluctant nod.

He knew what she was doing, he knew she didn't want to talk about it yet, or couldn't talk about it, and that he was going to try and bring it up, so she was deflecting. She was doing whatever she could to not have to talk about it. And right now, he'd let her. He didn't want to upset her before she had to go into work in a few hours, so he simply nodded again, seeing the relief that flickered in her eyes before she stepped past him and began to walk towards their bedroom.

"Of course, I don't mind… Try and get some sleep, babe." He murmured, Gabby nodding quickly before continuing to their room, Matt watching her until she disappeared from sight, the woman closing the door behind her, leaving it ajar just against the frame.

Blowing out a heavy sigh, Matt looked back down towards Sofia, seeing his daughter was oblivious to the growing uneasy feeling in the air, the baby's bright blue eyes shining up at her father as a wide smile formed over her face, soft giggles escaping the young girl's lips as she locked gazes with her dad.

"Hey there, baby." He spoke softly, rubbing his hand along her back as he pushed himself away from the counter, Sofia's laughs getting louder as he began pressing soft kisses over her face. Her little hands moved up towards him, Sofia patting his face and neck as he continued kissing all over her skin, her loud laughs calming him down as he gently bounced her up and down in his arms. "Yeah, it's just you and me for a bit, Sof." He added, placing one last kiss to her head before continuing into the living room, Matt content to spend time with his daughter while Gabby caught up on some rest.

* * *

Dawson walked through the hallway of their apartment complex, the woman taking in her familiar surroundings for what would soon be one of the last times as she blew out a heavy and tired sigh, Gabby making quick work of the lock on the door, turning the deadbolt before pushing her way inside, the woman unable to see much from her position in the entryway. Closing the door behind her, she stepped further inside, discarding her keys and her purse on the small table against the wall and kicking off her shoes before padding her way into the empty living room. The TV was on, playing the usual cartoons meant for their daughter, and there was a definite mess left from the time Matt and Sofia had spent together in their home this evening, but her family was nowhere in sight, Gabby brushing some loose hair behind her ear as she came to a stop behind the couch.

Glancing towards the clock on the wall, Gabby saw it was about half past eight, the paramedic having been gone longer than she planned, her night spent working at headquarters having gotten away from her. Seeing as it was well past their daughter's bedtime, Gabby knew Sofia would've been fast asleep already, the mom deciding to go and check on her before going to her own bedroom, where she figured Matt was. But as she got closer to Sofia's room, she could hear Matt's voice coming from what sounded like the bathroom, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she rounded the corner and stopped in front of the open doorway to the small room. Leaning her body weight into the door frame, her face softened when she saw her husband resting on the floor in front of the bathtub, their daughter sitting in the shallow water, her usually curly hair flattened down by the water as she enjoyed her bath.

Standing there quietly, Dawson took a moment to look at her family, Matt not having yet noticed her presence in the doorway as he was focused on their daughter, the man talking to Sofia while she played with her toys. Clearly, the actual bath portion was over, Matt just letting her play around in the water a little bit before it was time to get out, Sofia's little hands smacking the top of the water, her loud laughs bringing a soft smile to Gabby's face as she focused on her daughter's excitement. Sofia's joyous laughs continued as she kept smacking the water, the little girl finding amusement in getting her father wet as Gabby saw the front of Matt's shirt getting more and more damp, the dad shaking his head as he grabbed the cup that was sitting on the edge of the tub, Matt dunking it under the water before pouring it gently down their daughter's back in an effort to make sure she didn't get too cold.

"That's not nice, Sof." He chastised gently, but he was unable to hide the laughter in his tone as Sofia reached out towards him, her wet hands grabbing his cheeks as he'd leaned forward over the tub, Matt huffing out a breath as he carefully pulled himself from her grip, the baby swatting at his face while she continued to laugh. "Yeah, yeah- okay, it's way past your bedtime." He continued speaking to his daughter, Gabby shaking her head slightly before pushing herself up to stand up straight, the movement catching Casey's attention.

The second he saw her, a soft smile formed over his face, Matt only keeping his eyes on her for a moment before returning them to Sofia, the father wanting to make sure she was still alright while she sat in the water.

"Hey baby." He greeted, Gabby walking further into the bathroom, stopping to place a gentle kiss on the top of his head before sitting down on top of the closed toilet seat, Sofia nearly screaming in excitement when she saw her mom.

"Hi." She murmured in response, her hands resting in her lap as she sat behind Matt, the man shifting into a position where he could keep an eye on Sofia but also see his wife.

"How was work?" He asked, his arm resting over the side of the tub as Sofia was playing with his hand, the baby having gotten distracted from the fact that her mom was home as she'd taken to dunking her father's hand in and out of the water, Sofia clearly having a blast with the game she'd created.

"It was alright… long, but alright." She replied, gnawing on her bottom lip as her eyes flashed between her husband and her daughter. "Why is Sof still up?" Gabby questioned, her words immediately bringing a sheepish look to Matt's face, Dawson raising her eyebrows as he glanced back towards their daughter.

"Yeah, well… Sof here took a little unexpected nap right before dinner. A little half hour power nap." He explained, Gabby nodding in understanding as a slight grin tugged at her lips. "So we got a little messed up with that, but I'm sure once she gets into some pajamas and we give her the bottle, she'll be ready for bed."

"Probably, yeah." Gabby responded, Matt taking the opportunity to pour some more water along Sofia's back and her chest while she continued to play.

"I was just about to get her out, we've been in here for awhile." He continued before perching himself up on his shins. "So everything went alright at headquarters?"

"Yeah, yeah, things were good." She replied as Matt pulled the plug on the drain, knowing Sofia was always fascinated by the water leaving the tub. "They want me to go back to 126 for one more shift, but they said they were happy with how things have been going there… And Megan said that James has been a lot happier after work, so that's something at least." She told him, Matt nodding before reaching for Sofia's towel, the father lifting his daughter out of the tub and wrapping her up in the fluffy material. "Which, speaking of, I guess we need to try and figure that out… a day where we can all get together."

"Yeah, we do." He agreed, Matt securing Sofia in his grasp before pushing himself up off the ground, Gabby mimicking his action as she stood up as well. "With the move and everything, I'm not sure when we can, but hopefully sometime here soon we can find some time." Casey added, Gabby giving him a nod in agreement as they stood next to one another, the air around them slowly turning thick as Matt stared at her. "I'm, uh- I'm gonna go get her ready for bed, and get her down… but I think once she's asleep, it'd be a good time for us to talk…" He prefaced gently, Gabby swallowing thickly as her gaze moved down towards his chest. "That visit with Tina today, and about Caitlyn… there's some stuff we need to figure out."

Gabby knew this was coming, she'd been expecting it from the moment she left headquarters. They'd spent the entire day skirting around the subject, and she knew Matt wouldn't let her do that any longer. She'd barely seen him, or Sofia, before she went into work, but the moments they were together, she'd made sure to keep their conversations light and far away from the topic of what happened today. And, thankfully, Matt hadn't pushed her to talk about it then. But clearly, he wasn't going to let that go on any longer. They needed to talk about it, and they couldn't put it off another day.

Drawing in a slow breath, Gabby nodded before lifting her head back up to meet his soft gaze, Matt flashing her a warm smile as he saw the hesitation in her eyes. "Yeah… Yeah, I know we need to talk." She murmured, Matt nodding before he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her head.

"I'll take care of Sof, then I'll meet you out there." He spoke, though his words sounded more like a question, Casey waiting for any sign of affirmation from her before leaving, which he soon got.

"Okay." She replied, Matt giving her one last nod before he left the bathroom, the two going their separate ways as they wound down for the evening.

In the forty minutes that it took to Matt to get Sofia down, Gabby had changed into her pajamas, gotten the kitchen cleaned up from their daughter's dinner, and gotten the living room straightened up a bit, Gabby having put away Sofia's toys back where they belonged while she had the time. And when Matt finally emerged from their daughter's room, Gabby was waiting for him on the couch, the TV turned down to a low volume as she sat curled up on the furniture, her mind a thousand miles away as he walked towards her. He could tell she hadn't noticed him come in at first, it taking a few seconds longer than normal for her to react to his presence as she turned back to look at him, Gabby immediately giving him a weak smile.

"Is she down?" Gabby asked, Matt nodding in response before walking around to the front of the couch, the father placing the baby monitor down on the coffee table as he sat down beside his wife, leaving a few inches of space in between them.

"She is… she's out like a light. I didn't even get all the way through our story before she fell asleep."

"Well, it's pretty late for her… Hopefully this means she'll sleep through the night." Gabby responded, her words earning an agreeing nod from her husband as he settled back into the couch, the tides in the air turning as he adjusted himself slightly to get a better view of her.

"Yeah, I hope so." He spoke, the words falling from his mouth before he ran his tongue along his bottom lip, Matt watching as his wife clenched her hands together in her lap, the telltale sign of her nervousness causing him to reach out to place his arm along the back of the couch, his hand gently scratching her shoulder before she looked up at him. "So, uh… I don't really know where to even start with this whole thing." He breathed out, Gabby biting down on the inside of her lip before nodding, silently telling him to continue. "What Tina's asking us to do… I didn't see that coming. At all. I'd just been wondering if that girl- Caitlyn, if she was okay. I didn't think it would lead to all of this." He said honestly, rubbing his hand along her back as he did his best to let Gabby know how he was feeling. "And when she first brought it up, I was definitely shocked… I know you are, too," Gabby gave him an immediate nod as soon as those words left his lips, her reaction earning a sympathetic look from her husband before he continued. "But… I dunno, the more time I've had to think about it, the more I keep thinking that this could be a good thing for us. But I wanna know what you're thinking, and where your head's at… This is a big decision, and you haven't really said much since we left DCFS…" He trailed off, Gabby pursing her lips together as she took a slow breath, Matt going silent as he gave her some time to gather her thoughts, his wife remaining quiet for well over a minute before she spoke up.

"I, uh… I honestly don't know." She breathed out truthfully, Matt nodding in understanding as she looked up at him. "The whole fostering thing… adopting. I just… whenever that gets brought up, I immediately go back to Louie, and how that felt, having our son taken away from us and I just- that killed me..." She told him, Matt squeezing her shoulder supportively. "I know this Caitlyn thing wouldn't be the same as that, but I know us… We're gonna fall in love with that little girl, Matt." A knowing look immediately covered his face, Gabby stopping to take a breath as her leg began to bounce up and down. "And even though I know what the situation is going into it, there's no way it won't be hard when it's time for her to leave… So I just really don't know what to do here."

Casey paused for a moment, the man thinking over her words as he ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, Gabby forcing herself to meet his eyes, the woman unable to read the look on his face.

"Is this…" He started, Matt drawing in a deep breath before continuing. "Is this something you'd consider at all? Fostering Caitlyn..." He questioned, their eyes locked on one another as Gabby bit down roughly on her bottom lip, the husband giving her a few moments to respond.

But when Gabby had yet to say anything, Matt angled himself to face her completely, the man reaching for her hands that were sitting in her lap, holding them tightly in his own as she looked up at him.

"Where's your head at?" He asked her, Gabby blinking quickly for a few moments as she laced her fingers through his, the woman's eyes closing momentarily as she tried to gather her thoughts before she spoke up.

"I… I heard your conversation with Severide, when he was over here last week." She started, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he tried to remember what all they'd spoken about. "How you were wanting to adopt." She continued, watching as realization spread across his face, Matt taking a slow, deep breath before nodding. "And right then, I knew we needed to talk, but I hadn't brought it up yet because I wasn't expecting all this…" She murmured, Gabby's teeth running along her bottom lip as she looked down to their conjoined hands, Matt giving hers a firm squeeze. "We were waiting until Sofia was older, so I didn't think it was something that we needed to figure out right this second, and then today with Tina just… I wasn't expecting this to come up so soon."

"I know… me neither." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod before lifting her head. "And that conversation with Severide, I didn't realize you'd heard me… It's not like it's anything I'm trying to hide, but it's how I feel." Matt continued, Gabby swallowing the thick lump that was forming in the back of her throat. "I know we never really talked about it… Back before you left, when we first found out about that aneurysm, we never really had a chance to actually sit down and talk about it… I know then, you were completely against adoption. And then once you were back, and we decided to start finding a way to start our family, we never were able to sit down and talk about it because we found out you were pregnant with Sof. Then we said how we'd wait until she was older before having more kids, so we never really have talked about it… But, yeah, at some point, I'd love to adopt a kid, Gabby… To give a child a safe and stable home. To completely change their life, like we did for Louie… I'd love to do that again." He spoke carefully, Gabby's demeanor not giving much away as he took another breath. "And I know when all that first started, when you were trying to take in Louie, I was hesitant. But that time we had with him, those were some of the best months of our lives… And I know nothing, or no child, can replace him or what we lost, but I think adopting could be a good option for us, when the time comes… It's something I'd at least like to consider, but I know this is something we have to decide together." He trailed off, Gabby wincing slightly as the air around them became heavy, his words lingering as she tried to figure out what to say to him. But when minutes passed and she had yet to respond, he continued speaking, Matt wanting to get everything out there.

"And I know we're still not there yet. We're not trying to have another kid right now, so it's nothing we have to decide tonight, or even in the next week, or months. Us deciding how to expand our family, that's not what this is… This is just a child needing our help. Like we helped Bria…"

"Bria wasn't five years old." Gabby interjected quietly, Matt pursing his lips together before nodding, the man sensing her obvious hesitation.

"I know, I know it's not exactly the same… But I really think we could help this girl, and truthfully, I think she could help us, too." He responded, seeing the confusion that immediately covered his wife's face as her head tilted to the side, Gabby silently telling him to continue. "Obviously, kids aren't trial runs… That's not fair to Caitlyn, and I'd never look at a child like that. But it's clear she needs somewhere safe to life until all this paperwork gets sorted out. I know Tina couldn't say for sure, but I think you and I both know Caitlyn didn't fall down those stairs…" He told her, Gabby wincing slightly before giving him a nod, both parents hating the idea of a child being hurt. "She needs a secure place to live, with people who will look out for her, and take care of her. People who only want what's best for her… And even though it might only be a few weeks, we could still be those people for her. And this could also give us the chance to see how it would be, having another child in the house with Sofia… An older child, if that's the route we decide to take." He spoke softly, seeing Gabby's eyes on him as she took a long, slow breath. "If we decide to do this, we could go and meet Caitlyn… let her and Sof spend some time together and see how that goes. I mean, you heard Tina today, she just kept talking about how great a kid Caitlyn is, she just needs people to look out for her."

The more Matt continued to talk, the more Gabby could sense his excitement about the possibility of Caitlyn coming to stay with them for however long. And she'd be lying if she said his eagerness didn't cause her heart to clench in her chest, Gabby recognizing that look in his eye.

He wanted to do this. There wasn't a doubt in her mind that this wasn't something he absolutely wanted, was for them to bring Caitlyn into their home and take care of her. And seeing how ready and excited he was had left her on edge, Gabby nowhere close to a decision one way or the other about what they should do.

"I really think doing this, it would be beneficial to all of us… But Caitlyn especially. We both know if she were here, we'd do everything in our power to keep her safe, and protected. To make sure she feels loved while she waits to be able to go with her family… We know she's going to a great home, and we would get to be a part of that. But I do know you have a point, there's no way we won't get attached to that little girl, but we know the situation going into it. We're not trying to adopt her, we're just trying to help her." He breathed out, his mouth moving faster than his head as he continued talking, Matt not knowing what else to do as she had yet to say anything. "Giving Caitlyn a home, a place where she can feel safe, even if just for awhile… There's no telling how much that could help her. I know we both remember how much that had damaged Louie, him getting bounced around from place to place before we got him." Matt said, Gabby's eyes falling closed as her head turned down towards their hands, missing the look of sadness that flashed in his eyes. "...It was awful, and the thought of that happening to another kid just-"

Matt cut himself off, his abrupt silence causing her to lift her head back up as she saw the pained look in his eyes, Gabby giving his hands a reassuring squeeze.

"...I know this isn't the same thing as Louie. For a lot of reasons. Caitlyn has a family who wants her, who's waiting for her, who loves her, but she's still being bounced around until then. And if we could help her, even just for a few weeks… I think that would be good for all of us." He spoke, a soft smile forming over his face, but it wasn't there long, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip before he straightened his back. "But this isn't just up to me…" He finished, Gabby biting down roughly on the inside of her cheek for a few seconds before she spoke up.

"I… I get where you're coming from, I do. I just don't know if it's the right time for us to be doing this." She told him, seeing his face fall slightly. "I mean, we're trying to move, and I'm all over the place at different houses and at headquarters for work. Then there's Sofia, and making sure she's okay. And there's Becca, too… I mean, this would fall on her, as well. She'd be going from one baby, to a baby and a five year old. And Tina's talking about how she needs stability, which I know she does, but I don't know if that's something we could give her right now."

"I think we could." He responded as soon as she'd finished, Gabby tucking her bottom lip between her teeth as Matt gave her a reassuring nod. "Just because all those things are happening, that doesn't mean we couldn't provide her stability… I mean, nothing's any worse for Sof because of those things." He added, seeing a flash of realization show in her eyes. "I'm not trying to say those aren't real concerns, because they are. But Tina knows about all of that… She knows how much we work, and that we're moving, and she still was wanting us to do this. I know moving can be stressful, but here in a week we'll have so much space. I mean, if we do this, we'd be able to give Caitlyn her own room and everything…" He spoke with a chuckle, Gabby ducking her head before he continued. "I know those are all important things to consider, and Sof especially… she's our main priority here. Which is why I think it would be good to just start with a visit first, and see how that goes before we agree to anything, but we haven't gotten that far yet, because I still don't know if this is something you'd consider doing… But I feel like you don't want to do this." Matt breathed out, Gabby avoiding his gaze as she carefully pulled her hands back from his, crossing her arms over her chest protectively.

"I…" She started, but she wasn't sure where she was going with her sentence as she shook her head, Matt waiting for a moment to let her try and gather her thoughts. But the silence had become deafening, Gabby having yet to say anything as Matt could hear his heart thumping in his chest, the man sighing softly before speaking up again.

"Baby, if you really don't want to do this, we won't." He told her, Gabby lifting her head up to look at him. "This isn't something I can decide for us, and I don't want to do it if you're not on board… You already know how I feel, I think it's worth considering, but I won't sit here and try and talk you into doing this if you don't want to, or you feel like you can't." He said honestly, the two never dropping their gazes. "We can't do this if you're not up to it, that's not fair to you, or to Caitlyn… or to anyone. But this is something I wanna do." Matt admitted, Gabby's eyes falling closed for a split second as his words washed over her. "I at least want to look into it more, see how her and Sofia get along and if we'd be a good fit for her… But I need to know where you're at."

A thick silence filled the air as Matt waited for her to respond, Gabby looking everywhere but him as she tried to figure out what to say to him, the woman grimacing slightly before she met his gaze, knowing he wasn't going to like the next words that came out of her mouth.

"...I don't know if this is something I want."

She forced herself to look at him as she spoke, Gabby seeing the exact moment he registered what she said, the unmistakable look of disappointment shining back at her before he could mask it. As they sat here, her words hanging heavily in the air, she couldn't help but flash back to over four years ago, when they'd sat in this very spot and she'd asked him about Louie. About them taking him in, and she remembered clearly how disappointed she'd felt that day. How upset she'd been when Matt didn't want the same things as her.

And now she was seeing the same disappointment shining back at her.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt nodded, the man pulling away from her slightly as he leaned back against the arm of the couch, his gaze focused off towards the TV as he tried his best to conceal just how upset her words had made him.

"I'm sorry." Gabby continued when he had yet to say anything, Matt looking back towards her as he met her eyes. "...I wish I was as sure as you are about this, but I'm not. I just… I don't know. I know everything you're saying makes sense, but I still-" She cut herself off, shaking her head slightly before continuing. "I need some time to think. Which I know I don't have much time, but I need- I need a minute. To think about all this"

Slowly, Matt nodded, the man shifting in his seat as he moved towards the edge of the couch, Gabby watching his every move as he glanced back towards her.

"Okay." He murmured, Gabby seeing a look she couldn't read flash in his eyes. "Take some time, think about it… I know this is a big decision."

Gabby gave him a nod just as he stood up from the couch, the woman shifting towards the edge as well as he looked down towards her.

"...Are you mad?"

The second those words left her lips, his face softened, Matt immediately shaking his head before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "Of course not, baby." He spoke against her skin, Matt kissing her again before he pulled back, holding his hand out for her to take as she stood up. "I'm not mad at you, and whatever you decide, I won't be mad, either." He promised her, Matt giving her a warm smile. "And we don't need to talk about it anymore tonight… This just got sprung on us today, you take whatever time you need, okay? But it's getting late, we should probably go to bed." He spoke, Gabby nodding in agreement before he turned towards their bedroom, the wife keeping a firm grip on his hand as he led them through the apartment, neither of them able to shake the uneasy feeling that had settled in the air around them from knowing that for the first time in a long time, they weren't on the same page.

* * *

"Dawson."

Gabby's eyes stayed focused on the plate down in front of her, her mind elsewhere as she tuned out the chatter that had been going on around her all morning, her name having to be said a second time before she'd snapped out of her haze.

"Dawson!"

Gabby flinched in her seat slightly, the woman clearly startled as she looked towards the sound of her name, seeing James' worried gaze on her before her eyes bounced around the common room, all members of 126 staring at her as she looked back to the PIC.

"Sorry, what'd you say?" She asked, hearing a few snickers from the men around her.

Though she'd been at 126 for over a week and a half, things between her and the firefighters hadn't changed much. None of the men necessarily liked her, and they surely didn't respect her, Gabby having accepted that much by her second shift here, Dawson just keeping to focusing her attention on the ambo and how she could help there. But for as difficult as the firefighters had continued to be, Gabby was happy to know that Edwards had slowly come around. It wasn't easy, and the man was definitely still stubborn, but he'd at least accepted the situation. He wasn't fighting rank anymore, and ambo 96 seemed to be running smoother than it ever had, Gabby feeling confident that she could serve out her last shift here today, and they'd be fine once she left.

"I was saying that after our next call, we're gonna need to stop and fill up the rig." He repeated what he must've tried to tell her moments prior, Gabby giving him a nod before returning her attention to her lunch.

"Sounds good." She responded, flashing him a weak smile before picking up her sandwich, the paramedic beginning to tune out the noise around her once more, but she wasn't able to as James spoke up again.

"So, I was talking with Megan, and she was hoping that maybe sometime this weekend, you and Matt would be able to come by for lunch?" James spoke up, Gabby returning her focus to him as he took a sip of his water. "I hadn't even meant for it to take this long for us to all get together, but I know we've both been busy… Though I think Megan might kill me if I don't get something done about that porch soon." He added with a laugh, Dawson giving him a soft smile.

"Uh, yeah- I'm sure that's fine. I'll have to check with Matt." She replied, James' eyebrows furrowing slightly. "We were just talking about you all, and about how excited we are to get together… I think it'll be good."

"Me too." He responded, keeping his eyes on his new friend as her head turned down towards the table, the man sensing she wasn't all there.

He noticed she'd been like this since the beginning of shift, that something was clearly on her mind when she came in this morning, and whatever that was hadn't seemed to go away. If anything, it was only distracting her more as the day went on. And James had to admit, he was a little worried.

Though she hadn't been here long, he and Gabby had formed quite a close bond, the two becoming fast friends as they spent their days on shift together. It had been a nice change of pace for him, not only having a friend who understood his work life, but one that understood his home life as well. They had formed an easy friendship during her days here at 126, so seeing her now so clearly not like herself was a little concerning, James clearing his throat before speaking up again, the man making sure to keep his voice low.

"Are uh… are you alright, Dawson?" He questioned, Gabby turning back towards him before nodding quickly.

"Yeah, yeah… I'm good." She responded, knowing the topic weighing on her mind wasn't something she necessarily wanted to get into. "Just a little exhausted, but everything's fine." She assured him, James giving her a nod before going back to his lunch, Gabby's own thoughts moving back to what had been keeping her so occupied all day.

She hadn't been able to stop thinking about it, not since her and Matt's talk the night before last, Gabby's mind having been completely consumed by Caitlyn and what her husband was wanting to do. It's like it had taken over her every thought recently, and while she felt like she was slowly coming around to the idea, she still wasn't completely convinced, Gabby unable to shake the lingering fear and pain she felt whenever the topic of fostering and adoption even came up. But she was trying. Because she knew that Matt had a point.

This wasn't like before. This wasn't like what happened with Louie, and even though them deciding to foster Caitlyn might lead them back down that familiar road that had ended in them losing their son, Gabby knew this particular situation wasn't that. All logic told her that if this was like anything they'd experienced before, it was more so how they'd helped Bria, just as Matt had said. They hadn't been trying to raise Bria, they weren't wanting to be her parents. They were just there when she needed them, and that's what Matt was wanting to do for Caitlyn.

And there was a small part of her that was coming to realize that's what she wanted, too.

But it didn't make her any less scared of getting her heart broken all over again.

* * *

Severide marched his way through the bunk room, two cigars in hand as he headed for his destination, the Lieutenant seeing the man he was looking for hunched over his desk, his head buried in paperwork just as it had been all day.

The second Casey had come into shift this morning, everyone noticed the uneasy feeling that had seemed to be following the Captain around. And that had continued throughout the beginning of shift, Matt having been holed up in his office unless there was a call. Everyone knew something was a little off with him, but even though many different members of 51 had asked him about it throughout the day, he'd given the same answer every time; that he was fine.

But Severide knew there was more to it, and he knew the best way to get it out of him was to take him outside with a few cigars, and let him slowly open up.

When he got to the office, Kelly pulled the door open, the man tapping on the frame as Casey turned towards the noise.

"Hey Sev." He greeted, Kelly giving him a nod. "What's up?"

"Figured you could use this." He replied with a shrug, holding up the cigars in his hands before nodding out of his office.

Huffing out a heavy breath, Matt nodded in agreement before pushing himself up from his chair, the Captain following his friend out of his office and out through the firehouse, neither of them saying a word as they made their way to the garage.

Severide came to a stop at the front of the rig, the garage doors wide open as the warm summer air blew through the apparatus floor, Kelly sitting down on the front bumper of the rig, gesturing for Casey to do the same. The next few minutes went by in silence, Severide lighting both their cigars before they each took a few puffs, neither of them saying a word as they stared out the long driveway, Kelly sparing glances at his friend every few moments.

"So, you wanna tell me what's going on?" Severide finally spoke up, knowing that with as much time that had passed since they got out here, Matt was gonna need a bit of prompting before talking about whatever was weighing down his mind.

"Tina asked Gabby and I to foster a little girl."

Kelly's eyes widened the second he registered Casey's words, the Lieutenant whipping his head towards his friend as his surprise was written across his face.

"Yeah, I was just as shocked as you…" He breathed out.

"I… what?" He stuttered out, Matt simply giving him a nod, knowing Kelly needed a few seconds to gather his thoughts. "Okay, back up… I feel like I'm missing something here. Tina wants you and Dawson to foster a kid?"

"Yeah… Gabby and I went to visit her, and she brought it up then." Matt replied, seeing the expectant look that covered his friend's face, Severide clearly wanting more information. "That little girl I told you she was at the hospital to see, Caitlyn is her name… She's five years old. I guess she's waiting to be adopted, but they're working through a mess of paperwork, and she just keeps getting bounced around from place to place while her adoptive parents get through all the red tape. They had her in a house, one Tina thought would work, but… no one knows the whole story, but Caitlyn ended up either falling, or being pushed, down the stairs."

"Jesus…" Severide breathed out, Matt giving him a knowing look.

"Yeah, it's not good. And Tina's been trying to find somewhere for her, and I guess her seeing us at the hospital… She'd been thinking of us, and wanted to know if it was something Gabby and I would wanna do."

"Is it?" He questioned quickly, his words gaining Casey's attention. "Are you and Dawson gonna do it?"

Without saying a word, Matt shook his head before shrugging slightly, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing as he brought his cigar back up to his lips.

"Why not? Last we talked about it, you were all ready to go and pick a kid to take home." Severide responded, Matt stifling an eye roll as he shook his head. "I mean, unless…" He trailed off, realization covering his face as Casey released a soft sigh. "Dawson."

"Yeah." He replied softly, Matt blowing the smoke out of his mouth before continuing. "We talked about it, I told her how I felt about adoption, how it was something I'd like to consider, but that's not even what this Caitlyn thing is… She wouldn't be ours. But I told her how I wanted to do this, how I'd like to foster Caitlyn until she can be with her family, but Gabby, she… she said she needed time to think about it, but I don't see her coming around to the idea. She seemed pretty against it."

"...Because of Louie?" Kelly asked, Matt pausing for a moment before nodding.

"Yeah, I think so… The Louie thing, that… that destroyed her, and she's terrified of it happening again. She's afraid of getting attached… Of loving a child only for them to be taken away. She's scared, and honestly I don't blame her… Though, I-" He cut himself off, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing as he waited for Matt to finish his thought, but he never did.

"What?" He pressed, Matt bringing his hand up to press against his temple as he released a heavy sigh, the Captain shaking his head slightly.

"There's a part of me that's having a hard time understanding it… Why she's so hesitant." He admitted, confusion flooding Severide's features as Matt continued. "And I don't mean the adoption thing, I completely understand that. Part of me feels the same way she does, about adopting a kid just for something to happen and we could lose them… It's impossible not to think about that after what happened with Louie… But this? We wouldn't be adopting Caitlyn. We know that going into it. And I guess I don't understand why with Louie, and with Bria, she was so eager to jump in and try and help, but now she can't." He breathed out, Severide hearing the frustration and confusion in his tone as Matt roughly shook his head. "But I also know that's not really fair to her… We had no idea what was gonna happen with Louie when she started all this, and Bria… Bria wasn't a little kid. These situations aren't the same… and honestly, Gabby isn't exactly the same either." Matt spoke, a slight frown tugging on Severide's lips as Casey shook his head. "But, uh, yeah- she's just… she's scared. She's gonna think about it, but if she doesn't think this is something she can do, or wants to do, I can't make her. I _won't _make her."

Kelly blew out a heavy breath as Casey finished talking, neither of them saying anything for a few moments as a heavy feeling settled in the air around them, Severide doing what he could to take in all the information he'd just been given while Matt continued puffing on his cigar.

"I, uh- I'm sorry, man." Severide eventually spoke up, Matt shaking his head before shrugging slightly.

"It's okay, it's not a big deal, really… I just- I don't know, I can't even explain why I feel so attached to this idea already, but I do. And I know Gabby doesn't really understand, either, which I can't blame her for… In the past, I know I was always a little hesitant when she'd jump head on into things with kids. I needed time, like she does right now… But, I don't know, ever since Sofia, I just- I can't not help this kid, Sev…"

"You sound like Dawson four years ago." Kelly cut in, Matt chuckling dryly before shaking his head.

"Yeah, I guess I do… We have kind of flipped roles here, but I can't help it. I haven't even met the kid, and I just feel like this is something we need to do… Gabby and I can help her, and I feel like we need to. But I won't force Gabby into it."

Severide gave him another nod, the men falling back into that familiar silence for a few moments as they focused on their cigars, Matt's gaze held forward as he rested his back against the firetruck.

"...Yanno, maybe Dawson will decide she wants to." Severide said after a couple minutes, Matt glancing towards him. "You said she was still thinking about it, maybe she'll end up where you are… I mean, this is Dawson. She loves helping people, kids especially. And maybe once the initial shock of all this has time to wear off, she'll decide she wants to foster Caitlyn."

"Yeah, maybe…" Casey responded, pursing his lips together just as the bells went off, the men listening as all companies were called to a house fire, Matt and Kelly pushing themselves up off the rig before moving to discard of their cigars, the firefighters putting their conversation on hold so they could go and help the citizens of Chicago.

* * *

"Hey, there you are."

Matt spoke gently as he greeted his wife, Gabby stepping into the living room as she'd just gotten home from shift, the woman smiling softly as she saw her husband sitting on the floor with their baby while she was crawling around.

"I was gonna call you here soon, I wasn't sure where you were." He continued, Gabby's eyes moving towards the clock on the wall, seeing it was nearly an hour after they both had gotten off shift from their houses.

"Yeah, sorry about that… I didn't realize how late it was." She murmured, Gabby placing her bag down on the ground before walking towards her family and sitting down on the coffee table, Matt looking up at her with a soft grin resting over his face.

"It's fine, I wasn't sure if maybe you'd gotten stuck out on a call, but I'm glad you're home… Sof and I missed you." He told her, Gabby unable to fight off the smile that formed over her face.

"I missed you guys, too." She replied, Matt giving her a nod before looking back down to their baby, the father needing to make sure she wasn't getting into anything she shouldn't.

"So, was it a call?" He questioned, Gabby raising her eyebrows as he quickly glanced towards her again. "You guys get caught up at the hospital or something?"

"Oh, no, uh- I got off shift on time." She replied, her answer piquing his interest as he waited for her to elaborate. "I was here, actually… I was out in my car on the phone… With Tina."

She saw a rush of different emotions flood his features, Matt sighing softly before shaking his head. "Baby…"

"I asked her more about what this would all be." She continued before he could, Matt meeting her eyes as Gabby placed her clasped hands down in her lap. "I had questions, and since I wasn't really in the right mindset to ask her all this stuff the other day, I decided to call her." She breathed out, Matt hanging on her every word as her tongue poked out between her teeth, Gabby wetting her lips before continuing. "I, uh… I spent all day yesterday thinking about this… About what this would mean for us, and for Sof, and how it would change things, at least for a little while… But I also thought about what this could do for us, how you said this could help us." She told him, Matt's head tilting to the side slightly. "I'm still a little scared, I can't lie and say I'm not, but this isn't the same thing as with Louie. And I don't know how I feel about adoption yet… if that's something I could do later on, but this… you might be right, I think it could be good for us to at least see."

Matt paused for a moment after she finished, the man needing a second to process what she was saying, before he shook his head slightly, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing as she waited for him to respond.

"Gabby, I don't want you doing this for me." He spoke softly, her face softening slightly. "Back when you told me I shouldn't decide to try and foster Louie for the wrong reasons, I don't want you doing that now… For however long she'd be with us, I don't want to do this if it's not what you want. You don't need to do this for me, I promise-"

"I'm doing it for us." She cut in, Matt closing his mouth before taking a slow, deep breath. "I've thought a lot about this, and everything you said, about what this could do for us, and for Caitlyn… you were right. We can help her, and we should help her…" She continued, a bright smile forming over her husband's face as she leaned forward slightly, her eyes bouncing between Matt and Sofia before she spoke up again.

"So I guess what I'm saying is, I'm in."


	93. Chapter Ninety Three

**Hello everyone! Hope you all are doing well, and staying safe. Here's the next chapter for you all, thank you for all the feedback on the last one, I hope you enjoy this one as well. Thanks so much for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Three**_

* * *

Gabby ran her clammy palms over her jeans as they sat in the office, her leg bouncing up and down nervously as her gaze focused on her lap, the woman gnawing on her bottom lip while they waited. Casey was sitting by her side, the man's eyes on Sofia as she crawled around on the ground, the baby testing her boundaries, as she so often did, while she explored her new surroundings. They'd been here for a little over twenty minutes, the family being ushered into the intimate room before they were told Tina would be here shortly, the older woman leaving them on their own while they waited. And in that short time span, their daughter had been all over the place, the restless baby not content with being held by either of her parents, little Sofia fussing until she was placed on the ground and free to roam around.

But as the minutes drug on, Matt couldn't help but notice his wife's nervous energy, the man tearing his eyes away from his daughter and moving towards her every few moments. She'd been like this most of the morning, but as soon as they'd gotten to DCFS, it had become more noticeable, Matt knowing she'd probably be feeling like this until Tina got here.

It had been three days since they agreed to try and foster Caitlyn, since Gabby had come home and told him she was in, and things had definitely been a little crazy since then. At first, Matt was a little unsure, the couple having spoken at length about this, Casey needing to know she wasn't just doing this for him. He needed to be sure this is what she wanted, too. But after they'd spoken about it all throughout the day, and slept on it, when they woke up the next morning still feeling that same desire to help this child, they knew they were in.

And that's how they found themselves here, Matt and Gabby sitting as patiently as they could while they waited to meet Caitlyn.

While Matt felt some lingering nerves, the man more excited than anything to meet this little girl, Gabby was definitely more anxious than he would've liked. But he'd expected it, if he were being honest. He knew, despite how this was something she wanted to do, there was bound to be some hesitation on her part. After all they've been through, he knew there was still a part of her that was worried about bringing a child that wouldn't be theirs into their home, but he believed her when she told him this is what she wanted. That she wanted to do this for them, and this little girl. And he was sure once they actually met Caitlyn, some of those nerves would fade away.

"You good?" Casey asked after a few moments, Gabby snapping her eyes towards him, finding the gentle gaze of her husband on her, his soft smile calming her down considerably as she gave him a slight nod.

"Yeah, I'm good." She repeated, Matt reaching out to give her thigh a reassuring squeeze before he nodded. "Just a little nervous, I guess… But excited."

"Me too." He replied, squeezing her leg once more before he turned the other way to look towards Sofia, seeing his daughter was getting awfully close to the outlet on the wall, Matt moving quickly up out of his seat before she got any ideas. "Alright Sof, it's time to come back with Daddy." He spoke as he came up behind her, the baby having released a slight squeal of amusement when she was picked up off the ground, Gabby unable to stop the smile growing over her face as she watched her husband bounce their rambunctious daughter in his arms. Sofia was lightly smacking his face while he walked them back towards the table, Gabby placing her hand on the arm of his chair before he sat down, wanting to make sure it didn't move on him while he had their daughter in his arms.

Just as he'd gotten settled in his seat, with their baby chewing on her fist while she sat in his lap, the door opened, Matt and Gabby both immediately looking towards the sound as they saw Tina come into view, a little girl nearly glued to her side as they stepped in through the doorway.

The second they saw her, soft smiles covered both Matt and Gabby's faces, the clearly unsure child looking around quickly before her eyes landed on the couple, Caitlyn taking a step closer to Tina as the little girl held onto her hand tightly.

"Caitlyn… These are the people I was telling you about." Tina spoke softly before leading her further into the room, Gabby and Matt both standing up slowly before making their way around the table towards her, Caitlyn's eyes bouncing back and forth between them as they stopped a few steps short of her, neither one of them wanting to overcrowd her. "This is Gabby, and this is Matt… And this is their daughter, Sofia." She introduced, Caitlyn nestled into Tina's side as she continued looking at them, her nervous eyes locking on Gabby.

The second she caught her gaze, Gabby flashed her a warm smile, her instincts kicking in as she just wanted to do whatever she could to make the clearly anxious girl be more at ease, the mother taking a moment to look her over.

She was a small girl, Caitlyn looking to be pretty little for her age, her blonde hair falling just below her shoulders, partially covering the stuffed animal that was clutched to her chest, her deep brown eyes, that looked an awful lot like Gabby's, still locked on the older woman.

"Hi Caitlyn." Matt spoke up, his voice causing the little girl to look away from Gabby and towards him, the parents seeing her step away from Tina slightly, despite keeping the tight grip on the woman's hand. It wasn't much, but it was a little bit of progress, seeing that she was slowly feeling a little more comfortable around them.

"Hi." She spoke quietly, Gabby glancing at Matt for a moment before slowly taking a step forward, Caitlyn watching her curiously as Gabby crouched down to be eye level with the young girl.

"Who do you have there?" Gabby asked warmly, Caitlyn looking back and forth between Gabby and Matt before looking down towards her stuffed animal, the worn down teddy bear smushed against her body as she held onto it for dear life.

"Mr. Sparkles." She answered shyly, Gabby smiling softly at the name before giving her a nod.

"Well, it's nice to meet both of you." She replied, a small grin pulling on the little girl's lips as Gabby spoke to her and her stuffed animal, Caitlyn taking another step away from Tina towards her.

"You too." She replied, Gabby nodding before Caitlyn looked back towards Matt, her eyes focusing on the little girl in his arms, Sofia still oblivious to the other people in the room. "You have a baby?"

"We do." Gabby responded before waving Matt closer, the man stepping towards them and carefully squatting down as well, adjusting Sofia on his hip as the baby looked around, her wide eyes landing on Caitlyn. The second she saw the other smaller person, Sofia immediately began to bounce in her dad's arms, loud noises of excitement escaping her lips as she looked at Caitlyn, the older girl's smile widening.

"She likes me." Caitlyn spoke proudly, her bright eyes shining back and forth between Matt and Gabby, the latter feeling her heart pull in her chest at how happy Caitlyn was.

"Yeah, she does." Matt agreed, Gabby biting down on the inside of her bottom lip before nodding. "I think you two are gonna be great friends." He continued, Caitlyn's smile only growing before she stepped away from Tina completely, dropping the older woman's hand before coming to a stop in front of Matt. The second she was within reach, Sofia tried grabbing her, Caitlyn laughing loudly as the baby pulled on her arm.

"She's so cute." Caitlyn said with a laugh, both girls giggling as Sofia held onto her hand, the baby nearly shrieking from excitement as Caitlyn took a step closer to Matt, her eyes focused on Sofia. "Her name is So…. So-" Her eyebrows furrowed together in question, little Caitlyn clearly trying to remember their daughter's name.

"Sofia." Matt supplemented, Caitlyn's smile falling slightly before her head turned to the ground.

"Sorry… I forgot." Her soft voice was muffled by the teddy bear she'd all but buried her head into, Gabby and Matt sharing a knowing look before turning their attention back towards Caitlyn. While they couldn't be sure, her immediate shift in demeanor had them both thinking the same thing; that Caitlyn was waiting to get in trouble. That something as simple as her unable to remember the name of someone she'd just met would've been cause for her to be disciplined, and that broke their hearts.

Drawing in a deep breath, Dawson slowly reached out to place her hand on the girl's shoulder, Caitlyn cautiously looking back up towards them, her eyes moving between the two, seeing nothing but warm, reassuring smiles looking back at her.

"It's okay, you don't need to be sorry." Matt assured her, Gabby rubbing her hand along her arm in a comforting motion, their assurance slowly allowing Caitlyn to open back up again, the parents seeing a slight smile tugging on her lips before she nodded.

"I won't forget again! Promise!" She said excitedly, like she'd completely forgotten her worries from a few moments, Gabby sliding her hand around to rub the girl's back, Caitlyn's grin growing as she looked back at the baby. "Hi Sofia!" She spoke, her voice louder than it had been before while she grabbed ahold of the little girl's hand, Sofia's energy levels rising as this new, unfamiliar person paid attention to her. "Miss Tina said your Mommy and Daddy are gonna take me!"

"Caitlyn, honey, remember I just said they wanted to meet you." Tina tried, but Matt immediately shook his head, telling her it was fine, the woman nodding before taking a few steps back, wanting to give Caitlyn space to get acclimated to the family she might be spending a few weeks with.

"We could be best friends!" Caitlyn continued on brightly, the little girl looking from Sofia down towards her stuffed animal, before back to the baby, her eyes lighting up before she held out the toy. "We can play with Mr. Sparkles! I'm a great sharer." She said the second part to Gabby and Matt, her deep brown eyes bouncing between them as Sofia grabbed onto the stuffed animal, Caitlyn willingly handing it over.

"I think she'd love that, thank you, sweetheart." Gabby replied, both her and Matt seeing the pleased smile on her face. "That was very nice of you."

Caitlyn gave her a nod before returning her gaze to Sofia, Matt and Gabby glancing at each other while the two little girls were distracted, their eyes telling them both more than words ever could.

"Can we play?" Caitlyn's small voice gained their attention, the parents turning to find the little girl watching them with a hopeful look. "Are you leaving?"

"No, we're not leaving yet honey." Gabby replied almost instantly, seeing the look of happiness that flooded the girl's features, Dawson rubbing over her back. "Matt and I, and Sofia, we wanna stay here with you for a little while. We can play with you, and I know Sof would love it." She added, Caitlyn nodding excitedly before she reached for Gabby's hand, Dawson having to quickly stand up before she got pulled down to the ground, the little girl leading her back to the table while Matt followed close behind.

Over the next hour, Matt and Gabby spent as much time as they could getting to know Caitlyn, the parents a little surprised by just how lively she could be when she felt comfortable. It was a complete shift from the timid girl that had first walked into the office, Caitlyn spending most of the time chatting away, her five year old speech sometimes a little hard to follow, that disconnect not helped by the slight lisp she spoke with, but they were picking it up rather quickly. And the more time they spent with her, the more both of them became more and more enamored by the young girl, Caitlyn completely winning both of them over as they learned more about her. Though she had moments of shyness, and times where she was afraid she'd done something wrong and would freeze up for a moment, overall she seemed to be a happy and decently well-adjusted kid. A kid their little Sofia had absolutely fallen in love with in the short amount of time they'd spent together, which definitely helped both Gabby and Matt feel more at ease about the entire situation. It had gone better than they could've ever imagined or hoped for, and it just felt right.

And before they even realized it, it was time for them to leave, the parents telling the little girl goodbye before she was reluctantly taken by one of the other DCFS workers, Caitlyn clearly not wanting to leave them after they'd had such a great time, the sight of her apparent hesitance to go tugging at both Matt and Gabby's hearts as Tina came up to them.

"So… How do you think it went?" She asked from the other side of the table, Gabby pursing her lips together before drawing in a deep breath, her mind still focused on the look of what seemed to be worry on Caitlyn's face before she left the room. Like she was worried she wouldn't see them again, or worried about going back to the group home she was currently staying at; Gabby wasn't sure which one, but neither option sat well with her.

"I think it went great." Matt spoke up after clearing his throat, the man also a little thrown by Caitlyn's reluctance to leave. "She's an amazing little girl."

"She is." Tina echoed, her eyes moving towards Gabby, pausing on the quiet woman for a moment before she spoke up. "I mean, you saw her, she's so loving, and sweet. She just hasn't had the best luck finding a safe place to go while we wait for her to go be with her family… Because that's all she needs, is somewhere safe, with people who will take care of her. With people who she trusts. And, from what I can tell, she trusts you." She continued, Gabby and Matt sharing a quick look. "But I just need to know where you're at. Like I've told you, there's no pressure here. I know you have your own family to think of, this is entirely up to you… But if this is something you all want to do, I can get started on the paperwork today."

Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby never took her eyes off Matt, the two silently communicating as she gave him a slight nod, the smile across his face widening as he used his free hand that wasn't holding Sofia to reach out for hers.

"We're doing this?" He questioned softly, Gabby's smile growing before she gave him a strong nod, squeezing his palm tightly in hers as their fingers laced together.

"We're doing this."

* * *

Gabby moved around the living room, navigating her way through the multiple stacks of boxes piled high all through their apartment, the mother sparing a quick glance to her daughter that was sitting in her walker in front of the TV, the baby slowly moving herself back and forth across the small space as she played with the toys in front of her, Dawson getting the reassurance she needed that her daughter was preoccupied before she went into the bedroom for a quick moment. Knowing she was kind of on a tight schedule, Gabby was doing her best to get everything done before her husband got home, the mother knowing today was going to be one long and tedious day, but one she was excited for nonetheless.

It had been a few days since their visit to go meet Caitlyn, since they decided to foster the young girl for however long she needed a place to live, and to say things had been hectic since then would be putting it lightly. Not only had they been busy with work, Gabby's varying schedule through headquarters becoming more of a pain that she was anticipating, but with the move, and needing to get things ready for Caitlyn, they had a lot on their plates, which hadn't left much time for them to slow down. They obviously had a lot they were trying to manage, and, on top of that, it wasn't just them they had to take into consideration, either.

After they'd decided for sure they were going to be taking in Caitlyn, one of the first things they did was talk to Becca. They had spoken with their nanny, and told her the situation. That Caitlyn would be coming into their home and, obviously, her care would fall under Becca's supervision as well when Gabby and Matt were working. The parents had made it clear that there were no hard feelings if this wasn't something Becca wanted to take on, that if looking after another child was too much, especially one that was older, and they'd completely understand if she didn't feel like she could take on that responsibility. But thankfully, the woman was completely on board, which had been a huge relief to them.

Not only did they not want to have to scramble to find a new nanny, more than that, they didn't want to lose Becca. She felt like such a huge part of their family, she was their family, and they didn't want to lose that. Not when she meant so much to them, and their daughter especially. Sofia absolutely adored her nanny, they had such a close and unbreakable bond, and Gabby knew it would've been hard on all of them if they were to go their separate ways. But luckily, Becca was more than happy to take over care for both of the children the days they were working. And knowing that their nanny wasn't going anywhere had definitely been a weight off their shoulders, especially with everything else they had to worry about.

Though they were excited to be taking in this little girl, and giving her a safe and comfortable place to live for the time being, there was so much that went into this. There was a lot of preparation they had to do, and not a lot of time to do it, especially with moving into their new home.

While over the last couple of days they'd gotten a lot of essentials for Caitlyn, like a bed, a booster seat, and everyday things she'd need, there was still plenty more than needed to be done. Especially because all they wanted was for her to feel comfortable with them. But they'd never done this before- raised a five year old girl, and they were kind of flying blind. Though their experience with Louie was a little helpful for them now, those two situations weren't the same, and Gabby and Matt both had pretty much come to accept there was going to be a learning curve they'd have to navigate by bringing Caitlyn into their home.

But they were more than ready for it, the couple feeling even more secure in their decision that this was the right thing for them. After meeting her, and getting to spend that time with Caitlyn, albeit fleeting, they felt completely sure that this was something they were supposed to do. Even with Gabby's fears, after spending five minutes with that girl, she had no doubt in her mind that this was the right move for them.

The sound of their back door closing pulled Gabby from her thoughts, the woman glancing towards the clock as she heard what she assumed to be her husband getting home, Dawson cursing under her breath as she realized she was more behind schedule than she thought. Releasing a soft sigh, Gabby picked up one of the many boxers littering their bare bedroom before she walked out into the apartment, her eyes immediately finding Matt over by their baby.

Sofia had managed to get her walker in between the coffee table and the couch, the baby bouncing up and down in the seat while Matt stood in front of her, her energetic demeanor putting a smile on Gabby's face as she moved to put the box of clothes down on the kitchen table before walking back towards the living room.

"Yeah Sof, good job baby girl." Matt boasted as Sofia continued to inch herself forward, the young girl trying to get to her dad as she continued slowly moving towards him. Though assisted, they were still proud of her any time she walked at all, Matt and Gabby both knowing Sofia was one determined little girl. At nearly eleven months old, she wasn't quite able to walk on her own just yet, but she was getting closer every day. It felt as if any day now, she'd take her first unassisted steps, but she wasn't quite there yet. "Hey babe." Matt greeted when he saw his wife standing a few feet from him, Gabby flashing him a smile before continuing her path towards her husband, her head cocked to the side expectantly as she stopped short of him.

"...So?" She asked with a gleam in her eye, Matt's grin widening as he turned to face her, the man fishing around in his pockets before holding up what Gabby had been waiting for, her smile beaming when she saw the keys in his hand.

"It's ours." He replied, Gabby unable to contain her excitement as he jiggled the key ring resting around his finger. "I've got the keys to our townhouse... We've got our home, baby."

Before she said a word, Gabby quickly closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms around his neck as she hugged him tightly, Matt reciprocating the gesture as he wrapped his arms around her back, the man lifting her up off the ground as she held onto him.

"Oh my God…" She breathed out, nearly in disbelief at the fact they finally had their home.

Though their official closing day was still a few days out, after a lot of discussion between the couple, they knew the best course of action was to at least try and see if they'd be able to move in any earlier, for Caitlyn's sake. Not only was there no bedroom for her here, the last thing they wanted to do was bring her into their home, and then make her up and move days later. So they'd quickly realized that, if at all possible, they needed to get into their home a few days early. And after some conversations with the realtor and the owner of the building, Matt having explained the situation to them as clearly as he could, the older man agreed without hesitation to let them move in a few days early, which is where Matt had gone off to this morning while Gabby stayed back to continue packing up the apartment.

But even though they now had the keys, their entire apartment was packed up, and they would soon begin moving their things in, it still didn't feel real. There was a part of this that didn't feel like it was actually happening, Matt squeezing her back back putting her back down on the ground, Gabby stroking her fingers along his hairline as she slowly pulled away from him just enough to meet his eyes.

"We have our home." She murmured, Matt grinning from ear to ear as he nodded, his hands sliding down to her waist.

"We do." He responded, the man leaning forward and capturing her lips in a heavy kiss, the stress of this entire process melting away now that they were able to move into their home. When air became a priority, the two pulled back, Matt's smile widening when he saw the complete look of contentment on her face, Gabby's eyes staying closed for a few extra moments before she slowly opened them.

"God, baby, that makes me so happy." She breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement before he gave her another, much tamer, kiss.

"Me too." He agreed, his words soft before he gave her one last quick kiss, the two only connected for a few seconds before they completely separated, both of them knowing they were a little pressed for time this morning. "But what I'm not so happy about is getting this entire apartment moved to our new house today." He huffed out as he sat down on the couch, Matt's leg resting up against the side of Sofia's walker, the father reaching his hand out to run through his daughter's curly hair.

"Yeah, it is gonna be a little rough." She agreed, a slight wince covering her face as she knew the sheer amount of things they had packed up in this apartment, not including all the bigger furniture they needed to move. "But we don't really have a choice… With work tomorrow, then we're getting Caitlyn the next day… We're running out of time." She reminded him, Matt giving her a knowing nod as he stroked his thumb along the side of Sofia's head, the baby now occupied by the toys in front of her.

"I know, that still doesn't make it any more fun, though." He replied with a grin, Gabby narrowing her eyes playfully before shaking her head. "But I talked to Severide, he's gonna be here in about two hours, so we can go get the moving van… Then we're gonna stop by his place and get our old bed, before we come back here to get as much as we can." He told her, even though they had this same conversation last night, Casey wanting to make sure they were both still on the same page.

"Sounds good… Jemma is coming by here in a bit, and I know Becca said she could come for a little later this afternoon to help us with Sofia." Gabby added, Matt rubbing his hand over Sofia's head one last time before pulling back. "And didn't you say some of the guys would be coming to help, too?"

"Yeah, they are. I need to call Herrmann, but they said just to let them know what time to be here, and they'd at least help with getting all the boxes and everything… I figured we'd owe them all some pizzas and beer when this is done." He responded with a chuckle, Gabby nodding in agreement. "And, uh- just so I know, are we telling them about Caitlyn today?"

Gabby drew in a deep breath at the question, the woman furrowing her eyebrows as she crossed her arms over her chest, thinking over his words for a few moments. Though it had been a few days since they'd known for sure they would be fostering Caitlyn, they hadn't really found the time to tell anyone. Aside from Matt telling Severide, and Gabby telling Jemma, no one else knew. It wasn't intentional, but Gabby had wanted to tell everyone together. She wanted the firehouse to know all at once, but since she had been working across town their last shift and wasn't at 51, they weren't able to tell them all then. And they hadn't really found a moment to since.

"I'd rather just wait and let them all know at the same time…" She replied, Matt giving her a nod in agreement. "We do need to tell my dad, and Antonio, at some point today, but everyone else, I'd prefer to wait… Since I'm gonna be at 51 tomorrow anyway, we can just tell them all then."

Thankfully, tomorrow was one of Gabby's rare days where she wasn't tasked to be working at another house somewhere in the city, the paramedic working her usual shift at 51. They hadn't planned it that way, the couple just lucky enough that the timing had worked out as well as it did, Gabby glad she'd be with Matt the day before they'd be bringing Caitlyn home.

"Sounds good… And since Caitlyn's bed isn't being delivered until tomorrow, it's not even like that'll raise any questions." He responded with a soft smile, Gabby reciprocating the gesture as he pushed himself up from the couch, the man walking back towards her, taking in the stacks of boxes around the room as he went. "Okay, so, let's talk about a game plan for this morning… I know we still have a few more things to pack up, but we've got some time before anyone gets here. What do you think about us taking a few boxes over to the townhouse…" He suggested, watching her face light up as she raised her eyebrows. "Give us a chance to see our home with just us… before it's filled with all our friends, and way too many boxes." He finished with a chuckle, Gabby immediately nodding in response.

"I'd love to, yeah." She replied, Matt rubbing his hand along her arm before pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head as he walked past her.

"Alright… I'll start getting some boxes in the trunk, if you wanna get Sof ready?" He propositioned, Gabby nodding in agreement before they went their separate ways.

It took them about an hour to get out of their apartment and to their new home, the action a little foreign to them as they pulled into the cobblestone driveway and up to their garage, Gabby watching as he pulled the garage door opener out from his pocket before he clicked it, the man waiting until it had opened completely before he pulled in.

"I could definitely get used to this." She murmured, Matt chuckling softly before he gave her a nod in agreement, Casey putting her car in park and turning it off before he began to unbuckle.

"Yeah, I definitely think the garage is one of my favorite things about this place, and I won't even be the one using it." He replied lightly, Gabby shaking her head before they got out of the car. "I'll come back and get the boxes in a bit, I just wanna go in first." He told her as he moved towards the rear passenger side door, Gabby nodding as she took the keys from him before he got their nearly asleep baby from the car, Casey opting to just leave her in her carseat as he pulled it out of the backseat.

With the handle to her car seat securely in his grasp, he followed Gabby towards the door into their home, the woman stopping to hit the button to put the garage door back down before she put the key into the lock and turned it, Gabby slowly pushing the door open.

Neither of them were exactly sure how they'd feel stepping into their home for the first time, the couple looking around the space that looked exactly the same as it did last time. Nothing had changed since they'd done their second walk through, the completely empty home ready for them to put their personalized touches everywhere. But something about it felt different, they felt different, because this was theirs.

This was their home. Together.

This was the home they'd grow into, the home they'd possibly be in for the rest of their lives, or at least for a very long time. The home Sofia would grow up in. Where she'd take her first steps, where she'd say her first words. Where she'd become the incredible young woman they knew she'd be. This was their place, and the warmth they felt walking in for the first time was a feeling they didn't know how to describe, the couple looking around the open space before their eyes landed on each other.

Drawing in a slow, content breath, Matt reached his free hand out towards his wife, wrapping his arm around her waist to pull her closer, Gabby's hand coming to rest against his chest as he tucked her into his side, their wide smiles infectious as the joy they were feeling radiated off of them.

"...Welcome home, baby." He murmured, Gabby's smile widening before she leaned forward, pressing her lips against his in a deep, passionate kiss, the two wanting to enjoy this important moment in their new home while they had the chance.

* * *

"So… how are you feeling about your new home, mija?"

Ramon's voice filled the air as they sat around the table, Gabby and Matt accompanied by her father, her brother, Severide, and Jemma as they enjoyed some much needed dinner after a long day of moving. It was past eight in the evening, the small group just now getting around to winding down after they spent the entirety of their day helping the Casey's settle into their home, or settle in as much as they possibly could with the limited time they had. And, if you were to ask Gabby, things had gone better than she could've ever hoped for.

With the help of the people here with her now, as well as nearly everyone from 51 popping in and out throughout the day to help with what they could, they'd managed to get everything moved out of their old apartment and into their new home. Though there were boxes everywhere, and the couple knew it would probably take a few weeks before they'd be completely moved in, they'd managed to get a lot done.

All of their furniture had been moved in and put where it belonged, or at least where it'd be staying until they could get new things. The couch and chairs from their old living room were currently sitting in their new one, Gabby deciding to leave those there, even though they were a little too small for the space, until they were able to find new furniture they loved. Their old kitchen table was placed nicely in the space between the living room and the kitchen, the piece of sturdy furniture fitting perfectly in their new home. And they'd also managed to get the bed in the guest room set up, which would be Becca's room, as well as the furniture in their master. But the most important thing they wanted to get done today was Sofia's nursery, Gabby insisting that be the first room they get set up before moving onto any others.

And luckily, they'd gotten it done rather quickly. Between Antonio, Severide, and Matt, they'd gotten her crib upstairs, along with the glider and her dresser, the room set up similarly to how it had been at the old apartment, both parents wanting their daughter to feel as comfortable as possible. Which, considering she'd been asleep for the better part of an hour in her new bedroom, the baby not having awoken once since she went down, they could only assume she didn't know things were any different before she went to bed.

"I love it." She replied brightly, Ramon flashing her a warm smile before taking another bite of his food, Gabby sparing a quick glance at her husband before continuing. "I know it'll take us some time to get fully moved in, we still have a lot of things to get… And it is a little weird, not being in the apartment anymore, but I love it here. It feels like home."

"I'm thrilled for you, Gabriela… For all of you. When you called yesterday and told me you were moving in a few days before you thought, I was a little surprised, but I'm just glad you're all settled… At least enough to live here. This place is absolutely wonderful." He told her, Gabby's grin widening as she felt Matt's hand rubbing along her back lightly, the man leaning back in his chair.

"Yeah, it's a great place… I think we're gonna be really happy here." She responded, her father agreeing with a nod and a wide smile. "And we really appreciate you all dropping everything to come and help us today. I know it was very last minute, but we couldn't have gotten this done without you all. You really saved us today." She spoke, finishing her sentence with a light chuckle as she earned a few nods from around the table.

"Of course sis, we're all happy to help… Well, everyone except maybe Severide." Antonio joked, his teasing causing them all to laugh at the expense of the Lieutenant, Kelly's near constant complaining having been a focal point of their discussions all throughout the day.

"You all are hilarious." Severide replied dryly, his feigned annoyance causing a few of them to laugh some more. "But if I seem to remember correctly, I'm the one who ended up carrying most of the heavy stuff. And plus I got here first this morning, I was helping move stuff long before you all got here, so yeah, I earned the right to complain a little."

"You could've taken a nap or something, Sev." Matt spoke up, Gabby biting back a grin as she looked towards him. "When we put Sofia down for hers this afternoon, you should've joined her." He joked, Kelly narrowing his eyes towards his friend.

"We appreciate your help, Severide." Gabby cut in before Kelly could say anything, knowing him and Matt would go back and forth all night if she let them. "We appreciate _all_ your help… With everything going on, getting moved in was something Matt and I were a little stressed about."

"Yeah, moving usually is pretty stressful, but the hardest of it's done." Ramon encouraged, Gabby giving him a nod as she felt Matt begin to scratch her back. "And you all have had a lot going on regardless, with the new job the CFD has you doing, Gabriela… But I'm just glad we were able to get everything here today."

"Me too." She replied lightly, her eyes quickly finding those of her husband, both well aware there was something the two older Dawson's in the room needed to know.

It was something she'd been desperate to tell them all day, Gabby feeling some nerves mixed with excitement bubbling up in her stomach every time she thought of telling her family, but they hadn't found a good moment so far to do so. Either she couldn't get them together at the same time, or there were people from 51 around whenever they were both in the room. And, aside from all that, this wasn't something she really wanted to tell them in passing, anyway. This was something she wanted them to know in person, when she had their complete attention.

And now seemed as good of a moment as any.

"And, uh, speaking of stuff we have going on… while you both are here," she started, her words gaining the attention of her brother and father, the men looking at one another before focusing in on Gabby. "There's actually something Matt and I wanna talk to you about, or I guess something we wanna tell you." She prefaced, catching Kelly and Jemma share a knowing look across the table, their two best friends realizing there were about to be more people who knew of the temporary addition coming to the Casey family.

"Is everything alright?" Antonio asked first, Gabby immediately nodding in response before she leaned back into Matt's touch.

"Everything's fine… Great even. We've just got some news." She continued, seeing a surprised look cover her dad's face before he broke out into a smile, Gabby realizing what he must've thought before she could even say anything.

"Oh, mija, are you telling us that you're-"

"No." She cut him off immediately, Matt biting back a laugh as he saw how flustered his wife was getting. "I'm not- we're not pregnant." She was quick to clarify, Severide and Jemma both trying to hide their smiles as Ramon gave her a nod, his excitement that had already started to build around the idea slowly fading, the father waiting for his daughter to continue. "It's not that… but, uh, Matt and I, we're gonna be fostering a child."

Gabby saw the immediate looks of shock that covered her dad's and her brother's faces, both men obviously stunned as they took in the information. It was clear they were surprised, that they hadn't been expecting this news at all, and she couldn't say she blamed them.

"This all kinda… it happened really fast." She continued when they had yet to say anything, Matt rubbing slow circles over her shoulder. "But her name is Caitlyn, she's five years old. And she needs some help for a little bit, so she's going to come live here…"

Ramon gave a slow nod, Gabby seeing the clear apprehension on his face, his look mirrored similarly by Antonio's, the topic clearly making them a little uneasy.

"I… I didn't realize you two were looking into adoption, after everything before." Ramon spoke carefully, Matt shaking his head.

"We haven't really decided what we're doing to have another kid, but that's not what this is. Caitlyn already has a family lined up to take her, but there's been some hold ups, and this girl keeps getting bounced around. And she's been in some not great homes, so Gabby and I decided we'd foster her while DCFS gets the paperwork in order." Casey explained, Antonio nodding slowly as he digested the information. "She'll only be with us for a few weeks."

"When will she be here?" Her older brother asked.

"We're going to get her the day after tomorrow, when Matt and I get off shift…" She told him, seeing a look of understanding flash in Antonio's eyes.

"So that's why you two moved in earlier than planned…"

"Yeah." She responded, placing her hands down in her lap. "We didn't want to be moving everything when we had Caitlyn… We just want to be able to bring her to one place, and let her get comfortable here." Gabby spoke softly. "But we met her a few days ago, had her spend some time with Sofia… She's an amazing little girl. One of the sweetest children I've ever met in my life."

"She's great." Casey echoed, catching the knowing smile that covered Severide's face. "She's a little shy at first, which is understandable… But once she got comfortable around us, she just talked and talked and talked." He told them with a laugh. "She's definitely an animated kid, that's for sure."

As Matt finished speaking, there was a light silence that had filled the air around them, no one saying anything for a few moments as the Dawson's took in this information. Gabby and Matt both knew it was a shock to the system- that's exactly how they'd felt when Tina asked them, but Casey was sure once that surprise wore off, they'd be excited for them.

"So you'll only have her for a little while?" Ramon searched for clarification, the youngest Dawson giving him a nod.

"Mhmm… Just for a few weeks, maybe a month, depending on how long the paperwork takes. But it's just temporary."

"And this is something you want?" Ramon asked nearly as soon as she'd finished, Gabby furrowing her eyebrows slightly. "The both of you, you've talked about this, and you both want to do this?" He questioned, Matt nodding before the man even finished his sentence, but Gabby was the one to speak up first.

"We do." She confirmed, knowing her dad was just looking out for her. "We talked a lot about it, and, admittedly, I wasn't completely sure at first, but after thinking about it, and then meeting her… I know this is the right thing for us to do." Her voice was strong, leaving no room for any of them to doubt her words as Ramon gave a slow nod.

"Okay mija… I just needed to ask. This… I wasn't expecting this at all. But I do think it's a great thing you're doing here." He told them, Gabby's body relaxing as her father smiled softly. "This girl, Caitlyn… she couldn't find any two people better suited to take care of her."

"Thank you, Papa." Gabby murmured, Matt nodding in agreement.

"Thanks Ramon." The husband added, Gabby feeling like a weight had been lifted off of her now that her dad and brother knew of the newest addition to their family, albeit temporary. "We can't wait for you to meet her." Matt said, his words earning another nod from his father-in-law, the man looking back and forth between his daughter and her husband before fixating on Casey, the small smile on his face being reciprocated by the couple.

"I can't wait to meet her, either."

* * *

Casey pulled up to the curb outside of DCFS, the man putting Gabby's car in park as they were less than a block away from the building, nerves flooding both their bodies as he killed the engine. Today was the day, today Caitlyn was officially being placed in their care. And to say Matt and Gabby were feeling excited would've been an understatement.

Since they'd made the decision to foster her, it was like every time they thought about it, they became more and more excited by the idea. And now that they day was finally here, they were beyond ready to have her come into their home for however long she needed.

They'd just about done all they could do to get ready for her to live with them, Matt and Gabby having made it a priority to have as much ready for her as they could in the short amount of time they had to prepare for this, and anything they hadn't been able to get done, they knew they'd just figure it out along the way. The couple had gotten all they could think of that she might need, they'd told everyone who needed to know about what they were doing, Matt and Gabby having spoken to the house about it at the beginning of shift yesterday. And, by the many hugs and reassurances of how they were doing a wonderful thing for little Caitlyn, they knew the conversation had gone well.

But now that everyone knew, and they'd gotten the young girl as many essentials as they could think of, all that was left for them to do was to actually come and get her, which is what they were doing right now.

"Well… Are you ready?" Casey asked after he released a deep breath, Gabby giving him a nod before they began getting out of the car, Matt jogging around to the sidewalk to meet up with his wife. The couple was baby-less this afternoon, Gabby having arranged with Becca to stay a little longer today, so she could watch Sofia while they got Caitlyn, the parents figuring it best to have some one on one time with the little girl before bringing her home.

With their hands clasped together, the husband and wife walked the familiar path towards the building, the feet taking them directly towards Tina's office as they had so many times in the past. When they got to the correct floor, they were sent directly to the office, both of them knowing how this process worked, Gabby and Matt remembering how there were a few clerical things that would have to be taken care of before they could leave.

But before they knew it, they'd gotten everything completed that they needed to in order to have temporary care of Caitlyn, Tina leading the anxious parents out of her office and towards the conference room where they'd met the young girl days prior, Matt seeing her first as they stepped inside.

She was oblivious to their presence at first, the little girl working with determination as she colored the picture in front of her, her tongue poking out between her teeth as she moved her hand wildly across the page, the social worker beside Caitlyn seeing them before she did.

"Caitlyn." Tina called, it taking a second for the girl to register her name being called, Caitlyn dropping her colored pencil before she looked up. The moment she saw who was here, a shy smile covered her face, the young child scooting herself down off her seat before reaching for her stuffed teddy bear she'd had sitting in the seat beside her.

"You came back..." Caitlyn spoke as she got closer to them, the social worker that had been in here with her carrying a small backpack as she followed behind the young girl, Matt assuming those to be the only belongings Caitlyn had.

"Yeah, we did." Gabby replied, Caitlyn smiling as she clutched the stuffed animal tightly against her chest, similarly to the way she'd been holding it the first time they met, her brown eyes bouncing back and forth between them as she took a step closer.

"...Am I going home with you?"

Her words sounded so innocent and hopeful, it nearly brought tears to Gabby's eyes, the overwhelming emotions of the day partially to blame as she blinked quickly, Dawson giving her a strong nod.

"You are… You're gonna be staying with us for a little bit." She responded, Caitlyn's smile widening before she stepped forward, wrapping her arms around Gabby's legs in a hug, her face pressed into her waist as she held on tight.

The action caught her off guard for a moment before she quickly recovered, Gabby moving her hand down to rub over the girl's back as her small arms were hooked around the back of her legs.

"Yay!" She spoke excitedly, her words muffled against Gabby's shirt before the young girl pulled back, Caitlyn moving to hug Matt in a similar fashion. "Can I see Sofia?" She asked as she pulled away, Matt and Gabby both seeing the proud smile that covered her face, the parents sure it was there because she'd remembered the young girl's name.

"You will, honey." Gabby promised, Caitlyn grinning before she reached out for Matt's hand, her little hand holding onto two of his fingers tightly before she grabbed ahold of Gabby's hand as well, the action flooding them both with an overwhelming sense of warmth as the parents shared a look. "Are you ready to go?" She asked with a soft laugh, the young girl nodding eagerly as she bounced on the balls of her feet.

"I am!"

Giving her a nod in response, Matt reached back with his free hand to grab Caitlyn's small backpack, the man slinging it up over his shoulder before they began walking out of the room, Caitlyn saying goodbye to the social workers before they were out of sight. The child's excitement was evident as they walked out of the building, Caitlyn holding onto Gabby's hand tightly now that they were in unfamiliar territory, the parents more than ready to start getting the little girl acclimated into their home.


	94. Chapter Ninety Four

**Hi everyone! I hope you all are doing well, and staying safe. Before we start, I just wanna take a moment to say, holy crap this story hit 2000 reviews yesterday, which is honestly just insane to me. It still doesn't really feel real sometimes, how many of you are still reading my work and supporting this story. It means so much to me, more than I could ever fully express to you all. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love and support you all have given me since I started posting my stories last year. You all are seriously the greatest. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.**

**I hope you all like this one, thank you so much for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Four**_

* * *

Gabby turned to look towards the back seat as they sat at a stoplight, Matt keeping his eyes on the road while she checked on the little girl sitting behind him, Caitlyn still strapped securely in her booster seat, her short legs swinging back and forth as she did her best to look out the window, though her short stature obstructed her vision slightly. Since they'd left DCFS all but ten minutes ago, the young girl hadn't said much as they drove to their first destination, Caitlyn seemingly content to just take in her surroundings. Though they'd talked some when they first left, after Gabby had gotten her buckled in, she hadn't had a lot to say, and neither parent wanted to force the issue, the couple figuring little Caitlyn was bound to be a little overwhelmed.

"She okay?"

Matt's soft voice pulled her from her thoughts, Gabby looking away from the young girl to her husband, just as Casey started driving once the light changed. "Mhmm." She hummed as she slowly reached her hand out towards his thigh, Gabby giving it a gentle squeeze. "She's just looking out the window, taking everything in… But she seems fine." Dawson elaborated, Matt giving her a nod as he kept his attention focused on the road ahead of him.

"Good… Have you heard anything from Becca?"

"Sof's fine." Gabby replied, knowing exactly what her husband was asking. "I think she said she was gonna take her out to the courtyard, let her play outside for a little bit." She added, her words earning another nod from the man beside her, Gabby rubbing her thumb along the outside of his leg while he drove carefully through the streets of Chicago.

"...Gabby?"

Caitlyn's soft voice filled both their ears, Gabby immediately looking to the backseat to find the young girl's eyes on her, Dawson giving her a soft smile.

"Yeah, sweetheart?" She asked, her words causing Caitlyn to smile as well, the child continuing to swing her legs back and forth as her hands were clasped together in her lap.

"Are we going home?"

"In a little bit, yeah." She replied, as Caitlyn kept her curious eyes on her. "But first, we were gonna go out and get some breakfast… Then we thought maybe we could go shopping, and get you a few things." The young girl's ears perked up before her grin widened, Gabby seeing the look of genuine excitement written across her face.

"Like toys?" She asked, practically bouncing in her seat, Gabby suppressing a laugh as she heard Matt chuckle beside her, her husband clearly listening while he drove.

"Well, yes, we can get you some toys. But also things like clothes, and some stuff for your room." Gabby explained, seeing the look of surprise that covered the young girl's face.

"My own room?" She asked, her eyes wide with wonder. "Just for me?" She continued, Caitlyn clearly not having expected to have her own room, her innocent question pulling on their heart strings before Gabby nodded.

"Mhmm… You have your own room. Just for you." She assured her, Caitlyn nodding excitedly as the car came to stop, Matt having parked across the street from the diner they were going to. "Alright honey, you ready to eat?" Gabby questioned, the young girl giving her another nod as Casey pulled the keys from the ignition.

"Do they have pancakes?" She asked, her voice a bit louder as she continued warming up to them, Gabby giving her a nod before she unbuckled her seatbelt.

"They do." She confirmed, Caitlyn smiling before the parents began getting out of the car.

Matt worked on helping Caitlyn out of the vehicle while Gabby stood back by the trunk, keeping an eye on the traffic as her husband undid the girl's seatbelt.

"Alright, now it's important you stay with me and Gabby, okay?" Matt spoke as she climbed down to the ground, Caitlyn nodding as she moved to stand against the vehicle, keeping her hand on it while the other one kept a tight hold on her teddy bear, Matt making sure she was clear of the door before he shut it and locked up the car.

"Okay." She repeated, Matt and Gabby sharing a soft smile before he looked back down to the little girl.

It was a fairly busy morning around the city of Chicago, cars and people everywhere as they all went about their day. And Casey would be lying if he said it didn't make him a little nervous. It was the same way he felt with Sofia when they were out in public, Matt naturally weary of all the people around them, and always keeping a close eye on his baby. But with Caitlyn, it was different. She was old enough to get around on her own, and talk to people. She was able to slip away from them without even meaning to, and that left him feeling a little unsure, Matt knowing it would take some time for those nerves to settle.

"Here, why don't you come with me, alright?" He spoke, Matt reaching down to place his hands under her arms, Caitlyn immediately holding one of her arms up, telling him she didn't mind being carried as he picked her up off the ground, Matt ignoring the knowing look from his wife. He was a little surprised by how light she actually was, Caitlyn's weight settling on his hip as he kept one arm underneath her, his other holding onto her leg. Her short stature made it easy for him to carry her, Casey having lifted far heavier people daily in his line of work.

With her teddy bear still tucked against her chest, her free arm was wrapped around his neck, Gabby adjusting Caitlyn's shirt that had risen up when Matt lifted her, Casey making sure the girl was comfortable before they began to cross the street.

The further they got away from the car, the tighter Caitlyn's hold around his neck got, the little girl resting her head against his neck as she took in her unfamiliar surroundings, Matt following closely behind Gabby as they walked into the diner.

It only took them a few minutes to be seated, the family being led to a booth by the window, their menus being placed on the table while Matt put Caitlyn down on the ground. Without prompting, she climbed into the booth, the little girl sitting on her knees to make her taller as she sat in the middle of the seat, Matt chuckling softly before he sat down beside her, Gabby having taken up the spot across from them.

The second they were all seated, Caitlyn practically glued herself to Matt's side, her head pressed up against his arm as she shifted her body closer to his, Casey immediately looking towards his wife.

They could both tell she was nervous, her brown eyes bouncing around the room as she was nearly hidden by Matt's arm. But for as unsure as new places made her, from what they could tell, Caitlyn was fine with them. She seemed to feel safe around them, and while they didn't like to see her moments of anxiousness, they felt comforted by the fact that Caitlyn trusted them.

"Alright, let's take a look at this menu, yeah?" Matt asked as he grabbed the children's menu, the man placing the white paper and crayons down on the table in front of her. Caitlyn's eyes lit up as she dropped her grasp on the stuffed animal still being held to her chest, the young girl placing it down beside her before she reached for the crayons, clearly wanting to color the different pictures in front of her. "Do you know what you want?" Caitlyn bit down on her bottom lip, the little girl's eyebrows furrowing as she concentrated on the words in front of her, her eyes scanning over the different options as Matt and Gabby shared a knowing look, both understanding that little Caitlyn probably had no idea what the words in front of her meant.

According to Tina, Caitlyn was a little behind where they'd like her to be for reading at her age. While she knew some words, and her speech was decent, she wasn't able to read much of anything, as far as Tina knew. There were maybe a handful of words she could point out, but from what they were told, she was a little behind where she should be. It wasn't anything they were terribly concerned about, Matt and Gabby knowing five was still a young age for being able to read, but it was more so her lack of understanding with the fundamentals that had Tina a bit worried. With as much as she'd been moved around, helping her learn how to read had fallen through the cracks, and while they knew they wouldn't be having Caitlyn for too long, they wanted to try and help her in whatever ways they could; which included trying to help her with reading.

But to do that, they had to know where they were starting.

"Anything look good?" Gabby asked after a few moments, Caitlyn placing her elbows on the table before she leaned forward, her eyes focused on the page in front of her.

"Mhmm… French toast!" She replied excitedly, pointing to the image of the breakfast food as she looked up towards Gabby with a smile.

"French toast, huh?" Gabby repeated with a matching grin, Caitlyn nodding once more.

"So you're not wanting pancakes anymore?" Matt asked, the young girl turning towards him before her eyebrows furrowed in thought, little Caitlyn clearly having forgotten her desire for the breakfast food moments earlier. Chuckling softly at the look of confusion on her face, Matt shook his head before leaning back against his seat, the man rubbing his hand over her back gently. "How about we share?" He offered, seeing Caitlyn's eyes go wide with excitement. "You can have some of mine."

"Yes!" She agreed quickly, Matt raising his eyebrows. "And chocolate milk!"

Glancing towards Gabby, he released another laugh before nodding.

"Yes, you can have chocolate milk." He told her, Caitlyn smiling proudly before returning her attention to the coloring sheet in front of her, Matt opening the plastic package her crayons were in and pouring them out onto the table before the girl began coloring wildly.

While Caitlyn was deeply concentrated on the task at hand, the waitress had come over to take their order, Matt ordering his breakfast of an omelette and some pancakes, as well as ordering Caitlyn's as well, while Gabby got some eggs, bacon, and a bagel. And soon after they'd gotten their order in, their drinks were brought to the table, Caitlyn dropping her crayons the second her milk was within reach, the little girl slowly lifting the small child's cup in her hands before taking a long drink.

When she had yet to put the cup down, Matt shared a look with Gabby, his wife giving him a nod before he turned his attention back towards the girl. "Hey Caitlyn, why don't we save the rest of this for our food, okay?" He told her, the child immediately nodding before carefully placing the cup back down on the table, that task needing her full concentration before she looked up at him.

"Okay Matt." She complied, Casey nodding with a soft smile before Gabby reached over and grabbed the cup, moving it back away from the edge of the table, the mom knowing that was a recipe for disaster.

As they waited for their food, Gabby and Matt chatted while Caitlyn worked on her coloring. Though at first they tried to include her in the conversation, the little girl was completely in her own world as they sat in the booth, her complete focus on the picture in front of her, Gabby and Matt figuring it best to not bother her while she worked. While they knew it was common for most kids her age, Tina made a point to tell them that Caitlyn was really able to only focus on one thing at a time, and considering how content she seemed to be just sitting here and coloring, they didn't want to disturb that.

Every few moments, Matt would glance down to the picture in front of her, seeing her haphazard coloring all over the paper, the little girl clearly not too worried about keeping within the lines. And as she'd been working on the page, Caitlyn still perched up on her knees with her feet under her, hovering partially over the table to get a better view of her work, she'd gradually leaned back into Matt's side, the young girl feeling more comfortable being close to him while she colored. Her leg was resting beside his, her little body as close to him as she could get while she continued to draw, Gabby feeling her heart tighten in her chest as she saw how at ease the young girl was around them.

"...Will you color with me?"

The parents both looked towards her, Casey seeing her wide, hopeful eyes staring up at him as she held out a blue crayon, Matt immediately nodding before grabbing it from her.

"Of course." He replied, Caitlyn flashing him a bright smile before she moved the paper to rest on the table in between them, the young girl pointing out where she wanted him to use that color before she went back to work. Her and Matt were both focusing on the image in front of them, the dad and his foster daughter working diligently as Gabby watched on, the content grin never leaving her face as she discreetly pulled out her phone and snapped a few photos, Dawson wanting to remember this moment as they bonded with the young girl.

Before too long, their food arrived, Caitlyn and Matt having finished coloring a few moments prior, Gabby having talked up the drawing when they were done, much to the delight of the young girl. And now as their food was in front of them, Caitlyn waited patiently while Matt cut up her piece of french toast, the girl taking another careful sip of her drink just as he finished getting her food into easier pieces for her to manage.

"Thank you." She spoke softly as he handed her the fork, Matt placing the knife on the other side of his plate before giving her a small smile.

"You're welcome, sweetheart." He replied, Caitlyn responding with a grin of her own before she took her first bite of breakfast, the three of them enjoying their first meal together with Caitlyn in their care.

By the time they were done, Caitlyn had eaten about half her french toast and a few pieces of her fruit, along with one or two bites of Matt's pancakes, and a bite of Gabby's eggs. She hadn't eaten all that much, but it was clear that the young girl liked choices, Matt and Gabby happy to share their food with her as long as it meant she was eating.

"Did you like your breakfast?" Gabby asked as the young girl wiped off her hands on her napkin, Matt using his own to wipe off the little bit of syrup she had on the side of her mouth, Casey placing his hand on the top of her head so he could help her clean up without her moving around too much.

"It was yummy!" She spoke lightly, the smile returning to her face once Matt had finished his task, Caitlyn practically bouncing in her seat as her eyes moved around the room. "Thank you."

Matt drew in a deep breath before locking eyes with Gabby, seeing the same look of uncertainty on her face. In the hour they'd been here at the diner, and the time they'd spent with her since leaving DCFS, the young girl had probably thanked them over twenty times. And while they were happy to see she was grateful, and she knew it was polite to let people know that, they couldn't help but feel a little uneasy about how _often _she said it. It was the same feeling they got when they first met, and Caitlyn had gotten worried they were mad at her for forgetting Sofia's name. It felt like she was constantly thanking them because she was worried they'd be mad at her if she didn't, and that didn't sit well with either of them.

They didn't know all that much about Caitlyn's past, just that she'd been bounced around a lot, and she had to be removed from her last foster parents. But they knew nothing of what all she'd experienced and gone through. They didn't know anything about her parents, or how many different families she'd actually been with, let alone how they treated her. They really knew nothing about her. Since they weren't adopting her, and weren't trying to permanently bring her into their home, Tina hadn't gone through her entire past, but from the small amount of time they'd spent with her, both Gabby and Matt had a feeling that she'd been in some not great homes.

"You're more than welcome, honey." Gabby replied, Matt running his hand over Caitlyn's back just as the waitress came back to their table, handing them their check and saying a polite goodbye before leaving them be.

"Alright, are we ready to go?" Casey asked, Gabby nodding just as Caitlyn reached up towards Matt's arm, pulling on his sleeve to gain his attention.

"I have to go potty." She whispered, though her five year old whisper wasn't all that quiet, Gabby chuckling as she grabbed her purse.

"I can take her." She replied, Casey giving her a nod before she stood up.

"Okay… I'll go ahead and pay for this and meet you all out front." Matt told her, Gabby nodding in agreement before looking back towards Caitlyn.

"Come on, sweetie." She spoke, Matt helping Caitlyn get over his lap before she climbed down, the young girl immediately reaching for Gabby's hand before they began walking to the back of the diner. While they were gone, Matt did a once over of the table as he stood up, the man picking up Caitlyn's teddy bear from the booth before making sure they hadn't anything, Casey grabbing the check before he walked towards the front to pay.

By the time Gabby and Caitlyn were done, Matt had already finished up and was waiting outside the diner for them, Casey watching with a smile as the two girls walked out hand in hand. "All good?"

"Yup." Gabby replied with a nod, Caitlyn smiling wide before nodding as well. "We're good."

"Alright, well I guess it's time to go do some shopping." Casey spoke with a grin, seeing the look of excitement that covered Caitlyn's face before she nodded once again. The young girl dropped Gabby's hand and walked the few steps towards Matt before holding her arms up, clearly wanting to be carried just as she had been when they got here, Casey unable to stop his smile from growing before he picked her up, the man more than willing to carry her back to the car.

With her settled in his arms, Gabby flashed him a smile before they began to walk back towards the car, the wife keeping her hand on her husband's back as they moved, wanting to keep close to them as they continued their morning together.

* * *

Matt flipped on his turn signal, slowing the car down substantially as he turned down the cobblestone driveway leading them to their home, the man hitting the button to open the garage door before pulling inside and putting the car in park.

"Here we are." He spoke as he undid his seatbelt, Gabby mimicking his actions before she turned around, seeing Caitlyn holding onto her teddy bear tightly as she looked out the window.

"You ready to see where you're gonna be staying for a bit?" Gabby asked her, Caitlyn snapping out of her haze and turning to look at her, the young girl giving her a soft smile. "We just moved, so the house is still a bit messy, but we've got your room all set up." She continued, the child nodding before they all began getting out of the car, Gabby moving to help Caitlyn out of her seat while Matt got their bags from the trunk.

Though they'd spent the majority of the morning out shopping, they had every intention of not going overboard. They knew she needed more clothes and some shoes, and a few other things here and there, so while they were aware there were things they had no choice but to get, they'd decided beforehand to not go too crazy. Though they wanted Caitlyn to feel comfortable while staying with them, and they'd never let her go without things she needed, they also weren't naive to the situation; she wouldn't be with them for very long. So the last thing they wanted to do was over-buy things for her.

But, for as much as they had talked about keeping things simple and not going too crazy when they got to the store, their execution hadn't gone exactly to plan. They'd ended up buying little Caitlyn much more than they originally planned for, and then some, Gabby having gone somewhat overboard in the clothing section. She'd gotten her plenty of shirts and shorts and dresses and skirts, along with shoes for all of those outfits, plus an abundance of underwear and pajamas; everything Caitlyn could possibly need and then some, Gabby had thrown in the cart.

And for as overzealous as Dawson had been in the kid's section, her husband hadn't been much better, Matt picking out at least four outfits on his own that he wanted to get her. They definitely spent much more than they counted on, and ended up with many more things than previously talked about, but truthfully neither of them cared. For as long as Caitlyn would be staying with them, they wanted her to feel comfortable here. Like she wasn't just a guest in someone else's home, but they wanted her to feel like _this_ was her home. They didn't want to be scrounging for things for her to wear, or not have age appropriate toys for her to play with.

This wasn't just them watching over a child for a little while, then sending her on her way… They wanted her to feel like she had a home here, with them, for however long she'd be here. And part of that included making sure she had everything she could need, especially because if the minimal amount of belongings she had with her were any indication, they weren't sure how much Caitlyn had growing up that was actually hers. And they wanted to change that.

"Is Sofia here?" Caitlyn's small voice pulled Gabby from her thoughts as Matt shut the trunk, her husband carrying on the bags in both his hands. "I miss her."

Her words brought smiles to both the parents' faces, Gabby giving her a nod before guiding her away from the car door, the mother making sure she was clear before she shut it. "She is here, and so is our nanny, Becca." She replied, running her fingers through Caitlyn's blonde hair before leading her towards the door. "Becca, she watches Sofia while Matt and I are at work, and she'll be taking care of you, too…"

Caitlyn looked up as she finished speaking, Gabby seeing a slight look of hesitation in her eyes, knowing the girl was most likely nervous at the thought of staying with someone else. But Gabby shook her head, continuing to run her hand through the girl's hair in a comforting motion before they kept walking.

"I think you two are really gonna get along, she's so excited to meet you." Dawson spoke, hoping to ease some of her worries as they got to the door that led into their home, Gabby putting the garage door down before stepping inside, letting Caitlyn walk in first.

As they stepped inside, the little girl was moving slowly as she took in her new surroundings. There were still a lot of boxes everywhere, but from first glance it looked like Becca had worked on unpacking some of those while they'd been on shift, Gabby making a mental note to thank her for that later as Caitlyn continued further inside. The young girl came to a stop at the end of the hallway, Caitlyn looking around the open room as Gabby stopped by her side, Matt having dropped all their bags by the door before following them.

"Wow…" Caitlyn spoke softly, Gabby looking down as she saw the wonder written across the little girl's face. "This place is big!"

Gabby and Matt both laughed as Caitlyn began to move into the living room, but quickly stopped herself as she turned back to look at them.

"Can I…" She trailed off, clearly asking if she was allowed to go further inside their home, Matt and Gabby both nodding without hesitation.

"Of course honey, this is your home, too." Gabby spoke up, Caitlyn smiling before she walked into the living room, heading straight for the couch. Gabby felt Matt place his hand on her back, the wife turning to look at him as she saw his eyes on Caitlyn. Before she could say anything, they heard the sounds of footsteps coming down the stairs, the parents turning to see Becca as she came into view, their baby sitting happily in her arms as she came down the last step.

"Hey guys, I thought I heard you get in." She spoke, Sofia wriggling around immediately the second she saw her parents, the baby practically lunging at them even though they weren't close enough for either of them to grab her.

"Hey Becca, yeah we just got back… Thanks again, for staying late this morning." Casey replied, walking a few steps back to meet up with their nanny before he grabbed a hold of his daughter, Sofia clearly excited to be back with her dad. "Hello my angel, hello… Yes, Daddy missed you too." He spoke before pressing kisses all over his child's face, soft giggles escaping Sofia's lips as she grabbed onto his shirt and his neck.

"It was no problem, this is important." Becca told them as she walked towards Gabby, the nanny's eyes immediately moving towards the living room. "How's she doing?" She asked as she saw the girl for the first time, little Caitlyn having climbed up on the couch, her legs swinging in the air as she continued taking everything in.

"She's doing alright, as far as we can tell." Gabby replied, looking towards Matt for confirmation, her husband nodding in agreement before slipping behind Becca to head into the room.

"Everything's gone well so far, she's a great kid… You wanna meet her?" Casey asked their nanny, the young woman immediately nodding before she followed his path.

"I'm gonna get some of Caitlyn's clothes in the wash, babe." Gabby spoke, Matt stopping to give her a nod before he continued into the living room, the couple going their separate ways as Gabby walked back to the bags and bags of clothes they bought while Matt carried Sofia towards the young girl.

"Hey Caitlyn, look who's here." He spoke, seeing the wide smile that covered her face when she saw the baby in his arms, Caitlyn practically launching herself off the couch to hurry towards him, Matt crouching to sit down on the ground.

"Hi Sofia!" She spoke excitedly, Matt adjusting the baby in his arms so she was resting up against his chest, Sofia squealing in delight the second she saw the other little girl. "She remembers me!" Caitlyn all but yelled, the young girl unable to hide her delight as she reached for Sofia's hand, the baby holding onto her tightly.

While Matt was sure Sofia wasn't able to actually remember Caitlyn, from only having met her once, and that little Sof was most likely just happy to have another person around, he wasn't about to tell the five year old that, Matt not wanting to do anything to take away from her excitement. She'd been looking forward to seeing Sofia all day, and there was no harm in letting her think Sofia remembered her, especially because here soon, she definitely would.

"I missed you, Sofia." Caitlyn spoke as she sat down on the rug across from Matt, the father placing Sofia down on the ground as well, the little girl immediately crawling towards Caitlyn and holding onto her. The sight alone sent a rush of warmth through Casey's chest as he watched the two little girls interact, both equally thrilled to be together as Sofia was continuously squealing with excitement.

"She missed you, too." Matt responded, her bright smile causing one of his own to form over his face as the five year old girl let the baby climb all over her, Caitlyn content to just be around Sofia. "And Gabby and I, a lot of times we'll call her Sof, as a nickname… You can call her that, too, if you want." He told her, Caitlyn giving him another nod before her eyes moved towards the woman who was sitting down beside him, the young girl clearly not having registered her presence until now.

"Are you…" She started, but trailed off as her eyebrows furrowed together, Matt understanding she was trying to remember the woman they'd told her about this morning. "Becca?" She asked, her brown eyes focused on the nanny, Becca giving her a wide smile before nodding her head, Caitlyn instantly feeling at ease.

"I am, yeah." She replied gently. "It's nice to meet you, Caitlyn… I've heard so many great things about you."

A shy smile soon covered the girl's face, Caitlyn looking to Matt before meeting the woman's eyes again.

"You have?"

"Oh, yeah. Absolutely! Matt and Gabby, they haven't stopped talking about you." Becca spoke warmly, Matt seeing Caitlyn begin to feel more and more comfortable with each passing second, the nanny's warm demeanor helping the girl feel at ease in her new surroundings. "We're all so excited for you to be here."

"Me too!" Caitlyn echoed the excitement in her voice, Matt sitting back and watching in amazement at how wonderful Becca was with the little girl. He knew Becca was incredible with Sofia; she had been from day one. But seeing just how easily she slid into that same role with Caitlyn, how Becca was instantly able to make her feel safe and comfortable, and got her to open up faster than even him and Gabby had been able to, it just reaffirmed what the Casey's already knew. And that was that Becca was the absolute perfect fit for their family, and there was no one they trusted more to look after Sofia, and now Caitlyn, while they were at 51. "You're gonna watch me while they work?" She questioned, her broken words pulling Matt from his thoughts as he saw Caitlyn's attention still focused on Becca, while Sofia had moved on to playing with Caitlyn's teddy bear, the five year old giving it willingly.

"I am." Becca confirmed with a smile. "Sof and I, we have a lot of fun together, and now you're here to have fun with us, too."

Caitlyn nodded eagerly before looking down towards her stuffed animal, seeing it still firmly clasped in Sofia's tiny hands. "This is my bear, Mr. Sparkles." She spoke brightly, Becca giving her an enthusiastic nod. "Sof has him right now, so he can't say hi, but I think he'll like you! He likes everyone who's nice!" She continued, Matt seeing the proud look on Caitlyn's face when she called Sofia by her nickname, Becca adjusting her positioning on the ground so she was sitting opposite Caitlyn, crossing her legs together in front of her while the young girl continued talking about her beloved stuffed animal.

Seeing that both Sofia and Caitlyn were being well taken care of, Matt pushed himself up off the ground, the five year old glancing at him briefly, pausing her conversation with Becca as both girls looked up at him. "I'm gonna go check on Gabby, are you alright with them?" Matt asked Becca, the nanny nodding with a soft smile before turning back to Caitlyn, Casey seeing that both children seemed to be content.

"We're good, aren't we Caitlyn?"

"Yeah!." She assured him, Matt nodding before he continued back to the laundry room, the father assuming Sofia hadn't even noticed him leave as he didn't hear any noise from her, Casey walking down the hallway until he reached his destination. Coming to a stop in the doorway, Matt watched on as Gabby stood in front of the open washing machine, his wife sorting through the belongings in Caitlyn's small backpack, while the multiple bags of new clothes sat on the ground around her.

"Hey baby." He greeted softly, Gabby turning to look at him, a soft smile appearing over her face as she saw him leaning against the door frame.

"Hey." She replied, Matt matching her grin before he stepped inside the rather spacious room. "How are things going out there?"

"It's only been a few minutes, but it looks like Caitlyn is in love with Becca." Casey spoke, seeing the look of relief that flashed in his wife's eyes. "Which isn't all that surprising, considering everyone loves Becca." He added with a laugh, Gabby chuckling lightly.

"Good, that's good… I figured she would, but actually knowing for sure- I'm so glad." She breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement before his eyes moved down to ratty clothes in her hands.

"Yeah, me too… Is this Caitlyn's old stuff?" He questioned, Gabby releasing a soft smile before nodding, Casey seeing the slight grimace that covered her features.

"It is, though from the looks of it, I don't think much of it was originally hers… I think it was probably stuff they had and they gave to her." Gabby replied, Matt nodding as he watched her inspect a shirt before tossing it into the washing machine. "Truthfully, I'd like to just throw this stuff away. We got her more than enough clothes today, but I don't want to get rid of anything before asking her… We've seen how attached she is to that bear, I'm not sure if she has any other attachments to things." She told him, Casey giving her another nod in understanding as she threw in the last shirt, Gabby deciding to wash these things separately before moving onto the things they bought her today.

"Well, we can ask her, see if there's anything she wants to keep… But she definitely won't have to worry about clothes for awhile." He responded, Gabby giving him a nod as she started the wash.

Gabby turned towards him, intent on beginning the process of going through these bags and getting the tags off of everything, but the look on his face stopped her, Dawson seeing the wide, goofy grin resting over his lips as he stared at her.

"...What is it?" She questioned with a soft laugh, the smile on his face infectious.

"Nothing." He replied with a shrug, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she waited for him to continue. "...I'm just happy, is all."

His genuine words filled her chest with warmth, Gabby unable to stop her smile from widening before she leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. She felt him smile against her before he reciprocated her actions, his hand instinctively moving to her hip as they enjoyed this quiet moment just for the two of them.

"I'm happy you're happy, baby." She murmured against his lips before kissing him again quickly, Matt giving her hip a squeeze as she pulled back. "I'm happy, too."

The look on his face was enough to nearly make her fall in love with him all over again, Gabby's bottom lip falling between her teeth as he ran his hand up and down her side.

"I'm so glad we did this." He replied, Matt leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to her forehead, Gabby nodding in agreement as he pulled away from her completely, Casey stepping backwards towards the door. "I'm gonna go check on the girls… You need anything?"

Gabby shook her head in response, Matt nodding as he stepped through the doorway, giving her a wink before he disappeared around the corner, leaving Dawson in the laundry room as he went back out to spend time with the two young girls out in the living room, the light and happy feeling around the Casey household doing nothing but solidifying the belief that they had made the right choice by bringing Caitlyn into their home.

* * *

Blowing out a heavy breath, Casey stepped out of the bathroom, turning the light off as he walked into their master bedroom, their surroundings still a bit foreign to them as they were trying to get used to living in their new home. Clad in his pajama pants and t-shirt, Matt continued towards the bed, seeing his wife already snuggled up underneath the covers as she read her book, the parents exhausted after the long day they'd had with their two girls.

Thought today had been incredible, it had also been very long. After they got home, Becca hadn't been able to stay too much longer before she had to leave, and Matt and Gabby began the process of getting Caitlyn acclimated to her new surroundings. They'd taken her around their home, and showed her her new bedroom, which, admittedly, had nearly brought Gabby to tears. The little girl's reaction to seeing her new room was something neither of them would ever forget, Caitlyn beyond thankful and ecstatic to have her own room, her gratefulness almost making Gabby cry. And Casey would've been lying if he said he didn't get a little misty, as well.

And after that, and working on getting some of Caitlyn's new belongings put away, they'd spent the rest of the day just getting to know each other better. The rest of their afternoon and evening was spent together, and they could both tell how much Caitlyn loved it. The little girl had been glued to the both of them all day- Casey especially, whether it just be when they were hanging out in the living room, or when they'd gone to play in the courtyard, or when Gabby had Caitlyn help her with dinner, the young girl was beside them all day. She just liked being around them, and they couldn't deny that the feeling was mutual.

Then by the time night came, and they had finished up dinner, Caitlyn again not having eaten very much, which was something they both knew they'd need to keep an eye on, it was time to get ready for bed, the parents getting a bath ready for the young girl. They had been told by Tina that Caitlyn still needed supervision when it came to baths and showers, that she was still too young to be left alone, so, from the request of the little girl, they'd ran her a bath, Matt and Gabby having taken turns sitting with her while she bathed and played with some of the different bath toys they'd gotten her, her favorite being the alphabet letters they'd gotten that stuck to the wall.

Gabby had taken the first shift while Caitlyn was in the bath, the mother helping her wash her hair as the young girl was not able to get all the shampoo and conditioner out by herself, while Matt came in and took over when Sofia needed to be fed and put to bed. Since she was intrigued by the letters already, Matt had taken the time to help her practice her reading as well, the father sitting on the edge of the tub and spelling out some simple words for her to work on, as well as letting her try and create some too.

Then once bath time was over, they'd gotten her ready for bed, the three of them going downstairs to watch a little bit of a movie that they'd let Caitlyn choose, the girl curled up on the couch in between them, before it was time for bed. Both Matt and Gabby had gone to tuck her in, the parents sitting on her bed while they read her two stories, Caitlyn practically passed out by the time he'd finished the second one. And with a forehead kiss from each of them, they left the room, leaving her night light on and the door slightly ajar before heading back downstairs.

All of this was an entirely different schedule than they were used to, their nightmare routine with two kids much more work than when it was just Sofia, but they'd be lying if they said they didn't love it. It was an adjustment, but the parent's loved having Caitlyn with them, and they were just happy to be able to give this girl a safe and loving home for the time being.

"God, I'm exhausted." Matt huffed out as he collapsed down onto the bed, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she turned to look at him, biting back a chuckle as she took in the sight of her husband lying on his stomach on top of the comforter, his face smushed into the pillow as his eyes were closed.

"Yeah, me too… Today was great though." She murmured, her words bringing a smile to his face before he opened his eyes, Matt lifting his head as he propped himself up on his elbows.

"It was. Caitlyn seems to be adjusting okay." He replied, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"I know… I was a little worried, but so far, everything's been good. And she absolutely loves you." Gabby responded, watching as Matt ducked his head slightly.

"She loves both of us-"

"Yeah, but she has a little extra attachment to you… I can't blame her though, Sofia's the same way. And so am I, if I'm being honest." Gabby teased, Matt shaking his head in amusement before rolling his eyes.

"Mhmm… Well, we both know you've always had that attachment to me." He played along, Gabby cocking her head to the side before shoving him slightly, ignoring the light laughs that escaped his lips.

But before either of them could say anything else, they heard an unexpected noise come through the baby monitor, Gabby putting her book down over her stomach before reaching for it, picking it up off the nightstand.

"Is it Sof?" Matt asked, the man pushing himself up off the bed, clearly anticipating having to go check on his daughter. But the second he heard sniffling, he knew it wasn't Sofia, his eyebrows furrowing as he saw Gabby shake her head.

"It's Caitlyn." She replied softly, turning the monitor towards him so he could get a look, Matt leaning back over the bed to see the little girl sitting up in her bed, her head moving around frantically, clearing unsettled by something.

"I'll go check on her." Matt told her, seeing the look of concern on his wife's face before she nodded, Casey quickly making his way towards the door and to the stairs. Within seconds, he was up to the second floor, Matt taking the few steps to Caitlyn's room, the small light plugged into the outlet lighting his path as he got to her door, Casey gently pushing it open.

The second she heard her door open, Caitlyn jumped slightly, clearly not expecting the noise before she locked eyes with Matt, the man frowning the second he saw the tears shining in her brown eyes.

"What's going on, sweetheart?" He asked softly, Matt taking a few steps towards her bed, his frown deepening when he saw her trembling slightly.

"I g-got scared." She stuttered, Casey furrowing his eyebrows as he came to a stop beside her bed, the man seeing more fear in the five year old's eyes than he ever wanted any child to feel, Matt carefully sitting down on the edge of her bed.

"Did you have a bad dream?" He asked softly, Caitlyn nodding before she pushed her covers off her legs and practically launched herself into him, her small arms wrapping around his waist as much as they could before she buried her head into his stomach. "Hey, hey, you're okay." He murmured soothingly, Matt instinctively wrapping his arms around the little girl before he leaned down to press a comforting kiss to the top of her head. "Everything's alright, it was just a dream." He spoke softly, his hand rubbing over her back as she held onto him tighter.

They sat there for a few minutes, Matt continuing to do what he could to help Caitlyn feel better, though from how tense her little body was, he knew she was still upset. He wasn't sure what she'd dreamed about, or why it had upset her as much as it did, but that wasn't something he needed to try and figure out tonight, not when she was clearly still a little shaken. He knew the best thing for her right now was for her to just try and go back to sleep, but something in his gut was telling him she wouldn't be able to get much rest if she was left alone.

"Caitlyn…" He spoke softly, the little girl slowly pulling back enough to look up at him. "Do you wanna come and stay in mine and Gabby's room? Just for tonight?"

The girl nodded immediately, Matt giving her a small smile before he spoke up again. "Alright, let's go downstairs.. See if we can't get some more sleep, alright?"

Before he could even try and stand up, Caitlyn pushed herself up to wrap her arms around his neck, clearly needing to stay close to him. After murmuring some more reassuring words, Casey adjusted her weight in his arms before he pushed them both up off the bed, Caitlyn holding on tight around his neck as she rested her head against his shoulder, Matt holding securely underneath her before he walked towards the door. He moved slowly down the stairs, being extra careful as he was holding the small girl in his arms, before he finally made his way down to the main floor, Casey walking the few feet to their bedroom.

The second he came inside holding Caitlyn, he saw Gabby already sitting up in their bed, the knowing look on her face telling him she'd heard their conversation through the baby monitor. As soon as they got to the bed, Matt slowly put her down on top of the mattress, Gabby holding out her arm for Caitlyn to come to her, which the young girl immediately did.

"Come here, sweet girl." She spoke softly as Gabby slid down into bed, Caitlyn getting underneath the covers before tucking herself into her side, the mother surprised by how tightly she was holding on to her. "You're okay." She whispered, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before she began stroking her hair, Matt going to turn on the light in the closet, knowing Caitlyn would most likely feel better with some light in the room, before he turned the rest of them off and climbed into bed. "Just try and get some sleep, we're right here, okay? You're alright." She continuously reassured her, Gabby feeling her breathing even out as the tired girl slowly slipped in and out of consciousness, Matt rubbing a comforting hand over her back to try and help keep her calm.

The parents shared a knowing look as Caitlyn continued to fall asleep, both of them well aware there were conversations that needed to be had. But those weren't happening tonight, not when the young girl wrapped around Gabby clearly needed rest. And while they knew they couldn't make a habit of this, of Caitlyn sleeping in bed with them, both of them knew it couldn't hurt for just tonight. This was all so new for her, and despite how much she liked being here, staying in a new place had to have been a little scary for the young girl, and if what she needed tonight was to be with them, they wouldn't deny her that.

They just hoped that in the morning, they'd be able to get some answers as to what had her so upset. And that it wouldn't happen again.

* * *

"I'm surprised you didn't take this shift off."

Casey poked his head out of his locker to see Severide walking towards him, the two firefighters the only men in the room as Matt scoffed lightly.

"Yeah, don't think I didn't consider it." He responded with a grin, Matt shutting his locker before leaning his weight into the metal, crossing his arms over his chest as Severide sat down on the bench, his legs straddling the seat. "Gabby almost caved this morning and stayed home, but we decided to come in… We want Caitlyn to get used to our schedule." He explained, his words earning a nod from Kelly.

"Yeah, Dawson's in the common room talking everyone's ear off about the kid." Severide replied, seeing the proud smile that fell across his friend's face. "It sounds like things are going well with her."

"They are." Matt was quick to reply. "Overall, she's adjusting well to everything… We had a little, issue, I guess, her first night-"

"Is everything okay?" Kelly interjected, Matt hearing the worry in his voice.

"Yeah, yeah we're fine. Caitlyn just had some trouble sleeping, she had a nightmare and she ended up sleeping with us… We never were able to find out what it was about. We tried to talk to her about it the next day, but she said she didn't remember. But she slept fine in her room last night, so I think she's alright." Matt told him as Severide listened intently. "I think it was just all the change… Even though it's a good change, and she loves being with us, it's still an adjustment. It's a lot for a little kid."

"Makes sense." Severide mused, earning a nod from Casey. "But she's okay now?"

"She's fine." Matt responded with a soft smile. "She's such a great, and happy kid. She's resilient, from what we can tell. But, as far as we know, she's happy living with us. She's doing good, which is all we want for her… Plus her and Sofia love each other, and she does great with Becca."

"That's good."

"Yeah, it is… Caitlyn warmed up to her pretty quickly. And we had Becca come over again yesterday, and spend most of the afternoon with her, just so we were sure Caitlyn was completely comfortable with her. But she loves her."

"Yeah, you and Dawson got really lucky with Becca." Severide spoke as Matt nodded in agreement. "...Both your kids love her." He added with a small smirk, Casey shooting him a look.

"Caitlyn's not ours, Sev." He responded, Kelly tilting his head to the side.

"That's what you two keep saying…"

"Kelly-"

"I'm just saying." He cut in, putting his hands up in defense before continuing. "But anyway, even though she's not yours, she is at least for awhile." He said, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before nodding. "And I still need to meet the little kid, too." He added with a pointed stare.

"Yeah, I know… Everyone needs to. She's only been around Gabby and I so far." Matt responded, adjusting his positioning so his back was resting against the locker, Kelly seeing a knowing look cover his friend's face. "It was, uh- it was actually supposed to be a surprise, but Becca is bringing the kids by this afternoon." He told him, Severide's eyebrows raising as Matt gave him a nod. "Yeah, they're coming around one, I think… once Sof is up from her nap. We don't wanna overwhelm Caitlyn, but we asked her if she wanted to come and see where we work, and she said yes."

"That'll be fun." Severide replied, Matt giving him another nod.

"Mhmm… We told her what our jobs are, and she got all excited. She wants to see the firetruck." Matt spoke with a laugh, his words bringing a smile to Kelly's face as well. "I figured 81 could take her out for a ride, I know she'd love it… but yeah, Sof and Caitlyn will be here in a few hours, but we're trying to keep it a surprise for everyone." He finished, Severide giving him one quick, sharp nod.

"Understood, Captain." He responded jokingly, Casey narrowing his eyes just as the bells went off, calling all companies to a car accident a few blocks away. Severide pushed himself up off the bench, the men making their way out of the locker room and towards the garage. "...How is that, by the way?" Kelly asked as they walked out through the double doors, Matt raising his eyebrows.

"How's what?"

"Having two girls..." He elaborated, the smile that formed over Casey's face enough to give him his answer, Matt shaking his head slightly before continuing around the front of the firetruck.

"I love it."

* * *

Matt slid his phone into his pocket as he made his way towards the common room, the firefighter unable to mask the wide smile on his face as he walked with a near bounce in his step, Casey coming around the corner to find almost everyone in the room, his eyes moving around the space before landing on the person he was looking for.

"Gabby." He called, watching as his wife turned away from Stella, immediately locking eyes with him before he nodded out towards the garage, Gabby understanding his silent request as she turned back to her friend, saying something Casey couldn't make out before she pushed herself up from the table and headed his way. The two exchanged knowing smiles before walking out into the garage, Matt holding the door open for her as the warm summer air flowed into the garage.

"You think she's still as excited as she was this morning?" Gabby asked as they walked out into the driveway, Matt flashing her a wide grin before his eyes moved out into the street, the man immediately finding who he was looking for as the woman was working on getting the children out of the car.

"I hope so." He replied as they continued down the driveway, Matt and Gabby checking for traffic before they jogged across the street. "Hey Becca." Matt greeted from a few feet away, the woman lifting her head out of the backseat where she was working on getting Sofia out.

"Matt! Gabby!"

The second Caitlyn heard his voice, she was yelling for them, the girl's excitement getting the best of her as she ran towards them, Matt and Gabby both hurrying to get out of the road as Caitlyn got to them.

"Caitlyn, remember what we said about being in the street?" Matt scolded gently as he scooped her up into his arms, a sheepish look covering her face as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry." She replied quietly, Matt rubbing up and down her back as Gabby continued towards the car to help with Sofia.

"I know you are. And I know you just got excited, but you need to remember that it's not safe to just run out into the street… We don't want you to get hurt, so that's why you need to make sure you keep your hand on the car until you're with an adult who can help you, okay?"

"Okay." She agreed, Matt nodding as he waited a few moments for his words to sink in before he continued.

"Alright, good… Now give me a hug, I missed you." He spoke lightly, his words causing a wide smile to grow over her face before she tightened her hold around his neck, Caitlyn hugging herself to him tightly as he held onto her.

"I missed you, too! And Gabby!" She spoke loudly, the young girl pulling herself away from his neck to look towards Dawson, Matt smiling softly when he saw his wife get their daughter out of the car, Gabby holding her securely in her arms as Becca shut the door.

"I missed you too, sweet girl." She replied, her words causing Caitlyn's smile to widen as Matt got to them, Gabby running her hand over the little girl's stomach while Becca locked up the car. "Are you ready to go see where we work, and meet everyone?"

"Yeah!" She spoke brightly, Gabby tapping her stomach before nodding towards the firehouse.

"Alright, well let's get on inside… I know everyone's gonna be excited to meet you." She replied, Caitlyn's smile growing before they began making their way across the street back towards 51, Matt and Gabby more than ready for their firehouse family to meet the newest addition to their household.


	95. Chapter Ninety Five

**Hello everyone. I hope you all are doing well, and staying safe. I've got the next chapter for you guys.. I know a lot of you were looking forward to seeing Caitlyn meet the house, so I hope you like this one.**

**Thanks for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think.**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Five**_

* * *

Casey held Caitlyn firmly on his hip as they walked up the driveway to the firehouse, the little girl keeping her arms wrapped tightly around his neck while her eyes bounced around her new surroundings. While Matt held onto the five year old, Gabby kept a similar hold on their daughter, the mother trying to do what she could to shield her baby's eyes from the sun as they continued towards the firehouse.

"Wow!"

Caitlyn's excited voice filled Matt's ears as they stepped through the open garage door, the little girl taking in the sight of all the rigs lined up, Matt chuckling softly as she began to bounce slightly in his arms, her grip around his neck loosening as she fought to be put down. Knowing she was bound to fall soon if he didn't put her down, Matt crouched to the ground, making sure Caitlyn's feet were securely on the concrete before letting her go, the little girl immediately running towards the first truck she saw, which happened to be Matt's.

But she only got about halfway there before she stopped herself, Caitlyn immediately turning around to look at them with a sheepish look on her face, Matt shaking his head slightly.

"It's okay, sweetheart, you can go look at the truck." He assured her, assuming she was a little weary after having gotten scolded moments prior from running away from them, Matt getting the idea that she probably didn't realize the difference between the two. But that wasn't a conversation for right now, Matt giving her an encouraging nod. "Just don't climb on anything, I'll show you around the truck here in a little bit, but you can go ahead and look."

Getting the confirmation she needed, Caitlyn continued running towards the truck, Matt turning back to get their daughter from his wife's arms before heading in the similar direction, Gabby and Becca staying just inside the garage as they both watched Casey follow after Caitlyn.

"How's she do this morning?" Gabby asked Becca, the paramedic crossing her arms over her chest as she watched her husband with the two girls while Caitlyn looked at the rig.

"She did good." Becca replied, Gabby sparing a quick glance to the woman who was practically family. "We played some games, she tried to play dolls with Sofia, though I don't think she's really grasped the fact that Sofia doesn't understand… But it was sweet." She explained, Gabby smiling softly as she looked back towards the girls and her husband, watching as Caitlyn's smile lit up at something Matt had told her. "We went on our walk, like I do every day with Sofia… That went pretty well. We weren't out as long as normal, just because I wasn't sure how Caitlyn would do, but everything went great. She stayed with me the entire time, kept her hand on the stroller… She did really well."

"Good, that's good." Gabby replied, the mom unable to stop her smile from widening as she watched them. "I know she seemed okay when we left… She understood she'd be seeing us soon, and that we'd be coming back tomorrow, but, I don't know… I was afraid she'd think we were leaving her."

"I get it." Becca responded, the young woman reaching out to place a comforting hand on Gabby's arm. "This is new, for all of you. And I've seen how Caitlyn is with the two of you already… She definitely has a strong attachment to you all, so I understand why you were worried. But really, she did great. She did ask a few times, to make sure we were still coming to see you, but other than that she just had a good time playing." She assured the worried mother, Gabby giving her an appreciative nod. "The only thing is that she didn't eat much of her breakfast, or her lunch…" Becca finished, Gabby pursing her lips together as she sighed heavily.

"Yeah, I know we've talked about that… She doesn't seem to want to eat all that much." Dawson spoke, the nanny giving her a nod in agreement.

"She ate a few bites of her toast, and maybe half of the egg I made her. Then a couple pieces of her fruit, but it wasn't much… Then during lunch, I made her half of a sandwich with some fruit, and she didn't really seem to want that, either." Becca told her, Gabby's eyes focusing on the small five year old as she nodded. "She did eat some of her snack though while we were on our walk, but she just didn't seem all that hungry… I know you wanted me to keep an eye on it." She said, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, thank you… Matt and I are gonna have to try and figure out something there." She breathed out, Gabby shaking her head before turning back towards the nanny. "And I know we've told you this like, a hundred times, but really, thank you for this… For all of it." Gabby said, Becca's face softening as a small smile formed over her lips. "Taking care of another child, it's a big ask, especially on such short notice… But you've been absolutely incredible with Caitlyn, and with Sof, and we seriously can't thank you enough for everything you've done to help us."

"I appreciate that, Gabby, but you don't need to thank me… You know how much I love Sof, and Caitlyn is such an amazing little girl. What you and Matt are doing for her is incredible, and whatever you need from me, I'll help however I can." She replied honestly, Gabby giving her a strong, thankful nod just as the sound of Caitlyn's voice filtered through the air.

"Can we go for a ride?" The excitement in her words was enough to bring a soft smile to Gabby's face, before her and Becca began walking further into the garage.

"Maybe in a little bit we can go out for a ride, baby, but right now we're gonna go meet everyone, okay?" Matt responded, the little girl giving him a nod. Gabby had to stop herself from smiling wider as she heard the term of endearment Matt had used for Caitlyn, Dawson sure he hadn't even realized he said it as he and the little girl continued on with their conversation.

"I wanna see the truck!" She spoke, Caitlyn still just as ecstatic as she had been the moment they got here, Gabby coming up behind her husband and placing her hand on his back, the feeling of her causing him to spare a quick glance at her before he returned his attention to the little girl.

"I promise I'll show you everything here in a bit." By the gentle tone in her husband's voice, Gabby could tell this wasn't the first time he'd told her this, but he was patient with her nonetheless.

"Okay Matt." She agreed quickly, Gabby smiling softly as Caitlyn caught her gaze, Becca having stopped a few feet behind them.

When he felt her hand move down his lower back, Matt turned to look back at his wife, Gabby soon looking at him as well as soft smiles fell onto both their faces. "Hey." He greeted, Gabby giving him a slight nod before her eyes moved to their baby, the mother reaching her hands out.

"I can take Sof, if you wanna get her." She murmured, nodding to the five year old girl whose attention had been drawn back to the firetruck, Matt giving her a slight nod before he carefully handed the baby off to her mother. "Hello my beautiful girl." She spoke, Sofia squealing in delight as her mom held her, the baby gripping onto her shirt tightly as Gabby adjusted the eleven month old in her arms.

Once getting the reassurance that his baby was alright, Matt turned his attention back to Caitlyn, watching as the little girl looked away from the rig to face him when he stepped closer to him. "Alright Caitlyn, we're gonna head inside." He prefaced, Matt squatting down to her level before grabbing a hold of her small hands. "Do you remember what we told you last night?" The man questioned softly, watching as the girl thought over his words for a moment before giving him a nod.

"I'm gonna see your friends." She replied, her eyes bouncing around the room before landing back on Matt, watching as he gave her a nod.

"That's right, you are. Now there's gonna be a lot of people in there, people you've never met." He reminded her, knowing they'd had this same exact conversation last night. But despite that, he still saw the slight hesitance in her eyes, Matt giving her a reassuring smile before he continued speaking. "But they're our friends, okay? They're all really nice, and they're gonna love you." A small smile formed over her face by the time he had finished talking, Caitlyn giving him a nod as she felt him squeeze her hands gently. "And they're all really excited to meet you."

As those words left his lips, Matt dropped her hands, the man beginning to poke her stomach lightly, his action causing loud giggles to escape her lips as he continued tickling her, the girl squirming around while she continued to laugh.

After one last gentle poke to her stomach, he pulled his hand away, the bright smile covering the young girl's face enough to bring a similar one to his.

"So, are you ready to go inside?" He asked, Caitlyn looking behind him towards Gabby, seeing a similar comforting look on her face before she nodded.

"Yes!" She replied brightly, Matt nodding before he stood back up.

But the second he was upright, Caitlyn had her arms up in the air, clearly wanting to be picked up before they went inside, Matt drawing in a slow breath before complying to her request. While he knew carrying her around everywhere probably wasn't something he should make a habit of for her age, he also could tell she was a little anxious. She was walking into a room full of people she didn't know, and despite their assurances, he knew she was bound to be a little uneasy until she warmed up to them; just as she'd been with them. So if holding onto her made her feel a little better in this situation, he'd do it. At least until she felt more comfortable.

Once Caitlyn was securely in his grasp, the family of five continued towards the firehouse, the young girl taking in her new surroundings from the comfort of Matt's hold, her little arms having returned to their spot around his neck as he supported her weight. Since both their arms were occupied with children, Becca walked ahead of the parents, opening the door for them to head into the station.

Matt let Gabby in first, the Captain following behind his wife as they stepped inside, the couple immediately seeing all their friends exactly where they'd left them. As they came to a stop in the entrance to the room, a few pairs of eyes were already on them, Matt catching a bright smile from Herrmann before he spoke up.

"Hey guys." Matt started, clearing his throat as he got the attention of the entire room, all their focus immediately going to the little girl in his arms. "There's someone here we'd like you all to meet." He spoke, Casey looking down towards Caitlyn as the girl was practically hiding against him, her eyes bouncing around the room from the security of his embrace.

"This must be Caitlyn!" Herrmann spoke brightly, the man leaning forward in his seat on the couch as the little girl looked to him when she heard her name. "We've heard a lot about you, kid." He continued, Caitlyn nodding slightly as her grip tightened around Casey's neck, Matt knowing she was feeling a little nervous around all these people.

"Can you say hi?" He prompted, running his hand along her back as she lifted her head up, her brown eyes meeting his blue ones before he gave her a reassuring smile. "These are all our friends, remember?" He told her again, Caitlyn giving him a nod before turning to look back to the group, her eyes moving around all the people before she settled on Herrmann.

"Hi." She responded, Matt adjusting her in his arms while Gabby continued further into the room, carrying Sofia over towards the table as the little baby was excited to see all the new faces.

She earned a chorus of responses from around the room, Caitlyn keeping her tight grip on Matt as she continued to take in her surroundings, Casey rubbing soothing patterns along her back while they gave her time to get comfortable.

"You wanna meet everyone?" Matt spoke softly to her, the man still seeing a bit of hesitance in her brown eyes before she slowly nodded. Giving her another reassuring smile, Matt continued rubbing over her back before he walked her further into the room, the Captain figuring it'd be best to introduce her to a few people at a time.

While Matt was getting Caitlyn acquainted with their friends, Gabby stopped her path when she got back to the small circular table, Becca following close behind her as they came up to Severide and Kidd.

"There's my girl." Kelly spoke lightly, the firefighter reaching out for the baby in Gabby's arms, Sofia immediately bouncing up and down in her mother's grip. "And before Casey kills me, I was talking to Sof." He added, his words earning some laughs from around the room, Matt looking up from his conversation with Herrmann and shooting his friend a narrow glare before looking away, a soft scoff escaping Gabby's lips before she handed her daughter over to Kelly.

"Yeah, cause we really needed you to clarify that." She joked, Severide raising his eyebrows before focusing his attention on Sofia, the firefighter's usually tough exterior disappearing when he got the baby. Kelly was holding her under her arms, the man leaning back in his seat slightly as he held Sofia up in the air, unintelligible squeals of excitement leaving the baby's lips as Kelly gently lifted her up and down. It was a game they played often, Sofia always loving the time with her godfather now that she'd moved past the stage where all she wanted was her parents, the baby continuing to wave her arms in the air as Severide played with her.

"Well, you can never be too sure." Severide responded, but his focus was solely on the baby in his grip, Gabby rolling her eyes as she sat down in the chair across from him, Becca pulling up a seat beside her. "Isn't that right, Sof?" He asked, the tone in his voice changing as he spoke to the baby. "Your dad can get awful territorial."

"Sev…" Casey spoke up, Kelly looking behind the baby to see Matt shooting him another unimpressed glare, the man now standing over at the other table by Otis and Cruz, Caitlyn still securely in his arms.

Grinning softly, Severide gave him a knowing look before returning his attention to Sofia, a grimace covering his face when he saw drool falling from her mouth and moving down her chin, Kelly adjusting their positioning so none would get on him as he adjusted her in his lap. "That's nasty, Sof." He spoke, the man barely able to get the words out before Gabby was holding out a cloth towards him, Severide securing Sofia's back against his chest before he leaned forward to grab it.

"She's been teething." Gabby responded simply, Kelly raising his eyebrows before he gently wiped off Sofia's mouth and face.

"Still?"

"Babies are teething pretty much all the time." She told him, Kelly grimacing as he placed the cloth back down on the table, the man patting over Sofia's stomach as she suddenly became fascinated by the pacifier clipped to her shirt.

"Well, that's gross." He replied, Gabby cocking her head to the side as Kelly leaned forward slightly, his face coming into Sofia's view. "Yeah, that's gross isn't it? But you're still cute though, it's okay." He told her, the two in their own little world as Sofia smiled brightly, the young girl lifting her hands up to smack against his face, her own actions causing Sofia to laugh in amusement.

Severide let Sofia continue to hit his face for a few moments before she became interested in something else, the baby getting distracted by Kelly's shirt as she wriggled around in his arms, the Lieutenant adjusting her so she was facing him so little Sofia could play with his collar.

"So…" Severide spoke up after a few moments, his voice low as his eyes moved across the room towards the little girl, Gabby following his gaze to see Caitlyn being introduced to Brett and Foster. "I talked to Casey a little this morning, but how are things going?"

A soft smile formed over Gabby's face before she nodded, the mother clasping her hands together on the table as she looked back towards her friend. "Things are going great, honestly." She replied, Kelly matching her grin before he gave her a nod, Stella wearing a similar smile on her face. "There's been some… challenges, I guess. Just us trying to figure out having another child with us, but Caitlyn's great. She's adjusting pretty well."

"Yeah, that's what Casey said."

"She seems to really like the Captain." Kidd added, Gabby's smile growing as she looked back over towards her husband just as he was adjusting Caitlyn on his hip, the little girl still holding onto him tightly.

"Yeah, she loves him…" Gabby breathed out, her eyes watching as Matt turned around to face them, their gazes immediately locking, the wife seeing a bright smile form over his face before he began walking towards them. "I'm just glad she feels comfortable with us."

No one had a chance to say anything else as Matt got to them, Gabby shooting Caitlyn a soft smile as Casey slowly put her down on the ground. The second her feet hit the tile, the young girl immediately moved towards Dawson, Gabby helping her up into her lap as she got situated on her leg.

"Hi sweet girl." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand along her back before pressing a kiss against the side of her head, Caitlyn leaning into Gabby's chest as her legs swung in the air. "Did you get to meet everyone?"

"Mhmm." She hummed, her curious eyes bouncing around the few people she hadn't yet met before she looked back up at Gabby. "I can't remember lots of their names…"

"That's okay, honey." Gabby was quick to assure her, Matt reaching down to rub his hand over Caitlyn's shoulder. "There's a lot of people here, but you'll get to know them all better." She told her, the little girl nodding before her eyes moved back across the table, Caitlyn curiously watching the man holding Sofia.

"Caitlyn, this is Kelly, and Stella." Matt introduced them, Caitlyn smiling shyly from the comfort of Gabby's embrace. "They're both firefighters."

Caitlyn's little ears perked up, the girl lifting her head up slightly before her gaze landed on Kidd. "You're a firefighter?" She asked, Stella immediately nodding with a bright smile. "Like Matt?"

"I am." She replied, Gabby not missing the small grin that formed over the young girl's face. "I work on the same truck as Matt." Kidd added, her Captain's first name feeling a little foreign coming from her lips, but Stella knew she'd only risk confusing the young girl if she called him Captain, or Casey.

"That's so cool." Caitlyn responded, the girl moving further away from Gabby's chest as she talked with Stella, the parents glad to see the little girl opening up around their friends. "Girls can be firefighters?"

"Oh, absolutely." Kidd said, Gabby nodding in agreement.

"Definitely." Casey added, Caitlyn's smile widening as she glanced back to Casey. "Anyone can be a firefighter."

"Yeah, they sure can… Gabby here used to be a firefighter, too." Kidd told her, Caitlyn's eyes widening even more before she turned back to Gabby.

"Really?"

"Mhmm… I worked on Matt's truck for a while." Dawson replied, Caitlyn smiling widely before looking back across the table towards Kelly and Stella. "But Stella works on there with him now, along with some of the other guys." She explained, Caitlyn nodding in understanding as she adjusted herself in Gabby's lap.

"That's cool." Caitlyn repeated, Kidd giving her a nod before the little girl's attention went solely to the man holding onto Sofia, Caitlyn's curious eyes focusing on the baby before she looked back to Kelly. "Sofia likes you." She said suddenly, Severide smiling softly as he glanced down to the baby in his arms, Sofia still occupied by the collar on his shirt.

"Yeah, she does." Severide replied softly as Matt pulled out the last free chair at the table, the Captain sitting down beside his wife.

"Kelly here is one of our best friends." Gabby spoke up.

The young girl's brown eyes lit up as she looked back at the older man, Kelly offering her a soft smile as he ran a hand over Sofia's back. "Best friends?" She asked, Severide immediately nodding.

"Yeah… We've known each other for a long time." Kelly replied, Caitlyn giving him a nod of her own in response.

"Kelly's like a part of the family… You know how we told you Becca's like our family?" Casey asked her, his voice gaining her attention as she turned to look back at him, Matt waiting for the nod of confirmation from Caitlyn before he continued. "Well, Kelly's like that, too… He's family. He's also Sofia's godfather."

"What's that?" She asked, her gaze moving to the baby at the mention of her name, the parents sharing a look while Gabby ran her tongue along the top of her mouth as she tried to best decide how to explain this to the young girl.

"Basically, it means he's someone we completely trust with Sofia…" She answered simply, Dawson running her hand along Caitlyn's back as the young girl looked at her. "He's someone we know will always be there for her, and always look out for her. He'll always protect her, and do whatever he needs to to keep her safe… He's someone who loves her a lot."

She paused for a moment, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing together as she thought over Gabby's words, the little girl continuing to swing her legs back and forth before she spoke up. "So he's not her daddy, but he loves her like he is?" She asked, her eyes focused on Gabby as the paramedic gave her a nod.

"Yeah, kinda like that." Gabby responded, sparing a quick look towards her husband who also gave the little girl a nod. But Caitlyn still looked to be deep in thought, her hands clasped together in her lap as she rocked back and forth on Gabby's leg. Neither parent was sure what was on her mind, but it was clear that whatever it was still had the girl a little troubled. But neither of them were able to question her before she spoke up again, her wide brown eyes locking on Gabby.

"Will someone love me like that?"

Her words stunned the entire room to silence, the sound of the television being the only thing they could hear as Caitlyn's innocent question hung in the air. No one knew what to say, the first responders glancing around at one another as Matt kept his eyes focused on Caitlyn, the young girl still watching Gabby.

It felt as if her heart had just snapped in half inside her chest, Gabby doing what she could to conceal her reaction to the question as she forced a weak smile, knowing Caitlyn needed to hear an answer from them. But Gabby wasn't sure how to respond, her mouth opening and closing slightly as she tried to figure out what to say to her, the little girl never taking her hopeful eyes off of Gabby. It wasn't until Casey cleared his throat that Caitlyn looked away from Gabby, the man rubbing his hand along her back as she turned slightly to look at him, Matt taking a deep breath before he spoke up.

"Of course, sweetheart." He replied as surely as he could, Caitlyn pausing momentarily before she gave him a small smile, her head nodding up and down. "Here soon, you're gonna go be with your family who already loves you so much, and wants to be with you." He continued, Matt knowing he had to choose his words carefully. He and Gabby didn't know much of anything about the family trying to adopt her, just that they were being hung up with paperwork, but he could only assume that people going through all this just to get her, that they loved her very much. And that they were serious about wanting to bring her into their home. But regardless of that, he still didn't know them, so he knew he could only say so much. "And plus you've got me and Gabby." He told her, knowing all eyes in the common room were on them, those words causing the smile on her face to widen.

As soon as he said it, he felt a rush of hesitance flood through him, like he was unsure if he was doing the right thing by saying himself and Gabby, as well. It had nothing to do with her, Matt knowing that both he and his wife already cared deeply for the little girl, and would do anything for her. But they also knew they needed to keep a certain level of distance. She wasn't theirs, she wasn't _going_ to be theirs, and there was a good chance once her time staying with them was over, they'd likely never see each other again. So he wasn't sure if this was the best idea, because the last thing he ever wanted to do was lie to her.

But he also knew she was only five years old. She was a little girl, who just needed to know that she had people who loved and cared about her. And Gabby and Matt were those people. Regardless of how long they'd have her, he knew they'd always care about this little girl. _He'd _always care about this little girl, and he needed her to know that.

"And I think Sofia loves you the most out of anyone." He added, rubbing his hand along her side as a look of pure joy covered the young girl's face, Matt leaning forward to press a gentle kiss to the side of her head. "You have a lot of people who love you, Caitlyn… I promise." He assured her, the little girl immediately nodding, seemingly content with his answer.

"Okay!" She replied brightly, her wide smile telling Matt that she had seemed to forget her previous worries, the little girl having moved on from the previous conversation. Though the same couldn't be said for any of the adults in the room, Matt seeing the look of sadness still shining in his wife's eyes as they locked gazes. Drawing in a slow breath, he gave her a reassuring nod, Matt sliding his hand down off Caitlyn to squeeze Gabby's leg comfortingly, knowing she was a little affected by what the little girl had said. "Can I see the truck now?"

A soft chuckle escaped both Matt's and Gabby's lips as Caitlyn changed the subject, Casey looking back to the young girl as he found her hopeful smile waiting for him. "Yes, we can go see the truck." Casey told her, Caitlyn bouncing up and down in Gabby's lap in excitement.

But her bouncing soon turned into squirming, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she ran her hand along the little girl's side, the woman tapping Caitlyn gently to get her to look at her. "Do you need to go to the bathroom, honey?" Gabby asked her, Caitlyn immediately giving her a nod in response, Gabby's eyes moving over to her husband.

"I got her." He replied, Gabby nodding as Matt stood up from the table.

"Come on, Caitlyn." He spoke lightly, Matt putting his hands underneath her arms to help her down off Gabby's lap, the girl's feet hitting the ground as he let her go. "Then after, we'll show you the truck." Casey added, the young girl nodding before she reached for his hand, the two beginning to walk away.

"Wait," Kelly's voice stopped him, Matt looking back towards the table as Severide was now holding Sofia away from his chest. "I think this child needs help, too." He spoke, the man grimacing as he moved Sofia further away from him, Gabby scoffing heavily before she reached down for Sofia's diaper bag.

"You've changed her diaper before, Sev." The mother replied as she pushed herself up from her seat, Gabby swinging the bag over her shoulder before carefully grabbing a hold of her baby. "Come here, Sof." She murmured, Gabby soon smelling what must've had Kelly so disgusted. "Momma's got you, let's get you cleaned up, yeah?" She asked, the baby completely oblivious to what was being said to her, her little hands smacking Gabby's chest as she bounced up and down.

Seeing his daughter was secure in her mother's arms, Matt continued walking out of the room, Caitlyn still holding his two fingers securely in her hand as Gabby followed behind them, the family walking down the hallway away from the common room.

"Are you good with her? Or do you wanna trade?" Matt asked, knowing going with Caitlyn would be a lot less messy, but Gabby waved him off, shaking her head slightly.

"Nah, it's okay. I've got her." She assured him, Gabby's steps slowing as they got to the side entrance to the bunk room. "I'm gonna change her in here, I'll meet you two back out there?" She asked, pressing her back into the door before slowly pushing it open, Matt giving her a reassuring nod.

"Sounds good, babe… Okay, yeah, I'm sorry, I know you need to go to the bathroom." Matt spoke when he felt Caitlyn tugging on his hand, Gabby chuckling before the parents went their separate ways, both of them knowing they had a child to look after.

* * *

Casey sat on the couch in the common room, his hand lazily rubbing over the back of the little girl sleeping against his chest, Caitlyn having fallen asleep curled up in his arms about half an hour ago, the excitement of the day seeming to have finally caught up with her. The two little girls had been at the firehouse for a few hours, it now nearing five pm as most of the house sat around in the common room. Herrmann was perched beside him, while Mouch had considerately moved to the table earlier in the afternoon so Casey could sit with Caitlyn, while Sofia was currently half asleep as she was being rocked in Kidd's arms.

Thankfully, it had been an easy day around the firehouse, 81 having not been called out once since the girl's had gotten here, and 61 had only been called once, Gabby currently out with her partners, as she'd been for the last hour. But with the quiet pace around the firehouse, that had given Caitlyn plenty of time to get acquainted with the men and women of 51.

They'd spent over half an hour showing her the truck earlier in the day, which had been followed by a few quick trips around the block, sirens blaring as Caitlyn sat in the front seat with Matt. Their ride along ended up taking longer than planned, as well, Caitlyn managing to talk Casey into three extra trips around the block, Matt unable to tell her no each time they were close to the firehouse. Caitlyn was having the time of her life, the little girl completely ecstatic as they drove around with the sirens, so it didn't take much convincing every time she asked him to go again.

But eventually, they had managed to make their way back to the firehouse, Caitlyn having all but run inside to tell Gabby about her trip in the firetruck, the animated young girl telling the mother all about it as the house listened intently.

Then after that, they'd all just spent time together in the common room, Caitlyn having slowly warmed up to practically everyone in the house. It took some time, the young girl feeling more comfortable around some than others, but compared to how she'd been when she first got here, she seemed like a completely different kid. She'd definitely opened up throughout the day, Caitlyn talking the ear off of practically every first responder here at one point or another. And, coming as no surprise to any of them, Severide had been the person Caitlyn gravitated towards the most.

Aside from Gabby and Matt, the young girl spent most of her time with the squad Lieutenant, Caitlyn enjoying being around Kelly while she spoke with other members from 51. Matt could only assume it was partially because of how comfortable Sofia was around him, that Caitlyn had seen the type of relationship his daughter had with the firefighter, and that helped her feel more at ease around him faster than with everyone else.

But regardless of her growing attachment to the Lieutenant, Caitlyn had warmed up to everyone, and she hadn't shied away from talking to any of the first responders around her as she got to know everyone at the firehouse.

But her day filled with excitement and meeting new people had led to the five year old tiring herself out, Caitlyn having joined Matt on the couch around forty five minutes ago to sit with him while he watched TV. And while she'd started by being tucked into his side, she ended up in his lap, her little body curled up against his chest as she slept peacefully.

As he kept his hand moving comfortingly up and down her back, Matt leaned his chin down to rest against the top of her head, Caitlyn's arm wrapped around his torso as the group in the common room did their best to keep quiet while both children were resting.

"She's a really great girl, Casey."

Herrmann's soft voice hit his ears, Matt slowly lifting his head up from Caitlyn's as he turned to look at his friend, a small smile immediately forming over the Captain's face.

"And you two doing this for her… I can't think of anything more selfless." He continued, the genuine words from Herrmann flooding Casey with a sense of warmth.

"Thanks Herrmann." He murmured, Matt's hand coming to a stop on Caitlyn's side while she continued to sleep. "She is really such a great kid, she just needed people to look out for her for a bit." He continued, Herrmann nodding in understanding as his eyes moved back down to the sleeping girl nestled against the Captain.

"...So it is still just a few weeks?" He questioned, Casey's eyebrows raising as he caught the older man's gaze. "She really does have a family lined up to take her?"

"Yeah, she does." Matt responded, unsure of why Herrmann thought otherwise. "We weren't kidding, she does have a family who's trying to adopt her, they're just getting hung up in the system… She's not ours, Herrmann." He clarified, Christopher nodding once more as he drew in a deep breath.

"I just wasn't sure… I guess I just didn't know if you'd ever foster again, after what happened with Louie, so all this was kind of a surprise… But you all doing this for her, you and Dawson have some of the biggest hearts around." He breathed out, Matt pursing his lips together before he drew in a deep, slow breath.

"Yeah, I didn't know if it was something we'd ever do, either… There's definitely some hesitance there, and there probably always will be. But this isn't a normal situation. Caitlyn needed help, she needed people to look out for her, and Gabby and I are capable of doing that… But thank you, Herrmann… That means a lot." He finished speaking just as the double doors opened, Matt turning to see 51's paramedics walking into the firehouse, his wife being the last one in as they came into the common room.

"Aw, looks like someone had too much fun today." Brett spoke when she saw the state of the young girl, Gabby's eyes immediately finding her husband and little Caitlyn on the couch, a small smile forming across her face before she looked around for Sofia, Dawson soon seeing that her baby was passed out, as well.

"I guess we wore both of them out, huh?" Gabby asked, shooting Kidd a thankful smile before she moved towards the couch, Matt nodding slowly while Caitlyn continued to sleep.

"Yeah, Caitlyn's been out for a while… Sof, not so much. Maybe ten minutes, or so. But I think it's time to get both of them home." He replied, Gabby nodding in agreement as she reached out to run her hand lightly over the top of Caitlyn's head. They both knew it was best to get them out and into the car now, considering there was no way to know how long they'd be around before getting called out, and with the current sleepy state both children were in, getting them to the car would be more work than Becca could handle on her own.

"Definitely." She replied, Gabby leaning down to press a kiss to Caitlyn's head before she walked over towards the table where Becca was sitting, the mother beginning to gather Sofia's things while Kidd held the sleeping baby.

While Gabby was getting their belongings together, Sofia having ended up playing with practically every toy they'd brought her, Matt carefully began maneuvering himself up off the couch with the little girl in his arms. As he slid to the edge of the couch, Matt adjusted Caitlyn's weight against his chest, the man holding underneath her to secure her to him before he slowly stood up.

But despite his attempts to move as carefully as possible, his movements still woke up the young girl, Caitlyn immediately digging her head into his neck as she tried to stay asleep, Matt doing what he could to keep her relaxed as he slowly moved towards the hallway.

"It's okay." He murmured into her ear, Matt pressing a kiss to the side of her head as he rubbed her back, the man securing Caitlyn's dead weight in his arms as her legs hung down by his sides. "We're gonna get you home now." He continued, Matt rubbing continuously up and down her back as she slowly began to fall back asleep, Caitlyn's hand holding onto his shirt tightly as he felt her soft breaths against his neck.

Casey bounced gently on the balls of his feet as he waited for his wife and Becca, Matt whispering soothing words into her ear while she slept, the little girl completely content to sleep in his arms while Gabby moved towards her daughter.

"Come here, sweet girl." Gabby murmured as Kidd slowly handed her the baby, Sofia immediately waking up when she was moved. "I know, I know." She spoke, biting down on her tongue as she tried to soothe her back to sleep. Gabby bounced her around gently, Sofia clinging onto her mom as loud whines left her lips, everyone in the room watching on as both Gabby and Matt took care of the two children.

It took some time, but eventually Sofia calmed down, the baby curling up to her mother's chest as she slowly fell back asleep. And though Gabby knew they'd be going through this similar process here in a few minutes when they put her in the car, Dawson was happy she'd at least calmed down for now, Becca grabbing the diaper bag from the table.

Tearing her eyes away from her sleeping baby, Gabby looked up, soon realizing the entire room was looking at her, a sheepish look covering her face before she found Matt's gaze across the room, her husband still focused on keeping Caitlyn asleep. Drawing in a deep breath, Gabby looked back to her friends before smiling softly. "We're gonna get the kids out to the car, we'll be back in a minute." Her voice was barely above a whisper, Herrmann being the first one to nod.

"Take your time, kid… You all need any help?" He asked with a soft smile, his eyes moving back and forth between the two parents.

"No, no we're good. Thank you, though." She replied, Herrmann nodding before Gabby and Becca began walking towards the door.

"You'll have to bring the girls back again, though." He spoke up, Gabby turning back to meet his gaze. "We loved having them here."

There were nods of agreement that came from around the room, Matt and Gabby both smiling before Casey spoke up. "We definitely will… Thank you all for today, I know she had a great time." Matt told them, Herrmann giving him one last nod before the Casey family headed out of the firehouse.

Becca held the door open for the parents as they carried the sleeping children out into the garage, Matt feeling Caitlyn subconsciously press her head against his neck while she slept, the three adults continuing their path towards the car. Their walk was done in relative silence, Matt checking both ways before leading his family across the quiet street.

Within seconds, they were to the car, Matt waiting for Becca to unlock it before he opened the door and slowly began to put Caitlyn in her booster seat, while Gabby worked on securing Sofia in her car seat. He'd managed to get her down into her seat, but as he was buckling her in, the little girl startled awake, clearly unsure of her surroundings.

"Hey, you're okay." He murmured, Matt rubbing his hand soothingly over her leg as Caitlyn's head lulled towards him, the young girl blinking furiously until he came into focus, Casey seeing the evident exhaustion in her eyes. Even though she'd gotten some sleep already, he could tell just by looking at her that tonight would be an early night for little Caitlyn, Matt figuring that by the time they got home, ate, and took a bath, the child would be all ready for bed. "Becca's gonna take you home, alright?" He continued, figuring it best to explain to her what was happening. "Gabby and I will be home in the morning…"

"Tomorrow?" Her little voice was thick with sleep, Matt smiling softly before he gave her a nod.

"Tomorrow." He promised before leaning forward to press a kiss to her forehead, Matt rubbing her leg once more before he finished securing Caitlyn into her seat, the two saying a few last goodbyes before Matt stepped back and shut the door, Gabby having repeated a similar process while Becca got into the driver's seat. The parents stood together on the sidewalk for a few moments until Becca pulled away from the curb, both of them wanting to make sure they were all good before heading back inside to finish out their shift.

* * *

Casey killed the engine in his truck as they sat outside their home, the couple not wasting any time in getting out of the vehicle as they were beyond excited to get inside and spend some time with the girls. Though seeing them on shift yesterday was fun, once they'd left, Matt and Gabby both had missed them like crazy, and they couldn't wait to get home and spend some quality time with their daughter and their foster daughter, Matt grabbing both their shift bags out from the trunk bed before locking up the truck.

After checking for traffic, the two jogged across the street, Gabby pulling out their key before they got to their front door, Matt hanging back behind her while she slid the key in the lock and pushed the door open, Gabby soon stepping inside the warm home.

The second she walked in, she was immediately met by the sight of Caitlyn sitting on the couch, clad in her pajamas as her focus was on the TV, while Sofia was standing with her back to them on the floor, holding onto the coffee table for balance while Becca was right beside her. At first glance, the sight made Gabby a little anxious, the mother being reminded of Sofia's fall against that same coffee table that landed them in the emergency room. But she tried to push that day from her mind, Gabby focusing her attention back on the sight in front of her while Matt came up behind her.

Before either of them could say anything, Caitlyn noticed their presence, the little girl's excitement evident as she began scrambling to get off the couch. "Gabby! Matt!" Her loud voice caught Sofia's attention, the baby unsure of what was going on while Caitlyn ran towards them as soon as her feet were on the ground, her little body colliding with Gabby's in seconds.

"Hi sweetheart." Gabby greeted, running her hand over the girl's back before leaning down to press a kiss to the top of her head. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good!" She replied brightly, Caitlyn brushing the hair from her face as she pulled away from Gabby, before she moved to give Matt a similar greeting. While the young girl was hugging Matt, Gabby looked back towards Becca, seeing the nanny had one hand on Sofia's back as she looked towards them.

"How'd they do?" Gabby asked as she stepped further inside their home, Matt following her carefully as Caitlyn was still attached to him. From Becca's texts last night, the parents knew Caitlyn and Sofia both had gone to bed pretty early, their daughter having gone down by 7:00, while Caitlyn was out by 7:30, but they hadn't heard anything from the nanny since, Becca nodding with a soft smile as Gabby stood just outside the living room.

"They both did great." She replied brightly. "They slept through the night, and they've both already had breakfast."

"I ate all my waffle!" Caitlyn spoke proudly as she detached herself from Matt, the little girl clearly having been listening to their conversation.

"You did?" Matt asked, Caitlyn giving him a strong nod before he ran his hand over her head.

"I did! And drank all my milk!"

Casey's smile widened before he leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head, Caitlyn's smile matching his as he pulled back. "That's great, honey. Was it good?" He asked, Caitlyn nodding once again before she grabbed his hand.

"Will you watch cartoons with me?" She questioned, her little body trying to pull him towards the couch, Gabby chuckling as Matt gave the girl a nod.

"I think we can do that for a little bit." He answered, Caitlyn bouncing on her feet excitedly before the three of them walked further into the living room, Sofia still not having noticed their presence.

"Sofia, look who's home." Becca spoke as she rubbed over the girl's back, the baby looking towards her, clearly having no idea what was being said.

"Hey Sof."

At the sound of her mother's voice, the baby turned her around, a bright smile forming over her face when she saw her parents standing a few feet away from her.

"There's my beautiful girl." Gabby continued, the baby slowly turning her body away from the coffee table, Dawson's eyes widening slightly as she watched her baby balance all on her own. "Matt, look." She told him, hitting his arm repeatedly as her gaze was focused on Sofia, Matt and Caitlyn still standing beside her while Sofia kept her balance.

It was something she'd been doing a lot recently, the little girl able to keep herself up on her own, without holding onto anything for support, but she hadn't been able to do it for this long before, Gabby taking a slight step forward as sounds of excitement left the little girl's lips.

"Oh, look at my big girl." She praised, Sofia's happy giggle filling the air as Gabby continued towards her. But before Gabby could get any closer, the baby slowly began to take a step forward, Gabby halting in her tracks as Sofia unsteadily tried to walk towards her mother. "Oh my God." She breathed out, Matt having moved closer as Sofia successfully took her first step all on her own.

"Did she just…?" Matt asked as he came to his wife's side, Gabby smiling wide as proud tears formed in her eyes, the mother nodded while she kept her attention on Sofia, the young girl working towards taking another step.

"She did." Gabby spoke before she crouched down to the ground, holding out her arms towards her baby. "Come here, Sof. You can do it."

Matt mimicked his wife's positioning, the man crouching down as well before Caitlyn came to his side, the five year old hanging off of him as she watched the baby. They three of them were barely a foot away from the eleven month old, Sofia determinedly taking another step closer, proud smiles covering the faces of all the adults in the room as she continued walking towards her mother.

"There's my girl, come on Sof." Gabby continued to encourage her, the mother blinking back the tears forming in her eyes as the family did what they could to soak in this milestone moment.

"Yay Sof!" Caitlyn cheered, Matt and Gabby chuckling as the father wrapped his arm around Caitlyn's waist, both parents happy to see Caitlyn's support for the young girl.

"Yeah, that's it, come here." Gabby continued as Sofia took the last few steps, the baby getting too excited to slow down as she walked right into her mother's arms, Gabby wrapping her up in a tight hug as loud, unintelligible sounds of excitement continued to escape Sofia's lips. "Oh my God, baby, look at you." Gabby breathed out as she cradled her daughter in her arms, her eyes moving towards her husband, seeing the same look of pride shining in his teary eyes.

"...Our girl is walking." He spoke, his voice a little unsteady as his emotions got the best of him, Gabby nodding proudly as she adjusted the baby in her arms.

"Our girl is walking." She repeated, Gabby pressing continuous kisses against the top of Sofia's head.

Though Sofia had been walking around for awhile with either help from them, or her walker, this was the first time she'd ever done it on her own. Without any help from anything or anyone. And her parents were sure they'd never been prouder of her than in this moment, Gabby rubbing her hand up and down the girl's back.

"Good job, Sof!" Caitlyn spoke up again, her genuine excitement filling the room as she came over and kissed the top of her head, Matt's chest flooding with warmth at the sight of the three girls in front of him.

There was a sense of complete pride in the air around them, Sofia oblivious to how important this moment had been, the little girl just loving the attention she was getting more than anything as she grabbed onto her mom's shirt.

"Can we see if she'll do it again?" Matt asked, Gabby nodding immediately before her husband got up and stood a few feet away from them, Caitlyn following him as Gabby got Sofia up on her feet. "Come here, Sof. Come to Daddy."

Casey and Caitlyn both said words of encouragement as the baby slowly began walking towards them, the parents trying to enjoy every moment of this as Sofia walked on her own, both Gabby and Matt feeling a level of pride they never knew possible with each passing moment as she slowly made her way to her father.

Their girl was walking. Their little baby was growing more and more every day, and now she was able to walk on her own. And they couldn't feel more grateful that they'd been here to experience this moment.

And they were more than happy that Caitlyn had been here to enjoy it with them.


	96. Chapter Ninety Six

**Hi everyone! Thanks for all the kind words you all left me on the last chapter, I'm so glad you enjoyed it, and I hope you all like this one too, and you're ready for more of Dawsey with Sofia and Caitlyn.**

**Thank you so much for reading. I hope all of you are doing okay, under the circumstances, and staying safe.**

**Also, I mentioned this in my Whatever Comes Next update last week, but I do want to let you all know I am working on the next If We Never Say Goodbye update. I hate that it's taken me this long, but I'm hoping to get that posted sometime this week, so be on the lookout for that. **

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Six**_

* * *

"Caitlyn, come eat your breakfast, sweetheart." Matt called from the kitchen as he watched the scrambled eggs that were cooking in the pan, his eyes bouncing between the five year old sitting in the living room, his daughter sitting in her high chair working on some of the oatmeal he'd placed on the tray in front of her, and the breakfast he was working on preparing for Caitlyn. Though still early, it had already been a hectic morning, Matt's focus completely on taking care of the kids while Gabby got ready for work.

It had been on the schedule for awhile, but today was one of those days where Gabby had been scheduled to work a shift at another house that didn't line up with her shift at 51, and neither parent could say they were really fond of it. Though the work Gabby was doing was great, and she'd helped the CFD so much already, the days they were on different shifts had become quite the adjustment. Especially with Caitlyn in the mix. But they were managing the best they could, and the change in their schedule had most certainly given them a newfound respect for their nanny.

But luckily, the days of them working different shifts would soon be over. Today was the third shift where Gabby had been on a different schedule than her husband, at Station 41 across town, and after today, she only had one shift left at that house before she'd be back at 51 for a bit. And both Matt and Gabby were eternally grateful.

Dawson loved her job, she loved going to work with other paramedics around the city, and help houses run more effectively. She thoroughly enjoyed her work, but she'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to getting back into her usual routine. She'd worked at three separate houses now, some needing more assistance than others, but while she was thankful for the opportunity to help other medics, there was nothing she enjoyed more than her and Matt going into work together every day. Them coming home and getting to spend two days together with their little girl, and now Caitlyn. To them, there was nothing better than that. And they were more than ready to get that back.

And thankfully after two more shifts for her at house 41, they'd have it.

"Caitlyn!" Matt called again, his eyes moving back towards the living room, finding her still in her same spot in the middle of the couch. "Your breakfast is gonna get cold, come on honey."

"Okay Matt." She replied back, the child sliding herself down off the couch, her pajamas twisted from the movement as she hurried towards the kitchen, coming to stand by Matt's feet while he cooked. "I'm here!" She told him excitedly though he'd already seen her, Matt shooting her a thankful smile before he put the cooked eggs onto the small kid's plate on the counter beside the stove, the breakfast accompanied by half of a piece of toast lathered in raspberry jam, which he knew to be Caitlyn's favorite.

"Thank you… Make sure you don't touch the stove, it's hot." He reminded her, Caitlyn nodding as she took a slight step away from the counter, Matt turning off the stove top before sparing a quick glance to his daughter, seeing she was still content half eating, half playing with the sticky oatmeal in front of her. And while Sofia had made a complete mess, and would definitely be needing a bath, he was just glad to see her eating on her own. "Go ahead and go to the table, I'll bring you your food."

"Can I carry it?" She asked, Matt flashing her a soft smile before nodding.

"Of course." He responded, the man grabbing ahold of her breakfast before carefully handing it to her. "Just make sure you use two hands." He told her, Caitlyn nodding as she held the plate steadily in both her hands before she slowly turned around. "Go sit down, I'll get your drink."

"Thank you." She replied, Matt able to hear the concentration in her voice as she carefully moved around the island back towards the table, Casey turning to grab one of their plastic cups they'd gotten for Caitlyn as movement in the room caught his attention.

"Hey baby." Matt greeted when he saw his wife come into view, the woman already dressed in her shift clothes, Gabby placing her bag on the ground before shooting him a soft smile.

"Good morning." She responded right before they heard a crash, and a sound of surprise leaving little Caitlyn's lips.

Turning towards the noise, they saw Caitlyn standing nervously over her now-dropped breakfast, the plate upside down on the ground, her eggs and toast covering the floor as her eyes darted nervously.

"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized, Matt shaking his head slightly as he placed the cup back down onto the counter. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

"Honey, it's okay." Gabby told her, Caitlyn looking towards her with her wide brown eyes, the mother giving her a reassuring nod. "It's fine, it was an accident." She spoke, Caitlyn nodding hesitantly before she looked to Matt, like she needed the same assurance from him. Which he soon gave.

"It's alright, Caitlyn." He promised her, his words accompanied by a gentle smile.

"Matt can make you some more breakfast, it's okay." Gabby repeated, the woman coming over towards her to help clean up. "It's just a little mess, nothing that can't be fixed."

Dawson squatted down on the ground beside Caitlyn, the little girl bending over to help her as Gabby got what food she could off the ground and back onto the plate. "Can you go get a towel from Matt?" Gabby asked, Caitlyn immediately running over towards the counter where Matt had already gotten started on remaking the little girl's breakfast, the man having just turned the stovetop back on when Caitlyn came around the corner.

Having heard Gabby's words, Matt stepped back to get a paper towel, the man dampening it quickly before handing it to the five year old, Caitlyn hurrying back to Gabby as soon as it was in her grasp. "Here you go, Gabby." She spoke, Gabby flashing her a thankful smile before taking the towel from her.

"Thank you, sweetheart. You think you can get this plate back to Matt?" Gabby asked her, Caitlyn immediately nodding as she grabbed the plastic plate from her foster mom, the little girl's tongue poking out between her teeth in concentration before she began walking back towards the counter.

She was moving slowly, Matt having already gotten more eggs in the pan as Caitlyn came around the corner, his eyebrows raising in amusement as he saw the determined look in her eyes; a look that reminded him an awful lot of his wife.

"I'm sorry for dropping it." She spoke again as she stood up on her tippy toes to place the dirty plate on the counter, Matt shaking his head before he ran his hand along her back.

"I know you are, honey, but it's fine. It was an accident." He told her the same words Gabby had, Caitlyn nodding with a soft smile, her wild blonde hair sticking out of her ponytail in all different directions. "Now why don't you go and sit down at the table, I'll get your breakfast ready and bring it to you in a few minutes, alright?"

"Okay." She replied, shooting him her wide grin before she ran back to the table, the little girl passing Gabby on the way as the wife was walking into the kitchen, the parents sharing a knowing look.

It had been a little less than two weeks since Caitlyn had come into their home, and in that time, they'd come to learn a lot about their foster daughter. They'd learned her likes, and dislikes, when it came to pretty much everything, whether it was food, toys, clothes, cartoons; they were learning more and more about her every single day.

And along with that, they also learned more and more about the personality of the energetic five year old with each passing day. Though she was definitely shy around new people, once she got to know someone, she'd talk their ear off for hours if Gabby and Matt would let her. And she'd especially taken to those closest to the parents. It was like she was paying close attention to them, and whichever people they gravitated to were the same ones she did. It wasn't something they'd really noticed at first, but after a few more visits to the firehouse on Gabby's days off, they'd eventually picked up on it. But even that didn't matter so much, both Gabby and Matt noticing how Caitlyn had been able to strike up a conversation with pretty much anyone.

But in the nearly two weeks they'd had with the little girl, they'd noticed more than just her cautiously outgoing personality.

Caitlyn was an overall happy kid. She was always smiling, and seemed to just be happy to be included, and be around other people. From what they could tell, she was just a little girl who wanted people to look out for her, which Gabby and Matt had vowed to do. But there was still one thing that left them a little confused, that didn't sit right with them. And that was her constant need to apologize.

They'd noticed it from the second they met her, and that trend had only continued since bringing her home. She would be constantly apologizing, or thanking them for things that needed none. Whether it was an incident like this morning, where she accidentally made a mess, or it was something else entirely, like her thanking them for letting her watch TV, or for taking her out with them when they would go out with Sofia. It seemed like any little thing, she was either thanking them, or saying sorry, depending on the situation, and it really didn't sit well with them.

Though they appreciated her manners, and were glad she'd been taught the basic difference between right and wrong, it almost seemed like she wasn't actually sure what _was_ deemed wrong. Like, for whatever reason, she didn't realize that she didn't need to apologize for everything. And it truly broke their heart. Because they could only imagine what had happened to her to make her feel the need to be constantly saying sorry.

But they hadn't exactly gotten to the bottom of that, yet. Though they'd learned a lot about Caitlyn as a person, they still didn't know hardly anything about her situation, and things she'd gone through in the past. They knew nothing about how she'd been treated before, whether it be by her parents, or her other foster families. They just didn't know, but they could only imagine that her immediate nervousness anytime she thought she was in trouble stemmed from something in her past.

But they couldn't know for certain, and they probably never would. Not when she would be leaving them any day now.

"Thanks for cleaning that up." Matt spoke up as she continued into the kitchen, Gabby giving him a nod before tossing the paper towel in the trash, the woman moving to go put another piece of bread in the toaster for the little girl.

"It's no problem… I do need to get out of here soon, but I have a few minutes." She replied, closing the bread back up before returning it to its place on the counter, Gabby turning to look at her husband while cooked, her words earning a nod from Matt.

"We're gonna miss you around here today." He told her, Matt glancing to see a soft smile form over her face before he returned his attention to the food, Gabby shaking her head slightly.

"You all will be fine…"

"I don't know about that… We do better when we're all together." He spoke, Gabby clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth, knowing he had a point. "And plus I think Caitlyn gets a little confused when only one of us is here." He lowered his voice considerably as the words left his lips, knowing their foster daughter was only feet away, Gabby turning to see her talking to Sofia while the baby ate her breakfast.

"Yeah, I know she does." Gabby murmured, remembering how she'd had to explain to the girl a few times why her work schedule was sometimes a little different, and she was sure Matt had had similar discussions with her. "But this separate shift thing is almost over… And hopefully they won't assign me different shifts anymore, if I keep doing this." She added, Matt nodding in agreement just as the toast popped up, Gabby grabbing it and putting it down on Caitlyn's new plate before she reached for the butter. "But you all will be fine today, I'm sure you and the girls will have tons of fun… Though it's probably not too late to call Becca."

Matt chuckled at the teasing words from his wife, the man shaking his head as she started to put some jam on Caitlyn's toast. "Ha ha." He responded dryly, Gabby flashing him a proud smile before cutting the bread in half, the woman taking a bite of the extra food as she kept one half on Caitlyn's plate. "Don't tempt me, I might call her later if I need to." He added with another laugh, Gabby shaking her head in amusement before she held out the plate, Matt putting Caitlyn's new eggs on it before she began to walk towards the kitchen table, the mom stopping to grab a fork for the young girl along the way.

"You all will be fine, babe." She replied, placing the plate down in front of Caitlyn before pressing a kiss to the top of the young girl's head. "Here you go, sweetheart."

"Thank you!" She responded gratefully, Caitlyn taking the fork from Gabby before she began eating.

"You're welcome." She spoke, rubbing over her back before walking towards her baby, Sofia smacking her sticky hands against her high chair when her mom began walking towards her. "Hi my girl." She said, kissing the top of Sofia's head as well, trying to avoid her daughter's hands as she reached out for her. "No, no, not right now, Sof. Momma's gotta go… Yeah, she's definitely gonna need a bath." Gabby told her husband, Matt nodding in agreement as he finished the last bite of toast she'd left on the counter.

"That's already on the agenda for this morning." Matt replied with a chuckle, Gabby nodding before she walked past her daughter, moving towards her shift bag that she'd placed to the ground as Casey brought Caitlyn her half full glass of milk, the man placing it down on the table in front of her. "Figured we'd have breakfast, get the girls cleaned up, then I'm supposed to be over at the apartment later this morning to do one last walk through before turning in the keys… I was gonna take the girls, and bring Severide with me, I think."

"Oh, a little day date with Kelly." Gabby teased him, Matt rolling his eyes as she picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. "That'll be sweet."

"Very funny." He replied, Gabby releasing a soft chuckle before walking back towards the table, the mother being mindful to step around the oatmeal that Sofia had tossed to the floor.

"That sounds like a good idea, baby." She replied to his earlier statement, Matt shaking his head slightly before pulling out the chair beside Caitlyn and sitting down beside her, the girl glancing at him before taking another bite of her toast. "Oh, and don't forget, the day you get off shift, we have that playdate set up for Sofia and Patrick." She reminded him, Gabby seeing the look of realization that soon covered his face, telling her that her husband had forgotten about the plans they'd made with James and his family. "And you're supposed to take a look at his back porch, help him get it fixed up."

"Yeah, I remember now." He replied with a soft smile, Gabby shaking her head slightly as she ran her hand through Sofia's curls.

Though it had been a few weeks since Gabby and James had first talked about getting their families together, with everything that had come up in the Casey's life soon after that, them deciding to foster Caitlyn for the time being, it hadn't been something that was a top priority. But they'd finally managed to find a day that worked for all of them, and Matt and Gabby both were excited for Sofia to have some time playing with a child her own age, as well as them getting to know James and Megan better.

"We're supposed to meet them around lunch time, so you'll have some time to rest if you need to in the morning." She told him, Matt nodding as his eyes moved between all three of the girls, Gabby looking down to the watch on her wrist before releasing a heavy breath. "Okay, I really gotta get going now." She spoke, leaning down to press another kiss to Sofia's head before coming around to the side of the table where Matt and Caitlyn were sitting, Gabby stopping at the young girl first. "I'll be home in the morning, alright honey?" She reminded her, Caitlyn looking up from her food before nodding with a bright smile.

"I remember!" She spoke proudly, Gabby giving her a soft grin before leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Good job, sweetheart… You'll be with Becca for a bit before I get here, because Matt will have to get to work, but I'll get home as soon as I can, and we'll find some fun things to do." Gabby promised her, Caitlyn's grin widening as she nodded. "Maybe we'll invite Jemma over, and we can go to the park, or go out and have some fun… We'll think of something." She told her, Caitlyn giving her another excited nod, Gabby knowing Jemma had soon become one of the little girl's favorite people since they met.

"Okay!" She replied, Gabby running her hand over her hair before turning her attention to Matt, the man's bright blue eyes watching her softly.

"I'm gonna head out… I hope you all have a good day." She told him, Gabby stepping away from Caitlyn to give her husband a kiss.

"You too. Stay safe out there."

"I will." She promised, giving him another quick peck before she stepped away from the table. "Alright, I'll see you all tomorrow."

"Bye Gabby!" Caitlyn told her, waving goodbye as Gabby walked towards the hallway.

"Goodbye sweetheart." She responded, giving the girl a soft smile before her eyes found Matt's. "Try not to burn the house down." She teased, Matt narrowing his eyes slightly before she spoke up again. "And maybe you could finish getting the last of these boxes unpacked while you're at it?" She suggested with a smug grin, her gaze flickering towards the few remaining boxes left from their move that needed to be unpacked.

Chuckling softly, Matt shook his head, nodding back towards the door that led out to the garage. "Get out of here." He spoke playfully, Gabby unable to hide her smile before she turned to leave, the paramedic not missing the wink her husband shot her before she walked towards the door, the temporary family of four getting ready for their day apart.

* * *

With Caitlyn's hand securely in his, Matt walked down the sidewalk towards their old home, the man glancing back to make sure Sofia was still content in Kelly's arms, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw his little girl babbling away happily while Severide held her. As they continued towards the apartment, Matt fished around in his pockets for his keys, their steps slowing down when they came to the door, Casey feeling little Caitlyn's hand tighten her grip on his as he slid the key into the lock.

"Where are we?" She repeated the same question she'd asked him a few times already, Matt smiling softly before he pushed the back door open, the man giving her a reassuring nod before holding out their conjoined hands, encouraging her to step inside.

"This is mine and Gabby's old home, remember I told you we were gonna stop by?" He reminded her, Caitlyn giving him a slow nod as the four went inside the completely empty apartment, their once warm and inviting home now showing no signs of them ever living there. "We used to live here… Up until right before you came to stay with us." He continued to explain to her, Caitlyn giving his hand another firm squeeze before she nodded, her eyes bouncing around the room.

"Why did you move?" She asked, following Matt as they walked further inside, Severide shutting the door behind them.

"Well, we wanted a bigger place for our family." He replied, Caitlyn thinking over his words for a minute before nodding. "I've gotta get a few things done, but Kelly has your snack, and the iPad so you can watch some cartoons while you eat, okay? This won't take too long, sweetie." He told her, earning another nod from her as he dropped her hand, Matt reaching down to lift her up onto the counter, knowing there were no other places for her to sit.

"Okay Matt." She replied, her legs dangling off the edge as Kelly came to stand beside her, the man placing a standing Sofia down on the counter as well, keeping a tight hold on the back of her shirt so she couldn't get far before he slid the diaper bag down off his shoulder, Matt watching the entire thing with an amused grin.

"You need any help?" He offered, Kelly shooting him a pointed stare before shaking his head.

"I got this, you go and make sure you and Dawson didn't leave anything lying around." He replied as he began getting the girls' snacks out of the bag, Kelly thankful to see they had already been portioned out and put in individual containers.

"Okay… Don't drop the baby." Casey replied, though he knew Sofia was completely safe in the care of her godfather, Kelly giving him one last glare before Matt began walking around the apartment.

As expected, he hadn't been able to find anything he or Gabby might've left behind, the firefighter knowing he and his wife had been quite thorough during all their different trips of moving out of their former home. But within ten minutes, he'd confirmed they'd left nothing behind that wasn't supposed to be there, Matt having started in their bedroom, before going through the living room, foyer, guest bedroom, bathroom, and laundry room, then finishing his job in the kitchen where the girls and Kelly were. When he walked into the room, he saw both children occupied by the same cartoon playing on the iPad in front of them, the kids having moved to sit in the middle of the island, both chomping away on their snacks while Severide kept an eye on them.

"You all good?" Severide asked as Matt began glancing through the cabinets.

"We're good… If we left anything, I can't find it." He replied with a soft smile, Severide nodding in understanding as his eyes moved back to the girls, Kelly wanting to make sure they were still content. And by the way Caitlyn was munching away on her cheese and crackers, and Sofia was slowly eating the puff cereal that had been given to her, he knew they were both more than fine, Kelly stepping around to stand beside the island so he was closer to his friend, while also close enough to keep the girls in reach.

"So, does it feel weird?" Kelly asked, his words causing Matt to stop his movements as he glanced back towards his friend, the man raising his eyebrows questioningly as he waited for him to elaborate. "Saying goodbye to this apartment."

Sighing softly, Matt gave him a slow nod, the Captain turning around to face him completely as he leaned his body weight into the counter. "Yeah, it is, a little bit." He admitted. "This was mine and Gabby's home for so long… So much happened here. A lot of good, a lot of bad… Basically everything we went through together, it all happened here, so it does feel a little weird to say goodbye to this place." Casey breathed out, Kelly giving him a nod as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But it was time… Past time, actually. This place will always be a part of us, but we love our new place. And the girls love it there… It already feels like home to us."

"Yeah, I can tell." Severide replied with a chuckle. "Just from when I've been over there, it almost feels like you all have lived there forever."

"That's kind of how we feel, too." Casey responded, the man moving to look through the last few cabinets. "I guess I was expecting it to feel a little more strange than it does, us not being here anymore, but it really doesn't... We'll miss this place a lot, but it's time to move on, you know?"

"Yeah, I do." He responded, Casey flashing him a small smile before he checked the last few cabinets, the man finding them completely empty. "Alright, well, now that that's done, I can turn these keys in, and we'll officially be out of this place." He breathed out, Matt holding out his and Gabby's keys to the apartment, his eyes moving between his friend to the girls sitting on the counter, seeing them still working on the food he'd brought for them. "Though I guess we need to wait a bit." He added with a chuckle, Severide nodding in agreement before coming to stand beside his friend as they kept their eyes on the girls. With them both seated in the middle of the counter top, there was no way they'd be able to get far enough to risk falling before the men could get to them, Matt feeling comfortable enough to stay back against the opposite counter while they ate their snack.

"So, uh… I know you two never stop talking about the kid, but now that it's been a couple of weeks how's everything been going? With her?" Severide kept his voice low as he spoke to his friend, Matt seeing Caitlyn was still completely captivated by the show on in front of her, a soft smile forming over his face as he watched the young girl.

"It's going great. It's really just been better than I ever could've imagined." He spoke honestly, his words soft as to not capture the five year old's attention. "She's just… An incredible kid. She's such an incredible kid. She's so loving, and sweet… I mean, you've seen her with Sofia. We haven't had a single issue there, which I'm honestly surprised about." He continued, the proud grin never leaving his face as his eyes stayed focused on the girls in front of him. "There's been some challenges… She's five, so there's tantrums, and she gets mad and upset, like any other kid does. But even aside from that, she's still just so… kind. She's an amazing little girl." Matt finished, tearing his eyes away from the children to see Kelly watching him with an amused smirk. "...What?"

"Nothing… You're just such a dad." He replied with a chuckle, Matt raising his eyebrows before a light scoff escaped his lips.

"Well, I am a dad, Sev."

"I know… Just a dad and his two girls." He replied with a sheepish grin, Casey sucking in a deep breath as he shook his head.

"Not this again…"

"Come on, man, you can't be surprised every time this comes up… We all see how you and Gabby are with her. How she is with you… It's like she's your daughter." Kelly spoke quietly, Matt rubbing his hand over his mouth as he tried to figure out what to say.

"I'm not saying I disagree with you, but she's not ours, Kelly… She can't be ours, she already has a family. We all knew that going into this…"

"Yeah, but I don't think any of us expected her to be as attached to you all as she is, either-"

"It doesn't matter." He was quick to cut him off, Severide knowing he was treading in dangerous waters. "Regardless of what Gabby and I might or might not want, it's not something that's up for discussion… We can't take her from her family, we'd never try and do that to her. As parents who've had their kid taken away, Gabby and I would never do that to anyone else… No matter how much we love her." He explained quietly, Kelly pausing momentarily before giving him a slow nod. "Our only focus right now is just enjoying our time with her, and giving her a safe, and loving place to live… That's all we can do."

Severide waited for a few extra seconds after Matt finished speaking, the children in the room oblivious to the heaviness of their conversation as they continued eating their snacks, Kelly tearing his eyes away from the girls before looking back towards his friend.

"So there's still no actual date when she's going to be with her family?" Severide asked, Matt shaking his head as he stared straight ahead.

"No, there's not. We're to the point where we're kind of just waiting for that phone call, I guess… That she'll be leaving to go be with her family, so we've been trying to prepare her for that. But I'm not sure how much of it she understands… We're just trying to enjoy the days with her while we have them." He breathed out, Severide biting down on the inside of his cheek before he nodded.

"Do you have any idea if she'll still be here for Sof's birthday?" Kelly questioned, seeing the immediate grimace that covered Casey's face.

With Sofia's first birthday just two weeks away, it had been quite the topic of discussion around the Casey household. Which meant Caitlyn had heard all about it, and was more than excited to celebrate with the young girl. But the problem was, they had no clue if Caitlyn would be with them long enough to be here for Sofia's birthday. They hoped she would be, everyone more than aware of just how much Caitlyn loved the soon-to-be one year old, but the reality of the situation was they had no idea if Caitlyn would still be with them tomorrow, let alone two weeks from now.

"We don't." Matt spoke up. "I wish we had a better timeline with all this, but we really don't… We were originally told she'd be with us for maybe a month, but there's no way to know for sure. The second all the paperwork gets cleared up, she'll go be with her family, so there's no way to know when that'll happen… But I really hope she will be. She's been so excited for this party, and for Sof to turn one… We didn't have the heart to tell her she might not be here for it. So Gabby and I both are just praying she'll still be here, but we have no way to know." He finished, his voice sounding near defeated as he spoke with his friend, Severide sensing that the mere thought of them not having Caitlyn anymore wasn't the easiest thing for Casey to face. And he was sure Gabby was the same way.

"Well, hopefully she'll still be here for the party." Kelly said with a soft smile, Matt looking up towards his friend, the Captain drawing in a deep breath before nodding in response.

"Yeah, I hope she will be, too."

* * *

"Caitlyn, honey, are you done with your dinner?" Gabby called from the kitchen, the blonde girl looking up for her spot on the couch, curled into Matt's side, before she nodded.

"I'm all done." She responded, her voice filtering into the kitchen as Gabby nodded in response before moving to go grab the last plate left on the table. Normally, Caitlyn would've been given the task to clear her plate from the table, even though history told them that didn't always go as planned. But regardless of any messes or spills, they were trying to teach her to clean up after herself, the parents wanting to help the child as much as they could for however long she was with them. But after the long and tiring day they'd all had, Gabby didn't mind cleaning up after the young girl this time, little Caitlyn looking far too comfortable leaned up against Matt for the mother to make her move.

Though today had been a great day for the family, it had been quite an exhausting one for the four of them, and they were all more than ready to wind down for the evening. After Casey had gotten off shift this morning, the firefighter had come home, planning to catch up on the sleep he'd missed out on because of their calls during the night. But when he got home, and Caitlyn asked him with those big, brown eyes to play dolls with her, he couldn't say no, and that had led to them playing with her toys together for most of the morning until they had to get ready to head to the Neilson's house.

The morning had kind of gotten away from all of them, the parents barely able to get the two girls ready and out of the house on time, their unfamiliar destination making them a bit late for their lunch with James, Megan, and little Patrick. But eventually, they'd managed to get there, and they all had a great time.

Though there was some awkwardness at first, with Matt having never met anyone from this family, and Gabby having only met Megan in passing, they'd all warmed up to one another very quickly. As had the kids.

Gabby and Matt were, admittedly, a little nervous about the whole thing before they got there. Not only were they curious to see Sofia spending quality time with a child her own age, they were a little anxious of how Caitlyn would fit into the mix. Gabby had called James a few days prior, to update him on the situation, the paramedic knowing her new friend knew nothing of the older child living with them, and the call had definitely helped things run smoother when they arrived. There were no discussions, no making Caitlyn uncomfortable because they hadn't been expecting her. And luckily, Caitlyn had fit right in, the older child having a blast playing with the younger kids in the yard for most of the day while Gabby got to know Megan a little better, and Matt did the same with James, as well as them getting the plans made for Casey to come back and fix his porch. Thankfully, the day had gone very well, and just as Gabby expected, the two families got along great.

Not only had Gabby found a new friend in Megan, she could tell James and Matt enjoyed spending time together, the two having spent most of the afternoon talking about anything and everything while the mother's chatted and kept an eye on the kids. And after seeing them play together all day, Gabby was sure the children had gotten alone better than the rest of them.

Despite not knowing what to expect, Sofia and Patrick had gotten along great. They were both still only babies, Patrick only about a month older than Sofia, but they'd had a blast together, especially with Caitlyn around. Most of the day had been spent with them chasing each other around, Patrick a little more steady on his feet than Sofia, the littlest Casey having fallen more times than Gabby could count. But what mattered is that she kept getting back up. It hadn't been very long since Sofia started walking on her own, and she was definitely still in the phase where she was working on figuring it out, which had led to her fair share of falls. But each and every time she fell over, she'd eventually make her way back up to her feet before walking around again, Gabby noticing how closely Caitlyn had been paying attention to the little girl. The five year old had been absolutely incredible with both of the babies, and it was something all of the adults had picked up on.

Overall, it had been an incredible day for everyone in the family. But with as much fun as they'd had all afternoon and into the evening, it had left all of the completely exhausted; the little ones especially. Which had led to an early night for the entire family.

As soon as they got home about an hour and a half ago, the first thing on the agenda had been to get cleaned up, both Sofia and Caitlyn covered in dirt and sweat from running around in the sun all day, and Matt definitely needed to get cleaned up too. So while Gabby supervised Caitlyn's shower, Matt took his own shower with Sofia, the parents meeting back up with each child about twenty minutes later once they'd all gotten cleaned up and dressed, Casey then working on getting dinner ready while Gabby went to take a quick shower for herself before they ate.

All throughout dinner, it quickly became apparent just how tired baby Sofia was, the little girl unable to even keep her head up as she sat in her high chair. So after she'd eaten about half her food, Gabby decided to call it a night for the little girl, the mom getting the food cleaned off her hands and her face before taking her upstairs to nurse before bed. And a feeding that would've usually taken at least forty minutes, if not longer, took all of half an hour before Sofia had passed out against her mother's chest, Gabby carefully getting her placed safely in her crib before leaving the room as quietly as possible.

And now the night was winding down with the other little girl as well, Caitlyn fighting off her exhaustion as she and Matt watched TV together while Gabby finished cleaning up the kitchen, the mother placing the last plate in the dishwasher before starting it.

"Alright…" Matt spoke up as Gabby walked into the living room, the mom stopping to put some toys away as she moved. "I think it's time for bed, little lady." He said, glancing down to the five year old tucked into his side, her brown eyes immediately widening before she shook her head.

"I'm not sleepy yet." She tried, though she couldn't even get the words out without yawning, Matt unable to stop the smile on his face from growing when he looked at her.

"We all had a long day, it's time for bed." He stood his ground, though the pout that formed over her face immediately began weakening his resolve.

"Five minutes?" She asked, her bottom lip stuck out as her warm brown eyes looked up at him, the father drawing in a deep breath before looking towards his wife just as she sat down on the other side of Caitlyn, the woman chuckling softly as she crossed her arms over her chest, both of them knowing he couldn't say no to the girl beside him.

"Oh, okay." He gave in rather easily, the pout on the young girl's face soon morphing into a smile. "How can I say no to that face? You can have five more minutes." He told her, Caitlyn's smile widening before she leaned over to give him a hug.

"Thank you, Daddy."

The second that last word left her lips, Gabby and Matt both froze, neither one knowing what to do as they locked gazes, Caitlyn slowly pulling herself back from his side after a few moments. Swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat, Matt looked down at the young girl by his side, seeing by the look in her eyes she realized exactly what she had said, the parents well aware they needed to handle this situation delicately.

"...Caitlyn-"

"I'm sorry." She immediately apologized, cutting Gabby's words off as she looked back and forth between the parents, Casey and Dawson both immediately picking up on her anxiousness. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

She just kept repeating some variation of those words as she turned her head to the ground, Caitlyn now refusing to look their way. Gabby wasn't sure if it was because she was embarrassed, or because she thought she'd get in trouble, or if it was a mixture of both. But what she did know was that despite their shock, her and Matt both couldn't let her continue to feel this way.

"Caitlyn, honey…" Gabby started, placing her hand on the girl's leg as she continued looking down to her lap. "Sweetie, look at me please." She tried again, the young girl slowly lifting her head up to look at Gabby, finding nothing but a comforting smile waiting for her.

"I'm sorry…"

"You don't need to keep apologizing." Gabby replied softly, seeing the little girl slowly start to relax. "It's okay." She told her, Matt nodding in agreement as he began to rub over her back, Caitlyn turning her head towards him when she registered the movement.

"It is okay." Matt repeated his wife's words. "You don't have anything to be sorry for. Gabby and I, I know we're not your parents, and we're just looking after you until your Mom and Dad are able to, but you know what?" He asked her, Caitlyn shaking her head slightly. "We're glad you feel safe enough with us to feel that way, okay? Everything's fine, you're not in trouble."

The little girl was becoming more and more at ease with every passing second, Gabby and Matt trying not to focus too much on what she had said, or rather _why_ she had said it, and instead focus on making sure Caitlyn wasn't feeling upset or embarrassed over it. Because she had no reason to be.

"I'm not?"

"Of course not." Gabby was the first one to respond, Matt nodding in agreement before Caitlyn gave them another nod.

"Okay." She responded, Matt continuing to rub along her back as she went quiet for a few moments, neither Gabby nor Matt able to tell what was going on in her head as her eyebrows furrowed together. But one thing that was clear was that whatever she was thinking, she was trying to figure out how to voice it, the girl's limited vocabulary making it a little more difficult. "You all are nice."

The tone in her voice confused them both, the slight hint of surprise in her words leaving a heavy feeling in their stomachs as they shared a knowing glance.

"Nicer than other people." She continued, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as Caitlyn looked back and forth between them. "You… You're nice to me. I'm not scared here."

Gabby's eyes fell closed the second she registered the little girl's words, Dawson's heart feeling like it was crushing in her chest as she tried to keep herself composed, Matt feeling the same stabbing feeling as he kept his eyes on the girl.

"Caitlyn…"

"Other places, I was scared… Things were scary, lots of times. But not here."

Gabby forced her eyes open as Caitlyn continued talking, the girl, for the first time, nearing the subject of things she'd experienced in the past, neither Matt nor Gabby sure what to expect from her.

"We never want you to be scared, honey." Gabby murmured, clearing the overwhelming emotion from her voice as the girl looked to her.

"I'm not here." She repeated, the little girl wanting to make sure Gabby and Matt both knew that, her little brain misunderstanding the reasoning for Dawson's words. "I like it here… The last house was scary, but here is fun." She continued softly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she met her husband's concerned gaze.

"Your last home was scary?" Matt repeated, the man trying to mask the worry from his voice, Casey not wanting to do anything that might stop her from opening up to them. They'd never force her to talk, not about things she'd gone through, but if she felt comfortable enough coming to them about it, the last thing they wanted was to give her any reason to feel like she couldn't tell them anything.

"Yeah." She replied with a slight nod. "Like when Jacob pushed me."

Gabby's breath got caught in her throat, realization settling over both hers and Matt's faces as they knew immediately what Caitlyn was talking about.

"Who's Jacob, honey?" Gabby pressed gently, knowing she needed to be careful as to how she approached the topic, the parents not missing the slight grimace that covered the young girl's face before she shook her head.

"He lived there, he was their kid… He said he was their real kid. I didn't know what he meant, but was always mad at me." She explained, the innocence in her words causing Gabby to blink back the tears forming in her eyes. "He scared me a lot."

"And he pushed you?" Matt spoke up this time, Caitlyn giving them another nod.

"Uh huh. Down the steps."

Casey's entire body tensed as she spoke, Gabby mimicking his actions as they both tried to hide their anger and hurt at the situation, for Caitlyn's sake, the parents not wanting her to think any of those feelings were directed towards her.

"It hurt." She continued, Matt clenching his neck tightly as Caitlyn glanced at his wife. "He told me I was in the way, then he pushed me. I went to the hospital… It was scary, too. But Miss Tina came and got me, then I didn't have to go back." She continued, the smile that had left her face returning as she locked eyes with Gabby. "Then I came here." The excitement in her voice was evident, Caitlyn no longer focusing on that day as she smiled brightly, Gabby drawing in a slow breath before giving her as strong of a smile as she could muster.

"Yeah, you did." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over the little girl's leg before leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "You came here, and you know nothing like that will _ever_ happen to you here, yeah?" She asked, Caitlyn giving her a nod. "You're safe here with us, baby." Gabby's voice cracked slightly as it betrayed her, but the little girl didn't seem to notice as she gave her yet another enthusiastic nod before looking back and forth between them.

"I know." She replied, before looking back towards Gabby and nearly launching herself into her arms. It took her by surprise, Gabby not expecting Caitlyn to hug her as tight as she was, but the shock quickly wore off and within seconds Gabby had her wrapped up in a hug, the mother blinking quickly to try and keep any tears from escaping as Caitlyn cuddled into her. "I love you."

Gabby looked up at Matt as those three words left Caitlyn's lips, Matt giving his wife a sad smile before he nodded, Gabby drawing in a shaky breath as she ran her hand over the girl's back.

"I love you too, sweetheart." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the side of Caitlyn's head before the little girl climbed into her lap, her grip on Gabby only getting tighter as she snuggled into her further. "We love you so much." She repeated, Caitlyn nodding against her as her legs were resting on either side of Gabby, the young girl as close as she could possibly be while they hugged, Gabby's hand continually running up and down her back.

Movement beside her caught her attention while Caitlyn held onto her, Gabby looking to see her husband slowly getting up off the couch, the look of anger in his eyes unmistakable as he glanced down at the two girls.

"I'm gonna call Tina…" He spoke, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth as his eyes focused on Caitlyn. "I'm gonna let her know what she told us… Make sure that family is never allowed to take in another child again." He told her, Gabby immediately nodding before giving him a weak smile, Matt returning the look before he stepped away towards their bedroom, clearly not wanting Caitlyn to hear this phone call.

As he shut the door behind him, it was then just the two of them left in the room, Gabby humming a comforting melody as Caitlyn's weight began to get heavier and heavier in her arms, the girl feeling safe and secure enough to let herself begin to fall asleep while Gabby held her. And as the young girl's grip around her neck loosened, Gabby couldn't help but be filled with an overwhelming sense of hurt as she thought about what Caitlyn had experienced, something in her gut telling her they hadn't even scratched the surface as to what all this little girl had gone through.

And as they sat here on the couch, with Caitlyn nearly asleep in her arms, Gabby wished more than anything she could do something to take away every ounce of pain this little girl had ever experienced. She wanted nothing more than to take that all away, and let her just be a kid. But despite how badly she wanted to, she couldn't. Nothing could change what happened to her, nothing could take back the suffering this child had gone through.

But one thing she could do was make sure Caitlyn was never in a position for it to happen again.


	97. Chapter Ninety Seven

**Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you all like it. Thank you so much for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Seven**_

* * *

Gabby focused on the steady breaths she felt against her neck, the little girl curled up against her chest now fast asleep in her arms as the older woman ran her hand up and down her back, Caitlyn having fallen into a deep sleep about ten minutes ago while they sat on the couch. The faint sound of the TV across the room could be heard, Gabby having turned down the movie soon after the girl began to doze off, the mother not wanting the noise to disrupt the rest that the young girl so clearly needed. And along with the soft droning of the television, she could also vaguely hear the sound of her husband's voice filtering into the living room, the man still hidden behind their bedroom door as he continued on with his phone call that she knew he'd fill her in on whenever he finished.

As she continued rubbing her hand comfortingly along Caitlyn's back, Gabby's mind couldn't help but think about what the young girl had told them, her heart tightening in her chest as she thought over how scared the five year old must've been. And though they didn't know each other at the time, Caitlyn having no idea who they were when she was in the hospital, Gabby couldn't help but wish her and Matt could've been there for her after she'd been hurt. Logically, she knew that wasn't possible; even though they'd been at the hospital when she was, they didn't know each other, and had they gone anywhere near the scared little girl, they would've only made things worse. But regardless, she wished things had been different and they could've helped her, instead of her being alone and terrified after being removed from that house. And that was another thing altogether, something Gabby couldn't understand; how this family had been allowed to take in a child in the first place.

She knew kids were kids, and things happened. There was a chance that what happened was an accident, and Caitlyn was just in the wrong place at the wrong time. But something about the way the young girl spoke of the situation in her former home, Dawson couldn't help but think that the incident with the foster parent's son wasn't the first time things had gone sideways in that house. She couldn't pinpoint it exactly, and without Caitlyn opening up to them they'd probably never know the extent of what happened, but something in her gut told her that Caitlyn had been through more than just that one incident.

And that thought alone made Gabby's heart sink into her stomach.

The mother was pulled from her thoughts when she heard their bedroom door open, Gabby watching as her husband stepped from their room and back out into the open layout of their home. It was impossible to miss the tense look on his face as he walked towards them, but the second he laid eyes on Caitlyn nestled up against her body, his face relaxed slightly, a small, sad smile tugging on his lips as he got closer to them.

"Hey." She murmured, stalling her hand on Caitlyn's back momentarily as Matt ran his hand along the back of his neck.

"Hey." He repeated just as softly, Gabby raising her eyebrows as she lifted her head up off of the top of Caitlyn's.

"What'd she say?" She questioned, watching as he drew in a deep breath before continuing towards the couch, Matt slowly sitting down beside her, angling his body in her direction as he rested his arm along the back of the couch.

Casey paused for a minute, the man doing what he could to gather his thoughts before he finally spoke up after a few seconds. "She wants to talk to Caitlyn." He replied quietly, Gabby pursing her lips together before nodding slightly. "She needs to hear from her what all happened… Caitlyn wouldn't tell them anything in the hospital," He spoke, though they both knew that already, "so she wants, or needs, I guess, to get it all on file."

"Alright." She responded, her gaze moving to look down towards Caitlyn, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before pressing a gentle kiss to the top of her head.

"I know you're on shift tomorrow, but maybe after my next shift at 51, we can go over to DCFS… We should probably talk to Caitlyn about it first, so she knows. And we can make sure she's okay talking about it."

"With us there, hopefully she will be." Gabby interjected softly, Matt nodding in agreement as he turned to see Gabby resting her cheek against the top of Caitlyn's head once more, the man able to notice how her grip on the young girl had gotten a little tighter. "They need it on file so they can make sure those parents never have another foster child in their home again."

"I know." He replied, moving his hand towards his wife's back before gently rubbing over her shirt, Gabby flashing him a small, weak smile. "Knowing Tina, she's already made sure those people won't be able to foster again… Whatever happened, whether it was just their son, or- or it was more," He spoke carefully, Gabby grimacing slightly at his words, Matt voicing her earlier thoughts, "whatever it is, she'll never have to go back there, and I'd bet that no child will be sent there, either." He told her, earning a slight nod from his wife, Matt giving her a reassuring smile before squeezing her shoulder gently. "But it's just like you told Caitlyn… She's okay now. She's with us, and she doesn't need to worry about that anymore."

Gabby drew in a slow breath, the woman meeting her husband's eyes before she nodded once more. "Yeah, she's with us… for now."

A heavy feeling settling in the air around them, both parents all too aware of the reality of the situation. Caitlyn wasn't theirs, she couldn't and wouldn't be theirs, and they knew that. They knew it from the beginning. But being aware of it didn't make it any easier, especially with how well the young girl had adjusted in their home. And how, despite how often they tried to remind her and explain to her that this was temporary, she really didn't seem to understand, and they could only find so many different ways to help her grasp what was going on.

"Do you think her family is nice?"

Gabby's quiet voice pulled them from their thoughts, the couple locking gazes as they sat in their living room, Matt staring silently at her as he waited for her to elaborate. "The people trying to adopt her, do you think they're nice?" She explained, Casey sighing softly before responding.

"I hope so… I'm sure they are." He told her, Gabby gnawing on her bottom lip as she looked straight ahead. "Tina said they were great, and everything they're going through just to get her… I'm sure they love her a lot."

"I hope so." She mimicked his words, Matt rubbing his open hand along the top of her shoulder, being careful to avoid Caitlyn's hand that was resting securely against Gabby's neck. "Caitlyn, she's… I know we don't know much about her, or anything, really… But the things we do know, and how she's been bounced around so much, I don't want that to happen to her again. She deserves a family who loves her, I just hope she has that." She murmured, Matt continuing to rub his wife's back while she held on to Caitlyn.

"I'm sure she does, baby." He replied as confidently as he could, giving Gabby a supportive smile. "Tina seems sure of this family, and I don't know how well Caitlyn knows them, or how much time she's spent with them, but we know how hard Tina works for all these kids… I don't think she'd send her somewhere if she didn't think it'd be good for her." He continued, doing what he could to assure his wife that the little girl would be fine once she inevitably left the security of their home.

"Yeah, I'm sure you're right." She responded after a few moments, Matt nodding softly as he gave her time to gather her thoughts. "...I'm just worried about her, I guess. Hearing her talk about how scared she used to be, I-... She's just a kid, she shouldn't have to deal with that."

"I know." He agreed quietly, scratching his fingers lightly over her back as Gabby took a deep breath. "It's not fair to her, at all. But even if the few weeks she's been with us, we've seen what an amazing kid she is… She might've had a hard childhood, and nothing we do can change that, but she's okay… She's happy."

His words brought a small smile to her face, Gabby nodding after a moment before pressing another kiss to the top of Caitlyn's head.

"Yeah… she is." She spoke in agreement, Matt leaning forward to place a kiss on the side of his wife's head before perching himself on the edge of the couch.

"I'll call Tina again in the morning, let her know when we'll be by, but for now I think it's time to get this happy girl to bed." He spoke, moving his hand towards Caitlyn's back as Gabby's smile involuntarily widened slightly, the mother shaking her head as Matt shot her a soft grin.

"Yeah, it is. She's exhausted." Gabby echoed, Matt nodding in agreement before he pushed himself up off the couch and turned back to pick up the young girl, the parents both knowing there was no way for this handoff to go smoothly enough without waking Caitlyn up.

And they were both proven correct as the second Gabby started to move Caitlyn away from her body, the little girl woke up, and instinctively pushed herself further into the warmth Dawson's hold provided as she began to whine softly.

"Honey, it's okay, we're just gonna take you to your room." Gabby murmured, running her fingers through her blonde hair as Caitlyn pulled back slightly, her hands balled up into fists as she brought them up to rub her eyes. "It's time for bed, alright?" She repeated, keeping a hand on her at all times as Caitlyn nodded slightly, the girl still obviously a little unaware of her surroundings as Matt reached out for her.

The second she noticed him, she turned her body towards him as Matt picked her up with relative ease, Caitlyn immediately wrapping her arms around his neck as she dug herself into him, just as she'd done with Gabby.

"Come here, I got you, baby." He whispered, keeping his hands underneath her to support her weight before stepping away from the couch, Gabby watching with a soft smile on her face as Matt carried her towards the steps to take her to her room, both parents knowing just how exhausted the young girl was after their long day.

* * *

Casey walked up to the coffee pot as a yawn escaped his lips, the Captain pouring his third cup of the day, but only his first at the firehouse, before downing a long sip, Matt in desperate need of caffeine. With Gabby finishing out her last shift at house 41 yesterday, Matt had spent the entire day with the girls, and it had definitely worn him out. And aside from the fact that he just missed his wife, and hated working opposite shifts as her, he was more than grateful for them to finally be back on the same schedule at 51 for at least the next little bit, Matt having missed the time they got to spend as a family more than he realized. Especially with them being on somewhat borrowed time with Caitlyn, he was beyond glad that him and Gabby would finally be back on their normal routine after he finished out his shift today.

"Yeah, I remember that fondly." Herrmann's voice filled his ears before Matt turned to look back, finding the older firefighter with an amused grin on his face, the man nodding towards the now half full cup of coffee within Matt's grasp. "I take it the girls wore you out yesterday?" He asked with a chuckle, Matt blowing out a sharp breath between his teeth before he nodded, the Captain shaking his head slightly.

"They sure did… We had a great time, and I love the one on one time with them, don't get me wrong, but two kids are definitely a lot more work than just one."

"Especially when that kid is a little more grown." Herrmann added, Matt nodding in agreement before taking another sip of his drink. "And with you and Dawson kind of all over the place, I'm sure that doesn't help.

"Yeah, it's taken some getting used to… Selfishly, I'm glad she's finished up this last assignment and we can get some normalcy back. I know it's confused Caitlyn a little bit, and even Sof… She doesn't know much of what's going on, but I think she still realizes that Gabby and I aren't around much at the same time. So I'm glad that's done for a bit, and Gabby is, too."

"I'm sure." He replied with a soft grin, the man opening his mouth to continue before he caught a glimpse of something unusual on Casey's arm, Herrmann's smile growing as a chuckle escaped his lips. "What do you have there, Captain?" He questioned, Matt raising his eyebrows as he followed Herrmann's line of sight, a sheepish smile forming over his face when he realized what the older firefighter was looking at.

"Oh, that." He spoke, clearly his throat before taking another sip of his coffee. "We did some crafts yesterday and Caitlyn, she made a bunch of these." Casey told him, his eyes focusing on the piece of jewelry around his wrist.

Yesterday evening, before dinner, Caitlyn decided she wanted to get out the bracelet making kit Becca had gotten for her, the little girl having been excited to use it ever since it was brought into the house. And when they'd finally pulled it out yesterday, Caitlyn spent almost two hours making all sorts of bracelets for everyone. She'd made them for him, for Gabby, for Sofia, even though Matt had to quickly confiscate the jewelry from his baby before she choked on it, and she even made some for Becca and Jemma, as well as Severide, who'd been with the father and his two girls for dinner. She'd made bracelets for everyone, Caitlyn more than proud of her work each and every time she finished one. And even though the bright pink and purple beads covered in sparkles weren't his go to, the colored beads anchoring a few white beads in the middle that spelled out his name, along with two hearts on either side, he wore the bracelet with pride, Matt unable to forget how happy Caitlyn looked when he put the jewelry on last night.

"I'm pretty sure she made one for everyone she knows, but she had fun." Casey added, Herrmann nodding knowingly as Severide turned around in his seat from the table in front of them, the man cocking his head to the side as he caught the firefighters' attention. "Didn't she, Severide?"

"That kid played with that set for _hours_." Severide spoke up, Herrmann biting back another laugh as Matt shook his head.

"Were you babysitting, Kelly?"

"I think Caitlyn did more of the babysitting than he did, but yeah, he came by for dinner." Casey replied with a smirk, Severide shaking his head.

"After the first hour, I tried to get her to play another game, or watch a movie… Do anything else, but she didn't want to. She just wanted to make bracelets." He huffed out, the three men having the attention of the entire room by now as they spoke. "The amount of names I had to help that kid spell out, if not for Matt making her stop to eat dinner, we'd probably still be sitting at their table making those things."

A few laughs were heard from around the room, Matt clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth before shooting him an unimpressed look. "Oh please, you had a great time, Sev… And don't act like you weren't excited when you found out she was making you one."

Herrmann raised his eyebrows as he looked back to Severide, an amused look covering his face as Kelly ducked his head slightly. "Caitlyn made you one too, Severide?"

"She sure did." Kidd spoke up from beside him before he could answer, her words earning more laughs from their coworkers. "He was so proud to show it to me when he got home last night."

Seeing all the expectant eyes on him, Severide huffed out a breath before lifting his arm out from underneath the table and holding it up, the similar pink and purple bracelet on his wrist earning more chuckles from their friends.

"Man, that girl has got both of you wrapped around her finger." Cruz spoke with a laugh, Kelly shooting him a look before dropping his arm back down to the table. "Although with Casey it isn't surprising. Severide, on the other hand-"

"Okay, you go and tell that little girl you don't want her bracelet when she looks up at you with those brown eyes and asks if you want her to make you one… I'm not heartless." He responded quickly, Casey suppressing a laugh as Severide shook his head.

"He has a point." Casey interjected with a smirk. "It's nearly impossible to say no to her."

"Clearly." Severide added, gesturing towards his arm for emphasis.

"Well, I think it's sweet." Foster spoke up, some of their friends nodding in agreement.

"Yeah, Daddy dearest back there, it's adorable." Severide teased, Matt stepping forward to smack the back of his head lightly just as the bells went off, signaling truck and ambo to a call. Casey gave him one last swat before following his firefighters out towards the garage, the man smiling softly as he caught a glimpse of the bracelet resting on his wrist before he mentally prepared himself for the job, knowing he needed to focus on the task at hand.

* * *

Casey kept a firm hold on the baby in his lap as they sat out in the waiting room, Matt's leg bouncing gently up and down on the ground to keep Sofia occupied as the little girl chewed on the fist that was in her mouth, the father's eyes moving between the two girls next to him as they waited. The office was bustling, as usual, Matt sitting in the chair closest to Tina's office while Caitlyn was beside him, her small legs hanging off the seat as she swung them in the air, the five year old sitting close to Gabby's side as she clutched onto her teddy bear, her free hand reached out to play with the bracelet wrapped around his wrist while his wife sat on the opposite side of her. They'd been here for about ten minutes now, the family of four just waiting for Tina so they could speak with her and then get out of here, none of them necessarily looking forward to this conversation.

They understood the necessity of Caitlyn talking to Tina, they knew it needed to happen. But despite how important this was, they couldn't help but be a little eager to get this over with. While they were always wanting to learn more about Caitlyn, they could only figure that this particular topic wasn't going to be an easy one. The nature of the subject alone, they had no idea what to expect from the little girl if she opened up to them, and that had both the parents on edge.

Especially after the conversation they'd had with Caitlyn about this, the young girl not really understanding why they were coming to see Tina.

_Caitlyn sat at the table in the kitchen, the little girl eating the cereal she'd chosen for breakfast while Sofia sat in her high chair, Matt sitting in between the two little girls while they ate. As Caitlyn took another bite of her food, Gabby walked into the room, the woman dressed and ready for shift as the rest of her family was still in their pajamas, Dawson following her normal routine of kissing the head of each person at the table before she moved to the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast._

_After Gabby grabbed a banana and the togo coffee that Matt had already prepared for her, she walked back towards the table, the parents sharing a knowing look before Dawson sat down across from them._

"_Hey Caitlyn…" Matt spoke up, the little girl lifting her head up to look at him, the man chuckling softly when he saw a little bit of milk from her last bite that had missed her mouth, Matt reaching out to wipe it off her chin before he continued. "Gabby and I need to talk to you about something."_

_Caitlyn's wandering eyes moved back and forth between Matt and Gabby before nodding, the little girl putting her spoon down in her bowl. "Okay."_

"_So, um, you know I'm working today, and Matt's working tomorrow, but the day after that, we're gonna go and see Tina."_

_The little girl's eyes continued to dart between them, the parents immediately seeing the look of worry that covered her face as she shrunk in her seat. "Are you giving me back?"_

_Gabby immediately shook her head as Matt's hand moved to Caitlyn's back, both parents doing what they could to reassure her that her words weren't true._

"_No, no honey." Casey spoke up first. "It's nothing like that."_

_Slowly, they both saw Caitlyn begin to relax, the girl sitting up a little straighter before she nodded. "Okay… Why are we going?" She asked, Matt drawing in a deep breath before looking towards Gabby, watching as she nodded before she responded._

"_Do you remember what you told us last night?" Gabby started, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing slightly. "About what happened at your old house with Jacob?" She continued, earning a nod from the small girl sitting beside Matt._

"_Yeah."_

"_Well, Tina needs to know about that, honey…" She explained, the look of confusion on Caitlyn's face only lessening slightly as she focused on Gabby. "She said you never told her what happened when she came to see you in the hospital."_

_Caitlyn thought over her words for a moment before she nodded, Matt continuing to rub his hand over her back. "I was scared."_

_Her voice was soft, and barely audible, Gabby unable to mask the slight frown that tugged on her lips as Matt's eyes fell closed for a split second. _

"_I know you were." Gabby murmured._

"_And that's okay." Matt added, Caitlyn looking up at him. "What happened to you was scary, and no one's mad at you for being scared, honey. We just need to know what happened… Tina needs to know what you told us, if you don't mind talking to her." He explained as simply as he could, Caitlyn leaning back into his hand slightly before she looked back to Gabby._

"_Will you be there?" She asked the parents, both of them nodding as Gabby gave her a supportive smile._

"_Of course, sweetheart."_

"_We'll be there the entire time." Matt added. "As long as you're okay talking to her about it?"_

_The little girl paused to take a breath, both Matt and Gabby seeing her in deep thought before she looked back up at them, Caitlyn giving them a hesitant nod. "Okay." She replied, Gabby giving her another reassuring smile as Matt leaned down to press a kiss to the top of her head._

"_Okay."_

"How much longer?"

Caitlyn's little voice pulled him from his thoughts, Matt glancing down to see the young girl's head resting against Gabby's arm as she looked up at him, Casey giving her a small smile before responding.

"I'm not sure, honey… Hopefully not too much longer." He told her, Caitlyn nodding after a split second, the girl lifting her head up off Gabby's body as she continued swinging her legs in the air. Her eyes moved back and forth between them, before she focused forward, Matt glancing up towards his wife, finding her uncertain gaze already on him as they both noticed the young girl's strange silence. "...Caitlyn."

The sound of her name got her attention, the young girl snapping her head towards him, her eyes wide. "Yeah?"

"You okay?" He asked, his question causing the five year old to bite down on her lip as her eyebrows furrowed slightly, the parents unsure of what was going on in her little head.

"...Do I have to say everything?" She questioned suddenly, both Matt and Gabby furrowing their eyebrows at her words.

"What do you mean, sweetie?" Gabby spoke up first, the girl glancing towards her.

"Everything at the scary house." She continued, Dawson pursing her lips together as she drew in a deep breath, her eyes lifting up to find the same look of worry on her husband's face. "Do I have to say everything?" Caitlyn repeated when they had yet to say anything, her questioning eyes moving back and forth between them.

The foster parents had always had a gut feeling that more had gone on in that home than just that one incident. It was a pretty easy leap to make, after how the young girl spoke of her old living arrangements, and how she'd felt in that house. But hearing Caitlyn say out loud that more had gone on there, having her confirm their fears with one simple question, it broke both their hearts. But right now wasn't about them, it was about Caitlyn.

"You only have to talk about as much as you want, okay?" Matt spoke up with a gentle smile, Caitlyn giving him a nod once she processed his words. "If you only want to talk about what happened with Jacob, that's okay. If you want to talk about other stuff, that's okay, too." He assured her, his words earning a small smile from the girl. "Whatever you wanna talk about is fine. But just remember, Gabby and I are right here, and we're not going anywhere."

His words caused the smile on her face to widen before she nodded, her previous worries suddenly seeming to disappear as she clutched onto her teddy bear. "Okay." She replied brightly, the young girl nearly bouncing in her seat as she continued to swing her legs back and forth in the air, Caitlyn looking between them once more. "I love you."

Warm smiles covered both their faces, Gabby and Matt sharing a proud look before the mother wrapped her arm around Caitlyn's back, pulling her closer to her as she pressed a lingering kiss to the top of her head. This wasn't the first time Caitlyn had told them she loved them again since she first spoke those words to Gabby a couple nights ago, but they filled them with a warmth they couldn't explain every time she said them, the five year old reminding her foster parents frequently just how much they meant to her.

"We love you, too." Gabby murmured, kissing the top of her head again just as the door to Tina's office opened.

The sound gained Matt's attention first, but soon all three of them looked towards the woman, Sofia content to just stare ahead at her surroundings as Tina offered them a small smile.

"Hi, are you guys ready?" She asked, Matt nodding before he began to get up, the father keeping a firm grip on his daughter while Gabby focused on Caitlyn, the five year old sliding down off her seat, dropping her teddy bear in the process. But she quickly reclaimed it, Caitlyn crouching down to grab it before she stood back up, clutching it to her chest as she reached for Gabby's hand. "Well, come on in." She spoke before walking back into her office, Matt leading his girls into the room before Tina shut the door behind them.

They quickly managed to get situated, Matt stepping aside so Gabby and Caitlyn could sit down first, the mother making sure Caitlyn was up in her seat before she sat down, Matt waiting to occupy the last seat closest to the door before adjusting his nearly one year old daughter in his lap.

"It's nice to see you all again." Tina began, Matt and Gabby nodding in agreement as the woman's eyes moved towards the five year old sitting in between her foster parents. "And it's nice to see you, Caitlyn." She spoke, her voice softer than it had been seconds ago, the young girl offering her a small smile before she nodded. "How have things been with Gabby and Matt? Are you liking spending time with them?"

The second the question was asked, Caitlyn's bright grin nearly covered her entire face before she nodded enthusiastically. "I love it!" She spoke excitedly, the young girl looking up towards Gabby before she spoke up again. "We have lots of fun. They always play games with me, and we watch TV… And Becca likes me, too!" She added, her smile never disappearing as Gabby ran her hand through the girl's blonde hair. "I miss them when they work, but I get to be with Becca, so it's not bad. And I have my own room!"

"Wow, it sounds like you're having a great time." Tina spoke, matching the girl's enthusiasm as Caitlyn nodded once more. "What about Sofia? Are you two having fun?"

"Yeah!" She replied almost instantly, Caitlyn's smile growing as she looked towards the baby. "We have so much fun! She's still a baby, Gabby and Matt said some of my games she can't play yet, but we still have fun! We play with stuffed animals and she likes to throw them, it's funny." She continued, her words a bit broken as she spoke, the parents smiling as they shared a knowing look.

"Well, I'm glad you're having such a great time with them, honey." Tina responded, Caitlyn smiling once more before she nodded. "Now, did Matt and Gabby tell you why you're here?" She questioned, the girl looking between her foster parents before she nodded.

"Because of the scary house." She repeated her earlier words, Tina smiling sadly before she nodded, the woman opening up her file.

"Yeah, that's right, sweetheart… I know it's not very fun to talk about, but do you think you can tell me what happened?"

Caitlyn instinctively reached out for Gabby as Tina spoke to her, the girl grabbing ahold of her palm as tightly as her little hand could, while Matt reached his free hand out to rub along her back, both parents giving her as much support as she needed.

"About the stairs? Or other stuff?" She questioned, Tina drawing in a deep breath as she clasped her hands together on her desk.

"Whatever you wanna talk about, Caitlyn." She replied, the little girl nodding slightly. "How about you tell me about what happened when you fell down the stairs first, and we'll go from there." Tina suggested, her words earning another nod from the girl before she looked up to Gabby, the woman immediately giving her a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, honey." She murmured, squeezing her little hand gently for support. "Just tell her what you told us." Dawson encouraged, Caitlyn nodding once more before turning back to Tina.

"Jacob pushed me." She spoke, Tina giving little in the form of a reaction as she already knew that from her phone call with Casey a few nights ago.

"Why did he push you?" She questioned gently, Caitlyn taking a deep breath as she tightened her grip on the teddy bear clutched to her chest.

"He didn't like me." She continued, her eyebrows furrowing in thought as she tried to figure out how to tell them what happened. "He was mad at me lots of times, he said I wasn't gonna stay with them, and he didn't want me there. He said he was their kid, not me… He got mad a lot."

"Is that why he pushed you? Because he didn't like you being there?" Tina asked carefully, Caitlyn shrugging slightly.

"I was playing with a toy, and he got mad… He wanted to take it, so I was going somewhere else to play. But he got madder." She explained as best she could. "I tried to go down the stairs, but he pushed me real hard and I fell." She continued, Matt drawing in a steadying breath as Caitlyn told them what she could. "It hurt really bad, and I cried. And he got more mad, and they all got mad."

"At you?" The woman asked with furrowed brows, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before nodding slowly, the young girl not understanding why Tina was looking at her like that. "Jacob's parents were mad at you?"

"...Yeah." She replied hesitantly, Gabby and Matt both feeling her tense slightly before she looked back and forth between them. "Am I in trouble?"

"No, no, of course not." Gabby replied immediately, Tina shaking her head as Matt rubbed her back.

"Not at all." Matt echoed, Caitlyn nodding slightly. "We're just trying to understand what happened, but you're not in trouble, sweetheart."

"Okay." She murmured as Tina gave her a gentle smile.

"They're right, Caitlyn. You're not in trouble at all." She assured her. "We're just trying to figure this all out, and you're the only one who can help us… But you're doing a great job, and nothing you say here is wrong, or will make us mad, I promise."

Caitlyn nodded once more, the young girl subconsciously scooting closer to Gabby as Tina spoke up again.

"So, Jacob's parents, Tom and Laura," She started, Caitlyn nodding in response, "they got mad at you for him pushing you down the stairs?"

"Yeah." She replied, Gabby pursing her lips together as she tried to control her anger, knowing that if the little girl's reaction to Tina was any indication, Caitlyn was bound to misread her emotions as directed towards her. "They said it was my fault, but I didn't know what they meant. I was scared, and my head hurt and I was crying, but they were really mad at me. I didn't mean to be bad." She continued to explain as best she could, the girl clearly not understanding the situation.

"You weren't bad, Caitlyn." Tina told her sadly, the woman drawing in a deep breath. "You didn't do anything wrong…"

"Why were they mean to me?" She asked quickly, the innocence in her voice nearly bringing tears to Gabby's eyes. "I tried to be good, I didn't break the rules, but they were always mad. They said I was a bad kid, but I don't know why." She continued, Gabby's eyes falling closed as her head fell forward slightly, Matt feeling anger building up inside his chest as he took slow breaths, all of them noticing the confusion that covered Caitlyn's face.

"What were some of the things they got mad at you for, honey?" Tina questioned calmly, Caitlyn looking down as she tried to think, the young girl needing a few moments to remember before she responded.

"They got mad when I played." She started, her eyebrows furrowed as she tried to think back to her time in that house. "And when I asked for snacks. But I only asked when I was hungry. And I got scared lots, when I sleep… They didn't like that." She continued, the young girl ducking her head slightly. "One time I went potty in the bed, but I didn't mean to. They were really, really mad." Caitlyn explained, Gabby swallowing thickly as she listened to the little girl talk, the mother doing all she could to keep her emotions in check, and she could tell her husband was doing the same thing. But hearing her speak of things she'd get in trouble for, things that weren't in any way her fault, made Gabby's blood boil.

"I always made them mad." She finished, Matt pressing his tongue against the roof of his mouth as he continued to rub her back. "I… I try to be good, but they said I was bad. They don't like me." She spoke, the quiet tone to her voice nearly breaking Gabby's heart. "And…"

"What is it, Caitlyn?" Tina asked, the DCFS worker doing what she could to digest all this information as the little girl furrowed her eyebrows, Caitlyn clearly confused by whatever thought was in her head.

"At Matt and Gabby's house, when I mess up, I'm not in trouble… But at the scary house, they said I was bad when I didn't do anything. But Gabby and Matt don't get mad at me… Why are Matt and Gabby nice to me, but the other people were mean?"

The air around them was thick as Caitlyn finished speaking, the little girl clearly searching for any answers to help her understand why her previous family treated her so poorly, all the adults in the room knowing they needed to handle this situation carefully.

"Caitlyn, sweetheart…" Tina started, knowing she needed to hear something from them, the older woman giving as supportive a smile as she could manage before she continued. "It was nothing you did. You didn't deserve to be treated that way." She spoke, Caitlyn pursing her lips together as she drew in a deep breath.

"It wasn't me?" She asked, Gabby immediately shaking her head.

"It wasn't you." Matt told her, causing Caitlyn to look up at him, the man giving her a reassuring smile as he kept a secure grip on his daughter when she began wriggling around in his lap. "Some people just… they aren't meant to take care of children. There are some mean people in this world, people who shouldn't be allowed to bring other kids into their home, but it was nothing you did, honey." He promised, Caitlyn's eyes locked on him as he spoke. "And I'm sorry you were scared… I'm so sorry that happened, and you had to be in that house, but you need to believe us when we tell you that you are not to blame for this. It wasn't your fault."

Caitlyn gave him another nod before a weak smile covered her face, the little girl squeezing Gabby's hand once more. "Okay." She replied, Matt giving her another reassuring nod.

"Okay." He repeated with a soft smile.

"Do you understand, sweetheart?" Gabby asked, Caitlyn giving her a slow nod.

"I think so." She replied, the parents sharing a look before Caitlyn spoke up again. "They got mad at me for stuff that's not bad, so _I'm_ not bad." She spoke simply, Matt and Gabby both immediately nodding.

"That's exactly right, Caitlyn." Tina replied, the little girl nodding before she leaned back in her seat. "Jacob pushing you, and how they handled it, that wasn't fair to you and I'm sorry, sweetheart. But you didn't do anything wrong. The things they got mad at you for, it wasn't your fault. I'm just so sorry you were in that home in the first place." She told her, the little girl nodding once more though she was a little unsure as to why Tina was apologizing to her. "And we're almost done talking about this, but I need to ask. Aside from you being pushed, did they ever hurt you?" She asked, watching as Caitlyn tilted her head to the side. "Like when you fell, and that hurt, did they ever do anything else to hurt you like that?" She tried to simplify her words while also giving more of an explanation.

"She grabbed my arm, and that hurt." She replied after a few thoughtful seconds, Matt clenching his neck tightly as he glanced towards his wife.

"Laura?" Tina asked, checking to make sure it was the mother she was referring to, Caitlyn nodding in response.

"She grabbed my arm sometimes, it hurt a lot. It got really red, then became a lot of funny colors." She replied, missing the tense looks all the adults in the room were giving one another. "But it got better."

"Did they do anything else?" Tina pushed, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before shaking her head.

"No. They just got mad at me."

"Okay honey… Well, thank you for telling me what happened, you're a very brave girl." She told her, Caitlyn smiling softly before looking up towards Gabby, the foster mom nodding immediately.

"Thank you." She replied, smiling shyly before looking back at Dawson. "...Can we go play now?" She asked, Gabby and Matt both biting back a laugh at the immediate shift in Caitlyn's demeanor. She'd been like that from the moment they met her, the young girl never dwelling too long on things that made her upset or things that hurt her; but after getting a little more insight into her previous foster home, they could only imagine that it was out of self preservation more than anything else.

"Yeah, we can play here in a little bit." Gabby assured her, Matt nodding in agreement.

"I'm actually done here, if you all want to get going. I think I've got all I need, and I can always call if more questions come up." Tina replied, the parents nodding as Caitlyn let go of Gabby's hand, the girl squirming down out of her seat.

"Well, looks like we're going then." Matt replied lightly, Caitlyn grabbing a hold of his free hand after he'd adjusted Sofia in his arm, the baby having behaved better than they could've imagined while they spoke to Tina, but even Casey could tell she was getting restless. It was clear both the little girls had energy they needed to get out, and soon.

With Sofia situated against his chest, Matt stood up, Caitlyn pulling on his arm to help as much as she could before leading him towards the door, leaving Gabby behind in the office with Tina.

"This family will be dealt with." She spoke as Dawson stood up, her words causing Gabby to look towards her as she swung their diaper bag over her shoulder. "I had no idea all that was going on, but I promise you they'll be an investigation, and they'll never be allowed to have foster children in their care again." She said surely, Gabby giving her a soft smile before she nodded.

"Thank you, Tina." She replied, her eyes moving towards the doorway where she could see Matt and the two girls waiting just outside, Caitlyn tugging on his arm as she spoke enthusiastically about something Gabby couldn't hear.

"She sure is a special little girl, isn't she?" Tina asked, her words gaining Dawson's attention as she looked back towards the social worker.

"She really is… She's an amazing kid. A kid who deserves a good family." She replied, Tina glancing at her as soon as those words left her lips, giving her a strong nod as Gabby met her gaze.

"She does. And she has one." Tina responded surely, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before nodding slightly. "This family trying to adopt her, they're good people… Caitlyn is very loved, by more than just them." She added, Dawson biting down on the inside of her cheek as the true meaning to Tina's words washed over her.

"Yeah, she is." Gabby agreed, drawing in a deep breath before she began towards the door. But she stopped herself a few feet short, the paramedic clicking her tongue against the roof of her mouth before she turned back around, finding Tina still watching her. "Do you, uh- do you know any more? About when they'll take her?"

Her words were hesitant, like she was afraid of the question, Tina offering her a sad smile before she spoke up. "It'll be any day now." She replied, Gabby taking a slow, steady breath before she nodded.

"Alright." She replied weakly, running her tongue along her bottom lip before she took another step towards the door. "Thanks Tina." She added just before she stepped back out into the waiting room, Gabby ready to spend the rest of the day with her family, and enjoy every moment that the four of them had together.

* * *

"Peek-a-boo!"

Those words elicited a loud laugh from Sofia for probably the twentieth time that night, the baby laying on top of her mother's thighs as she sat on the couch in the living room, Gabby's feet resting against the coffee table as she continue to play this game with her daughter, Sofia loving every second of it.

It was late, well past the young girl's bed time, but Sofia didn't seem to care as she'd woken up pretty soon after they put her to bed for the night. She'd been nursed, sung to, and put in her crib two hours ago, but her sharp cries through the baby monitor after only an hour of rest told the parents that she wasn't going to be getting more sleep anytime soon, Sofia only settling down after Matt had come to get her. Despite his attempts to rock her back to sleep, as well as changing her diaper, and giving her another bottle in case she was still hungry, nothing seemed to work, Sofia screaming her head off every time he tried to put her back into her crib. So eventually he gave up, and brought her down to Gabby, the baby having been in the comforting arms of her mother ever since, though both parents were a little surprised by their daughter's reluctance to sleep.

After the long and eventful day they'd had, they were sure both kids would be out well before their bedtimes, which was why they'd put Sofia to bed a little earlier than normal, but neither child seemed to be very impressed with going to sleep early, despite how tired Gabby knew they both were. After the difficult and long conversation at Tina's office, Gabby and Matt pretty quickly decided to spend the rest of the day doing whatever Caitlyn wanted; which they soon found out was the little girl just wanting them all to spend time together. So that was exactly what they did.

When they left DCFS, they decided to go spend some time at the park, Matt chasing Caitlyn around and playing with her on the slides and helping her on the jungle gym, while Gabby kept up with Sofia, the mother helping her walk around a bit while also playing with her on the swings. They'd had a great time, but it had definitely worn them out a bit, then after their fun outside in the hot August air, they made the decision to go out to eat, which is something they hadn't done all too often. Rarely did they go out to eat with Sofia, the parents finding that going out to a restaurant with their baby was more stressful than it was worth at her age, but surprisingly, their meal had gone better than expected. With the baby having her bottle, snacks, and a few toys she was content long enough for them all to enjoy their meal, though Gabby had a suspicion that the reason Sofia was so well-behaved was because of how tired the little girl was. But regardless, it had been nice for the four of them to be able to go out and have a meal together, Caitlyn having loved every second of it.

Then when they got home, they went straight to bath time, before getting them ready for bed, Matt helping Caitlyn while Gabby took care of Sofia and tried to get her to sleep, though it obviously proved useless as the baby was wide awake now.

"Peek-a-boo!" She repeated as she removed Sofia's little hands from covering her face, the baby once again laughing loudly as she was entertained by her mother, Gabby unable to stop herself from smiling as the joyous sound hit her ears. "Yeah, you love this game, huh baby?" She spoke, rubbing her hand over her daughter's onesie-covered stomach as Sofia gripped onto her thumb with her little fist. "You love spending time with your Momma." She murmured, moving her hand up to run through her daughter's curls as Sofia's feet pressed into her stomach, Gabby releasing a soft breath as she continued to lightly massage the baby's head. "...I know things have been a little different around here lately, and you haven't had all of Momma and Daddy's attention like you normally do, but you're still our little girl." She spoke softly, Gabby leaning forward to press a soft kiss to Sofia's hand, the baby smiling wide. "Daddy and I love you so, so much. And we always will."

"You got that right."

Gabby looked up from her smiling baby to find Matt standing just inside the living room, the mom grinning softly as he continued back towards the couch.

"Hey, I didn't hear you come in… Is Caitlyn asleep?" She asked, the man nodding in response.

"Yeah she is… Unlike this little one." He replied as he sat down next to his wife, Matt wrapping his arm around her shoulders as she settled into his side, Sofia's eyes lighting up when she saw her dad, Matt smiling softly as he reached out to rub his hand over the top of her head. "I read her _three_ stories before she even thought about going to sleep, I think after today she just wanted to be with us for as long as she could." He told her, Gabby nodding knowingly. Both parents had kept a close eye on the five year old all day, wanting to make sure she was alright after their talk with Tina, but aside from her desire to be around them, she seemed to be handling things pretty well. "But I stayed and waited till she was asleep." He added, Matt and Gabby both knowing that was always the easiest way to get her to sleep.

"Good, I'm glad… I'm a little surprised the girls didn't go to bed easier, after we wore them out today." She breathed out, her words earning a soft chuckle from her husband as he shook his head. "But hopefully Sof will get a little tired here, soon." She spoke, the baby waving her arms around energetically while she still had a hold of Gabby's finger, Matt laughing once more as his gaze moved towards his wife.

"Yeah, it doesn't look like that's gonna happen." He replied lightly, Gabby huffing out a breath before shaking her head. "Yeah, you're all excited, aren't you, baby girl?" He murmured, stroking his thumb along the top of her head, Sofia's wide eyes bouncing back and forth between her parents as she continued to babble away, the unintelligible noises filling the air around them as Gabby ran her hand over her stomach.

"I know, I know, you're excited, just like Daddy said." She spoke, Sofia's bright blue eyes focusing on her mom before a wide smile covered her face, Gabby unable to stop her grin from growing as well. "Yeah, it's okay you're excited baby but we both know tomorrow you're gonna be all grumpy, huh?" She told her, the baby continuing to nearly squeal in delight from her mother's attention before she continued to babble on. "That's okay, though, tomorrow we can just-"

"Mama."

Gabby's mouth slammed shut the second she heard that word come from Sofia's lips, while a look of shock and awe covered Matt's face before he broke out into a huge, proud smile, the man looking between his wife and daughter as Gabby's eyes widened.

"...Did she just?"

"Mama." Sofia repeated, Gabby's breath getting caught in her throat as the biggest smile Matt had ever seen covered her face, tears forming in her eyes as Sofia squeezed her thumb. "Mama, Mama."

"Yeah, baby, that's Momma." Matt spoke up, rubbing his hand over Gabby's back as she tried to compose herself, the woman shaking her head before rubbing Sofia's stomach, Gabby needing another second to process this.

Though Sofia had been babbling and making sounds for months now, nothing had ever really come all that close to an actual word. They'd been trying to teach her a few things, just getting her used to the sounds and what words meant, repeating easy words to her often but they hadn't heard her say any actual words yet. Not until now.

Their little girl had said her first word, and Gabby couldn't help the tears springing to her eyes as Sofia continued to repeat herself over and over again.

"Oh, Sof, you made Momma cry." Matt teased, Gabby shooting him a playful glare before she wiped under her eyes, the husband laughing before pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Mama." She said again, Gabby smiling before she lifted Sofia up into a sitting position, her little legs on either side of her body as she sat on her waist, Gabby holding her up under her arms.

"Yeah, it's Momma, my sweet girl." She murmured before pressing multiple kisses all over Sofia's face, the baby squealing excitedly as she grabbed onto her mother's cheeks. "And that's your Daddy." She started as she pulled back. "Which, I know you already know that, but you're gonna have to say Dada soon, or he might get jealous." She added before giving Sofia another kiss, Matt scoffing lightly before he shook his head, though he was unable to stop the wide grin that covered his face.

The three of them continued to enjoy their time together, Gabby's heart swelling with pride every time Sofia would repeat that simple word that meant so much to her, their daughter loving to have the complete attention of her parents as they sat together. But while Gabby's gaze was focused on their daughter, Matt couldn't help but admire the sight of both his wife and daughter as they basked in this milestone moment.

Because it was a sight he would never get tired of.


	98. Chapter Ninety Eight

**Hello everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all! I'm super excited to hear your thoughts on this one. So settle in, we've got kind of a long one.**

**And I hope all of you are doing well, and staying safe. Thanks for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Eight**_

* * *

Casey tiredly hopped down from the rig, the man's body holding onto more tension than preferable as 81 and squad 3 returned from their latest call while 61 was still stuck at med with their patient, Matt shrugging out of his turnout coat before hanging it up on the side of the rig.

Firehouse 51 had just finished up at a pretty rough fire, the call taking up nearly their entire morning as it was now lunch time, though food wasn't very high up on his list of priorities at the moment, Matt more so concerned with taking a shower to get all the soot off of himself, and changing into a fresh uniform that wasn't covered in sweat and grime. And while luckily, no lives had been lost on their last call, as far as he knew, it had been a difficult one all around, Matt knowing he wouldn't feel better until he could wash up and let the warm water do wonders for his aching muscles.

"Aye Captain," Herrmann spoke up as he continued changing out of his gear, Matt looking up as he began to slide his boots back on, his eyebrows raised as a silent gesture to continue. "How about we order in for lunch?" He suggested, Matt glancing around the room to find most of the first responders watching him, some wearing small smiles indicating they were very much on board with the older man's idea.

Shrugging softly, Casey gave him a nod. "Sounds good, Herrmann… As long as everyone can agree on a place." He told them, his words earning a few nods from the firefighters around them.

"Thanks Captain." Herrmann replied, Matt nodding as the older firefighter's gaze moved behind him, a soft smile forming over his face before he nodded. "Ah, looks like we might need to order a little extra." He added, Matt's eyebrows furrowing in confusion.

"Matt!"

A warm smile formed over the Captain's face before he even turned around, Casey recognizing the little voice immediately as he turned towards the sound, the grin on his face widening when he saw Caitlyn standing just outside the garage, her hand clasped tightly in Becca's while the nanny held onto Sofia with her other arm.

"Hey guys!" He spoke brightly, Caitlyn dropping her nanny's hand before running towards him, Matt crouching down to the ground just before the five year old got to him. Her body crashed into his as soon as she could, Caitlyn wrapping her arms around his neck while his circled around her back, the girl holding onto him tightly as he regained his balance. "What are you all doing here?"

"We wanted to surprise you!" She spoke excitedly, Matt smiling softly as he ran his hand over her back, Caitlyn giving him a tight squeeze before she pulled back slightly. "I missed you."

"I missed you too, honey." He replied, pressing a kiss to her forehead before he looked back behind the young girl, seeing his daughter wriggling around in Becca's arms, clearly wanting to be put down, the nanny soon complying and placing Sofia down on the ground just inside the garage. "Come here, Sof!" He encouraged, the baby's slobbery grin shining as her body was nearly shaking from excitement from seeing her father. "Come to Daddy!"

Before he could say another word, Sofia shrieked in elation as she began hurrying towards him, her little legs taking her as fast as they could while Caitlyn stepped back to stand beside her foster dad, the baby's unsteady, waddling steps getting her to her father as quickly as possible before she crashed into his body just as Caitlyn had, Matt wrapping her up into a tight hug and pressing kisses all over her face.

"There's my girl." He breathed out, Sofia giggling happily from the attention she was getting from her dad.

"Man, she's getting so big." Cruz spoke as the members of 51 watched on at the scene in front of them, Casey completely focused on his daughter as he continued kissing her all over her face, the little girl laughing in excitement.

"I know… She needs to stop. When I saw her walk by herself for the first time, I nearly had a heart attack." Severide added, his words gaining a few chuckles from the people around him as Sofia began smacking her hands against Matt's face, the father pressing a kiss against the inside of her little hand before he hoisted her up into his arms, Casey staying crouched on the ground while he settled the baby on his hip, Sofia's weight resting against him as her leg fell over his thigh. "I can't believe she's almost one."

"Me neither." Casey spoke up as he wrapped his arm around Caitlyn's back as well, Kelly chuckling as he hadn't realized his best friend had been listening.

"The big party is this weekend, yeah?" Otis questioned, Matt nodding as the five year old wrapped her arm around his shoulders, Casey offering the young girl a soft smile before responding to his firefighter.

"It is, on Sunday… Gabby's going all out, so be prepared." He huffed out, his words causing some of the men and women around him to laugh as his attention returned back to the little girls in his arms. "I'm so glad you all stopped by." He spoke, Caitlyn smiling brightly as she shifted closer to him, Matt not noticing the looks of admiration he was receiving from some of his coworkers as he held onto his girls.

"I was going to call, and ask if it was okay," Becca started, Matt looking up from Caitlyn towards their nanny to find the woman now standing just a few feet in front of them, "but Caitlyn wanted to surprise you and Gabby."

"Oh, it's fine, this is the best surprise." He spoke lightly, Caitlyn smiling brightly before he placed a kiss to the side of her head, Matt repeating the gesture with Sofia as well, even though the baby had no idea what was being talked about. "We're just about to order lunch, so you came at the perfect time." He added, though his words were mostly for Becca, the father knowing that both Caitlyn and Sofia had most likely already been fed before they came by. "I'm not sure what we're getting, though." As he spoke, he felt Caitlyn tap the top of his shoulder gently, the man turning towards her after he finished talking to Becca, his eyebrows raising in question as he saw her eyes studying his face.

"You smell different." She spoke before Casey could say anything, his head tilting to the side slightly as he realized she was probably referring to the faint smell of smoke coming off of him. When they locked eyes, Matt immediately saw a look of worry flicker in her gaze, her eyebrows furrowing when she looked at the black marks he knew were smeared across his face. And while he knew she'd probably seen them when they first got here, now that the excitement of her surprise had worn off and she was getting a better look at him, he could sense the five year old was worried. "...Are you hurt?" She asked cautiously, her lips turning down into a frown quickly, Matt not missing how her grip on him tightened as he immediately shook his head.

"No sweetheart, I'm not." He was quick to assure her, Caitlyn's curious eyes staying on him. "There was a pretty big fire, but no one got hurt." He explained as simply as he could, Matt not wanting to scare her, or make her worry anymore than she already was. "I'm just a little smelly, but once I shower, I'll be good as new." He added with a soft smile, Casey feeling Caitlyn relax within his hold as she digested his words, the girl pausing for a moment before she nodded.

"Okay." She responded just as they heard 61 pull into the driveway, Matt looking up from the young girls to see the ambo slowly coming towards the garage.

"Oh, it looks like Gabby's back!" Casey spoke lightly, Caitlyn smiling before breaking away from him, the young girl clearly excited to see her foster mom. "Wait, Caitlyn- stay back." He chastised, Kelly stopping the young girl in her tracks before she got too close to the vehicle, the child glancing back towards Matt with a shy look. "You need to be careful, they might not be able to see you… So just wait until they're parked, okay?"

"Sorry." She murmured, Matt offering her a soft smile.

"It's okay." He assured her, Casey knowing the girl often just got too excited to remember her boundaries. It was something they were working on, Caitlyn having broken away from them more than once when they were close to the street, or around other cars, the five year old still just trying to understand what was okay and what wasn't. "Now go give Gabby a big hug." He told her once he knew the rig was parked, Matt looking back towards the ambo to see Gabby not paying attention to her surroundings as she sat in the passenger seat.

He wasn't sure if she knew who all was here, but by the look of surprise that covered her face when Caitlyn launched herself against her as she stepped down from the rig, Matt figured she hadn't noticed their presence until just now, a sound of surprise leaving her lips before she realized who was hugging her waist.

"Hi baby girl." She greeted, rubbing her hand along Caitlyn's back before looking up, her eyes immediately finding those of her husband as he was still crouched on the ground with their daughter in his arms.

"Becca brought them by for a surprise visit." He answered her silent question, Gabby nodding with a soft smile before looking back down towards the young girl, finding her deep brown eyes already watching her as her chin was pressed against her waist.

"Well, this is a great surprise. I'm so glad to see you." Dawson spoke, running her hand through the girl's blonde hair.

"Me too!" She spoke brightly, Gabby stroking her thumb along the top of the girl's head before stepping away from her, Caitlyn staying close to her foster mom as they moved the few steps towards Matt, the husband slowly standing up with their daughter securely in his grasp.

As the paramedic got closer, Sofia soon laid eyes on her mom, the baby bouncing excitedly against her dad as she reached out towards Gabby. Casey kept a firm hold on her stomach to keep her from falling, Sofia desperate to get towards her mother as Gabby walked up to her.

"Mama!" She spoke loudly, Gabby's smile widening as her hands grabbed a hold of the baby under her arms, lifting young Sofia towards her and settling the girl on her hip. "Mama!"

"Hi baby." She cooed, rubbing her hand along Sofia's back before pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"If this kid doesn't stop growing up so fast…" Herrmann breathed out, Matt nodding in agreement as Caitlyn made her way back towards him, the Captain picking the five year old up after she'd reached her arms up in front of him.

"Sof's gonna be one!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly, her arm wrapped around Matt as he held onto her.

"Yeah, she is." Casey responded with a soft smile.

"I'm excited for her party!" She continued on, Matt and Gabby sharing a knowing look before he nodded, Matt's grin weakening slightly as he ran his hand over her back.

"I know you are." He replied, neither parent able to bring themselves to remind Caitlyn that she might not be there for the party as it was something completely out of their control. Though logic told them that if they could just make it to the weekend without getting that dreaded phone call, they'd be in the clear and Caitlyn would be here to celebrate their baby's birthday, which was something they all so desperately wanted, considering they knew their days left with the five year old were numbered.

Though that alone was something none of them liked thinking about. Not at all. But they knew they didn't have a choice.

"Mama."

Sofia's voice pulled him from his thoughts as Matt looked towards his baby, seeing Sofia smacking her hands against Gabby's chest as she repeated the word over and over, Matt smiling softly at the sight.

"Mama, mama."

"Hi baby." Gabby told her, knowing the baby would continue saying her name over and over if she didn't give her some attention, and even then, she would most likely continue to say it.

"Mama."

As Sofia got the word out, the bells rang out above their heads, the baby shrieking at the sudden noise before digging her head into Gabby's neck, Caitlyn similarly tucking herself further into Matt's embrace as well as she was caught off guard by the bells, neither child necessarily liking the loud noise.

"It's okay, Sof." Gabby soothed, rubbing her hand along her daughter's back as she heard ambo and squad being called out to an accident, Dawson immediately glancing towards her husband as her partners and the members of squad ran to their respective rigs.

"I got her." He spoke before she could ask, Matt shifting Caitlyn in his grip to hold her with one arm, before reaching out for the baby.

"You sure?" She asked, even though she knew the father had made a habit of carrying both girls around. It was something they'd made a game of at home, Matt holding both children in his arms while he ran around with them, her question earning a challenging look from the man, Casey releasing a slight scoff before waving his hand.

"Give me my baby." He spoke, Gabby shaking her head before they completed the hand off seamlessly, Sofia settling on his hip as he kept a firm grip on both girls, Caitlyn keeping her arms wrapping around his neck.

"I'll be back in a bit." She spoke, pressing kisses to both Sofia's head and Caitlyn's, Gabby rubbing her hand over Matt's cheek before she began walking back towards the rig.

"Be safe out there." He told her, Gabby giving him a nod. "Oh, and we're ordering lunch in, so we'll save you some." Matt added, the paramedic giving him an appreciative nod before she disappeared in the back of the ambulance, Casey staying close to 81 with his girls while 61 and squad 3 pulled out of the garage.

Soon, there were just a few firefighters left, most of 81 soon heading inside to try and figure out what they wanted to eat, Matt looking back and forth between his girls before speaking up.

"So, you ready to head in?" He asked, Caitlyn nodding in response.

"Mama." Sofia spoke up, Casey looking down towards his daughter as the baby looked up at him, her curly hair tamed by the bow Becca had placed on the top of her head. "Mama." She said again, Matt chuckling before shaking his head, the father pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Yeah, I know you want your Mama." He replied, Caitlyn scrunching her nose up as a soft laugh escaped her lips.

"That's Dada, Sof." The five year old spoke, Matt knowing Caitlyn had been working on trying to get Sofia to learn more words since she first said Mama. Though, admittedly, Casey knew Caitlyn had only been working so hard at getting her to say that one specific word since Matt had been repeating it to the baby over and over. "Can you say Dada?"

"Mama." She repeated the only word she knew, Matt biting back a laugh as Caitlyn shook her head.

"No, Sof- Dada… Da-da." She tried again, Sofia locking eyes with the five year old.

"Mama!"

An exasperated breath left Caitlyn's lips, Matt laughing before he shook his head. "It's okay, Caitlyn… She'll get it eventually." He told her, Caitlyn nodding before looking back towards the baby, the girl unable to stop herself from smiling when she saw Sofia's infectious grin. "Now, let's get inside… Make sure the guys aren't ordering anything gross for lunch." He spoke lightly, Caitlyn nodding in agreement before he began walking with the girls towards the firehouse, Becca following a few steps behind him.

* * *

Matt woke with a start, the man suddenly being pulled from his state of unconsciousness for a reason he couldn't quite place, Casey shivering slightly as a chill coursed through his body, the temperature in their cool home hitting him the second he woke up. Slowly opening his eyes, the man was met by nothing but a pitch black room, the darkness telling him it was still way too early for him to be awake, Matt's suspicions proven correct when he glanced sideways towards the nightstand beside their bed, seeing the time on the clock shining back at him as his eyes adjusted to the only source of light in the room.

_12:03AM_

Huffing out a breath, Matt had every intention of rolling over and falling back to sleep, the man wanting nothing more to curl back up with his wife and regain some of the warmth he'd lost since they fell asleep earlier in the evening. But the second he turned over and reached his arm out, he was met by nothing but a slightly cool bed sheet, Casey's eyebrows furrowing as he gained more and more of himself, the temperature of their bed telling him that while Gabby wasn't here, she hadn't been gone all that long, Matt reluctantly pushing the covers off of himself before swinging his legs off the edge of the bed.

When his feet hit the plush rug, a heavy yawn escaped his lips, Matt giving himself a few moments to become a little more aware before he stood up, his boxers not doing nearly enough to shield him from the AC blasting in their home as he went in search of his wife. With all the light still off in their bedroom, it was a pretty safe assumption that Gabby wasn't just in the bathroom, Matt stepping out through their open doorway into the main area of their home, the man seeing it still in the state they had left it when they went to bed. Aside from a small light plugged into the wall in the kitchen, the entire first floor of their home was completely dark, the heavy curtains covering the windows doing their job of keeping the bright glare from the street lights out of their house. Scratching his hand over his stomach, the husband immediately took a left towards the stairs, his path illuminated by the small night light they had at the turn to get the rest of the way upstairs. And considering that light was a little brighter than it normally was, Matt figured his wife had to be up here somewhere, the man aware of how the night light lit up more when it sensed movement.

Knowing there were only two places she would have possibly been up here, Matt headed straight towards the girl's rooms, the father stopping at Caitlyn's first. Slowly pushing open the door that was resting against the frame, Matt saw the five year old sleeping soundly in her bed, her arms flailed above her head as she slept diagonally across her twin sized bed, the smaller mattress still nearly swallowing her little body as she was buried underneath the covers.

After getting the reassurance he needed that Caitlyn was alright, Matt slowly backed out of the room, the dad returning the door to its previous position against the frame before he walked towards Sofia's room, Casey immediately seeing how the door to his daughter's room was open much wider than how he left it. Drawing in a slow breath, Matt carefully walked inside, the man moving the door far enough out of the way so he could get in, his wife slowly coming into view as he saw her standing in front of their little girl's crib.

Before he said anything, Gabby's head turned back towards him, the sound of the door clearly gaining her attention as she gave him a soft smile. "Hi." She whispered, her voice barely audible as he walked closer to her, Matt returning the gesture.

"Hey baby." He greeted just as quietly, the man coming to stand beside his wife, seeing her hands resting out on the edge of Sofia's crib as their baby slept soundly. "What are you doing up?" He asked, wrapping his arm around her hip, securing her to him as they both stood there watching their daughter.

"I got up to go to the bathroom, and wanted to come check on the girls… Then I just kinda stayed." She replied with a shrug, Matt nodding as he rubbed his hand along her side.

"How long have you been up?"

"Not long." She answered, the parents making sure to keep their voices low, both of them knowing they'd be in for a long night if they accidentally woke up their baby. "I wasn't gonna stay this long, I just got distracted watching her… I can't believe our baby is one." She breathed out, Matt unable to stop the smile that formed over his face before he gave her a soft nod.

"Yeah… me neither." He echoed, Gabby matching his grin before their eyes locked on their little girl.

As it was past midnight, it was now officially their baby's birthday, and neither parent could quite believe it. They couldn't believe it had been an entire year since their daughter was born, since little Sofia came into this world and changed their lives forever. For Matt especially, he couldn't believe it had been a year since she arrived; that day bringing up more painful memories than he'd care to admit, the man unable to forget how he came so close to losing the love of his life on the same day he gained the second love of his life. While Gabby, from her own admission, didn't remember much from the first few days of Sofia's life, Matt remembered every second of it, the worry and fear he felt being something he knew would always be a part of him.

And it was still hard to think about, how Gabby nearly died that day, and how Sofia almost lost her mom. How their lives came close to being so very different. But, thankfully, everything worked out okay. Gabby was here, and she had spent the last year being the most incredible mother he'd ever seen. And not a day went by where he wasn't incredibly thankful to have his wife by his side as their little girl grew up.

"It's so crazy…" Gabby murmured, her soft voice pulling Matt from his thoughts as his eyes came back into focus, his gaze finding their small girl still sleeping in the middle of her crib, her little chest rising up and down quickly while she slept. "It doesn't seem like it's been that long… Our girl is getting so big."

"I know." He agreed, squeezing her hip lightly. "This last year has been incredible. Watching her grow up, seeing how much she's learned and grown… It's amazing." He spoke softly, Gabby's smile widening as he pressed a soft kiss against her head. "But it'll be just as amazing tomorrow morning after we've gotten some rest." He added, Casey not missing the sheepish look that formed over his wife's face. "With this big party you've got planned for tomorrow, we're gonna need all the sleep we can get… And considering how excited Caitlyn is for all of this, it'll be a miracle if that girl sleeps past seven."

A soft chuckle escaped Dawson's lips before she nodded, the woman pushing herself into his side slightly as her head turned back to look at her husband. "Yeah, you're right… Though the party isn't gonna be _that_ big."

"Mhmm." He hummed, though he sounded unconvinced, both parents knowing that Gabby had gone a little overboard in celebrating their girl's birthday. "Let's just get to bed, babe." He murmured, pressing another kiss against her head before stepping away from the crib, Gabby sparing one last glance at her little girl before she reluctantly followed after her husband.

* * *

"Caitlyn, be careful honey!" Matt called from his position over by the fence in the courtyard, Gabby turning to look towards their foster daughter as they saw her trying to climb up the slide she'd just gone down, the slippery surface causing her to slip and fall back down into the shallow water at the end of the slide.

"Okay Matt!" She called back once she got back up, Gabby smiling softly as she watched her husband walk over towards the blow up water slide they'd rented for the party, that one item having been the hit of the day so far with all the kids as the late August heat beat down on them. While they'd set up a few different games all over the courtyard, some for the adults and some more geared towards the children, the decently sized water slide had definitely gotten the most use.

With her eyes moving around the space filled with their friends and family, Gabby couldn't help but smile as she took everyone in. As Sofia's party was in full swing, everyone they invited were here, their entire firehouse family broken up into smaller groups as they stood around talking, all of them having brought their own families, along with Antonio, who brought Diego and Eva. Her father was currently playing with Sofia in the small kiddy pool they'd gotten as well, the grandfather sitting on the ground beside the little girl, making sure he was close enough in case she fell over into the swallow water as she played with young Patrick, James and Megan having come to celebrate the girl's first birthday, along with Becca rounding out the group. And a very welcome, yet completely surprising addition to their party had been when Christie and Violet showed up a little while ago, the blondes having been speaking with Matt until he'd left to go take care of Caitlyn.

Despite inviting them, neither Gabby nor Matt really expected them to come, knowing Christie and Matt hadn't been in each other's lives much the last few years. It was no one's fault, but after things with Christie's ex had settled, they kind of just drifted. So much so that the older sister didn't even know Gabby and Matt had gotten a divorce until she heard it from their mother. And though there'd been some visits, the other Casey's having met Sofia a few times, there was never any sustained contact. So they were both a little surprised when Christie accepted the invitation, though they were glad to see them nonetheless.

And as Gabby continued looking around the group of people she considered family, she couldn't help but feel completely content, even though she knew there were a few people missing that she'd love to be here, both her mother and Matt's mom unable to make it. But they'd Facetimed them both earlier today, the Casey's having called Nancy first to let her wish Sofia a Happy Birthday, before they called Camila, both grandmothers happy to see their grandbaby on her birthday, even if it couldn't be in person.

"Oh, no you're gonna get me wet!"

The sound of Matt's playful voice pulled her from her thoughts as she looked over to see a soaking wet Caitlyn running around chasing after her husband, the man not actually trying to get away from her as he let her catch him, Caitlyn hugging him tightly, no doubt getting water on his shorts as she held onto him.

"I got you!" She exclaimed with a giggle, Matt feigning disbelief before he reached down to pick her up, the man holding onto her tightly so she couldn't get away, Caitlyn's bathing suit now soaking his shirt as well as she pretended to struggle to be put down.

"No, I got _you_!" He spoke, Caitlyn's laughing getting louder before she wriggled out of his arms, Matt placing the five year old back down onto the ground as she reached out for his hand.

"Come watch me go down the slide!" She said, her excited voice filtering through the other chatter as Matt nodded just as eagerly before letting himself be led back towards the slide, the father not even caring about his clothes that were now wet.

"God, he's so good with them." Jemma's voice hit her ears, Gabby looking over to find her best friend now standing just beside her. "It would almost be annoying if it weren't so damn cute. He's such a girl-dad." She added jokingly, Dawson scrunching up her nose slightly before she took a sip of her drink.

"Yeah, he loves those girls." Gabby replied, her words earning a knowing look from her former partner before they both looked back towards Casey, the man completely focused on Caitlyn as she went down the slide, though Gabby noticed how his gaze often moved towards Sofia as well, the father constantly checking in on both young girls.

"I'm guessing you all still don't have any news… Unless something's changed since yesterday." Jemma spoke up, the younger paramedic knowing that the Casey's still hadn't heard anything on when they'd be losing the five year old.

"None yet." She replied, her eyes moving back towards her husband, noticing Violet as she went up to Matt while he played with Caitlyn. Dawson watched on as the five year old climbed out from the shallow water at the end of the slide, Matt clearly introducing the two girls, Caitlyn all but hiding behind her foster dad as she met someone new. But within seconds, Gabby could tell the girl was coming around, Caitlyn still not having lost that nervous feeling whenever she was introduced to new people.

"Hey Gabby." Dawson looked the other direction when she heard the familiar voice, finding Christie coming towards her with a soft smile on her face, the two women sharing a hug as they hadn't had time to really see one another since she got here.

"Hey Christie." She spoke, rubbing the older woman's back before pulling away. "I'm sure Matt told you, but we're so glad you're here."

"Thanks, so are we." She responded softly, her eyes moving towards the woman standing on the other side of Dawson. "Hi, I'm Matt's sister, Christie."

"Oh, right- I'm so sorry. Jemma, this is Christie. Christie, Jemma." She introduced, the women offering each other soft smiles.

"It's nice to meet you."

"You too."

"Jemma is one of our good friends, and Sofia's godmother." Gabby continued, Christie nodding in understanding. "And Jemma, that girl over there with Matt, that's Violet, Christie's daughter… Although I guess she's more of a woman now." She added with a laugh, Christie sucking in a deep breath before nodding.

"Yeah, she's definitely growing up… It goes by so fast."

"Yeah, it does." Gabby murmured in agreement, Christie sparing a quick glance to Sofia before her eyes moved over towards the older girl currently under Matt and Gabby's care. "Matt and I were talking last night, we have no idea how it's been a year already…"

"Definitely doesn't feel like it." Jemma agreed.

"That only gets worse the older they get." Christie spoke up, turning her attention back towards the women beside her. "It's like every year goes by quicker and quicker."

"God, I'm not ready for that." Gabby breathed out with a laugh, Jemma smiling softly as she ran her hand over her friend's back.

"You never are." Christie agreed with a chuckle, the blonde unable to keep her gaze from moving back towards her brother, watching as Matt continued playing with the small girl while Violet stood with them. "So, uh… I didn't know you two were fostering again." She said softly, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before nodding. "I have to admit, after everything before… I was a little surprised."

"It definitely wasn't planned." Gabby replied once she finished speaking, Christie nodding understandingly as Matt had explained a little bit of the situation to her when she'd gotten there earlier in the afternoon. "And I don't even know if we'll foster again after her, but Caitlyn, she's… She's absolutely incredible." She said brightly, the woman unable to stop her smile from growing as she spoke of her foster daughter.

"She seems like it… And she's seemed to fit in pretty well with you all."

"Oh, she absolutely has." Gabby replied brightly.

"Yeah, she definitely acts like a Casey." Jemma replied with a light laugh, missing the way Gabby's face faltered slightly. "And she's so cute with Sofia. I swear, they're like sisters."

"Hey Dawson!" Kelly called from a few feet away, effectively ending their conversation as Gabby took a step forward so she could see him. "When are we gonna go inside and have cake?"

A heavy scoff left her lips at his childish tone, the older man clearly getting restless as they'd been outside for a while now, Gabby cocking her head to the side as she placed her hand on her hip.

"The kids are still playing, Sev." She shouted back, Gabby glancing over towards her husband, finding his eyes already on her as a soft smile formed over his face, the woman flashing him a similar grin back as she heard Kelly groan.

"Yeah, I've seen those kids play… You know you're gonna have to drag Sofia kicking and screaming from that pool, and Caitlyn could go up and down that slide all day. We'll be out here for hours if you let them." He continued, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly as the man continued to whine like a child, though deep down she knew he made a point.

"We'll go in in a few minutes, Kelly." She told him, Severide giving her a nod before the man returned his attention to the table that was covered with different food and refreshments, Gabby taking the step back to return to her previous spot, the mother taking another drink of her water before releasing a soft breath. "We actually probably should head inside soon." She spoke to Christie and Jemma. "Sofia's gonna need to be put down for a nap here in a little bit, and it's pretty hot out here… I don't want any of the kids to get sick." She replied, Jemma nodding after she finished off her drink, the woman taking a step forward.

"I'll go try and wrangle in Caitlyn for you, let her and the husband know we're heading in soon." Jemma offered, Gabby flashing her a thankful smile as she and Christie headed in the direction of Matt and Violet, Dawson deciding to go get the birthday girl from the kiddy pool.

And just as Severide had joked about, it had been a challenge to get both Sofia and Caitlyn inside, the parents telling all their guests to start making their way back to the townhouse while they focused on the kids. Caitlyn was a little easier to coerce in, the little girl happy to go inside after she'd been told she could go down the slide three more times, Matt watching enthusiastically as she continued to play. But Sofia, on the other hand, proved a little more difficult.

They baby absolutely _loved_ water; pools, baths, it didn't matter. She loved being in water, so the second Gabby pulled her out, she nearly screamed her head off. But after wrapping her up in a towel, drying her off, and letting her run around a bit in the grass with Antonio, she was happier and more inclined to be taken inside, Gabby letting her brother carry in the little girl while Matt carried Caitlyn, the five year old wrapped up in her towel while he held onto Matt.

And then when they got inside, they left the kids in the care of Becca and Antonio while all their friends gathered in their living room and around the table, giving Gabby and Matt time to get the cakes ready to go. Knowing enough from their nieces and nephew, the parents had planned ahead and gotten Sofia her own cake for when they sang Happy Birthday, knowing the baby was bound to smash her little hands into the dessert and make a complete mess. So having two cakes definitely seemed much more practical, that way they wouldn't have to work around any pieces that had been destroyed by their daughter.

"Alright, you wanna go get her in the highchair, and I'll finish up here?" Matt questioned, Gabby giving him a nod before she walked behind him to head out into the living room, the woman rubbing her hand along his back as she moved.

Before going to get her daughter from Antonio, Gabby got the girl's highchair set up in the middle of the room closer towards the kitchen table, the mom well aware that the bathing suit her little girl was wearing was about to be covered in thick pink frosting and chocolate cake, Gabby navigating her way through their friends before getting to her daughter on the couch.

"Cake time?" Severide spoke up, his eyebrows raising as he sat beside Becca, Gabby giving him a nod before returning her attention to Sofia, the baby clapping her hands happily when she saw her mom.

"Mama!"

"Come here, princess." She murmured, Sofia eagerly going into the arms of her mother before Gabby brought her to her high chair, everyone beginning to gather around the young girl, knowing it was almost time to sing to her even though Sofia had no idea what was going on.

And even though the chorus of Happy Birthday was completely off-pitch, and much louder than they anticipated, it had Gabby near tears as they officially commemorated their daughter's first birthday, Sofia more intrigued by the cake than anything else as Caitlyn helped her blow out her candles, Becca and Jemma both taking photos and videos of the moment to send to Gabby later. Then the second the dessert was in reach, Sofia shoved her hands into it and immediately brought her cake-covered hands up to her mouth, laughs being heard from around the room as the girl began to make a mess, her bright blue eyes now wide with wonder as the huge cake sat in front of her. And while Matt had gone back into the kitchen with Becca to start cutting up the other cake for everyone else, Gabby stayed close by with her daughter and Caitlyn, the five year old beginning to eat some off the small cake as well once she'd gotten permission from her foster mom, Dawson well aware how special that moment made Caitlyn feel.

Despite the fact that Sofia was becoming covered by more and more cake by the second, Gabby had Caitlyn stand next to her for a few pictures, the mother wanting to get as many photos of this day as possible, knowing this birthday was definitely one she always wanted to be able to look back on.

* * *

Blowing out a breath, Gabby grimaced as she worked on cleaning the remains of cake off of Sofia's high chair, the previously rambunctious home now sitting in a peaceful quiet as all of their friends had left long ago, Jemma and Becca having stayed longer than everyone else to help clean up, but even they had gone home around a half hour ago, the long day having taken its toll on everyone. But despite how exhausted Dawson was, she wouldn't have changed a second of it, the mother knowing today had been the perfect day celebrating their little girl.

Her attention was pulled from the high chair she was working on when she heard her husband release a heavy breath, Gabby looking over to find him standing on the bottom step, his hands resting behind his head before he hopped down onto the floor. "Well, Sof's finally down… Man, I figured it'd be easier to get her to sleep after she barely napped today, but I guess with all that sugar…" He trailed off, Gabby suppressing her laugh when she saw him grimace. "But she's asleep now. And Caitlyn took a bath and is in her pajamas… Told her she could have ten minutes to play before it was time for bed."

"Such a pushover." She teased as he walked into the now clean kitchen, that being mostly Becca's doing.

"Please, like you're any better than me." He countered, Matt unable to see the smirk on her face as he stood in front of the refrigerator, the man opening it and looking around inside.

"How are you still even hungry?" She asked when she saw him rifling through their food, her question earning a shrug from him.

"You know I can always eat, babe."

"Well, feel free to eat as much as you want. We're gonna have leftovers for at least a week." She breathed out, Matt turning back to look at her. "Why did we get so much food again?" She asked, though her question was more rhetorical. But that didn't stop the smug grin that formed over her husband's lips, the man turning around completely, cocking his head to the side before he spoke up.

"Because you're Gabby Dawson, and that's just what you do." He replied, Gabby narrowing her eyes slightly. "It's what you've done ever since I've known you."

"Technically, that's Gabby Casey to you." She spoke as soon as he finished, Matt's grin widening as he ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek.

"And I feel like the luckiest man in the world every damn day because of it." He responded without missing a beat, Gabby releasing a light scoff as she stifled an eye roll.

"Smooth, Casey… Real smooth." She spoke playfully, Matt giving her a quick wink before he turned back towards the fridge, Gabby wiping down the tray on Sofia's high chair one last time before heading back towards the kitchen, watching as her husband pulled out the bowl they'd put the leftover fruit in, Casey closing the refrigerator before settling himself at the counter.

After taking the lid off, he popped a piece of melon into his mouth, Gabby throwing away the wipes she'd used to clean up before coming to stand beside him.

"So… How do you think today went?" She asked as Matt offered her a strawberry, Gabby nodding before he fed her the fruit.

"I think it was perfect." He replied brightly, the man grabbing another few berries and shoving them into his mouth. "Sofia had a blast, and so did all the other kids… It was a great day." He spoke once he finished chewing, Gabby nodding in agreement before he gave her another piece of fruit.

"It was." She responded, Matt smiling softly before he continued to eat. "But God, do I feel gross." She added, the man scrunching up his nose slightly as he looked over his wife. And aside from the fact she looked exhausted, she didn't look any different to him. "I can't wait to just shower and get into bed."

"Want me to put Caitlyn to bed? You could go ahead and get started on that… Though maybe don't finish too soon." He told her, the suggestive grin on his face cause Gabby to shake her head slightly as she leaned her hip into the counter.

"Oh yeah?" She questioned, Matt running his tongue along his lips before popping another piece of watermelon into his mouth. "You think I'd invite you into my shower?"

"You always do." He responded softly, Gabby opening her mouth to respond, but she quickly closed it, knowing she didn't have much room to argue, her husband's words holding more truth than she'd ever admit. "And besides… I bet after showering together, you'd sleep like a baby." He continued, the man near smirking as Gabby clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth, Matt's grin growing wider the longer she stayed silent.

But just as she was about to answer, her phone began ringing over from the coffee table, Matt chuckling softly before he stepped away from the counter. "I got it, babe."

"Thanks." She replied, Matt giving her a quick nod before hurrying towards her phone, Gabby grabbing another piece of fruit. "Who is it?" She asked, waiting for him to answer. But he never responded. "Matt?"

"Gabby, come here."

The tone in his voice caused her spine to straighten, Gabby turning around to find her husband staring at her, his face now ghostly white, the sight alone making the woman walk quickly to the living room.

"What is it?" She questioned when she got closer to him, Matt holding out the phone for her to see, Gabby's breath catching in her throat the second she saw the caller ID.

_Tina_

Drawing in as steadying a breath, Gabby locked eyes with her husband before she nodded, silently telling him to answer it, though both parents knew they weren't going to like the reason behind this phone call.

Because there was only one reason Tina would be calling them this late on a Sunday.

"Hello?" Matt spoke up after he put the phone on speaker.

"_Matt? Hi, it's Tina. Is Gabby with you?"_

Casey glanced towards his wife, the woman giving him a nod before he spoke up, Gabby not trusting her own voice at the moment. "Yeah, she's right here."

"_Good, good… Well, I'm sorry for bothering you so late, but I wanted to let you both know that I got the call earlier today, and Caitlyn's finally able to go and be with her family._"

The second those words left her lips, it felt like a knife went straight through Casey's heart, the husband glancing towards his wife, finding a similar look of pain shining in her eyes, despite the brave face she was trying to put on.

"Oh, I uh-" He clears his throat. "Okay, that's great news." He spoke as lightly as he could. "...I guess I just didn't realize you all would be working on this today."

"_Well, the paperwork came through this morning, and we didn't want to prolong this any more._" She explained, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he met Gabby's eyes, seeing she was still trying to process all this.

"Alright, well, um- … How long?" He questioned, the muscles in his stomach tightening as he waited for the answer.

"_We'll need you and Gabby to bring her to DCFS tomorrow morning, at 10._"

Gabby's eyes fell closed as Matt's breath caught in his throat, the parents immediately overwhelmed by the emotions they were feeling as they slowly came to realize their time with Caitlyn was abruptly coming to an end.

"_I know it's sudden._" Tina continued when they had yet to say anything. "_And I know how well Caitlyn has adjusted with you all, but now it's time for her to go be with her family. And we don't want to wait any longer to get her into her new home… This is what's best for her._"

"I know." Matt spoke up, the man swallowing the thick lump of emotion that had settled in his throat as he watched his wife, seeing her fighting against her own emotions as she took slow breaths. "We'll, uh… We'll have her there tomorrow."

"_Alright, thanks Matt… I'll see you both then._"

With some quick goodbyes, the man hung up, Matt placing her phone back down on the coffee table before his head soon found his hands, Casey feeling a headache creeping up in the base of his skull as he ran his palms along his skin.

The couple stood in silence for a few more moments, the weight of the entire situation settling on them like a rock as they slowly came to accept what this meant. How here shortly, the young girl would no longer be living with them. She wouldn't be a part of their lives anymore, and that was a hard pill to swallow, regardless of the fact they knew this from the start.

"I, uh-" Casey spoke up after nearly five minutes of intense silence, turning to see the unshed tears sitting in his wife's eyes. "I guess we need to go talk to Caitlyn." He breathed out, the man trying to gather his thoughts as his eyebrows furrowed. "And, uh- we need to call Boden, tell him we won't be on shift tomorrow." He continued, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she avoided his eye contact, the woman biting down roughly on her bottom lip as she crossed her arms over her chest, Matt reaching out to rub his hand along her back. "...Gabby." He murmured, the woman drawing in a deep breath before she met his eyes, Gabby shaking her head slightly.

"...How are we supposed to give her up, Matt?" She questioned quietly, the pain in her voice causing his already broken heart to completely shatter in his chest.

"Baby, we don't have a choice." He responded softly, Gabby sucking in a deep breath before nodding.

"I know." She breathed out, clenching her eyes shut. "I just… I don't know how to tell her."

"I know." He repeated, wrapping his arm around her as he pulled her into his side, Matt giving her a quick, supportive hug. "But we'll do it together." He promised, doing what he could to stay strong for his wife as she gave him a nod.

The couple stood together for a few more moments before they broke apart and headed upstairs, knowing there was no way to put this off any longer, especially considering they needed to put the girl to bed soon.

When they got up to her room, the parents stood in the doorway, watching as she played with her dolls over by the toy house sitting underneath her window, the girl completely unaware of their presence as she continued playing.

"Caitlyn." Matt spoke up, the girl already smiling wide before she even turned around, her grin growing when she saw both Matt and Gabby standing there.

"Can I have five more minutes?" She requested before saying anything else, the girl knowing it was time for bed, Caitlyn pouting in hopes of helping her argument.

"Actually, uh… Honey, we need to talk." Matt continued, the child's eyebrows furrowing before she nodded, the couple walking further into her room and sitting down on her bed, Caitlyn not missing the look of sadness covering Gabby's face. "Come here, sweetheart." He prompted, Caitlyn drawing in a deep breath before she stood up and cautiously walked over to them, the five year old sitting down on the bed in between them.

"...Do you remember when you first came to stay with us?" He started as the girl clasped her hands together in her lap, Caitlyn giving him a nod before he continued. "And how Miss Tina told you, and we told you, how that you'd just be staying with us for a while before going to live with your family?" He asked, Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowing slightly as she thought over his words before she slowly nodded once more.

"Okay, well, we got a call from Miss Tina tonight," Gabby spoke up, the little girl turning her head towards her, "and it's time for you to go live with your family." She told her, seeing Caitlyn's face remain unchanged as her words hung in the air, both parents unsure if the young girl knew what was being told to her. "Tomorrow morning, we're gonna go back to DCFS, and you're gonna go be with your family, honey."

Caitlyn stayed quiet as she faced forward, a look of deep thought covering her features as she clenched her hands together, Matt continuing to rub soothing patterns up and down her back as they both waited for her to say anything, Caitlyn drawing in a slow breath before looking up towards Gabby.

"...Do I have to?"

Dawson's face faltered slightly, the question nearly knocking the wind out of her before she recovered, Gabby giving her a slow nod as a weak smile formed over her face.

"You do…" She answered softly, watching as a slight frown pulled on Caitlyn's lips before she looked away again, Gabby finding Matt's gaze, both parents mirroring the sadness they felt.

"Caitlyn-"

"I don't wanna go." She murmured, her words barely audible. But they heard them, Gabby's eyes falling closed as fresh tears filled her eyes, Casey sucking in a sharp breath as the little girl looked up at him. "Do you not want me anymore?"

Her words cut right through them, Gabby immediately shaking her head as Matt frowned. "No, no sweetheart. That's not it at all." He replied as quickly as he could, the husband and wife coming to realize what they feared all along; that Caitlyn truly just did not understand this situation. "Of course we want you, but you have a family who's waiting for you… Gabby and I, we were just here while you were waiting to go to your home… You're going home to be with your family, baby."

Caitlyn's eyebrows furrowed deeply, tears shining in the young girl's eyes as she breathed slowly, trying to understand Matt's words. "...You're not my family anymore?" She questioned, Gabby wiping away the stray tear that escaped from her eyes as Matt spoke up.

"Caitlyn, we will always consider you a part of our family, okay? Always." He assured her, the little girl nodding slowly. "But you won't be living with us anymore."

"Will I still be able to see you?" She asked hopefully, her head moving back and forth between the two of them. "And Sofia?" She added, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek before slowly shaking her head.

"Well, that, uh- that isn't up to us, honey… But I don't think so."

The second those words left her lips, Caitlyn frowned deeply, fresh tears filling her eyes as the weight of the situation began to hit her, the five year old slowly coming to realize what this all actually meant. Her bottom lip started to bobble up and down, the girl seconds away from tears as she sniffled.

"But I don't wanna go." She repeated, her words causing the tears to escape from her eyes as she began to cry, her little body shaking underneath Matt's hand. "Don't make me go." Her words alone were enough to crush them, Matt immediately pulling her into him as her cries got louder, the little girl tucking her head into his stomach as she held onto his leg.

"It's okay, baby." He murmured, rubbing his hand over his head as he caught Gabby's gaze, tears filling both their eyes as Matt saw just how heartbroken his wife was. "We know you don't want to go, but you're going into an amazing home, sweetheart. With people who love you, just as much as we do… You're gonna absolutely love it there, alright? Everything's gonna be fine." He tried to assure her as much as he could, though he wasn't sure how much she was hearing him through her sobs, Gabby having reached out to rub along her back as the girl sought comfort from the two people who had become her parents, both of them knowing there was nothing they could do to make this better right now.

There was absolutely nothing they could do, except hold her. And that's exactly what they did.

"Everything's gonna be okay… I promise."

* * *

Matt carried Caitlyn into the elevator in the lobby, the heavy feeling around them having followed them from their home as the girl stayed tucked into Matt's embrace, her stuffed animal clutched securely underneath her arm while Gabby followed in after them, the mother pulling along her suitcase, and duffle bag full of her belongings before pressing the button to go to their floor.

It had been a long night for the Casey's, and an even longer morning, as they prepared to bring Caitlyn back to DCFS, the young girl having a harder time coming to terms with everything than they could've ever imagined. After she nearly cried herself to sleep last night in Matt's arms, the parents soon decided to bring Caitlyn down to sleep with them in their room, the young girl curling up in between them, wanting to be as close as possible to both of them while she slept. Though none of their sleep had exactly been peaceful. Then when they woke up this morning, it had been even harder on all of them, especially when they had to go through all of Caitlyn's things, and figure out what all she wanted to take with her, the young girl refusing to leave their side for a second.

Needless to say, it had been an incredibly difficult morning. One filled with many tears, especially when Caitlyn had to say goodbye to Sofia, the parents deciding to leave the young girl in the care of their nanny while they brought Caitlyn here. It had been a gut wrenching sight, Caitlyn nearly sobbing as she held onto the baby, Sofia having no idea what was going on, but she had quickly become upset as well, sensing the distress around her. It hadn't been easy at all, and it definitely had been a challenge to get Caitlyn out of the house. And now as they stood here in this elevator, knowing they were getting closer and closer to having to say their final goodbyes, it felt nearly impossible to breathe, Matt holding onto the young girl as tightly as he could as the doors opened.

Each step felt heavy as they walked towards the room where they'd been instructed to go, Matt feeling Caitlyn sniffling against his neck, her head tucked away from view as he did what he could to be strong. It's what he and Gabby had been doing since last night, the parents knowing they had to be a rock for the young girl, no matter how much this was killing them. Because this wasn't about them; this was about Caitlyn.

When they got to the room, Matt walked in through the open doorway first, surprised to see only Tina standing across from him behind the table, his eyebrows furrowing as Gabby walked in after him.

"Hey… Are they here?" He questioned, rubbing Caitlyn's back comfortingly, Tina giving him a sad smile before she nodded.

"They are… I felt it would be better to do this separately." She explained, Casey drawing in a deep breath before nodding in understanding.

"Yeah, okay… So, uh- Is it time?" He asked, Tina offering him a slow nod as Gabby placed the girl's bags on the ground, Matt drawing in a deep breath before nodding back, the man shifting his attention to the young girl clinging to him. "Caitlyn, honey… It's time to go with Miss Tina, alright?" He told her, hearing the small girl begin to cry against him, Matt sucking in a slow breath before he carefully put her down, Caitlyn reluctant to let go of him. Crouching down in front of her, Matt grabbed a hold of her hand, the other keeping her stuffed animal against her chest as Gabby came up beside him and bent down as well, Caitlyn's sad brown eyes bouncing back and forth between them. "...I know this is scary. And sad." Casey spoke up, Caitlyn sniffling once again before she nodded, Gabby reaching out to wipe away the water resting on her skin. "And I know you're gonna miss us, and we're gonna miss you, too… But we love you so much, sweetheart. So, so much. We always will." He reminded her, Caitlyn giving him another nod.

"I love you." She repeated sadly as fresh tears filled her eyes.

"And you'll always have this, yeah?" Gabby spoke up, smiling through her tears as she tapped the new stuffed animal underneath the girl's arm, Caitlyn looking down towards the bear, unable to stop the small smile that formed over her face. It was one of the newer things they'd bought for the young girl, the teddy bear matching one they'd given Sofia as well, the parents surprising the girl's with them about a week ago. And while Sofia had no idea what was going on, and was just happy to be receiving a new toy, Caitlyn absolutely loved it. And she especially loved having the same on as Sofia, the little girl nearly bouncing off the walls when she saw the bears were identical. "We're always gonna be with you, okay? Me, Matt, and Sof." She reminded her, a few more tears escaping down Caitlyn's cheeks before she nodded, Matt quick to wipe them away.

Before anything else could be said, Caitlyn launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around Gabby as tightly as she could, the bear falling from her grasp as she held onto her foster mom tightly.

"We love you so much, baby." Gabby repeated, pressing kisses to her head before she pulled back and hugged Matt just as tightly, the man holding onto her as he rocked her back and forth gently, Gabby picking up the girl's stuffed animal while she held Matt.

"You're gonna love your new home, sweetheart. Everything's gonna be fine." He spoke, repeating the same words he'd told her often as Caitlyn slowly pulled back, both parents giving her as supportive of looks as they could before standing back up, Caitlyn clutching onto her stuffed animal tightly as Tina walked over to them.

"Alright honey, come here." Tina prompted, Caitlyn looking up at Matt, the man nodding immediately. "It's time for Matt and Gabby to go." She spoke as she grabbed onto her hand, Caitlyn's lips turning down into a frown as more tears filled her eyes.

"No…"

"Caitlyn-"

"Don't go!"

"Honey, they have to." Tina tried to explain as the girl began fighting against her, tears filling Gabby's eyes as she heard Caitlyn's pleas, the social worker looking up at them. "It's okay, we knew this would be difficult… It's probably best if you go." She told them, Matt's sad eyes focused on Caitlyn before he nodded, the five year old still trying to get back to them as they moved towards the door.

"No!" She shouted, her voice hoarse from crying as Gabby stepped through the doorway, tears beginning to flood down her cheeks as they walked away. "Gabby! Matt!" She tried again, her cries desperate as she struggled against Tina. "Don't leave me!"

Matt turned back, Gabby choking back a sob as Tina shook her head, silently urging him to go, the man having to force himself to leave as his wife had all but run around the corner, the sound of Caitlyn's loud cries still hitting their ears as they got farther and farther away from the room.

Jogging to catch up to her, Matt grabbed a hold of his wife's arm, stopping her in her tracks as her body shook slightly, the man turning her around straight into his chest as she cried, both of them finally letting out the emotions they'd been holding onto since last night. The rush of emotions that they'd tried to block out, the emotions that felt all too familiar to when they gave up their son years ago, Gabby sobbing against him as she wrapped her arms around his waist, Matt holding onto her as tightly as he could, cradling her head to his chest as they came to grips with the harsh reality that they'd never see Caitlyn again. And that it was going to take them both some time to get past this.


	99. Chapter Ninety Nine

**Hi everyone. I'm back with the next chapter for you all. After last week's update, I know a lot of you are upset with me because of what happened, and I get it. I definitely do. But I hope you'll stick around to see where things for Dawsey go from here. These next few chapters, we've got some really important things coming for them. Things I hope you all will like.**

**Thank you so much for reading. Enjoy.**

* * *

_**Chapter Ninety Nine**_

* * *

Gabby's red and teary eyes stayed focused out the window as Matt drove through the busy streets of Chicago, the late morning traffic delaying their drive home as a heavy silence filled the air around them. Since leaving DCFS nearly twenty minutes ago, neither of them had said a word from the moment they got into the car, though Gabby had been quiet for much longer than that. Ever since they said their goodbyes to Caitlyn.

After comforting his sobbing wife for a painful few moments, once she had calmed down enough to breathe, Matt had to practically lead her out of the building, Gabby unable to focus on much as she kept her arm around his back, her body tucked tightly into his as they walked through the building. They had gotten a few stares, Matt noticing the people looking at them as they tried to get out to their car, Gabby's distraught state obvious to anyone who saw her. But he did his best not to focus on that, Matt shooting anyone staring too long a harsh look before returning his attention to his wife, the man rubbing her arm and squeezing her body into his, doing anything he could to give her some bit of comfort despite the fact his heart felt just as broken as hers.

And by the time they finally got to the car, thick tears escaping down her cheeks as he opened the door for her, she still hadn't said a word, Matt waiting until she was situated before he shut her door and jogged around to the other side. Once he was inside, buckled, and had gotten the car started, he immediately reached out for her hand, the action causing fresh tears to escape her eyes as she gripped onto his palm with both of hers, their conjoined hands resting in her lap as her puffy eyes focused out the window.

And they'd been like that ever since, Gabby having not let go of his hand while he drove, the woman only making a sound when she would sniffle softly, Matt giving her hand tight squeezes every few moments when he felt like she needed it. But despite the comfort they so desperately needed from each other, they'd be quiet, their grief overwhelming as the reality of losing yet another child settled over them like a thousand pound weight.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt felt a wave of gratitude wash over him as he pulled into their driveway, the man glad to finally be back home after the emotional morning they'd had. After making sure he came to a complete stop, Casey took his hand off the steering wheel to reach up and click the button to open their garage, the husband not wanting to let go of his wife's hand just yet as he waited for the door to go up before pulling the car inside and putting it in park, the action causing Gabby to snap from her haze as her eyes moved towards him. From his first glance alone, Matt could tell she hadn't realized they were home, the slight hint of confusion in her eyes a dead giveaway before her face softened, Gabby soon realizing her surroundings as he gave her hand another squeeze.

"Hey." He spoke, his voice a bit hoarse from lack of use as she offered him a weak smile; one that didn't reach her watery eyes. "You wanna go see Sof?" Casey questioned, Gabby giving him an immediate nod before she let go of his hand, the parents grabbing their things and climbing out of the car.

Dawson was the first through the door, Matt putting the garage door down before following behind her, the soft sound of the TV hitting their ears as they stepped into their home. As Casey put down his keys and wallet on the table by the side door, Gabby continued inside, her eyes immediately finding her daughter playing on the ground, the baby grabbing at the large blocks in front of her, gnawing on one of them as Becca sat beside her.

The second the nanny saw them, she straightened her spine, the woman immediately noticing the redness around Gabby's eyes as she moved straight to her daughter, Matt coming in a few seconds later, Becca seeing a similar sadness shining in his eyes, as well. Without a word, Gabby came up behind her daughter, the woman running her hand through Sofia's curly hair, the action causing the baby to become aware of someone else's presence in the room.

"Hi baby girl." She murmured as Sofia turned around towards her, the baby squealing in excitement from seeing her mother, her attitude a complete shift from how it had been in the moments before they left with Caitlyn this morning.

And when she saw the bright grin on her daughter's face, Sofia throwing her blocks to the ground and reaching up for her mom, Gabby couldn't help but a feel a sense of peace at being here with her daughter, the baby able to dull the pain she was feeling as she carefully picked her up and cradled her against her chest.

"Mama… Mama." She repeated, her mouth covered in a bit of slobber as she looked up to her mother, Gabby smiling softly despite the tears in her eyes before pressing a kiss to the side of her head.

"Yeah, Mama's here." She whispered, rubbing her hand along her back before moving towards the couch, Becca standing up off the ground as Matt came farther into the room, the man tearing his eyes from his family to look towards the nanny.

As Gabby sat down on the couch with Sofia in her lap, the little girl completely enamored by her mother, Matt stopped a few feet shy of the coffee table, Becca standing beside him with a knowing look in her eyes, the woman mirroring the sadness she saw in his gaze.

"I'll, uh… I'm gonna get out of your way." Becca spoke softly, knowing this wasn't a time when Gabby or Matt needed any company. The nanny, more than most, experiencing first hand just how loved Caitlyn was in this house, and how these next few days- or even weeks, would be very hard for the Casey's. And she knew the best thing she could do now would be to get out of their way, Matt nodding softly in response before forcing a small smile onto his face.

"Thanks for watching Sof, and calming her down with, uh- everything this morning." He said, clearing the emotion from his throat as Becca gave him a supportive nod, reaching out to squeeze the side of his arm before she began to walk past him.

"Of course… I'll see you all on Thursday." She replied, Matt nodding in agreement before Becca walked to the table to grab her purse before she headed for the front door.

"Oh, and Becca…" Matt's voice stopped her, the nanny turning back around to find him watching her, while Gabby was still completely focused on the baby in her arms. "Thank you." He repeated, her eyebrows furrowing in uncertainty. "For all your help with Caitlyn." Casey elaborated, the look on her face softening before she shook her head slightly. "I know all of that got sprung on you last minute, but you were amazing with her… With her and Sof both, so thank you. We wouldn't have been able to manage without you."

"You don't need to thank me for anything." She was quick to reply when he finished, Matt pursing his lips together before giving her a soft nod, the woman taking the last step towards the front door. "I'm just… I'm really sorry." She told them, the firefighter's face faltering slightly as the weight of it hit him all over again, Matt doing what he could to regain himself before he gave her another nod, the nanny saying one last goodbye before slipping out the door, and leaving the Casey's alone in their home.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Matt brought his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose, the man doing his best to get rid of the headache forming behind his eyes as the sound of Sofia's cartoon kept the couple from being in a dead quiet.

"Mama." Sofia spoke up again, Casey looking up towards his family, seeing Sofia playing with the necklace around Gabby's neck; the S pendant that he'd given her last Christmas, the one she'd rarely taken off since getting it, Sofia lightly pulling on it while she continued to babble away. Even from his position across the room, he could still see the tears hiding behind his wife's eyes, Gabby unable to keep her emotions concealed as he walked over to the large couch placed against the wall.

Before saying a word, Matt sat down beside her, the movement gaining little Sofia's attention as she realized her dad had come home, too, the baby letting go of Gabby's necklace to reach out towards him, Casey grabbing onto her hand while she stayed put in her mother's lap. "Hi my princess." He murmured, leaning down to kiss her little hand as she continued to smile up at her father, Sofia thankfully oblivious to the heaviness settling around her as Matt ran his thumb along the back of her hand.

Though Sofia had been upset this morning, both Matt and Gabby knew that had stemmed from Caitlyn nearly sobbing as it was time for them to go, the one year old sensing the distress around her and getting upset. But they knew she didn't actually understand what was wrong, and in moments like these, Matt couldn't help but feel a little grateful for that. That Sofia was too young to know what was going on, that she wouldn't have to feel the pain him and Gabby were feeling right now. He didn't want her to _ever_ feel anything like they were right now, and that was somehow a small, bright spot in all this, was that Sofia was too young to understand what happened.

But Caitlyn wasn't.

And he hadn't been able to stop thinking about it.

Though Caitlyn didn't grasp exactly _why_ she had to leave, she understood what was happening. She was old enough to know that she wouldn't be seeing them, or Sofia again. She knew this was goodbye, and Matt knew Caitlyn would never forget it. Sofia was young enough to not have to remember the pain from today, to remember their tearful goodbyes, but Caitlyn didn't have that luxury. She was old enough to remember them, and she was old enough to remember her screaming for them to not leave her, and them walking out anyway.

What happened today, that wasn't something Caitlyn would be forgetting any time soon, and that crushed him. Today broke his heart in a way that he hadn't felt in a long time, and the pain and grief he felt combined with an overwhelming sense of hopelessness was nearly debilitating, Matt feeling like he nearly had to force himself to breathe some moments as he sat here and stared at his daughter.

Because it wasn't supposed to be like this. They were just supposed to foster Caitlyn for a few weeks, and then let her go be with her family. This was supposed to open the door for them to look into different ways to expand their family, not completely paralyze them. They weren't supposed to fall in love with this little girl, they weren't supposed to feel like she was theirs.

But they did… _She _did.

And this morning felt exactly like it had years ago when Louie left. It felt like they'd gotten their child unfairly ripped away from them, except there was something about this that was different. And that was Caitlyn.

Losing Louie completely destroyed them. Having to let go of their son, it broke them in ways that they never recovered from, and there were parts of themselves that would forever feel that loss. But with Louie, they also knew he was going to be with his father. They knew they were doing what was best for him, and there was a certain level of peace that came with that. That regardless of how terrible it was for them, it was in Louie's best interest to let him go. But this, this didn't feel like that. There was no peace, there was no comfort that came with them knowing they were doing what was best for Caitlyn, because there was a small voice in the back of Casey's head telling him he wasn't sure if they were. A small voice that had grown substantially louder after hearing Caitlyn's screams for them not to leave her. Because nothing about what happened this morning gave him any comfort that they were doing the right thing for that little girl.

What happened today, and what happened with Louie, though they had the same outcome, they couldn't help but feel like entirely different situations. Because while they knew without a doubt that Louie was where he needed to be, right now it felt like Caitlyn had been ripped away from the only place she_ should _be, and that didn't sit well with him. And he couldn't imagine it sat well with his wife either.

"Baby."

Matt's eyes snapped into focus when he registered Gabby's voice, the man blinking quickly before he turned towards her, finding her worried, slightly swollen eyes on him, the look on her face indicating this was by no means the first time she'd tried to get his attention.

"I'm, uh- I'm sorry, what'd you say?" He questioned, Gabby's lips turning down into a frown as she reached her free hand up towards his face, the wife wiping away a tear that had fallen from his eye; one he didn't even realize was there.

"I was just trying to get your attention." She murmured, Casey giving her an understanding nod before he dropped Sofia's hand, the young girl having curled up against her mother's chest in the time he'd spaced out. Though she was still awake, with one glance at the clock, he knew here soon she probably wouldn't be, Sofia likely wanting to nurse before they put her down for her first nap of the day.

"Oh, sorry." He replied just as quietly, Gabby shaking her head slightly, indicating it was alright as Sofia nuzzled her face into her mother's chest, no doubt getting some drool from her incoming teeth on Gabby's clothes as searched around, Dawson releasing a soft breath as she ran her hand over Sofia's back. "What were you saying?" He questioned, shaking his head slightly to try and regain himself as his wife clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

"Uh, we can talk about it in a bit… I need to go feed her, then put her to bed." Gabby spoke, hearing the low whines coming from her daughter that indicated she was hungry, or at the very least wanting the comfort that came from nursing before she went to sleep.

"Want me to give her a bottle?" He offered, rubbing his hand along Gabby's back as she slid to the front of the plush couch, securing Sofia in her arms before standing up, his hand falling off of her body as she moved.

"No, no, it's okay… I just wanna spend some time with her." She replied, Casey nodding knowingly before Gabby began to move towards the stairs, Sofia resting her head on her mom's shoulder as she was carried up the stairs.

Dawson moved slowly, not wanting to jostle her little girl too much as she climbed the stairs, the heavy feeling currently constricting her chest feeling that much tighter the second she got to the landing and stood just outside Caitlyn's room. The door was still open, the room left just as it had been this morning when they finished packing up the things she wanted to take with her, Gabby feeling fresh tears form in her eyes as she caught glimpse of the little girl's bedroom, the mother quickly turning to head for her daughter's room before she had to stand there and stare any longer, that room now only filling her a huge sense of emptiness. Releasing a shaky breath, Gabby pushed the door open to Sofia's room, the baby yawning as Gabby moved her towards the glider set up in the corner.

It took some adjusting, but they were both used to this routine by now as Gabby soon got her clothes out of the way for Sofia to latch on, the baby excellent at this particular skill as she'd been doing it for over a year now, Gabby settling her in her arms as Sofia fed. It was calm, and quiet in the room, so much so that Dawson was almost able to let herself not focus on the events of the last few hours, where she could just give her complete attention to her daughter, and now be overrun with the feeling of absolute hurt that had settled in her chest since they left the five year old at DCFS. This moment was almost enough to make her forget, but not quite.

But she knew it was as close as she'd be able to get, Gabby welcoming this time with her daughter, knowing it was exactly what she needed right now.

And apparently Matt did, too, Gabby looking up when she heard his heavy footsteps climbing the stairs, the wife waiting to see him appear in the doorway a few seconds later. But he didn't, Gabby hearing him stop walking a few steps short of Sofia's room, the woman knowing immediately what he was doing. Because she had done it too, Gabby well aware her husband was currently standing outside of Caitlyn's room.

But whatever feelings that had elicited in Matt, he didn't seem to want to dwell on it as it was only a few seconds before he started walking again, Casey soon appearing in the doorway, his eyes immediately on his family.

"Hey." She greeted, Matt offering her a small, albeit forced, smile before he stepped further into the room. "Everything alright?" She questioned, though they both knew the answer, Casey giving her a soft shrug before he came to sit down on the footrest in front of her.

"Just wanted to be with you guys." He responded softly, Gabby nodding knowingly before she looked back down to Sofia, the baby slowly fading as she fought off her exhaustion, her little fist gripping Gabby's chest while she ate.

They moved back into that familiar silence they'd been in for most of the morning, the two falling into a sort of battle of wills as neither of them knew what to say. They knew they needed to talk, that after everything this morning, there were discussions that needed to be had, ones they couldn't just ignore. But they didn't know where to start, or how to talk about what had happened without completely falling apart. And it had left them in kind of a stand still, one they knew they needed to get out of.

"So, uh…" He started, clearing his throat as Gabby lifted her head up, the two immediately locking gazes with one another, their red eyes showing just how much pain they were holding onto as he drew in a deep breath. "I know we need to talk about… Well, everything." He told her, waiting for Gabby's reluctant nod before he continued. "And I'm not sure what you were gonna say downstairs, but I guess all I need to know right now is if you're okay."

Her eyebrows furrowed at the question, Gabby clearly a little thrown by his words, Matt immediately shaking his head before he leaned forward, resting his hands on her knees. "I know you're not okay, after everything, I- I didn't mean it like that. I just meant-" He cut himself off, Matt knowing his words weren't coming out the way he wanted. "I just wanna know what you're thinking…"

Drawing in a slow breath, Gabby ran her tongue along the inside of her cheek, fighting off the tears threatening to spill over as she thought about the one thing she was trying to keep off her mind, the woman taking a few more shaky breaths before she was finally able to answer.

"I'm… I don't know how to answer that." She spoke honestly, missing the frown that covered her husband's face as her eyes moved back down to their baby. "I feel… I feel like we just got another child taken away from us." She breathed out, clenching her eyes shut to try and keep the fresh tears from falling as she tried to stay as calm as she could for Sofia, knowing her daughter would surely feel the tension her body was holding.

Rubbing his hand along the side of his face, Matt took a few slow breaths, her words hanging in the air around them as he tried to figure out what to say. "Gabby-"

"I know it's stupid." She cut him off, his eyebrows furrowing as her eyes slowly opened, Gabby lifting her head back up towards her husband, Matt's heart tightening in his chest when he saw the thick tears welling in her eyes. "We went into this knowing she wasn't ours. We went in knowing she'd only be with us for a little while… but it doesn't matter, I couldn't help it." She spoke as her bottom lip trembled slightly.

"I know." He whispered, lifting one hand up to wipe away the tears that had begun to trail down her cheeks. "But it's not stupid, baby." He told her, keeping his voice as strong as he could, despite the emotions he felt welling in his throat, Gabby clenching her eyes shut, the action causing a few more tears to escape down her skin before she looked back at him.

"I just… She felt like ours, Matt." She spoke, her voice barely audible. "From the moment she got here, she felt like ours. She was happy here, with us and with Sof… She loved us, and trusted us, and for awhile it just- I forgot she wasn't ours… She felt like our daughter."

"I know." He agreed, his voice soft as Gabby shook her head slightly.

"And that's why-" She started, but she cut herself off, Matt furrowing his eyebrows slightly as he waited for her to continue, his head tilting to the side slightly as Gabby hesitantly spoke. "That's why I didn't want to do this."

The second those words left her lips, Matt felt like he'd gotten punched, the man pulling back slightly as he brought his hands into his lap, Gabby immediately shaking her head as more tears filled her eyes.

"I'm not blaming you." She was quick to clarify when she saw the change in his demeanor, Matt staying quiet as he waited for her to continue, the shock of her words having yet to completely wear off as his spine straightened, the man effectively regaining some distance between them. "I'm not, at all. I made this decision, I agreed to do it, it's not your fault, I just- God, it's like I can't even think." She spoke, her frustration evident as Matt's face softened. "But this is why I was so scared. This, right here… How we feel right now, is why I originally said I didn't think I could do this. Because of this feeling. Because I knew I couldn't lose another kid." She continued, the words flying from her mouth as tears slid down her skin every few moments. "I knew I'd get attached to her, that we would, and that it would be impossible to let her go, but I just… I never imagined it would be _this_ hard." She admitted, Matt blinking back the tears sitting in his eyes as he leaned forward, his hands returning to her legs. "It felt like we went to DCFS and left our daughter there…"

"Gabby…"

"She was begging us not to leave her." She interjected, Matt taking a deep breath as she shook her head. "She was sobbing, asking us not to leave her. And we did."

Her words hung in the air around them, Gabby sucking in shallow breaths as she tried to calm herself down as Sofia was nearly asleep, the baby in her arms having a way of keeping her grounded despite the overwhelming grief she was feeling right now, Matt giving himself a second to digest everything she'd just said, the man knowing he needed to say something to try and make her feel better. But he was struggling with what to say, because he felt the exact same way she did.

"Baby, we didn't have a choice." He murmured after a moment, Gabby releasing a shaky breath as she looked back up at him. "I know how awful this feels… It feels like I'm about to fall apart, because you're right. She felt like she was ours, like she was our daughter…" He agreed, his words springing more tears to both their eyes before he continued. "I know we never really talked about it, about Caitlyn feeling like she was ours. Because adoption wasn't an option, and this was supposed to just be us helping her and giving her a place to stay for a few weeks, but she did. She felt like our little girl. I know she did. And hearing her cry like that, pleading for us to stay, I'll- I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it. I know exactly how you're feeling right now, Gabby, but we had no choice…" He paused to take a breath, his words bringing more tears to her eyes as a few escaped down her cheeks. "No matter how much she felt like she belonged here, we wouldn't have been able to keep her."

"I know." She whispered, Matt barely able to hear her as she continued to cry.

"But that doesn't mean it hurts any less." He added, Gabby's red and tired eyes finding his distraught blue ones. "It doesn't matter that we knew she wouldn't be staying, or that we knew she wouldn't be ours, it still hurts, because we loved her like she was our daughter. It hurts like hell, and it probably will for awhile," He spoke honestly, causing Gabby to bite down on her bottom lip, "but we just have to try and believe that we did the right thing…" He told her, though he knew that was easier said than done. "I know after today, it doesn't feel like we did. But we have to believe we're doing what's best for her. We gave her a home, we made her feel safe and loved when she needed it, and that's all we could do."

She nodded slowly, the woman pursing her lips together before she closed her eyes, Gabby desperate to keep some semblance of control over her own emotions as she held onto her daughter, Matt sliding his hands up and down her legs to give her any source of comfort he could as that familiar, heavy silence fell back over them yet again. And this time, it stayed.

He knew there was only so much he could do right now, because they just needed time. This pain, and this heartache, they would need time to feel it and deal with it, before they could try and move on from it. This wasn't something that would just go away, no matter how much they wished it would.

Caitlyn had become such a big part of their lives in such a short time, there was no way to make her abrupt departure any better. They just had to accept it, and try and move past it. But they both knew that wouldn't be an easy thing to do.

That little girl had found her way into their hearts, and now, just like their son, she was gone. And there wasn't anything that could make that any better.

* * *

Gabby released a slow breath as she held her face under the streaming water in her shower, the warm water relaxing her as she continued her routine of getting ready for bed, the woman hoping to wash the heaviness of the last few days off of her as she continued taking slow breaths.

It had been two days since everything happened, since they had to say goodbye to the little girl that felt like their own, and to say it had been difficult would've been an understatement, the parents feeling nearly paralyzed some moments as they worked on getting through this loss. Though they'd gone through something similar before, there was still no way to prepare for having a child taken away, and that had never been more apparent than over the last forty eight hours, Matt and Gabby having leaned on one another more often than not as they tried to navigate the heavy emotions they were feeling.

And, luckily, they had more than just each other, their friends having tried whatever they could to help the couple, Kelly and Jemma at the helm of keeping them occupied and busy, Severide especially having taken a special interest in helping his friend. While Jemma took the approach of just spending time with Gabby, and letting her talk, and vent, and cry, about what had happened and how she was feeling, Kelly couldn't help but feel like Matt needed more than that. So he had made it his mission to get Matt's mind off of things, which started with an impromptu guys night yesterday evening.

It was something Matt wasn't exactly eager to do, but after some prompting from Gabby, and the assurance that Jemma would be at home with her so she wasn't alone, Casey had decided to go out; the husband going out to a bar across town with Severide and Antonio. Though she originally thought they'd just be going to Molly's, Kelly had surprised them by taking him to a bar they'd never been to, and Gabby couldn't help but be a little grateful for that. Because she knew that if Matt walked into Molly's, all their friends would want to talk and know how he was doing, and they'd want to try and help. And Gabby was he sure he couldn't have handled those conversations, not then, and especially not with a few drinks in him. So she was glad they'd gone out to a new place.

But that night had been short lived, the men walking into their home not even two hours after they'd left, the look on Matt's face immediately telling her he hadn't had a good time, and after their friends left and she'd gotten a chance to speak with him, she found out he just didn't want to be there. That while he was there, all he could think about was being at home, with her, making sure her and Sofia were okay. And those feelings had led to a pretty early evening for all of them.

Though that failed night out hadn't deterred Severide, Matt telling her once he got home last night how the Lieutenant had planned a day out on the lake with the two of them, Antonio, and Ramon for the next day, which Gabby knew from the moment she heard it that it was a much better plan. Though Matt never minded going out and having fun with his friends, nights out like that weren't really his thing, not anymore. So a day on the lake sounded much more manageable for him.

And if his behavior this evening when they got back was any indication, it had been good for him. Though that shining sadness was still present in his eyes, just as it was in hers, he seemed to be a little lighter. Like at least some of the weight of all this had been lifted off of him, her husband appearing to feel a little bit better than he did before he went. And after speaking with her brother, he'd told her that Matt had a pretty good time, and it seemed to help him, though there'd been a few moments where he'd space out and get quiet; much like he'd been doing on different occasions over the last few days.

Though, admittedly, it was something they'd both been doing. Those moments where they'd get trapped in their own heads, when they'd be pulled from reality and weren't able to focus on much of anything aside from the pain they felt; those moments usually closely followed by one, or both, of them breaking down. But Matt especially, had moments where it would all become too much, and he'd break out of nowhere, Gabby knowing he'd done his best to try and stay strong for her, but it was becoming more and more apparent over the last few days that he couldn't. Because he was struggling with this, with having to let her go; they both were. And it was one of the worst feelings in the world.

But they were trying to get through it, and they were trying to be strong for each other when they could. In those hard moments where one would break and everything would become too much, they'd been there when the other needed it.

They'd fallen apart more than they'd care to admit since Caitlyn left, but they always had each other to help get them through it. They had each other, and they had their daughter, and they knew, in time, this would get easier to manage.

Just like it had with Louie.

Releasing another heavy breath, Gabby pulled her head back from underneath the water, the woman rinsing off one last time before shutting the water off and stepping out of the shower. Reaching for her towel, she quickly dried off and wrapped the material around herself before walking towards the sink to continue her routine before bed. It had been a relatively quick process, Gabby hearing nothing but silence coming from their apartment as she finished brushing her teeth, the woman placing her toothbrush back in it's rightful home beside Matt's before she rinsed her mouth out, Dawson quickly finishing up before she padded towards their bedroom.

Finding their room empty, Gabby glanced towards the clock, her eyebrows furrowing slightly as she knew Matt should've finished putting Sofia to bed a while ago, the wife having spent more time in the shower than she realized. Blowing out a slow breath, Gabby walked towards their dresser, pulling out a pair of underwear and one of Matt's t-shirts before pulling the towel from her body and quickly changing into her pajamas, the woman patting her hair dry as she walked back into the bathroom to hang her towel up.

Once she'd successfully completed her task, Gabby wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and fall asleep, especially considering the long day they were sure to have tomorrow. But she didn't want to go to bed without Matt, Dawson walking softly out of their bedroom and towards the stairs, her quick glance out into the living room telling her Matt wasn't on this floor as she quietly walked up the steps.

When she got upstairs, she had every intention of heading to Sofia's room, Gabby figuring that's where her husband was, that maybe Sofia was just having a tougher time falling asleep tonight, but her steps were soon halted when she noticed the light filtering out of Caitlyn's bedroom. Drawing in a deep breath, she changed her path, Gabby hesitantly stepping in through the open doorway, soon finding her husband sitting on Caitlyn's bed, his head hung forward as he sat hunched over.

From her position just inside the door, she could tell he was deep in thought, Gabby's eyebrows knitting together as she took a few cautious steps forward, the woman not stopping until she made her way around the twin bed, Matt still not having noticed her presence as she stood barely a yard from him. Without a word, she sat down beside him, the movement jostling him slightly as he was pulled from his deep thoughts, Matt immediately catching her gaze as her arm brushed against his, their legs touching one another's as the light in the room caught the few tears sitting in his glassy eyes.

"Hi." She murmured, Matt offering her a weak smile before reaching out to grip her bare thigh, his large hand covering a portion of her leg as he gave her a gentle squeeze.

"Hey." He replied, Gabby's gaze tracing over his face before she placed her hand down on top of his.

"Sofia get down okay?" She questioned, figuring that was the safest place to start, Matt pausing for a moment before he gave her a quick nod.

"She did." He responded, clearing the emotion from his voice as he looked her over. "How was your shower?"

"It was fine… It made me tired, though. I'm ready for bed." She answered him softly, Matt giving her a knowing nod before squeezing her leg once more.

"Yeah, I uh- I guess we should try and get to bed soon. With work and everything." He spoke, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before her eyes roamed his face once more, seeing his slight confusion at the look covering her features. "...What?"

Her mouth opened slightly, Gabby pausing for a split second before she spoke up. "I've just been thinking… are you sure you wanna work tomorrow?" She questioned, Matt's lips pursing together before he sighed softly, the man thinking over her words as his palm ran along her skin.

"I'm okay to." He replied, Gabby blinking quickly before she nodded, Matt's tired eyes finding hers. "I feel like we need to, or that it would be good, to keep our routine and everything… And it might give us some distraction." He breathed out as Gabby's tongue poked out between her teeth to run along her lip. "But are you okay to work?" He asked back, watching as his wife took a deep breath.

"Yeah, I think so." She said, not missing the supportive smile from her husband as he ran his thumb along the outside of her leg. "I, uh- I think it'll be good for us, too." Dawson agreed, Matt nodding in response before his gaze moved forward, that heavy feeling soon falling back over them as her eyes followed his, the couple looking around at the room made for a five year old.

And in that quiet that had fallen over them, Gabby couldn't help but think back to her uncertainty from moments ago, the woman still unsure of why Matt had been in here in the first place, both of them having avoided this room since they got back home a few days ago. Or at least she had, but as far as she knew, Matt had, too. Until tonight.

"So, um-" His soft voice hit her ears, Gabby's head snapping back towards him as his eyes moved down to his lap. "I guess we should start thinking about packing this room up." He spoke, Gabby wincing slightly before her eyes moved back towards the room, many of Caitlyn's left behind belongings still sitting in their regular home despite their owner being gone.

"...Is that why you're in here?" She questioned, Matt's breath hitching slightly as he continued to stare downward, Gabby following his gaze to his lap, her eyes immediately catching the brightly colored bracelet wrapped around his wrist.

The same bracelet that Caitlyn had made for him. The one he refused to take off, and Gabby knew he probably wouldn't for a while.

"I, um- Sofia had been asleep, and I was gonna come back downstairs but I… I came in here, instead. And I've just been…" He trailed off, his voice a little unsteady as he took a few shallow breaths, Gabby seeing more tears beginning to well in his eyes.

"Matt…" She said, the man releasing a heavy sigh before responding.

"I just miss her." He spoke quickly, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she felt emotion creep up the back of her throat. "I miss her so much."

"I know you do." She replied, trying to remain as strong as she could for him, but it was nearly impossible. "I do, too…" She told him, her words earning a knowing nod from her husband because he continued.

"It's like whenever I do anything, I'm reminded she's not here. Whether it's us sitting down to eat and she's not there with us, and I don't have to cut up her food, or she's not there to insist on carrying her drink to the table. Or how when I got home this afternoon from fishing, she would've run to the door to greet me and she'd want to tell me everything she did while I was gone. Or how right now, she'd be wanting her cuddles before bed," He spoke, using the words Caitlyn would whenever she'd want to be held by them before going to sleep. "And we'd be reading her a story and tucking her in for bed, and it- It feels wrong. Her not being here feels so wrong." He choked out, tears falling down her cheeks as her husband's vulnerable words left his lips. "I just- God, Gabby, I miss her so much. And I don't know what to do… I know this takes time, but it feels like it won't get any better… That it can't. Because she should be here with us. And every time I feel like maybe it's gotten a little bit easier, it just hits me all over again."

"I know." She agreed, her voice shaky as Matt finally glanced back towards her, the pain in her voice matching his as thick tears continued trailing down her cheeks, a few escaping from Matt's eyes as well. "This hasn't gotten any easier yet, because it does feel like she should be with us, but she's not. And we have to be able to accept that." She breathed out, her voice barely audible as she got choked up, Gabby not having been able to accept her words yet, either. "But it'll… It'll be okay, baby. It'll get better." She murmured, reaching her arm up to wrap around his back, her hand coming up to rest along the back of his neck. "Caitlyn will be okay… And we will be, too."

Casey choked back a sob, the man unable to keep up his facade anymore as he gave her a quick nod, Matt reaching up to wipe away the tears streaming down his skin, Gabby gently cradling him down towards her as he continued to cry. With all the strength he had, he held onto his wife, Matt wrapping his arms around her waist as his head was tucked against her chest, his body trembling slightly as his cries got heavier, the man barely registering the feeling of his wife pressing kisses to the back of his head and his neck while she whispered comforting words to him as he broke down.

But what he did notice was the way her body was shaking, too, Matt holding onto her tighter when he felt her tears hitting the back of his neck, her grief just as evident as his as they gave in to the pain they were holding onto. The pain that had seemed to grab a hold of them and refuse to let go, Matt knowing they still had a very long, and likely hard, road ahead of them.

* * *

"Are they coming in today?" Herrmann's soft voice filtered through the common room, a few heads looking up from their breakfast, while others looked up from their newspapers as the man stood in the entrance to the room, a couple pairs of eyes bouncing around before some of them landed on Severide, the squad Lieutenant standing back by the coffee pot as he worked on his first cup of the day. Pulling the warm beverage away from his lips, Severide gave a slight nod to the question he knew was mostly directed towards him.

"They are." He responded, a few of the first responders looking back towards Herrmann as he spoke up again.

"Alright… I just wasn't sure," He started, scratching lightly over his stomach as he took another step forward into the room. "It's getting pretty close to the start of shift, I know with everything-" Herrmann cut himself off, shaking his head roughly. "Just... no one would blame them for missing another day."

"Casey said yesterday they'd be here, so as far as I know, they're working today, Herrmann." Severide told him, the older man nodding just as the double doors opened, Herrmann seeing a few of his coworkers perk up before he turned around to find the Casey's walking inside the firehouse.

From first glance, it was obvious how exhausted they were, their dark, slightly sunken eyes a dead give away as to how hard life had been on them lately, their Captain forcing a weak smile when he saw a bunch of eyes on him, though that smile soon faltered when he saw the looks of pity and remorse covering his friend's faces. Releasing a soft breath, he turned towards Gabby, Matt knowing his wife had seen everyone's stares as well, the man giving her a slight nod down the hallway, silently telling her he'd handle this before she turned to head for the locker room, Casey drawing in a deep breath before returning his attention to their friends.

"Hey guys."

"Hey Captain."

A chorus of similar greetings were heard through the room, everyone wanting to see what Casey would say as a heavy feeling loomed in the air, the men and women of firehouse 51 knowing there was nothing they could do to make this day better.

"I, um- I know there's no use in trying to avoid this, or act like nothing happened. And I know you all are probably worried about us, and we appreciate it, we do… But we're fine- We'll be fine." He corrected himself, his words a bit jumbled as he tried to focus his thoughts. "So, uh, if you all could just, you know, go about business as usual, that would help a lot… Thanks." He muttered, his eyebrows furrowing together before Matt abruptly took off in the same direction his wife had gone, their usually strong and firm Captain now seeming lost and unsure, the paramedics and firefighters sparing glances to one another as they sat in silence, the sound of Matt's retreating footsteps the only sound to heard around them.

"Yeah, they're not fine." Mouch spoke up, Severide narrowing his eyes slightly, though the man couldn't see him.

"Of course they're not fine, they just got another kid taken away from them." He nearly spat, Severide's harsh words gaining the attention of the room while Kelly focused in on Mouch, though the man wasn't so much the true target of his anger. But he was tired; he was tired of seeing his friends hurting, of seeing them going through the same heartache over and over again, and there not being anything he could do about it. "How could they be fine, Mouch? Huh? Tell me? There's no way they could be okay right now."

"Severide, I didn't mean-"

"Kelly…" Stella spoke softly, her voice slowly calming him down as he glanced towards his girlfriend who had gotten up from her seat and began to walk over to him. "He didn't mean anything by it… We're all just worried." She told him, the female firefighter knowing more than most in the room about how Dawson and Casey had been doing, Severide coming home to vent to her a few times over the last couple of days about the state of their friends.

Drawing in a deep breath, Kelly nodded, the man shaking his head slightly before he placed his coffee cup down on the counter behind him. "Sorry Mouch, I didn't mean to..." He trailed off, the older firefighter waving him off, knowing tensions were high right now. "This whole thing, it-… Things are just really hard for them right now."

"I can't even imagine." Cruz spoke up, shaking his head in near disbelief. "After all they've been through with this stuff…"

"I just wish there was something we could do to help them." Herrmann said, his eyes finding Severide's once more as a few of his coworkers nodded. "...What do we do to help them?" He questioned, Kelly releasing a heavy breath before shrugging softly, the man not really having an answer himself.

"Just be there for them, like we always have been… There's nothing else we can do."

* * *

Dawson slid her hands into her pockets as she jumped down out of the back of ambulance 61, the paramedics having just returned from their fourth call of the busy day, the woman not really registering much around her as she navigated her way around the large rigs; the rigs that told her her husband was still here. Once she was clear of truck 81, she headed straight for the first set of double doors, the quieter entrance giving her a much better chance of avoiding her coworkers as she spared a quick glance to the squad table, finding Severide's understanding eyes on her, the man offering her a warm, supportive smile before returning his attention back to Brett and Foster, Gabby releasing a grateful breath as she stepped into the firehouse.

Luckily, there was no one in the hallway as she stepped inside and made a beeline for the bunkroom, Gabby knowing she wasn't in the right frame of mind to deal with more pitiful looks or sorrowful stares, despite knowing the genuine intentions behind her friend's actions.

And she appreciated it, she truly did. She knew everyone just wanted to help, but they had been walking on eggshells around her and Matt all day, tiptoeing around any substantial conversation they could possibly have, and it was starting to make her tired. No matter how good their intentions were, she truthfully just did not have the energy for it, which is why the safe seclusion of Matt's office was the only place she wanted to be right now.

Releasing a soft sigh, Gabby stepped into the bunkroom, the woman looking around to find it completely empty, aside from her husband sitting at his desk in his office, a content breath escaping her lips as he was exactly where she was expecting him, the paramedic continuing towards his office as she saw him focused on the papers in front of him. Reaching out towards the handle, she pulled the closed door open, Matt quickly turning to see who'd come in without knocking, his face softening instantly when he saw his wife standing in the open doorway, the Captain waving her in before he said a word.

"Hey baby." He greeted, Gabby offering him a small smile before stepping inside, leaving the door partially open as she came to stand beside him, Matt turning in his chair to face her. "You okay?" He asked, seeing the exhaustion written across her face.

"I'm fine." She replied as she leaning her body weight against his desk, her palms coming out to rest on the edge of the furniture as Matt gave her a nod, his hand reaching towards hers, Casey brushing his finger against the back of her hand.

"How was the call?" He questioned after a few seconds, the man continuing to stroking his hand along hers, the action comforting them both as she drew in a deep breath.

"It was fine… It was, uh-" She cut herself off, Matt's eyebrows furrowing as he waited for her to say whatever was going through her head. "It was a little girl." She got out, Matt's spine straightening as he sighed heavily. "She was probably Caitlyn's age, maybe a little older… She fell off the slide at the park, broke her arm. But she'll be fine." She spoke quickly, Matt sliding his hand up to her arm, rubbing her bare skin comfortingly as an understanding look covered his features.

"You okay?" He repeated the same question he'd asked her moments prior, Gabby pursing her lips together before she nodded, her eyebrows knitted together slightly.

"I'm fine, I guess, it just… It reminded me of when we'd take Caitlyn to the park." She spoke softly, her own words bringing a gentle smile to her face. "When you were chasing her around, and playing with her on the slide… It reminded me of that, and it was nice." She murmured, Casey smiling sadly before he gave her a knowing nod.

"Yeah, that was a good day." He replied just as quietly, the feeling in the air around them a little thick as they spoke of the time with their foster daughter, but the moment was quickly broken when they heard a tap on Casey's door frame, Gabby jumping slightly before they turned towards the noise, finding Herrmann standing in the partially open doorway, a regretful look covering his face.

"Sorry, I uh- I didn't mean to interrupt… But Brett said you two might be in here." He spoke, his words indicating he had more to say as Matt gave him a nod, slowly waving him in.

"What do you need, Herrmann?" He asked, the older man drawing in a deep breath before he stepped inside, Herrmann resting his back against the wall as his eyes flickered back and forth between the two of them, knowing he had to proceed carefully.

"I just, uh… I came in here because I know you want everyone to treat you like we normally would, and we all get it- we do. But I also just wanted to make sure you two know that everyone here has your back." He spoke, his voice a little rough while he talked, Gabby leaning closer to Matt as he gripped her arm. "I know… You two have been through a lot, when it's come to kids. We all know that." He continued with a grimace, memories of those moments playing through his mind as Herrmann remembered how he'd done his best to help them when they lost their baby, then again with Louie. And he knew he needed to say something to help them now, though the words weren't coming as easy this time. With the amount of pain and heartache they'd experienced when it came to children, he knew those feelings would never go away. They would only dull, and become more manageable. But they would never leave them, and they all knew it. "But with Caitlyn, I know it was a little different… We know how hard losing Louie was for you two, how blindsided you were by that, and I know it can't be any easier now. Losing a kid is never easy. But I just want you two to know that we're here for you… Whatever you two need from us, you've got it."

Gabby took a few slow, shallow breaths, Matt continuously running his hand along her arm as they digested Herrmann's words, before Casey gave him a grateful nod.

"Thank you, Herrmann… Really, we appreciate it." He responded, the man nodding in response.

"Nothing to thank me for, you know we're always here for you two. And Sofia." He added, Matt smiling softly at the mention of his daughter. "Which, uh, speaking of… How is she doing with all this?" He questioned, Casey running his tongue along the inside of his cheek as he looked up at Gabby, finding her tired eyes already on him.

"She's… I think she realizes Caitlyn's not there." Matt confided, Gabby nodding in agreement as Herrmann winced slightly. "I'm not sure how much she's able to grasp the whole thing, but I think she knows something's different. She knows there's not another kid with her, and there's been some moments where… I don't know, it's kind of hard to explain, but it feels like she misses her."

"I'm sure she does." Herrmann responded, Gabby nodding in agreement. "I know you all do, cause we miss her too. And I know this is hard on you guys, losing Caitlyn… this can't be easy, but you'll all be alright… I know you will." He assured them, Dawson and Casey sharing a look before Herrmann spoke up once more. "And you two got a village where Sofia's concerned, I know that, but if you ever need a babysitter, just to, yanno, have a moment to breathe, you know where I am." He offered, Matt nodding with a small smile.

"Thanks, Herrmann." He replied, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she pushed herself up off Casey's desk, his hand sliding down off her arm as she walked towards Herrmann, Dawson quick to wrap him up in a tight hug.

He was a little caught off guard by the action, but quickly reciprocated as he wrapped his arms around her, Matt watching on at the moment between the two of them as the older man rubbed her back comfortingly.

"Thank you, Herrmann." She murmured, her words barely audible to Matt as the older firefighter gave her back a squeeze. "For everything… Thank you."

"Don't mention it, Dawson." He told her, rubbing his hand along her back before the separated, the soft smile on his face calming her as he ran his palm over her arm, a knowing look forming in his eye. "...You'll be okay kid. It'll be okay." He said, his words causing a small smile to form over her lips before she nodded, Gabby giving him another quick hug before she walked back to Matt's desk and reclaimed her previous position, Casey reaching out to place his hand on her lower back as she looked down at him, their eyes locking as she took a slow breath.

"Yeah… We'll be okay."

* * *

**I know this was kind of a hard one, with Dawsey trying to move past losing Caitlyn and everything. But I promise, things will begin to look up for them soon. And next week, we've got chapter 100, which means some big things are coming there. Hopefully you all will be excited for that.**

**Thank you so much for reading, it really means the world to me that there are still people interested in this story this far into it. Truly, it means everything. So thank you. And I hope you all have a great week.**

**Stay safe, everyone.**


	100. Chapter One Hundred

**Hi everyone! First off, I can't believe this story has officially hit one hundred chapters. That's truly insane to me. You all know that when I first started this story, I was figuring it to be ten chapters, maybe. So to see what this story has turned into, and how many of you are still interested, and have been supporting it, it's honestly still a little overwhelming. To everyone who has taken the time to read this story, or anything I've published, those of you who've favorited and followed, and those who are able to leave me a review- I'm truly thankful for each and every one of you. Whether you've stuck with me since I first started, or you started reading along the way, or you've just recently found this story, I'm so beyond grateful to every person who has taken the time to read my work. I never imagined this story would get this far, let alone would it have so many people who still enjoy reading it. I know I keep saying it, but your alls support truly means everything. Thank you.**

**I really hope you all enjoy this one, though personally, I think you will. Thank you so, so much for reading. I can't wait to hear what you think.**

**Thank you.**

* * *

_**Chapter One Hundred**_

* * *

"Babe, can you grab some extra diapers?"

Matt's voice filtered up onto the second level of their home as Gabby stood in Sofia's room in front of the girl's dresser, the baby standing up in her crib while her mother searched for an outfit for her to wear. Lifting her head up, Gabby glanced back towards the door before returning her attention to the task at hand, the sound of his voice telling Gabby that her husband was still downstairs.

"There's only a few left in the diaper bag." He continued, Gabby pulling out a pair of pink shorts before moving towards the closet.

"Yeah, I will." She called back, making sure her voice was loud enough to reach downstairs before she got to Sofia's closet, Gabby hearing him reply with a quick 'thank you' as she looked for a nice shirt to go with Sofia's outfit. Quickly finding a white one she liked, Gabby knowing the sleeveless material would ensure her daughter didn't get too hot in the September heat, she walked towards the middle of the room and placed the clothing down on the rug, before she moved back to the dresser. Grabbing all she'd need to change her daughter, Gabby soon had everything placed down on the ground, the mother having gone through her normal routine of getting her daughter ready before she took the few short steps towards Sofia's crib.

The closer she got, the more excited Sofia became, the baby smacking her hands against the edge of her crib as her slobbery smile lit up, her hair sticking in all different directions as she'd only been awake from her first nap for a few minutes.

"Hi baby." Gabby cooed, Sofia releasing a sharp sound of excitement as Gabby picked her up out of the crib, the mother carrying her over towards the pile she'd made on the floor before placing Sofia down on the ground. At first, the baby didn't like being out of her mother's arms, but as soon as Gabby got down onto the ground with her, Dawson resting on her shins in front of her little girl, Sofia settled, Gabby running her hands through her daughter's unruly hair before picking her up and lying her down on her back.

Before she could get too fussy at the change of position, Gabby reached over to grab the teething ring the baby had dropped while being carried, the mother holding it out in front of her daughter, Sofia instantly becoming intrigued by the object before she reached for it, Gabby watching her closely as she grabbed ahold of it and shoved it towards her mouth. Once her daughter was content, Dawson began the process of getting her ready, Gabby skillfully getting her out of her onesie and getting her diaper changed, Sofia laying there calmly while a fresh diaper was put on before Gabby began to put on her new outfit. It took a little maneuvering, Sofia not loving the fact that she had to stop chewing on her toy for her shirt to be put on, but once the clothing was in place and she was able to play with the teething ring again, she was fine, Gabby stepping away quickly from her content baby to grab a pair of shoes. Knowing how often Sofia loved to be able to walk around, Gabby decided on a pair of slip-on sneakers before she walked back to her child and crouched down to put them on her feet, Sofia kicking around excitedly as she thought this was a game her and her mother were playing.

But eventually, Gabby managed to get her daughter completely dressed, the woman knowing they hadn't even gotten to the hard part yet as she still had to do Sofia's hair, and rarely did the baby ever want to sit still long enough for Gabby to complete that task successfully, which is why they usually just left her hair alone in it's untamed curls. But today, with them leaving the house, Gabby knew she couldn't get away with that, the mother huffing out a breath as she stood up off the ground and picked up her baby, Sofia settling on her hip.

"Come on baby, we gotta finish getting you ready, or we're gonna be late." She murmured, rubbing over Sofia's stomach before walking towards the door, Gabby noticing how Sofia had already managed to get a little bit of drool on her shirt, though with the baby having a few teeth coming in, Dawson knew that was unavoidable.

Releasing a soft sigh, Gabby turned the corner out into the hallway, the mother moving towards the bathroom so she could finish getting Sofia ready, but just as she was about to step inside, her movement halted, Gabby's eyes unable to stop themselves from landing on the ajar door leading into the bedroom a few feet from her; the bedroom that hadn't been lived in for a couple weeks now. The same bedroom that had been virtually untouched since the little girl that used to stay there left.

It had been over two weeks since they last saw Caitlyn, and in that time, the parents had done little to pack up any of the girl's left behind belongings. In fact, they hadn't gotten rid of any of her stuff. They hadn't done anything except keep the door closed, and try to ignore the pain they felt every time they passed her room, though Gabby knew at some point, they'd have to start thinking about getting rid of her things.

But they hadn't broached the topic again, not since their breakdown in her bedroom the week before last, neither of them had tried to bring it up. So her things throughout the house had remained where they were; the clothes she hadn't taken with her were still folded neatly in her dresser, and hung up in her closet. The toys they'd gotten her were still exactly where she had left them. Her cups and plates were still in their designated spot in the cabinets in their kitchen. Her booster seat remained in the backseat of Gabby's car next to Sofia's car seat. All the drawings and pictures she'd made them were still hung up proudly on the side of the fridge, along with a few of the little girl's favorite ones placed on the front. And the photos they had with her were still placed proudly on their board on the wall just outside of the kitchen. Everything was exactly where it had been since she left, and it was like the only thing that wasn't the same was the young girl herself.

Aside from her not being here, it looked like she never left. And while both Gabby and Matt knew that wasn't healthy, they couldn't bring themselves to part with any of her things. Not yet. So her door just usually stayed closed, shielding her belongings from view whenever they'd come upstairs for Sofia. Though there had been a few times Gabby had found Matt in the little girl's room, just sitting and staring, and he'd found her a few times, as well, those moments almost always ending in tears as they tried to move on from the heavy grief they felt.

And while there was still an overwhelming sense of pain and heartache in their chest every time they thought of the young girl, and there would be for a while, slowly, things were getting a little bit better. This had all been hard, there was no denying that, but some days were getting a little more bearable. Some days it felt a little easier to breathe. And though they both knew it would take time for them to move past all of this, they were slowly coming to peace with all of it. And that was all they could do.

Blowing out a soft breath, Gabby shook her head before she stepped into the bathroom, the sound of Sofia's babbling filling her ears as she sat her daughter down on the counter, Sofia facing her as Gabby stayed close before she began to fix her hair. While she worked on taming Sofia's hair back into two small pigtails, the baby's bright blue eyes stayed fixated on her mother, her gaze alone enough to bring a smile to Gabby's face.

"You're being such a good girl, Sof." Gabby murmured as she finished tying the small rubber band, the sound of her voice causing Sofia to perk up, the baby's grin widening when she locked eyes with her mom. "Yeah, you are, aren't you? You're my little girl, huh?" She continued, the sound of Sofia's giggling like music to her ears as she began to clip the two bows into her hair, placing one at the base of each ponytail.

Sofia reached up towards her mom as Gabby finished, the baby dropping the teething ring in her grasp as she wanted to be held, Dawson smiling softly before she leaned down to press a kiss to her daughter's forehead.

"Mama." She spoke, the baby repeating the word over and over again until Gabby picked her up, the mother adjusting her in her arms before she walked out of the bathroom, making sure to turn the light off as she went.

"Yeah, Mama loves you, my sweet girl." Gabby said, pressing another kiss to her head as she got outside Sofia's room, but she stopped when she heard the sound of footsteps coming up the stairs, the woman turning just as Matt's head came into view over the railing, Casey continuing up the stairs. "Hey, sorry, I was about to come down." She told him as he turned the corner, Gabby not missing how he paused for a moment when he saw Caitlyn's room before he continued on, a soft smile forming over his face when he saw her before he shook his head.

"You're fine, just wanted to come check on my girls." He told her, Gabby smiling softly before she walked into Sofia's room, Matt following closely behind her. When they stepped inside, Gabby glanced at the clock, seeing they had a few minutes to spare before they had to leave, the mother placing Sofia down on the ground before walking towards the dresser to grab some extra diapers.

The second she was free, Sofia immediately waddled her way to her father, the baby excited to see him as she hadn't been with him since before her nap, Matt smiling softly as she got to him and began to smack her hands against his legs.

"Hi princess." He said brightly, Sofia continuing to hit her little hands against him out of pure excitement. "You look so beautiful, baby. Yeah, Momma did a good job, you're the most beautiful little girl I've ever seen." He continued, Gabby biting back a chuckle as he spoke with their daughter.

"Are you talking about her outfit or just in general?" She asked with a smirk, Gabby turning around to find her husband watching her with a smug grin of his own, Matt bending down to pick up his daughter before he walked towards her.

"Well, I was thinking more how you got her dressed, but both work." He replied with a gleam in his eye, Matt placing a quick peck on her lips when he got close enough, Gabby pushing forward slightly before he pulled away. "Because damn, am I glad Sof takes after you." He continued, Gabby scoffing lightly before angling her body towards her family.

"She definitely has a lot of Casey in her, babe."

"Yeah, but nearly as much as she looks like a Dawson," He replied, Gabby knowing he had a point. Though by looking closely at some of her features you could tell Sofia was a Casey, there was no debating how much their little girl was just like her mother. Especially as she got older, she was looking a lot more like Gabby, her complexion just a bit lighter than her mom's. But there was no denying this child was Gabby's, Sofia resembling her mother more and more with every passing day. "Our girl definitely is like a mini you, and I love it." He continued brightly, Gabby unable to stop the soft smile that formed over her lips before he leaned in for another kiss. Though the two didn't have much time before Sofia was smacking her hands against them, Matt chuckling against Gabby's lips before they slowly pulled apart. "Yeah, you want all the attention, don't you Sof?" He asked, the baby continuing to wriggle around in his arms.

"Ba!" She spoke loudly, Matt sparing a glance to his wife as Gabby followed Sofia's gaze across the room, the mother immediately knowing what she was wanting. "Ba! Ba!"

"No, Sof. No ball. We don't have time to play right now." Gabby told her, Sofia continuing to move around in her father's hold, Matt tightening his grip so she wouldn't fall.

"We can play when we get back." Matt added, the baby looking up towards her father. "Right now it's time to go to the doctor, we can't miss your check up again. But we can play with your ball later." He continued, though he knew not only would Sofia most likely not have any interest in the ball the second they left this room, she also had no idea what he was saying, anyway.

"Ba!" She spoke again, Matt releasing a light laugh before Gabby gave him a nod, the woman signaling him to leave the room, knowing she wouldn't stop asking until the ball was out of her sight and she was distracted by something else. "Ba!" She repeated once more.

Over the last few weeks, Sofia had begun to say a lot of different words and sounds, the baby becoming more and more vocal ever since she said her first word. Though Sofia had always been a rather talkative baby, now she was able to say a few shortened words to help her parents know what she wanted. Whether it was just the beginning of a certain word, or some distorted version of it, she seemed to be learning more and more every day, Sofia able to connect a few words to objects, even if she couldn't get the full word out. And her parents were beyond proud of her. Though there was one word in particular they were still waiting to hear her say.

For all the words she was learning, one she had yet to say was Dada, something Gabby knew Matt was well aware of. He hadn't said anything about it, both parents knowing they couldn't force Sofia to learn words any faster than she was, but Gabby knew it was bothering him a bit. Not that he was jealous, because she was well aware that wasn't it, but Gabby knew how excited he was to hear Sofia say his name for the first time, that it was something he'd been looking forward to for a long time. So she could only hope Sofia would be able to say the word soon, Gabby knowing how much that would help lift her husband's spirits, especially after all they'd been through as of late.

"Ba!" Sofia said again, her little voice pulling Gabby from her thoughts as Matt laughed lightly.

"She really does take after you," He spoke up, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly as her head tilted to the side, the woman not missing the proud look that flashed over his face before he spoke up once more, "cause you don't listen to me, either."

Her eyes narrowed tightly as the words left his lips, Matt chuckling in amusement before Gabby reached up to smack his arm with her free hand, her actions causing his laughs to get louder, the woman shaking her head before she nodded towards the door.

"Go." She ordered him, though her voice was light, Gabby unable to stop the slight laugh that escaped her lips at seeing her husband so clearly entertained by his own joke. "We can't be late." She added, Matt nodding in agreement before he turned to leave, the proud smile never leaving his face as Gabby followed behind him.

* * *

Gabby sat on the exam table that was resting up against the wall, holding onto their baby who was now stripped down to her diaper while Matt was leaning against the table beside her, his legs crossed at the ankle as his arms were resting over his chest, little Sofia focused on the toy her mom was holding in front of her while they waited for Sofia's pediatrician. They had already been checked in, the nurse, Lizzie, having gotten Sofia's height, weight, and she measured her head before leaving them alone in the room to wait for Dr. Mitchell. There was a comfortable silence around them, Matt occasionally reaching out to play with Sofia while they waited, Gabby keeping a firm hand on her daughter's stomach.

"You think she'll have to get another shot today?" He asked suddenly, Gabby looking up from their baby to find her husband's eyes on Sofia, a slight grimace covering Dawson's face as she tapped her hand against the little girl's chest.

"Probably… I don't remember exactly what he said at her last check up, but it won't surprise me if she does." She spoke, Gabby barely getting the words out before the door opened, the parent's turning their attention to Dr. Mitchell as he stepped inside the brightly colored room.

"Hi Gabby, Matt… Sorry to keep you waiting." He greeted, Casey shaking his head as the doctor walked over to them, the man grabbing his stool and pulling it closer to the bed before sitting down.

"It's fine." Matt waved him off, Gabby nodding in agreement. "We're just glad to finally get here, and get Sofia checked out."

"Yeah, I saw where you two had to reschedule." He spoke, glancing over Sofia's chart while Matt and Gabby shared a knowing look.

While Sofia's original one year check up had been closer to her birthday, the parent's had quickly decided it needed to be rescheduled after everything that happened with Caitlyn, neither Matt nor Gabby in any state to come here and make small chat. And since the check up wasn't pressing, they didn't feel it was hurting anything to push this appointment back a few weeks. So that's what they did, but they were both glad to finally get here and make sure everything was alright with their daughter.

"Yeah, things have been… hectic. But I'm just glad we were able to get here." Gabby replied with a soft smile, Dr. Mitchell nodding in understanding before placing his iPad down on the counter and sliding closer to the bed.

"I am, too. It's always good getting to see little Sofia." He spoke with a smile, the man reaching out to tap the little girl's hand. At first she was a little skeptical, Sofia always apprehensive with people she didn't remember, but she soon warmed up to him, a bright smile forming over her face. "So, I looked over her measurements; her height, and weight, and everything, and from where she started, she's doing great… She's still a little shy of the target weight for her age, but as long as she's eating enough, it's not anything I'm too worried about."

"She is." Gabby replied, Dr. Mitchell nodding as he reached for Sofia's chart. "We keep a close eye on what she's eating, us and her nanny. She eats pretty well. She doesn't eat much solid food during breakfast, but for lunch and dinner she does. Lunch is usually her biggest meal most of the time, but overall I think she's doing well."

"That's good. Are you all still breastfeeding?" He questioned, Gabby and Matt both nodding.

"Yeah, she is. Most days she'll nurse when she wakes up, then again before her naps, and right before bed. Either that, or she'll get a bottle with breastmilk. But she's eating solids during her meals." Dawson explained, pausing so Dr. Mitchell could write down his notes before he nodded. "Sometimes we do need to supplement her meals a little bit with an extra feeding, or bottle, just depending on how much she's eaten that day. But for the most part, she's doing well with eating what we give her."

"Well, that all sounds great. I know babies can be tricky, they'll be some days they're all about food, and others where they're not as interested. As long as she's getting solids in, that's perfectly fine. And everything with her schedule sounds good, from what I can tell. I know when children turn one, that's usually when parents will decide to either continue breastfeeding, or begin to wean off of it." He told them, waiting for any sign of confirmation from the parents before he continued. "But that's just up to you all- well, actually a lot of the time, it's up to the baby." He spoke with a laugh, his eyes moving towards Sofia. "It's not uncommon for children to start weaning themselves, though sometimes the parents do have to start the process. It just depends on the child, but really this is just up to you all and what you feel comfortable with. The important thing is that Sofia gets fed." He spoke, Matt nodding in agreement before the doctor continued. "And what about her sleeping? How has that been going?"

"It's going pretty well." Matt spoke up. "She sleeps through the night, and usually takes two naps a day; one later in the morning before lunch, and then one in the afternoon." He explained as Dr. Mitchell took down more notes. "But we haven't really had any issues on that front, at least not yet."

"Good, that's good." He murmured, finishing up whatever he was jotting down before he stood up and walked towards them. "Everything sounds like it's going great, I just need to get a look at her real quick... And she will be getting a shot today, but after that you all should be free to go." He told them, Gabby wincing slightly before the parents nodded, both of them knowing there would soon be a lot of tears coming from their baby.

Carefully, Gabby placed Sofia down on the exam table beside her, the baby waving her arms around as Dr. Mitchell began his exam, the man checking her over to make sure everything was as it should be. And while Sofia didn't love it, she didn't mind it so much as she could still see her mom sitting beside her, Gabby's presence keeping her calm as the doctor did his job.

After finishing his physical exam, as well as checking out her lungs to make sure the little girl was still breathing as she should, Matt began to get Sofia dressed, the baby becoming more and more fussy as she'd been handled in ways she wasn't used to. Knowing her legs would need to be free, Matt waited to put her shorts back on, the father reaching out to hold her hand while Gabby kept a hand on her head, both of them knowing their daughter would not be happy here in a few minutes.

And their assumptions were right, their baby screaming as loud as her little body could the second she got stuck with the needle, Gabby leaned over the side of the table staying as close to her daughter as she could while also staying out of the way, the mom wanting to do whatever she could to comfort her. But Sofia's cries only got heavier as the nurse put a bandaid on her leg and took a step back, Lizzie giving room for the parents to move in and console their daughter. Which, admittedly was not an easy task, as the baby cried and clung to her mom and dad.

It had taken a few minutes, and required a lot of hugs and kisses from her parents, but eventually Sofia calmed down, the baby's cries turning into soft whines as Gabby was able to put her down long enough to get her shorts back on, though Sofia still had her arms out towards her mom and dad, clearly wanting to be held.

"You're okay, sweet girl." Gabby murmured, rubbing her hand over her stomach as Matt wiped away some of the tears sitting on Sofia's skin. "Everything's okay."

At the sound of her soothing voice, Sofia's desire to be close to her mom became greater than ever, the baby crying out as she reached her hands towards Gabby, the woman immediately scooping her up in her arms. Before she could even get her settled, Sofia had cuddled herself against her mother's chest, Matt watching on at the sight with a soft smile as Gabby ran a comforting hand up and down their daughter's back. They both knew she was fine, that she had just been scared more than anything else and she wanted her parents, but regardless, having to listen to their daughter scream her head off was never an easy thing, both Gabby and Matt willing to do whatever they could to help little Sofia feel better.

"Let's get you home, baby." She murmured, pressing a kiss to the top of her daughter's head before she looked towards her husband, Matt nodding in agreement before he reached down to grab Sofia's diaper bag from up off the ground and slinging it over his shoulder, the man giving his wife a soft smile as he placed his hand on her lower back.

"Yeah… Let's get home."

* * *

Matt ran his hand along the back of his neck as he moved through the hallways of 51, the man stretching out his tired muscles as he'd spent most of his afternoon hunched over his desk catching up on paperwork, 81's Captain deciding to step away from the diminishing pile of papers he had to go through to get a little break before he went back to work. As he turned the corner to head for the common room, the firefighter slowed his steps when he saw Severide coming his way, his friend tossing an apple in his hand before he came to a stop as well, Kelly giving him a quick nod.

"Hey man."

"Hey."

"Finally pulled yourself from your office, yeah?" He asked, Matt taking a step forward as Kelly turned back towards the direction he'd just come from, both men pausing by the window.

"Figured it was time for a break… You know where Dawson is?" Casey questioned, Severide releasing a light scoff before shaking his head.

"Yeah, I should've seen that coming… She's in the common room." He answered, Matt drawing in a deep breath before nodding, the shift in his demeanor evident as Kelly's eyebrows furrowed. "...Why? You two okay?" He pressed, his words earning a look from his best friend, Severide giving a quick shake of his head. "I mean- I didn't mean like that, I just meant more so is everything okay between you two… You seem off."

"We're fine." He replied with a slight shrug. "Well, as fine as I can be. We're just taking things a day at a time, but nothing happened between us or anything, Dawson and I are good." He explained, Severide waiting for a moment before he nodded. "I just wanted to make sure she was alright… I haven't been able to check in with her much today."

"Well, she seemed fine to me… Kinda spacey, but you've both been like that a little bit the last few weeks. She's been glued to her phone, though." He explained, Matt pursing his lips together before he released a heavy sigh.

"Yeah, we've been waiting on a call from Tina- No, it's nothing like that." Casey cut himself off when he saw the look on Kelly's face, the Lieutenant's eyes widening as his mouth parted open, Matt shaking his head quickly. "It's not about adopting, or anything like that, it's just with Caitlyn-"

"Are you two getting her back?" He asked quickly, Casey not missing the hint of excitement in his voice, the Captain furrowing his eyebrows before he shook his head.

"No, we can't- that's not a possibility. She's with her family." Matt replied, his words short. "We're just calling to check in… Making sure Caitlyn's okay." He elaborated, Kelly raising his eyebrows questioningly as his arms crossed over his chest, Casey huffing out a soft breath before continuing. "It's just… Ever since we gave up Caitlyn, we've been talking to Tina- To make sure Caitlyn's doing alright. We know we can't see her, especially not while she's still trying to get adjusted and everything. After how things went when we left her with DCFS, us trying to see her probably wouldn't help her at all anyway… And it's only been three weeks, it's gonna take time for her to feel at home there, and we don't wanna do anything to mess with that, but we just want to know she's okay." He breathed out, Kelly's face softening before he gave him an understanding nod. "So we've been keeping in contact with Tina, reaching out every few days…"

"And is she? Caitlyn's doing alright?" Severide asked as soon as he finished, Matt rubbing his hand along the back of his neck before he gave a slight nod.

"Yeah, it sounds like it." Matt responded, Kelly not missing the quick look of sadness that flashed in his friend's eyes. "According to Tina, she's fine… Which is what we want for her. It's all we want for her."

"That's good." Kelly spoke carefully, Matt giving him a slight nod.

"It is, it really is- it's great. Caitlyn being happy is all that matters." He replied, Casey hesitating for a moment before continuing. "It's just- I don't know, it's hard to think about… Her being with that other family. Her not being with us anymore." He admitted quietly, Severide reaching out towards his friend and placing a supportive hand on his shoulder. "And I know that's terrible," He continued quickly, Kelly's eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "How I feel shouldn't matter in all this- it _doesn't_ matter, but knowing how happy she was with us, it seems impossible to picture her that happy elsewhere…"

"That's not terrible." Severide cut in, Matt drawing in a deep breath before catching his gaze. "I promise, it's not… You miss your kid."

"Kelly-"

"Don't even try and give me that shit, man." Severide interjected once more, his words causing Casey to draw in a deep breath, the two having had this talk enough for Kelly to know exactly what he was about to say. "Caitlyn was your kid, you and I both know it." He continued roughly, Matt wincing slightly as he stayed quiet, the words hanging heavily around them. "I don't care that you two went in this knowing she wasn't staying, I don't care that you and Dawson tried to keep your distance… Caitlyn was yours. She felt like your daughter, and everyone saw it." He told him, Casey knowing he couldn't refute much of what his friend was saying, because it was true. He knew it was true, and if Gabby was here she'd know it, too, the married couple having had similar conversations more than once over the last three weeks. "She felt like she belonged with you and Dawson, so you all having to leave her at DCFS, that's gonna feel like you left your kid… Especially the way it happened. You being upset that she's gone, and you and Dawson worrying about her- nothing's wrong with that."

Severide's words continued to settle around them, Matt drawing in a few deep breaths before he gave him a slow nod, the Captain knowing Kelly's words had a lot of truth to them, though that didn't help with the edge of guilt he still felt eating away at him in his gut.

"Listen man," Kelly started once he'd been quiet for nearly a minute, Matt lifting his head up to meet his gaze, "You and Dawson, I don't know how you two are getting through this… I really don't. You two have gone through hell, and this thing with Caitlyn… It was terrible. So however you're feeling about all this, that's not something you need to feel bad about." He told him, Casey taking a few slow breaths as he nodded.

"Yeah, I guess." He breathed out, Matt poking his tongue out between his teeth to run over his lips, Severide keeping a close eye on him as he leaned back into the wall.

"...How_ have_ you two been doing?" Kelly asked suddenly, Matt glancing towards him with raised eyebrows, Severide shaking his head slightly. "You know I'm not gonna stop asking you, Case."

"Yeah, but you just asked me like five minutes ago."

"No, I asked if everything was okay between you and Dawson." He clarified quickly, Casey shaking his head slightly. "And, even if I had, now I'm asking you again. So how are you?" He pushed, Matt blowing out a sharp breath between his teeth before responding.

"I'm… We're trying." He replied with a sigh. "There's good days and bad days- or good and bad moments, I guess… I'm not sure if we've had a good day since this all happened, but we're trying." He explained, Kelly nodding understandingly. "We're both just kind of at a place where we wish things had been different, but they weren't… So we're coming to terms with that. I don't think either of us expected it to be this hard, and for it to hurt as much as it does, but, uh- we're just working to move past it… Focus on each other, and Sof. God, Sof, she's- Just being with her, she's helped us more than anything. But, uh, that's what we're doing… We're trying to move on."

Severide gave him a strong nod, the man squeezing his shoulder tightly before dropping his hand, Matt beginning to move down the hallway, continuing his original path towards the common room as Kelly followed beside him. "Well, you know if you need anything, I'm here for you guys." Severide reminded him, the man rubbing his apple against his shirt as Casey gave him a nod.

"I know, man." He replied, his attention being pulled elsewhere as those few words left his lips, Matt and Kelly both watching as Gabby stepped out from the common room, her phone up to her ear as she moved towards the windows, her soft voice flowing through the hallway. Without a word, Matt gave Kelly another nod before they went separate ways; Severide heading back into the common room while Matt moved towards his wife, Gabby unable to see him as her back was facing him.

"No, I'm glad you called me back." She spoke into her phone, Matt slowly reaching out to place a gentle hand on her back, the husband not wanting to startle her. Which thankfully, he didn't, Gabby relaxing into his palm before she turned around to face him, Casey offering her a small smile. "It's fine, we're not on a call right now…" She continued, Matt's eyebrows knitting together slightly as he tried to find out who Gabby was talking to. Though with her next words, it didn't take long for him to figure that out. "-No, I know you're busy. We just wanted to know how she was doing."

It soon became clear to him that his wife was talking to Tina, the muffled voice he heard coming through the other end of the line belonging to that of the social worker they'd known for many years.

"...So everything's okay?" Gabby spoke, Matt recognizing the hopeful tone in her voice, though the way her eyebrows furrowed slightly had him a little concerned. "Okay, are you sure?- … Alright, I just wanted to check. I know we keep calling, we just… We wanna know she's alright."

Whatever Tina said after Gabby finished, Matt couldn't hear, the man waiting patiently for his wife to finish her phone call as he kept his hand firmly on her back, Gabby crossing her arm over her chest as her eyes flickered up towards him.

"Alright… Thanks for calling me back- Yeah, okay. Alright, thanks. Bye." She finished, Gabby pulling the phone away from her ear and hanging up the call before she looked back to her husband, the paramedic shoving the device in her pocket as she offered him a weak smile.

"Hey." He spoke softly, Gabby pushing a loose strand of hair behind her ear before responding.

"Hey. That was Tina, she was calling me back about Caitlyn." She explained, even though they both knew she didn't need to.

"How is she?" He questioned quickly, his voice low as Gabby drew in a deep breath.

"She said everything was fine." Dawson replied, Casey's head tilting to the side when he recognized that look in her eye. The look that told him his wife wasn't completely convinced.

"...What is it?" He pressed, Gabby pursing her lips together as her eyebrows knitted together in deep thought, Matt continuing to rub slow patterns along her back.

"Nothing, but- She seemed a little… off." She told him, Matt soon mirroring the look of confusion she was wearing on his own face.

"What do you mean? What'd she say?"

"I don't know..." She started, Gabby clearly thinking over her next words as Matt waited for more of an explanation. "But when I asked her about Caitlyn, it felt a little weird… Like she was trying to get me off the phone." She did her best to explain her thoughts, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before shaking her head. "I don't know, I'm probably being paranoid. This whole thing has just-" She cut herself off, Matt's face softening as he gave her an understanding nod. "I'm sure Caitlyn's fine."

"Yeah, I'm sure she is." He echoed, Matt offering her as supportive a smile as he could. "Every time we check in, she's been fine. And if something were the matter, Tina would've said something. I think we're both just a little on edge with this whole thing." He continued, Casey sliding his hand up to her shoulders, Gabby nodding as he stroked his thumb along the back of her neck.

"...You're right." She replied, Matt noticing the slight gleam that appeared in her eyes. "I bet she's fine. Tina hasn't never given us a reason to think anything's wrong. Just that Caitlyn is trying to adjust to everything, and, uh- who knows, maybe once some time passes, and she's settled and everything, we'll be able to see her." She spoke hopefully, the tone in her voice sending a sharp pain through his chest before he nodded slowly, Matt keeping the small smile on his face despite the fact he knew it probably would never happen.

"Maybe, yeah… I hope we will." He responded, Dawson matching the small smile on his face just as the bells rang out above their hands, calling all companies to an accident a few blocks away. Gabby released a heavy sigh, Matt squeezing her shoulder comfortingly before he leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her forehead, neither of them paying much attention to the first responders rushing past them.

"I love you." He murmured against her skin, the Captain kissing her head once more before he pulled back, Gabby repeating the sentiment before they hurried out to the garage, the couple knowing they had a job to do.

* * *

"_Severide, I need some help over here!_"

Casey's voice flooded through their radios seconds before Kelly responded to him, Gabby hearing the man assure him he was coming as 51 worked the hectic scene. The second they pulled up and saw what they were dealing with not even five minutes ago, they knew it was going to be one of those calls; one where any little thing could go wrong at any moment. They couldn't exactly tell who was at fault, but a bus had crashed into the back of an SUV, the passengers still trapped inside both vehicles as 51 worked on how to get them all out safely. Though the fact that the SUV was beginning to smoke certainly didn't help matters, squad currently working on getting the driver out of the car while everyone else focused on the bus.

"_Mouch! Otis! We need some ladders over here, now!_" Casey spoke once more, Gabby doing her best to focus on her patient as they'd just gotten the passenger out from the car.

"_Coming Captain!_"

"_The door's jammed, we're gonna have to break these windows… That smoke doesn't look good, we need to get these people out._"

"_On it, Casey._"

"_Herrmann, start over there, we need to get them away from the door, we can't-_"

"_Casey, look out!_"

The second she heard Severide yelling, Dawson turned around, the woman seeing a huge ball of fire shoot out from the SUV, the force throwing Matt to the ground as he landed harshly against the unforgiving pavement, the fire having followed him as Gabby saw yellow and orange flames coming up off his legs. And in that moment, she felt frozen, Gabby unable to breathe as her husband laid motionless on the ground, Severide and Otis relentlessly patting out the flames on his body, Gabby feeling bile rise in her throat as her eyes focused on Matt.

"Dawson, go."

She barely registered Brett's voice, it wasn't until she felt a hand on her arm did she snap from her trance, Gabby blinking quickly before she glanced back at her friend, finding Sylvie's worried eyes on her.

"We got this, go." She assured her, Gabby nodding quickly before she took off towards the accident, the woman clutching her radio to keep it from bouncing against her chest as she ran as fast as she could to her husband, it not lost on the paramedic how Matt had yet to get up.

"Severide!" She yelled when she got closer, Gabby unsure of the state Matt was in, Kelly lifting his head up just as he'd double checked to make sure he'd gotten the fire out.

"Hey, Dawson-"

"I'm okay." Matt coughed out, Gabby releasing the breath she didn't even realize she'd been holding as she got to him, Casey beginning to try and move as Dawson crouched down beside him, immediately placing a hand on his back. "I'm alright-"

"Hey, hey, just take a minute." She spoke, Matt turning his head towards her, Gabby giving him a weak smile as she saw the soot covering his face. "Just breathe for a second." She instructed, Dawson tearing her eyes away from her husband to look towards Kelly, seeing the man inspecting Casey's gear.

"I think he's good… He wasn't burning for very long, the gear did it's job." He spoke, Gabby drawing in a slow, shaky breath, before she nodded, the paramedic never lifting her hand from his back.

"Alright."

"I'm fine." He said again, though she could tell he'd definitely gotten the wind knocked out of him, at the very least.

"I know, but it's okay, take a second." She kept her voice as calm as she possibly could, her nerves and worry slowly leaving her body as she knew he was okay. "The guys have got this, just stay down for a second, baby."

Though her term of endearment wasn't the most professional, it did the trick as Matt gave her a nod before resting back against the pavement, Gabby giving Severide a knowing look, silently telling him they were good before he went back to work helping get the victims out. But Dawson wasn't paying attention to much around her, her focus solely on her husband as he caught his breath, the sharp rise and fall of his back underneath her touch telling her he still was struggling to regain control of his breathing.

"I'm good." He spoke after nearly a minute, Matt having to fight off his every instinct to ignore the chaos around him, knowing the men and women of 51 had it handled as he slowly rose up to sit on his shins, Gabby supporting as much as his weight as she could, though with his heavy gear it made the task a bit difficult. "I'm okay." He said again, Matt getting a good look at his wife for the first time, the man not missing the worry sitting in her eyes.

"Nothing hurts?" She questioned as she grabbed her stethoscope, Gabby placing the instrument in her ears before she reached out to open up his turnout coat, Matt sitting back to let her work.

"I'm a little sore, from hitting the ground, but I'm okay." He assured her, Gabby nodding before placing the metal device against his chest, Matt having gone through this routine enough to know when to breathe.

She listened to his lung sounds through the front of his chest before she shifted closer to him, her body nearly pressed against his as she reached around his back, his breath hitting her neck as she listened closely for anything that might be wrong. But thankfully, everything sounded normal. He was still a little shaky, but nothing that was any cause for concern, Gabby pulling back slightly once she got the assurance she needed, though she didn't go very far as she caught his gaze once more.

"Your chest doesn't hurt?" She questioned, Gabby reaching her hand out to rest against him, the movement from his breathing comforting as she palpated the area, Matt shaking his head slightly.

"No, not really. Maybe just from the fall, but there's no sharp pains or anything." He answered, Matt keeping his eyes on her while she covered all her bases.

"What about your legs?" Dawson asked, finding his gaze. "They're not hurting you, are they? You can feel them fine and everything?"

"I can." Casey told her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before she nodded, Matt lifting his glove-covered hand up to rest over hers against his chest, the action bringing a small smile to her face. "I'm fine, Gabby… I promise." He told her, their eyes focused on one another as she gave him a slow nod.

"Okay." She murmured, Casey squeezing the back of her hand tightly before they both got up off the ground, Gabby supporting him as much as she could, though he didn't really need it by the time he got to his feet, the paramedic looking him over once more now that he was upright, Dawson not missing the black char covering his lowering legs. But despite that, from what she could tell, he was fine. He'd definitely be feeling this for a while, but from her extensive exam over her husband, there wasn't anything wrong with him that she could see. Though that certainly wouldn't stop her from keeping a close eye on him over the next few days.

"Captain!" Boden called, his voice gaining the attention of both Casey's as they looked his way, finding their Chief walking towards them.

"I'm fine, Chief." He replied before Boden could even get to them, the older man immediately looking to Dawson, clearly needing her approval before they went any further, which she soon gave.

"He is." She assured him, Boden nodding slowly. "He'll probably have some bruises, and be sore for awhile. But as far as I can tell, he's fine." She spoke, the Chief knowing he could trust her words, because if there was anyone here who would not let Casey continue to work until they were sure he was alright, it was Dawson.

"Okay… Well just take it easy until we get back to the house. 81 and squad have it covered." He ordered, Casey giving him a nod before he leaned down to grab his helmet, Gabby not missing the way he was slightly favoring one side of his body, though he tried his best to hide it.

"You sure you're alright?" She asked him as he stood upright, Boden having walked away to continue working the scene as the couple stood a few yards away from the chaos happening around them, Casey giving her a warm, soft smile before reaching out to rub a comforting hand up and down her arm.

"I'm good." He assured her, the man leaning down to quickly press a kiss to the side of her head before he walked back towards the scene, Matt hanging back but trying to help where he could while Dawson made her way to back to the ambulance, knowing there were many people who needed her assistance.

* * *

"Here you go, baby."

Gabby held out the glass of lemonade to her husband, Matt offering her a thankful smile after tossing a pretzel into his mouth, the man grabbing onto the fresh beverage before placing it down on the end table beside the couch, Dawson returning to her previous seat beside him.

"Thank you." He replied, Gabby nodding before her eyes moved towards the baby monitor sitting on the end of the couch, needing the assurance that their little girl was still sound asleep during her second nap of the day, both parents hoping Sofia would be out for at least another half hour before she woke up. "But I could've gotten it myself." Casey added, Gabby cocking her head back to the side as she glanced towards him, the unimpressed look in her eye making him chuckle.

"Please, you've been walking around here like a grandpa all day." She teased, her eyes flashing down towards the heating pad he had placed on his back, and the other he had resting over his stomach, the intense heat helping some of the lingering soreness he'd been feeling since shift yesterday. "You're already an old man, we don't need you pulling anything else."

"Ha ha, you're hilarious." He replied dryly, Gabby biting back a smirk as she made herself comfortable beside him on the couch, Matt shaking his head at his wife's comments as he reached for the drink she'd brought him, though in the back of his mind he knew she might've had a little bit of a point. While he knew he hadn't seriously hurt himself after the incident on call yesterday, he was feeling more sore than he'd care to admit, it being a little bit of a struggle to get through the rest of shift this morning. Then once they got home, Gabby had immediately gone to get some heating pads for him, Matt having shifted those around to different parts of his body all throughout the day while they mostly stayed on the couch, his wife having, admittedly, taken over most of the care for Sofia today. And while all of this definitely wasn't anything he enjoyed, he knew Gabby was having more fun that she should've been at his expense.

"I know I am." She replied, scrunching up her nose adorably as Matt's smile grew, the man reaching out to place his hand on the top of her thigh before giving her a gentle squeeze, Gabby matching his smile instantly as he used his other hand to return his glass to the table. "But, in all seriousness, I know you are still feeling a little banged up, so you don't need to thank me for anything, alright?" She told him, Matt nodding before he tapped his fingers against the inside of her thigh, leaning his head forward slightly to indicate exactly what he was wanting.

And Gabby understood instantly, the woman releasing an amused laugh before she closed any distance between them, their lips connecting in a gentle, slow kiss, the two staying together for as long as they possibly could, until the sound of Matt's phone ringing on the table pulled them from their moment. Huffing out a breath, the two pulled back, Gabby biting down on her bottom lip as she could see the annoyance in her husband's gaze, the man clearly not pleased by their time together being interrupted.

"I swear to God, if it's Severide again-" He cut himself off, shaking his head as Dawson fought off a laugh, Matt carefully reaching past his glass of lemonade to grab his phone while Gabby settled back into the couch.

But the second he saw who was calling, she felt his body go rigid, her eyebrows furrowing in uncertainty as she looked at him, Gabby not missing the nearly blank look on his face.

"Babe?… Who is it?" She questioned when he had yet to say anything, the ringing continuing on as he stared at the screen. But without saying a word, he turned towards her, confusion written all over his face as he turned the phone towards her as well, Gabby suddenly understanding his reaction when she saw who was calling him.

"Are you- Were you expecting a call from her?" He stuttered out, Gabby immediately shaking her head before she nudged the phone back towards him.

"Answer it."

Blowing out a heavy sigh, he nodded, the man hesitantly answering the call before putting it on speaker.

"Hello?"

"_Hi, Matt. I'm, um… I'm not sure if this is a bad time or not, And I'm sorry to call out of the blue like this, but I was wondering if you and Gabby were available to come by_ _DCFS_?" Tina questioned, her words taking them both by surprise as they shared an uncertain look. "_I wouldn't ask unless it was urgent._" She added, Casey's eyebrows furrowing in worry as he saw a similar look of confusion written across his wife's face.

"Um, yeah- No, that's fine. We can stop by... When?"

"_Right now, if possible._" She replied quickly, neither Matt nor Gabby missing the hint of desperation in her voice, Gabby's breath catching in her throat before she spoke up.

"What's going on, Tina?" Dawson questioned, her words hanging in the air for a moment before the social worker finally spoke up, her response stunning them both to silence.

"_It's Caitlyn… She's here._"


	101. Chapter One Hundred and One

**Hi everyone! First off, I just want to say a huge thank you for all the love you all gave me on my last chapter. It was honestly a little overwhelming, but I'm so appreciative for each and every one of you, thank you so much for all the kind words you all left me. I'm so glad you all are still enjoying this story, and interested in the things I write. It means so much to me, thank you thank you thank you.**

**I know a lot of you are eager to see what's gonna happen after how we left things, so I hope you all enjoy this one. Thank you so much for reading!**

* * *

_**Chapter One Hundred and One**_

* * *

Gabby's eyes focused tightly out the window as her husband drove as quickly as he safely could through the streets of Chicago, the air around them thick as neither had said a word since they'd left their home in a hurry nearly ten minutes ago. Not since Matt had blurted out a quick thank you to Severide for coming to stay with a sleeping Sofia before they got out to their car as quickly as possible. But, surprisingly, the quiet was almost welcome, neither parent having really grasped the entirety of the situation as their phone call with Tina left them with more questions than answers, the soundless air around them giving them time to think.

"_I'm sorry for calling like this, but Caitlyn won't calm down-_"

"_She keeps crying for you and Gabby._"

"_We couldn't get her to talk to us until we said we'd call you._"

"_I know this isn't fair of me to ask, but she needs you._"

It was safe to say that their brief and unexpected conversation with Tina had given them little insight as to what had actually happened to the girl they thought of as a daughter, just the social worker briefly telling them that things had gone south with her soon-to-be adoptive parents, and Caitlyn had been removed from the home. On what basis, they weren't sure; they didn't know if this was a temporary thing, or a more permanent situation, but neither Matt nor Gabby had really bothered to think about that. Because no matter how hard it would be to say goodbye to that little girl a second time, if she needed them, they'd be there. They didn't know what happened, though both Gabby and Matt were eager to get to the bottom of what all had gone on, but right now that didn't matter. All that did matter was them getting to Caitlyn, and doing whatever they could to help her. Because, if the desperation in Tina's voice was any indication, they were the thing she needed most right now.

"What, uh…" Gabby's soft voice filled the tense air as Matt turned the corner to the street DCFS was on, the man sparing a quick glance to her before returning his attention to the road, Casey looking for the first spot he could find. "What do you think happened?"

She voiced the main question they both had, Gabby too afraid to say the other one that had been at the forefront of their minds, that being if Caitlyn had been hurt or not. When Matt asked Tina, she hadn't said much, the woman just pushing the issue of them getting here as soon as they could, which hadn't done much to help the anxiety they were both feeling about all of this. But, though neither of them had said it, they both knew that with Tina being reluctant to answer the question over the phone, there was a good chance _something_ had happened to Caitlyn.

"I don't know." He replied softly, Matt offering her a small smile as he pulled into a spot against the curb, the man immediately putting the car in park, Gabby giving him a quick nod before she got out of the car, Casey following her lead.

The familiar walk inside was quiet, as well, the nervous energy around the married couple palpable as neither of them knew what to expect. All they had been told was to come to Tina's office, but other than that, they had no idea of what was coming.

With his hand clasped tightly in his wife's, Matt stepped out of the elevator once they got to the correct floor, his eyes bouncing around the busy room before he continued the path to Tina's office, Gabby following in step beside him as they eventually got to her door. Without even bothering to knock, Casey walked through the open doorway, his eyes darting around before landing on Tina, the woman being the only one in here as she sat at her desk.

"Tina." He spoke up when she had yet to see them, Matt feeling Gabby's grip tighten around his hand as the woman looked up at them. It was clear she was startled at first, Tina not expecting to see them standing in front of her so soon, but the second she registered their presence, a look of sadness flickered in her eyes, the woman talking a deep breath before pushing herself up from her chair.

"Matt, Gabby- thank you, for coming… I know I had no right to bother you two about this, but I wouldn't have if it wasn't necessary."

"What's going on?" Gabby spoke up first, her voice hoarse as Tina pursed her lips together, her brown eyes flashing back and forth between the worried parents. Though the woman couldn't say she was all that surprised by their clear concern for the situation. "Where's Caitlyn?"

"She's here, but we should really talk first before-" She tried, but her words were quickly cut off by Matt.

"Where is she?" He questioned almost immediately, Tina sighing softly before holding her hand out to the chairs seated opposite her desk; the same chairs Matt and Gabby had spent a lot of time in over the years.

"Matt-"

"You said we needed to get here quickly, that Caitlyn needed us. And we're here… We're here, and she's not, so where is she?" His voice was getting rougher the longer he spoke, his eyes focused tightly on Tina as he took a step forward, his hand falling from Gabby's in the process. "We can talk once we see her." He continued, his voice softening as Tina drew in a deep breath, the woman giving him a slight nod before an understanding, sad smile formed across her face.

"Alright… You're right." She agreed, seeing the way both their bodies relaxed slightly, only for them to tense back up again. "Let's see Caitlyn, then we can talk."

Without another word, Tina led them from her office, the woman walking toward the same conference room where they'd last seen Caitlyn, Matt walking a slight step behind Gabby, his hand resting on her back as they got closer to the room that supposedly was holding the little girl. But before Tina stepped inside, she stopped, the woman turning back towards them, both parents recognizing the look of apprehension on her face.

"Just… We'll get into everything after you all see her, but she is very upset. She was inconsolable until we told her you were coming, so just be prepared for that, alright?" She warned them, Matt nodding for the both of them as the Casey's were itching to get into that room, both of them just wanting to get their eyes on the young girl.

But despite Tina's warning, and their knowledge of how distraught the five year old was, nothing could prepare them for the state they found her in when they stepped inside the room.

Caitlyn was seated on the couch back in the far corner, the girl curled up into herself, her legs pulled up to her chest with her head tucked in between them as she held onto the stuffed animal they'd given her for dear life, both Matt and Gabby able to see how her body was shaking even from across the room, the social worker next to the young girl keeping her distance as Caitlyn cried. The sound was soft, and with how far away they were it was kind of hard to hear, but they heard it. And it broke their hearts.

They couldn't see much of her in the position she was in, both parents taking a slight step forward as Tina shut the door behind them, wanting to give all of them their privacy as they were sure they had quite the conversation ahead of them. But they weren't focused on that right now, Matt swallowing the thick lump in his throat as he became overwhelmed with a sense of complete and utter worry, the man just wanting to do what he could to fix whatever, or whoever, had hurt Caitlyn.

"Caitlyn." Tina spoke up, her voice soft as she stepped around Casey, Gabby coming to stand by her husband's side as she blinked back the tears in her eyes, the young girl still not looking up. Dawson wasn't sure if she hadn't heard Tina, or if she was ignoring her, but regardless, Caitlyn had yet to lift her head up from against her legs, the girl turning herself further away from the woman sitting beside her, clearly not wanting comfort from either her, or Tina. But hopefully her and Matt would be a different story.

"Caitlyn…"

Gabby's voice filtered through the room, Caitlyn immediately halting her movements when she heard the familiar voice, the little girl sniffling before she slowly lifted her head up, the sight in front of them causing more pain and anger to flood their body's as Matt and Gabby immediately noticed the fresh bruising covering the girl's cheek, paired with a small cut just over her cheekbone. And while they couldn't be sure what caused it, at the very least it looked like she'd been smacked, and that thought alone caused their stomach's to sink as fresh tears filled the young girl's eyes.

"Honey…" Gabby said again, a heavy sob escaping Caitlyn's lips before she practically launched herself down off the couch, the girl nearly toppling over as she loosened the tight grip she had on the teddy bear, the stuffed animal falling to the ground before she ran to them.

With tears flooding down her cheeks, Caitlyn ran to Matt first, the man closer than Gabby was as she was desperate for any source of comfort from them, Casey bending down slightly to catch her just as she was about to collide with him. The second she was in his arms, her cries got louder, Matt lifting her up off the ground and into his arms as she tucked her head into his neck, the man ignoring the way his sore body was screaming at him in pain while Caitlyn desperately clung onto him as tightly as her little body could, Casey holding onto her with one arm underneath her, the other rubbing up and down her back as she continued to cry.

"Baby, it's okay- It's okay. We're here... We're here." He tried to soothe her, Gabby stepping closer as she reached out to run her hand along the top of Caitlyn's head. The second she registered the feeling, the little girl lifted her head up from his neck, Gabby frowning instantly when she got a closer look at the injury on Caitlyn's cheek. From what she could tell, it definitely looked new; like it had only happened a few hours ago, Gabby shaking her head in anger as more tears slid down Caitlyn's skin.

"Oh, sweetheart." Dawson murmured, the soft sound of her voice causing another sob to escape Caitlyn's lips, the child reaching out for her despite her trying to still stay in Matt's arms, Gabby drawing in a steadying breath as she stood as close as she possibly could while Caitlyn grabbed at her hand, the mother giving it willingly. With her free one, she began to rub the girl's arm, Caitlyn resting her head back down on Matt's shoulder as her body shook in his arms, her tears starting to wet his shirt as he and Gabby both continued to comfort her.

"It's okay." Casey whispered once more, the man pressing a soft kiss to the side of her head as Gabby wiped away the tears that were on her face, Matt feeling the girl's body slowly start to relax the longer she was with them. "You're alright… Everything's okay now. We're right here."

It the midst of Matt and Gabby trying to comfort the five year old, the social worker that had been sitting with Caitlyn left the room, the woman stopping to say a few quick words they couldn't make out to Tina before leaving them be, Matt slowly beginning to move back and forth on the balls of his feet as he adjusted the dead weight in his arms.

"What happened?" Matt spoke up after nearly five minutes of nothing but Caitlyn's cries being heard throughout the room, his eyes locked on Tina as Gabby ran her hand along the side of Caitlyn's head, the girl pressing her non-injured cheek down against Matt's shoulder. "What happened to her face?" He clarified when the social worker had yet to speak up, Tina sighing softly before she looked across the room towards the couch Caitlyn had just been on.

"Why don't we sit down?" She suggested, Matt pursing his lips together before he nodded, the man trying to keep himself calm as he knew Caitlyn was able to feel his each and every move. Letting Gabby go first, the woman reluctantly dropped Caitlyn's hand before heading back towards the couch, all of the adults in the room knowing that with the physical contact that Caitlyn so desperately needed right now, there was no point in trying to sit at one of the many chairs around the table, Gabby bending over to pick up Caitlyn's dropped stuffed animal before sitting herself down on the couch, Matt tapping the girl's back gently.

"I'm gonna put you down, alright?" He told her, his heart nearly snapping in half when he felt Caitlyn tighten her hold around his neck. "Gabby's right here, you're gonna sit with her, baby." He added quickly, Matt sensing her nerves immediately as Caitlyn nodded against his shoulder, the girl giving him a tight squeeze before he set her down on the ground. As soon as she was out of his hold, she immediately turned towards Gabby, the mom reaching out to help lift her up onto the couch, Caitlyn climbing into her lap almost instantly. And similarly to how she used to when they were at home, Caitlyn settled her legs on either side of Gabby, the child resting her weight against Gabby's chest as her head fell down against her collarbone, Caitlyn's eyes facing Matt as her arms were curled up against Dawson's chest, Gabby wrapping her arms securely around her tiny body as Caitlyn got comfortable in her embrace.

"Do you wanna sit, Matt?" Tina spoke up once she knew Caitlyn was calm, Matt tearing his eyes away from the sight of his wife holding onto his former foster daughter, only to shake his head roughly before he crossed his arms over his chest.

"No, I don't." He replied shortly, his neck tightening as his mind began to flood with possibilities of what all had happened to lead them here. And none of them were good. "What happened to her?" He questioned again, the tone in his voice showing just how upset he was as Gabby heard a slight whimper escape Caitlyn's lips, the mother continuing to rub over her back as she kept at least one hand on her at all times, Gabby sensing just how badly Caitlyn needed to be close to them. "I thought… I thought this family was good." He continued when Tina hadn't spoken up. "You told us, and Caitlyn, this family was a good match for her. That they wanted her, and every time we talked to you, you told us things were fine. But now she's back here, looking like someone hit her… What happened?" He repeated the question he'd said multiple times since they arrived, Casey losing his patience quickly as his worry for the young girl outweighed every other emotion he was feeling.

"We thought they were." Tina finally spoke up, the woman mimicking his stance as she stood across from him, her body resting against the edge of the table. "We thought everything was fine, we wouldn't have sent her if things weren't okay- and they were fine… At first, they tried." She began to explain, Matt's eyes narrowing slightly as his back straightened. "When I talked to you, I thought things were fine, but then yesterday, I got a call from her mother, and- there have just been some behavioral challenges with her that none of us were anticipating." She explained, Casey shaking his head in anger. In all the time they'd spent with Caitlyn, they hadn't had any issues with her behavior; nothing more than the usual tantrum here and there. Certainly nothing that would warrant hurting her, the weak excuse causing Matt's blood to boil as he waited for Tina to continue. "They were trying, but Caitlyn, she… She wasn't fitting in the way they'd hoped. But I reminded them that sometimes this is hard, and kids need time to adjust, so during that call yesterday I asked them what they wanted to do, and they said they wanted to keep trying. That maybe Caitlyn just needed more time… But then I heard from them again today. I guess Caitlyn was having a really bad day, and they… weren't able to handle it."

"So they hit her?" He spat, his entire body flooding with rage as his fists tightened, Tina pursing her lips together as Matt continued. "She's a child, she's gonna have bad days, that's no excuse to hit her! I don't know what these people thought they were getting themselves into, but raising children can be hard, and just because it wasn't what they hoped, they thought it was okay to hurt her? Because she acted like a child? She's five years old!" He was nearly shouting at this point, Matt unable to keep his feelings hidden as his anger got the better of him, the dad hating to think of what happened to Caitlyn when she was out of their care.

"Matt…" Gabby's soft voice hit his ears, Matt turning back to look at his wife, watching as she shook her head slightly before glancing down to Caitlyn, their silent conversation telling him all he needed to know. He knew he needed to calm down, that his loud voice was upsetting Caitlyn, Matt giving her a slight nod before looking back towards Tina while Dawson returned her focus to the girl in her arms as her tiny body kept tensing. "It's okay, baby. I'm right here." She continued to soothe her, the little girl's tears having never stopped as she dug herself further into Gabby's embrace, the thumping of Dawson's heartbeat against her ear helping to settle her down.

"I just…" Matt started again once he'd taken a few slow breaths, "Is that what happened? Did they hit her?" He questioned, his voice much quieter than it had been before, Tina wincing slightly before she nodded, her confirmation making his anger continue to build in the pit of his stomach, though he tried to keep it under control. And, admittedly, Gabby was fighting the same urge within herself after seeing Tina nod, the mother knowing her getting angry right now wouldn't do anything to help the little girl who needed them.

"They smacked her, yeah." Tina confirmed, Casey doing all he could to hold his tongue, knowing he needed to wait and let the woman explain. "As far as I know, it only happened once. The mother, she- she said she was frustrated, and angry, and took it out on her." She said, Matt's eyes narrowing in disgust, the man unable to stop the heavy scoff that left his lips.

"What was she so angry about? What could Caitlyn have possibly done to deserve that?"

"Nothing." Tina was quick to reply, Matt releasing a heavy breath before letting her continue. "Caitlyn didn't deserve it at all, but when she left your home, it was more of an adjustment than any of us anticipated…" She explained, Gabby feeling a heavy weight settle in her gut as guilt flooded her body, Tina's words having a similar effect on Matt as well. "I know you both are well aware how hard it was when you left, but I guess Caitlyn, she- she never really was able to start adjusting into her new home. She missed you two, and Sofia… The family, they said she kept wanting to call you all, to talk to you- How every night before bed, she'd talk about wanting to see you both." She told them, Gabby blinking back the tears in her eyes before pressing a lingering kiss to the girl's head, sadness shining in Matt's eyes as he looked back to Caitlyn. "She just wasn't able to adjust the way we hoped. And the parents- the mother, especially, she became frustrated by the whole thing. And I guess today was a particularly bad day for Caitlyn, when it came to missing you all. She kept wanting to call you, she kept asking to see you and Sofia, and the mother just lost it. She'd been frustrated by all of it, and it all just had been building up, and she took it out on her." She told them, Matt shaking his head as his eyes fell closed, the man bringing his hand up to run along the side of his face as he took in everything Tina had told them, while Gabby was just doing all she could to keep it together. Though she wasn't doing the best job as a stray tear escaped down her cheek and fell into Caitlyn's hair, Gabby tightening her hold on the girl as she brought her hand up to cradle her head.

Hearing about what had happened to Caitlyn wasn't easy; to hear how she'd been mistreated by the family that was supposed to love and protect her was enough to break their hearts. But hearing how it had been because of them; how the only reason Caitlyn wasn't adjusting into her new home was because she missed them, and wanted to see them… That was a kind of heartbreak they hadn't been prepared for, and they couldn't help but feel extremely guilty for putting her in that position in the first place.

"And after that, they called us, told us what happened- said they couldn't do it anymore, that Caitlyn was…" She paused, Tina glancing to the child who was curled up in Gabby's lap before continuing, her voice much quieter than before. "That she was too much to deal with, and they couldn't handle it." She was practically whispering, so much so that Gabby could barely hear her, the parents well aware she'd done that for Caitlyn's benefit.

"So just like that? They brought her back?" He questioned, his voice barely sounding like his own as Tina gave him a slight nod.

"It wasn't a good situation for her to be in anymore… Regardless of if they still wanted her or not-"

"They didn't want me." Caitlyn spoke up for the first time, her voice barely audible as she talked from the safety of Gabby's arms, her dark brown eyes focused on Matt, Casey and Tina both watching her. "They didn't like me."

"Honey…"

"No one wants me."

The second those words left her lips, it felt like they'd been stabbed through the chest, Gabby and Matt both nearly breaking as she spoke, the tone in her little voice telling them she truly believed what she was saying.

"Baby, that's not true." Matt said almost immediately, the man shaking his head as he pushed aside the pain and guilt he was feeling, Casey glancing towards his wife, seeing she needed a second longer to figure out what to say. "That's not true at all." He repeated as he stepped towards the couch, Caitlyn lifting her head up off of Gabby's body to look at him, Matt unable to stop the slight frown that formed over his lips when he saw her red and swollen eyes.

"But the other families didn't like me, and said I was bad… I couldn't stay with you, and my new Mommy and Daddy got mad at me and I had to leave." She continued, the innocence in her words cutting through him like a knife as Gabby quickly wiped away a few of the tears that had fallen down her cheeks. "No one wants me."

Her sad words hung in the air around them, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she locked eyes with her husband, the pain she was feeling shining back at her in his own gaze, both of them knowing exactly what the other was thinking before Matt crouched down on the ground, the man wanting to be eye level with the young girl before he continued, it taking a few moments for the lingering soreness in his body to dissipate.

"Caitlyn… Sweetheart, look at me." He spoke when she averted her eyes down to Gabby's chest, the young girl slowly looking towards the man who had become like a father to her. Her hand was nervously playing with the material of Gabby's shirt while Dawson ran a hand over her back, Caitlyn waiting for whatever Matt had to say as he reached out to place his hand on her arm. "I'm sorry for what happened, baby… If I could go back and change it, I would. But Gabby and I- We didn't have a choice when we said goodbye." He tried to explain to her, though he knew they'd had a similar conversation before she left, and she hadn't seemed to understand much of it then. And he couldn't imagine she would now, but he needed to try. "I know it's confusing, and something that's hard to understand, but we didn't have a choice. We would've never said goodbye to you if we didn't have to." He said as simply as he could, Caitlyn sniffling as she looked back and forth between Gabby and Matt.

"...Caitlyn, he's right." Tina spoke up, the woman hating to see how lost and confused the five year old was, knowing she had played a part in that. "It was just as hard for them to say goodbye to you, as it was for you to be away from them."

"It was?" She questioned, Gabby immediately nodding as Caitlyn locked eyes with her.

"It was." Dawson murmured. "We missed you so much, and so did Sofia," She told her, both parents noticing the way Caitlyn's eyes lit up after she registered her words, and it only broke their hearts more. "We hated having to leave you, so don't you ever think you're not wanted, okay? You have so many people in this world who love you-"

Gabby's words were cut off when Caitlyn wrapped her arms around her neck, the child holding onto her former foster mom as tightly as she could, tucking her head into her neck as Dawson rubbed her back, the woman feeling Caitlyn's shaky breaths against her skin.

"I love you." Caitlyn murmured, Gabby fighting back tears as she gave a slow nod before pressing quick kisses to the side of her small head.

"I love you too, honey… We both do."

"Don't leave again." She said quickly, Gabby's teary eyes flashing towards her husband, Matt frowning slightly as Caitlyn tightened her grip around her neck, both parents trying to grasp just how much them leaving had affected her.

"Sweetheart-"

"Please." She nearly begged, her body beginning to tremble as fresh tears welled in her eyes, Gabby soon hearing the soft whimpers that accompanied her crying. "Don't leave me."

"We're not." Gabby said before she could stop herself, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he ran his hand over Caitlyn's back. "We won't leave you, baby." She promised her, though she knew that was a promise she wasn't entirely sure she could keep, but Gabby chose not to focus on that right now, the sound of Caitlyn's cries nearly unbearable as her body shook against hers. "It's okay, honey, I promise it'll be okay." She continued to murmur, Gabby pushing aside every painful thought she was feeling as she focused her complete attention on trying to console Caitlyn, the little girl clearly scared as she had yet to loosen her grip.

Blowing out a shaky sigh, Matt slowly pushed himself up as he watched Gabby comfort Caitlyn, the five year old continuing to cry as the weight of everything settled over the room all at once, Casey making sure to keep a hand on the young girl before he turned back to Tina, the woman near tears as she looked between them.

"What do we do here?" Casey asked before she could get a word in, Tina forcing herself to focus her attention on him once she registered his question. "What's gonna happen to her?"

"Well… Truthfully, I'm not sure." Tina replied, Matt grimacing at her answer. "We thought we'd found the right fit for her, but obviously…" She trailed off, shaking her head slightly as she stood up straight. "So, I guess we'll have to start the process over again, to try and find her a new home."

"And what'll happen to her right now?" He pressed, Tina pursing her lips together as her eyes flashed towards the child currently being consoled by Gabby, the social worker able to hear her soft cries.

"Well, we only have one or two options here…" She started, her gaze moving back to Casey. "Either we put her in a group home, or-"

"We'll take her." Gabby spoke up before Tina could finish her sentence, as she was pretty sure that's where this conversation was headed anyway, Matt's head turning down to look at her. "She's coming with us." She repeated, Dawson not missing the look of relief that flickered in Tina's eyes, though it was followed by some hesitance, Gabby drawing in a deep breath before looking towards her husband, Matt immediately giving her an agreeing nod, telling her they were both on the same page. "Until we can figure all this out… She should be with us."

"Are you sure?" Tina questioned, Matt and Gabby looking away from each other towards the social worker, the woman releasing a heavy sigh before continuing. "I was about to ask if you could continue to foster her, until this gets sorted out… You all still legally are her foster parents, and I could get the paperwork together in a few minutes, but I also know how hard all of this was- on all of you, and I don't know how all this is going to play out… So I just want you to be sure."

"We're sure." Matt replied the second she finished, his words being accompanied by a nod from his wife. "The best place for her to be is where she _wants_ to be, and she wants to be with us. And we want her with us… we don't want her sent to a group home." He spoke strongly, Tina's eyes moving towards Gabby, the woman giving her yet another confirming nod.

"Okay… Just give me a few moments, and I'll get everything in order." Tina spoke, Matt giving her a nod before she began to head for the door, the parents returning their full attention to the child currently nestled in Gabby's arms.

She had slowly stopped crying, though Gabby could still feel her tears against her neck as Caitlyn took shallow breaths, the girl still holding onto her foster mom tightly as Dawson ran a comforting hand up and down her back. Casey took a step closer, the man taking away the distance between them as he perched his body on the arm of the couch, both parents hearing Caitlyn begin to talk from the security of Gabby's hold, but her words were muffled and hard to understand.

"What is it, baby?" Gabby prompted softly, Caitlyn slowly lifting her head up and meeting their eyes, the redness covering her soft skin prominent as she looked back and forth between them, Dawson running her hand along her side as Caitlyn kept a tight grip on her arm.

"...I wanna go home." She repeated the words they hadn't been able to make out, her bottom lip shaking before she hiccuped softly, the little girl tensing slight as Gabby felt her begin to work herself back up. "I wanna- I wanna go home." She said again, more tears beginning to fill her eyes as her body began trembling, a deep frown forming across Gabby's face as Matt squeezed her arm comfortingly.

"You are, honey." He murmured, Gabby blinking back her own tears before lifting her hand up to wipe away Caitlyn's. When those words left his lips, Caitlyn managed to breathe in a few deep breaths, her little chest rising and falling as a small, barely there smile fell onto her lips for the first time since they got here, Gabby and Matt both doing what they could to mimic her look.

"You're coming home."

* * *

Casey slowly pulled their car into the garage, the man focusing on parking while Gabby kept her attention on the small girl sitting beside her, Dawson sandwiched in between the booster seat and Sofia's car seat as she continued to stroke Caitlyn's hair, just as she had been doing since they left DCFS. It had been a relatively quiet drive, Caitlyn not having much to say as she rested back against the seat, the young girl looking as peaceful as she had been all day as her tiny hand stayed on top of Dawson's leg. When they left DCFS nearly half an hour ago, Gabby hadn't planned on sitting in the backseat, the middle seat not the most comfortable under the circumstances, but with how shaken Caitlyn still clearly was, it hadn't taken her long to decide to sit in the back with their foster daughter. It had taken her a few minutes to settle once they got outside, though Matt and Gabby both could sense how much more at ease the little girl was when they'd gotten out of the building; and neither of them could blame her, the parents knowing how often she'd been bumped around the system. But once they were in the car, with Gabby beside her, Caitlyn had seemed to be doing okay, or okay as she could be under the circumstances, Dawson making a point to keep some sort of physical contact with her the entire time Matt drove. And luckily, it seemed to keep her calm, Caitlyn dozing off and on every few minutes during their drive as Gabby rubbed her head.

And now, thankfully, they were finally back home, Casey killing the engine before turning to look back at the two girls in the backseat, Gabby offering him a small, sad smile before his gaze moved to the five year old who was nearly asleep, her head lulled to the side towards Gabby as the older women continued massaging her head. They knew they should get her inside, that after the long day, and even longer few weeks she'd probably had, she was bound to be exhausted, neither Matt nor Gabby able to know when she last got a good night's rest; though if the tiredness in her eyes had been any indication, she hadn't gotten much sleep recently. But still, neither of them made a move just yet, both parents watching the young girl as she began to fall deeper and deeper into her sleep, Gabby feeling Caitlyn's grip on her leg loosen then tighten every few seconds, like she was needing the reassuring she was still there, Casey and Dawson still just trying to come to grips with the unexpected turn of events that had happened today.

Drawing in a deep breath, Matt's gaze moved back towards his wife just as Gabby looked to him, the woman giving him a slight nod before he spoke up. "...Caitlyn." He spoke softly, Gabby rubbing her thumb along the top of her head to try and wake her up slowly. "Sweetheart, we're home."

Caitlyn groaned softly as she came into consciousness, the child moving her head slightly before she jumped in her seat, clearly startled by being woken up, her eyes narrowing as she shifted around, the five year old doing what she could to gain a sense of her surroundings as Gabby began shushing near her ear.

"It's okay, you're alright." She whispered, Caitlyn lifting her hands up to rub her fists over her tired eyes before looking up at Gabby, the reassuring smile resting on her face calming the child down before she looked towards Matt.

"We're home… You ready to go inside?"

She nodded immediately, Caitlyn reaching down to undo her seatbelt as Matt got out of the front seat and opened up the back door, Gabby leaning down to press a kiss to Caitlyn's head before she climbed down out of the car. As she always did, she stood a few feet behind Matt with her stuffed animal clutched tightly to her chest as Gabby maneuvered herself out of the cramped backseat, Casey helping her as much as he could until her feet were firmly on the ground, the child waiting until she knew it was okay before heading for the familiar door.

"Let's get inside, and go see Sof." Gabby spoke, her words bringing a smile to the five year olds face before they walked towards the door, Matt hanging back to grab Gabby's bag out of the car, as well as the bag of Caitlyn's belongings in the trunk, before following his girls inside, the man pausing long enough to make sure the garage door had gone all the way down, Matt wanting the peace of mind that they were secure inside their home.

The second they got in, Gabby hung back as Caitlyn went through the routine she'd become accustomed to before leaving their home, the child taking off her shoes and putting them in their place by the door before walking down the hallway, Dawson following closely behind her. As they walked into the main part of their home, Gabby smiled softly when she saw Kelly sitting on the couch with Sofia in his lap, the baby leaned back against his chest as their eyes were both focused on the television in front of them, Severide not having yet noticed their presence. Not until Caitlyn all but ran towards him.

"Sofia!" She shouted excitedly, the noise clearly startling the baby as her bright blue eyes darted around the room, Kelly smiling wide when he saw the young girl running towards them. Though his smile soon fell when he noticed the bruising and cut on her cheek, Severide immediately looking up towards Gabby, the woman shaking her head slightly. "I missed you!" Caitlyn continued, the young girl as happy as she'd been since before she left as she got to the couch and climbed up beside Severide. "Sof, did you miss me? I missed you!" She spoke as she sat on her shins, Sofia's eyes widening when she registered the small person beside her, the baby clapping her hands excitedly, her reaction alone bringing an even bigger grin to Caitlyn's face. Sounds of pure joy escaped Sofia's lips as she reached out for Caitlyn, the five year old wrapping her up in a hug as the baby continued to bounce in Severide's lap, all the adults in the room knowing Sofia still was probably too young to really remember much, especially since it had been a few weeks since she last saw Caitlyn. But regardless, the baby seemed just as happy to be seeing Caitlyn as Caitlyn was to see her, and that's all that mattered, Caitlyn being as gentle as she could while also hugging the little girl she'd missed so much.

As Caitlyn was greeting Sofia, Gabby heard Matt come up behind her, her husband still wearing the unsteady look that was seemingly etched into his skin as he dropped Caitlyn's bag down by the wall, Gabby offering him a small, weak smile as he came up beside her, his hand immediately moving towards her back.

"Well, it looks like Sof is happy to see her." He spoke quietly, both parents watching on at the scene as Caitlyn was talking animatedly to Sofia, the baby staring at her like she was able to follow along, though she had no idea what was being sad to her, while Kelly kept a hand on Caitlyn's back as the girl was sitting close to the edge of the couch, Matt unsure of if she'd even greeted Severide yet.

"She definitely is." Gabby replied with a soft smile, Matt nodding before a heavy sigh left his lips, Dawson looking back towards him and immediately seeing the uncertainty written across his face. "...What is it?" She pressed when he had yet to say anything, Casey shaking his head slightly as he continued to rub his hand over her back.

"I just… I'm still trying to process all this, I guess. I wasn't expecting this at all." He breathed out, making sure to keep his voice quiet as he didn't want to risk Caitlyn hearing him, Matt knowing the girl was already on edge after what all had happened over the last few weeks, and the last thing he wanted to do was have her hear something he said and take it the wrong way. "And what happened to her… I- I feel so guilty."

"Matt-"

"I know we didn't have a choice." He cut her off sadly, Gabby reaching up to place her hand on his cheek before stroking her thumb over his skin, Matt leaning into her touch. "But all we did was hurt her… Us leaving her, sending her to that new home, that did more harm than good, and I-" He stopped himself to take a breath, Gabby keeping her hand on him to calm him down as he gave her a sad smile, Matt's eyes telling her all she needed to know about just how hard this was on him. "I just feel like we let her down…"

"I know." She whispered almost instantly, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he reached his free hand up to grip her wrist. "I know you do, because I feel the same way… We had no choice, but with how she acted when we left, then what happened while she was there… It feels like we should've done something to keep it from happening. It's not our fault, we both know that… But I understand how you're feeling, baby." She told him, Matt giving her a slight nod as he ran his finger along the outside of her wrist. "But we can't change what happened, we had no say in where she went. All we can focus on now is that she's out of that house, and she's with us-"

"For now." He interjected, Matt unable to stop himself as Gabby's mouth closed quickly. "She's here for now, until she gets placed in another home again, where we have no idea how she's doing or if they're treating her right."

She could hear the frustration in his voice, Gabby's eyes widening slightly as she dropped her hand from his cheek, Matt soon recognizing his own anger, the man quickly shaking his head as a slight wince covered his face.

"Sorry, I'm sorry-" He apologized, knowing his frustrations were being misdirected towards the last person who deserved it. "I just hate that this is happening to her, again… She deserves a good home, with people who love her, who will care for her, and protect her. And that's two homes now where she's gotten the opposite of that, that we know of. Two homes where she's been mistreated by people who are supposed to love her, and it just- It kills me, because she doesn't deserve that." He rambled, Matt letting out everything he'd been holding onto since they'd been at DCFS, Gabby nodding in agreement as he took a few shallow breaths.

"You're right, she doesn't." She responded after a moment, Gabby's gaze moving back to the living room, finding Caitlyn still talking animatedly to Sofia, the five year olds tense demeanor now long gone as she was back in familiar surroundings, the girl no longer resembling the sad and broken child they'd gone to see earlier in the day. Instead she seemed to already be acting much more like herself, and Gabby could only assume it was because she was back in their home, the paramedic pursing her lips together before looking back towards her husband. "You're completely right… And I don't know what's gonna happen. I know-" She stopped herself, Matt hanging on her every word as Gabby continued. "I know there's a lot we need to talk about, things we need to figure out…" She spoke, Matt's eyebrows raising slightly before giving her a slow nod, "But for now, let's just focus on the fact that she's okay, alright? She's safe, here with us, and that's what matters."

Matt paused for a moment when she finished speaking before he nodded once more, both parents well aware of the conversation they were tiptoeing around. But they also knew this wasn't the time or the place for it, Casey giving her a small smile before he leaned forward to press a kiss against her forehead, the sound of Caitlyn's voice soon hitting their ears once more as they tuned back in to their surroundings, the five year old now having moved on to Severide as Sofia was distracted by the toy in her hands.

"Yeah, I missed you too, squirt." Severide spoke up, the parents knowing they'd missed part of the conversation as they both walked into the room just as Caitlyn leaned over and gave the man a tight hug.

"Hey Sev." Casey greeted, the man giving him a nod as Caitlyn pulled away and looked back at Gabby and Matt, the bruise across her face still taking them by surprise every time they saw it, the redness around her eyes only making that feeling all the worse despite the genuine smile they saw form across her lips. "Thanks for staying with Sof."

"Of course man, it was no problem." He spoke, adjusting the baby in his arms before he stood up, Caitlyn copying his actions as she got up as well, Sofia squirming around excitedly when she saw her parents. "I'm gonna go, get out of your hair." He told them, Matt catching the look in his eye that told him they'd be having a rather long talk here soon, Severide clearly wanting details as to what exactly happened, Casey giving him a quick nod in response.

"You wanna stay for dinner?" Gabby offered, Severide soon shaking his head before handing Sofia off to Casey, the baby squealing excitedly as she was now in the embrace of her father, while Matt bit back a grimace as the soreness in his body flared up.

"Nah, that's okay, I need to get going. But that's though." He replied, Dawson nodding as he stopped by her to give her a quick hug and kiss on the cheek, before he patted Casey's shoulder. "I'll see you guys later."

"Bye Kelly."

"Bye Uncle Kelly!" Caitlyn spoke excitedly, Severide chuckling softly as he got to the door, the man turning back around to wave goodbye to the five year old before he left their home, Gabby following his path so she could go and lock the door while Matt stayed in the living room with the kids.

After Gabby secured the lock in place, she turned back around to find Matt walking towards the couch with Caitlyn in tow, the young girl following as closely behind him as she could without running into him as they got to the large piece of furniture, Casey barely able to sit down before Caitlyn was climbing up beside him and cuddling into his arm. With Sofia tucked into one side, he lifted his arm up, letting Caitlyn snuggle up against him, the girl resting her head against his side as her hand fell onto his stomach, Matt wrapping his arm around her to keep her close as he held onto Sofia as well, the baby content to just sit there and chew on her fist as Gabby walked closer to them.

"Can we watch a movie?" Caitlyn asked, her warm brown eyes focused on Gabby as she leaned more into Matt, the girl as close as she could get to him as her legs hung off the side of the couch.

"Maybe after dinner and bath time, honey." Gabby spoke up first, Caitlyn pausing for a moment before nodding. "It's already a little past when we normally eat, so what do we think about a quick dinner tonight? How do waffles sound?" She questioned, Caitlyn nodded in agreement as a soft smile fell onto her face.

"They sound yummy!" She replied brightly, nuzzling her cheek against Matt's side as he pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "Can I have bacon, too?" She questioned, her words almost hesitant, Gabby immediately nodding before she continued to the kitchen.

"Of course you can." She answered, not missing the pleased smile that fell onto Caitlyn's face before she focused her eyes on the TV that was still playing cartoons for Sofia, though the baby wasn't really paying much attention to it.

As the night wore on, it was soon time for dinner, Gabby having made a quick meal of waffles, eggs, and bacon, Caitlyn having broken away from Matt halfway through the process to come help, the young girl given the task of getting hers and Sofia's plates and silverware out. And it was a task she completed well, Caitlyn remembering exactly where everything was, the young girl getting Sofia's plate over to her high chair just as Gabby had finished putting the food on the table, Matt focused on getting the baby seated and ready to eat. And though Caitlyn helping always slowed things down a bit, Gabby more than welcomed it, the mother just happy to see that the young girl was still comfortable with them, and she was acting like she always had before she left.

Once they were all situated, Caitlyn sitting in the chair next to Matt while Gabby was across from them, the parents began to get the kid's their food before they did anything else. While Caitlyn sat patiently waiting for Matt to cut up her waffle, Gabby put some eggs and a few pieces of waffle on Sofia's plate, the baby smacking her hands excitedly against her high chair as she waited for her food, Caitlyn carefully reaching for her glass of milk and taking a small sip.

"Thank you for coming back." She spoke suddenly after she put her glass back down, Matt and Gabby both looking up from their tasks when they heard her small voice, neither parent expecting to have heard those words from her, Gabby drawing in a deep breath while Matt stopped his movements, the blonde girl looking at them with an innocence in her eyes that nearly broke their hearts.

"I was sad, when I was gone. I wanted to be with you… And they got mad at me for being sad. But I wanted to see you." She continued, her little brain doing what it could to voice what she was feeling. "I missed you, and was scared, cause they got mad at me… Like the other people used to. But I don't know why they were mad." She spoke, her words unsure as Caitlyn tried to grasp things that her little mind should never have to deal with. "When I got sad, and cried, they were mad. But I only cried because I missed you. And I missed you lots. But you came back." Her voice perked up towards the end of her sentence, Caitlyn smiling softly as she continued watching them. "So I'm not sad anymore."

"I'm-" Gabby cut herself off, clearing the emotion from her throat as Caitlyn focused solely on her. "I'm sorry you were sad, honey… We never want you to be sad, or scared." She spoke softly, Gabby waiting until she got a nod from the girl before she continued. "But you know you never need to feel that way with us, yeah?" She repeated the words she'd probably told her at least ten times since they first met, Caitlyn's smile growing before she nodded once more.

"I know."

"And we missed you, too." Matt spoke up, saying the words Caitlyn already knew. "Every day." He added, Caitlyn nodding happily before Casey moved her plate back in front of her, the man rubbing her back as she got a bite to eat. "Especially Sof."

Her smile widened when he said those words, Caitlyn working on finishing the food she was chewing before she gave an enthusiastic nod, both parents just glad to see her in better spirits than she'd been in just hours ago.

"I missed her, too!" She replied, the young girl carefully reaching for her drink and taking a slow sip before continuing. "I slept with my stuffed animal every night! Does Sof have hers?"

"She does." Gabby replied, Caitlyn nodding before getting another bite to eat. "It's up in her room."

Those words caused the five year old to perk up, her eyebrows raising slightly as she looked back and forth between them, Matt tilting his head to the side as he saw her deep in thought.

"What is it, Caity?" He questioned, Gabby doing her best to suppress her smile at the nickname her husband had given the young girl, as Caitlyn answered without missing a beat.

"Is my room still here?" She asked, her eyes wide as she waited for their answer, Caitlyn clearly a bit worried that things had changed during her absence.

"It is." Gabby replied quickly, both her and Matt seeing the look of relief that covered the young girl's face, Caitlyn's eyes flickering back and forth in between them before she nodded. "Everything's exactly how it was when you were here, honey… Your bed, your toys, everything's there, I don't want you to worry about that."

"Okay." She responded, obviously satisfied with the answer she'd been given as she took another small bite of her dinner, Gabby and Matt sharing a knowing look before they got some food for themselves.

"Now we all need to eat up and eat all of our dinner, yeah?" Gabby spoke, her eyes focused on Caitlyn, knowing sometimes the young girl struggled with eating enough during her meals. "Then once we finish, we can get ready for bed, and I think we might just be able to watch a movie before we go to bed." She prompted, her words bringing a smile to the young girl's bruised face.

"And cuddles?" She asked excitedly, the girl bouncing in her seat as Matt chuckled softly, Gabby nodding in agreement with a wide smile across her face.

"Yes baby, and cuddles." Casey assured her, the man pressing another kiss to the top of her head before Caitlyn went back to her dinner, her red eyes and bruised skin the only remaining evidence of just how rough today had been on her as Matt and Gabby looked at each other.

Without saying a word, they were able to understand all they needed to, the parents knowing that while today hadn't gone at all the way they planned, they were more than grateful to have Caitlyn back with them, despite the fact they wished it had never come to this. But they knew there was nothing they could do to change it now; what happened, happened, and all they could do was help Caitlyn move on from it, and make sure the little girl felt safe, and happy, and loved.

And they would spend however much time they had with her making sure she knew exactly that.


	102. Chapter One Hundred and Two

**Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you all like it! From what I can tell, most of you are glad to have Caitlyn back, which I figured you all would be. Now we'll just have to wait and see where Matt and Gabby go from here. And I can't wait to hear your thoughts on this one, as well.**

**Also, just a heads up, there won't be an update for this story, or one for Whatever Comes Next, next week. But I should be back the week after with both those stories, just so you all know!**

**Thanks for reading! Stay safe, everyone.**

* * *

_**Chapter One Hundred and Two**_

* * *

Gabby took slow, deep breaths as she laid in bed, the lamp on her husband's nightstand the main source of light in the room while she gently stroked the hair of the young girl clinging to her, the child nestled into her side as she slept, her little arms wrapped around Gabby's waist while her head was pressed to her chest. It was a position they'd been in for a little over an hour now, Gabby knowing she probably should get some rest as well, but with as hard as today had been, and the even rougher night, her main concern was making sure Caitlyn was getting the sleep she needed.

Under the tough circumstances, things had gone relatively okay this evening in the Casey household as they wound down from the unexpected turn the day had taken. Once they'd finished up dinner, the simple food proved to make more of a mess than either parent anticipated, which led to early baths for both girls while their dinner had to wait to be cleaned up. Matt had been tasked with cleaning up Sofia, the father giving his daughter a bath in the girl's bathroom upstairs, while Gabby had supervised Caitlyn's shower in their own bathroom downstairs. And while everything had gone fine, it wasn't lost on Gabby that the five year old was showing a few signs of some unusual behavior.

While Gabby, or Matt, hanging close by during her showers wasn't uncommon, the child still a little too young to be left alone completely, any time Gabby stepped away for a moment, Caitlyn would immediately call for her the second she realized she couldn't see her, the five year old clearly not wanting to be left alone. Even in times when Gabby hadn't gone anywhere, she would still poke her head out the shower door to make sure she was close by, as well as saying her name often to ensure she hadn't left. And that was something that was definitely out of the ordinary.

So Gabby quickly realized the best course of action was to just stay within her eyeline, the mother perching herself up on the counter while Caitlyn showered, Dawson only moving when the five year old needed help washing her hair. But while she sat there, she made sure to talk to her often, Gabby sensing Caitlyn was definitely struggling with the thought of being alone. So she did all she could to make sure the young girl knew she hadn't been left by herself, and eventually that seemed to help calm her down.

Then after the girls had finished their baths and were ready for bed, the four of them had all ended up downstairs, Sofia and Caitlyn playing on the floor with their toys while they watched Frozen, until both children eventually made their way onto the couch, Cailtyn cuddling up with Matt while Sofia was content to sit with her mother. And after how stressful the day had been, sitting together and watching one of Caitlyn's favorite movies was the best way for them all to unwind and spend some time together, the night having gone better than either parent expected after how worked up the five year old had been hours earlier.

But that all changed when it was time for bed.

Getting Sofia down had been easy enough, Gabby taking her upstairs and nursing her as she usually did, while Matt stayed downstairs to finish the movie with Caitlyn. And once Sofia finished feeding, and had been rocked for a few minutes before being put in her crib with her pacifier, the baby had fallen right to sleep, Gabby having made her way back downstairs to find Caitlyn and Matt exactly where she'd left them.

But getting the five year old to bed had been a different story entirely, both parents sensing the girl's anxiousness when it came time for her to go to sleep. And it only got worse the second they took her upstairs.

Despite their multiple assurances that everything was fine, and they weren't going anywhere, Caitlyn was near tears by the time she was laying down in her bed, the thought of sleeping alone clearly making her uneasy as the longer they'd laid with her trying to get her to fall asleep, the louder her panicked cries became. Even with their promises they wouldn't leave until she was resting, and that they'd be here in the morning when she woke up, it hadn't helped ease her fears as her cries only continued. And in that moment, it became clear to the parents that Caitlyn wouldn't sleep well without them, and they refused to leave her in her bedroom when it was so obvious she was scared, Matt and Gabby soon coming to the decision to take her back downstairs with them. When Casey had picked her back up and told her she was coming with them, she had calmed down considerably as she was carried downstairs, the child eagerly climbing into their bed and waiting for them to get ready to go to sleep before she curled up next to Gabby.

And that's where she'd been for the last hour, Caitlyn thankfully having been asleep for most of that time as she was practically laying on top of Gabby, the mother able to feel the rise and fall of her back underneath her arm as she held onto the little girl, Dawson wanting her to feel as safe and secure as she possibly could while she slept.

As she continued running her free hand through the girl's hair, Gabby looked up when she heard footsteps approaching their bedroom, the woman soon seeing her husband come into view as he walked into the room, Matt rubbing his hand over the side of his face before taking in the sight of Gabby and Caitlyn laying together, a weak smile forming on his lips while he walked back to the bed.

"Sof okay?" Gabby questioned softly, the woman scratching her fingers along Caitlyn's scalp before continuing to stroke her head, Matt giving her a reassuring nod before he sat down on his side of their king sized bed.

"Yeah, she's alright." He breathed out, Casey stretching his back out before lifting the covers carefully and making himself comfortable, the man not wanting to risk waking the little girl sleeping in between them. "Her pacifier fell out of the crib while she was sleeping, and I think when she woke up and couldn't find it, she got upset." He continued, Gabby nodding in understanding as he turned to face her. "But after I rocked her, she fell back asleep pretty easily." He finished explaining.

While they were both laying in bed nearly twenty minutes ago now, the parents focused more on the girl holding onto Gabby than their own rest, Sofia had begun to fuss through the monitor. At first, it was just low whines, the parents hoping she'd be able to get herself back to sleep. But less than a minute later it had become clear that wouldn't be the case, the baby's whines soon turning into loud cries, both parents knowing she likely wouldn't settle until one of them went to go help her as Matt was out of their bed in seconds, the father going to take care of Sof while Gabby stayed with Caitlyn. And, thankfully, the sounds of Sofia's cries, along with the sounds of Matt comforting her through the monitor, hadn't disturbed Caitlyn's rest at all, the five year old staying asleep as she was tucked underneath the blankets.

"Good, that's good… Both the girl's need to sleep." Gabby murmured, her words earning an agreeing nod from her husband.

"Yeah, it's been a long day." He replied, Matt turning to the side slightly to get a better look at his wife and the young girl, Gabby glancing at him as well. "...It still kind of feels like a dream- all this happening… I never thought we'd see her again, let alone have her back here with us. Although I guess it's more of a nightmare, with what happened to her…" His words were slow and soft, Gabby giving him a nod before he continued. "But all of this, it's just crazy. I wish things had never been like this for her… She deserves so much better than this."

"Yeah, she does." Gabby responded, Matt's eyes flickering down to the girl sleeping in his wife's arms. "She's been through more than one person ever should have to go through… But at least she's out of that home, and Tina can figure out some next steps for her." She spoke carefully, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he began talking.

"That is something we need to talk about," He started, his eyes finding those of his wife once more. "About what this means for Caitlyn, and us… for her here." His heavy words hung in the air around them, Gabby pursing her lips together tightly. "I mean, this feels like a sign to me, babe… Saying goodbye to her was one of the hardest things we've ever had to do, and, regardless of how it happened, she's back with us again… I can't help but feel like that happened for a reason, like it- Like she's meant to be with us, to _stay_ with us."

Matt finally voiced the words neither of them had been able to say since this afternoon, though they both knew they had been hanging over their heads as Gabby took a deep breath, Casey keeping his eyes on her as her gaze moved forward, the man able to sense her uncertainty before she even said a word.

"Can we, uh- Can we talk about this later?" She said, the man raising his eyebrows as she slowly met his gaze, Gabby offering him a weak smile before she continued. "It's late, and I think we all need to get as much sleep as we can." Dawson elaborated, Matt pausing for a moment before he nodded in understanding.

"Yeah, of course… We'll talk tomorrow." He agreed, Gabby giving him a nod before she settled herself down into her pillows, the woman moving as carefully as she could with Caitlyn in her arms, while Matt got comfortable as well. He reached over to turn off their lamp, leaving the room completely dark aside from the light filtering in from the closet, the parents opting to leave that on for Caitlyn as Matt adjusted his body to face his girls. Drawing in a slow breath, Matt reached across Caitlyn to rest his hand on Gabby's stomach, his arm keeping the five year old in a secure hold as he felt his wife reach down to rest her hand over his. "I love you, baby." He murmured, rubbing his thumb along her covered stomach as he heard Gabby taking a deep breath before her tired voice responded.

"I love you, too."

* * *

Gabby's eyebrows furrowed as she was abruptly brought into consciousness, the mother immediately confused as she felt thrashing around beside her, little arms and legs fighting against her hold as she tried to grasp what was going on. But within seconds, it became clear, Gabby's mind clearing in an instant as she opened her eyes and looked down to see Caitlyn practically shaking beside her, the little girl crying as she was trapped in whatever nightmare was terrorizing her young mind.

Before she could even say anything, she felt Matt shift beside them, the man immediately reaching out to calm Caitlyn down as he was able to understand what was happening quicker than she could, Casey using his free hand to reach over and turn the lamp on.

"Caitlyn, honey-" Gabby tried as she sat up in bed, the girl trembling underneath the covers as she cried out, Matt and Gabby sharing a quick, concerned look before refocusing their attention on the little girl who needed their help. "Sweetheart."

"Caitlyn, wake up." Matt tried, rubbing her back with as much pressure as he could to try and pull her from her sleep, but not nearly enough to risk hurting her as Caitlyn turned her head towards Gabby's chest.

"Caitlyn!"

The young girl startled awake, a sharp, scared cry escaping her lips before she turned her head towards the ceiling, her eyes darting around anxiously as she tried to remember where she was, his gaze landing on Gabby first before she looked to Matt. From first glance, they could see the thin layer of sweat covering her skin as her teary eyes continued looking between them.

"It's okay, baby, you're fine." Gabby murmured before reaching her hand out to run her hand through the girl's hair, Dawson wincing slightly when she felt how damp it was.

"Everything's alright, sweetheart." Matt added, their combined words bringing fresh tears to her eyes as she only got more and more upset, the young girl clearly unsure as to what was happening as she felt nothing but uncertainty and fear. "You're okay, baby girl. We're here, we've got you." He continued, Matt leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead, the man feeling how warm she was before she reached up to wrap her arms around his neck, Caitlyn holding onto him for dear life. "Yeah, I know you're scared, it's alright… You're safe, baby. We won't let anything happen to you, you're okay." He repeatedly assured her, Gabby running her hands through her hair as she watched the sight in front of her, her heart hurting for how upset and terrified the young girl was.

But before she could think much further, Gabby felt a shift in temperature of the sheets underneath her leg, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion before she quickly understood what happened, the woman releasing a soft sigh before looking towards her husband.

Though Caitlyn's cries had quieted somewhat, she was still holding onto Matt as tightly as possible, the man doing what he could to comfort her from the awkward angle they were at, Casey pressing another kiss to the side of her head before he caught his wife's gaze, his own uncertainty growing when he saw the look on her face.

"What is it?" He questioned, Gabby releasing another breath before she tossed the covers off of her.

"I think she wet the bed." She murmured, Matt's eyes falling closed for a split second before he opened them once more, the man giving her a nod as she pushed the sheets off of all of them. And once she did, it was pretty clear that Gabby's assumptions had been correct, Matt shaking his head slightly before looking back to his wife. "Do you wanna get her cleaned up, and I'll handle this?" She offered, Matt giving her a nod before shifting his attention back to Caitlyn.

"Sweetheart." He murmured, patting her back before he slowly began to pull away, Caitlyn crying out before holding onto him tighter, Gabby's heart nearly breaking at the sight. "It's okay- it's okay, I'm not going anywhere. We just need to get you cleaned up. Everything's fine." He reminded her, her grip loosening enough to allow him to pull back completely, the man getting up off the bed as Caitlyn looked towards Gabby.

Dawson saw her red, tear-stained cheeks immediately, the mother giving her a reassuring smile before reaching out to rub her arm.

"I'm sorry." Caitlyn apologized as fresh tears slid down her skin, her voice hoarse as she spoke for the first time since being woken up, her bottom lip trembling as Gabby saw the look of panic that flickered in her eyes, the older woman knowing the bad memories the young girl had associated with something like this. "I didn't mean to."

But Gabby simply shook her head, the woman leaning down to kiss her forehead before giving her arm a gentle squeeze. "It's alright, honey." She assured her, pressing another kiss to her head before Caitlyn gave her a slight nod, though Dawson didn't miss the hesitation in her eyes. "We're not mad at you, it's not your fault."

"Okay." Caitlyn nearly whispered, the young girl sniffling as endless tears continued rolling down her skin, Gabby giving her another assuring nod as she rubbed her arm.

"Come here, sweetheart." Matt eventually spoke up, Caitlyn turning to find the tired man standing up beside the bed, his arms outstretched towards her, silently signaling her to come to him. "We're gonna get you cleaned up, alright?"

The five year old nodded, her body still a little shaky from the uneasy sleep she'd just been woken from as she managed to stand up, Gabby helping her movements until she was securely in Matt's arms, the man carrying her towards their bathroom as Dawson began to strip the bed. Blowing out a sigh, her eyes moved to the clock on her nightstand, seeing it was just past three in the morning as Gabby heard the shower turn on before she yanked the comforter to the ground. Continuing the process, she managed to get the sheets off the bed, Gabby thankful to see that nothing had soaked through the mattress pad.

"Here you go, babe."

Gabby looked up as Matt walked through the open bathroom door, the man holding onto what she assumed to be Caitlyn's dirty pajamas, the wife giving him a grateful nod before taking the small clothing from him.

"Thank you." She murmured in response, Matt giving her a soft smile. "...She okay?"

"She's said sorry two more times in like thirty seconds." He breathed out, Matt shaking his head as Gabby saw the frustration in her husband's demeanor, Dawson knowing exactly why he was upset, because she felt the same way as neither parent liked how Caitlyn felt like she _had _to apologize over something like this. "And the nightmare is a whole other issue, I just- I don't know how to help her."

"We just have to be there for her." Gabby told him, though she was aware Matt already knew the answer. "After all she's been through… That's all we can do for her-"

"Matt…"

They heard Caitlyn's timid voice filter out of the bathroom, her tone telling them she was feeling anxious at Matt not coming back right away, Gabby releasing a soft sigh as she reached out to pat her husband's chest reassuringly.

"I'm coming, baby." He called back, Gabby rubbing over his t-shirt covered chest before nodding towards the bathroom.

"Go, she needs you." She replied, Matt picking up on her pointed words even in his exhausted state before he nodded as well, the man walking back towards the bathroom to help Caitlyn while Gabby continued working in the bedroom.

Within a few minutes, Gabby had gotten their bed sheets and Caitlyn's pajamas in the wash, as well as quietly making her way upstairs to get a fresh set of sheets from the linen closet, Gabby moving as silently as she could with being so close to her daughter, the woman stopping in Caitlyn's room as well to grab her a new pair of clothes for her to wear to bed before heading back downstairs.

While Gabby had completed her tasks, Matt was helping Caitlyn get cleaned up, the girl having remained quiet since he came back into the bathroom. It was obvious that the five year old was unsure of how to act after everything that had just happened, so she stayed quiet, Casey not pushing her to talk as he did what she needed to help her. And soon enough, they had finished her quick, makeshift shower, Matt turning off the water before reaching for a towel.

"Come here, Caity." He spoke softly as he held out the towel for her, the man wrapping her up in the soft material once she had stepped out of the shower, her swollen eyes focused down towards the ground as he squatted down to her level. Drawing in a deep breath, he watched her closely, Matt seeing her puffy and swollen eyes; eyes that held far more sadness than any five year old's ever should, the man pursing his lips together before reaching back towards the sink for the t-shirt he had grabbed from the dresser for her to wear, Matt opting for one of Gabby's as he knew it wouldn't swallow her nearly as much.

One she was dried off, Caitlyn handed him the towel before he pulled Gabby's shirt over her head, the young girl pushing her arms through the material, the shirt practically down to her forearms as the larger piece of clothing hung off of her.

"Are you feeling better?" He murmured, brushing a few strands of blonde hair behind her ear as she slowly met his gaze, a soft frown forming over his face when he saw just how upset the young girl still was, Caitlyn's jaw trembling as a couple lone tears escaped her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said again, her small voice sounding far away as her brown eyes focused on him, Matt immediately shaking his head.

"Caitlyn-"

"I was bad." She stuttered out, his eyebrows furrowing before a heavy feeling settled in his gut, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he reached out to place his hands over her arms. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I was scared."

"Honey, it's okay." He told her yet again, knowing the child needed as much reassurance as he could give her. "You weren't bad, and you didn't do anything wrong. You were just scared… And being scared doesn't mean you need to be sorry, you're not in trouble." His words were as strong as they could be, while remaining calm enough to not frighten her, all the exhaustion he was feeling long gone as he focused on making sure she knew everything was alright. "I'm sorry you were scared, baby. I wish you weren't, but you don't need to be sorry for that, okay? No one's mad at you."

"Promise?"

Her insecure voice sounded so sad, it nearly broke Matt's heart, the man swallowing the thick lump of emotion that had formed in his throat before he gave her a nod. "I promise, Caitlyn." He assured her, the young girl breathing slowly as she gave him a nod, Matt wiping away a few of the new tears that had fallen before he leaned forward to kiss the side of her head, the father hearing her sniffle when he kissed her once more. "We love you, baby, I promise we're not mad at you. You didn't do anything wrong." He told her once more as Caitlyn wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, Matt reciprocating the hug as he leaned back on his heels, slowly pulling Caitlyn's body with him as he moved.

"I love you." Her words were soft, and barely audible as her head was tucked against his neck, but regardless, he heard her, Matt smiling warmly before he pressed another kiss to the side of her head.

"I love you, too, sweetheart." He breathed out, rubbing his hand over her back before she slowly pulled away from him, her wide eyes staring straight at him as her arms hung by her sides.

"...I'm glad I'm home." She told him, Matt's breath catching in his throat momentarily before he was able to steady himself. "I missed you, and Gabby. And Sof… I didn't like being gone. It was scary without you." She continued, Casey brushing her hair back before his palm landed on her shoulder.

"We missed you too." He told her, knowing now wasn't the time to press what she'd said about this being her home, Matt knowing she was far too young to understand anyway. Though he'd be lying if he said his chest didn't swell with pride at how easily she referred to this place as her home. "And we're glad you're back…" He added, his eyebrows furrowing slightly as a picture started to come together in his mind as he completely registered her words, Matt sighing softly before he spoke up once more. "Is that what was scaring you? Was it about that house?" He questioned, the man referring to the nightmare they'd just woken her up from, the way Caitlyn immediately looked down giving him all the answer he needed, though she spoke up a few seconds later.

"I had a bad dream." She started, Matt nodding understandingly as he waited for her to continue. "We were with Miss Tina, and she was taking me away… I had to go back to that house and they were mean to me again." She told him, Casey rubbing her arm comfortingly. "And I tried to come back, but I couldn't. It made me sad, and I got scared…"

"It's okay, honey." He whispered, Caitlyn looking up at him as she stepped closer to him, clearly needing his comfort. "You don't need to be scared because of them anymore, you're never gonna have to go back there, I promise… Whatever happens, you'll never go back there."

"Okay." She responded, her eyes shining with exhaustion as he rubbed up and down over her arm, both Matt and Caitlyn turning towards the doorway when they heard some noise, the blondes finding Gabby standing in the doorway, clothing in hand as she took in the sight in front of her, a soft smile forming over her face when she saw Caitlyn standing there in her t-shirt.

"Hi guys." She spoke softly, the sound of her voice bringing a small smile to Caitlyn's voice.

"Hi Gabby." She replied, Matt rubbing her arm one last time before he stood up, Caitlyn moving closer to her foster mom while Gabby glanced at her husband.

"I got new sheets on the bed, so we're good to go." She told him as she reached out to run her hand through Caitlyn's hair once she got close enough, Gabby looking back down to her as the five year old watched her closely. "How are you feeling, baby?" She questioned, Gabby grateful when she saw the small smile that broke through Caitlyn's red and tired face.

"I'm okay. Matt made me feel better."

A small smile appeared over Casey's face when he heard her words, Gabby sparing a quick glance at him before looking back down to the young girl standing in front of her. "Yeah, he's good at that… He knows how to make me feel better, too." She responded, Caitlyn's smile widening slightly before she nodded, Gabby rubbing her hand along the side of the little girl's face before dropping her arm back to her side, the mother looking down to the clothing in her hands. "Are you ready to get some more sleep?"

"Mhmm… I'm not scared anymore."

"Good, I'm glad. We never want you to be scared." She replied with a soft smile. "Now, can you put these on for me, and then we can get some more sleep?" She requested, Gabby pulling out the pair of underwear from the stack of clothes she'd brought down from Caitlyn's room, the five year old nodding before taking the item of clothing from Gabby and completing the task a few moments later while Dawson placed the spare clothes on the sink and Matt hung up the damp towel.

"I'm all done." Caitlyn spoke proudly, Gabby smiling softly before she nodded.

"Good job, baby." She responded, before the three of them walked back out into the bedroom, their bed now covered in new sheets and all ready for them to sleep in as Gabby got situated first, Matt lifting Caitlyn onto the mattress before he sat down as well, the young girl cuddled into him as soon as she could before she reached back for Gabby, Caitlyn wanting to be as close to both of them as possible.

Once they were all comfortable, Matt reached over to turn off the lamp, the man hoping they'd all be able to get some more rest before morning as Caitlyn snuggled deeper into his side.

"Get some sleep, honey." He murmured into the quiet that had fallen over their room. "We're right here, everything's okay." He reminded her, his words being the last any of them heard as they all slowly fell asleep, Matt waiting until both of his girl's were resting before he even thought of letting himself succumb to the exhaustion he was so desperately fighting.

* * *

"Is she still sleeping?" Gabby asked as her husband walked up to her at the counter in their kitchen, Matt rubbing his tired eyes before he gave her a nod, the man glancing back towards the couch where Caitlyn was currently curled up fast asleep, the girl tucked underneath the blanket they usually kept along the back of the couch.

It was still early in the Casey household, far too early for either parent's liking as it was barely seven in the morning. But when Caitlyn had woken up nearly an hour ago and was unable to fall back asleep, both Matt and Gabby knew they were likely to be up for the rest of the day, despite the lack of sleep they'd gotten the night before.

Once they'd gotten up, the three of them decided to come out into the living room and watch some TV, Matt turning on a movie for Caitlyn before they cuddled up on the couch. And though it had taken a while, the young girl had finally fallen back asleep in Matt's arms, the couple thankful that she was getting some more rest that she desperately needed, because if they couldn't get any sleep, they at least wanted the assurance that their girls were well rested. Especially Caitlyn.

"Yeah, she is… Thankfully." He breathed out, Gabby nodding before handing him the cup of coffee she'd just prepared for him, Matt releasing a grateful breath as he took the drink. "Thank you, baby."

"You're welcome." She replied softly, Gabby grabbing her own cup before they walked towards the kitchen table, the parents wanting to stay far enough away from Caitlyn so they wouldn't disturb her much needed rest, but close enough to where she wouldn't panic whenever she woke up, Gabby sitting herself down at the table as Matt sat across from her. "How long do you think we have until Sof wakes up?" She questioned after a few moments, Gabby taking a long sip of her coffee, the woman hoping the caffeine would help wake her up as Matt shrugged softly.

"I don't know… Hopefully awhile. I hope her and Caitlyn both sleep for as long as possible." He spoke, his voice quiet as Gabby gave him a nod.

"Yeah…" She agreed, Matt drawing in a deep breath before he turned back, the man looking at the girl sleeping on the couch, her body barely visible underneath the heavy blanket keeping her warm, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly when she saw how much tension his body was holding. "What is it?" She asked after a second, Casey looking back towards her before their eyes locked on one another, Gabby giving him a knowing look as he released a heavy sigh.

"Nothing, I was just thinking about her…" He spoke, nodding back to Caitlyn. "And that nightmare she had." He continued, Dawson pursing her lips together before she nodded, the woman not missing the slight wince that covered her husband's face. "And she, uh… She told me what it was about."

His words caught her attention, Gabby raising her eyebrows before she leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows down on the table. "What was it?" She pressed, Matt placing his drink down before rubbing his hand along the side of his face. "What is about that family she was with?"

"Kind of… But I think it was more so about us." He told her, confusion immediately covering her face.

"What do you mean?" She questioned before he could say any more, Matt taking a deep breath as he continued.

"She told me we were with Tina, and she had to go be with that family again. That it scared her, and they were mean to her." He quickly recanted the simple words Caitlyn had told him earlier this morning, Gabby shaking her head as she grimaced, the woman clearly bothered by the nightmare their foster daughter had. "And she said how she tried to come back to us, but she couldn't… And I think that's what actually was scaring her. She's scared of not being with us anymore."

Casey saw the immediate shift in his wife's demeanor, her sadness and worry evident as her eyes flashed back towards the couch, Matt watching as a slight frown formed over her lips before she looked back towards him.

"I think she's afraid we're gonna leave her again." He continued when Gabby had yet to say anything, the woman running her tongue along her bottom lip before she clenched her hands together, Matt noticing when she averted her eyes down to the table.

She knew what he was wanting to talk about. It was the same conversation he'd tried to have when they got home yesterday, then again last night before they went to bed. It was the same conversation that had her anxious, the conversation she knew they needed to have, but one that made her incredibly apprehensive.

Though she also knew she couldn't put it off any longer, not when Caitlyn was struggling as much as she was. Not when this little girl had been through so much, and needed people who loved her and would put her above everything else.

But regardless of that, and her personal feelings for the little girl, that didn't help her uneasiness towards the process, their past with situations like this permanently ingrained in her.

"Gabby…" Matt prompted when she had yet to say anything, the woman meeting his eyes as she took a few shallow breaths, Gabby being met by nothing but understanding in his gaze as he waited for her to speak up.

"I… There was a part of me, a big part of me, that just wanted to tell Tina we'd take her…" She started suddenly, Matt a little caught off guard by her abrupt words, but he said nothing, knowing well enough to just let her continue. "When we were there yesterday, my first thought was that I wanted to tell her that we'd permanently take her, that we wanted to adopt her, and make this her home, but- I know this is something we need to talk about." She continued, Matt giving her a supportive nod, the man relieved to know that this was something she'd been thinking about, though he wasn't exactly surprised. "And everything before, with Louie- It's still hard, to think about what happened when we did this for him, and there's a part of me that's still so scared it'll happen again." She admitted, Matt's eyes shining with compassion as he pushed himself up from his seat and walked around the table towards her, the man pulling out the chair next to her before taking a seat, Casey wanting to be as close to his wife as possible. "And I don't know if I can handle something like that happening again."

"I know, baby." He breathed out, rubbing his hand over her back. "There's a lot to this, a lot we don't know…" He told her, Gabby nodding as she angled her body towards his.

"And I… Saying goodbye to Caitlyn was awful. It felt like what happened with Louie, but even with as bad as that was, we knew we weren't trying to adopt her. There was a part of me that, as hard as dealing with that was on us, we knew we had no other choice… But this, trying to adopt her, if we were to go into that, and something happened again, I don't-" She cut herself off, Gabby blinking quickly as Matt continued rubbing her back. "It just worries me."

Her words were vulnerable as they left her lips, Matt nodding understandingly as he reached his free hand out to grab hers, Gabby holding onto him tightly as she caught his gaze. "I know." He repeated, offering her as supportive a smile as he could. "What we went through with Louie, I know we'll never be able to completely forget that pain. And then again having to say goodbye to Caitlyn… If we had to go through that a third time, it's almost unbearable to think about… But this isn't about us, baby."

The second those words left his lips, her spine straightened, Gabby remembering how she'd said that exact thing to him just before they lost Louie, a knowing look covering his face as he continued rubbing her back.

"Caitlyn, she- She needs a home. She needs a family, with people who love her, and care about her. With people who will protect her with everything they have, and she has that with us. She's been through so much, been mistreated and hurt, more than any child ever should, and I can't imagine what that's been like for her, but she needs to be with people who will make sure that never happens again." He continued, Gabby giving him a slight nod as she leaned back into his hand. "And she wants to be here." He added, his words going straight to her heart. "She trusts us, and she wants to be with us, I think we all know that."

"Yeah, she does." Gabby murmured, Casey giving her a small smile before he spoke up once more.

"She sees us as her parents, and I think she has since she got here… And I know we both see her as a daughter." He said, their conversation from just after they lost Caitlyn replaying in his mind as Gabby gave him a nod. "She came into our lives, and immediately became a part of our family… And now we have the chance to make it official. To give her the life she deserves to have, with people who love her."

"Yeah… I know you're right, I know it would make the most sense for us to do this, and that we both want her here with us, but I just- There's a part of me that's still scared to try and go through that process again."

"I know you are, and I am, too." He replied, Matt needing her to know he had the same reservations she did, that she wasn't in this alone. "And maybe us thinking about adoption, maybe we're getting ahead of ourselves… I know we need to talk to Tina. Because when it comes down to it, we don't really know much of anything about Caitlyn, or her past." He told her, Gabby giving him an agreeing nod. "We don't know anything about her parents, and I know we'd need to. We'd need to know what we'd be getting ourselves into before we do anything, but I… I feel like maybe this is what was meant to happen." He breathed out, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing together slightly as his hand moved down to her lower back.

"What do you mean?" She questioned, Matt breathing in deeply before he spoke up.

"Everything we went through with Louie, and that experience, I know that completely blindsided us, and made it hard to ever consider adopting again, but maybe Caitlyn came into our lives for a reason…" He started, Gabby staying quiet as she let him continue. "Because with Sof… I love our girl, and she's definitely our little miracle and I wouldn't change anything about having her, but I don't know if I can go through that again." He admitted, Gabby drawing in a slow breath as he shook his head. "Going through a pregnancy, just waiting for something bad to happen… That nearly broke me. Almost losing you, it killed me, and I don't know if I could go through something like that again."

"Matt…"

"I know you'd likely be fine." He interjected, the man sensing he knew what she was about to say. "Dr. Tanner said everything looked fine, and there was no reason you couldn't have a healthy pregnancy… but she also said there was a chance you could develop another aneurysm during pregnancy, and that terrifies me." He spoke, his heavy words filling the air around them as Gabby gave his hand a squeeze. "And then reading that letter-" He cut himself off, Gabby's eyes falling closed as she heard the emotion in his voice, "That just brought all those feelings, and that worry, back, and I don't know how to handle that."

A silence fell around them for a moment, Gabby and Matt both taking a second to gather themselves as they worked their way through this topic that weighed so heavily on them both. And under different circumstances, they likely wouldn't be doing this right now, but Caitlyn changed things, and they knew they didn't have the luxury of waiting for the right moment.

"And I… I know how I feel about you carrying another child, that's kind of how you feel about adoption. After everything that's happened, you're worried about doing this, and I understand it… I do. And I feel the same way. I'm nervous, and scared, about getting into all this and something happening- her being taken away, but I just… I feel like we're meant to do this, baby." He told her, his voice strong as he kept his soft eyes locked on hers. "I know none of this was ever planned, but with Caitlyn ending up back at DCFS, what that family did to her, and her coming back to be with us… I feel like she's meant to stay here. For us to become her parents… You know I'm usually not the 'the universe giving us signs' type of person, but with how this has all happened, I can't help it… We both want more kids, we've talked about it since before Sof was even born, and maybe this is how it's supposed to happen."

Matt paused to take a breath, Gabby mulling over his words as a heavy silence filled the air around them, the only sound being the low murmur of the TV playing Caitlyn's show while she slept, Casey sparing a glance towards their foster daughter before looking back to his wife, her unsteady look telling him all he needed to know.

"This isn't something we need to decide right now." He told her after a moment, Gabby's face remaining blank. "We both need to be sure, before we even think about doing this, but I just wanted you to know where I'm at, and that I-"

"We should talk to Tina." Gabby cut him off, his eyebrows raising in question.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah." She told him. "I… I'm nervous about this, I won't pretend I'm not, but the way we felt when we had to say goodbye to her… I don't wanna lose her again, Matt." She spoke softly, her words bringing a small, understanding smile to his face. "She feels like our daughter, like she belongs here with us, and Sof. Regardless of what worries we have, it's like you said, this isn't about us. This is about Caitlyn, and what she needs. And what she needs is us." She told him, Matt giving her an immediate nod in agreement while he squeezed her hand. "So I think we should call Tina, and at least figure out what options we have, then go from there… That's what I want to do."

The second she finished speaking, Matt dropped her hand and wrapped his arms around her, the two connecting in a tight hug as her head fell down onto his shoulder, Gabby soon reciprocating the action as she hugged him back.

"I love you." He breathed out, rubbing his hand through her hair as a small smile formed over her lips.

"I love you, too." She responded, pressing a kiss to his t-shirt covered shoulder before nuzzling closer to him.

But their quiet moment was soon interrupted by the sound of fussing through the baby monitor, Gabby sighing softly before she pulled away from her husband.

"I guess Sof's awake." She told him, Gabby rubbing her hand along his side before she stood up.

"Want me to get her?" He offered, Dawson shaking her head as she pushed her chair back towards the table.

"No, it's alright. She'll want to eat, anyway… You just stay here with Caitlyn." She spoke, her eyes flashing towards the resting girl before she looked back towards her husband. "She'll want you when she wakes up." She added, her words bringing a soft smile to Matt's face before he gave her a nod, Gabby rubbing her hand through her hair before she headed towards the steps to go take care of their daughter, while Matt grabbed his coffee and moved back towards the couch, the man smiling softly when he saw Caitlyn still deep with her slumber. After their long night, he was just glad to see she was relaxed enough to get some more sleep, Matt knowing the best thing he could do for her right now was leave her be and let her rest.

But that wouldn't keep him from sitting next to her while she slept, Matt wanting to make sure he did all he could to comfort her and keep her safe, even if she wasn't awake to realize it, the man well aware that if things went the way they hoped, looking out for Caitlyn was something he'd be able to do for the rest of his life.


	103. Chapter One Hundred and Three

**Hi guys! Here's the next chapter for you all, I hope you enjoy it! Thank you so much for reading, I can't wait to hear what you think.**

**Stay safe, everyone xx**

* * *

_**Chapter One Hundred and Three**_

* * *

Casey rifled through the dresser drawers in his daughter's bedroom, the baby currently occupied by a couple of her toys while she sat on the rug in the middle of the room in nothing but her diaper, Matt searching around for an acceptable pair of pants to go with the shirt he'd picked out for her. He knew well enough by now that if the clothing didn't match, Gabby was bound to redress her, and they didn't really have the time for that, the father huffing out a breath before he finally found the pair of blue pants he was looking for. With the clothing and a fresh diaper in his hands, he turned back around to face his daughter, his eyebrows raising when he saw the baby on her feet.

"Sof," He started, his voice gaining the baby's attention as a wide, slobbery grin was covering her face, Matt unable to hide his own smile as he started walking towards her. "Come here, baby, we've gotta get ready, or Momma's gonna- No, Sof, come back." He tried when the baby took off for the door, her little legs moving her at a surprisingly quick speed as she bolted out of the room, Matt following after her swiftly.

He knew she couldn't get herself into too much trouble with the safety gate secured at the top of the steps, but with as quickly as Sofia was moving around these days, the parents didn't like to let her out of their sight for too long, knowing it wouldn't take her long at all to find herself in a situation she shouldn't be in.

"Sofia, come on, baby." He continued as he followed after her, Matt hearing her giggles as she waddled towards Caitlyn's room, her steps still a little unsteady as Sofia soon disappeared into the bedroom just seconds before Matt got to the doorway. He came to a stop as he looked inside the five year old's room, his smile growing when he saw Sofia moving straight towards her mom and Caitlyn, the pair currently standing in front of the little girl's dresser while Gabby worked on her hair, though the process was halted when they both heard the sound of the baby's laughter.

With an amused gleam in her eye, Gabby smirked softly when she noticed her daughter still just in a diaper before her eyes moved up to her husband, her grin growing as she saw the clothing in his hands.

"Sofia!" Caitlyn spoke brightly, the baby shrieking in excitement from the greeting she'd gotten from her foster sister, Sofia changing her course of direction to walk towards the five year old instead of her mother.

Solely by looking at them, you couldn't tell the girls had just seen each other less than ten minutes ago, the children only separating so they could get ready for the day ahead, Gabby taking Caitlyn to get dressed while Matt handled Sofia. Though, when comparing the two children, and seeing Caitlyn out of her pajamas and into a nice summer dress Gabby had gotten her before she left, and then seeing Sofia still running around nearly naked, it was clear Gabby had more success with her task, the mother still wearing that proud look on her face as her husband stepped into the room.

"You do realize we need to leave soon, yeah?" Gabby asked him as he came to a stop just in front of the girl's bed, a knowing look covering his features before he spared a quick glance to the children, seeing Caitlyn having bent down to Sofia's level while the baby was fascinated by the flower pattern on her dress.

"I know, I know… I was trying to find an outfit you wouldn't get mad at me over." He replied with a sheepish grin, Gabby stifling an eye roll before shaking her head.

"Well, at this rate, any clothes would be good." She fired back playfully, Matt releasing a soft chuckle before he nodded.

"I'm working on it, but your kid is fast." He responded without missing a beat, the man walking the rest of the way towards his girls before pressing a quick kiss to Gabby's lips. "I'll get her dressed, then we can go." He spoke softly against her lips, Gabby nodding before giving him another quick kiss, the man smiling as he pulled away and turned towards the kids. "Alright Sof, we gotta go get ready. Mommy and Caitlyn need to finish getting ready, too." He said to his daughter, the little girl looking towards him when she heard his voice, though she didn't understand much of what was being said to her.

"Mama!" She repeated loudly, Gabby biting back a laugh as Sofia looked at her, the baby clearly understanding that word as she pulled back from Caitlyn and hurried to her mother, little Sofia hugging herself to her mom's legs as Gabby reached down to run her hand through her curly hair.

"Hi baby." She cooed, Sofia's little arms holding onto her as tightly as she could before the girl looked up towards her mom, her wide smile growing even more as her bright blue eyes shined up at her. "I know you're excited, but we gotta get you dressed." Gabby repeated Matt's words, the mother looking over towards Caitlyn who seemed content to just watch the family in front of her. "You gotta go with Daddy."

"Da."

Matt's and Gabby's eyes both widened as they looked up at one another, Gabby seeing the exact moment her husband completely registered what their daughter had just said, the huge smile forming over his face flooding her with warmth as his eyes moved back to his little girl.

"Did she…?" He questioned in near disbelief, Gabby nodding enthusiastically before looking back towards her daughter.

"Do you want your Daddy, Sof?" Gabby prompted as she blinked back the tears in her eyes, the heartwarming moment desperately needed after how hard things had been lately, Sofia completely unaware of just how monumental this was as she continued staring up at her mother. "Can you say Dada?"

"Da.. Dada!" She repeated with relative ease, Matt's grin only growing as he squatted down next to his daughter, Sofia turning when she registered the movement. "Dada!" She said again, her tone much more excited than before, like she'd just remembered he was in the room.

"She said Dada!" Caitlyn spoke up, her excitement pouring through the room as she stepped towards Gabby, the foster mom immediately wrapping her arm around the young girl's shoulders, wanting to make sure Caitlyn felt included in this moment, especially considering how frequently the five year old had tried to get Sofia to say the word before she left.

"Yeah, she did baby." Gabby replied, rubbing her hand along Caitlyn's arm as Sofia waddled the few steps towards her father.

"Dada!" She said again, her chin covered in drool as she held her arms out towards her dad, Matt keeping a hold on the clothes in his hands while he scooped her up into his arms. "Dada!"

The little girl continued to repeat the word as Matt stood with her in his grasp, the father pressing soft kisses to the side of her head while she held onto him happily, her bright smile infectious as the small family stood together in the five year old's bedroom.

"Yeah, it's me… I'm your dada." He continued to converse with his one year old, the father and daughter off in their own little world while Gabby watched on, her heart nearly bursting at the sight of her husband so happy.

She knew this was something Matt had been waiting on, that in the weeks that had passed since Sofia began talking, the longer she went without saying his name, the more dejected he became. He tried not to show it, but Gabby knew it had been eating away at him more than he'd ever admit. So seeing him now with their daughter, so clearly happy at her saying one single word, his reaction was better than she ever pictured in her head.

Tearing her eyes away from the happy sight in front of her, her focus moved down to the girl standing tucked into her side, Caitlyn's gaze locked on Matt and Sofia as a soft smile rested over her face. But there was something behind it, a look Gabby couldn't quite read, the young girl almost looking upset. There was a sadness, a look Dawson would almost call longing in Caitlyn's eyes as she stared at her foster dad and sister, Gabby's smile falling as she ran her hand over the girl's arm. The action gained the young girl's attention, Caitlyn quickly regaining her smile as she looked up at Gabby.

"You okay, honey?" Gabby asked her, the little girl nodding.

"Yeah… Is it almost time to go?" Caitlyn questioned before Gabby could say anything more, the mother pausing for a moment before nodding as she ran her hand along her back.

"It is." She told her, Gabby not missing how Caitlyn tensed underneath her touch involuntarily before she gave a slight nod. Which, admittedly, Gabby couldn't say she was surprised by her reaction, Caitlyn having had this same nervousness since last night when told her of their plans for today.

If it were a normal day for them, Gabby and Matt would've been well into their shift at firehouse 51, while Caitlyn and Sofia were being watched by Becca. They would've fallen back into their routine they'd had prior to losing the five year old, and worked on getting some of that normalcy back into little Caitlyn's life. But things were nowhere close to normal for them right now, and with getting the young girl back so suddenly, both parents had decided it would be best to take some time off of work, knowing Caitlyn needed their presence more than anything right now.

But today they weren't just taking the day off to be with the girls, today they were also going to see Tina. And that's part of what had Caitlyn so on edge.

To no surprise to either parent, when they talked to Caitlyn yesterday about going back to DCFS and talking to Tina, she hadn't taken it well. The five year old immediately panicked, Caitlyn practically in tears before they could even explain why they were going, the young girl immediately thinking they were leaving her again. But after multiple assurances that everything was fine, that they wouldn't be going anywhere, along with nearly an hour of cuddles while they sat on the couch, Caitlyn had calmed down. And luckily, she hadn't been nearly as upset since. But she was still wary of the whole thing, even though they didn't have any other choice but to go see the social worker.

After their conversation yesterday morning about adopting the young girl in their care, they knew this visit with Tina wasn't something they could put off. They needed to know their options here, and they needed to know them as soon as possible, both Matt and Gabby knowing they didn't want to think over this any longer.

They'd talked about it a few more times throughout the day yesterday since their initial conversation, and once again this morning, and every time they ended up back in the same place; that Caitlyn belonged here with them.

It wasn't what they planned on, and when this opportunity first presented itself barely two months ago, they never imagined this is where they'd be, trying to adopt this girl that had come into their lives and so quickly become a part of their family. But it's where they were at, and regardless of how unexpected this all was, it didn't change what they both knew in their hearts, and that was that Caitlyn needed to stay here with them. They just had to talk to Tina, and figure out how to make that happen. Because right now, there was nothing but uncertainty surrounding them.

Which is why they hadn't said a word about adoption to Caitlyn.

Though they weren't even sure if she entirely grasped what the word meant, she was old enough to understand the concept of getting to stay here with them forever. And while that was something both Matt and Gabby wanted, despite their lingering nerves, they refused to tell that to Caitlyn. Not until they were sure.

Because the last thing they wanted to do was put this little girl through any more trauma than she'd already experienced. Being ripped away from them once had already done some serious damage, they weren't going to make promises to her when they had no idea if they could keep them. Though they knew it was likely they'd be able to try and adopt her, they still didn't know what all they were dealing with where Caitlyn was concerned. They knew nothing of her past, or her family. They didn't know if her parents were still in the picture, or if there was some long lost family member out there who would try and come into Caitlyn's life and want to take her. They had no idea about anything with this girl, and after everything with Louie, they knew they had to be cautious.

But after multiple conversations, and all the time they'd spent with Caitlyn, they knew this is what they wanted. Gabby and Matt both wanted this; they wanted to bring Caitlyn into their family permanently, they wanted her to stay, for them to raise her, and help her become the incredible woman they knew she'd one day be. They wanted her to be here with them, and Sofia, and give their daughter an older sister they never expected. They wanted all of that, but mostly importantly they wanted it for Caitlyn. They wanted to give her a home where she felt incredibly loved, and safe. Where she knew she always had people she could turn to, people to rely on, who would stop at nothing to do what was best for her.

They wanted her to have a family. And they knew they could give her that.

"Alright Sof, we need to finish getting you ready," Matt's voice pulled Gabby from her thoughts as her eyes focused in on Caitlyn, seeing the girl had gone back to watching her foster dad and Sofia playing a few steps away from them, the soft smile on her face still residing there as she leaned into Gabby's side, though Caitlyn obviously still felt a little nervous about their outing today, "and Mommy needs to help Caitlyn, or we're gonna be late. So let's get moving." He told her, waving her little arm around in the air, the action causing Sofia to giggle loudly before Matt began walking towards the door.

"Give me five minutes, then we'll be good to go." He told her, Gabby raising her eyebrows before her head tilted to the side slightly.

"It'll be ten… At least." She challenged, the heaviness of her thoughts slowly lifting as Matt shot her a knowing smirk, the man shaking his head before continuing his path out of the room. But before he got too far, her voice stopped him once more. "Oh, and before I forget, I heard from Boden," She started, Matt pausing in the doorway as he glanced back at her, waiting for her to continue. "He told us to take all the time we needed, and not to worry about work… He also said he'd tell everyone." She finished, Matt drawing in a slow breath before he nodded.

Though they'd told Severide, who likely told Stella as well, that Caitlyn was back with them, aside from Boden, they hadn't had the chance to really talk to anyone, their priorities focused on taking care of their girls more than anything else. So, aside from a few calls with Boden, and a call and some texts from Kelly, they hadn't had the chance to sit down and talk to the rest of their friends, those conversations not really high on the list of things they were worrying about at the moment.

"Good." Matt responded softly, adjusting his daughter in his arms. "I'll call him later, once we know more…" He trailed off, his eyes moving towards the five year old still standing by his wife's side, as Gabby gave him a small nod.

"Sounds good, babe… Now go get our girl dressed." She told him, Casey smiling softly before he headed out of the room, leaving Gabby with Caitlyn so she could finish getting the child ready, as well.

* * *

Gabby and Matt stood in the all too familiar elevator as they waited to get to their floor, the five year old sandwiched in between them while she held onto both of their hands with each of hers, Sofia perched on Matt's hip on his opposite side while Gabby held onto the diaper bag and Caitlyn's favorite stuffed teddy bear, the little girl unable to hold her comfort item while she was gripping her foster parents' hands. While they were standing together, Becca was behind them, the woman leaning up against the wall as they all quietly waited.

While they hadn't originally planned on the nanny joining them today, with the uncertainty surrounding everything, and Becca typically scheduled to work anyway, the parents decided to have her come along, Gabby having asked her to meet them at DCFS this morning. Because while they weren't entirely sure what they were walking into, they knew the chances were high that they'd have to speak to Tina alone, and after everything Caitlyn had gone through the last thing they wanted to do was leave her with someone she didn't know or trust, even if that person was a social worker. So they figured bringing Becca along was the safest course of action, knowing that not only could she help with Caitlyn, but she could also watch Sofia for them while they handled this.

When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, both Gabby and Matt could feel little Caitlyn's nerves skyrocket as they stepped out into the hallway, the parents hating to see her so uneasy. It was one of the hardest things in the world, to see the child they loved hurting the way she was, but every chance they got, they reassured her that everything was fine, Gabby giving her hand an extra firm squeeze as they walked towards the office.

"Are you staying with me?"

Caitlyn's small voice found their ears as they got to the sitting area, Gabby looking down at her as they stopped outside of Tina's door. Her deep brown eyes were bouncing back and forth between Gabby and Matt, the girl clearly in need of an answer as Dawson gave her hand another reassuring squeeze.

"I don't know if you'll be able to stay in there with us the entire time, baby." Gabby started, seeing Caitlyn's body immediately tense before her eyes darted around nervously. "It's okay." She murmured, rubbing her thumb along the back of Caitlyn's hand in an attempt to soothe her. "It's alright… We just have to talk to Tina, about some pretty important things." She continued, trying to tell her as much as she could. "But when you can't be with us, you'll be with Becca, alright?" She told her, Caitlyn's eyes flickering up towards the nanny, finding her already smiling softly at her before giving her a reassuring nod. "You'll either be with her, or with us, we won't leave you alone, honey. I promise."

Caitlyn thought over her words for a moment before she nodded, the girl clearly feeling a little better about the idea of being away from them as she slowly spoke up once more. "Am I going home?" She questioned, her voice sounding somewhat lost as she waited for any sign of confirmation from either of her parents that this wasn't like last time, though it was something they'd promised her multiple times already. But they'd never deny her that assurance as Gabby gave her a strong nod.

"You are… Once we're done, we're all gonna go home." Gabby replied, her eyes flashing up towards her husband, waiting for him to say something as well.

"Gabby's right, sweetheart. I know this is all kind of scary, and the last few times we've been here haven't been good… But all we're doing today is talking to Tina, and once that's done, we're gonna go home, all four of us." He repeated his wife's words, sensing the girl needed to hear them once more. "Even if we can't be together the entire time, we're not going anywhere, I promise you."

With assurances from both of the people she saw as parents, Caitlyn gave them a soft nod just as Tina's door opened, the small family looking over just as the social worker came into view, a small smile resting on her face. The second Caitlyn registered her presence, she instinctively stepped closer to Gabby, the girl nearly hiding behind her body as Tina released a soft sigh.

She knew Caitlyn was scared; after seeing how she'd been when they'd removed her from her last home, Tina was well aware just how terrified the five year old was. And she knew Caitlyn likely associated her with that trauma, which she understood, but it was a difficult thing to accept, knowing that while she had nothing but that little girl's best interest at heart, she'd been a part of what had clearly scarred her.

"It's okay, Caitlyn." Tina tried, Caitlyn nodding slowly as she loosened her grip on Gabby, but only slightly. "We're just gonna talk for a bit, everything's fine." She reassured her, Caitlyn hesitating once more before nodding, the five year old obviously unsure of her surroundings, for good reason. "Come on in, you guys."

After prompting from Tina, and handing off Sofia and the diaper bag to Becca, the three of them headed inside, Caitlyn reluctantly dropping Gabby's hand as they got to the seats across from Tina's desk. While Gabby took her seat in the chair closest to the window, Caitlyn paused for a moment as she looked up to Matt.

"Can I sit with you?"

Matt barely heard Caitlyn's small voice, but when it registered, he looked down towards the girl, finding her already staring up at him, her wide eyes unable to hide the range of emotions she was feeling right now, Casey immediately nodding.

"Of course baby, come here." He replied softly, Tina watching on as Matt sat down before he lifted Caitlyn up into his lap, the girl helping his movements as she settled on his lap, her body angled partially sideways so she could see Gabby as well, as Matt wrapped his arms around her. Feeling safe and secure in his embrace, Caitlyn placed her little hands on top of his, her shoulder leaning back against his chest as Gabby reached over to place a hand on her leg, Caitlyn smiling softly as Matt felt her completely relax against him.

"So, I know you all called and said you wanted to talk," Tina started, the woman clasping her hands together on the desk in front of her, "but I think first I wanna talk to Caitlyn, if that's alright with you, honey?" She asked, Caitlyn breathing slowly before she nodded.

They were all well aware of the situation here, Tina having a pretty good idea of _why_ Gabby and Matt had called her so quickly, wanting to come and speak with her. But before they got into all that, Tina needed to check in with the little girl.

"Okay." Caitlyn responded quietly, Matt feeling her grip on the back of his hand tighten, the man instinctively pressing a kiss against her blonde hair, Tina taking that as her cue to continue.

"Alright… Well, I know things have been hard, and scary lately, but I wanna know how you're doing." Tina prompted, Gabby rubbing her leg reassuringly as Caitlyn's five year old brain thought over her words.

"I…" She stopped herself, her eyebrows furrowing together slightly as she tried to figure out what she wanted to say. "I'm happy I'm with them." She started, her voice barely audible. "I missed them, and I didn't want to leave." She continued, Gabby's eyes falling closed for a split second as her body flooded with guilt, just as it had every time she was reminded of how much they'd hurt Caitlyn, even though they had no choice. "I like being with Matt and Gabby." She explained the best she could, Tina nodding in understanding.

"And have you been feeling better, since you've been with them again?" Tina questioned, the woman trying to get a clear picture of how Caitlyn had been doing in the two days that had passed since she'd been back in the Casey's care. Though she knew it would take talking with Matt and Gabby to get the whole picture.

"Yeah." She responded simply, Caitlyn giving Gabby a small smile as the woman squeezed her leg once more. "I still get scared, but they make it better."

"What do you get scared about?" Tina continued, Caitlyn pursing her lips together as her hand lightly moved against Matt's.

"Going away." She responded after a few seconds, Matt drawing in a deep breath to steady himself, as Gabby bit down on the inside of her cheek, Tina watching the makeshift family with sadness in her gaze. "I get scared when we're not together, like I was scared when I was at the other house. I don't like being away from them." She spoke softly, Tina offering her a small, understanding smile before nodding her head.

"Okay, honey… I'm sorry you've been so scared. But we're gonna do everything we can to make sure you never feel like that again, okay?" Tina told her, knowing she had to choose her words carefully, though she wasn't even sure how much the five year old really understood what was being said to her.

"Matt and Gabby make it better, I'm only scared for a little before I'm better, because they help me." Caitlyn continued to try and explain what she was feeling, the little girl smiling softly as she leaned back against Matt, but her smile soon fell when a thought crossed her mind. "I don't wanna leave anymore." She added, her voice small and uncertain, Caitlyn clearly worried about the mere possibility of not being with them anymore. "I only wanna be with them."

Matt tightened his grip on the young girl, the man pressing another kiss to her head while Gabby blinked back the tears forming in her eyes, Dawson shooting Tina a knowing look, silently telling her they needed to talk. Understanding her request instantly, Tina gave Caitlyn a small smile while Matt continued kissing her head.

"Alright Caitlyn, thank you… I need to talk with Matt and Gabby for a little bit, okay? But you did great, honey. I know this isn't very fun to talk about." Tina spoke simply, Caitlyn nodding as Matt began to edge forward in his seat, Casey helping her slide down off his lap.

"You're gonna go hang out with Becca and Sof, okay? But Gabby and I will be right here." Matt reassured her, Caitlyn's eyes flickering between both of her foster parents before she nodded once more, the unsure look in her eye not going unnoticed by either of them. "Everything's okay, if you need us, you can come and get us, but we'll be right in here." He repeated, Gabby giving Caitlyn an assuring nod before Matt led her out of the room, a heavy silence falling between the two women as they waited for Casey to get back.

Within a minute, Matt was back in the room, the man shutting the door behind him before walking back over to his seat, Gabby reaching out to run her hand along his shoulder. "She okay?"

"Yeah, I think so… Becca gave her her stuffed animal the second we got out there, and she already had the iPad ready with her favorite show, so I think she'll be alright." Matt told her. "And Sof was good, too," He added, knowing his wife was seconds away from asking. "She had her bottle, and a few toys, she's doing just fine."

"Good." Gabby responded with a small smile as Matt leaned back into her touch.

"Is that how it's been since you all took her home the other day?" Tina cut in, her words causing them both to look her way as she didn't waste any time. "Caitlyn, her being away from you all… Has she been that anxious every time?"

"Sometimes it's worse." Gabby answered honestly, Matt nodding sadly in agreement. "But yeah, she's been like that since we came and got her. She's afraid to be alone."

"She gets really nervous when we're out of her sight." Casey added on, Tina listening to their every word. "She likes both of us being around, but usually she's alright if it's only one of us… But the one of two times where neither of us have been in the same room with her, she gets really upset." He breathed out, Matt running his tongue along his bottom lip. "Caitlyn, she's… She's struggling." Matt finished, neither parent missing the look of near defeat that flashed in Tina's gaze.

"What else has been going on?" She questioned, the social worker needing the whole story, despite the fact it felt like a knife was tearing through her with each reminder of just how badly Caitlyn had been affected by this.

"She's had nightmares both nights she's been with us, and she wet the bed the first night… She's always been a little attached to the both of us, but she's been very clingy since we got her back. Like Matt said, she doesn't want to be alone. She's been sleeping with us, and when she naps, we make sure one of us is always close by, so she doesn't wake up alone and panic." Gabby explained, running through her mental list of everything they'd been dealing with where the five year old was concerned. "She's just… scared. And I don't blame her. This whole thing, us leaving her and everything that happened after, we- She's having a really hard time." Gabby was struggling to keep it together, the mother's heart breaking with every word as she recanted the effects that this trauma had on the young girl, Matt reaching out to grab her hand as he blinked back the tears in his own eyes.

With her remorseful eyes moving back and forth between the couple she knew so well, Tina shook her head, the woman drawing in a deep breath before she spoke up.

"I… I wanted what was best for her." She started, her words catching their attention. "Like I do with every single child that comes through here, I want the best for them. And I thought that's what I was doing… I thought this family we had lined up for her, I thought they'd be the ones where Caitlyn could settle into their home, and when I asked you all to foster her, I just thought her being in a stable home would be good for her, until she could go and be with that other family… I never imagined it would turn into all this." She spoke, shaking her head as she ran her hand along her forehead. "I knew you could give her a stable, loving home, while she needed it, but I didn't anticipate it ever being this hard on her. And I think this, this situation and everything that's happened, I think the system failed her." She admitted, Matt nodding his head slightly in agreement. "I know we have a lot to talk about, and I'm not entirely sure what you two are thinking, but she never should've been taken from your home… I fear it just traumatized her more than anything, especially after all she's been through." She finished, Dawson sparing a quick glance to her husband as they digested Tina's words, the paramedic drawing in a deep breath before she spoke up.

"We never expected it to turn into this, either." Gabby said, Matt nodding slightly. "We didn't think she'd ever have this hard of a time not being with us. When you asked us to foster Caitlyn for a few weeks, we never imagined any of this would happen, that she'd feel so at home with us, but it did. And that little girl…" She trailed off, Gabby biting down on the inside of her cheek as Matt gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. "She's such a special kid, with so much love to give… She's been through so much, and I know right now she's struggling a lot, but she has one of the kindest hearts we've ever seen, even after everything, and Matt and I-" She cut herself off once more, Gabby taking a deep, steadying breath before she continued. "We didn't expect to fall in love with her the way we did, or for her to feel like she was our daughter, but it happened… She feels like she belongs with us." Gabby continued, the woman earning an encouraging smile from Matt before she looked back to Tina, finding a look she couldn't quite read waiting for her. "And we've talked about it, we know this is a big deal. It's not something to take lightly, and this may seem like we made this decision quickly, but it doesn't feel like we did… Because she's felt like she was ours for a while now," She paused to take a breath, Gabby reaching her free hand across her body to hold onto Matt's with both of hers. "But Matt and I, we want to try and adopt Caitlyn."

There was a heavy silence that settled around them, Gabby and Matt waiting with bated breaths as they watched for any sort of reaction from the social worker, Casey giving her hand a firm squeeze as their eyes focused on Tina, though she had yet to say anything. But suddenly, a wide smile formed across her face, both parents seeing the near relieved look in Tina's eyes as she blew out a soft breath.

"I was hoping that's why you two were coming in today." She breathed out, Gabby and Matt both smiling wide as they registered her words, Tina shaking her head slightly before she continued. "I wasn't exactly sure what you all wanted to talk about, but after how you all were the other day with Caitlyn, and how she's so obviously attached to you all, for her sake, I was hoping you all were wanting this."

"We are." Matt spoke up softly, the man sparing a quick glance to Gabby before continuing. "We want to try and adopt her, if that's something that's a possibility… I know there's a lot we need to talk about, we don't really know anything about Caitlyn's past, and her family, and after everything with Louie… I won't lie to you, we're nervous about this. About going through this process again, and something happening, so I guess we just want to know what we'd be getting ourselves into here." He spoke, Tina nodding understandingly as she reached for a relatively thick file sitting off to the side of her desk. "Because we want to adopt her, if that's in her best interest. But there's still so many unknowns here for us, and we want to know all we can about her before we go any further." He finished, Matt releasing a heavy breath as Tina gave him an understanding nod.

"I completely get it." She replied, opening up the file in front of her, Gabby shifting forward in her seat slightly as her eyes focused on the papers she couldn't read. "This isn't a typical situation, you all didn't go into this with the intention of keeping Caitlyn, so we never really got into her past, and why she's in the system to begin with, so I understand you all having questions." She told them, her eyes focused on the file as she flipped through it before landing on the page she was looking for.

"Yeah, we just want to know if there's any surprises waiting for us, if we start this process." Matt added, Tina nodding before she looked back up towards him.

"Well, for Caitlyn, it doesn't seem to be likely that they'll be anything like that, nothing like what happened with Louie." She spoke, Matt and Gabby both nodding. "From what we have on record, Caitlyn's mother died during childbirth," Matt's body tightened as those words left her lips, the man shifting in his seat as memories of Sofia's birth automatically flashed in his mind. But he immediately tried to push those thoughts from his head, Gabby giving his hand a tight squeeze as she noticed his reaction, the woman knowing exactly what he was thinking about. "So she's, unfortunately, never been in the picture. And the Caitlyn's father, he passed away in a car accident." She explained, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she shook her head. "That happened a little over eight months ago."

"That's awful." Dawson murmured, rubbing her thumb along the back of Matt's hand.

"Was Caitlyn with him?" Matt questioned, the parents wanting to know as much they could about the past of the little girl that might become theirs.

"No, she wasn't. He was in the vehicle alone… From what we were told, he was coming home from work, and Caitlyn was at home with a sitter."

"Does she have any other family?" Gabby asked, the woman voicing the question they were both anxious to know the answer to, Tina pursing her lips together before responding.

"The only extended family we could find was a brother on her father's side, and her mother's parents. But neither of them wanted to take Caitlyn in, so she ended up with us." Tina explained, Gabby wincing slightly before she nodded. "As far as we can tell, her father seemed to be the only family she ever knew."

The second those words left her lips, Gabby looked towards Matt, the woman watching her husband as he continued staring at Tina, his eyebrows furrowed before he spoke up once more.

"And were there ever any problems there? With her father?" Casey questioned, Tina's head tilting to the side slightly. "I just… With the abuse she'd suffered in different homes, I wasn't sure if anything had ever happened before that. If there was anything else we needed to know about." He elaborated, his words earning a sad, yet understanding, smile from Tina before she replied.

"DCFS was never called to the home, and we have no records of there ever being issues." Tina told them, both Gabby and Matt nodding. "And when we met Caitlyn, there was no indication she'd been abused in the past. When she was in our care, she'd ask about her dad a lot, and want to go be with him… It was hard for her to really understand what was going on. But from everything we heard, and Caitlyn herself, her dad loved her very much. But it was only him- there was no step-mother, or girlfriend in the picture that we know of. Just him, trying to take care of his daughter."

Gabby and Matt took a moment to digest what all they'd just been told, Tina's words weighing heavily on them as they came to realize how Caitlyn had been through much more than they ever realized. Though, the longer they sat here, the more Caitlyn's actions since they met were making sense. The only family she ever had had been ripped away from her in a second, and they had done that to her a second time when they left her at DCFS, the thought leaving knots in Gabby's stomach.

"Were there, uh-" Matt started, the man breaking from his thoughts as he cleared his throat. "Did she have any other issues once she was in the system, than the last two places she was? With any other families or anything?"

"No, she didn't… At least not abuse-wise, no. I know I told you she kept getting bounced around, which she did, but the issue with the fall down the stairs was the first time she'd gotten hurt. The homes before, they just weren't good matches for her, and Caitlyn ended up back in group homes a lot during the six months we had her before you all met her… That's part of why she had some of those developmental delays you all are aware of, just because she hadn't been in any stable environment for months. And at her age, that definitely did affect her. But I can tell that has gotten better, in the time she's been with you." Tina said, Gabby nodding softly as they took in everything being told to them. "But, until the issue in that house before you all met her, the only problem she had was just not having anywhere to go. Everything we know about her, you all now know." She finished, Matt drawing in a deep breath as he glanced over towards Gabby, finding her soft eyes already on him.

"Alright…" Matt breathed out, the man needing a second to think over all of this, as did Gabby, the two watching each other as their eyes traced over each other's faces, the couple communicating as they always did before Casey turned back to Tina. "So, what are our next steps here to adopt her?" He questioned, both of them seeing the soft smile that formed over her lips.

"Well, it's a little easier to get the ball rolling, because you all have been her foster parents already. But I won't sugarcoat it, adoption is a long process." She told them, the parents remembering this conversation well from their time with Louie. "It will take months, before she is officially and legally yours, and there's a lot that goes into this, but if you all are serious about this, and you're ready to take this on, then we can get this started."

"We are." Gabby responded without hesitation, her simple words bringing a wide smile to Matt's face as he gave her hand a squeeze, the man's chest flooding with warmth as he saw how sure she was about this. Especially considering how she'd been the one more worried between the two of them, rightfully so, but seeing her so certain now filled him with a feeling he couldn't quite explain. But they both knew this was the right thing for them, and the right thing for Caitlyn.

"Yeah, we are." Matt echoed. "We know what we're getting ourselves into… We've been with her enough to know there's still some things she needs extra help with, and she needs more attention and care than maybe some five year olds would, but we're aware of that. We're not blind to it… We know we can give her what she needs, and be the parents she deserves to have." He finished, Gabby nodding in agreement as Tina's smile grew.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear." She responded brightly, the Casey's flashing her warm grins before the woman continued.

Over the next hour, Tina laid out exactly how this process would go, telling the parents all they'd need to know, and then some, about what all would be happening while they tried to adopt Caitlyn. And while a lot of this was stuff they knew, some of it was new to them, seeing as how they never had the chance to get this far with Louie. This was the step they'd gotten to with their son, Gabby starting to paperwork to petition the court to adopt Louie before things went south, so they never got the opportunity to go into detail about what exactly happened after that, which was what Tina was going over now. And while it was a bit overwhelming, and the couple was a little anxious at just how long of a process this would be, they also felt an abundant sense of happiness at the thought of Caitlyn officially becoming a part of their family.

And they knew that the moment they finally got to tell Caitlyn would only make this feeling a hundred times better.

"Alright, now, she will need to be in your care for a little while longer, before we can petition the court for adoption." Tina continued, her words earning a nod from Gabby. "But there's a few things I can go ahead and get done on my end, so everything's in order for when the time comes."

"Sounds good." Casey replied, Tina smiling softly before she clasped her hands together in front of herself, her eyes moving back and forth in between them.

"Now, I know there's a lot to this process, and it can take awhile for all this to happen, but have you all spoken to Caitlyn about this yet?" She questioned, Gabby immediately shaking her head.

"No, we haven't." She replied. "We didn't want to say anything until we talked to you." She replied, Tina nodding quickly.

"And I think we're wanting to wait a bit, too." Matt added, looking towards his wife for confirmation, which she soon gave.

"Yeah, we are." She spoke softly, Tina giving them a knowing nod. "I think we should at least wait until we've petitioned the court and everything, and even then maybe still wait a bit to officially tell her. I don't want her to be confused, or think she'll be leaving, but if something happens and we aren't able to adopt her, I- I just think it's best to wait until later to explain to her what this means, and what's going on. Just in case." She breathed out, Gabby playing with Matt's hand as a method of distraction.

"I understand, and honestly I think that's probably for the best… Not because I think anything will happen, but Caitlyn's had so much change in such a short time, and with how she's handling things right now, it's probably for the best to wait until we're a little farther in this to tell her. I'd say just making sure she knows you're not going anywhere is enough for now." Tina told them, Gabby running her tongue along the inside of her lip before responding.

"That's what we were thinking, too."

After a few more minutes, and some last conversations between the Casey's and Tina before they finished, the parent's were more than ready to get out of here and get back with the children who were just on the other side of the door. With their few belongings in their hands, Gabby and Matt headed for the door, Gabby pulling it open as she immediately was met by the sight of Caitlyn and Sofia, along with Becca, who was close by keeping an eye on the kids.

Caitlyn was sitting in her seat, doing her best to play dolls with Sofia, though the baby was more interested in just shaking the toy around in her hands, neither child sensing their presence as Becca was the first one who noticed them. When the nanny saw them, she offered them a soft smile before turning her attention back towards the girls, Becca rubbing her hand over Caitlyn's shoulder to gain her attention before nodding towards Matt and Gabby.

The second she saw them, a bright smile formed over her lips, Caitlyn immediately putting the dolls down and sliding down out of her seat, both parents just happy to see that she seemingly did well without them as she hurried towards them. Her abrupt movement caught Sofia's attention as the baby looked up just as Caitlyn crashed into Matt and gave him a hug, Sofia squealing in delight when she saw her parents, clearly just as eager to get to them. And with some help from Becca, she was soon placed down on her feet, little Sofia waddling over to them and hugging her mother's legs as tightly as she could.

"Hi baby." Gabby murmured as she reached down to pick up her daughter, the woman settling Sofia on her hip before looking towards her husband and foster daughter, finding Caitlyn watching her with that same infectious grin. "And hello to you too, sweetheart." She added, her words causing Caitlyn's smile to widen. "Did you have fun with Becca?"

"Yeah, we played lots of games… But I'm hungry." She replied, Gabby nodding knowingly before sparing another glance to her husband.

"Yeah, I'm sure you are, I am, too… How about you go clean up your toys, then maybe we can get Gabby to agree to letting us eat out for lunch." Matt spoke mischievously, Gabby cocking her head to the side as his words caused Caitlyn to laugh.

"Can we, Gabby?" She asked as she bounced on the balls of her feet, the girl sticking out her bottom lip as she gave her foster mother her best puppy dog eyes, the look persuading Dawson more than she'd care to admit.

"I think we can do that." She responded, Caitlyn's smile returning before she nodded excitedly. "But like Matt said, you've gotta clean up your toys first, then we can go."

"Okay… And we're going home?" She questioned, Gabby's eyebrows furrowing slightly before she soon realized what Caitlyn was asking, Matt having the same initial reaction as well as Caitlyn repeated the question she'd asked them when they first got here.

"We're going home… All of us." He promised her once more, Caitlyn's eyes locking with his before she nodded. "But not before we get some food."

"Okay!" She replied brightly, her nerves clearly having dissipated as she took a step away from them. "I'll get my toys!"

And without another word, she was gone, Caitlyn having run back over to Becca where all her toys laid out across the chair and the floor, Matt watching her with a content grin on his face before he looked back towards his wife, finding her staring at him with her own knowing smile. The look on her face caused his eyebrows to furrow, Matt's gaze flickering between his wife and his baby before he finally spoke up.

"What?" He questioned, unsure of what Gabby was thinking as her smile grew.

"Nothing… Just after what Tina said, some things are making a little more sense." She replied vaguely, her words doing nothing to help clear up whatever was going on in her mind as his head tilted to the side.

"What do you mean?" He pressed.

"Why Caitlyn's always been drawn to you." She elaborated without anymore prompting. "You probably remind her of her dad." She told her, his smile faltering slightly as a rush of sadness washed over him at the thought of what all the five year old had gone through, Gabby drawing in a deep breath as she adjusted her daughter's weight on her hip. "We both know how much she loves you, baby, and especially if what Tina said is true, that it was just her and her father… He sounds like he was an amazing dad, and if I had to guess, I'd say you remind Caitlyn of that." She repeated, her words bringing his small smile back as he sighed softly, the man reaching out to run his hand along Gabby's back.

"Maybe, yeah…" He trailed off, his gaze moving towards the little girl who was currently working on cleaning up after herself, Caitlyn also helping Becca get Sofia's things together as well, even though she hadn't been asked. "But you know she loves both of us… The way she admires you, and looks up to you… It's what I always envisioned would happen with our little girl." He spoke softly while he nodded towards Sofia, Gabby's heart swelling in her chest as his genuine words washed over her. "I just didn't picture it happening with two little girls." He added with a grin, Gabby's smile widening. "Our two girls." He breathed out, like he was still trying to believe it was happening as he rubbed her back, Gabby leaning into his touch before she nodded.

"Yeah… our girls." She agreed, Matt unable to hide the hopeful and excited look covering his face as he leaned forward to press a kiss to the side of her head, both of them trying to grasp the reality that here in a few months, they could very well officially be a family of four. And that despite all the pain, and heartache along the way, they couldn't be happier to have had this little girl come into their lives.

And hopefully, as long as everything worked out, she'd stay in their lives forever.

* * *

**Well, there's another one. I hope you all enjoyed it! It's still crazy to me that so many people are still interested in this story, so thank you all for sticking around with me, and reading every week. It means so much to me, and I just want to make sure you all always know how appreciative I am of that.**

**But before we go, I did get a review on the last chapter that I wanted to address. Someone had some questions about Caitlyn, and why Gabby isn't the main parent taking care of her when she bathes/goes to the bathroom, and things like that, and I just wanted to comment on that quickly because I don't want there to be any confusion there. But there really isn't much of an answer to it, just that Matt is taking care of a child he sees as his daughter. He and Gabby share the responsibility of taking care of both children, one doesn't do more than the other, they're both just involved parents, and Matt's doing for Caitlyn what he'd do for Sofia, and what he did for Louie. Caitlyn trusts him, and after this chapter hopefully you all have some more insight into why Caitlyn has always been a little more attached to Matt. But Matt's just being a father, and Caitlyn's comfortable with him. She trusts both him and Gabby with anything she might need help with, and they'd never do anything to hurt her, or to make her uncomfortable. That's really all there is to it, so I hope that helps clear things up.**

**And then I was also asked why Caitlyn takes showers instead of baths, and to answer that, she does both. In the case of the last chapter, the reason she took a shower before bed was because she wanted to. And then the reason she showered instead of taking a bath after she wet the bed was just because it was like three in the morning, and showers are faster. But between taking a shower and taking a bath, there's not really any big reason behind it, it's just whichever Caitlyn wants to do, but she does take both. And they also asked why Caitlyn and Sofia have never taken a bath together, and it's not anything intentional, or something that hasn't happened, I just haven't written a scene of it.**

**The person who left me this review was a guest reviewer, so I couldn't respond to them directly, but if any of you have any more questions, feel free to send me a message and we can talk about it! I'm not someone who has a lot of personal experience on the subject of fostering, my knowledge on all of it is pretty limited, and comes strictly from my own research, so I'm open to hearing any pointers you all might have!**

**Thanks for reading! Stay safe, everyone.**


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